Yamanaka Ino: "Most handsome adoptive father, I pay my respects!"
Yamanaka Inoichi: "..."
Uchiha Izuna: Hahaha~
Ino's face flushed red with excitement.
This was Uchiha Izuna—a figure on the same tier as Konoha's Second Hokage.
And behind him stood Uchiha Madara, one of the two founders of Konoha back then.
Hmph!
With that in mind, Ino naturally lifted her chin.
Finally, she could speak without any worries.
Wait!
If that's the case… what would Sasuke have to call me?
Yamanaka Ino: "Old monkey! Say something! So you can do it, but you can't talk, huh?"
Yamanaka Ino: "Useless at everything—number one at infighting!"
Shimura Danzō: "Yeah, Hiruzen—say something!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's teeth ground so hard from Danzō's repeated remarks that he wanted to uproot ROOT on the spot.
Ōnoki: "Let me interrupt. Watching you Konoha people fight each other is entertaining, but the focus should be on the reward quiz."
Fourth Raikage: "True. Let's see who gets first this time."
Terumī Mei: "I hope I get a reward too."
"Mikoto, you're definitely first!"
Kushina gripped Mikoto's pale hand, soothing her nerves.
Mikoto forced a smile that looked a bit unnatural.
Her palm was sweating.
At the same time, even Sarutobi Hiruzen started getting nervous.
The ones who chose [1] and [2] still didn't know—
their "omnipotent Third Hokage" had secretly chosen [3].
The comparison viewing system didn't keep everyone waiting long.
Soon, the prompt sounded:
[Ding—]
[This reward quiz has ended. Now settling results…]
[The first three to submit an answer are—]
[Congratulations to Uchiha Mikoto. After the comparison viewing ends, Uchiha Mikoto may revive at any designated location in the ninja world!]
[Congratulations to Namikaze Minato. After the comparison viewing ends, his soul will be freed from the Shinigami's stomach!]
[Congratulations to Hyūga Hinata. After the comparison viewing ends, her malnourished body will be repaired!]
[Note: If you win again, you may choose to revive at any time and any place. You may also choose to continue receiving a random reward best suited to the winner.]
Uchiha Mikoto?
Revival?!
In the stands, Sarutobi Hiruzen's body jolted violently.
Uchiha Mikoto… she was going to be revived too?
Good… still within a controllable range.
But—
she wouldn't revive together with Kushina, would she?
That would be different.
A former Nine-Tails jinchūriki plus an Uchiha—
that wasn't as simple as one plus one equals two.
Thinking of that, Hiruzen couldn't help feeling annoyed at how slow his hands were.
If he'd gotten first…
this comparison viewing system would definitely have heard the wish he craved most in his heart:
Returning his aged body to its absolute peak.
Yet Hiruzen's worry wasn't over.
Orochimaru glanced at the sour-faced Sarutobi Hiruzen and laughed.
"Heh heh, Teacher Sarutobi, did you see second place?"
"Minato's attitude seems a bit different now~"
"He rushed to answer too—which means he acknowledges the answer in his heart. And he even took second."
"Oh right."
Orochimaru's lips curled into a wicked smile.
He immediately spoke in the chatroom:
Orochimaru: "Minato, are you already out of the Shinigami's stomach?"
Orochimaru: "Reaper Death Seal really is an ominous technique."
Orochimaru: "After the viewing ends, I think the preparations I made earlier will finally be useful."
Orochimaru: "This time, your Edo Tensei won't fail again."
Uchiha Izuna: Orochimaru, make one for me too~!
Uchiha Izuna: Preferably my big brother's as well. Later I'll tell you where we were buried.
Inside the Shinigami's stomach, Namikaze Minato let out a long breath.
As one of the fastest responders in the ninja world, it wasn't surprising he got second.
"Too bad," the Yin half of the Nine-Tails thought with regret.
Then it muttered, "Edo Tensei, huh? Orochimaru… he's really something. He probably already dug up your grave until it's hollow."
Minato gave a bitter smile. "It doesn't matter."
"But… being revived through Edo Tensei is fine too."
Namikaze Minato: "Then I'll be counting on you, Orochimaru-senpai."
Orochimaru: "Easy, easy. Anyway, after this viewing ends, I really want to see Teacher Sarutobi's funeral."
Orochimaru: "Such a luxurious lineup… tsk tsk tsk. Truly worthy of a Hokage once praised as the strongest."
Hearing that, Sarutobi Hiruzen's face darkened with rage.
Rebellious disciple!
"Hinata, you?!"
The women were stunned.
Looking at Hinata's bright red face—
when did this girl even act?
Ino was the most shocked of all.
Hinata was right beside her—yet she hadn't sensed Hinata answering at all.
No, wait!
This reward…
"Hinata, you… you're malnourished?"
"I… I don't know…" Hinata couldn't possibly answer something like that.
But little Hanabi's eyes suddenly lit up.
"Sister, Black-Frame Naruto big brother said you have to eat well—and eat until you're full."
"I've heard it a few times. At night, I heard your stomach growling, then you ran to the kitchen… so Sister, do you often not get enough to eat?"
"But I remember Sister already eats more than in the family… mmph mmph!"
Before Hanabi could finish—
Hinata pulled her into her arms and covered her mouth.
"Hanabi, don't joke around."
"How could Sister not get enough to eat?"
The girls' expressions changed.
Seeing Hinata's ears turn beet red—
it felt like they'd just learned something huge.
Uzumaki Kushina: "What?!"
Uzumaki Kushina: "How can my little Hinata be malnourished?!"
Uzumaki Kushina: "Big Brother Hiashi, you've gone too far!"
Namikaze Minato: "Big Brother Hizashi—no, Big Brother Hiashi, this really is too much. No matter how strict you are, you can't let a child go hungry."
After Minato spoke, he stared nervously at the chatroom.
Seeing Kushina didn't tell him to shut up again, Minato couldn't help smiling.
He didn't realize Kushina was simply too happy about her best friend's revival right now.
Uchiha Mikoto: "Sasuke, Mom can be revived too. You must be good. When Mom is revived, I'll take you and Naruto, and together with Aunt Kushina, we'll make Konoha pay!"
Uchiha Sasuke: "That's great, Mom~!"
The "second pillar" had reddened eyes.
This was real—he could actually see his mother again.
Uzumaki Naruto: "Sasuke! That's awesome~!"
Hyūga Hiashi: "..."
Hyūga Hiashi: "Hinata… you really… these past years… you really haven't been full?"
Hyūga Hiashi: "I already told them to increase your portion by one extra person every time."
Hinata: "..."
Steam rose above her head.
The next second—
her eyes rolled back and she fainted on the spot.
It's over.
All over.
Now the entire ninja world knew she could eat a lot.
Those pale lavender eyes flickered with a trace of dark aura again.
Senju Tobirama: "Hmph! Stupid!"
Senju Tobirama: "The Hyūga are a taijutsu clan—your consumption is naturally high. Since you already noticed your daughter eats more, yet you never investigated how much she truly needs…"
Senju Tobirama shook his head.
Senju Tobirama: "In that case, Hinata's situation is similar to Gold-Frame Naruto. If Hinata can still keep decent talent, then the only conclusion is that you, as clan head, are an extremely unqualified leader—and father."
Hyūga Hiashi: "My deepest apologies!"
Hyūga Hiashi: "Starting tomorrow—starting from the next meal! I will have them continue serving dishes until Hinata is full!"
Hyūga Hiashi: "From now on, every meal's amount will be Hinata's minimum baseline!"
Hyūga Hiashi: "Hinata, Father apologizes to you!"
With the Second Hokage personally calling him out—
and with Hiashi already burdened by his brother's death and his guilt toward Neji—
he immediately cast aside all so-called status and pride, lowering himself sincerely.
Poor Hinata—
she had still been clinging to a thread of consciousness, planning to muddle through cutely…
but the moment she heard her father's voice, she lost her last bit of awareness.
Little Hanabi saw this and hurriedly shouted:
"Oh no! Sister fainted from hunger!"
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 60 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/senpaistudios1