Back in Konoha, Tsunade sat at her desk, tapping the end of a pen against Hinata's newly submitted mission report.
She sighed, rubbing her cheek.
"Honestly… Naruto is supposed to be unpredictable, but this is something else. He went out to find a ferret—and somehow ended up in an international incident."
It would've been one thing if they had simply stumbled upon it, but the real issue was that Naruto actively approached the situation.
Still, Tsunade didn't question the validity of the report. Konoha had its own informants in Sunagakure; it was easy to confirm whether the information was genuine.
"Hmph… well done," she muttered, setting the paper down. "But don't let it happen again."
She had intended to scold them, but as soon as she thought about Naruto—his impulsiveness, his enthusiasm, his knack for trouble—her irritation melted. If anyone deserved the lecture, it was him.
So, she simply lowered her raised hand and sighed.
Hinata, standing respectfully before the Hokage, immediately understood. Tsunade's soft spot for Naruto was something she could use in the future—especially when it came to covering her own actions.
"Lord Hokage," Hinata said suddenly, "there's one more matter I need to report."
Tsunade nodded for her to continue.
Hinata then explained everything she had learned—how she'd lip-read the enemy's interrogation, and what she knew about the Gelel Stone. Of course, she omitted the details about her personal acquisition of its energy.
"By the time we reached the ruins," Hinata said calmly, "everything had already been destroyed. There was nothing left to recover."
Tsunade blinked in mild surprise, studying Hinata's face. The girl's pure white eyes radiated honesty; it was as if her expression itself said I don't know how to lie.
After a long pause, Tsunade nodded approvingly.
…
Later, Naruto and Sakura were called in for questioning.
Their accounts matched Hinata's almost perfectly—except for one detail. Neither of them mentioned Hinata's lip-reading or how she had obtained Temari's intelligence.
Apart from that, their versions of the Gelel Mine incident were identical.
After reviewing everything, Tsunade concluded her assessment. The original ferret mission remained Rank C, while the unregistered support rendered to Sunagakure against foreign enemies was classified as Rank B.
Since the team had acted independently without formal commission, the rank couldn't be raised higher. Official wartime-level missions involving other nations began at Rank A, and this didn't quite meet that threshold.
When the result reached Hinata, she smiled faintly.
She hadn't expected to hide the Gelel Mine's existence forever. Sunagakure could easily verify her actions if they wished. Concealment would only raise suspicion, so she chose honesty—just not the whole truth.
Only three people in the entire shinobi world knew what truly happened that day: Hinata, Naruto, and Sakura.
Even Temari would never imagine what Hinata had actually taken from that ruin.
…
When Naruto and Sakura left the Hokage's office, Hinata was waiting for them outside. She waved, her gentle smile as warm as ever.
She wasn't in a hurry to go home; first, she intended to fulfill her promises.
"From now on," Hinata declared, "all of Naruto's Ichiraku Ramen expenses are on me."
Naruto's jaw dropped. "For real? For life?"
"For life," Hinata confirmed with a smile.
As for the house, Naruto politely declined. The one he lived in had belonged to the Third Hokage—his "Grandpa" in spirit. He'd grown up there, and besides, he wasn't yet comfortable moving elsewhere.
Hinata respected his decision. "Then… whenever you change your mind, just tell me," she said softly. "The offer will always stand."
That left only one promise unfulfilled—Sakura's.
As soon as Naruto tried to eavesdrop, Sakura grabbed him by the collar and dragged him off before turning back to Hinata with a determined expression.
"So, Hinata," she said, "how exactly are you going to help me and Sasuke? He's not even in the village! I can't see him, can't talk to him—and when I do, all he thinks about is revenge." She sighed, clearly exasperated. "He doesn't care about anything else."
Hinata lowered her gaze, absentmindedly twirling her fingers as she thought. "Even so," she said softly, "being able to see him again would be a start, wouldn't it?"
Sakura blinked, then smiled faintly. "You're right… but do you have a plan?"
Hinata's expression turned thoughtful. She remembered Sasuke's favorite words—Don't underestimate the Uchiha. A small idea began forming in her mind, though she said nothing yet.
"Let me think about it first," Hinata replied with a mysterious smile.
After parting ways, she returned home as night deepened.
She greeted her father and mother politely, reassured them of her safety, and took a long, soothing bath. Afterward, she changed into soft, casual home clothes and brewed herself another pot of tea.
Just as she sat down, a familiar voice called from the hallway.
"Onee-sama!"
Hinata looked up and smiled as Hanabi appeared.
…
"Onee-sama! Look! Isn't my handwriting beautiful?"
Trailing behind, the branch family maid responsible for tutoring Hanabi bowed respectfully to Hinata before quietly closing the door and waiting outside for further orders.
Hinata leaned closer to inspect the exercise book spread open before her sister. Every page was filled with neat, careful characters. Though Hanabi's calligraphy couldn't yet match that of a true master, for her age, her skill was remarkable.
Hinata smiled warmly. "Yes, it's very good—honestly, even better than mine."
"Really? Then please, Sister, show me yours!"
At Hanabi's insistence, Hinata picked up a brush and an ink stick from her desk, turned to a blank page in the practice book, and began to write. After a moment of focus, her brush moved steadily across the paper.
Her handwriting was elegant, but even she could tell—it truly was slightly inferior to Hanabi's.
A person's energy is limited. In her previous life, Hinata's hands had been trained to wield guns, knives, and daggers. In this life, they were meant for striking and defense. She had little time to refine anything as delicate as calligraphy.
Calligraphy demanded patience, time, and deep understanding—it was not something that could be mastered in passing.
Hanabi, seeing this, lit up like she'd discovered a new world. Her lavender eyes sparkled with excitement. "I'll show you how to do it properly, Onee-sama!" she said proudly, straightening her posture.
She demonstrated with exaggerated seriousness. "Here—apply pressure here, and then flick lightly! Don't linger too long! See? Like this!"
Hinata watched her with amusement, her eyes curving into crescents. Occasionally, she clapped or offered gentle praise, which only made Hanabi more enthusiastic.
After writing diligently for who knew how long, Hanabi finally grew tired and dozed off, her little head resting peacefully on Hinata's lap.
Hinata glanced down at her sleeping sister, then at the still-wet ink on the table. Her pure white eyes blinked mischievously.
…
The door opened quietly.
The branch family maid immediately straightened, bowing deeply. Hinata nodded slightly and motioned for her to take Hanabi to her room.
As the maid bent down to lift the sleeping girl, she froze for a moment.
On Hanabi's cute little face was the faint outline of a turtle—drawn in black ink.
"...Hinata-sama!" the maid stammered, torn between horror and amusement.
Hinata, still smiling softly, whispered, "Don't wake her. And don't wipe it off."
The maid swallowed hard and nodded obediently.
…
The next morning, Hanabi woke up early as usual. Without glancing at the mirror, she washed her face, dressed, and left the room. The maid hovered anxiously nearby but didn't dare speak.
Although washing had smudged the ink, the turtle was still visible enough to be recognized for what it was.
Throughout the morning, Hanabi endured her father's raised brows, her mother's stifled laughter, her sister's suspiciously kind smile, and the bemused looks of nearly everyone in the compound.
Only when she caught her reflection in a window did realization strike.
Her shrill scream echoed across the Hyuga estate.
"Onee-sama! You idiot! I'm never talking to you again!"
…
By the afternoon, however, Hanabi's anger had already softened.
Dressed in a matching cherry blossom kimono like her sister, with a sky-blue bow tied around her waist, she held Hinata's hand while happily munching on the crepes Hinata had bought her. Her cheeks were flushed, and her earlier fury seemed long forgotten.
Later that evening, the sisters spent hours playing ninja games together.
By the end, Hanabi was laughing again, calling Hinata "Onee-sama" with affectionate warmth.
Watching her little sister's joy, Hinata's heart filled with quiet happiness.
This is so much fun, she thought, smiling. When I grow up, it probably won't be like this anymore. I should enjoy it while I can.