After a week of rest and adjustment, Hinata finally reunited with her teammates—Kiba, Shino, and Isaribi—who had safely returned from their previous mission.
Tsunade, curious about Isaribi's past as one of Orochimaru's test subjects, personally examined her. But after learning the details of her condition, her interest quickly faded—though she did mention that she could restore Isaribi's body to normal.
This revelation nearly brought Isaribi to tears. Having nowhere else to go, she had followed Hinata to Konoha in quiet desperation. Now, for the first time in years, hope returned to her heart.
While Isaribi remained in the hospital for treatment, Hinata prepared to depart once again.
Kiba and Shino were ordered to rest for a few days before resuming missions. Their last assignment had drained them physically and mentally, and pushing further would only risk exhaustion.
Hinata, however, had no intention of slowing down.
She still aimed to become a Jonin before the year's end.
Her father had once advised her to pick wealthy clients for long-term escort missions—ones that paid well and required little combat. But Hinata had no time for that now.
Long escort missions dragged on endlessly. If no enemies appeared, they could stretch for weeks or even months. She couldn't afford that delay.
Instead, she chose a mission that was short but dangerous—a B-rank mission to hunt down a fugitive ninja.
The target had been handpicked by Tsunade from the Anbu's list of missing-nin. "Capture alive if possible," Tsunade instructed, her tone implying that "dead" would also be acceptable.
The fact that this rogue ninja had managed to elude Anbu pursuit meant his skill was far from ordinary. Classified as B-rank, his power was likely between that of a Chunin and a Special Jonin.
The mission scroll Hinata carried contained limited intel: the fugitive's name was unknown, but he was skilled in Earth Release and Kenjutsu.
Hinata didn't consider the assignment particularly difficult—it was just a matter of tracking him down. The search might take time, but once found, victory was within reach.
Following the latest intelligence gathered by Konoha's secret service, Hinata traveled through countless towns, forests, and valleys.
After nearly half a month of pursuit, she finally located her target in a small, quiet town.
He had clearly taken a drug to suppress his chakra signature, allowing him to evade detection from sensory ninjas. His disguise was meticulous—ordinary clothing, calm demeanor, and a blade disguised as a walking stick.
But to Hinata's Byakugan, those small details stood out like glaring signs.
Even with his chakra sealed, the faint energy resonating from his swords was unmistakable.
She had found her prey.
…
There were quite a few people nearby, so to avoid causing a commotion or leaving a bad impression, Hinata didn't act rashly.
She crouched low on a rooftop, her figure hidden behind a hanging sign, occasionally glancing down at her target from the corner of her eye.
He's skilled in Earth Release, she thought calmly. That means I'll need to seal that ability first. Breaking his wrist or fingers should do the trick.
He's also proficient with swords… I mustn't give him even a moment to draw his blade.
And to prevent escape… breaking both legs will be necessary.
Hinata tore off a piece of beef jerky and chewed slowly, methodically mapping out every step of her plan.
When the rogue ninja finally left the crowded town and entered a more secluded area, Hinata tilted her head, rolled her shoulders—and struck.
There was no hesitation, no dialogue, no mercy. She launched her attack the instant the opportunity presented itself.
A new Ten-Tails Chakra Mode activated, her body wrapped in a gleaming aura of pale light.
In less than a second, everything was over.
The rogue ninja's left hand was crushed, both legs shattered. Hinata swiftly stripped him of all four concealed blades, each of different lengths, and sealed his chakra points one by one with precise strikes.
His screams echoed briefly through the clearing—until Hinata struck the back of his neck and silenced him with a clean, efficient chop.
Before anyone could notice, she lifted his limp body effortlessly with one hand and disappeared into the forest, heading toward Konoha.
During the return journey, whenever he began to stir awake, Hinata would deliver another quick blow to keep him unconscious.
She wasn't interested in talking. She didn't want his story, his secrets, or his confessions.
Curiosity could be a death sentence.
Especially when the captive was a former Anbu, a man who likely carried classified information. Even as the Hyuga heiress, Hinata had no intention of inviting that kind of trouble upon herself—or her clan.
…
Three days later, Hinata returned to the village.
Tsunade frowned slightly when she saw the half-dead, battered rogue ninja lying at Hinata's feet.
"...You didn't hold back, did you?"
Hinata simply bowed and handed over her mission report, neatly written during her travels.
Her work was done. Before leaving, she asked about Isaribi's condition and was relieved to hear that the surgery had been a success. Isaribi was now stable and under observation in the hospital.
Tsunade flipped through Hinata's report, her brows gradually relaxing. "How did Hiashi raise such a daughter? She's remarkable."
Her tone was half exasperation, half admiration. Hinata's discipline and strict adherence to her duties—without curiosity or overreach—were exactly what Tsunade valued in a shinobi.
…
Hinata made her way to the hospital next, entering the ward where Isaribi was being treated.
The girl was completely wrapped in bandages, looking like a small, fragile mummy.
Hinata hesitated, her words caught in her throat. Seeing the bandages covering even Isaribi's mouth, there wasn't much she could say anyway. IV drips hung from the stand beside her, delivering nutrients to keep her alive.
"How long will it take for you to recover?" Hinata asked softly. "Blink once for yes."
The girl blinked three times.
"Three days? Three weeks? Three months?" Hinata asked gently.
Isaribi blinked again when Hinata mentioned three months.
"I see…" Hinata nodded in understanding.
Just then, a nurse entered to change the IV. Upon noticing Hinata, she nearly dropped the tray and quickly bowed. "Hinata-sama!"
Hinata turned slightly toward her. "You're the one in charge of her care?"
"Yes!" the nurse replied quickly. "Because Hinata-sama was the one who brought her back, we thought it best to assign her to me personally. We didn't dare let anyone else handle her case."
Hinata nodded approvingly. "I see. Thank you for your dedication."
She asked for the nurse's name and made a mental note to remember it. "I'll be counting on you for the next three months. If you ever need assistance—or face something you can't manage alone—please come to me."
After that, Hinata quietly excused herself.
With the Hyuga clan's backing, Isaribi's care would be well-funded and secure.
…
"One A-rank and one S-rank mission left…" Hinata murmured as she stepped out of the hospital. "Just two more to qualify for Jonin."
She didn't go home; instead, she went straight to the mission headquarters.
The trip to the Land of Wind with Naruto and Sakura had taken nine days, followed by a week of rest in Konoha. This recent pursuit of the rogue ninja had consumed another half-month.
That left only a little over four months before the year's end.
Plenty of time on paper—but missions were unpredictable. Some could end in a day, others might stretch for weeks or even years.
Hinata's goal was clear: she wanted to become a Jonin before her twelfth birthday.
She imagined her father's proud smile—the way he would straighten his back and tell the other clan heads, "My daughter is extraordinary. She became a Jonin at just twelve."
Just the thought made her heart warm.
Technically, as a Chunin, she wasn't qualified to take on A-rank or higher missions. But her recent achievements—and Tsunade's favor—made exceptions possible.
Special circumstances allowed for special treatment.
After reviewing the available missions, Hinata selected one that suited her best: a solo A-rank mission.
She was just about to leave the village when she ran into Ino, who was carrying a bouquet of fresh flowers.
They greeted each other warmly, exchanging a few pleasantries. Hinata was about to continue on her way—until Ino suddenly rushed forward and grabbed her hand.
"H-Hinata!" she exclaimed. "Is it true? Did you really say you wanted to matchmake Sasuke and Sakura?"
Hinata froze, blinking in surprise.
There were only two people in the entire world who knew about that conversation.
I didn't tell anyone, she thought instantly. Which meant—
It had to be Sakura.
---
[Translator's Note:
Daily updates will be 2-3 chapters.
If the Power Stones goal is achieved, updates will be more!!
Power Stones ↔ Chapters Exchange:
100 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
Monthly Ranking Bonus:
1st place in the monthly ranking = 5 bonus chapters per day, in addition to regular extra chapters!]