Chapter 11 — An Unexpected Delight: The Hyūga's Response!
Shiraishi withdrew his gaze from the blond boy in the distance and deliberately chose a different path, pushing the small cart forward without slowing his pace.
"A dignified Hokage's son," he thought quietly, "yet treated like this…"
The corners of his mouth curved into a faint, ironic smile.
"It really makes one sigh."
Uzumaki Naruto's identity was anything but ordinary. He was not only the son of the Fourth Hokage, but also a jinchūriki—someone who used their own body as a living prison to restrain a Tailed Beast for the sake of the village.
What Naruto sacrificed was not merely comfort or reputation, but his entire childhood.
Loneliness. Fear. Rejection.
All of it, borne silently, so that Konoha could sleep peacefully at night.
"No matter how you look at it," Shiraishi mused, "someone like that should never be treated this way."
Yet his thoughts quickly shifted, calm and pragmatic as ever.
"Still… from my perspective, this situation is actually advantageous."
In a village where nearly everyone avoided Uzumaki Naruto like the plague, even the smallest gesture of kindness would shine like a torch in the darkness.
"In circumstances like this, gaining Naruto's favor won't be difficult at all. As long as I show genuine goodwill, the results will come naturally."
"But not now."
"The timing isn't right yet."
"Once the Uchiha's problems are properly resolved… then I can start trying."
As these thoughts settled, a quiet sense of anticipation rose within Shiraishi's chest.
After all, Uzumaki Naruto's talent and potential ceiling were in no way inferior to Uchiha Sasuke's.
If anything, Naruto's upper limit might be even higher.
They were existences of the same tier.
And that meant one thing.
If Sasuke's favorability could bring him such powerful returns, then Naruto's response would only be stronger.
Stronger ninja cats.
Greater rewards.
The gentle rattling of the cart's wheels accompanied his thoughts as they rolled over uneven stone pavement, rising and dipping with the terrain in a steady rhythm.
Just as Shiraishi and Hirako Shinji left the commercial district and headed toward the Uchiha residential area, a sharp, unpleasant noise suddenly cut through the air.
It came from a narrow alley not far away.
Shiraishi's steps slowed slightly. His eyes shifted toward the source of the sound.
Several young boys had surrounded a small girl, no more than three or four years old, pressing in around her as they shouted cruel words without restraint.
"White-eyed monster!"
"Don't come near us!"
"We don't welcome you here!"
"So scary!"
"So gross!"
...
The girl stood frozen in the middle of the alley, her small hands clenched tightly at her sides. She didn't cry or scream—she only lowered her head, her shoulders trembling faintly.
Shiraishi sighed inwardly and shook his head.
The villagers' rejection of the Uchiha and their hatred toward Uzumaki Naruto could, at the very least, be twisted into something resembling "reason."
Uchiha Madara's defiance in the past.
The unmistakable Sharingan reflected in the Nine-Tails' eyes on the night of the disaster.
The long-standing friction between the Military Police Force and ordinary villagers.
All of these had been deliberately exaggerated, distorted, and passed down, shaping fear into resentment.
But the Hyūga clan?
They were obedient.
Docile.
Rule-abiding to an almost tragic degree.
They bound even their own blood relatives with the Caged Bird Seal, turning themselves into a perfectly controlled tool for Konoha's upper echelons.
If even a Hyūga child could be bullied like this in broad daylight, then the problem was no longer about clans.
It was about people.
At that moment, one of the boys subconsciously glanced toward the alley entrance.
The instant his eyes landed on Shiraishi, his expression froze.
Fear flashed across his face.
"It's—It's an Uchiha!"
"What?!"
"Someone from the Uchiha clan!"
The other boys followed his gaze. When they recognized the crimson fan crest on Shiraishi's clothing, their faces drained of color.
Without another word—
"Run!"
The group scattered in panic, disappearing down the alley like startled rats.
Shiraishi calmly withdrew his gaze, his expression unchanged.
The villagers' attitude toward the Uchiha was complicated.
Hatred, rejection, resentment—but also fear.
Because of that fear, they didn't dare cross the line openly.
Toward Uzumaki Naruto, however, it was different.
What they felt for him was almost pure disgust.
There was fear, yes—but that fear was aimed solely at the Nine-Tails sealed inside his body.
As long as Naruto didn't display its power, the villagers didn't feel threatened.
Which was why they dared to mistreat him so openly.
Another difference lay in the individuals themselves.
Most Uchiha were strong, proud, and unyielding.
Naruto, on the other hand, lacked confidence—because no one had ever told him the truth about who he was.
As for the Hyūga…
They endured.
Silently.
"Shinji," Shiraishi said softly, "let's keep moving."
"Yes, my lord."
Just as they turned to leave, hurried footsteps echoed behind them.
The sound stopped at the entrance of the alley.
Shiraishi paused and turned around.
A small girl stood there.
She had short black hair, pale lavender eyes, and wore the distinctive attire of the Hyūga clan. Her Byakugan was unmistakable.
The moment she realized Shiraishi had turned around, her face flushed a bright, vivid red.
She stared at him, wide-eyed and frozen.
Shiraishi gave her a gentle nod—nothing more.
That simple gesture was enough.
The little girl startled as if waking from a dream, then quickly retreated back into the alley, her small figure vanishing from sight.
Shiraishi shrugged slightly and resumed walking. The cart wheels began rolling once more.
Yet his expression subtly shifted.
Because just moments ago, above that little girl's head, he had seen something completely unexpected.
[90 — Thank you, big brother!]
Shiraishi stopped.
A favorability of 90.
From a child he had met for the very first time.
And all because he had scared off a few bullies by simply being present.
"…That's a bit outrageous."
But to Shiraishi, it was nothing but good news.
A pure, unfiltered surprise.
[Detected: Hyūga Hinata's favorability has reached 90. Proceed with collection?]
Shiraishi raised an eyebrow.
"Hyūga… Hinata?"
He had recognized her as a Hyūga, but he hadn't expected her to be that Hyūga.
Logically speaking, it made little sense for Hyūga Hinata—the clan head's eldest daughter—to be wandering alone in a place like this.
But then he remembered.
In the original storyline, Hinata's feelings toward Uzumaki Naruto began in almost the same way.
Bullied.
Cornered.
Saved by someone who didn't look down on her.
Perhaps fate simply had a fondness for repeating itself.
"One act of help, and her favorability jumped straight to ninety…"
"If everyone had Hinata's personality, life would be much easier."
"Collecting favorability would be effortless."
Shiraishi felt a new spark of anticipation ignite.
In the original story, Hyūga Hinata had never truly stood out in terms of combat power.
Even by the Fourth Great Ninja War, her strength was respectable—but far from overwhelming.
And yet…
Ōtsutsuki Toneri had chosen her.
That alone was proof.
Her talent and potential were far greater than what she had ever displayed.
The most likely explanation was simple.
She had never been given the chance—or the confidence—to fully bloom.
"At the very least," Shiraishi thought, "she's far above the average Hyūga."
"Collect."
[Collection successful. Initiate request?]
Shiraishi didn't respond immediately.
He waited until he returned to the ninja tool shop, stored the ingredients, and ensured everything was in order.
Only then did he enter the rest room and sink into a reclining chair.
"Initiate request."
[You have sent a request to the myriad worlds. Across the vast universe, countless gazes have turned toward you.]
[An existence known as Violet has responded to your call.]
[You have obtained a B-rank response.]
The next instant—
A sphere of soft white light materialized in Shiraishi's palm.
He stared at it quietly.
"…Violet."
A faint smile appeared on his face.