Hinata’s Change

Outside Konoha, Yota, Hiashi Hyuga, Tsunade, and Shizune arrived at the main gate together.

Of the four, two wore somewhat complicated expressions. Tsunade felt the apprehension of returning home, while Hiashi Hyuga was challenging tradition itself.

As if to suit the mood, white snowflakes slowly began drifting down from the already overcast sky.

"It’s snowing." Yota held out his hand to catch a snowflake. Strangely, it did not melt in his palm, a result of his having mastered Ice Release to a certain extent.

Other than Yota, only Shizune was carefree, even rather delighted.

After all, she had been away from Konoha for years. Since she was thirteen or fourteen, she had had to look after a drunken, gambling addict like Tsunade, and life had been quite hard. Now that she had returned to her hometown, she was naturally overjoyed.

On the way to Konoha, Yota had casually asked Tsunade whether she wanted to go back. By now, he had more or less learned her Medical Ninjutsu, Strength of a Hundred technique, and even the Yin Seal, so there was no reason for him to keep stopping her.

He had assumed Tsunade would not want to return to Konoha, but after hesitating for a long while, she ultimately decided to go back.

Since that was the case, Yota did not mind bringing her along, and so their party heading to Konoha became four people.

The snow fell ever harder, yet Tsunade, who had always avoided Konoha, was the first to snap out of it. Having made up her mind, she strode toward the gate.

"Who goes there? …Lady Tsunade, Hizashi Hyuga?" The two unfamiliar gate guards spoke in surprise. The current gatekeeper duo had not taken up their posts yet.

"Lady Tsunade, you’re back?"

Tsunade stretched lazily, looking carefree on the surface. "That’s right. I’m back!"

One perceptive guard immediately darted off to report the situation. The other did not inspect Yota, Shizune, or Hiashi Hyuga, simply letting them through.

After entering Konoha, Yota and Hiashi Hyuga parted ways with Tsunade and Shizune. Tsunade claimed she was going to see some old friends, but Yota, who knew Konoha quite well, remembered that direction seemed to lead to the Konoha Casino.

"Whatever. That spendthrift can go wherever she wants. If she stays in Akatsuki’s base any longer, Akatsuki might turn into a casino."

Yota and Hiashi Hyuga were walking toward the Hyuga clan compound. Although the Hyuga clan’s location in Konoha was not remote, it was not bustling either. Perhaps to preserve their quaint, tranquil atmosphere, they were some distance from Konoha’s central district.

"Her eyes are so strange!"

"Is she a monster, like that demon fox?"

"Monster girl! Byakugan monster!"

After entering Konoha, Yota’s Observation Haki had never stopped, so he heard those voices. He also sensed the auras of several ordinary children and Hinata Hyuga.

This seemed to be the scene from the original story where Uzumaki Naruto saved the damsel in distress. But Konoha’s residents did not recognize the Byakugan? That was absurd.

"Is the Hyuga clan very low-key in Konoha? It seems like they rarely interact with others." Thinking of this, Yota looked at Hiashi Hyuga and asked.

"To be precise, we almost never interact with others," Hiashi Hyuga said with a sigh. "After all, a Bloodline Limit like the Byakugan can easily see things that should remain hidden. Everyone has their own secrets and privacy."

"I see… no wonder…"

Yota could now sense Hinata Hyuga drawing closer and closer. Then he heard the little girl’s shout.

"Gentle Fist!"

A barrage of thuds and crashes followed, then wave after wave of crying and wailing.

"That voice?" Hiashi Hyuga recognized his daughter’s voice at once. Turning the street corner, he saw his daughter straddling a chubby boy, punching him left and right until he howled endlessly.

The other two boys beside them were bruised and swollen, their eyes blackened and reddened. They trembled as they watched Hinata Hyuga batter their companion.

Uh… Yota had no idea how to describe his feelings. How had this iconic scene from the original story been flipped around like this?

Could this actually be the Limited Tsukuyomi World? But Akatsuki had not turned into a heroic organization either!

"Stop!"

With a crisp shout, a blond little boy with six whisker marks on his face leaped out. "Stop hitting them!"

Hinata Hyuga snorted coldly. "Are you with them?"

"Whether I’m with them or not, you can’t bully people like this!" the little boy declared righteously.

Hinata Hyuga narrowed her eyes slightly, and then…

With a series of thuds, Uzumaki Naruto, the hero who had saved the damsel in distress in the original story, fell down bruised and swollen.

Yota could clearly feel Hiashi Hyuga’s entire body stiffen beside him.

"Cough, cough!" After two light coughs, Hinata Hyuga’s body jolted. Turning around, she saw Hiashi Hyuga’s dark expression, as well as Yota standing beside him.

Joy first appeared on Hinata Hyuga’s face, followed by an anxious, timid look. Lowering her head, she walked somewhat sheepishly over to Hiashi Hyuga and Yota.

"Father… Yota, Big Brother…"

At that moment, a Hyuga Branch Family guard came running over, drenched in sweat. Hiashi Hyuga shot him a fierce glare, but with Yota beside him, he could not say much to either the guard or Hinata Hyuga. He merely snorted coldly.

Hinata Hyuga lowered her head even further. Yota, however, smiled and secretly gave Hinata Hyuga a thumbs-up.

Clearly, because of her previous experiences, Hinata Hyuga’s personality had changed greatly—though any child who had gone through what she had would have been changed.

From the looks of it, Hinata Hyuga’s change had been a positive one. After suffering such harm, normal children often became extremely introverted and afraid of the outside world.

Yet Hinata Hyuga had become somewhat fierce and irritable. Perhaps it was the principle of extremes rebounding?

Yota was not a psychologist, but honestly, he thought Hinata Hyuga’s current personality was more promising.

Because of this small incident, Hiashi Hyuga no longer wanted to stay outside. He quickly brought Yota to the Hyuga clan compound.

However, when they reached the entrance of the Hyuga clan compound, they happened to see Hizashi Hyuga standing at the gate.

Hinata Hyuga and several hyuga ninja stared at the two brothers in confusion. After the Caged Bird Curse Mark had been removed, the two of them standing together truly made it impossible to tell who was who.