Shizune, hearing this, put down her bowl and said worriedly:
"Hinata-sama's mother's condition worsened significantly after giving birth to Hanabi. She has become increasingly weak over the years. In the past few days, she even fell into a coma several times. It's not looking good. And with Lady Tsunade gone, there's not much we can do."
Pausing, Shizune added:
"If her condition continues to deteriorate, it might get even worse, and she could... she could pass away at any time. Little Hinata would be devastated."
Having frequent interactions with Ino and Hinata, Shizune had grown fond of the adorable little Hinata.
Is it really that bad?
Taking Shizune's bowl, Shishou added two more scoops of rice, thinking about going to the Hyuga house later to take a look.
"I'm already full," Shizune quickly refused as Shishou added more food to her bowl.
"You've eaten so little; that's not enough! You'll need plenty of energy later," Shishou said, passing the bowl back to her.
"I..." Shizune's face turned bright red at Shishou's words, feeling both embarrassed and unable to refuse.
Trying everything and still getting shy so easily, how cute.
Seeing Shizune's expression, Shishou chuckled and added another scoop of rice to her bowl.
Shizune's face turned into a frown. How am I supposed to finish all this...
Late at night, within the Hyuga clan compound.
In Hinata Hyuga's room.
Shishou's figure suddenly appeared behind the sleeping Hinata.
After Obito Uchiha's attack on Konoha, Shishou, just in case, left a small Flying Thunder God mark under Hinata and Ino's hair, enabling him to rescue them at any time.
"Her eyes are swollen from crying."
"And Ino's here too."
Seeing Hinata's swollen eyelids and Ino sleeping beside her, Shishou sighed.
Using his insect clones, he transformed some of them into small flying insects to search for Lady Hinata's mother's location within the Hyuga compound. Although the Hyuga's Byakugan is powerful for surveillance, Shishou's insect clones, mimicking regular insects without any chakra, were unlikely to be detected. Besides, activating the Byakugan consumes chakra, and the Hyuga clan members generally wouldn't use it for routine patrols.
"Found her."
Shishou's figure disappeared, reappearing inside a traditional Japanese tatami room. Due to Hinata's mother's severe illness, the room was kept quiet with only her inside, while the main family servants guarded the door outside.
"Lady Hinata's mother, excuse me..."
Approaching the bed where Hinata's mother lay, Shishou murmured softly.
He then put her into a deeper sleep and began a full-body examination using his insect clones.
"No wonder she's Hinata's mother; she's quite... well-endowed..."
"Hmm?"
Mid-compliment, Shishou noticed the feedback from his insect clones and frowned.
"Her cell activity is incredibly low, and her life force is almost depleted... This is on par with an elderly person nearing death. Could it really be as Shizune said, that giving birth to Hanabi took such a toll on her?"
Normally, as the mother of the Hyuga clan, Hinata's mother should be physically robust, given her training in the Hyuga's taijutsu and living a life of luxury without needing to care for children herself.
How could she become so weak after giving birth to Hinata and Hanabi? It's as if her life force was drained.
Could it be that Hinata and Hanabi consumed too much of her life force?
Thinking about Hinata's large appetite and Hanabi being targeted by Toneri Otsutsuki for her Byakugan, intending to fuse them into Tenseigan, Shishou suddenly considered a possibility.
Toneri Otsutsuki ignored the other main family members and Hiashi Hyuga's Byakugan, specifically targeting Hanabi's Byakugan and planning to marry Hinata.
This implies that Hinata and Hanabi's Byakugan are what Toneri truly wanted.
Similarly, does this mean that only Hinata and Hanabi's Byakugan have the potential to upgrade into Tenseigan?
Reflecting on Hinata's huge appetite and unique ability to walk on water, Shishou's suspicion grew stronger.
If Hinata needs a massive amount of energy to sustain her special Byakugan, then her voracious eating habits make sense.
Withdrawing his thoughts, Shishou prepared to leave.
Suddenly, he froze.
Oh no...
This is bad...
Realizing his hand was on Hinata's mother's chest, Shishou quickly pulled back, shocked at himself.
I really need to control this hand...
He carefully adjusted Hinata's mother's clothes to avoid arousing suspicion and then used the Flying Thunder God technique to return to Hinata's room.
"Where's Hinata?"
Seeing only Ino asleep on the bed, Shishou was puzzled.
He sensed Hinata's Flying Thunder God mark and vanished.
In the kitchen.
Awakened by hunger, Hinata skillfully opened the fridge, taking out some fruit and rummaging through the cabinets for snacks. Hugging her findings, she ran to Hanabi's room.
"Hinata-sama is stealing food again."
"Don't mind it. Hiashi-sama doesn't let Hinata-sama eat much during the day, saying it's not ladylike. It's normal for her to be hungry."
"But she eats so much."
"It's not just Hinata-sama; even little Hanabi-sama has quite an appetite..."
In a corner, two main family servants whispered as they watched Hinata run by. They were used to her behavior.
Hinata would take the food, and they would clean up. It was a tacit agreement.
In another shadowed corner, Shishou listened with a black line across his face.
He didn't expect Hinata to wake up in the middle of the night to steal food... and even bring Hanabi along.
In Hanabi's room.
"Sis, I'm so hungry."
Little Hanabi ran over, pleading as Hinata entered.
"Here, let's quietly eat these," Hinata said, tossing the snacks onto the tatami mat and starting to eat with Hanabi.
Their practiced manner showed it wasn't their first time doing this.
Watching them quickly finish off a pile of food, Shishou, hidden in the shadows, couldn't help but twitch.
They can really eat.
Good thing I have money.
I can definitely afford to feed them...
Anyone else would go bankrupt.
Shishou muttered to himself, vanishing from the spot.
After eating, Hinata and Hanabi packed up the trash and threw it in a hidden spot in the yard.
Soon after, the two main family servants from before came to clean up the trash and dispose of it.
With that done, Hinata returned to her bedroom and snuggled up to Ino to sleep.
Back in Tsunade's room.
Returning from the Hyuga compound, Shishou held the sleeping Shizune and began contemplating his next steps with the Hyuga clan.