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Hinata, do you know why our Hyuga clan is the largest family in Konoha?
Hinata looked at her father, Hiashi Hyuga, seriously.
"Is it because of the Byakugan and our Gentle Fist technique?" Hinata asked uncertainly.
"Wrong. Our Hyuga clan thrives because we understand the situation in Konoha. We can clearly see the advantageous side in chaotic situations, which has allowed us to become the most powerful clan in Konoha," Hiashi replied.
"Is that so?" Hinata expressed confusion. She wasn't particularly interested in politics.
"Recently, I've noticed some changes in Konoha. The Third Hokage may not be as reliable as we thought," Hiashi said with a meaningful tone.
According to the information he received from ANBU, yesterday's massive explosion was not just an ordinary attack. Being able to successfully assassinate three people without disturbing Konoha's barrier was no small feat. Hiashi believed that the Third Hokage must have suffered greatly in this battle. If the Third Hokage steps down, there might be an opportunity for the Hyuga clan to claim leadership, perhaps even as the next Hokage.
Hiashi had another plan as well.
"Hinata, how is your relationship with Uchiha Sasuke?"
Hinata was taken aback by the sudden change in topic. They were just talking about alliances, so why was her father suddenly asking about Sasuke?
"We're just ordinary friends," Hinata said, lowering her head.
Hearing this, Hiashi sighed deeply. "Why haven't you developed a stronger relationship with Uchiha Sasuke?" he asked, clearly frustrated.
Hinata was so frightened by her father's tone that she couldn't respond. She stood aside with her head lowered, nervously clutching her clothes with both hands.
Seeing her reaction, Hiashi sighed again. Why is it that Yamanaka Inoichi's daughter is so popular with Sasuke, while his own daughter, who is equally talented, struggles to form a bond?
Hiashi's second plan was called the "Sharingan Seizure Plan." Of course, this plan didn't involve stealing Sasuke's Sharingan but rather having Hinata form a relationship with Sasuke and eventually bear a child with the Sharingan. In this way, their lineage could always control the clan leader position. If Hinata bore a child with both the Sharingan and Byakugan, it was almost certain that the child would reach Kage level. When that time came, claiming the Hokage seat wouldn't be impossible.
If Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had no notable bloodline, could become Hokage, why couldn't the Hyuga clan, with its powerful Byakugan, achieve the same?
Hiashi asked Hinata to carry out this plan instead of having Hanabi or another Hyuga woman do it because Hinata's talent wasn't as great as Hanabi's. It was likely that Hinata would be marked with the Caged Bird Seal in the future, a fate that Hiashi wanted to help her avoid. But if Hinata could secure an Uchiha as a partner, this might be her chance to escape that fate.
Hinata didn't know how to refuse her father's request, so she could only agree.
"Yes, Father! I will complete this mission!"
Hearing this, Hiashi smiled with satisfaction.
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Time returned to the present.
Hinata was standing there in a daze when Sasuke walked up to her playfully and poked her cheek. Her skin was soft and elastic, making him want to pinch it.
Hinata was startled by Sasuke's action and quickly stepped back. Unfortunately, she tripped over a stone and was about to fall to the ground. Sasuke immediately stepped forward, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into his arms.
Now lying in Sasuke's embrace, Hinata thought of the task her father had given her, and her face turned bright red, transforming her into a "Steam Princess."
Seeing her reaction, Sasuke quickly stepped away, worried that if he didn't, she might faint.
"Hinata, are you okay?" Sasuke asked, concerned.
Hinata, still in a daze, could hardly believe how close she had been to a boy. The experience had a huge impact on her.
After calming down, Hinata shyly asked, "Sasuke-kun, would you train with me?"
She had asked Neji about how to improve her relationship with Sasuke, and Neji had said that training together was a good way to bond. With that in mind, Hinata decided to give it a try.
"Training? Sure, let's work on your taijutsu!" Sasuke agreed readily.
After all, how could he refuse such an offer?
Sasuke then began one-on-one training with Hinata. Surprisingly, Hinata's mental endurance improved significantly after this session. But was this really just physical training? It seemed more like something else entirely, though one could still call it aerobic exercise!
After a few hours of training, Sasuke and Hinata went to find Sakura and Ino. The main purpose of Sasuke's outing that day was to find them.
When Sasuke found them, they had just finished training and were eating lunch to replenish their energy.
"Ah, it's been so boring without Sasuke around!" Ino said while eating.
She had been working hard for the upcoming Chunin Exam, determined not to let Sasuke down.
"Why don't we go find Sasuke after lunch?" Sakura suggested. She hadn't seen Sasuke for several days and was curious about what he had been up to.
Just then, Sasuke suddenly appeared behind them with a smile on his face. "Did you miss me?" he asked.
Hinata was beside him.
Hearing his voice, Sakura and Ino turned around, surprised to see Sasuke, who looked even more handsome than before.
"Sasuke, what happened? How have you changed so much in just a few days?" Sakura and Ino asked curiously.
Sasuke explained his recent experiences and then revealed that he planned to teach them a couple of powerful ninjutsu techniques.
The two girls were incredibly moved by this, realizing how difficult it must have been for Sasuke to learn such techniques, let alone teach them so freely.
"There's no need to be so generous; it's too much!" they protested.
But Sasuke, with a loving expression, said, "What's too much? You are all my precious women. Who else would I teach if not you?"
Hearing this, the two girls were even more moved, secretly vowing to themselves that they must give Sasuke lots of babies!
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