Traversing the lush forest of Konoha, the underbrush retreated as they moved forward, the forest breeze gently brushing against their faces. Hinata felt light as a feather until the dappled sunlight vanished.
After a bend in the forest, the view ahead suddenly opened up. The sound of rushing water surrounded them, creating a blanket of white noise.
A massive waterfall came into view, with a fast-flowing stream cascading down.
"Where is this?" Hinata was slightly taken aback.
"The riverside " Naruto replied as he let go of Hinata's hand. Then, he carried the large bundle alone to a shaded spot near the river.
The midday forest sunlight was harsh, the cicadas' cries blending with the sound of the waterfall, creating a noisy symphony. But Hinata's heart was beating vigorously in rhythm with the waterfall.
Standing under the tree shade, Hinata watched Naruto busy himself, unwrapping the bundle and spreading a long cloth on the grass.
In no time, Naruto had set up a basic camping site. A tablecloth, fire pit, grill, some seasonings, and even a pot.
Hinata was dazzled by the sight and couldn't help but cover her mouth in surprise.
"Hinata!" Naruto called out to her.
The latter quickly responded and walked over in a daze. Curiously looking at the camping utensils on the ground, she couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder. After all, she had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
As the eldest princess of Hyuga Clan, Hinata's biggest challenge had been failing to surpass her father, who was an insurmountable mountain for her.
Though saying she had never touched a chore might be an exaggeration, Hinata was indeed a genuine princess. Unlike Naruto, who had grown up rough, her clothes were always clean.
Standing there quietly, unstained by the elements.
"Naruto-kun, what are we doing?" Hinata asked.
"Picnic barbecue." Naruto smiled at her and said, "The stream below this waterfall flows fast, so the fish meat is very delicious."
Hinata nodded, a bit nervous as she said, "My father and others love sashimi, but I don't like it, so I rarely eat fish."
"Sashimi?" Naruto squinted his eyes, momentarily stunned, "I only know how to grill fish and cook fresh fish soup."
"That's enough. I... I have never eaten the grilled fish made by Naruto-kun." Hinata blushed deeply, waving her hands in panic, afraid Naruto would misunderstand, "No. I mean…"
"It's okay." Naruto walked up to Hinata and said, "No need to explain so much. Come on, I'll take you fishing."
"Hinata, have you ever fished before?"
"No." Hinata blushed slightly and lowered her head, "In the past, I would be taken away whenever I got close to the river. I've only seen others fishing from a distance."
'That makes sense. The Hyuga Clan has always regarded themselves as the nobles of Konoha. Fishing is a recreational activity for common folk, and the Hyuga Clan will not allow Hinata to do such a meaningless thing.'
"It's okay, I'll teach you." Naruto said, grabbing Hinata's hand again and leading her to a nearby grove.
In the distance, an Anbu and a Hyuga Clan's Shinobi were standing on the treetops not far from each other, looking at each other.
Hyuga Shinobi: "Where is that boy taking the young lady?"
Anbu Shinobi: "Into the grove, I guess."
"…"
"Why don't you use your Byakugan to check?" The Anbu Shinobi suggested.
"It would disturb the young lady." The Hyuga Shinobi said with a straight face, "Why don't you go see for yourself?"
"It would be bad if I'm discovered." The Anbu Shinobi laughed and said, "I only get that little salary a month, why would I take the risk?"
"What if the young lady is in danger? What if that boy..." The Hyuga Shinobi hesitated to speak.
"That's your problem. If something goes wrong, I might lose my job." The Anbu Shinobi said shamelessly, "But if I'm caught, the chances of losing my job are even higher. It's better to just watch from a distance."
"You!" The Hyuga Shinobi huffed, "Isn't it the responsibility of you, the Anbu, to restrain the Jinchuriki?"
"Not really." The Anbu Shinobi said lazily, " As long as the Jinchuriki doesn't leave the village, I don't have to worry about anything else."
"Thanks to the Jinchuriki, I have this easy job. It's much better than fighting outside. Why do something stupid?"
"It's totally unreasonable!"
"Well, Shinobi from big clans like you retire at the age of thirty. How would you understand the hardships of life?" The Anbu Shinobi said with a smile.
"Forget it. If I don't die on a mission and can safely retire, that's a blessing."
"Oh, right! It's time for me to clock out."
Having said that, the Anbu Shinobi actually left instantly.
The Hyuga Shinobi was dumbfounded, 'Who clocks out in broad daylight?'
About fifteen minutes later, Naruto emerged from the small groove with Hinata. At this time, Naruto was already holding a long wooden pole in his hand.
After choosing for a while, Naruto finally used a kunai to craft a wooden rod. The pole made of bamboo is easy to break, and the fish in this stream are relatively large.
They reached the riverbank, and Hinata watched as Naruto skillfully took out a fishing line and hook from his pocket. After assembling it, he handed it to her.
"Me? I-I can't." Hinata said nervously, taking a small step back.
"It's okay, I'll help you." Naruto said, gently placing the rod in her hands and then positioning himself behind her.
At this moment, Naruto practically hugged Hinata from behind. Hinata obviously realized this and her face instantly turned as red as a ripe apple.
Hinata's cheeks were burning, and she felt like she was about to faint. She's unable to tell which way was up. Luckily, Naruto had recently bought a new washing machine and no longer smelled of sweat.
Hinata didn't think too much about it, as her mind was going completely blank.
"Naruto-kun, there's no bait."
"No need for bait." Naruto waved his hand and said, "Just cast the hook out like this. The fish here bite without bait."
As he spoke, Naruto held Hinata's hand and skillfully casted the line and hook.
In the distance, the Hyuga Shinobi was grinding his molars.
"Why are you pretending? If you can catch fish without bait, I'll pluck out my own eyes!"
[Kyubi's approval 4.5%]
[Kyubi's approval 6.7%]
Suddenly, the panel popped up again with a ding.
[Option 1: Tell Hinata that you always dislike gentle girls, because gentle girls are gentle to everyone. She just like heroes, just like all princesses like heroes who are always pure, and you are not a hero. Reward: Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique.]
[Option 2: Tell Hinata that she is already wonderful and will surely become a gentle wife in the future. Reward: Telepathy Technique (Creates a completely nonexistent avatar with unquestionable abilities at the moment of creation, and what it says will be heard by people within a certain range)]
Naruto's gaze skimmed over the first option without much reaction, then instinctively ruled it out. When he saw the reward for the second option, he paused slightly.
'Telepathy? From the description, it's like Yamanaka Clan's Mind Body Transmission Technique, but with the ability to hide the voice's recognition factor. It's essentially anonymous loudspeaker within a certain range.'