It was that time of year again, the white season. [tl/n: This description is from child Hinata's perspective, so think of it as a child describing winter.]
Fluffy snow blanketed the forest, layering it with a thick coat of silver, reminiscent of the rice balls Hinata had eaten that morning.
But this time, Hinata Hyuga felt none of the excitement she usually had for snow. Instead, she anxiously glanced around.
It was her first time being allowed to leave the Hyuga clan's estate—on a snowy day, no less—but rather than feeling joy, why did she feel lost?
Where was her father?
Where was Tekku?
Where was she?
'Huh?'
Suddenly, Hinata's eyes lit up.
Not far from her, three tall boys were playing in the snow.
Instinctively, she walked toward them.
"Look! A little brat!"
"Her eyes are white! How disgusting!"
"A freak with hollow eyes!"
The three boys quickly surrounded her.
They eyed her curiously, then burst into mocking laughter.
Hinata froze, fear washing over her. Her body went stiff, and her small face turned deathly pale.
Her white eyes filled with mist, and her trembling hands clutched tightly at her scarf.
"Are you about to cry, little girl?"
"Do you think her tears are white too?"
"Come on, cry! Cry!"
Instead of stopping, the boys' taunts grew crueller.
'Move, Hinata'
Hinata Hyuga wanted to respond, but her limbs felt like lead, and even her breathing became unstable.
"Quiet. I'm thinking."
A calm voice cut through the air, causing the boys to pause.
They looked up and saw a boy around their age, sitting on a tree branch.
Dressed in a snug white coat, his face half-concealed by sunglasses, he exuded an air of calm indifference.
"Hey, stop acting cool!"
"Mind your own business, you brat!"
"Come down here!"
The three boys jeered angrily, their faces contorted in malice.
Hinata's heart raced. Would this boy get hurt because of her?
In the next moment, a glint of moonlight flashed before her eyes.
It was shaped like a sickle, falling from the sky.
'So beautiful.'
But how could there be moonlight midday?
Hinata stood frozen, staring wide-eyed at the splatter of blood as it stained the snow.
The three boys screamed in agony.
Deep gashes appeared on their faces, revealing raw flesh underneath.
"Ahhh!"
In terror, the boys scrambled backward, shouting, "Stay away from us!"
They fled, stumbling and tripping as they disappeared from sight.
The boy with the sunglasses—Shinho Aburame—leaped down from the tree.
As his feet touched the snow, a faint bronze hue flickered beneath him, and he landed steadily.
"The tide must crash against rocks to create beautiful waves."
Shinho Aburame looked at Hinata, whose face had turned ashen, and said, "Next time, don't think. Just throw a punch."
He reached out, adjusted her scarf, and wrapped it snugly around her neck.
With her soft, baby-faced cheeks, the extra wrapping made her look even more adorable.
Still in shock, Hinata let him fuss over her.
"Stay here. You'll be home soon."
Shinho smiled softly as he patted her head.
'Wha… What did he mean?'
As Hinata slowly regained her senses, warmth returned to her cheeks, and a faint flush colored her pale skin.
She tilted her head, looking confused.
Shinho didn't offer an explanation. Hands in his pockets, he turned and walked deeper into the forest.
Hinata, the eldest daughter of the Hyuga clan, would be found soon enough, as long as she didn't wander.
He had other business to attend to.
"Controlling my primeval essence is tough. I almost killed that brat."
Shinho Aburame muttered to himself as he walked through the snow.
What he had just used wasn't a ninja technique—it was the Moonlight Gu.
There was no doubt—Shinho was a transmigrator.
In his previous life, he had been a young man earning a steady income, content with his work and life.
After a long day, he had logged into the Naruto mobile game, instantly picking Kizaru, and enjoyed the thrill of spamming attacks.
Then, after indulging in a Gu Master novel, he had dozed off.
When he awoke, he found himself in a new world.
The good news: he wasn't an orphan and had both his parents.
The bad news: it was the world of Naruto.
As the legendary Orochimaru once quipped: "A world ruled by bloodlines? Even dogs wouldn't survive here."
In this dangerous world where strength is determined by bloodline abilities, Shinho Aburame had no special bloodline.
He was born as the son of Shibi Aburame, the head of the Aburame clan, and had a younger brother named Shino Aburame.
Honestly, rising to the top in this world seemed impossible unless he somehow acquired a Sharingan or Byakugan.
If scaling the mountain wasn't an option, he might as well lie low.
But then the Great Love Immortal Lord's Achievement System appeared.
Every time he completed an achievement, he was rewarded with a Gu.
[Shinho Aburame.]
[Achievements unlocked: "I Won the Revival Match" and "Farming Suits Me."]
[Current Gu: Miracle Hand Gu, Moonlight Gu.]
[Miracle Hand Gu: A Rank 5 Gu that grants exceptional medical abilities, turning the user into the strongest healer.]
[Moonlight Gu: A Rank 1 Gu that can unleash Moon Blades for attack and has several evolution paths.]
The first achievement was triggered when he crossed over—or rather, when he was born.
The second was achieved after he planted a Moon Orchid.
Gu are powered by primeval essence.
Primeval essence is the essence of a Gu Master's strength, a combination of life force, spirit, and vitality.
In the ninja world, this transformed into chakra, but there were some differences.
Primeval essence also contained the essence of heaven and earth.
In the ninja world, this energy was known as natural energy.
When natural energy is combined with chakra, it forms Sage Chakra, a much more powerful force.
At his current level, Shinho's primeval essence was akin to a severely weakened version of Sage Chakra.
With it, he could match a genin's strength.
But as everyone knows, the gap between genin in Konoha is sometimes greater than the difference between a person and a dog.
Shinho was just an average genin.
Half a minute later, Shinho reached a small wooden cabin, surrounded by earthen walls.
This forest was part of the Aburame clan's territory.
As the clan leader's son, he had the privilege of using it as he pleased.
Shinho came to a stop.
He had noticed a little stalker.
Turning around, he spotted Hinata Hyuga peeking from behind a tree, her head barely visible.
When their eyes met, she immediately shrank back, looking timid and shy.
Adorable.
Shinho waved her over.
After hesitating for a few seconds, Hinata cautiously walked toward him, her head bowed, too shy to meet his gaze.
Just as Shinho was about to speak, a sound came from her stomach.
Hinata's face turned bright red as she lowered her head even further.
She was genuinely hungry.
For some reason, her appetite was much larger than normal.
But as the eldest daughter of the Hyuga clan, she had to maintain proper etiquette.
She always ate the same amount as her mother, which meant she never truly felt full.
"Come inside."
Shinho gestured to her and said, "Be careful where you step. There are traps around."
Hinata nodded quickly.
She followed him into the yard.
The first thing that caught her eye was a bed of blue and pink flowers.
The petals were crescent-shaped, glowing softly like pearls.
"So beautiful!"
Hinata gasped.
"I grew them. They're called Moon Orchids."
Shinho lifted his chin slightly as he spoke.
Moon Orchids were food for the Moonlight Gu.
In addition to primeval essence, Gu also needed to be fed special food at regular intervals.
If the food was a plant, the system would provide mysterious seeds.
"...?"
Hinata's face was filled with curiosity and confusion.
Growing flowers?
At such a young age, and already tending a garden?
Could he be from the Yamanaka clan?
"Come in."
Shinho opened the door to the wooden cabin.
Hinata hurried forward, stopping abruptly as her bangs swayed with the sudden halt.
She looked around.
Compared to her family's grand estate, this place was incredibly humble.
It was a combination of a bedroom, kitchen, and living room.
"Tonkotsu ramen."
Before long, Shinho placed a bowl of ramen in front of her.
This cabin was stocked with emergency food, like ramen.
"Th-thank you…" Hinata's voice was soft and sweet, like cotton candy.
As Shinho looked at her, lines of text appeared in his vision.
[Hinata Hyuga.]
[Current Achievement: "Goodbye, Father, and My Cowardice."]
[Passive Achievement: Unknown.]