Hiashi Hyuga's sudden question left Hinata Hyuga stunned. She hadn't expected her father to be interested in Shinho.
What do I think of him?
Hinata blushed as she recalled how Shinho had defended her and taken her out for meals. Lowering her head, she thought for a moment and then earnestly replied, "I think Shinho is amazing."
Shinho? Hiashi frowned slightly, noticing the familiarity in her tone. What's so amazing about a little brat?
Across the table, Hanabi Hyuga glanced at Hinata, curiosity shining in her white eyes.
Shinho Aburame? she thought. What kind of person could impress my sister like this?
"He can use ninjutsu," Hinata added, recalling the time she saw Shinho's Moon Blade technique, which she naturally assumed was a regular ninjutsu.
Hiashi raised an eyebrow thoughtfully. A six-year-old using ninjutsu? Impressive, but not remarkable. Not compared to the prodigies of the Uchiha clan like Itachi.
The Hyuga clan, always compared to the Uchiha, had faced intense pressure due to the abundance of Uchiha geniuses. With prodigies like Shisui and Itachi, the Hyuga had to strive harder. And the only one close to matching them was Neji, who, being from the branch family, didn't represent the main line's talent.
"Oh, right!" Hinata's voice suddenly rose, as she said, "Shinho became Tsunade-sama's disciple!"
"What?" Hiashi's head shot up, surprise clear in his voice. "Are you certain?"
"Yes!" Hinata nodded excitedly. "Today, Tsunade-sama and the Hokage came to school and personally called Shinho out in front of us."
"I see." Hiashi, satisfied, no longer doubted her.
Hanabi blinked in surprise. It was rare to see her father so taken aback. Her curiosity about Shinho deepened.
"Hinata," Hiashi said, his tone serious, "he can be your friend."
For the Hyuga clan, maintaining their position in Konoha relied on staying neutral until the right time. They backed the winning side. And for now, the Hokage's line, led by Sarutobi Hiruzen, was on top.
"He's already my friend," Hinata said, tilting her head, confused by her father's emphasis.
"Let's have dinner," Hiashi dismissed the matter. She was still young; she would understand the importance later.
As night fell, snow began to descend softly outside.
________________________________________
Morning.
Shinho reluctantly pulled his hand out from under the blanket, only to quickly tuck it back in, unwilling to leave the warmth. After a few moments of hesitation, he finally unsealed himself from his bed's warmth and got dressed.
"Shinho," Shinho's father said at the doorway, "when you're with Tsunade-sama, make sure to be respectful and don't argue with her."
He knew Shinho well. Though usually mature and calm, his son could sometimes say unexpected things that caught people off guard.
Shino, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. Over the years, his brother's occasional sharp words often left him both confused and impressed.
"I understand," Shinho replied with a slight smile. Even if I plan to argue, it won't be now. That'll come later.
"Be careful on your way," his father waved as he watched them leave.
The light snowfall added a peaceful layer of white to Konoha's streets. Shinho suddenly paused in his tracks.
At the end of the street, Uchiha Sasuke appeared. But today, he wasn't his usual aloof self—he wore a bright smile. The reason? Beside him stood Uchiha Itachi.
"It's him," Sasuke said, noticing Shinho.
"Your classmate?" Itachi asked, glancing at Shinho.
"He's pretty strong," Sasuke said, lifting his chin with pride. "But still nowhere near me."
"Never underestimate anyone," Itachi replied with a smile.
"I know," Sasuke said, though inwardly dismissing the advice.
"Since you've met your classmate, why don't you head to school together?" Itachi ruffled Sasuke's hair with a poke to the forehead. "Sorry, Sasuke, I've been really busy."
Not this again... Sasuke pouted, a little upset, but eventually agreed.
"If I'm free, I'll pick you up after school," Itachi said as he took a step back, his body dissolving into a flock of crows. Sasuke marveled at the technique. So cool!
He hurried over to Shinho, quickly noticing another figure beside him. Who's this guy?
Not remembering who Shino was, Sasuke simply ignored him.
"Shinho," Sasuke said confidently. "Next sparring class, I want you to be my opponent."
Shinho looked up at the cloudy sky. Not exactly a sunny day.
"Sure," he agreed, remaining calm.
Satisfied, Sasuke shoved his hands into his pockets and strode ahead.
"Are you sure about this?" Shino asked, watching Sasuke's retreating figure. He couldn't help but worry.
"Guaranteed win," Shinho replied with a grin.
Shino, for some reason, found himself really wanting to see his brother get beaten up for once.
________________________________________
At the school gates, a familiar voice called out.
"Shinho-kun!"
Shinho looked up to see Yamanaka Ino waving excitedly from a distance, her blonde bangs bouncing with her movements.
"Good morning," she greeted him, her cheeks flushed—though more from the cold than anything else.
Shinho, noticing her slightly disheveled scarf, wrapped it around her neck a bit more securely. Ino froze, momentarily stunned before lowering her head in a shy gesture.
"T-thank you," she mumbled softly.
Shinho didn't say much and headed into the school, with Ino quickly following, a bright smile on her face.
Hinata Hyuga watched from a distance, wanting to approach Shinho but seeing Ino beat her to it. Her hands clenched in determination. I have to talk to him!
________________________________________
The school day passed uneventfully. Compared to the knowledge he could gain from Tsunade, Shinho found the lessons here dull. He was eager to improve, to grow stronger, and the slower pace of the academy frustrated him.
After class, as Shinho left under the envious gaze of his classmates, he was stopped by Hinata, who ran up to him with a determined look on her face.
"Shinho-kun," she said quietly, holding out a folded paper.
Shinho opened it and paused, surprised. It was a bankbook.
In the world of ninjas, bankbooks were used to manage earnings. Jiraiya had even shown Naruto his once in the original series.
Shinho counted the zeros on the slip. One million ryo.
"What's this for?" he asked.
Hinata blushed, nervously fidgeting with the hem of her jacket. "I didn't know how to thank you properly, so this... this is all my allowance."
Allowance? Shinho's stomach churned slightly.
Ninjas made their money primarily through missions. A D-rank mission was worth 5,000 ryo, C-rank missions 30,000, B-rank missions 80,000, A-rank missions 150,000, and S-rank missions could be worth up to a million ryo.
Even for an experienced chunin, earning that much took a long time.
[Achievement unlocked: "Rich Girl, I Don't Want to Work Anymore!" Reward: Flashbug Gu.]
[Flashbug Gu: A Rank 1 consumable Gu that emits a blinding flash of light.]
Shinho couldn't help but think the system was being imprecise. Shouldn't it be "Rich Loli" instead of "Rich Lady"?