And just as she thought about it, the next sentence Kazuki said almost made Tenten stumble over her own feet, as if hit by one of Rock Lee's surprise kicks.
Kazuki took out a gleaming kunai, its metal reflecting the sunlight,
Facing Hinata with a gentle smile, he said:
"My family owns a weapons shop. As a thank you, how about you buy one of my special kunai?"
"It's very cheap, only one thousand ryō~"
"…"
Tenten froze on the spot like she had been caught in one of Orochimaru's petrification techniques.
Inner thoughts:
Brother, I really misread you!!
What hero saving the beauty? What developing feelings for a cute little girl?
You clearly noticed that this girl dresses in a fine Hyūga yukata and comes from the noble Hyūga clan, and now you want to rob her blind!
A thousand ryō?!
That amount could feed an ordinary villager for a whole month!
She's only five years old! How could she have that kind of money? Do you think she's the Hokage's daughter?!
And the next second,
Hinata's actions
Made Tenten's jaw drop lower than when she first saw Might Guy's green spandex.
"O-Only one thousand ryō?"
From her small pocket, young Hinata carefully pulled out ten crisp banknotes, offering them with both hands toward Kazuki.
Although she didn't understand the purpose of the kunai,
A thousand ryō was nothing compared to her usual allowance.
If she could help Kazuki kun, she would gladly do so.
Her pale lavender eyes shone with sincerity,
And in a timid, childish voice, she said:
"If, um… if Kazuki kun needs more… I-I still have…"
"No need."
Kazuki effortlessly took the money from Hinata's hands,
Then placed the special kunai in her delicate palms.
"Here, this is my custom Clone Kunai."
"It might seem pricey, but I promise it's worth every ryō~~"
"Just inject some chakra into it, and you'll discover its secret."
"It's not quite like the Flying Thunder God Kunai used by the Fourth Hokage,"
"But it's enough to keep you safe from bullies like that brat earlier."
Although a thousand ryō was a hefty sum,
The kunai Kazuki provided was an absolute steal.
If this weapon were sold in the black market, it could easily fetch two thousand ryō, and shinobi from all over would scramble to buy it.
It was a rare and invaluable tool.
But Kazuki was unwilling to sell his handcrafted items to just anyone,
So he had never felt the need to rush through the system's assigned tasks.
Now that he happened to meet Hinata,
And she could afford the price,
He figured—why not?
After the transaction,
Kazuki and Tenten escorted Hinata back to the Hyūga compound.
"Well, this is where we leave you!"
Kazuki and Tenten stood at the entrance of the Hyūga estate,
Bidding farewell to the young heiress.
Little Hinata bowed deeply, her etiquette flawless,
Her voice soft but full of sincerity:
"Th-Thank you, Tenten, and Kazuki kun."
Tenten grinned, responding without hesitation:
"No need to thank us! We're friends, after all!"
"See you, Hinata! Let's play together next time!"
Hinata blinked in surprise.
Then, her lips moved slightly, whispering to herself:
"Friends?"
So this… was what it felt like to have friends.
Perhaps getting lost today wasn't so bad after all.
Because she was fortunate to have two steadfast friends, Kazuki kun and Tenten!
That was truly heartwarming!
"Hinata!"
At that moment,
A cold snort cut through the air.
The sweet smile on Hinata's face suddenly stiffened.
Her father, Hyūga Hiashi, the stern and respected head of the Hyūga clan, approached her with a serious expression.
His sharp Byakugan eyes locked onto her as he reprimanded with a firm tone:
"As the heir of the main family, why did you act without permission?!"
"I…"
"Do you understand how many people have sacrificed themselves for you, for the sake of the main house? You must be more mindful of your position, Hinata!"
"I'm… sorry…"
Hinata lowered her head, her voice trembling.
Her usually gentle lavender eyes dimmed with guilt.
"Hey, Uncle."
At that moment,
Kazuki, who had just begun to leave, abruptly turned around.
Facing Hyūga Hiashi's imposing presence, he spoke without hesitation:
"That's not right for you to say!"
Hiashi's Byakugan flared slightly as he cast a disapproving glance at the young boy.
"Where did this child come from, daring to meddle in Hyūga affairs?" he scoffed, dismissing Kazuki entirely.
Hinata quickly stepped forward, her voice earnest:
"Father, Lord Father, they are my friends! They were the ones who brought me back safely."
Hiashi let out a slow breath, restraining his impatience.
"Since you assisted in returning my daughter, I will overlook what happened just now."
However, Kazuki did not accept this as a favor.
Even in the presence of an elite jōnin like Hyūga Hiashi,
He remained composed, his voice unwavering:
"Patriarch Hyūga, I stand by what I said—Hinata is not at fault in this matter."
Hiashi's gaze sharpened, his voice colder than before.
"What did you just say?!"
But Kazuki did not falter.
"The Hyūga clan members who sacrificed themselves to protect Hinata…"
"…They did so because the clan itself wasn't strong enough."
"These sacrifices—these so-called mistakes—they are not Hinata's burden to bear!"
! !
Hinata's lavender eyes widened in shock.
Her entire body froze as emotions surged through her heart.
Since childhood, she had been raised with the belief that a clan heir must be strong, must be worthy, must carry the weight of those who had fallen.
She had always thought that every loss was her fault.
But this was the first time someone had told her otherwise.
That she was not to blame.
That she should not have to carry that burden alone.
For the first time, someone had acknowledged the silent fears she had buried deep inside her heart.
She wasn't sure if what Kazuki kun said was truly right.
But in this moment, a warmth spread through her—because finally, someone understood.
Thank you, Kazuki kun.
"Hmph, you're just a reckless brat. What do you know?"
Hiashi's voice boomed, sharp with irritation.
Perhaps Kazuki's words had hit a nerve.
Or perhaps he simply had no desire to argue with a mere six-year-old.
Without another word, he took Hinata's hand and turned away.
With his back straight and his expression unreadable, he led her towards the Hyūga compound, never once glancing back at Kazuki and Tenten.
…
After leaving the Hyūga estate,
Kazuki and Tenten did not dwell on what had happened.
As always, they carried on with their daily routine.
They headed straight to the training ground, where they trained rigorously under the guidance of the ever-enthusiastic Might Guy.
Inside Kazuki's system, a mechanical notification rang out.
[Ding! Quest: "Sell a Special Kunai" has been completed!]
[System Reward: Blueprint for the Beginner-Level Kusanagi Sword has been issued!]