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"Move, Hinata!"
Hyūga Hinata's small face had turned pale with fear, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
As the eldest daughter of the Hyūga clan, hearing those crude remarks about the Byakugan should have made her teach them a lesson.
But in reality, her mind went blank, her limbs felt weak, and every ounce of the martial arts she had learned vanished from her memory, leaving her utterly helpless.
"Disrespectful brats—you deserve a beating!"
A sudden voice made Hinata instinctively look up.
What she saw next was something she would likely never forget for the rest of her life.
Three streams of water lashed out like whips, striking the three troublemakers with enough force to split their skin open.
Their wails of pain filled the air.
Hinata strained her eyes to get a clear look at the boy standing before her.
So… pretty.
The thought popped into her mind unbidden.
She had always thought her cousin, Hyūga Neji, was the most handsome boy she knew. But now, standing before her was someone even more striking—no, not just striking, but cool.
"Are you okay?"
Sasame studied her dazed expression, wondering if she had been scared stiff.
But in the next moment, he witnessed what seemed like magic.
Hinata's slightly pale face rapidly flushed a deep red, as if she had turned into a perfectly ripe apple.
She lowered her head, her index fingers fidgeting nervously against each other, before whispering in a voice so soft it was almost inaudible:
"Th… thank you."
Sasame silently thanked his ninja training for his sharp hearing—otherwise, he might have missed it entirely.
[Due to your actions, Hyūga Hinata's fate has been altered. You have gained 100 Fate Points.]
That easy?
For a moment, Sasame wondered if the Wheel of Fate was malfunctioning.
Is Hinata really this easy to win over?
After a moment of thought, he realized it made sense.
The heroine of this story had always been shy—no, more like lacking in courage—during her early years.
Her growth had been gradual.
Earning her favor was simple: just save her from some bullies.
But there was only one chance to do so.
In the original story, that role had belonged to Uzumaki Naruto.
Now, Sasame had taken his place—and with looks that women tended to favor, no less.
[Due to your actions, Uzumaki Naruto's fate has been altered. You have gained 39 Fate Points.]
The Wheel of Fate chimed again.
Naruto's contribution to Fate Points wasn't particularly high.
Losing Hinata wouldn't drastically change his destiny.
And honestly?
Uzumaki Naruto had it rough.
On the surface, it seemed like he changed everything—yet in the end, nothing truly changed.
Even after becoming Hokage and saving the world, conflicts still raged, wars still broke out.
His so-called "Talk no Jutsu" was nothing more than persuasion backed by sheer power.
People like Jiraiya didn't believe in his words—they believed in him, in his strength to bring peace.
But in the end… he never truly achieved it.
Hinata, having received no response, cautiously peeked up—only to see Sasame flashing her a bright, cheerful smile.
Instantly flustered, she ducked her head again like a startled rabbit, too embarrassed to meet his eyes.
"What's your name?"
Seeing her like this, Sasame couldn't help but want to pinch her cheeks.
She was just that adorable.
The only downside was that she had short hair as a child.
He much preferred Hinata with long hair—it suited her better.
"Hy… Hyūga… Hinata…"
She struggled to force out her own name.
"Keeping your head down like that isn't good for your posture, you know."
Sasame crouched to her eye level and gently patted her back.
Hinata shivered, the blush on her face spreading all the way to her ears.
When she lifted her head again, she looked utterly dazed, as if she'd been soaking in a hot spring for too long.
"Hey—?"
Sasame quickly caught her as she swayed forward.
This constitution of hers is truly one of a kind.
"I… I'm okay…"
Hinata desperately tried to steady herself.
"Where's your home? I'll take you back."
Sasame was half-afraid she'd pass out right then and there. Carrying her back to the Hyūga compound would not only earn him countless disdainful glares but probably a brutal beating as well.
"I… I…"
Hinata was clearly overheating, steam practically rising from her head.
Sasame decided not to tease her further and took a step back, speaking softly:
"No rush. Take your time."
After a long pause, Hinata lowered her head again, gripping the hem of her clothes nervously.
"I… I don't remember the way."
Ah, right. Directionally challenged.
Sasame recalled that young Hinata had this particular trait.
Honestly, impressive.
Having the Byakugan and still getting lost.
What was even more ridiculous was that none of the Hyūga clansmen had noticed her absence.
She was the heir of the main family—you'd think they'd pay more attention.
Sasame had never been to the Hyūga district, but he knew the general direction.
Just as he was about to guide her there, a dark figure flashed in front of Hinata.
"Young mistress, are you all right?"
The man shot Sasame a wary glance, though his expression softened slightly upon spotting the Konoha headband.
Hinata shook her head.
"Since your escort's here, I'll leave you to him."
Sasame gave her a warm smile. "Try not to get lost next time, okay?"
With that, he turned to leave.
Hinata's heart suddenly clenched in panic, and she instinctively took a few steps forward.
Your name!
The words stuck in her throat—but before she could force them out, Sasame had already vanished.
A look of disappointment crossed her small face.
"Young mistress, let's return."
Hyūga Tokuma withdrew his gaze.
He didn't recognize Sasame, but the boy's earlier words suggested he had merely stumbled upon a lost Hinata. No need to pry further.
Hinata nodded absentmindedly, but inwardly, she was kicking herself.
Who… are you?
That question would likely haunt her for a long time.
Sasame returned to the Kumema Casino.
Not running into Uzumaki Naruto left him a little disappointed.
As the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, Naruto was under the direct supervision of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Sasame had once subtly asked Tsunade if she could adopt him.
Ignoring Namikaze Minato for a moment, Uzumaki Kushina had been raised by her grandmother, Uzumaki Mito.
Given Tsunade's close ties to her, adopting Kushina's son shouldn't have been an issue, emotionally speaking.
But it was a no-go.
Hiruzen wouldn't allow anyone to interfere.
Even Hatake Kakashi and Jiraiya had only been permitted to train Naruto after confirming his unwavering loyalty to the Will of Fire.
As for Danzō?
The man had been itching to drag Naruto into ROOT for years.
Thus began their classic back-and-forth:
"Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"
"Danzō, I am the Hokage."
If Sasame wanted to approach Naruto without raising Hiruzen's suspicions, he'd need the perfect opportunity.
Ideally, a chance encounter.
"Big brother!"
Karin immediately tossed her textbook aside and came bounding over.
"How's the studying going? Let me test you."
Sasame scooped her up. "What does 'Those whose strength is insufficient will collapse midway' mean in the Analects?"
"It means if someone's weaker than me, I'll beat them up until they collapse on the road!"
Karin clenched her tiny fists, putting on her fiercest expression.
Confucius: …Damn.
This account's a lost cause.
Hey, Ena—we're still young. Let's make a new one.
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 60 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 45 power stones I will publish the next chapter.