And just as she thought about it every day,
Tenten was almost floored by what Kazuki said next—completely dumbfounded.
Kazuki pulled out a kunai,
Flashing a gentle smile at Hinata, he said:
"My family owns a weapons shop. As a token of gratitude, how about buying one of my special kunai?"
"It's really cheap, just a thousand ryō~"
"..."
Tenten was frozen in place.
(Inner monologue:)
Brother, I seriously misjudged you!!
What 'hero saving the damsel in distress'? What 'having a soft spot for a cute girl'?!
You're just trying to rip her off because she looks rich!
A thousand ryō, just like that?
That amount was enough for an ordinary person to live on for a month!
And this little girl was only five years old!
How could she possibly have that much money?
Did he think she was a princess?!
But the next second—
Hinata's reaction left Tenten completely slack-jawed.
"O-Only a thousand ryō?"
From her small pocket,
Little Hinata obediently took out ten banknotes and respectfully held them out to Kazuki.
She had no idea what a kunai was used for,
But a thousand ryō wasn't much for her allowance.
And if it could help Kazuki-kun, then she would be more than happy.
Her face was full of innocent sincerity as she said in a soft voice,
"If Kazuki-kun needs more… I-I still have some…"
"No need."
Kazuki easily accepted the money from Hinata's hands,
Then placed the special kunai into hers.
"Here, this is my custom-made Clone Kunai."
"It might seem expensive, but trust me—it's worth every ryō~"
"Just infuse it with chakra, and you'll discover its unique function.
It may not be a rare kekkei genkai ability, but…
It's more than enough to help you handle bullies like that brat earlier."
A thousand ryō was no small amount,
But what Kazuki had given her was well worth the price.
If this kunai were sold elsewhere, even at two thousand ryō, people would fight over it.
It was practically priceless.
But Kazuki wasn't willing to sell his creations to just anyone,
So he wasn't in a rush to complete the system's assigned tasks.
Meeting Hinata today was a coincidence—
Since she could afford it, he figured it wouldn't hurt to sell it to her.
Afterward,
Kazuki and Tenten walked Hinata back to the Hyūga Clan estate.
"Well, this is as far as we go!"
Kazuki and Tenten stopped at the Hyūga compound's entrance,
Turning to bid Hinata farewell.
The little Hyūga girl bowed deeply,
Her voice soft but sincere.
"Thank you… Thank you, Tenten… and Kazuki-kun."
Tenten grinned and waved it off.
"No need to be so formal! We're friends, after all!"
"See you later, Hinata! Let's play together next time!"
Hinata blinked in surprise.
"Friends?"
So… this was what it felt like to have friends.
Getting lost today wasn't such a bad thing after all.
Because today, she was lucky enough to meet two wonderful friends—
Kazuki-kun and Tenten.
And that made her really happy.
"Hinata!"
At this moment, a cold snort echoed through the air.
The warm smile on Hinata's face suddenly froze.
Standing before her with a stern expression was her father, Hyūga Hiashi, the current head of the Hyūga Clan. His sharp gaze bore into her as he reprimanded her in a serious tone.
"As the heir of the main family, why did you act without authorization?"
"I…"
"How many people have sacrificed themselves for you, for the main branch? You should be more aware of your responsibilities, Hinata!"
"…I'm sorry…"
Hinata lowered her head, her eyes dimming with guilt.
"Hey, Uncle."
At that moment, Kazuki, who hadn't walked far, turned around and spoke up, his voice unwavering.
"That's not right for you to say."
Hiashi's gaze flickered to Kazuki, his expression hardening.
"Where did this child come from, daring to interfere in Hyūga matters?" he snorted coldly, clearly unimpressed.
Hinata quickly interjected, "Father, Lord Father! These are my friends! They were the ones who brought me back just now."
Hiashi narrowed his eyes, his impatience briefly subdued. "Since you returned my daughter safely, I will overlook your impudence this time."
Kazuki, however, remained unimpressed.
Even in the face of the elite Hyūga patriarch, he stood his ground and said firmly,
"Patriarch Hyūga, what I said was not wrong. Hinata was not at fault in this matter."
Hiashi's brows furrowed, his tone becoming colder.
"What did you just say?"
Kazuki did not flinch. His voice carried a righteous conviction as he continued:
"The Hyūga clan members sacrificed themselves to protect Hinata not because of her weakness, but because the clan itself is not strong enough. These losses… these failures… they are not Hinata's fault!"
!!
Hinata's eyes widened in shock.
She stood frozen, her heart pounding.
Since childhood, she had been taught to become a proper heir, to bear the weight of the clan's expectations, and to carry the burden of the sacrifices made for her.
But this was the first time anyone had told her…
That these burdens were never hers to bear in the first place.
She wasn't sure if what Kazuki said was right.
But at this moment, for the first time, someone understood the fear and anxiety she had long suppressed as the Hyūga heir.
Thank you… Kazuki-kun…
"Hmph! You're just a child—what could you possibly understand?" Hiashi snapped.
Perhaps Kazuki's words had struck a nerve, or perhaps Hiashi simply did not want to waste time arguing with a six-year-old.
Without another glance, he took Hinata's hand and led her away, walking back towards the Hyūga estate. He ignored both Kazuki and Tenten, who remained standing outside.
…
After leaving the Hyūga compound, Kazuki and Tenten did not dwell on the incident.
As always, they proceeded to the training grounds, where they continued their physical training under the guidance of Might Guy.
Within Kazuki's system, a familiar notification chimed:
[Ding! The "Sell a Special Kunai" quest has been completed!
System Reward: Blueprint for the Beginner Kusanagi Sword has been distributed!]