But soon, the tips of her ears reddened again, the flush quickly spreading across her delicate features, making her already charming face even more vibrant.
It wasn't until she regained her senses that she realized how reckless her actions had just been.
The mongoose perched on a nearby tree felt a pang of jealousy so strong it was as if its stomach had been force-fed a bottle of aged vinegar or crammed with an entire bushel of lemons. The overwhelming sourness made its gleaming white teeth ache as if it had brushed them with Colgate every day for a month.
Who knows how much time passed before the sun finally dipped below the horizon?
Hyūga Hanabi felt that today had flown by much faster than usual.
She glanced around reluctantly before finally turning her gaze back to the lunchbox and offering a gentle farewell to Ye dou.
"I'm leaving now. Don't forget to eat the rice ball!"
The Hyūga clan was one of the most prestigious in Konohagakure.
Yet, precisely because of its status, the clan enforced strict discipline to maintain order and uphold tradition.
As the designated heir of the main branch, Hyūga Hanabi had even more regulations to follow. One of them was a strict curfew—she was required to return home at a designated time.
"I'm leaving, Ye dou. See you at school tomorrow!"
Hanabi took three steps, then turned back, waved after six, and finally left the forest with a lingering smile.
Ye dou remained silent from start to finish. As dusk fell, he concluded his training and disappeared into the depths of the woods.
"Hey, Ye dou, aren't you going to eat these rice balls?"
A pair of gleaming eyes locked onto the unattended meal. The mongoose immediately sensed an opportunity for a feast.
"If you won't eat them, I will!"
Ye dou barely paused. "Do whatever you want."
The mongoose pouted in dissatisfaction. "Tch, stubborn brat. Before, you wouldn't even let me touch your food!"
---
Elsewhere…
Upon returning home, Hanabi faced her father, Hyūga Hiashi's, inquiries with a casual response. After a quick bath, she joined him for dinner in the main hall.
The Hyūga clan's dining etiquette was strict—there was no talking during meals. Typically, apart from a few short exchanges between father and daughter, silence reigned.
Tonight was different.
Hanabi's occasional giggles punctuated the otherwise quiet room. Hyūga Hiashi's brow twitched in irritation, but he held his tongue—scolding her would likely only make her laugh more.
Despite his stern demeanor, Hanabi remained in high spirits, her laughter slipping out from time to time.
Later that night, Hanabi's peculiar behavior continued.
Lying on her stomach, she buried her face in her pillow, legs kicking at the air. Occasionally, a silver-bell-like laugh would escape her lips.
Her sister, Hyūga Hinata, was not pleased. Though she wasn't sure what time it was, she knew it was far too late.
"Hanabi, what are you laughing about?"
"I just remembered something funny!"
"...What was it?"
"Just something happy!"
Hinata sighed in exasperation. She had to wake up early for school tomorrow...
---
[Ninja Academy: The Next Day]
The sun rose once again over Konoha.
Ye dou woke up early. The weekend was over, meaning he couldn't spend the entire day training in the forest.
Unlike Uchiha Itachi, he had no intention of sending a shadow clone to attend class in his place.
Firstly, he didn't want to reveal that he had already mastered the Shadow Clone Technique.
Konoha was not a peaceful place. While there were no immediate external threats, internal tensions simmered. No one knew when the conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha clan would finally erupt.
If it became known that Ye dou had a connection to Uchiha Itachi, a key figure in the clan, it could lead to trouble.
Especially for someone like him—without powerful family backing—who could easily be detained and subjected to interrogation, where his secrets would be laid bare. That was something he wanted to avoid at all costs.
Secondly, even if Konoha didn't care how he had acquired the Shadow Clone Technique, skipping school using clones would still cause problems.
Iruka Umino, though not an elite shinobi, was a dedicated teacher. Despite his initial prejudice against Ye dou and Naruto Uzumaki, he remained diligent in his duties.
If Ye dou started skipping school and sending clones in his place, Iruka would eventually report it.
This would likely lead to a meeting with the Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, drawing unwanted attention from Konoha's leadership.
This was something Ye dou had to avoid. He needed to rely on Might Guy's influence. When the Uchiha clan eventually fell, he planned to explain everything to Guy and persuade him to get Kakashi Hatake to cover for him.
---
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Inside his modest home, Ye dou formed four shadow clones in rapid succession.
Unlike during training, he didn't need all his chakra reserves for the academy, so he could afford to create additional clones.
"You guys take care of today's training."
The clones nodded silently before vanishing into the forest, each embarking on its assigned task.
---
The warm morning sunlight filtered through the academy windows. As the bell rang, signaling the start of the day, students filed obediently into the classroom.
On the podium, the instructor passionately lectured on fundamental shinobi principles.
But not all students were paying attention.
In the back row, Nara Shikamaru—heir to the Nara clan—rested his chin on his hand, his face filled with boredom. He fought the urge to sleep, knowing that if he dozed off, the teacher would complain. Then his mother, Nara Yoshino, would undoubtedly lecture him at home.
Troublesome.