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'Looking at the original work.'
'There are very few times when Hinata acted against her personality, but without exception, it was always when Naruto was hurt or in danger.'
'Once, she gave Naruto an ointment when he was injured.'
'Once, she used the Protection: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms when surrounded by the Kamizuru clan.'
'And then, of course, there was the classic moment when she stood up to Pain.'
'Does that mean I have to get beaten up in front of Hinata for this to work?'
As Aoba pondered this, he walked towards Ichiraku Ramen.
But suddenly, he noticed a shadow looming over him.
Aoba looked and saw what seemed to be a big belly. Curious, he looked up and found a fat guy a whole head taller than him.
The guy was glaring at him with an unfriendly expression.
"Kid, you finally came out!"
"Who are you?"
Aoba didn't recognize him and felt a bit confused.
"Hmph! You're the kid who bullied my little brother a few days ago, aren't you?"
The fat guy's eyes widened angrily, and he had already raised his fist in front of Aoba.
"Your little brother?"
Aoba looked puzzled. He glanced around and noticed that a bunch of kids had already gathered around him. Many of them were taller than him, just like the fat guy.
But he also realized who this guy's brother was.
He immediately spotted that brat in the crowd. The one who had bullied Hinata a few days ago and had been dealt with by him.
His eyes lit up.
'Isn't this just like having a pillow delivered when you're about to fall asleep?'
"Kid, I'm talking to you! Why are you looking around?"
"You guys, how about doing me a favor?"
Aoba put on a classic villainous grin, "As payment, I'll go easy when I beat you up!"
———
Hinata walked lightly along the street, still fantasizing about meeting Aoba in a while.
Her small face was slightly red, her eyes bright with anticipation.
But as she turned a street corner, her face instantly turned pale.
Ahead, several boys stood blocking her path.
Although their faces were bruised and swollen, Hinata still recognized the three kids who had bullied her before.
Seeing them staring at her, she couldn't help but feel a surge of fear.
Her body stiffened.
It was as if she had been hit by a Binding Jutsu, frozen in place against her will.
When she finally snapped out of it and wanted to run, she suddenly noticed a few more bruised and swollen boys standing behind her, bigger and stronger ones.
"Y-You guys...", Hinata trembled slightly, her eyes welling up with tears.
It wasn't just that she was too scared to speak properly. She was on the verge of crying.
But because of her fear, she didn't realize that...
The fear in the eyes of these boys in front of her was actually stronger than hers.
"Li-Little girl, last time... you were the reason they got bullied, right?"
The higher-grade chubby boy's speech was completely falling apart, and because he had just lost a front tooth, his words even whistled a bit.
Aoba, watching from the shadows, twitched the corners of his mouth.
'What kind of acting is this?'
Luckily, Hinata was timid and didn't notice. Otherwise, he'd have to retrain this group of guys again.
"I-I-It was them, they...", Hinata wanted to speak, but her speech was also failing. She couldn't form a complete sentence.
"Hey, are you guys bullying someone again?"
A calm voice suddenly rang out, making the boys tremble.
Hearing the voice she had longed for day and night, Hinata also raised her eyes.
There, not far away, stood a small boy.
It was as if she had found a lifeline. Her eyes were filled with hope.
"It's you, Hinata. Looks like you're being bullied again," Aoba's tone carried disappointment.
Hinata immediately remembered the promise she had made to Aoba last time. She bit her lip, not daring to speak.
Aoba sighed lightly, then signaled with his eyes to the trembling boys.
"T-This kid is ours," The chubby boy spoke more smoothly this time, "You three, go teach that little girl a lesson."
"Y-Yes, b-boss."
Three smaller boys approached Hinata, while the rest surrounded Aoba.
"A-Aoba-kun?"
Hinata's voice was filled with urgency, but looking at the three boys blocking her, she was too scared to move.
A chaotic scuffle broke out, but the boys were all too afraid to actually hit Aoba. However, from Hinata's perspective, she couldn't tell.
"Aoba-kun! No!", Hinata couldn't help but cry out.
She saw Aoba get hit in the face and spit out a mouthful of blood.
'No... no...', Hinata's vision blurred with tears, 'It's... all my fault. I can't do anything...'
Tears streamed from her eyes as the light in her pure white pupils slowly dimmed.
Correct password detected—
In the next moment, the veins around her eyes suddenly bulged. Chakra surged rapidly, and a powerful force erupted from within her, rushing straight to her eyeballs.
Byakugan!
Activated!
Hinata's head snapped up. Her eyes were vacant yet terrifying as she stared at the three boys who had bullied her.
The boys were already scared, but now they were frozen in place, too terrified to move.
Hinata has turned dark.
She lunged forward.
The gentle fist techniques that her father had taught her flashed through her mind.
Her palms struck left and right.
Two of the stunned boys were instantly hit in the stomach.
The force made them instinctively hunch over before falling backward, unable to get up again.
Hinata spun her body, her right palm striking out once more.
The last boy collapsed into a baby-like sleep.
Seeing this scene, the higher-grade boys, who were still pretending to fight Aoba, were completely dumbfounded.
Even Aoba was stunned.
'Did she... really turn dark?'
While they were still in shock, Hinata had already rushed in.
'Aoba-kun... I will protect you!'
In just a moment, two more boys near Hinata had been taken down with a single palm strike each.
Only now did the chubby boy react.
His face was filled with sheer terror.
"This isn't what was supposed to happen. Those guys on the ground... they don't look like they're faking it!"
"S-Save me...!"
The chubby boy was scared out of his wits.
He scrambled away on all fours, not even caring about his little brother anymore.
Once someone led the retreat, the remaining boys quickly followed and fled.
Aoba didn't even glance at them.
After all, they were just tools. Their mission was complete.
Seeing Hinata now standing in front of him, Aoba quickly swallowed the 'tomato sauce' in his mouth.
Just in case, he didn't want to risk getting beaten up by a darkened Hinata.
But Hinata simply stood there quietly, her head lowered, saying nothing.
A while passed, and she still didn't respond.
"H-Hinata?", Aoba cautiously called out to her.
No response.
He gently patted her shoulder.
And then—
The small figure of Hinata collapsed directly into his arms.
Her eyes shut tight, sleeping peacefully.
"This...", Aoba was confused.
'Can someone really fight until they fell asleep?'
'Is it because activating the Byakugan drained too much chakra?'
After wiping the tears from Hinata's face, Aoba could only carry the sleeping girl on his back and take her home.
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