Chapter 178 – Going Home
"Look over there… that man."
"Wait… is that really him? I heard he applied for a mission outside the village but refused Hokage-sama's invitation."
"He looks… kind of unusual, but wow… he's really handsome!"
After passing through Konoha's barrier and the gate's strict security, Ryosuke finally returned to the village. It was clear that after the invasion some time ago, Konoha's defenses had undergone major changes. The protective barrier was stronger than before, and the number of patrolling shinobi had increased.
The streets, once damaged and scarred, were now completely rebuilt. In the year he'd been gone, the village had restored itself to its former bustling state.
The village is back to how it was… Ryosuke thought, walking through the lively streets that were such a stark contrast to the somber Land of Rain.
In terms of appearance, his growing resemblance to the Otsutsuki made him look different from ordinary people. But with his strength, composure, and clean-cut features, that difference had become a rare, striking beauty rather than a flaw. He had expected the stares and whispers—and he didn't mind them.
"Um, excuse me… are you Hyuga Ryosuke-sama?"
Ryosuke stopped. Several young ninja, forehead protectors gleaming, stood in his path. The girl at the front, clearly nervous yet mustering her courage, reminded him faintly of his wife waiting at home.
"Yes, I'm Ryosuke." His tone was gentle, without a trace of irritation at being stopped. "What's the matter?"
"I… we were victims of the attack some time ago," the girl explained, speaking politely but earnestly. "We've wanted to thank you, but you were never in the village. Today we were lucky enough to meet you here… so, we were wondering if we could treat you to a meal as thanks. Would that be alright?"
She looked young—still in her teens—but she carried herself with a maturity rare for her age.
"…I appreciate the sentiment, but there's no need for a meal," Ryosuke said with a small shake of his head. "I haven't been home in a long time, and I want to spend some time with my family."
The girl's expression fell slightly, and she opened her mouth to respond—
—but Ryosuke's gaze had already shifted toward the end of the street. He could feel a familiar presence approaching.
Even without activating his eyes, he instinctively recognized her.
From the far end, a woman walked toward him—her steps unhurried, but each stride longer than the average pace.
She wore a pure white long dress that hugged her figure, her pale skin soft as cream beneath the fabric. Long, smoky-blue hair flowed freely, swaying in the breeze. The cool tone of her hair made her porcelain complexion seem even fairer.
Her face, delicate and refined like it had been carved from ice, carried a noble, aloof beauty—like a princess from a snowbound castle. Her pale eyes stared forward, expressionless, exuding an air that warned strangers to keep their distance.
She's grown… and even more beautiful.
Step by step, Hinata stopped before him. Ryosuke's gentle smile deepened, sunlight catching on his features. His voice, soft yet carrying an odd warmth, seemed to ripple through the air.
"I didn't expect I'd hear you praise me one day," Hinata replied calmly, though her heart urged her to close the distance between them. "At least… for something other than my strength." She gave a polite nod to the group of ninja beside him.
"Ahem… Ryosuke-sama, we'll… be going now." The young shinobi quickly excused themselves, the chilly pressure from their clan's heiress enough to make them retreat without protest.
Watching them leave, Ryosuke glanced around at the lingering stares from passersby. He smiled faintly. "Let's go home. We can talk there."
On the way back, he thought about the moment countless times—how it would feel to reunite after so long apart. Yet when he finally saw her, all the greetings and carefully prepared words disappeared.
Instead, he had simply spoken what was in his heart. And judging by the slight warmth in her eyes, that simple compliment had touched her more than anything else could have.
"…Ah." Hinata made a soft sound, still composed, but she didn't move.
"Then shall we go?" Ryosuke asked. Seeing her still standing there, he chuckled, then extended his palm toward her with gentle insistence.
Her small, cool hand slid into his, and he couldn't help but smile.
"W-What are you doing?" A faint blush bloomed on her cheeks, her previously cool gaze turning lively with a mix of embarrassment and mild irritation.
"Let's go," Ryosuke said simply, giving her hand a light tug.
They had barely taken a few steps when a loud, cheerful voice rang out from behind.
"Ryosuke! You're back!"
The voice came closer in an instant, followed by the sound of someone moving at incredible speed across the rooftops. A dark figure leapt high, sailing through the air before landing smoothly in front of them—without even stirring the dust.
"Long time no see!" Naruto beamed, his energy as boundless as ever. His sharp instincts, honed by the Nine-Tails' chakra, instantly noticed the difference in Ryosuke's presence. "Whoa… you feel so much stronger! You must've trained like crazy!"
But then his grin faltered. His gaze dropped to the hands Ryosuke and Hinata were holding.
"Uh… maybe I should come find you tomorrow instead. I wouldn't want to interrupt…" he said sheepishly, scratching his head.
"Tomorrow," Ryosuke agreed with a faint chuckle. "Old place."
Before leaving, he took a moment to observe Naruto more closely. The boy's landing had been controlled to perfection, and under Ryosuke's watchful eyes, he could see the sheer volume of chakra within him—greater than ever before.
Even Ryosuke had to admit… it was impressive.
The tailed beast chakra at the center of the seal no longer completely suppressed Naruto's own chakra. Instead, the two forces clashed—two tigers locked in a constant struggle.
Looks like he hasn't been slacking this past year… he's gotten stronger again.
"See you tomorrow, then," Naruto said, his tone carrying genuine anticipation.
Ryosuke smiled in return. "Tomorrow."
Naruto nodded politely toward Hinata. She gave him a courteous bow in response.
With a wave of goodbye, Naruto bounded off, and Ryosuke resumed walking. Beside him, Hinata followed in silence, speaking no more than a greeting to Naruto earlier.
Ryosuke didn't notice her quietness. In his heart, there was a small hope—he wanted Naruto to catch up to him one day. As one of the few people who had recognized him for who he was, his view of Naruto had always been different.
But then, he felt the small hand in his tighten. Glancing at Hinata in mild confusion, he asked, "Why do I get the feeling… you were happier to see him than to see me?"
Hinata kept her gaze forward, her expression unreadable. "When you're at that old place… you seem to have a very good time."
"…What? No—" Her faintly sour tone caught Ryosuke off guard. "Did I… do something wrong?"
He felt helpless—and a little lost. He could follow her words, but not quite her meaning. Did Ino put strange ideas into her head again? He made a mental note to keep Hinata away from that troublemaker before she started seeing everything through the same mischievous lens.
"…Forget it. Let's just go home," Hinata finally murmured after a long silence, pushing the thought from her mind.
They didn't speak further as they walked side by side.
Ryosuke had changed again during his journey—his height now exceeding the village's average, his body honed beyond ordinary limits thanks to rigorous training in the Navy's Six Forms. Yet the petite Hinata walking beside him didn't seem out of place at all. If anything, the two of them together made for a striking contrast—harmonious and pleasing to the eye.
---
"They're back! They're back! Sister and Ryosuke are back!"
From a distance, Ryosuke could see Hiashi waiting at the Hyuga clan's gate with Hanabi. Behind them, several members of the clan had stopped to watch, eager to see the man hailed as the Hyuga's strongest in a millennium.
"You're back?" Hiashi's calm voice carried a note of concern.
"Yeah… I'm back," Ryosuke replied, the emotions in his chest unconsciously tightening his grip on the soft hand in his own.
He stepped forward, facing the clan head—and behind him, the gathered clan members who shared his blood. "I'm back… to my home, and… my family."
---
"Ryosuke, you don't know how strange my sister's been while you were away," Hanabi teased over dinner.
The Hyuga household was livelier than usual. The four of them sat in their usual seats, but unlike the clan's normal custom of silent meals, conversation filled the air.
"After finishing her work every day, she'd go back to her room and stare in the mirror," Hanabi continued between bites. "Guess what she was doing?"
"…Putting on makeup?" Ryosuke asked with a small smile, his gaze drifting to Hinata's delicate, doll-like face. He already knew the answer.
Her pale skin was as flawless as the finest silk, her features as if sculpted with care. The gentle curves of her brows had gained a touch of heroism, and her clear eyes were subtly enhanced with light eyeliner, lending her a cool elegance. Her lips, now tinged with a soft, glossy pink, completed the image of a beautiful, poised woman.
"That's right," Hanabi confirmed with a grin. "At first, she looked like a ghost. But then Sister Ino and the others came over, and her makeup skills improved. In the beginning, she was too shy to wear it outside, so she'd only practice in her room. Later, Ino told her—"
"Hanabi!" Hinata interrupted sharply, her face pink.
But Hanabi only sat up straighter and imitated Ino's tone, "'If you want to please yourself, then do it for yourself. But if you can make people stop and stare at you in the street… even Ryosuke will bow down before you in your white dress—unless he's a complete blockhead.'"
Pausing, Hanabi's eyes narrowed mischievously. "Well? Ryosuke, you think my sister looks better now, right?"
Ryosuke froze. Ino…
Before he could answer, Hanabi added casually, "At least better than Uzumaki Naruto."
Pff—
The words caught in Ryosuke's chest, leaving him completely unsure how to respond.
"Ahem!" Even Hiashi, seated at the head of the table, couldn't listen any longer. He cleared his throat with a sharp glare at Hanabi. "Eat quietly."
Once she'd fallen silent, Hiashi turned to Ryosuke. "So? Was your trip smooth? Did you find the answers you were looking for?"
Glancing briefly at Hinata—who had her head lowered to hide a small smile—Ryosuke nodded. "Yes. I've gained a lot, and found many answers. I'll need some time at home to think them over."
He hesitated, then added, "But… during my travels, I met someone incredible. This information might need to be shared with you—and possibly with the rest of Konoha."
Hiashi's eyes sharpened slightly. Ryosuke had been vague about his trip before, saying only that he'd gone to seek answers. But this time…
"After dinner," Hiashi said calmly, "we'll speak in the study."
Ryosuke nodded. It was time.
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