"So, have the children grown up?" Shido asked as he walked down the hallway.
"Yes."
"Ah... Boruto and Himawari have grown so much..."
"I see... When will they be back today?"
"They're both out on missions outside the village today. They won't return until after noon tomorrow."
Good, everything's going according to plan. Now then, time to give her plenty of affection...
Shido smirked inwardly. After being led to the living room, he sat down on the sofa facing Hinata.
"So... what did you want to apologize for?"
"Ah, right! That's it!"
Shido's gaze fell on Hinata's hands resting on the table. A ring sparkled on the ring finger of her left hand. He wouldn't be distracted by its light now. After all, he was about to completely destroy it.
Each time I realized this, the dark desires within me grew stronger...
"Let me apologize for everything I've done... I'm truly sorry. For bullying Naruto, for harassing you both... I was a piece of trash. I blamed the Nine-Tailed Beast inside Naruto for my parents' deaths, made no real effort, and envied everyone around me. Even when everyone else went to war, I faked an injury to avoid dying... After the war ended, while Naruto was hailed as a hero of Konoha and Hinata became the Hokage's wife and a mother of two, what had I accomplished? Nothing. Yet I still envied you both. I'm truly sorry."
Shido bowed his head deeply. Hinata simply stared at him, her expression unreadable.
I'll twist that face with pleasure soon enough...
"I don't expect you to forgive me right away. After all, you're the heroes of Konoha and their wives now. Someone like me probably doesn't even register in your eyes anymore, right? Naruto and Hinata?! Don't let being a dropout go to your head! That's what I thought... but it seems I was the real dropout all along. But I'm not a dropout or a loser anymore! I'm... stronger than you now! I'm not the same guy who froze in fear from your attacks back then!"
"I see..."
Hinata's expression remained unchanged as she spoke coldly.
"So you didn't come here to sincerely apologize after all."
Hinata's voice, calm and collected, carried an air of composure. He hasn't changed at all. He's always been like this.
"Heh, just as I expected. That attitude of yours, completely unfazed by my words... I don't hate it."
"..."
Shido grinned and closed the distance to Hinata, attempting to force her onto the sofa.
But in that instant, Shido found himself flipped onto his back, sprawled on the floor. Hinata had executed a Jujutsu technique. She followed up with a Chakra-infused palm strike to his chest.
"Guh...! Gah! Y-you...!"
Ignoring his sputtering, Hinata helped him to his feet and activated her Byakugan.
With pinpoint accuracy, she pierced Shido's pressure points with her fingertips.
"Gah! Y-you bastard!!"
"Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"
Shido collapsed to his knees under the barrage of Hinata's strikes.
"Now you can no longer mold Chakra."
Hinata gazed down at Shido with a cold stare.
"W-what did you say?! You...!"
Shido glared back, his face contorted with rage, but Hinata's expression remained unchanged.
"Now, give up and go home. And don't ever come back here again."
"Don't screw with me...! G-damn it!"
Shido desperately tried to stand, but his legs buckled beneath him.
"Still don't understand? You can't win against me anymore. If you push yourself any further, you'll get seriously hurt."
"Try it if you dare! I'll turn the tables and humiliate you, crybaby Hinata!"
"So... it can't be helped."
Hinata struck Shido's pressure points again, completely disabling his ability to mold Chakra.
"Y-you..."
"You're no match for me anymore. Go home quietly."
"Don't screw with me! I didn't lose to you back then either!"
Hinata sighed, a look of exasperation on her face. Without a word, she lunged into Shido's arms and struck his chest with a palm strike.
"Gah..."
Shido lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground.
Looking down at him, Hinata said coldly, "...I've never been interested in you, not then, not now. If you want to end this war, stay out of our way."
As she moved to drag the unconscious Shido outside, his hand shot out, attempting to grab her chest. But Hinata calmly brushed it aside, swept his legs out from under him, and sent him crashing face-first to the ground.
"Guh...!!"
Hinata struck another pressure point, knocking Shido unconscious again.
Was that... just an act?
A sense of unease washed over Hinata as she stared down at the fallen Shido.
"Hmph, you've gotten quite strong, haven't you, Hi-na-ta?"
Shido, who should have been unconscious, suddenly rose to his feet. A sinister grin spread across his face as he advanced toward Hinata.
"Wha—?!"
Seizing the momentary lapse in Hinata's surprise, Shido reached for her chest.
"Eep!"
Hinata instinctively backstepped to create distance and unleashed an Eight Trigrams Empty Palm strike. But Shido easily deflected the attack.
"...No way... How? You shouldn't be able to use Chakra! How are you moving?!"
Hinata couldn't hide her agitation as she demanded an explanation.
"Ah, you're right, I can't mold Chakra anymore. But Chakra means nothing to me!"
Shido smirked as he said this.
"!? What? What do you mean?!"
Hinata couldn't grasp the meaning of Shido's words and openly displayed her wariness. She braced herself, ready to strike at any moment.
"What do you say? You can't go all out here, can you? Why don't we change locations? If we both get serious in a place like this, this house will be blown to smithereens."
Hinata hesitated, considering Shido's words.
He's right... Fighting here might not be wise. Since I can't predict what this man will do, acting rashly would be dangerous.
After a moment of deliberation, Hinata resolved herself and spoke.
"Alright... Let's change locations."
"Good. Follow me."
Shido pointed a finger at Hinata. Before she could even process what he was doing, she found herself teleported to another place with him.
"This should be far enough."
"W-where are we? The Forest of Death...?!"
Shido grinned at Hinata's question. "Heh... No one comes here at this hour. Now, let's get serious. Give it your all!"
"..."