After hearing the news that Yagura Karatachi might be under someone's control, Terumi Mei could no longer sit still. Ignoring her weakened body, she returned to Kirigakure.
To keep her from running into danger, Natsume personally escorted her part of the way.
Eigi and the others couldn't possibly come back from the dead, but there might be other shinobi out there.
"Thank you."
Even in a foul mood, Terumi Mei still maintained the etiquette befitting the Mizukage's successor.
"I'll come find you once I've confirmed it."
She turned and stepped into a residence.
"Terumi Mei?"
It was Ao, a veteran jonin of Kirigakure with considerable renown.
His most famous alias was the Byakugan Killer.
During the Third Shinobi World War, he took a Byakugan as a war trophy and implanted it into his right eye.
"Why do I surprise you so much just by showing up?"
Terumi Mei noticed his expression and immediately grew wary.
Could it be that Ao also knew about Eigi and the others' attempt to assassinate her?
"It's rare to see you change your hairstyle. It's got quite the girlish vibe."
Ao nodded with a smile, then asked, "What brings you to me?"
"Hairstyle?"
Terumi Mei blinked, but quickly set it aside and brought up Yagura Karatachi.
"Is that even possible?"
Ao looked stunned when she finished.
"With the Mizukage's strength, it's hard to imagine him being controlled."
"Yet in recent years, his behavior has been baffling—almost like he's become a different person," Terumi Mei said in a low voice.
"I'll take a look."
Ao finally agreed.
If they were wrong, they could always apologize to Yagura.
But if it was true… he didn't dare imagine the magnitude of that disgrace.
The Five Kage of the five great villages—five people standing at the very summit of the shinobi world—being controlled? What face would Kirigakure have left?
After Ao left, Terumi Mei sought out Genji and informed him.
Even that worldly elder fell silent.
He truly had never seen anything like this.
Thinking that Kirigakure might have been under an outsider's rule for so many years, he could barely keep it together.
While she waited, Terumi Mei recalled what Ao had said.
She went to the lake in the courtyard and looked down at her reflection, noticing her new hairstyle.
She'd assumed her hair was a mess from battle, but it was nothing like what she'd imagined.
Clearly, Natsume had tidied it for her.
Terumi Mei grew a little dazed.
What kind of person are you, really?
…
Meanwhile, Natsume currently had nothing to do.
He was about to go mess around with Hinae when he suddenly realized he hadn't seen Hinata in quite some time.
After confirming she was in her room, he performed the Reverse Summoning Technique.
"What are you thinking about?"
Hinata, frowning in thought, came into view. Combined with her cute face, the look made her seem especially adorable.
"Natsume-nii!"
She came back to herself and called out excitedly.
Not only that, she instinctively ran over to him.
Only when she reached him did she stop, cheeks flushed, head lowered in embarrassment.
Natsume crouched down, gave her a quick hug, and immediately let go.
Even so, Hinata turned beet red and practically steamed.
Once she'd calmed down, Natsume asked, "What were you thinking about just now?"
Hinata didn't hide it. She drooped a little and said, "It's about Brother Neji. I told him this morning that I will definitely remove the Caged Bird. He didn't believe me and even said I was being hypocritical."
Natsume raised an eyebrow.
What a brat.
With that attitude, even I feel like giving you a beating.
"Do you know why he doesn't believe you?"
Natsume lifted her chin and cupped her small face. It was soft and warm.
Hinata's eyes widened. If the question hadn't kept her attention, she would've fainted on the spot.
"Because you haven't beaten him into submission."
Natsume smiled. "Taking off the Caged Bird is difficult to begin with. If you can't defeat him, why would he believe you?"
"I…I can't beat him," Hinata whispered. "Brother Neji is more talented than me."
"He isn't."
Natsume shook his head. "Your talent is greater than his; it just hasn't been fully developed."
Setting the Byakugan aside, Neji secretly learning Eight Trigrams Palms: Rotation was indeed impressive.
But Hinata created Protecting Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, which is in no way inferior.
In fact, with his frequent feeding and guidance, her performance already surpassed her counterpart at the same age in the original story.
How to put it—
It's a mindset issue.
Hinata tended to be timid.
And as everyone knows, the more nervous, anxious, or angry you are, the easier it is to choke.
On top of that, Neji and Hiashi had accumulated too much gravitas in her heart.
Some might chalk it up to personality.
But in truth, Hinata acts fairly normal around others—
Like her teammates Inuzuka Kiba or Aburame Shino.
Only when she's around the person she likes does she turn into a steaming maiden.
Natsume had plenty of experience with such psychological knots.
After all, he had cured Tsunade's hemophobia.
In short, more practice would do the trick.
"Let's go."
Natsume rubbed her head. "I'll take you to train and help you unlock your potential."
Seeing from his expression and gaze that he wasn't joking, Hinata nodded vigorously.
Real or not, if it meant spending more time together, she was more than willing.
Natsume spirited the Hyuga young lady away from home once again.
They arrived at a secluded spot in the Forest of Death.
Under Hinata's wide-eyed stare, she was drawn into a nightmare-like illusion.
Natsume had activated his Mangekyō Sharingan.
It was, without a doubt, the most convenient method.
Of course, he wasn't as merciless as Itachi, who repeatedly forced Uchiha Sasuke to relive the clan massacre.
He had plenty of time. He could slowly ramp up the difficulty until Hinata no longer feared Hyuga Hiashi and Hyuga Neji.
After a long while, the genjutsu ended.
Hinata immediately threw herself into Natsume's arms.
Her body trembled slightly.
Natsume gently stroked her hair. "Don't be afraid. It was all fake."
Hinata said nothing.
After a moment, Natsume realized she seemed to have fallen asleep—or fainted.
He couldn't help but chuckle.
So cute.
Natsume carried her back to the Hyuga compound.
When he entered her room, he found she was already awake.
"How do you feel?"
He set her down and asked.
"A little scared, but not too much," Hinata said softly, head lowered.
Which meant she hadn't fainted from fear earlier, but from embarrassment.
"That's good."
Natsume patted her head. "After you've eaten, wait by the window. I'll show you something pretty."
Hinata blushed and nodded.
Natsume didn't linger. After reminding her not to tell anyone about this, he vanished from the room.
He didn't return to Kirigakure, though. He was still in Konoha.
When Hinata finished dinner and looked up at the starry sky outside her window, countless fireworks bloomed just for her.
Once he was done with the fireworks, Natsume headed to Orochimaru's courtyard.
Ever since he'd snatched Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan, he hadn't seen Orochimaru again.
This time, he'd come for one thing:
The Flying Thunder God Technique.