301-305

Chapter 301: Naruto's Triple Threat 

Yamanaka Kazuma suddenly blurted out Shindai's name, leaving Shindai totally baffled. 

"How in the world did you know it was me?" Shindai asked, completely incredulous. 

Kazuma Yamanaka just smiled. "I was just suspicious, but now I'm certain. You see, Pakura told me that those ninja mechs were your handiwork. Only someone who knows them inside and out would be that familiar with them." 

Shindai dispelled his Transformation Jutsu, pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lit one up, and spoke in a rather unruly tone, "Since you figured out who I am, let me warn you: you, you good-for-nothing, stay far away from Pakura! My big brother is Asuma, the head honcho of the Leaf Village's underworld. All I gotta do is tell him, and he'll round up a bunch of his buddies to make sure you won't know what hit you!" 

Kazuma Yamanaka sighed. "You can't just call me a good-for-nothing because I want to pursue Pakura, can you? Pakura is such an amazing girl, and there are tons of people who want to pursue her. You can't possibly label all of them as good-for-nothings, right?" 

Shindai, being completely unreasonable, shot back, "I'm like this, so what?! What are you gonna do about it?" 

Kazuma Yamanaka looked at Shindai with a complex expression. "Pakura's description of you was spot on, you really are incredibly petty. Alright, I give up." 

Shindai was stunned for a moment. "Huh? See? What a good-for-nothing! Giving up so easily! Looks like I wasn't wrong about you!" 

Kazuma Yamanaka forced a wry smile. "I told you I'm not a good-for-nothing. It's just... I've realized something. I don't have a chance. Every time I talk to Pakura, within three sentences, she's talking about you. I used to have hope, but now... Since you're here today, then I truly don't have a shot. There's no point in trying hard for something that won't have a good outcome. Sigh, it's such a shame to like a girl so much, only for it to end like this." 

Kazuma Yamanaka shook his head and turned to leave. 

Shindai scratched his head, muttering, "What in the world is he rambling about?" 

"Shindai!" 

Pakura's voice suddenly rang out from behind Shindai, making him jump. 

Shindai stiffly turned his neck, a sheepish grin plastered on his face as he tried to play it off. "Oh, wow, what a coincidence, Pakura! To run into you here! Aren't you supposed to be at work?" 

Pakura rolled her eyes. "Coincidence, my butt! What were you doing using a Transformation Jutsu in the shop?" 

Shindai's mind went blank. "Huh? You knew too?" 

Pakura chuckled. "Has no one ever told you that your disguise is terrible? Your condescending way of speaking, and all those little habits you have... how could I not recognize you?" 

Shindai puffed out his chest. "I was just worried about you, you know! Obito and the others said some shameless guy was bothering you, and as your guardian, it's my responsibility to protect you! And don't even get me started on you, you're old enough, don't trust people so easily! What if someone has ill intentions towards you? You might get sold off and even count the money for them!" 

Hearing Shindai's scolding, a vein throbbed on Pakura's forehead, but then it suddenly vanished, and she burst into laughter. 

Shindai grumbled, "What's so funny?!" 

Pakura explained to Shindai, "He's a customer who came to the shop. As the manager, I can't just kick him out, can I? And I'll be off work in two hours. Since you don't seem to have anything to do, why don't you help out until closing, and then we can go pick up Hikari together?" 

"What?! I don't want to help!" 

Shindai said it, but his body honestly followed Pakura. 

However, Shindai felt a bit uneasy inside, as if he'd forgotten something important. 

--- 

"Phew, that hit the spot!" 

At Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto had devoured a whole bowl of ramen all by himself, not even leaving a drop of broth. 

Rin Nohara said to Naruto, "Naruto, should I take you home?" 

Naruto refused. "No thanks, Rin-neechan! I'm going to find Shindai-niichan. I'll go home with him!" 

"Alright then. Shindai's at Pakura-neechan's place, you know where that is, right?" 

"Yup, I know! See ya, Rin-neechan, Obito-niichan, Kakashi-niichan!" 

Naruto hopped off his chair and left alone. 

Meanwhile, at the craft shop, Shindai suddenly sat bolt upright. "Darn it! I completely forgot about Naruto! He must've gone with Obito and them, right? Not necessarily. I need to go check! Pakura, you go find Hikari and head home first!" 

Shindai dashed out of the craft shop, off to find Naruto. 

As Naruto walked, he didn't head straight for the craft shop. The snow-covered Leaf Village was so beautiful that Naruto decided to play around for a bit before going home. 

Naruto came across a patch of woods and his eyes lit up when he saw a swing. He ran over and started playing on it. 

"This is so much fun!" 

Naruto swung back and forth by himself on the swing. 

"Later, I'll ask Shindai-niichan to push me on the swing. I can't go that high by myself! I want to touch the sky!" 

As Naruto was swinging, he suddenly heard voices nearby. 

"If you're a Hyuga, then use your Byakugan!" 

"If you're not going to do anything, then stop staring!" 

"Those disgusting eyes!" 

"You're probably a monster! You Byakugan freak!" 

Three little bullies were surrounding a small girl about Naruto's age, mocking her. 

That little girl was Hinata Hyuga. 

Hinata, hearing what the three bullies said, squatted on the ground and started crying sadly. 

Naruto, filled with a burst of heroic spirit, immediately got off the swing and ran over. 

"Hey, stop that!" 

One of the bullies frowned and asked Naruto, "Who are you?" 

Naruto proudly declared, "Good question! I am the future hero of the Leaf Village, the Seventh Hokage, the strongest ninja in the world! I am Naruto Uzumaki, believe it!" 

"Future hero? Hokage? Strongest?" 

"Are you an idiot?" 

"He looks like an idiot!" 

The three bullies openly mocked Naruto. 

Naruto squatted down and made a hand sign. 

"Prepare yourselves! Ninjutsu! Snowfall Chaos Jutsu!" 

Naruto grabbed a handful of snow from the ground and threw it at the three bullies. 

The snow got in their eyes, forcing all three to close them. 

"Rasengan!" 

Naruto picked up a rock and smashed it into one of the bullies' faces. 

"Taijutsu Ultimate Secret! Hellish Crotch Assault!" 

Naruto lifted his foot and kicked the second bully right in the groin. 

"Ooooh!" 

The bully clutched his precious parts and knelt on the ground. 

Naruto nimbly moved behind the third bully. 

"Taijutsu Ultimate Secret! One Thousand Years of Death!" 

Naruto formed the Tiger hand sign with both hands and thrust them forward. 

"Aaaah!" 

A piercing scream echoed as the third bully sprawled on the ground, wiggling around while clutching his backside. 

Hinata stared wide-eyed as Naruto swiftly took down the three bullies. 

"Amazing!" 

Naruto himself was also amazed by his own power. 

"The moves Shindai-niichan taught me are so awesome!" 

Snapping back to reality, Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand and ran. "Quick, let's go! If those three recover, we're done for!" 

Naruto knew he'd used a sneak attack. If the bullies recovered, it would be three against one, and he wouldn't have the advantage. Only an idiot wouldn't run! 

Chapter 302: Once They Grow Up, They Can Just Skip to the Ceremony! 

Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand and bolted. Pulling off a surprise attack against three guys is one thing, but if it wasn't a surprise, he'd probably get clobbered. 

Shindai had told Naruto before, "If you're confident in a fight, hit 'em when they least expect it. If you can't sneak attack and you're not confident, just run. Go gather some allies first." 

He'd already pulled off a sneak attack, but still wasn't confident, so running it was. 

Naruto and Hinata dashed through the snow-covered ground. 

Hinata's gaze was fixed on the back of Naruto's head, never once leaving him. 

"Huff, huff~" 

Naruto stopped, hands on his thighs, catching his breath. 

"Those three probably won't chase us anymore. Are you okay?" Naruto straightened up and asked Hinata. 

Hinata still stared blankly at Naruto. 

Naruto waved his small hand in front of Hinata's face. "What's wrong with you? They didn't seem to hurt you just now. Did they hit you so hard you got silly?" 

Coming back to her senses, Hinata's face turned beet red at a visible speed, then she lowered her head and quietly mumbled, "I... I'm fine." 

"Good thing you're fine! My name's Uzumaki Naruto, what's yours?" 

"Hyuga Hinata..." 

Seeing Hinata like this, Naruto thought she was upset about the three bullies making fun of her. 

Naruto smiled brightly and said, "Hinata, don't listen to what anyone else says. People used to make fun of the whiskers on my face too. My big brother Shindai told me those people are just blind idiots, and that my six whiskers are actually super cute! 

Hinata, I really think your eyes aren't disgusting at all. Quite the opposite, they're beautiful, like... like..." 

Naruto tried to think of a way to describe them, then saw the snow on the ground and immediately got an idea. 

Pointing at the snow, Naruto said, "Like the pure white snow!" 

Hinata was already completely dazed by Naruto's compliments. 

"Hinata, wanna go play? I know a super fun place! Wanna go?" 

Hinata hesitated. She really wanted to go, but it was also time for her to go home. The Hyuga clan has a lot of rules, and she'd get scolded if she was late. 

"Ahem! I just ran into Obito and the others on the way. They said you'd be looking for me at the handicraft shop. Is this how you 'look for me'?" Shindai appeared behind Naruto and Hinata, looking at Hinata with curious eyes. 

"Big Brother Shindai!" 

Shindai raised an eyebrow at Naruto. "Alright, you got it. I was pretty annoyed, but since you were doing something important – 'courting a girl' – I'll forgive you." 

Naruto asked, confused, "Courting a girl? What does that mean?" 

Shindai grinned mischievously and explained, "It means dating, like boyfriend and girlfriend." 

Naruto innocently said, "Oh, I see! Then Big Brother Shindai is right, I was just 'courting a girl' with Hinata! Three guys were bullying Hinata, and I used what Big Brother Shindai taught me to give them a good lesson, then I ran away with Hinata." 

Shindai praised him, "Nice job! But, you got it wrong. It's not you and Hinata 'courting a girl,' it's you courting Hinata! But that's not important. Did Hinata say yes?" 

"I don't know," Naruto turned to ask Hinata, "Hinata, do you wanna be my boyfriend and girlfriend?" 

"Whoa!" Shindai corrected him, "Not boyfriend and girlfriend, that's a general term. You should ask, 'Do you want to be my girlfriend?'" 

"Oh. Then, Hinata, do you want to be my girlfriend?" 

Hinata was incredibly shy, her head still bowed low, speaking very softly. But both Naruto and Shindai heard her, "Mm, I do." 

"Pfft!" 

Shindai couldn't hold back a laugh. 

Naruto asked, puzzled, "Big Brother Shindai, what's so funny?" 

Shindai cleared his throat. "Ahem, nothing. So, with me as your witness, you two are now boyfriend and girlfriend! But, for the sake of your great friendship, how about I officiate something for you?" 

"Officiate? Officiate what?" Naruto was really confused now. Was becoming friends with Hinata really this complicated? 

"You two just follow along. It's like the game Sasuke plays, ready?" 

Hearing it was a game, Naruto instantly got excited. "Yeah, yeah! I'm ready!" 

Shindai looked at Hinata, smiling, and asked, "How about you, Hinata?" 

Hinata nodded. "I'm ready too!" 

Shindai was bursting with joy on the inside, but kept his expression serious. "Alright, now stand facing each other." 

Naruto and Hinata obediently stood facing each other. 

"Naruto, do you take her to be your loving partner, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?" 

Hearing Shindai's words, Hinata's face instantly turned crimson. 

Love... love? This was so sudden! Wasn't this too fast?! 

Naruto was also puzzled, "Love?" 

Shindai asserted, "Yeah, friendship is also a kind of love, isn't it? Don't interrupt me, just tell me if you're willing!" 

Hinata breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Shindai's "explanation." So it was just friendship after all. 

Naruto nodded, half-understanding, then said with conviction, "I do!" 

Then Shindai asked Hinata, "Hinata, do you take him to be your loving partner, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?" 

Though Hinata's voice was small, it was firm. "I do too!" 

Shindai's grin was almost reaching the back of his head. 

Shindai snapped his fingers, and a lump of iron sand appeared in his hand. He compressed it into two small rings and handed them to Naruto and Hinata. 

"Now, you can put the rings on each other's ring fingers." 

"Alrighty!" Naruto eagerly grabbed Hinata's hand and put the ring on her right ring finger. 

Hinata was completely bewildered now. This didn't feel right, did it? Why would friends exchange rings? Even if she was young, it didn't mean she knew nothing. This was clearly something people do when they get married! 

"Um..." Hinata wanted to remind Naruto, but Naruto had already extended his hand towards her. 

"Hurry up, Hinata, don't just stand there! Once you put it on, we'll be good friends forever!" 

Hinata pressed her lips into a thin line, looking at Naruto's excited and expectant expression. 

Hinata picked up the ring in her hand, her head steaming, and put it on Naruto's finger. 

Naruto excitedly looked at the ring on his finger. "It looks pretty good." 

Hinata also stared blankly at the ring on her own finger. 

Shindai pulled out a cigarette, lit it, took a comfortable puff, and said, "So, from now on, you two are good friends! The kind where, once you grow up, you can just skip straight to the ceremony." 

Naruto curiously asked, "Skip to the ceremony? What ceremony?" 

"You'll know when you're older." 

Hinata's eyelids twitched. The ceremony... could it be that ceremony she was thinking of? 

Chapter 303: Don't Understand, But Respect 

Thanks to Shindai's interference, Naruto and Hinata, both just three years old, officially became... "good friends." 

Naruto was all set to take Hinata to his favorite fun spot, but then two Hyuga ninjas showed up. 

"Lady Hinata! Where have you been? We've been looking for you forever!" 

The two Hyuga ninjas had their Byakugan activated, so you could tell they weren't kidding. Seeing Shindai, they gave him a quick greeting. 

Hinata knew it was time to go home, so she said goodbye to Naruto and Shindai. "Naruto, Big Brother Shindai, I'm heading back now." 

Naruto waved goodbye to Hinata. "Hinata, let's play together again next time!" 

Hinata left with the two Hyuga ninjas. 

Shindai teased, "Stop staring, she's gone! Once you two are older, you'll have plenty of time together." 

Naruto was already used to Shindai's random, strange comments. "Big Brother Shindai, where are we going to play next?" 

Shindai gave him a look. "Play? The sun's almost setting! Your sisters, Kakura and Hikari, are probably already home by now. Let's hurry back, or they'll be lecturing both of us!" 

"Alright, burp~" 

Shindai, who was about to take a step, froze. He asked incredulously, "That bowl of ramen... you ate it all by yourself?" 

Naruto patted his little belly. "Yeah, Big Brother Shindai, you suddenly left, so I had no choice but to eat it all by myself, reluctantly, of course." 

"Reluctantly? You little rascal! I'm so good to you, even finding you a wife, and you want me to get yelled at?!" Shindai playfully rubbed Naruto's head with his fists. 

"But... wasting food is a shameful thing, you know!" 

Shindai huffed, "Anyway, later, just tell them that Obito and the others made you eat it. They paid for it anyway! Got it?" 

"G-Got it, Big Brother Shindai!" 

Hinata returned to the Hyuga clan compound, where she was having dinner with her father, Hiashi Hyuga, and her mother, Ayane Hyuga. 

Ayane noticed the ring on Hinata's finger and asked, "Hinata, that on your finger is...?" 

Hinata replied, "Big Brother Shindai gave it to me. He gave one to Naruto and one to me. It's a symbol of our friendship." 

As Hinata said this, she felt incredibly guilty. For Naruto, it was definitely a symbol of friendship, but Hinata had a strong feeling that Shindai wasn't being so innocent when he did it. 

Hiashi's chopsticks paused. He confirmed with Hinata, "Naruto Uzumaki and Shindai?" 

Hinata timidly replied, "Yes, Father." 

Hinata was very intimidated by her father. Hiashi was very strict, training Hinata to be his successor. However, her efforts were never recognized by Hiashi, which made Hinata increasingly lack confidence and easily give up. This created a vicious cycle: being scolded led to less confidence, and less confidence led to harsher scoldings. 

Hiashi frowned slightly. Naruto Uzumaki, the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. Shindai, Minato Namikaze's trusted subordinate. Ever since Minato Namikaze reconciled with the Uchiha clan, the Uchiha clan had been thriving. The Hyuga clan, however, remained the same. Due to the Hyuga clan's strict rules, it was difficult for them to progress further. 

Regarding Hinata, even though she was young, her personality deeply displeased Hiashi. She was timid and weak, and no matter how much he tried to correct her, Hinata remained the same. If she could build a good relationship with Naruto and Shindai, that wouldn't be so bad. After all, Minato Namikaze would likely be Hokage for a long time. 

So, Hiashi said, "You can go play with Naruto later, but your training must not fall behind!" 

Hinata was overjoyed. She had prepared herself for a scolding, but unexpectedly, Hiashi agreed. "Thank you, Father." 

Hinata had never looked forward to tomorrow so much. The old Hinata dreaded tomorrow because it would bring the same training and the same scolding. 

Whenever Shindai wasn't on a mission outside of Konoha, he was out and about with Naruto. They'd bother Sasuke a bit, then go play with Hinata, or hang out with Naruto's other friends, like Shikamaru and Choji. 

Today, Shindai brought Naruto and Hinata, who had come to find Naruto, to Sasuke's house. In front of Itachi, Fugaku Uchiha, and Mikoto Uchiha, they were reenacting "Brotherly Showdown." 

The performance was now nearing its end. 

Naruto, playing Itachi, staggered towards Sasuke, with Shindai, playing Susanoo, following behind him. Sasuke leaned against the wall, having self-taught Kakashi's eye technique—the dead fish eye—watching Naruto and Shindai approach him. 

When Naruto reached Sasuke, he "weakly" said, "Forgive me, Sasuke, this is the last time..." Naruto touched Sasuke's forehead with his finger and slowly collapsed. Shindai, as Susanoo, promptly exited the scene, becoming the observer and commentator. 

"Sasuke won, but it's hard to accept willingly. Itachi's abilities are far greater than this. Normally, he can form seven hand signs in a second, yet his hand sign speed was on par with Sasuke's during their battle. His movements weren't as agile as usual, and he didn't dodge attacks he should have. He also coughed up blood multiple times during the fight, suggesting Itachi himself might have been severely injured, or perhaps he was holding back." 

As Shindai explained, he dabbed some red pigment near Sasuke's eye, creating a red tear stain. "And Sasuke, witnessing the death of his beloved older brother, awakened the Uchiha clan's powerful eye technique, the Mangekyo Sharingan! But due to exhaustion, he passed out." 

Seeing no reaction from Sasuke, Shindai coughed loudly. 

Sasuke rolled his eyes, then lay down next to Naruto. 

Shindai announced, "The Brotherly Showdown concludes here! Thank you all for watching!" 

The entire room fell into an eerie silence. 

Fugaku Uchiha, Mikoto Uchiha, and Itachi stared at Shindai with bewildered expressions, completely unable to grasp what Shindai and Naruto were doing. Especially Itachi, who had a strange sense of familiarity the first time Shindai poked Sasuke's forehead, and now... that strange familiarity returned. 

Shindai cleared his throat. "The performance is over! No applause for encouragement?" 

Hinata, being a good sport, clapped enthusiastically. These past few days had been truly different for Hinata. Although she was still the same at home, constantly being scolded by Hiashi, playing with Naruto and Shindai was incredibly fun. 

Fugaku Uchiha, Mikoto Uchiha, and Itachi reluctantly clapped as well. 

They didn't understand it, but... they respected it, they supposed. 

Naruto, who had already stood up, proudly held his head high, while Sasuke looked genuinely defeated. 

Chapter 304: You're Old Too, Your Kid's Three Now 

At Sasuke's house, a 'brotherly showdown' played out, leaving Itachi and the others completely bewildered. 

Sasuke grumbled, "How could I ever have a showdown with Itachi-niisan? You guys gotta make your stories a little more believable, right?" 

Shindai, acting like he was the only one who truly understood, said, "Believable? Those who get it, get it. For those who don't, whatever I say will sound fake. Understand? Give it up for me!" 

Naruto and Hinata, being super cooperative, clapped enthusiastically for Shindai. 

Sasuke was speechless. They're actually clapping for that? Talk about being a suck-up! 

Shindai stood up. "Alright then, I'll take Naruto and Hinata and head out. I promised them some barbecue yesterday. Itachi, Sasuke, wanna come?" 

Before Itachi could even open his mouth, Sasuke quickly blurted out, "Itachi-niisan and I aren't going!" 

He had finally gotten some time off from missions with Itachi, and he really wanted to hang out with him 'alone'. 

"Suit yourselves then. See you next time." 

Shindai didn't push it. He just asked casually. If they wanted to come, great. If not, it just saved him some money. 

--- 

After leaving the Uchiha compound, Naruto was really looking forward to the barbecue. 

Even though Naruto loved ramen, he was super fond of barbecue too. 

However, Naruto always tried to shove meat into his mouth before it was fully cooked, which meant he'd get a stomach ache every time he ate barbecue. Because of this, Kushina Uzumaki usually didn't let him have it. 

Shindai warned him, "Eat slowly later, and only when it's cooked. If you get a stomach ache and get yelled at, don't drag me into it!" 

Naruto, with his 'innocent' look, said, "But I learned it from you, Shindai-niichan! Every time I see you eat, you're always so fast, and it seems to taste even better that way." 

Shindai retorted, "Nonsense! I do eat a bit fast, but I always eat cooked food! Not like you, who shoves barbecue into your mouth after it's been on the grill for only a second!" 

Shindai looked at Hinata, who was next to Naruto. "Hinata, I'm giving you a mission!" 

Hinata's eyes sparkled as she looked at Shindai, as if asking what kind of mission. 

"Later, keep an eye on Naruto. If he tries to eat anything raw, just give him a good whack on the head!" 

"Huh?" Hinata seemed a bit hesitant. "Th-that's not really nice..." 

Naruto quickly told Hinata, "Hinata, don't listen to Shindai-niichan!" 

This time, Hinata actually nodded and said, "Mm-hmm." 

Shindai's eyes nearly rolled out of his head. When he said something, it was "not really nice," but when Naruto said something, it was "mm-hmm." 

Talk about a double standard! 

Shindai thought that Hinata's eyes were perfect for rolling. 

--- 

Arriving at the barbecue restaurant, Shindai saw some familiar faces. 

"Well, well, if it isn't Chōza-ossan! Bringing Choji for some barbecue, huh? Oh, Shikamaru's here too." 

In a private booth at the barbecue place, Shindai spotted Chōza Akimichi, Choji, and Shikamaru. 

Chōza Akimichi let out a hearty laugh. "Shindai, is that you? Bringing Naruto for a meal too? Perfect, let's just sit together!" 

"Sounds good! Naruto, Hinata, you two go sit down first." 

"Okay!" 

Naruto and Hinata went and sat down. Naruto, with a mischievous grin, asked, "Choji, Shikamaru, is the meat in your bowls cooked?" 

Choji, without a second thought, replied, "Yep, of course it's cooked! I've been watching it closely, it's grilled perfectly, tastes the best right now!" 

Shikamaru was already suspicious. "What are you up to?" 

"I'm going to..." 

Naruto picked up his chopsticks and quickly snatched the meat from Choji's and Shikamaru's bowls, putting some in his mouth and some in Hinata's bowl. 

"Hinata! Eat quickly!" 

Naruto symbolically chewed for a bit, then swallowed it right into his little stomach. 

Naruto's brazen move left Choji, Shikamaru, and Hinata absolutely stunned. 

Choji grabbed Naruto's shoulders, his eyes red. "That meat in your mouth is mine! Spit it out and give it back!" 

Naruto had a look of pure enjoyment on his face. "So delicious! You really are the best at grilling meat, Choji! But no way I'm giving it back, it's already in my stomach, getting digested!" 

Choji glared at Naruto, filled with resentment. "Naruto, how could you be so mean?!" 

Hinata looked at the barbecue in her bowl, then shyly said to Shikamaru, "Um, Shikamaru... I haven't touched this one. Do you... want it back?" 

Shikamaru waved his hand. "Nah, it's fine, you eat it. I knew Naruto asking if our meat was cooked was a bad sign. He's always up to no good!" 

Shindai had already sat down next to Chōza Akimichi and started lecturing Naruto. "Naruto, how could you do that? How come you didn't grab a piece for my bowl too? All my kindness to you was for nothing!" 

Choji and Shikamaru initially thought Shindai was going to seriously scold Naruto, but it turned out he was just upset Naruto hadn't gotten him a piece. 

They had thought too much. What kind of person was Shindai? The kind of guy who toyed with both of them effortlessly on a daily basis! 

Naruto's eyes darted around, then landed on the barbecue in Chōza Akimichi's bowl. 

Chōza Akimichi noticed Naruto's gaze. With lightning speed, he instantly shoved all the piled-up barbecue in his bowl into his mouth, chewed twice, and swallowed it. 

Naruto, whose plan was forcibly ended before it even began, grumbled, "Chōza-ossan, my mom told me to chew my food slowly!" 

Shikamaru scoffed, "Naruto, with the way you just ate, I don't think you're in any position to say that." 

The two bottles of sake Shindai ordered arrived. "Chōza-ossan, how about a drink? Barbecue and sake go perfectly together, you know." 

Chōza Akimichi was surprised. "Oh? You can drink now?" 

Shindai filled his own glass and Chōza Akimichi's, then said, "I'm 18, why wouldn't I be able to drink?" 

Chōza Akimichi clinked glasses with Shindai and sighed. "Time really flies, doesn't it? You used to be just a little sprout, and now you're a capable man, old enough to drink." 

Shindai also sighed. "Yeah, Chōza-ossan, you're old too now. Your kid's already three." 

A black mark appeared on Chōza Akimichi's forehead. "Your mouth hasn't changed a bit, has it? I'm not old at all! I'm in the prime of my life, still very young!" 

With Shindai and Naruto now added to the mix, eating barbecue was like a bandit raid; if you didn't snatch it, you wouldn't get any. 

--- 

Half an hour later. 

"Burp! That was good!" 

Shindai and Naruto leaned back in their chairs, letting out satisfied burps. 

Chōza Akimichi and Choji were also full. 

So, who wasn't full? 

Besides Hinata, who preferred not to fight for food, there was no one else but Shikamaru, who just couldn't snatch any. 

Shikamaru said, exasperated, "Why do you guys eat like this? Don't you still have to wait for me and Hinata to finish?" 

Shikamaru slowly continued eating his barbecue, completely unable to understand Shindai's and the others' "robbery-style" eating. 

Naruto shook his little head and said, "You wouldn't get it, Shikamaru. Eating like this gives you a greater sense of accomplishment!" 

Shikamaru grimaced. "You guys eat like you're starving ghosts reincarnated. What accomplishment is there in that? If I ate like that at home, my mom's slap would come flying right at me." 

Just thinking about his mom at home, Shikamaru felt like it was too much trouble. 

Chapter 305: I'm Really Rooting for Hinata 

Shindai, Naruto, and Hinata were just about finished eating at the barbecue joint. 

Shindai stood up and said, "We're pretty much done here. We should head back now, gotta get Hinata home." 

Shindai led Naruto and Hinata out of the barbecue restaurant. 

"Alright, we should probably head back too. Let's go, Choji, Shikamaru." 

"Here's your bill." 

Chōza Akimichi stared at the long bill and froze. "Wait, did Shindai and them not pay for their food?" 

The barbecue owner said, "Nope. When they left just now, they said you'd be covering it." 

"Huh?!" Chōza Akimichi felt completely numb. "How could that kid be so heartless?! I barely have any allowance as it is!" 

Shikamaru looked at the distressed Chōza Akimichi, his own mood completely unfazed. 

He'd already guessed something like this might happen. 

If Shindai acted like a normal person, he wouldn't be Shindai! Just last month... well, it was just last month. 

That guy Shindai had tricked him and Choji out of their allowance to buy cigarettes for himself. Who does that?! 

Shindai patted his stomach. "Yup, food tastes best when someone else is paying for it." 

--- 

They arrived at the entrance of the Hyuga clan compound. 

Shindai told Hinata, "Hinata, you can go home by yourself from here." 

"Okay, Shindai-niichan. Naruto, see you tomorrow." 

"See you tomorrow, Hinata!" 

Just as Hinata was about to enter the Hyuga compound, two people came out: Hizashi Hyuga and a four-year-old Neji Hyuga. 

Hizashi Hyuga paused when he saw Shindai, then nodded at him as a greeting before leaving the compound with Neji. 

Just then, a Hyuga clan gate guard said to Shindai, "Mr. Shindai, the Clan Head would like to have a word with you inside the compound." 

"Huh?" Shindai looked at Hinata, puzzled. "What does your dad want with me?" 

Hinata looked equally bewildered. "I don't know either." 

"Alright then. It's still early anyway. Naruto, wanna go check out Hinata's place?" 

"Yeah, totally!" 

Naruto had never been to Hinata's house before and had always wanted to see it. 

Shindai and Naruto followed Hinata into the Hyuga compound. 

--- 

Upon arriving at Hinata's house, Naruto exclaimed, "Wow, Hinata, your house is huge!" 

Shindai looked around Hinata's house and said, "It's normal for it to be big, isn't it? Sasuke's house is huge too. Both Sasuke's and Hinata's dads are clan heads, so they must be super rich." 

The door to the main house opened, and Hiashi Hyuga appeared. 

"Shindai, welcome to our home." 

At Hiashi Hyuga's invitation, Shindai and Naruto entered the main house and sat down. 

"Hinata, go practice your training." 

"Yes, Father." 

Hinata obediently left the main house. 

Shindai was surprised. "You're making Hinata train at such a young age? Isn't that a bit too early?" 

Hiashi Hyuga stated as a matter of fact, "Hinata is the future heir of the Hyuga clan. She's different from others; she must put in much more effort." 

Shindai was a bit speechless; that seemed a little too strict. 

Shindai asked, "So, Clan Head Hiashi, what did you want to discuss with me?" 

Hiashi Hyuga replied, "It's about Hinata. I believe you've already noticed Hinata's personality, Shindai. As the clan heir, Hinata's character is simply not up to par. I've tried everything to change her personality, but it's been impossible. So..." 

Shindai frowned. "Clan Head Hiashi, are you hoping I can try to change Hinata's personality?" 

Naruto interjected, "But Hinata's personality is pretty good! Why do you have to change her?" 

Hiashi Hyuga patiently explained to Naruto, "Because Hinata is the heir of the Hyuga clan, the one who will lead the Hyuga clan in the future. Therefore, Hinata must possess the qualities of a leader: calmness, decisiveness... these are essential." 

Shindai spoke up, refusing. "Clan Head Hiashi, I can't help you with this. Hinata's personality is part of who she is, and she's still very young. Her personality formation and change can't be easily influenced by others. Forcing a change might not achieve the effect you're hoping for. 

"Furthermore, in my opinion, Hinata genuinely isn't suited to be a clan head. Just as you mentioned, her personality. Even if you force Hinata to change, perhaps out of pressure from you as her father or the clan, she might try to mimic the image you desire. But over time, this will cause her to accumulate a lot of negative emotions and lead to self-doubt. 

"I also know the Hyuga clan's rules, and I'm not in a position to comment on them, but Hinata is still just a child. She has her own pace of growth and her own nature. We should give her more time to develop and grow naturally, instead of shackling her with the strict standards of a clan heir so early on. 

"Perhaps as she experiences more things and slowly grows up, she herself will make changes at the right time and gradually adapt to the leadership responsibilities she might have to bear in the future. But this forced approach is truly too cruel for Hinata right now. 

"Also, shouldn't the prosperity of a ninja clan rely on more than just one person? The Hyuga clan has a deep foundation and many capable members. It's unlikely that the Hyuga clan, having been passed down for so long, would place the burden of heir selection solely on one person. 

"Some people just aren't suited for certain roles, and no amount of harshness will help. It's better to find another solution. This kind of negative cycle carries too much risk and benefits neither Hinata nor the Hyuga clan." 

Shindai's words caused Hiashi Hyuga's brows to furrow. 

Hiashi Hyuga didn't change his mind based on Shindai's few words. Hinata absolutely had to change. However, it was also true that if Hinata ultimately couldn't shoulder the clan's responsibility, there would need to be someone who could replace her. 

Naruto didn't quite understand everything, but... when Shindai got serious, he was so cool! 

Hiashi Hyuga sighed. "Since you're unwilling, Shindai, that's truly a shame. I won't force you; after all, it was just my request." 

Shindai's teacup was empty, and Hiashi Hyuga clearly had no intention of refilling it. 

Shindai told Naruto, "Naruto, we should go." 

Shindai and Naruto stood up. Shindai said to Hiashi Hyuga, "Then Naruto and I will take our leave." 

As Shindai reached the door, he said to Hiashi Hyuga, "Clan Head Hiashi, please don't take this as an offense, but if you ever give up on Hinata in the future, you can entrust her to me. I'll take her as my disciple. I personally have high hopes for Hinata." 

Hiashi Hyuga was a bit surprised. In his eyes, Hinata was currently rather average in talent and had no redeeming qualities, yet Shindai had high hopes for her and even offered to take her as a disciple. 

Hiashi Hyuga highly respected Shindai's strength, and since Shindai had said so, Hiashi Hyuga had no reason to refuse. 

So, Hiashi Hyuga agreed, "Alright. If that day ever comes, I'll be troubling you with Hinata."