Hinata Hyuga adjusted the focus of her replica Tenseigan, her gaze sharpening as she looked toward the entrance of the institute. A figure appeared there, familiar yet unexpected.
"Who is that person?" she murmured aloud, but in the next heartbeat recognition struck her.
Her heart leapt as she realized it was Shin standing in the doorway. A wave of excitement washed over her, and without hesitation, she leapt from the rooftop where she had been stationed. Manipulating gravity with her Tenseigan, Hinata floated gently toward the ground like a feather caught in the wind.
"Brother Shin!" she called out, her voice bright with joy.
Shin blinked in surprise at the sight of her rushing forward, and instinctively opened his arms. Hinata embraced him tightly, pressing her face against his chest. He returned the hug, but as she pressed closer, he suddenly felt something soft against his body. His expression stiffened, and he quickly set her down.
Hinata, now fifteen or sixteen, had grown into a young woman. Though her modest clothing concealed her figure, there was no denying how she had matured. A faint blush colored her cheeks, but she showed no embarrassment. Instead, she clung to his arm naturally, pressing it against herself as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Shin frowned slightly, studying her with a questioning look. Her feelings for him were obvious, too obvious for him to ignore. Yet when she was younger, he had never considered such matters. Moreover, he was already taken.
While marriage customs in the ninja world weren't strictly monogamous, after the reforms imposed by the daimyo and the nobility of the Land of Fire, multiple marriages had become rare. For Shin, who had spent relatively little time in this world, the realization that Hinata's attachment to him had endured despite everything was unexpected.
"Brother Shin, did you come here to see what's happening in the institute?" Hinata asked brightly. Without waiting for him to answer, she tugged his arm, leading him toward the entrance. "Come on, I'll take you inside."
Though her skills as a researcher were only passable compared to the vast pool of talent in the institute, Hinata's bloodline placed her in a rare and valuable category. Even if her personal insights weren't groundbreaking, the blood of someone who possessed a Six Paths-level heritage was invaluable for research. This, combined with her diligence, had earned her the position of senior researcher.
Among their generation, only Haruno Sakura and Nara Shikamaru had also joined the institute, though both were positioned at the lowest research level. Others, like Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto, often visited not as researchers but as subjects of study.
Naruto's parents had both been prodigies in their own ways: Namikaze Minato, the brilliant strategist, and Uzumaki Kushina, the fiery-tempered master of sealing techniques. From such lineage, one might expect a genius child. Instead, Naruto inherited great power but little patience for theory. Strong in body but often simple in thought, he was the type to excel in battle but stumble over books.
Sasuke, though somewhat more thoughtful, was hardly different. He lacked the temperament to immerse himself in dense theoretical work. Both of them lit up when learning new techniques, but grew restless the moment they faced long hours of study.
Thus, it wasn't surprising that when Shin entered the institute, he found the two of them bickering loudly, fresh from another round of experiments.
"Bastard Sasuke, I'll beat you next time for sure!" Naruto shouted, his fists clenched.
"Idiot," Sasuke muttered coldly, his expression dark.
"What did you say, you bastard?" Naruto shot back, his voice echoing through the hall.
Before their argument could escalate further, a cold voice cut through the air.
"What are you two doing?"
Both boys froze, stiff as statues. Naruto, who only moments ago had looked ready to explode, suddenly slung an arm around Sasuke's shoulders with forced cheer.
"Hahaha, nothing's wrong here. We were just joking around!" He grinned widely, his eyes darting toward Sasuke as he tried to send a silent signal.
Sasuke hesitated, his face twitching as he fought to maintain his usual cool demeanor. After a long pause, he reluctantly raised his arm and placed it on Naruto's shoulder. "That's right," he muttered, his tone stiff.
"That's better," Hinata said curtly as she walked in, still holding tightly onto Shin's arm. Her gaze was sharp, her authority unmistakable. "This is the Chakra Research Institute, not a playground. If you want to fight, take it outside."
Her transformation over the years was striking. Once timid and soft-spoken, she now radiated confidence and power. With her overwhelming strength and presence, Hinata commanded respect even from peers like Sasuke and Naruto. After Sasuke had once crossed her and ended up hospitalized for a month, even he, the proud heir of the Uchiha clan, never dared oppose her again.
Naruto and Sasuke both knew that every new ninjutsu developed at the institute was tested on them, and their sparring partner was often Hinata herself. Repeatedly defeated by her, they had grown wary, especially Naruto, who had grown up constantly on the receiving end of her strength.
Now, seeing Hinata clinging so openly to Shin, both boys were stunned. Their jaws dropped, disbelief painted on their faces.
"She… she's holding his arm?" Naruto muttered, unable to process what he was seeing.
"It looks like she's actually… tamed," Sasuke whispered back, his usual composure shaken.
But as their eyes focused on Shin's face, realization struck.
"You… you're the leader!" Sasuke's eyes widened, and Naruto's face lit up with awe.
They had grown enough to understand the truth. Though still officially on probation due to their age, they were already aware of Shin's identity, the creator of the Virtual World, the supreme leader of Akatsuki, the one who had shaped this new age.
Because Shin rarely appeared in the Naruto world, his image had become almost mythic. With the contrast between the peace of this new era and the hardships of the old ninja world, his legend had only grown. To the younger generation, he was not merely a leader but a figure larger than life.
"Move aside," Hinata said firmly, cutting through their awe. "Haven't you finished your experiments for today? Haven't you been taught new ninjutsu already? Why are you still loitering here? Remember, your results will be reviewed in a week."
The two exchanged glances, their bravado dissolving. Slowly, they stepped aside. Naruto opened his mouth, clearly wanting to speak with Shin, but Sasuke grabbed his sleeve and gave a subtle shake of his head. Then, with a discreet glance toward Hinata, Sasuke urged him to stay quiet.
Naruto pouted but obeyed.
Their silent exchange didn't escape notice, but Hinata chose not to comment. With Shin at her side, she led him deeper into the research institute, her expression calm but her grip on his arm unyielding.
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