After two days and one night of travel, the trio finally arrived at their destination — the Land of Springs.
A prosperous vassal state of the Land of Fire, the region's natural hot springs and scenic mountains made it a popular resort area. Tourism flourished here, and the locals were comfortably wealthy.
Following the address, they met their client — the daimyo of the Land of Springs himself.
"Please rest assured," Hinata said gently, bowing slightly. "We will do everything in our power to protect your safety."
"I saw you fight during the Chunin Exams," the daimyo said, smiling. "You're quite strong for your age. I'll leave it in your hands."
Hinata nodded politely. Then, almost as an afterthought, she asked,
"May I ask about our accommodations and meals while we're here?"
The daimyo blinked in confusion.
"Of course you'll stay here. We have plenty of space — and food. Three more people won't make a difference."
Hinata's pure white eyes curved into a cheerful crescent.
"Thank you. I have a rather large appetite, so I apologize in advance if I cause any extra expense."
The daimyo burst out laughing.
"Eat all you like! I'm so rich that the only things I have in excess are money and hot springs! Don't hold back!"
Hinata bowed again.
"Thank you very much, Daimyo-sama."
Kiba and Shino exchanged puzzled looks.
Why would Hinata go out of her way to confirm something like that?
Was there something she'd noticed that they hadn't?
Neither of them realized — this was simply Hinata, dutifully following her father's very practical advice.
…
Soon enough, reality proved them wrong — Hinata truly only brought up food and lodging for the sake of practicality.
At lunchtime, the daimyo of the Land of Springs hosted a grand banquet for Hinata and her two companions. His wife and children were also present. His son, noticing how cute and graceful Hinata looked, initially wanted to approach and greet her. However, that thought vanished almost instantly.
The reason was simple.
The only sound in the entire hall was the steady rhythm of chewing and swallowing.
Because the surroundings were so quiet, each sound was crisp and clear, echoing through the room. Everyone's necks turned toward the same direction, their expressions frozen in disbelief, as if a scene in a film had been abruptly paused.
At the center of attention, Hinata blushed faintly but continued eating. Raised under the strict etiquette of the Hyuga clan, her posture remained elegant and refined — even as she devoured mountains of food. No matter how quickly she ate, she somehow never lost her composure or grace.
And what she ate was truly astonishing.
She could finish a three-pound lobster — head, tail, and shell — without hesitation. Bear paws, tiger meat, the livers of various animals, crabs, giant fish, oysters — nothing fazed her. Hinata wasn't picky in the slightest. As long as something tasted good, wasn't poisonous, and wouldn't kill her, she could — and would — eat it.
By the end of the meal, everything was gone.
The daimyo of the Land of Springs felt his knees go weak. He slumped into his chair, staring blankly ahead, his mind numb.
He had thought a lot during that meal. Judging by Hinata's delicate figure and calm demeanor, this couldn't possibly be a momentary burst of hunger — this was her normal appetite. And she ate three meals a day. The daimyo didn't even dare to imagine what his household budget would look like if this continued.
Meanwhile, Kiba sat stiffly, bowl in hand, staring in disbelief. He nudged Shino and Akamaru with his elbow.
"Wha… Did you guys see that?"
Akamaru barked once, while Shino, as usual, said nothing.
Kiba nodded weakly. "Yeah… same here."
….
That afternoon, Hinata appeared in the kitchen, her expression calm as always.
"Excuse me, could you please prepare another meal for me?"
The cooks looked at her in confusion.
"It's not lunchtime yet!" one of them said.
"It's time for my meal," Hinata replied simply.
There was nothing technically wrong with what she said. The cooks exchanged helpless looks and began preparing food. After all, they remembered their master's instructions: Let the young lady eat as much as she likes.
They were just employees — their job was to cook.
As a result, every single ingredient prepared for dinner was consumed by Hinata during her afternoon tea. The staff had to rush to the market to buy more supplies.
That night, she ate heartily at dinner again. At midnight, she had a late supper — and again, she ate heartily.
The next morning, breakfast followed the same pattern. Then came morning tea. Then lunch.
The daimyo trembled.
Not three meals — six!
…
In the blink of an eye, half a month passed, and the once-wealthy household of the Land of Springs underwent a dramatic transformation — starting with their dining table.
Gone were the feasts of expensive meats and seafood that used to pile the table high. Now they ate modestly: chicken, duck, small river fish. Their meals were mostly vegetarian, and the rice — once of the finest grade — had been gradually downgraded.
Extravagance gave way to frugality. Jewelry, gold, and jade ornaments were discreetly sold off or pawned.
The daimyo of the Land of Springs wanted to cry.
A B-rank mission cost him 170,000 ryō, but between food, drink, and supplies, he had spent more than he would have on an S-rank commission.
It was, without question, the most expensive mistake of his life.
"Hey! These vegetables, rice, and small fish actually taste pretty good! After eating so many rich dishes, this is a nice change!"
Hearing his son's innocent remark, the weakened daimyo's expression twitched violently. He stood up, grabbed a leather whip, and chased his son around the hall, shouting furiously.
…
Ten days later, the daimyo greeted Hinata and her team with a weary but polite smile.
"The mission is complete. You three can return now."
Kiba frowned.
"Huh? But we haven't encountered any enemies yet! Didn't you say there were bandits planning to rob you?"
The daimyo's eye twitched.
"Yes… well, about that. The mission is over because I no longer have any wealth worth stealing. In fact, I owe money now. If the bandits show up, they might help me out of pity."
Kiba said nothing.
Shino said nothing.
Hinata took a small bite of a carrot, trying to discreetly hide it in her sleeve — but was caught mid-motion. She smiled sheepishly and chewed slowly.
The three of them left the mansion quietly, just as they had arrived.
…
Watching them disappear down the road, the daimyo sat down at his modest lunch table. A bowl of thin, watery millet porridge awaited him.
He took a small sip, frowned slightly, then relaxed.
Indeed, as his son had said, after so many years of excess, even simple food had its own kind of comfort.
"From now on," he told his family, "no more showing off our wealth. It's because of our extravagance that we almost went bankrupt."
"Didn't we already go bankrupt?" his son asked innocently.
The daimyo's eyebrow twitched again. He grabbed the whip.
"Come here!"
His son's yelp echoed through the hall.
Whether the daimyo's "trouble" referred to the supposed bandits — or to Hinata Hyuga — only he knew for sure.
…
On the road back to Konoha, Kiba glanced at Hinata and grinned.
"Hey, Hinata — how about coming over to my place for a meal sometime?"
Hinata blinked in surprise. "Huh?"
Shino adjusted his glasses.
"Same."
Kiba laughed heartily.
"Hehe! I never realized you could eat that much. The last few times I treated you, you barely ate anything! I can't do it often, but once in a while, I can afford to feed you properly!"
Hinata's cheeks turned pink. She smiled shyly, warmth flickering in her pale eyes.
"Kiba… Shino… thank you."
…[9]
"..."
Tsunade stared blankly at Team 8's mission report.
In all her years, she had seen countless ways for a B-rank mission to be completed — but never one quite like this.
…
"..."
After listening to his daughter's account, Hiashi was extremely satisfied. It seemed Hinata had finally grasped his meaning. Not only could she lessen the financial burden on the Hyuga clan, but she could also eat her fill and make money at the same time. Truly efficient.