Naruto: Drop System

"Jiraiya-sama, welcome back." "Tsu... Tsunade-sama?!"

Three days later, Yagyu and his group of seven finally returned to Konoha.

The Chunin on duty at the village gates were still Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane, the famous gatekeepers.

While they were dozing off, they immediately noticed the towering figure of Jiraiya, who stood at an imposing 6'3", a height rarely seen in the ninja world.

After exchanging greetings with Jiraiya, they noticed Tsunade, walking beside him with her characteristic sway.

Seeing Tsunade, who had matured but was still as beautiful as ever compared to her appearance more than ten years ago, Izumo and Kotetsu were shocked, their eyes wide with disbelief.

"It's been many years since I was last here, but the village still looks the same," Tsunade said with a soft smile, shading her eyes with her hand as she gazed toward the Hokage Rock and the towering Hokage Building in the distance.

Noticing Izumo and Kotetsu's stunned expressions, she chuckled, "You must be from the younger generation since I was last here. Could you please register us?"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama!" Izumo and Kotetsu replied, their voices filled with excitement.

Tsunade was an idol for countless kunoichi in the ninja world and a dream figure for many men. She had saved numerous male shinobi, and all of them were her devoted fans.

A powerful and beautiful woman like her could captivate both men and women alike.

Izumo and Kotetsu quickly completed the registration for Tsunade and the others.

After many years away, Tsunade had returned to Konoha.

Her regal presence, along with Jiraiya by her side, quickly caused a sensation throughout the village.

The news about Tsunade—the granddaughter of the First Hokage, one of the Legendary Sannin, a master of medical ninjutsu—spread like wildfire through Konoha.

For the village, which had lost the Third Hokage, this news was like a shot of adrenaline, instantly restoring confidence to a population that had been on the verge of panic.

The gloom hanging over Konoha began to lift.

When the higher-ups of Konoha officially announced that Tsunade would become the Fifth Hokage, the darkness would be completely dispelled, and the village would enter a new chapter in its history.

"Yagyu, later you and Karin come to help me clean up. Stay for dinner tonight."

"Okay, Tsunade-nee-san," Yagyu replied.

After returning to the village, Tsunade and Shizune headed straight to the Hokage Building.

But before parting ways with Yagyu and Karin, Tsunade reminded them to stop by later.

Yagyu readily agreed. He was eager for Karin to become closer to Tsunade, even harboring a few personal hopes.

"Goodbye, Kurenai-sensei."

"Goodbye, come by for a spar when you have time."

"No problem."

At an intersection, Yagyu and Karin parted ways with Kurenai Yuhi and headed to Yagyu's home.

"Is this Yagyu-kun's house? It's so big!" Karin exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she looked at the two-story house with its own small yard, her thoughts filled with anticipation for the future.

Indeed, Karin would be living with Yagyu from now on.

Tsunade had no objections to this arrangement, even fully supporting it.

Just like Kurenai, Tsunade had easily seen Karin's reliance on Yagyu.

During times of war, many orphans who were saved would develop the same kind of dependence on their saviors.

Even Uzumaki Kushina had changed drastically after being saved by Minato Namikaze.

In Tsunade's eyes, this was a good thing.

Karin, with the right training, would become an exceptional assistant, just like Shizune.

No, with her early awakening of both physical healing abilities and the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, Karin had the potential to surpass even Shizune.

By teaching Karin the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques, her medical ninjutsu, and the Senju clan's chakra-enhanced strength, Tsunade believed Karin would be an invaluable asset for Yagyu when he eventually became the Sixth Hokage.

What Tsunade didn't know was that Yagyu's ambitions were much grander, and he envisioned having more than just one trusted "wing."

"Welcome to my home, Karin," Yagyu said as he opened the door and ruffled her hair with a smile. "From now on, this is your home too."

"Mhm…" Karin nodded excitedly, her voice trembling with emotion. "I'll take great care of everything here, Yagyu-kun."

"Then I'll be counting on you."

Yagyu led Karin to the second floor, giving her the room next to his own.

Since Ino and a few other girls would often come over to help Yagyu clean, the room next door was already neat and tidy, needing only a little organization to be ready for use.

Next, Yagyu took Karin out to buy new bedding and household items, helping her get acquainted with the neighborhood.

After setting up her bed and hanging her clothes from Tanzaku Town in the wardrobe, Yagyu suddenly smiled. "Karin, let's go out. I'll introduce you to a few friends."

"Sure!"

Karin nodded eagerly, looking up at him with curiosity. "Are they the friends with chakra control as good as mine that you mentioned the other day?"

"Yes, and there are a few others too. They're all kind-hearted girls. I'm sure you'll get along well."

"Hehe... I'm sure I'll make great friends with them."

Yagyu couldn't help but pat her on the head again, and Karin closed her eyes, a blissful smile spreading across her face.

Karin's personality was similar to Hinata's and the more refined version of Sakura—submissive and shy. She never made any moves to claim Yagyu for herself because she feared upsetting him and being abandoned.

The mere thought of being cast out by Yagyu made her feel like she was falling into an icy abyss.

To Karin, being abandoned by Yagyu was scarier than death itself.

The current situation, where she lived with Yagyu and was close to him, was more than enough for her.

Yagyu, unaware of her deep attachment, would have likely doted on her even more if he knew.

Yagyu led Karin to the entrance of a large estate.

The plaque above the gate displayed two characters: Hyuga.

That's right, Yagyu had brought Karin to the Hyuga Clan.

He approached the two guards at the entrance, both wearing forehead protectors that likely concealed their Cursed Seals, and said, "I'm Yagyu, a Genin from Konoha. I'm Hinata's friend, and I'd like to see her."

The two guards exchanged glances.

After a moment, one of them nodded to Yagyu. "Please wait here."

He went inside, presumably to report to someone.

Not long after, the guard returned, his attitude noticeably more respectful. "Please come in, the clan leader is expecting you."

Yagyu was slightly surprised.

He had expected Hiashi Hyuga to allow Hinata to meet him at the gate, but he hadn't anticipated that the head of the Hyuga Clan would personally want to see him.

Was Hiashi that well-informed? Had he learned so quickly that Tsunade had returned, or had he been paying attention to Yagyu for some time?

Though his thoughts raced, Yagyu simply nodded and said, "Thank you."

He followed the guard with Karin, making their way deeper into the Hyuga estate.

It was Yagyu's first time inside the Hyuga compound, and his impression was that it was enormous.

Unlike the Uchiha, who had been somewhat ostracized and moved to the outskirts of the village near the Naka River, the Hyuga still had prime real estate near the center of Konoha. Despite not having their own commercial street like the Uchiha, their estate was vast.

The architecture became more traditional and ancient as they ventured deeper, with more walls within walls, clearly marking the homes of the Hyuga clan's main family and important figures.

Along the way, Yagyu encountered many members of the Hyuga clan.

Some had smooth foreheads, while others wore forehead protectors, bandages, or had long bangs to hide their Cursed Seals. The distinction between the main family and the branch family was obvious.

At the same time, many pairs of Byakugan eyes turned toward Yagyu, their gazes full of curiosity and scrutiny.

It was rare for outsiders to enter the Hyuga estate, especially someone as young as Yagyu.

Of course, some Hyuga recognized him as Hinata's companion or as the rumored descendant of the Senju clan, who had mastered the Second Hokage's Hard Whirlpool Water Blade. Yagyu had even used Shisui Uchiha's body flicker technique during the final Chunin Exam match.

He was also the top student in his class.

With such strength and achievements, it wouldn't be surprising if Yagyu soon became a rising star among Konoha's Chunin once the village resumed its operations.

Soon, Yagyu arrived in front of a traditional house surrounded by a wall and garden.

Standing at the entrance was a small figure.

The guard approached and respectfully addressed her, "Young Lady Hanabi."

"Mm, you may go."

Hanabi Hyuga, dressed in a yellow kimono adorned with flame patterns, stood with an air of seriousness far beyond her years.

"Yes."

The guard bowed and left.

However, Hanabi didn't immediately invite Yagyu and Karin in. Instead, she approached Yagyu, looking up at him with a stern expression similar to her father's, despite being nearly a foot shorter. "Are you my sister's companion?"

Amused by her serious demeanor, Yagyu crouched down to meet her gaze and smiled. "Yes, I am. Are you Hinata's little sister?"

Instead of answering, Hanabi continued, "The Ino-nee-chan who often comes to play with my sister—was that your doing?"

"Yeah, I asked Ino to come over."

"So, you're the one who taught my sister to walk on water and use medical ninjutsu before she even graduated from the Academy?"

"That's right. Is something wrong with that?"

"Well… um…"

Suddenly, Hanabi's stern tone faltered. Her eyes, which had been fixed on Yagyu, started to dart nervously to the side, and she spoke quietly, "Could you teach me? Father and my sister—they won't or don't have time to teach me."

Watching her shift from serious to adorable, Yagyu felt like his heart had been pierced by an arrow.

Having already liked Hanabi from the later parts of Naruto: Shippuden and Boruto as the top female character, he finally understood why every man's heart holds a soft spot for a little sister figure.

She's way too cute!

In just one meeting, Yagyu had been completely won over by his future sister-in-law.

With a smile, he teased, "I could teach you, but you call Ino 'Nee-chan,' so what should you call me?"

"Oni... Oni-chan…"

Blushing, Hanabi shyly poked her fingers together, her face turning red as she uttered the word.

"Good girl!"

Unable to resist, Yagyu scooped Hanabi into his arms and carried her toward the Hyuga clan leader's house.

"Ah—!"

Hanabi let out a surprised squeak, instinctively wrapping her arms around Yagyu's neck, feeling flustered and unsure.

Since she had been raised as the successor to the main family, Hanabi couldn't remember the last time someone had carried her.

This was the first time in her memory that a man had lifted her.

Her first thought was how different Yagyu's embrace felt compared to her sister's—his arms and chest were strong and firm.

His scent was also different from her sister's, but she didn't dislike it.

As they neared the entrance, Hanabi, still trying to process her feelings, quickly said, "Oni-chan, put me down! If Father sees, he'll be upset!"

"Alright."

Since it was his first visit, Yagyu didn't want to push his luck.

He gently set Hanabi down and pulled out a small scroll from his pocket, slipping it into her sleeve. "This is a gift from your Oni-chan. Take a look at it later in secret, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask me."

"Mhm... Thank you, Oni-chan."

Receiving a gift from Yagyu right after meeting him, and now sharing a secret between them, Hanabi's affection for Yagyu grew even stronger.

She was also filled with curiosity about the scroll.

It wasn't just any scroll—it contained the Yin Seal technique, something Yagyu had copied several times to give to Kurenai, Hinata, and a few others. No woman could resist its allure.

Although Hanabi was too young to fully understand the importance of eternal youth, the chakra storage ability of the Yin Seal would certainly excite her.

Even if she couldn't master this S-rank sealing jutsu at her age, Hanabi would undoubtedly work hard to learn it.

And when she encountered difficulties, she would definitely seek Yagyu's help.

This scroll was Yagyu's way of building a bond with his future sister-in-law, ensuring they stayed connected.

With this, Yagyu, the "master of grooming," could easily win over Hanabi and have her calling him Oni-chan for years to come.

There was no way she'd ever give him the kind of trial she put Naruto through in the Ultimate Ninja Storm games.

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