Naruto: Drop System

"Good day, Uncle!"

With Hanabi leading the way, Yagyu soon met the head of the Hyuga Clan—his future father-in-law.

Dressed in a white kimono with a serious expression, Hiashi Hyuga sat before Yagyu, who respectfully bowed.

"Hm, sit."

Hiashi maintained a stoic expression, though he didn't show any hostility. It seemed he was simply upholding the dignity of an elder.

Hiashi knelt on a tatami mat in front of a tea table and motioned for Yagyu to sit across from him.

Yagyu, unused to such formal customs, nevertheless complied, kneeling down on a cushion opposite Hiashi. Hanabi pulled Karin to sit with her at the tea table.

"Do you drink tea?"

Hiashi asked as he poured hot water into a teapot.

Yagyu shook his head honestly. "No, I don't like sour or bitter things."

"Hm, you're at an age where tea isn't quite suitable yet."

Hiashi nodded, then cleaned the tea utensils and poured hot water for Yagyu, Karin, and Hanabi before brewing tea for himself. Suddenly, he placed his hands on his knees and slightly bowed to Yagyu, saying, "I thank you for taking care of my daughter these past years."

"You're too kind, Uncle!"

Yagyu, feeling somewhat flustered, quickly returned the bow.

Hiashi's unexpectedly polite attitude was surprising but also confirmed that Yagyu's plans were working.

In the eyes of high-ranking clan leaders like Hiashi, it was now certain that Yagyu was indeed a descendant of the Senju Clan.

They likely already knew who the Fifth Hokage candidate was, and the news of Tsunade's return must have reached their ears.

With Tsunade as the Fifth Hokage and Yagyu, a descendant of the Second Hokage, wielding techniques like the Hard Whirlpool Water Blade, Yagyu's status was comparable to that of Konohamaru during Hiruzen Sarutobi's term. In essence, he was Konoha's "prince."

With his obvious talent as a Senju, and the potential for another Senju Hokage soon, Yagyu was highly likely to become the Sixth Hokage, if not the Seventh.

Knowing the influence of the Senju Clan and the power of the Hokage position, Hiashi's favorable attitude was understandable.

Yagyu smiled inwardly at this realization.

Hiashi's demeanor had softened just because Tsunade was about to become Hokage. What would happen if he knew Yagyu could use Wood Release?

Yagyu also understood that Hiashi's attitude implicitly signaled his approval of Yagyu's relationship with Hinata.

Feeling quite pleased, Yagyu's mood lightened considerably.

"Hanabi, go and bring your sister here."

After setting the tone of the conversation, Hiashi turned to his younger daughter.

"Yes, Father."

Hanabi quickly responded and left the room.

Hiashi then resumed his conversation with Yagyu, saying, "Thank you for showing mercy to Neji during the Chunin Exams. Due to his father's circumstances, I've felt deeply indebted to him."

"You're too kind, Uncle. I'm Hinata's teammate, and Neji is both her cousin and a fellow Konoha ninja. Of course, I wouldn't go too far!"

"Even so, I must thank you. Your mercy gave me the opportunity to mend my relationship with Neji."

"I don't know the details, but I'm glad to hear you've reconciled."

"And this young lady is?"

Hiashi's sharp gaze shifted to Karin, who was sitting quietly to the side.

Noticing Karin's bright red hair and sensing her potent chakra and life force, a flash of insight crossed Hiashi's mind. He had an idea of who she might be.

Yagyu confirmed his suspicions with his next words, "Her name is Karin. She's a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan and, in a way, distantly related to me."

"Ah, I see. It's good to know that the Uzumaki Clan still has descendants."

Hiashi expressed surprise but inwardly rejoiced.

It was now undeniable that Yagyu was a descendant of the Senju Clan. Moreover, he had an Uzumaki Clan member by his side. Their relationship with Tsunade and Jiraiya was certainly not a coincidence.

Hiashi began to think that perhaps Tsunade had known about Yagyu's existence all along.

Whether Yagyu's techniques had been passed down through his family or secretly gifted by Tsunade, their bond was clear. Hiashi's earlier display of respect had been the correct move.

"Hel... Hello. I'm Karin."

Feeling Hiashi's intense gaze on her, Karin stammered nervously, greeting him with an awkward bow.

Having little formal education, Karin had no idea how to navigate such situations.

Even Yagyu, who had lived two lives, found the political maneuvering exhausting.

He disliked such games but knew he had to play along.

The thought of such interactions becoming routine if he became Hokage made Yagyu feel queasy.

If only his strength were greater!

If he became the next God of Shinobi, he wouldn't need to bother with all this nonsense. He could just make decisions on his own.

Fortunately, the conversation soon came to an end.

"Father, Yagyu-kun."

Hinata, dressed in a white kimono, arrived with Hanabi, greeting both her father and Yagyu with a polite bow.

"Hm, Yagyu is here to see you. Entertain them well and don't bring shame to the clan." Hiashi's tone remained stern.

"Yes, Father."

Hinata obediently nodded.

"You young ones can talk. You don't need to inform me if you go out."

Hiashi finished his tea and then stood, bowing slightly to Yagyu before leaving the room.

However, he didn't call Hanabi to leave, so she stayed behind.

Once Hiashi's chakra presence was far enough away, Yagyu immediately switched from kneeling to sitting cross-legged, as if relieved of a burden. He joked to Hinata, "Your father's aura is intense! You're much braver than me in that regard."

"Pfft..."

Hinata's ladylike demeanor cracked, and she couldn't help but laugh.

Hanabi, who had also sat cross-legged next to Yagyu, looked at him with shining eyes and said, "Oni-chan, you're amazing! I've never seen Father like that before."

"Is that so? I think he's quite kind, just a bit too serious."

Yagyu playfully pinched Hanabi's cheek.

To his surprise, Hanabi didn't mind his touch.

Hanabi, a precocious genius, was proud and competitive.

But she also had a hidden admiration for the strong.

Having been trained by Hiashi from a young age, she looked down on pranksters like Konohamaru, preferring to spend her time training with her father.

However, unlike in the original story, Hanabi had never defeated her five-year-older sister.

Having trained alongside Yagyu and the others, Hinata was a different person in combat, never going easy on her opponents.

When sparring with Sakura and Ino, Hinata never lost.

And if she didn't hold back against her friends, there was no way she'd go easy on her younger sister.

In unregulated matches, Hinata, who had learned medical ninjutsu, would even inject chakra into her sister's body.

After all, it didn't matter if they got hurt—they could always heal afterward.

This was something Sakura, Ino, and the others had learned from Yagyu—a result of his training philosophy.

After mastering medical ninjutsu, Yagyu would often push Sakura and the others to their limits, helping them develop a high tolerance for pain from a young age.

This was why Sakura hadn't panicked when she was beaten black and blue by Temari's sister, Kin.

As a result, aside from her father, Hanabi greatly admired her sister.

Seeing her sister go out to train or practice medical ninjutsu using fish, mastering Shadow Clone Jutsu even before graduating from the Academy, Hanabi grew increasingly curious about Hinata's circle of friends.

Once Yagyu and his friends entered their sixth year at the Academy, Hanabi became aware of Yagyu's presence.

She had no choice—the trio of Ino, Sakura, and Hinata were too famous, considered rivals by countless girls at the Academy.

Even Hanabi, a first-year student at the time, frequently saw the trio surrounding Yagyu.

That was when Hanabi first began to take notice of him.

As she spent more time with her sister, Hanabi learned that many of Hinata's skills and techniques had been taught by Yagyu.

A month earlier, after hearing that Neji had been defeated by Yagyu, Hanabi's curiosity and admiration for him grew.

When she witnessed Yagyu defeat Shikamaru with his body flicker technique, stunning her father and countless other ninjas, Hanabi's admiration deepened even further.

She wanted to be as exceptional as her sister, and she wanted to astonish her father just as Yagyu had.

This desire led to her hesitant request for Yagyu to teach her earlier.

Now, seeing how kind her father was being to Yagyu—a warmth she hadn't seen in years or couldn't remember—Hanabi's admiration for Yagyu became impossible to hide.

Yagyu, unaware of how easily he had won over his future sister-in-law, simply enjoyed the moment.

Seeing that Hanabi didn't reject his playful pinch, he patted her head affectionately before turning to Hinata with a smile. "Hinata, let me introduce you to a friend."

Yagyu gestured toward Karin, repeating what he had told Hiashi earlier. "Her name is Karin. I met her during the second round of the Chunin Exams. She's a Genin from Kusagakure and a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan, so she's distantly related to me."

"Distantly related?"

Hinata's eyes lit up as she asked, "Yagyu-kun, are you really a descendant of the Senju Clan?"

"Yes."

Yagyu nodded without hesitation, continuing his lie. "I've actually known about my lineage since I was seven, but for certain reasons, I had to keep it hidden until now."

"That's wonderful!"

Hinata, unable to contain her joy, beamed with delight.

Just like she had hoped during the tournament, if Yagyu truly was a Senju, then she had a real chance to be with him.

No wonder her father had treated Yagyu so kindly earlier—he must have known about Yagyu's identity all along.

Did this mean her father approved of her relationship with Yagyu?

Blushing, Hinata's body temperature rose at the thought.

To distract herself, she quickly knelt before Karin and politely greeted her, "Hello, my name is Hinata Hyuga. Please take care of me."

"Hel... Hello, I'm Karin. Please take care of me as well."

Karin, nervous from Hinata's noble demeanor, hastily returned the greeting.

The elegant aura Hinata radiated made Karin feel self-conscious and inferior.

Were all of Yagyu's friends such aristocratic ladies?

As an orphan from a small village, she felt completely out of her league.

Would they even want to be friends with her?

Sensing Karin's anxiety, Yagyu turned to Hinata with a smile and said, "Karin is just like how you were when you were little, so be sure to take care of her, just like Ino and Sakura took care of you."

Hinata looked at Karin in surprise, then nodded firmly. "I understand."

Just as Yagyu had once said to Sakura, Hinata immediately felt a connection to Karin, seeing her as a kindred spirit.

Only those who had experienced bullying and loneliness could truly understand how painful it was.

Yagyu, Sakura, and Ino had extended a hand of friendship to Hinata, and now it was her turn to do the same for Karin.

After introducing the two, Yagyu smiled at Hinata again. "Do you have any 'homework' to finish today? If not, let's go find Ino and Sakura—I have a place I want to take you all."

"Okay, let me go change into something else."

Hinata was about to return to her room when Yagyu stopped her. "No need to change. You look beautiful in your kimono. Let's go as you are."

"Alright."

Blushing, Hinata nodded shyly.

"Um..."

Just as Yagyu, Hinata, and Karin were about to leave, Hanabi suddenly grabbed Yagyu's sleeve and looked up at him with hopeful eyes. "Oni-chan, can I come with you?"

"Of course you can."

Yagyu crouched down, scooping Hanabi into his arms again. "You can come with your sister anytime, or you can come alone if you want."

"Mhm, mhm..."

This time, Hanabi didn't ask to be put down. She clung to Yagyu's neck, a big smile spreading across her chubby, adorable face.

Seeing her little sister get along so well with Yagyu, Hinata also smiled happily.

Her father's approval, her sister's closeness—if she could truly be with Yagyu, it would be a dream come true.

The very thought filled her with joy.

Since Hiashi had said there was no need to notify him, Yagyu carried Hanabi out of the Hyuga estate, with Hinata and Karin by his side.

Along the way, many members of the Hyuga Clan were left dumbstruck.

Whether they knew Yagyu or not, the sight of him carrying the clan's younger daughter, with the elder daughter following behind, left a lasting impression.

Was this boy their future son-in-law?

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