After Rengoku left, Sasuke realized his stomach was empty as well and headed toward home.
When he reached a fork in the road, a white-eyed girl greeted him.
"Brother Sasuke."
Sasuke paused for a moment before realizing it was Hanabi.
"Hanabi, you're back. Do you know the Chunin Exams are coming up?"
A smile appeared on Sasuke's face, and his tone became gentle. After all, Hanabi called him brother.
Hanabi lived with the Uchiha and was not staying as a dependent in someone else's home.
She was one of the children Rengoku had brought back.
A member of the Uchiha kindergarten.
The other clan members all believed they were bodyguards being trained by the clan head. Even though they did not have the Uchiha surname, everyone treated them as part of the Uchiha.
And the facts proved that every child Rengoku brought back was a genius. Despite their young age, they were already stronger than most clan members.
Given enough time, they would all become pillars of the Uchiha.
Hanabi was the same. Not only had she graduated from the elite class, but she was now preparing to become a Chunin before even turning twelve.
"Yes, Brother Sasuke, I know. Moegi just told me."
Hanabi answered obediently, then bowed to Sasuke.
"Then I'll go home and eat first."
"Okay, see you."
Watching Hanabi walk away, Sasuke felt a little emotional.
'Even though Hanabi is the only one who calls me brother, it feels pretty good.'
The identity of "older brother" had always been an obsession for Sasuke.
Especially after Karin's ridiculous seniority increase, Sasuke had completely given up hope.
Now that Hanabi was back, he suddenly remembered there was still someone here who called him brother.
Sasuke felt all the tiredness leave his body and walked home with light steps to eat.
———
Meanwhile, Hanabi returned to the house where she lived with Hinata.
"I'm back."
As Hanabi changed her shoes in the entryway, she called into the house.
Holding a spatula, Hinata poked her head out.
"Hurry and wash your hands. These two dishes are ready. We can eat now."
Hinata had liked cooking since she was little. Ever since moving to the Uchiha district, she had always been the one cooking and taking care of Hanabi.
Before arriving home, Hanabi had already left a message by phone (Konoha short-line) saying she would be coming back for dinner.
"Got it, Sister!"
After changing her shoes and washing her hands, Hanabi helped Hinata bring the dishes to the table.
She accidentally noticed two boxes of celebration candy nearby and asked curiously, "Sister, whose celebration candy is this?"
After serving the rice, Hinata answered, "This is the engagement candy from Lord Rengoku and Karin, and the wedding candy from Brother Neji and Tenten."
"What?"
Hanabi cried out in surprise. Hinata's answer was completely beyond what she expected.
"My mission wasn't even that long."
"I can understand Lord Rengoku and Karin, but how did Brother Neji and Tenten suddenly get married?"
Hinata shook her head. She did not know what had happened.
"I'm not sure either, but Brother Neji and Tenten's wedding was arranged very quickly."
"They didn't even invite me. This was given to us afterward."
"I don't know if it was because Konoha was attacked."
Hanabi looked puzzled and remembered what had happened earlier that day.
"Then... should we go back and see Brother Neji?"
Hinata paused for a moment. After handing a bowl of rice to Hanabi, she sat down.
Since the branch family coup, neither of them had ever returned to the Hyuga compound.
The conflict between the branch family and the main family had nothing to do with the two of them.
They had simply been born into the main family.
As for Hiashi's death, it was simply one debt repaid with another.
After all, the people who killed Hiashi were followers of Hizashi, and they had all died that same day.
"What would we go back for? That place is no longer our home."
There was no resentment in Hinata's words. She was simply stating a fact. After all, she was living very well with the Uchiha.
"I saw Hyuga Sota today, so I wanted to go back once."
Hanabi's words made Hinata freeze for a moment.
"Hyuga Sota?"
Hanabi nodded seriously.
"That's right. Hyuga Sota. The Hyuga Sota who started the New Bud Plan."
Only then did Hinata understand.
But she did not speak immediately. Instead, she frowned and thought it over.
Rumors about Konoha possessing resurrection technology had always existed.
As Naruto's girlfriend and a member of the Uchiha, Hinata knew more than most people.
At the very least, she knew the Fourth Hokage and his wife had not merely been seriously injured. They had truly died and were brought back years later.
However, no one of her generation knew what conditions were required for resurrection or how great the cost was.
Nor had she ever thought about reviving Hiashi.
After all, the branch family would never allow someone who controlled their lives and deaths to return.
"And then what? Even if Hyuga Sota was revived, what do you plan to do?"
Hinata asked in a serious tone.
Because all the main family members were dead, Hinata had become much stronger than her original self.
She was the only one taking care of her younger sister Hanabi, so she had to think more maturely.
As the older sister, she was almost like a mother.
When she became serious, Hanabi was genuinely a little afraid.
Hanabi shrank back slightly, but still gathered her courage and spoke.
"I just want to know whether Father can be brought back."
Unlike Hinata, who had been suppressed by Hiashi since childhood, Hanabi had always been talented. Not only did Hiashi think highly of her, but the Great Elder did as well.
Hanabi liked her father very much.
After all, whenever Hiashi looked at her, he was smiling.
"Hanabi! Don't think like that. Father's death was part of the conflict between the main family and the branch family."
"Brother Neji's father, Uncle Hizashi, died because of this."
"Lord Rengoku told us about the sins of the main family."
"Even if there were a way to revive Father now, the branch family would never agree."
Hinata was older and considered things from more angles, so her words were very stern.
Hanabi jumped in fright and said nervously, "Sister, I was only saying it. I won't go."
Normally, her younger sister was very obedient, so Hinata's tone softened.
"The Chunin Exams are next week."
"Brother Neji will probably be one of the examiners."
"We can see him then."
"Okay, I understand."
Since Hinata had changed the subject, Hanabi did not bring up returning to the Hyuga compound again.
Seeing that Hanabi was no longer insisting, Hinata also let out a sigh of relief.
Life was good now.
Hinata did not want to get involved in those old grudges again.
The main family's exploitation of the branch family had truly gone beyond reason.
After Rengoku told her about those things years ago, Hinata had specifically looked into them.
The branch family had to protect the main family, and when they went on missions, they even had to hand over part of their earnings to support the main family's food, clothing, and daily expenses.
The main family not only stayed off the battlefield, they did not even perform missions. Every month they collected money earned through the branch family's labor while continuing to bully them.
Whenever something happened, they would directly send branch family members to die in their place.
Hinata had personally witnessed Neji being punished so severely that he wished he were dead simply because of the way he looked at someone.
Her wish had always been to restore the main family.
But she did not want to restore a main family that lived like parasites.