After nearly an hour of discussion, Hinata felt confident. She now understood how to master the Lion's Roar technique efficiently, avoiding countless pitfalls thanks to Orochimaru's guidance.
When she fell silent, Orochimaru gave a faint smile. "What's wrong?" he asked, sipping his tea as if relaxed—though deep down, he was anything but. He had countless ways to survive, but avoiding death altogether was always preferable.
Hinata met his gaze calmly. "I was wondering," she said. "Should I seal you away right now… or bring you back to the village myself?"
Sealing had always been one of Hinata's fascinations. After all, she had learned sealing techniques because of Orochimaru. To her, it would feel incomplete if she didn't seal him at least once.
But then again, she realized—a living Orochimaru was far more valuable than a sealed one. That thought alone made her set the idea aside.
Turning her attention to Sasuke, who still seemed lost in thought, Hinata lightly tapped the table. "Do you remember last year's challenge?"
Sasuke blinked and looked up at her wordlessly.
"It's still valid," she continued. "You're from the Uchiha clan, and I'm from the Hyuga clan. Do you still have the will to accept it? As written in the challenge letter—the loser must grant the winner one unconditional request. There's no expiration."
"..!"
Sasuke's fists tightened, his eyes bloodshot, yet he said nothing.
"You won't accept?" Hinata's lips curved slightly as she added, "Don't worry—I won't use my chakra state. Surely, the proud Uchiha wouldn't be afraid of that… right?"
Sasuke's head snapped up, anger flashing in his eyes.
"Don't underestimate the Uchiha!"
…[|]
In the blink of an eye, Hinata and Sasuke stood amid the ruined, unrecovered remains of Orochimaru's base. Following the Ninja Academy's traditional rules, they formed opposing hand seals to signal the start of their duel.
Hinata picked up a small pebble and tossed it between them. The moment it hit the ground, both moved simultaneously—two blurs colliding in a storm of chakra.
Sasuke unleashed his full strength, entering his Cursed Seal state without hesitation. Hinata, in contrast, took a calm stance, adopting the Gentle Fist, her movements refined and deliberate—using defense as offense.
"Lord Orochimaru, we…" Kabuto began in a low voice, but Orochimaru raised a hand to silence him.
Once Hinata had mastered space-time ninjutsu, escape became impossible. There were only two options: avoid being found by her—or face consequences too terrifying to imagine.
"You can conduct your research anywhere," Orochimaru murmured, his golden eyes glinting, "but there will be more restrictions in Konoha."
He knew his worth. Even if he returned to the village under heavy surveillance, his talents would not go unused. The projects assigned to him would ensure his importance remained undeniable.
Seeing that Orochimaru had already made up his mind, Kabuto didn't argue further and quietly followed.
While the two conversed, the battle between Hinata and Sasuke neared its conclusion. Sasuke had gone all out, draining his stamina and chakra, the cursed seal gnawing away at his body. He struggled to stay upright, but his strength failed him.
Barely five minutes had passed before Sasuke's transformation faded. He dropped to one knee on the shattered ground, panting heavily.
Hinata remained composed, still in her Gentle Fist stance. "Is it over?" she asked softly.
Sasuke's frustration burned silently. He had been training relentlessly—day after day, fighting, pushing himself—but no matter how much he improved, the distance between them only seemed to grow wider.
Hinata stepped forward and extended her hand. Sasuke looked up, hesitated, then took it. Their hands formed the reconciliation seal, marking the end of their match.
After ensuring everything was in order, Hinata opened Underworld Slope Hill, the portal rippling open like a dark mirror. She stepped through it, leading Sasuke, Orochimaru, and Kabuto out of the ruins.
Though the base was one of Orochimaru's strongholds, it technically belonged to Konoha. Hinata didn't destroy it completely—she had even made some minor repairs before leaving.
…
Konoha Village
"Lord Hokage! Orochimaru—he's back!" an ANBU operative stammered breathlessly.
"What?" Tsunade blinked, thinking she had misheard. When the ANBU repeated it, her eyes widened. She rose sharply from her desk and strode out of the Hokage Building.
Meanwhile, at Konoha Hospital, Sakura was deeply absorbed in a medical text, marking difficult passages she planned to ask Tsunade or other medics about later.
"Sakura."
She turned at the sound of that familiar voice. "Hinata?" she gasped. Hinata stood by the window, dressed in ANBU attire, her animal mask pushed aside. "When did you get back? You—"
Before she could finish, Hinata gently took the book and pen from her hands, set them aside, and clasped Sakura's hand. Without another word, she leapt out the open window with her.
"Wait—Hinata, what's going on?" Sakura cried in confusion.
"I brought Sasuke back," Hinata said simply.
"!?"
Sakura froze mid-air, her eyes going wide. Then, in a burst of emotion, she overtook Hinata in speed, dragging her along. "Where is he?! Where's Sasuke-kun?!"
Hinata was startled but smiled knowingly. Increasing her speed, she led Sakura south of Konoha, stopping atop a small building's rooftop near a large water tank.
Following Hinata's gesture, Sakura's eyes found him—Sasuke, standing alone at the street corner. Cold, distant, his very presence radiated an aura that made people hesitate to approach. Sakura's heart leapt, and she clenched her fists in excitement.
She was about to run to him when she suddenly stopped, flustered. "Wait! My hair's messy, my makeup's awful, and these clothes—what am I thinking?" She turned to Hinata in panic. "What should I do? I need to go home and fix this! But what if Sasuke-kun leaves?!"
Hinata chuckled softly. "Sakura's already cute. You don't need to overthink it. Just… like this."
She stepped forward, gently smoothing Sakura's hair and straightening her collar. Then, with a mischievous smile, she dabbed a touch of honey on her fingertip and lightly brushed it across Sakura's lips. She adjusted the hem of her outfit and the cuffs of her sleeves.
"There," Hinata said with a satisfied nod.
"Really? Is this okay?" Sakura asked, still uncertain.
Hinata smiled, said nothing, and gave her a gentle push forward.
Sakura hesitated, her heart pounding, and took a few nervous steps toward Sasuke.
Sasuke looked up, seeing both girls on the rooftop. His gaze lingered briefly on Hinata before turning to Sakura. Without a word, he approached her, took her hand, and led her into the bustling crowd.
"I'm asking you to go on a date with Sakura for one day," Hinata's earlier words echoed in his mind. "It's part of the Uchiha challenge agreement. You wouldn't go back on your word, would you?"
Although Sasuke considered it a waste of time—something that distracted him from training—he couldn't refuse. A promise was a promise.
"Hey! Isn't that Uchiha Sasuke?"
"He's back? But wasn't he a rogue ninja?"
"ANBU hasn't made a move, so there must be a reason…"
The villagers whispered as the pair passed, watching curiously as Sasuke and Sakura disappeared down the street.
Hinata watched them until they were out of sight, then quietly slipped her mask back on and vanished into the shadows.
She had already instructed another ANBU operative to deliver her mission report about Orochimaru directly to Tsunade. The Hokage would be too occupied with that to summon her immediately—something Hinata was quietly grateful for.
"I'm back," she murmured to herself as she landed near the Hyuga compound.
Without Akatsuki's wanted notices and bounties hanging over her, Hinata no longer needed to hide. She could finally return home and enjoy a peaceful life. After all, as the eldest daughter of the Hyuga main family, what was so wrong with taking a little rest?
"Hinata," came her father's firm voice from inside the compound. "Come here a moment. I have something to say to you."
Hiashi turned and walked away with his hands clasped behind his back. Hinata sighed softly, abandoning her plan to find Hanabi, and followed him.