At this moment, Hinami—still unaware that her background had been thoroughly scrutinized—was walking down the main street of Konoha.
Ignoring the cacophony of voices surrounding her, she manipulated her chakra, gathering it within her heart. Her Byakugan drank in the energy, restoring her sight once more.
Hum!
The transparent vision, coupled with a 360-degree "God's eye" perspective, brought her a profound sense of security.
The road was wide enough for three carriages to pass side-by-side. Despite the scorching sun, which felt hot enough to melt hair, the commercial district was densely packed. A toddler no older than three kicked a ball onto a roof, only for an unknown ninja passing by to gently toss it back down.
The noisy, peaceful, and tranquil atmosphere left Hinami somewhat bewildered. It felt as if the bloody reality of Kirigakure had been a mere nightmare; now that she was awake, she had crossed back into a world of peace.
Only the four massive stone heads carved into the distant cliffside served as a reminder that this was indeed the Konoha she had yearned for.
Gurgle...
A sudden protest from her stomach snapped her out of her reverie.
Food first, she decided. Then the Hyuga compound to claim my heritage, show off my talent, learn the Eight Trigrams Secret Arts, and maybe even give Hinata a run for her money as the future clan head.
With beautiful fantasies of the future in mind, Hinami walked straight toward Ichiraku Ramen.
The Super Dungeon
Ichiraku Ramen: Konoha's ultimate check-in spot and a high-level "dungeon" that periodically spawned the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox.
Possessing the ability to devour Tailed Beasts and fuse their chakra, Hinami looked upon the fox inside Naruto with mouth-watering desire. If devouring a tiny fragment of the Three-Tails' power could double her strength, wouldn't her power skyrocket if she took a few bites of the Nine-Tails?
Thump... thump... thump...
Her cane tapped the ground. Pushing aside the noren curtain embroidered with the word "Ichiraku," Hinami stepped inside.
The shop was simple and somewhat worn, with a long bar fronted by scattered square stools. However, it was packed. Even with her Byakugan, Hinami couldn't find a single gap to fit into.
Ayame came out of the kitchen carrying a steaming bowl. Seeing Hinami enter, her gaze lingered briefly on the girl's blindfold before a standard, gentle smile appeared on her face.
"Hello, little sister! We don't have any seats at the moment. Would you mind waiting a bit?"
Luck didn't seem to be on her side, but for a popular shop at peak hour, it was only natural.
"Sure—"
Before Hinami could finish, a piercing voice cut through the air from the entrance.
"I'm eating five bowls of Tonkotsu ramen today!"
"My old wallet can't handle that, Naruto."
"I don't care! You promised to treat me to Ichiraku before school starts tomorrow. You can't back out!"
As they spoke, two figures pushed through the curtain.
A Fateful Encounter
Hinami looked up. The blinding radiance of their chakra made her eyelashes quiver. She quickly diffused the gray light in her pupils, lowering the "transparency" parameters of her vision.
The pair consisted of an old man and a young boy.
The elder wore the Hokage's robes. His powerful frame was slightly stooped, and he leaned on a staff. Deep wrinkles, like carvings from a blade, stretched from the corners of his eyes to his cheekbones. Beside him was a little sprout with golden hair, six whisker-like marks on his cheeks, and bright, sky-blue eyes.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Naruto Uzumaki.
Talk about good luck.
Not only did Hinami recognize them, but the other customers did as well. Those who were about to greet the Hokage froze when they saw Naruto. Their smiles vanished, replaced by looks of pure disgust.
"Let's go. I'm full."
"Boss, check please."
Customers dropped their chopsticks one after another. After paying Ayame and offering a cursory greeting to the Third Hokage, they turned and left. Soon, the bustling shop became quiet.
Ayame held out change for a customer, but they had already hurried away. She sighed, noting it down on the bill to return later. Then, she turned to Hiruzen. "What would you like, Lord Hokage?"
"I'm sorry, Big Sister Ayame," Naruto muttered, lowering his head. Though he was used to the village's bullying, he still felt guilty for hurting Ichiraku's business.
"It's okay! Now there are plenty of seats. What do you want, Naruto? Tonkotsu as usual?" Ayame smiled, clearly unbothered by the lost revenue.
"Tonkotsu—"
"Wait a moment, Naruto. First come, first served. No cutting in line."
Hiruzen chuckled and turned toward Hinami, who had been standing motionless. "Isn't there still a young lady over there?"
"Oh, right!" Ayame slapped her forehead. Every time Naruto arrived, the customers fled; she had subconsciously assumed Hinami had left too.
"Sorry, little sister. What would you like?" Ayame stepped behind the bar, guiding Hinami to a stool and setting her bag and cane aside.
"I can't see the menu. Do you have a recommendation?"
"Tonkotsu! Tonkotsu ramen is the best!" Naruto shouted from the stool next to her, his large blue eyes flickering with a hint of timid hope.
"Alright. I'll have a bowl of Tonkotsu then."
Ayame jotted it down. "And a Tonkotsu for Naruto too?"
"An extra, extra large portion!"
"A normal one for me is fine," Hiruzen added with a chuckle.
"Coming right up!" Ayame cleared the abandoned bowls and hurried into the kitchen.
Sitting on Pins and Needles
"Thank you," Hinami said, suddenly turning her head to thank Naruto as they sat in a row.
"Uh... hehe... y-you're welcome!" Surprised by the interaction, Naruto scratched the back of his head, looking flattered. "Um... aren't you afraid of me?"
"Are you very ugly?"
"Uh..." Naruto choked. Looking at the delicate face before him—which even a blindfold couldn't hide—he didn't dare claim he was particularly good-looking.
"It's okay if you are. I can't see anyway," Hinami said, pointing to her blindfold.
"I'm not ugly!"
"I believe you."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Ho ho ho..." Hiruzen stroked his beard, watching the two chat. A kind smile touched his face.
The demon fox boy hated by the whole village meets a beautiful blind girl. What a poetic encounter.
As Hiruzen reminisced about his own youth, a poof of smoke erupted outside. An ANBU member wearing a green flak jacket and a monkey mask stepped into the shop.
Seeing the silver-haired girl at the bar, the ANBU stiffened for a fraction of a second before recovering. He leaned in and whispered into Hiruzen's ear.
"Lord Third..."
The voice was faint, nearly impossible to hear. But Hinami, chatting with Naruto, sensed the anomaly. Her ears twitched almost imperceptibly.
She focused her ocular power into her hearing, activating Body Domination.
Her auricles were reshaped into funnel-like structures for better acoustic focusing, enhancing her ability to capture high-frequency sounds while maintaining a natural appearance. Her ear canals were elongated and calibrated to sharpen her sensitivity to human speech. Even the ossicles—the hammer, anvil, and stirrup—were replaced with a honeycomb-like hollow structure to increase the response speed of sound wave vibrations.
Soon, the fragmented whispers became clear.
"...Kotetsu... found a suspicious blind girl... named Hinami... the barrier detected no chakra reaction..."
"Hinami, your name is really pretty," Naruto said, his naturally loud voice making her flinch.
"...Thanks."
Listening to the ANBU's report while feeling the weight of Hiruzen's gaze after he heard Naruto say her name, Hinami felt like she was sitting on a bed of needles.
She hadn't even been in Konoha for an hour.
She had been reported as a spy to the Third Hokage, and most terrifying of all, she was currently having a pleasant chat with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki while the Hokage himself watched the whole thing play out.
Tsk. I played myself.