Chapter 51 (Patreon)

Early the next morning, Konoha was covered in a rare layer of thick fog.

“Mihawk-san, please train me too!”

As usual, Hinata arrived at the dojo early. This time, however, she had brought someone with her.

Seven-year-old Hanabi was only around 132 centimeters tall, barely reaching Mihawk’s waist. The moment she entered the dojo, she hurried over and knelt in front of him.

Her pale, pupil-less eyes shone with undisguised admiration.

“I want to become as strong as Hinata-nee-sama!”

After watching Hinata’s match against Naruto Uzumaki, Hanabi had realized that she was no longer a match for her older sister.

She had also witnessed Mihawk’s strength. Over the past two days, Hanabi had carefully questioned Hinata until she finally learned how her sister had become so powerful.

That morning, she had woken up early and refused to leave Hinata alone until she agreed to bring her along.

Hanabi wanted to meet the person she admired, but more than that, she wanted to become as strong as her sister.

Mihawk had just finished meditating when he opened his eyes and found the young admirer kneeling in front of him. He glanced past her toward Hinata, who stood behind Hanabi with a helpless expression.

Seeing the surprise in his eyes, Hinata lowered her head apologetically.

“Mihawk-kun, I’m sorry. Hanabi insisted on coming with me. I hope she isn’t disturbing you.”

“There’s no need to apologize to me.”

Mihawk shook his head. He placed a hand on Hanabi’s head and gently brushed her smooth hair.

“You’re Hanabi, right?”

“Mhm!”

Hanabi nodded repeatedly, then looked up at him with anticipation.

“Can I call you Mihawk-nii-san?”

Mihawk gave a slight nod.

“Of course. From now on, you can come here with Hinata whenever you have time.”

Hanabi’s eyes immediately lit up.

“Really? I can?”

Mihawk nodded again before helping her to her feet. Looking down into her pale eyes, he asked, “You want me to train you so you can become as strong as Hinata. Is that right?”

“Mhm!”

Hanabi nodded several times.

The movement reminded Mihawk so much of Hinata when she was younger that, for a moment, he could almost see the younger Hinata standing before him.

The smile on his face gradually faded, replaced by a serious expression.

“Have you truly made up your mind? I don’t train people who give up halfway.”

Hanabi stiffened.

As she looked into Mihawk’s red eyes, an invisible pressure seemed to settle over her. She swallowed nervously, but her answer was firm.

“Yes. I want to become as strong as Hinata-nee-sama.”

Mihawk’s stern expression suddenly softened.

He looked toward Hinata.

“She’s far more decisive than you were at her age.”

Hinata only smiled. She knew better than anyone how timid she had been at Hanabi’s age.

“Yes. Father has always believed Hanabi is capable of carrying the responsibilities of the Hyūga clan’s main family.”

“In that case, we can’t train her halfheartedly.”

Mihawk rubbed Hanabi’s head again before continuing, “We’ll begin with tree climbing and water walking. After she masters those, we’ll move on to weighted training. What do you think?”

Hinata nodded immediately.

“That would be best.”

Hanabi looked between the two of them in confusion, unable to understand what they were discussing.

“Then let’s go.”

Mihawk took his sword from the rack and walked toward the entrance.

Hinata took Hanabi by the hand and followed him outside.

The three of them left the village and headed toward the surrounding forest.

As they walked, Hanabi held Hinata’s hand and looked up at her.

“Hinata-nee-sama, where are we going?”

A nostalgic expression appeared on Hinata’s face.

“To a place I know very well. Mihawk-kun and I used to train there together.”

She was speaking of the small, secluded valley hidden deep within the forest.

It was the place where the bond between her and Mihawk had truly begun.

Had she not gathered the courage to step out from behind that tree all those years ago, she might never have found the courage to tell Mihawk how she felt.

Hearing the nostalgia in Hinata’s voice, Mihawk, who was walking ahead of them, allowed the corners of his mouth to rise slightly.

It was indeed a place neither of them would ever forget.

Hanabi’s eyes began to sparkle again.

“That sounds so romantic!”

She might have been young, but she was not completely unaware of such things.

Hinata’s face immediately turned red.

At that moment, Mihawk abruptly stopped.

Hinata and Hanabi nearly walked straight into his back.

Seeing the seriousness on his face, Hinata looked at him in confusion.

“Mihawk-kun, what is it?”

“It’s nothing serious. There’s just a small matter I need to handle.”

Mihawk did not turn toward her. His gaze remained fixed in a particular direction within the forest.

“Hinata, take Hanabi to the valley first. I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Byakugan!”

The veins around Hinata’s eyes bulged as she activated her dōjutsu.

After briefly surveying the surrounding area, she released the Byakugan and looked at Mihawk with concern.

“All right. Please be careful, Mihawk-kun.”

Mihawk nodded.

In the next instant, his figure disappeared.

At the edge of a river within the forest, four figures stood facing one another.

“So it really is you, Uchiha Itachi.”

Asuma stared at the two men who had lowered their straw hats, his voice grim.

“After slaughtering your own clan, you’ve got a lot of nerve coming back to Konoha.”

Kisame Hoshigaki rested Samehada against his shoulder and grinned, revealing his sharp teeth.

“Friends of yours, Itachi-san? Then perhaps I should introduce myself as well.”

Kurenai’s eyes narrowed as she studied his shark-like face and lifeless eyes.

“Kisame Hoshigaki. A former shinobi of Kirigakure and one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. You became an S-rank missing-nin after assassinating a daimyō and becoming involved in activities that threatened the Land of Water.”

“Well, well. It seems you already know who I am.”

Kisame’s grin widened.

“In that case, I look forward to getting acquainted.”

Asuma drew his chakra trench knives.

“There won’t be a next time. I’ll kill you right here.”

“Asuma-san. Kurenai-san. It has been a long time.”

Itachi greeted them calmly, his expression remaining completely unreadable.

“Please step aside. I have no desire to kill either of you.”

“That doesn’t sound like something you would say.”

Asuma bit down on the cigarette between his lips, his voice filled with mockery.

The atmosphere immediately became tense.

The four shinobi stared at one another without moving.

A sudden gust swept through the area, carrying fallen leaves across the riverbank.

Kisame moved first.

He swung Samehada with tremendous force, bringing the massive sword down toward Kurenai.

“Clang!”

Asuma stepped between them and caught Samehada with one of his chakra blades.

Kurenai immediately leaped backward, her eyes locking onto Itachi as her hands formed a series of hand seals.

Her body distorted before disappearing from sight.

A massive tree rose behind Itachi. Thick, branch-like tendrils emerged from beneath his feet and wrapped around his body, restraining him against the trunk.

Kurenai emerged from the tree above his head, a kunai held tightly in her hand.

Itachi remained completely calm.

His eyes lifted toward her.

The three tomoe within his Sharingan spun as an unseen surge of ocular power spread outward.

Kurenai’s surroundings suddenly changed.

Before she could react, she found herself bound against the tree by the same branches she had created. Itachi now stood in front of her, holding a kunai.

Shock appeared across Kurenai’s face.

“He reversed the genjutsu!”

Itachi raised the kunai and prepared to drive it into her.

His expression suddenly changed.

A silver-white sword flash tore through the air.

“Shing!”

Like a shooting star, it passed cleanly through Itachi’s waist.

His body split into two halves.

Itachi looked down at his severed body before glancing sideways at the silver-haired boy who had appeared beside him.

“What a fast sword…”

“Poof!”

The two halves of his body vanished in a burst of white smoke.

Kurenai’s eyes widened.

“A Shadow Clone! When did he have time to form the hand seals?”