Chapter 96 (Patreon)

It was May 15th.

As always, Hinata had prepared breakfast for Mihawk before returning to the Hyūga Clan compound to begin her training for the day.

Mihawk, meanwhile, remained at home to oversee Hanabi’s Gentle Fist training.

Thanks to his guidance over the past several years, Hanabi’s abilities had grown far beyond those of the other students her age. Although she had yet to graduate from the Academy, her combat ability had already reached the level of an elite genin.

After all, she had mastered the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms an entire year ago.

Hanabi had always possessed greater natural talent than Hinata had shown at the same age. More importantly, her personality was completely different.

She was neither timid nor hesitant.

Having spent so much time around Mihawk from an early age, Hanabi had developed a decisive temperament. While she remained cheerful and affectionate toward those close to her, she would show no mercy to an enemy who genuinely threatened her life.

In a true life-or-death battle, she would undoubtedly defeat an opponent her own age before they even understood what had happened.

Even Mihawk occasionally found himself wondering just how far Hanabi could go if her talent continued to develop at its current pace.

Inside the dojo, two figures—one tall and one small—moved back and forth across the training floor.

“The greatest strength of the Gentle Fist lies in sending chakra directly into your opponent’s body.”

With his hands resting calmly behind his back, Mihawk shifted aside and effortlessly avoided Hanabi’s palm strike.

“To do that, you must accurately strike the chakra points in their chakra pathway system. But an enemy isn’t a training dummy. They won’t stand still and wait for you to attack.”

Hanabi stepped forward without hesitation and launched another series of strikes.

Mihawk calmly turned his body, allowing each palm to pass within inches of him.

“That is why the Byakugan is so important to the Hyūga Clan,” he continued. “Its vision allows you to see your opponent’s tenketsu, but seeing them is not enough.”

His sharp gaze remained fixed on Hanabi’s young face, which had become completely serious.

“Your body must be able to keep pace with what your eyes can see. No matter how quickly your opponent moves, your reactions must be fast enough to follow them and strike their tenketsu without hesitation.”

“Yes!”

Hanabi answered loudly, and her attacks immediately became fiercer.

Her movements were clear and precise.

Mihawk deliberately exposed several small openings to test her awareness, but Hanabi noticed every one of them. Each time an opportunity appeared, she immediately adjusted her stance and attacked without allowing herself to become careless.

Mihawk raised one hand and gently redirected her final palm strike.

That was enough for today.

He placed his hand on top of Hanabi’s head and smiled.

“We’ll stop here.”

“Hee-hee…”

The seriousness on Hanabi’s face disappeared instantly.

She threw herself toward Mihawk, wrapping her arms around him. Mihawk caught her with ease before she could knock herself off balance.

Hanabi looked up at him with open anticipation.

“Mihawk-nii, how did I do this time?”

Mihawk lowered his head slightly until their foreheads nearly touched. Looking into her pale eyes, he answered without hesitation.

“You did well. Keep training like this, and the next time your father tests you, you’ll definitely surprise him.”

“Hee-hee…”

Hanabi’s eyes curved into happy crescents as a bright smile spread across her face.

After Mihawk set her back on the floor, she grabbed his right hand with one hand and tugged at the sleeve of his golden-brown kimono with the other.

She looked up at him with an innocent expression.

“Mihawk-nii, my clothes are covered in sweat. Let’s go wash up!”

Flick!

Mihawk lightly tapped her forehead with two fingers.

He had seen through her intentions immediately.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re planning.”

Hanabi covered her forehead and stared at him indignantly.

“What? I only wanted to help Mihawk-nii relax after training!”

“You mean you wanted an excuse to avoid cleaning the dojo.”

Hanabi froze.

Her eyes shifted suspiciously toward the side.

“That isn’t true…”

“It is written all over your face.”

Hanabi puffed out her cheeks.

“But Hinata-nee hasn’t been here to help you for several days. Aren’t you tired after training all the time?”

Before Mihawk could answer, Hanabi placed one finger against her chin and began thinking aloud.

“Could Hinata-nee have secretly come back to help you without telling me? No, that can’t be right. I’ve been watching both of you carefully these past few days…”

Flick!

Another tap landed on her forehead.

Hanabi covered it with both hands this time and looked up at Mihawk with tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.

“That hurt!”

“It was supposed to.”

Mihawk bent down and lifted her into his arms before walking toward the dojo entrance.

As he carried her outside, he pinched one of her cheeks.

“Hanabi, I know what you’re thinking.”

Hanabi blinked at him.

“Once you’re a little older, I’ll speak properly with your sister and your father.”

Mihawk’s voice became gentler.

“No matter what happens in the future, neither Hinata nor I intend to leave you behind. The three of us will always be family.”

Hanabi’s eyes widened slightly.

“So stop worrying that Hinata will suddenly take me away from you.”

Mihawk lightly tapped her nose.

“I enjoy spending time with you because you’re Hanabi. I train you because I care about you, not because I expect anything in return. Understand?”

Hanabi stared at him silently for several seconds.

Then she suddenly burst into laughter.

“Mihawk-nii, you were thinking about something that serious?”

Mihawk narrowed his eyes.

“What exactly do you mean by that?”

Hanabi wrapped both arms around his neck, wearing a mischievous smile.

“I wasn’t worried at all! I know Hinata-nee would never try to separate us.”

She raised one finger and waved it proudly in front of him.

“I’m only enjoying the fact that Hinata-nee doesn’t know how much Mihawk-nii spoils me when she isn’t here.”

Hanabi placed both hands against Mihawk’s cheeks.

“Once she finds out, she’ll start watching us all the time. That means I have to enjoy having Mihawk-nii all to myself while I still can!”

Mihawk fell silent.

Hanabi continued smiling proudly, completely unaware that the air around him had changed.

“Heh…”

A dangerous smile slowly appeared on Mihawk’s face.

In Hanabi’s eyes, a dark and terrifying shadow seemed to rise behind him.

Mihawk calmly lowered her to the floor.

Before Hanabi could escape, his fingers closed around both of her cheeks.

“Now that I think about it, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

Hanabi’s smile vanished.

Mihawk gently twisted her cheeks from side to side as he stared down at her.

“Where did you learn to say things like that?”

“T-That hurts…”

“Answer me honestly.”

“Mihawk-nii, spare me!”

With her cheeks being pinched, Hanabi’s words came out muffled and unclear.

“I-I read it in a novel!”

Mihawk’s fingers stopped moving.

There were plenty of novels in the shinobi world, including Jiraiya’s wildly popular Make-Out Paradise series.

Judging by the series’ sales, books containing questionable material were hardly difficult to obtain.

Realizing that Hanabi had somehow gotten her hands on one despite her age, Mihawk’s expression darkened.

No wonder she had suddenly started using such strangely dramatic phrases.

Thump!

He brought the edge of his hand down lightly on top of her head.

“Don’t read books like that again.”

Hanabi crouched down and held her head, her pale eyes filling with tears.

“Ow…”

“Did you hear me?”

“Mm-hmm!”

Hanabi nodded repeatedly, clearly frightened by the seriousness in his voice.

“I won’t read them anymore! I promise!”

Mihawk continued staring at her for several moments.

Hanabi immediately straightened her back and tried her best to look sincere.

Only then did Mihawk sigh and release her.

“Good. Now go change your clothes.”

Hanabi quickly ran toward the door.

After taking several steps, however, she suddenly turned around.

“Mihawk-nii!”

“What?”

“Since I told you the truth, does that mean I don’t have to clean the dojo?”

Mihawk pointed silently toward the cleaning supplies resting in the corner.

Hanabi’s hopeful expression collapsed.

“That’s not fair!”

“Ten minutes.”

Hanabi rushed toward the broom without another complaint.