Outside the courtyard gate, Tsunade had just finished speaking, and before Hinata could respond, another steady yet slightly hurried set of footsteps approached from afar, quickly reaching the entrance.
"Tsunade, long time no see," Hyuga Hiashi's figure appeared behind and to the side of Hinata.
His gaze quickly swept over Tsunade and the black-haired female Ninja, Shizune, who followed behind her carrying the small pink pig, Tonton, looking capable yet unable to hide a trace of nervousness.
"I wonder what important business brings you to see my daughter?" Hiashi's words remained flawless as he subtly took a half-step forward, shielding Hinata behind him.
Tsunade crossed her arms, her gaze shifting between the wary Hiashi and the calm Hinata.
"Clan Chief Hiashi, no need to be so tense. I just heard your eldest daughter is quite capable and came by for a visit to get to know her."
She pointed to Shizune behind her. "This is my assistant, Shizune. I brought Tonton along for some fresh air as well."
Shizune quickly bowed in greeting: "Clan Chief Hiashi, Miss Hinata, sorry for the intrusion." Tonton in her arms let out a timely "pu-pu" sound, its small black eyes curiously scanning the surroundings.
Hiashi's expression softened slightly, but he still didn't relax.
"It is Konoha's blessing that Lady Tsunade cares for the younger generation. However, my daughter is young. If any rumors have disturbed you, as her father, I should naturally step forward to understand the situation."
"Fine, let's not just stand at the gate chatting." Tsunade waved her hand impatiently and walked into the courtyard of her own accord. "Clan Chief Hiashi, you don't mind if we come in and sit for a bit, do you?"
This move of acting as if she were the host left Hiashi momentarily speechless. He could only step aside to clear the path. Shizune gave Hiashi and Hinata an apologetic smile and quickly followed with Tonton in her arms.
Hinata hadn't spoken from beginning to end, simply following quietly behind her father as they returned to the courtyard.
The interior of the quiet room was simple and elegant, the only unique feature being the snake egg on the central cushion. At this moment, the snake egg had withdrawn all its luster, looking like a quiet decoration.
The moment Tsunade entered, her gaze was like a precise scanner, instantly locking onto the snake egg. She let out an interested "Hmm?"
Shizune also saw the snake egg, a hint of curiosity appearing on her face. Tonton in her arms seemed to sense something; its nose twitched twice, and it let out a "Pu-pu?" sound, appearing somewhat uneasy.
Just as Hinata was about to speak, Tsunade had already crouched down by the cushion to observe closely.
"This egg... its energy is restrained, but its life fluctuations are very peculiar. It seems to be a snake egg?" She reached out a finger, seemingly wanting to sense it.
"Lady Tsunade," Hinata's calm voice rang out, "it is quite sensitive."
Tsunade's finger stopped in mid-air. She glanced back at Hinata, and seeing her serious gaze, she shrugged and withdrew her hand.
"Quite delicate." She stood up, no longer focusing on the snake egg, and instead turned her gaze toward Hinata, her eyes full of direct inquiry.
"Little girl, I won't beat around the bush." Tsunade spoke frankly, her voice loud and clear. "That matter with Danzo was handled cleanly! It was perfect for dealing with an old guy who hides in the shadows and plots."
She spoke without any taboos, causing Shizune beside her to let out a light cough in reminder. Hiashi's expression changed slightly, but seeing that Tsunade meant no ill will and sounded more like she was offering pure praise, he relaxed slightly.
"Lady Tsunade overpraises her. It was forced by the circumstances."
"Forced by circumstances?" Tsunade took a step closer, her powerful aura enveloping them.
"As far as I know, you suppressed Danzo head-on, not even letting him use his trump cards. Tell me, when did the Hyuga's Gentle Fist gain this kind of strength?" This question went straight to the core, sharp and piercing.
Shizune held her breath, and Hiashi also frowned slightly. Setting aside Tsunade's questioning of the Gentle Fist's power, who probes for information like this? Isn't this just laying all the cards on the table?
For a moment, the quiet room was so silent that a pin drop could be heard, with only Tonton shifting uneasily and letting out a faint "pu" sound.
Hinata looked up and gave a vague answer.
"The Family has deep roots."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes, staring at Hinata. After a long time, she suddenly laughed.
"Tch, forget it if you don't want to say."
She turned toward the heaven and earth primordial qi pot.
"Why is there a pot here? Don't tell me you're cooking for yourself? Does the Young Miss of the Hyuga Clan need to cook personally?"
Hinata smiled. Things made by others weren't as delicious as what she prepared herself.
"Consider it a hobby of mine. The food I make is quite special; it can enhance a person's Physique."
"Oh?" As a top medical expert, Tsunade's interest was immediately piqued.
"Eating something can actually enhance Physique? What are the specific effects? Is there any data... uh, actual examples?" Her professional habits kicked in as she began to press for details.
Hinata glanced at Hiashi; he didn't know about this either. Hiashi also looked over curiously.
"Yes, my sister Hanabi. Her Foundation has become increasingly solid recently, and her own recovery power is also slightly stronger than before."
She didn't exaggerate, but the information provided was enough to make Tsunade's eyes light up. At her level, any method that could subtly improve Physique and solidify one's Foundation was extremely precious.
Hiashi was pondering; based on his observations, it indeed seemed to be the case. He hadn't expected Hinata to have this kind of ability.
"Interesting... very interesting! Nothing like this has ever appeared in the Ninja World; it's the first time I've seen it." Tsunade looked at Hinata.
"Little girl, the secrets on you are more numerous than the files of difficult cases in the Konoha Hospital. I'm curious how you managed it."
Hinata naturally wouldn't explain it to her. Besides, Tsunade also possessed Heaven-Defying things, such as her ageless appearance. Who wouldn't be moved by that?
Tsunade's traits were basically envied by all female Ninjas, especially her curvaceous body, but Hinata didn't feel much about it.
Cultivating immortality could naturally grant longevity, and she had a magnificent figure herself. However, she wasn't as uninhibited as Tsunade and didn't show it off.
They chatted about other things for a while. Tsunade originally wanted to test Hinata's strength with an arm-wrestling match, but since it was their first meeting and Shizune expressed disapproval, Tsunade dropped the idea.
"Alright, that's enough for today's introduction." Tsunade seemed satisfied and turned to walk out.
"Hyuga Hinata, I've remembered you. If you have any trouble in the Village or any new discoveries in the future, you can come find me. Of course, borrowing money is out of the question; I'm even poorer than you."
Walking to the door, she stopped again and said to Hiashi: "Clan Chief Hiashi, sorry for the intrusion. This visit was a bit abrupt; next time I'll bring a gift."
After saying that, she left like a gust of wind. Shizune quickly bowed to Hiashi and Hinata again, "Sorry for the intrusion," then hurried after her with Tonton in her arms.
Outside the courtyard gate, Tsunade's voice could be heard faintly: "...Shizune, do you think if I partner with her to open a medicinal cuisine hall or a restaurant, with her special ability, we could sell things for sky-high prices? Could I clear my gambling debts then?"
"Lady Tsunade! Please calm down! And that's not what we came to talk about..."
"Tch, I'm just saying..."
------------------------
There are already 70+ chapters available on my Patreon!
The story will continue to update 1 chapter per day on Webnovel,
while early access chapters are posted on Patreon.
Maybe it's not worth it today but it could be later
[email protected]/Kazenova223
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"