"Excellent. Shikamaru really is someone you can count on. This sales plan is impressively thorough."
Inside the yakiniku restaurant's private room, Hinata examined the scroll in her hands with evident satisfaction. It contained Shikamaru's meticulously calculated sales strategy, mapping out Fox Tales' distribution across every region of the Land of Fire with crystal clarity. Five contingency plans were included, each one demonstrating a level of analytical precision and attention to detail that would have done a senior professional accountant proud.
"Thanks to you... this is the first time in my life I've developed dark circles."
Listlessly poking at the grilled meat on his plate, Shikamaru studied the trio sitting across from him. Lazy as he was about other people's business, even he couldn't help noticing their transformation.
"Hinata, Sasuke, and Naruto all got makeovers! They really suit you!"
Choji chewed enthusiastically through a mouthful of yakiniku, his words half-muffled. This dinner gathering was clearly more than a casual meal—it was preparation for Hinata's next phase of operations. Accordingly, the full Ino-Shika-Cho trio was present: Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino. Together with Sakura, whom they'd picked up on the way, the entire production crew was now assembled.
"Think of it as a kind of transformation. Just like all of us dropping the childish make-believe games and starting to do something that actually matters."
Setting down the sales plan, Hinata allowed herself a small smile. "But moving on—it's about time we took the next step. Most importantly, we're almost out of money."
"That training method of yours burns through cash, doesn't it? My dad told me the three of you training alone boosted this month's revenue by more than half."
Shikamaru murmured, chin propped on one hand. As a member of the Nara family, he knew firsthand how fast Hinata's trio hemorrhaged money during training. They were practically burning through stacks of cash.
"And the physical damage from that training is way too much..."
Ino cast a worried glance at the bandages still visible on Sasuke's arms—clearly, his training injuries hadn't fully healed.
"Which is exactly why I asked Sakura and Ino to come. You've both been studying healing ninjutsu, right?"
Hinata turned to face Sakura and Ino with an earnest expression. "If possible, I'd like your help. Having to go to the hospital every time is... inconvenient."
Since Sakura and Ino had previously used Transformation Technique to disguise themselves as random passersby to get close to Sasuke, Hinata's straightforward invitation now came as a visible relief to both girls. After all, if Sasuke—proud as he was—ever discovered that the two "temp workers" beside him had actually been his own classmates, his mortification and fury would have been spectacular.
"Well, our healing ninjutsu is still only at the beginner level, but... if Sasuke needs us, we'll absolutely do our best!"
Both girls sneaked a glance at Sasuke, cheeks flushed. The chance to legitimately be near their crush was one neither was about to refuse.
"Then it's settled. And since we're going to be proper teammates, I won't keep secrets anymore. The three of us have actually been filming a narrative feature. If Sakura and Ino are willing to help out, we'll of course pay you a fair wage."
Before Hinata could finish, Naruto let out a strangled yelp. The blond dead-last stared at Hinata in trembling horror. "Wait, wait, wait! Hinata, you don't mean... Sakura and Ino are joining the crew too?!"
"Of course. Both of them are excellent at Transformation Technique and are studying healing ninjutsu. Whether it's taking guest roles or patching up our training injuries, they're perfect fits."
Ignoring Naruto's look of existential despair, Hinata turned a sly grin on Sasuke. "What do you think, Sasuke? Two personal medic-nin who can be at your side anytime—that's not bad, right?"
"Tch! Do what you want!"
Sasuke had essentially given up on resistance. If having healers around meant faster training, then that was simply the pragmatic choice. As for the rest of it—like, say, starring opposite a certain blond dead-last as the romantic leads—he'd just have to not think about it.
"Then it's decided. Sakura, Ino—welcome aboard."
Blithely ignoring the openly weeping Naruto, Hinata raised her juice glass with a warm smile. "Come on, everyone—cheers!"
"To our shared enterprise. Let's give it everything we've got."
And as this group of children—at least in everyone else's eyes—clinked their glasses together, a pair of eyes watched silently from the rooftop above. Dressed in standard Konoha shinobi gear with a telltale mask across the face, this was unmistakably an ANBU operative. After confirming what he'd observed, the ANBU slipped away from the restaurant rooftop as soundlessly as a cat, leaping across the village skyline toward the Hokage's administrative building.
Before long, inside the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage had received a complete briefing on everything that had transpired in the yakiniku restaurant. The reporting agent was the very same ANBU who'd been listening from the rooftop moments ago.
"Good work. You're dismissed. It seems we have the full picture now."
Glancing at the copy of Fox Tales sitting on his desk, the Third took a long drag from his pipe. Then he tilted his head slightly toward a shadowed corner of the room. "The matter's been clarified. Those children simply want a way to earn money and fund their own training. Was all this fuss really necessary?"
"The Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki, the last remnant of the Uchiha clan, and the eldest daughter of this generation's Hyuga. When those three come together, even if all they do is take a nap, it warrants thorough scrutiny."
A cold, slightly raspy voice emerged from the shadows. Accompanied by the soft tap of a cane against the floor, a tall figure stepped into the light. With his right arm and right eye wrapped in bandages and a distinctive cross-shaped scar on his chin, this was the Third Hokage's old comrade and leader of Root: Shimura Danzō.
Hinata's activities had not gone unnoticed. That much was inevitable.
Whether it was Naruto, Sasuke, or Hinata herself, each of them occupied a highly conspicuous position within the village. As Danzō had put it, just the three of them gathering in one place—even for a nap—demanded investigation.
The only reason Root operatives hadn't already dragged them in for interrogation was Hinata's status as the Hyuga clan's eldest daughter. Had anyone else dared to bring Naruto and Sasuke together like this, they'd have been hauled underground for coercive interrogation long ago.
"They're just children. And their motives have been verified—they're simply working hard to get stronger."
The Third raised his gaze to meet Danzō's, his aged voice hardening. "Danzō, I'll say this once more. I will not permit you to act against those children on your own. Their parents' generation already sacrificed too much for this village. Until there is concrete evidence, I expect your Root operatives to stay underground."
"Hmph! I've long grown tired of that self-righteous face of yours! Fine—I hope the next time I come aboveground, you'll have died of old age in your sickbed!"
Danzō snorted and left the Hokage's office without looking back. Old friends though they were, that very familiarity confirmed that their philosophies would never align. No point wasting more breath.
Watching Danzō depart, the Third exhaled a weary sigh. Then a polite knock came at the office door. The old Hokage cleared his throat. "Enter."
"Sir!"
The door swung open to admit a figure in a Jōnin flak jacket. He wore an olive-green vest, his forehead protector tilted at an angle to cover his left eye, the lower half of his face—nose included—concealed behind a seamless mask.
"Sorry to call you in at this hour, Kakashi."
The Third regarded the silver-haired Jōnin with a note of warmth. His trust in this particular shinobi was beyond question.
"Not at all, Lord Hokage. Is there an urgent mission?"
The Jōnin summoned by the Third was none other than the man known as "Konoha's First Technician"—Hatake Kakashi. His credentials needed no elaboration. In terms of overall combat ability, he was easily one of the elite Jōnin in all of Konoha, second only to the Hokage himself.
"You've likely caught wind of recent developments. Minato's son Naruto, the last Uchiha Sasuke, and the Hyuga clan's eldest daughter Hinata—these three children appear to be training together."
The Third's directness drew a small nod from Kakashi. "Yes... I've heard something to that effect, though I don't know the specifics."
"That's precisely what I'm assigning you to find out. Stay close to those three children. Observe their behavior and intentions. And above all—ensure their safety."
The Third's brow creased slightly. "You understand what I mean?"
"Yes... I'll keep them safe."
Kakashi, as an elite Jōnin, was well aware of Root's existence. The true purpose of this assignment was therefore crystal clear: the surveillance aspect was secondary. The primary objective was to prevent Root operatives from taking any drastic action.
Though the Third had officially ordered Root's disbandment after the Uchiha massacre, many operatives who were fanatically loyal to Danzō still lurked within ANBU's ranks, their true allegiance unchanged. If Danzō gave the word, those agents would carry out his orders without a moment's hesitation.
The Third coughed twice, then delivered his final instruction with solemn authority.
"Very well. I'm counting on you, Kakashi. And remember—anything those children produce must be reported to me immediately. That will aid my judgment. Understood?"
Kakashi found this last part slightly puzzling, but he knelt in acceptance without argument.
"Yes, Lord Hokage! I will not let you down!"