Chapter 21

It took me a while, but I got a hang of this genjutsu. The sharingan works more like haki, where it imposes your thoughts into their heads. So, all you have to do is, focus hard on trying to influence their mind and they will see what they want to see, do what you want them to do. Akiko returned from her room after I was done experimenting.

I then continued the interview and was able to catch two people who were still loyal to Gunde and were plotting something while staying on my side. Other than that, all of Gunde's men are just small time thieves or bandits. He really selected the dumb ones so that no one would plot against him.

After that, it was the miners turn and it was troublesome. All I hear from everyone is that they are living a very bad life and don't have anything to offer. Just when I was thinking it was a waste of time, a miner entered the warehouse. It was a woman with blue hair, dirty clothes and lifeless eyes.

She somehow caught my eye, as she washed her face and came here, even though her clothes were dirty. She tried to be presentable, and she also didn't immediately fall on her knees and beg me like others. I didn't put her in genjutsu and asked "So, introduce yourself and tell me what you have to offer."

She answered in a calm tone "I am Inori and I used to work as an accountant under a small time merchant, who was cheated by Gunde and he also destroyed my property and stole all my money before throwing me in this mine. I am very good at accounting and I also have good business skills."

Great story, but anyone can tell that she is lying. I put her under genjutsu and asked her for the truth. She said "I was a small business owner and Gunde was working under me, just like this woman. He betrayed me and threw me in this mine after he stole all my money and property. I wanted revenge, but I was powerless. Now that he is dead, I am happy and satisfied. I just want to teach this woman and help her so that she doesn't end up like me again."

Wow, I didn't know that I could find more kind people in this world. Akiko was in tears when she heard all this. I turned to her and asked "So, what do you think?" to which she asked in return "What are you interviewing for?"

I replied "I need someone to manage the business. Leaving it in your hands is foolish. She should be the perfect candidate for that." which she agreed to. I then broke the genjutsu, which caused her slight discomfort, and said "Congratulations, you are appointed as Akiko's secretary, but although you are working under her, if you have to make any important decisions, you have to contact me and only with my approval can you proceed."

"Hey!!!!" Akiko shouted, but I ignored her, causing Inori to chuckle. I then asked her to shift to Akiko's room since Akiko was still scared. Inori helped me to organise the rest and she really was helpful. It was already dark by then and I went to my room. I immediately fell asleep since I used my Sharingan many times today.

I woke up the next day to the same scene from yesterday, with Akiko hugging my arm. I sighed and slowly removed my arm, making sure she doesn't get up. I then left the room and went to Akiko's room, where Inori was already awake and ready. I asked her "Why is Akiko in my room again?"

"You should have realised by now that she likes you. Why can't you just give her a proper reply?" she asked in return. I sighed and said "I just saved her when she thought there was no way out. She needs time to sort her thoughts. Even after thinking about this properly, if she still likes me, I will give her a reply. Also, I have three wives. If I do something without their knowledge, I will die again."

Inori nodded and she went back to her work while I started getting ready to leave. After a good breakfast, I waited for Akiko to wake up and informed her what she had to do. With sufficient Carunium ore, I left the place and headed to the Ryuchi cave.

I stayed there for a day and instructed them to stay with Akiko for a while, which the Great snake sage refused since they were the guardians of the Ryuchi cave. After requesting for a while, she allowed Tagori to leave. All three demanded a love session, which I didn't refuse and finally returned to Konoha.

It had been a week since I left Konoha and a lot happens every time I leave this place. I registered with the gate keepers and went to my home to rest. I didn't rest for long and went to my most trusted blacksmith. He was busy in the forgery as usual and when I went inside, he made me wait for five minutes before coming to the shop.

He asked "So, did you get the ore?" and I gave him the Carunium ore. He looked at it and said "Wow, this is some good ore. Did you really find it in the mine I mentioned?"

I wasn't obviously going to tell him that. Although I trust him, human greed has no bounds. I said "No, I met one family friend who is working under a businessman. The businessman is looking for a buyer for this ore. He gave me this and in return I have to find him a good buyer. Do you know someone?"

"Everyone I know is just a small time smuggler, so they won't be able to help you, but I heard that 3rd Hokage's son, Asuma, knows someone. You should try your luck there, but I heard that the one Asuma knows is also a smuggler, but he does it on a huge scale. So, I don't know if he would be willing to share this info with you." he said.

"Thanks for the info. If there is any leftover Carunium from the ore, you can keep it as a payment for making my weights." I said and walked towards the door. He said to me while I was leaving "Your weights will be ready in a week."

I then went to the Hyuga household, where I entered without any trouble this time, but the gatekeeper still looked super pissed at me. I ignored him and walked inside. When I arrived at the door, I was greeted by Natsu, the maid I pissed off last time I visited Hinata.

She asked me to follow her and took me to the same training hall from before. I knocked on the door and I could hear sounds from the other side. I waited for them to take a break and knocked on the door again. The door opened and I was met with the same stinky sweat smell. I then looked at Hinata who opened the door.

Her cheeks immediately became red and she said in her usual low voice "Hello Hatsuo, you came back from your trip." I said to her "Hi Hinata, Hanabi, I came to train with you two. Hope you don't mind."

Hanabi said in a mocking tone "You? Train with us? You won't even last a single move." I smiled when she said that and said in return "It looks like you are too arrogant and your father has influenced you a lot. Alright then, I will take on both of you at a time, that too blindfolded."

Hanabi thought that I was joking, until I actually used a towel and used them as blindfolds. Hanabi felt humiliated and shouted "Don't think too highly of yourself. Just because my sister likes you, doesn't mean I will let that go. You are humiliating the whole Hyuga clan."

When did I say all that stuff? Is she being trained by Neji? Ignoring all the stuff she said, I focused my observation haki and all my sensory abilities to scan the surroundings. I had a complete image of the surroundings in my head and my advanced observation haki was already sending me info of the things that will happen in a second.

Hanabi ran towards me planning on using her gentle fist. I could already tell where she was going to hit me and moved away before she even got close. Hanabi was shocked to see me dodge her attacks and immediately followed up with countless continuous palm thrusts, which I easily dodged.

Hinata just looked at Hanabi with a worried expression and also said in the middle "Hanabi, Hatsuo, please stop fighting". It was at this time, I heard a voice shout "Hinata, what are you doing here? Don't just stand there, assist Hanabi."

It should be Hinata's father. Hinata didn't like fighting, but she still obeyed her father and joined Hanabi. She looked uncomfortable while fighting, so I said "This is getting very boring. I was looking forward to improving myself, but I guess both of you can't help me." This seemed to have lightened Hinata's burden a little, since her attacks became faster.

They tried all their attacks, but they couldn't connect any attacks. Since all their attacks depend on messing with chakra points and chakra paths, they were struggling. Hanabi then took a weird pose and I could feel her chakra build up. If I am right, it should be the Eight Trigrams technique. She then rushed forward to connect the first two strikes, which I dodged again. Since she wasn't able to initiate the first two strikes, she failed to perform the Eight Trigrams.

This went on for a while and honestly, it helped me improve my observation haki a little. I was able to use the future insight for a much longer time than before. I guess my body is slowly getting used to the sharingan.

Seeing Hinata and Hanabi slow down, their father shouted "That's enough for today". Both of them relaxed and Hanabi took a huge blow to her pride. She was considered a genius and way stronger than her sister Hinata. Not only was she defeated, she couldn't even touch me.

I took off my blindfolds and looked at Hinata's father, who was looking directly at me. He then shifted his gaze to Hinata and Hanabi, who were breathing heavily due to the spar. He shouted "You should feel ashamed of yourself. The thrash of the Uchiha clan played you like a child."

"Hey! I am still here." I said, which he totally ignored. He said to me "I heard that you came here to train with them. You are permitted to train with them everyday, but remember that we will be monitoring your every action. So, don't try to do something that will get you killed."

This was a big thing, as clans usually don't allow outsiders into their training area due to the fear of getting leaked. If he is letting me join them for training, it means that he is impressed by our spar. I can also learn how to use gentle fist to cancel our jutsu. I heard about it online from some youtuber that Hyugas were actually capable of this shit.

Hinata's father left and I was alone with Hinata and Hanabi. Hinata immediately came to me and said "Hatsuo, that was amazing. You really are talented." which made me smile. She really is too kind. She was humiliated in front of her father and instead, she is praising me.

Hanabi wasn't like her sister. She was completely silent the whole time and then shouted at me "Hatsuo, I will never forget this humiliation and make sure you pay for this". She then left the room. Hinata wanted to follow her, but I stopped her and said "She needs to be alone for this. Talking to her now will only make her feel worse."

Hinata nodded and then sat down against the wall, since she was tired. I sat beside her, which caused her cheeks to go red again. I said to her "Hinata, you are kind and this is something that's difficult to find in this world. Remember this Hinata, every time you are attacking someone, think about what would happen if you don't stop them. Then, you won't hesitate to attack."

Hinata thought hard about this while I was thinking about what was happening to me. I should be in my 30s at Max, but I am starting to talk like an old man.