Chapter 85: Relationship

After Kei acquired the Uchiha Gunbai and using Flying Thunder God Technique it teleported to a remote location in the wilderness.

In the following moment, Sato's body also materialized through teleportation.

Upon receiving the Uchiha Gunbai from Kei, Sato swiftly returned to his home in an instant.

Gazing at the Uchiha Gunbai in his grasp, Sato's heart swelled with affection, as if he had acquired a cherished toy from his dreams.

Unlike those who have a fondness for traditional weapons like swords and daggers, Sato's preferences differed. He held no admiration for Senju Tobirama's Thunder God Sword or Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword.

For Sato, the most prized ninja tool was the Uchiha Gunbai, capable of repelling all forms of ninjutsu, even the formidable Tailed Beast Bomb. His admiration stemmed from the suave "Uchiha Rebound" performed by Uchiha Madara in the original story.

With this distinctive Gunbai, Sato could also maintain his covert identity by wearing the dark vest in the future.

The availability of techniques like the Mayfly Technique and Impersonation Technique, along with the esteemed status symbol, presented Sato with a wry smile. He contemplated, "When the right moment arrives, we can begin to weed out those troublesome pests."

Time elapsed rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, several days had transpired.

During these days, Sato dedicated himself to refining the "Konoha Moth Removal Plan," reaching its final stage of perfection. Simultaneously, he embarked on multi-faceted endeavors. No longer did he bring the 3 girls to the Hokage's office; instead, he implemented the art of wooing women as taught by Tsunade, systematically winning them over one by one.

Karin had already assumed Sato's likeness, and she stood apart as the sole member among the three women who required no strategizing from Sato's end.

Presently, she and Sato were engaged in a cohabitation relationship, allowing Sato to execute his strategy conveniently from home.

Also, Sato commenced personally tutoring Ino and Hinata, capitalizing on the pretext of Tsunade and Shizune's engrossment in work and their necessity to attend to Rock Lee's surgery.

Sato's provision of doorstep service took Ino by surprise. Although she had visited Sato's residence before, Sato had never reciprocated the gesture, nor had he stepped into her flower shop.

Thus, Sato's abrupt appearance at her door caught Ino unawares.

Consequently, in the days that followed, the girls became meticulous about maintaining a presentable home environment, eager to impress Sato with their tidiness.

Yamanaka and his wife, occupied with the flower shop during the day or tasks related to their family business, noted the transformations in their daughter with gratification.

As previously discussed, given the generally youthful age of both ninjas and civilians in this world, romance among youngsters was met with widespread acceptance from parents.

Consequently, Yamanaka and his wife harbored no objections to Ino and Sato's blossoming affection. Back when Sato was a common student leader, their lack of concern was palpable. Now, with their own elevated status, their stance remained unwavering.

Analogous to how Naruto had become the celebrated savior of the ninja world, every action undertaken by Sato was now scrutinized by Konoha and the entire ninja community.

Following Sato's exposure of his Wood Style, he ascended to the status of a supernova within "Descendants of the Senju Clan," the "Hope of Konoha," and even earned the title of the "Little Brother of Fifth Hokage."

His every move found an attentive audience.

To certain observers, Sato's frequent visits between the Hokage building, Yamanaka household, and the Hyuga clan's residence were far from covert.

In the eyes of many, it was an open secret.

Unbeknownst to Sato, Ino's mother had taken to subtly testing her daughter, hoping to ascertain the nature of Ino's feelings toward Sato.

Recognizing her daughter's position as the newcomer and understanding the unfolding dynamic, the adults chose to remain silent and let events proceed organically.

As days progressed, Sato shifted his base of operations.

On a particular day, Sato yet again set foot in the Hyuga clan's domain.

As Sato had anticipated, the Hyuga clan was the least influential among Konoha's three prominent factions, yet it displayed the most practical and adaptive approach.

Precisely due to its weaker background, the Hyuga clan demonstrated remarkable flexibility. They consistently aligned themselves with the Hokage's faction, allowing them to weather various challenges.

Previously, they had regarded Sato with a certain disdain, considering him inconsequential.

However, Sato's mere mention of seeking out Hinata prompted two guards to spring into action: one extended an invitation to Sato, while the other hastened to report the situation to Hyuga Hiashi and the elders.

During this initial visit, Sato managed to cross paths with Hyuga Hiashi and, notably, his third favorite female character—his future sister-in-law, Hyuga Hanabi.

At the tender age of seven, Hanabi had yet to grow her hair long, her cherubic face still retaining traces of baby fat.

Yet, a pronounced air of determination emanated from her presence.

Furthermore, she exuded a self-assuredness not readily found in Hinata.

This assurance marked a trait keenly valued by both Hyuga Hiashi and the clan elders.

"... Sato big brother, are you looking for sister again?" Hanabi chimed in upon encountering Sato during this Hyuga visit.

"Yes, Hanabi. Aren't you supposed to be practicing today?" Sato inquired, reaching out to ruffle Hanabi's hair with a friendly smile.

...

Hanabi offered no resistance to Sato's hair-ruffling gesture, illustrating the extent of familiarity they had developed over the recent period.

...