Chapter 40

"Who, come out! I will punch you if you don't show up right now!" shouted one of the kids. Kazuki couldn't help but smile at the kid's logic and rain down more snowballs from different directions.

The kids started shouting more and more, and when they got no response, they started fearing.

"It must be some ghost; my big brother told me there are ghosts around these parts," one of the kids fearfully stated to his other two friends. Hinata was already crouched on the ground in a fetal position. Kazuki thought about pranking the kids and manifested the shadow to create a grotesque figure out of it, which rose from the pile of snow and started walking in the kids' direction.

Upon seeing the black figure, the kids couldn't help but run screaming while leaving Hinata alone. Hinata, who also saw the figure, unconsciously used her Byakugan out of fear and realised that someone was using the figure to chase away her attackers. The shadow dissolved, and Kazuki flickered in front of Hinata, who was now sobbing softly.

"It's okay; they have already left. They won't hurt you again. It's safe now; you can get up," Kazuki softly comforted Hinata as he knew the shadow figure must have scared her.

Hinata, who realised that someone was standing in front of her, slowly looked up to meet her saviour's face. Hinata continued sobbing, and Kazuki couldn't help but crouch down to check if Hinata was hurt anywhere. His Iryo ninjutsu sent a warm current stream of chakra, making Hinata feel warm. Her sobbing calmed down, and Kazuki made sure that she wasn't hurt and healed the injuries on her leg.

"So, I am hungry, and I am going out to eat. Would you like to join me?" Kazuki asked with a bright smile while crouching in front of Hinata. Hinata must have run without having eaten, so her tummy growled when Kazuki mentioned food.

Little Hinata couldn't help but blush due to embarrassment and put down her head. Kazuki simply pulled her by the hand, and Hinata showed no resistance, so both started walking in the direction of Ichiraku.

After reaching Ichiraku, Kazuki took Hinata to a table, and Ayame came to take their orders. When she saw Kazuki with Hinata, she couldn't help but send curious glances towards both of them, but she chose not to question after seeing Hinata's tear-stricken face.

"Big sister Ayame, two bowls of your special." Because Hinata didn't state any preference when asked, Kazuki simply ordered two specials.

And within a few minutes, Ayame returned with two piping-hot bowls of ramen. At first, Hinata hesitated to eat the food, but after repeated coaxing from Ayame, Hinata started eating the ramen. Maybe the ramen was delicious; Hinata finished the entire bowl. When Kazuki asked if she wanted another one, she simply put her head down and nodded.

After having the second bowl, Hinata's hunger must have been satiated, so she had completely calmed down, but she was still shy.

"My name is Kazuki Nara. Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself earlier." The moment Kazuki introduced himself, Hinata couldn't help but curiously lift her head and take a peek because this was not the first time she had heard his name. Her father had mentioned Kazuki's name many times as being a Nara prodigy.

"So would you like to tell me your name? Aren't we friends now? Friends should know each other's names, right?" Kazuki understood Hinata's shy character, so he did not rush to get answers from her and simply went with the pace.

"Hinata,'gulp' Hinata Hyuga," Hinata whispered in a low tone with her head still bowed.

"Ah, the little Hyuga princess. Why was the Hyuga princess out in the snow all alone?" Although Kazuki knew the answer, he chose to ask the little girl, and when Kazuki mentioned the Hyuga, she couldn't help but involuntarily flinch. Kazuki understood that the little girl must have been traumatised due to something.

"So, can you tell me why you were out alone, Hinata?" Kazuki asked in a soft tone.

"Ran away," little Hinata, with her head still lowered, whispered again.

"So where do you plan on going after running away from home? Do you have anywhere to go? Don't you think everyone at home would be worried?" Kazuki questioned, knowing that Hinata must have run away because she was afraid. She was too kind, and for all he knew, she must have been lost after running away and didn't know how to get back home because she was not used to leaving the Hyuga compound.

"I don't know," Hinata whispered, tears starting to stream down her eyes again. She realized that everyone back home must be looking for her, and with her shy nature, she was not comfortable approaching others to ask for help.

"It's alright. Come; big brother will take you back home. Would that be alright?" Kazuki asked with a sincere smile on his face. Hinata, for the first time, looked up meekly and gave a quick nod while wiping her tears.

Kazuki and little Hinata left Ichiraku after Kazuki bid his farewell to Ayame and Teuchi.

As Kazuki led little Hinata by the hand in the direction of the Hyuga clan, he began explaining the places they were traversing through since Hinata was unfamiliar with the surroundings, having mostly stayed within the Hyuga compound.

Just as they were passing by the lake, Kazuki's acute senses picked up a chakra signature in a certain direction. After a dozen seconds, the other party must have detected them and rapidly moved in their direction. When Kazuki was preparing to explain the situation to the Hyuga Guardian, the other party launched an attack at him with no consideration whatsoever.

"[Hakke Rokujyon Geki]" (Eight Trigrams, Sixty-Four Strikes).

However, before the attack could connect, the place where Kazuki and Hinata stood was switched with a piece of log using substitution jutsu. Hinata, scared by the sudden attack, closed her eyes. Kazuki's anger flared because the Hyuga guardian had launched such a heavy-handed attack on a child. If it were any other six-year-old, they might well have been crippled or stayed at the hospital for a few months.

"Hyuga, try something like that again, and I swear I will break your bones," Kazuki said, still simmering with anger from the latest assault. He had appeared about ten meters away from his previous position, with little Hinata now hiding behind him.

The Hyuga guardian, initially surprised by the kid's quick reaction, composed himself and disregarded the little child in front of him, commanding, "Unhand the princess, you little brat. Do you want to end up a cripple? Haven't your elders taught you how to treat your betters?"

Kazuki, realizing the arrogance of the Uchiha and Hyuga clan members, particularly from the main branch, propelled himself forward with chakra surging from his fist. He compressed the chakra in his fist and launched a devastating punch.

The Hyuga member quickly countered, feeling the threat from the little kid's punch. "[Hakke Shō Kaiten]" (Eight Trigrams Palms Heavenly Spin). Although he executed a defensive form, the punch was too much to handle, and his rotation was broken, causing him to slide a few feet back.

"Kid, you are asking for death," the Hyuga warned as he caught the casual punch that Kazuki threw next.

"Heh, are you sure you are a Hyuga? You should have used your Byakugan," Kazuki taunted, further provoking the Hyuga and making him angry.

However, just before launching the next attack, the Hyuga realized that he was unable to move anymore. The earlier casual punch that Kazuki threw was meant to connect their shadows, and, unlike other Nara, due to his Kekkei Genkai, Kazuki didn't have to maintain a hand sign to bind his opponent. His shadow bind was much more potent, and he could materialize his shadows.

The Hyuga member, now immobilized, understood the kid's earlier words about having activated the Byakugan. Once caught by Kazuki, what followed was a one-sided pummeling. As promised, Kazuki made sure to break a few bones in the Hyuga. Just when he was about to continue, Kazuki realized that a little hand was holding his jacket, trying to pull him back. It was none other than little Hinata, with a tear-filled face, trying to defend the Hyuga member from experiencing any more punishment.

Caught up in the moment, Kazuki had completely forgotten about little Hinata, who had witnessed the entire scene. Just then three more Hyuga led by an old man reached the scene.

With the new arrivals, little Hinata went back to hiding behind Kazuki. However, the familiar face of the old man made her peek out again.

"Kid, give me some face and let him go, would you?" The old man made a sincere request. The old man was none other than the senior medic who had saved Kazuki's life when he first came to this world. Kazuki had shared a warm relationship with the old man since then, and the old man had also helped Kazuki find his way when he started learning Iryo ninjutsu. Kazuki did not want to make it difficult for the old man, so he stepped back and released the main branch Hyuga from the shadow bind.

The two Hyuga branch members quickly supported the now battered Hyuga, and the old man began treating him. Meanwhile, Kazuki was coaxing little Hinata not to cry and trying to explain that they were just sparring.

After a brief treatment and making sure that there would be no lasting aftereffects, the old man gestured for the other Hyuga members to take the battered Hyuga back to the clan and addressed them.

"Let the main family know that the princess has been found. I will explain the situation when I return along with the princess. You guys can go ahead and admit him to the infirmary."

Although the old man was also a branch family member just like themselves, he held a higher status because of his expertise in the medical field. The other two Hyugas simply nodded and proceeded to execute the order.

Once the other Hyuga left, the old man approached little Hinata and crouched down next to her.

"Who made our little princess cry? Was it this rowdy boy?" The old man asked with a kind tone. Hinata quickly jumped and hugged the old man with a tear-filled face.

"It's alright; Grandpa is here. I will take you back home." The old man gently picked up Hinata and carried her.

"Would you like to accompany this old man until we reach the clan compound? We haven't met in the past few months. It would be a nice time to catch up." The old man offered, and Kazuki obliged, following along as the old man carried little Hinata.

Hinata had already fallen asleep on the old man's shoulders, and Kazuki realized that the little girl must have been quite exhausted. Kazuki and the old man started having a leisurely conversation as they walked towards the Hyuga clan.

"Mind sharing what exactly happened, old man?" Kazuki wanted to know the exact reason, as in the anime, Hinata only ran away after the Hyuga affair when she was almost the age to start the academy. In this world, Hizashi is still alive and fine, and Hinata is only three years old.

"Kid, you have always been smarter than your peers by a huge margin, and being a Nara, I am sure that you know a few things about the main and branch family of our Hyuga, yes?" Kazuki simply nodded in acknowledgment to show that he was aware of it.

"Normally, I shouldn't be sharing these things with outsiders, but then I feel that you are trustworthy enough, and it's not like a huge secret, and everyone will know soon enough." Kazuki maintained his silence, not wanting to disturb the old man's flow.

"This little child is the heiress of the Hyuga clan. She recently reached three years old, and according to our family tradition, the child's cousin, who is said to be a once-in-a-generation genius among our Hyuga, was branded with the cursed seal in the recent ceremony. The child did not take it lightly, being branded and all, and lashed out in anger at this poor little girl." The old man shared the happenings within the Hyuga clan, and now Kazuki understood why little Hinata ran away from home.