Naruto didn't really have a choice—the first option was obviously unacceptable. No matter what he truly thought deep down, Hinata's very existence was a blessing to him.
Nobody dislikes gentle girls, and Naruto was no exception.He wasn't the dense Naruto of the original timeline, but a normal person.
Having a princess like Hinata like him—if he didn't cherish her, surely heaven itself would strike him down with lightning.
Even if he suspected that Hinata's closeness to him was quietly approved by the village and the Hyūga clan, he didn't mind. Whether it was about preserving the Uzumaki bloodline or ensuring the jinchūriki had heirs—it didn't matter.
After all, he wasn't truly Uzumaki Naruto, but a soul from another world.
For him, the result wasn't the most important part. The journey was.
At the riverside.
Hinata gripped the fishing rod nervously. Suddenly, she flinched, feeling a spark of electricity race through her chest.
"Naruto-kun! Th-the fish! It's biting!" she stammered.
The maxed-out Fishing Skill kicked in—the rule-defying power that even without bait, fish would still bite. Terrifying indeed.
Naruto had expected this result. Calmly, he held Hinata's hands and guided her through the motions, slowly reeling in the catch. Hinata, new to all of this, felt nervous but also thrilled to be held so closely.
"When the fish is tired, we'll pull it up together," Naruto suggested.
"O-okay…!" Hinata replied, breathing quickly, her face red with excitement and nerves.
Not far away, the Hyūga clan guard nearly turned pale as he watched. He could clearly see that the line really did have a fish on it.
"Impossible! Without bait, how can there be a catch?" His expression was one of disbelief. Unlike the flustered Hinata, he couldn't ignore the details—this boy was catching fish from nothing!
Soon enough, the line snapped taut, and with a flick—splash!
A massive black fish arced out of the river, droplets scattering like crystals under the sunlight. The shimmering reflection danced in Hinata's pale eyes.
"I… caught it?" she asked, stunned, her voice both excited and uncertain, cheeks flushing.
Naruto knew how lacking in self-confidence Hinata usually was, always gentle, always hesitant. But deep inside, she longed to be acknowledged for herself—not merely as the Hyūga princess.
"Of course," Naruto smiled, reaching out to ruffle her hair, taking advantage of his height. "Hinata's amazing. You'll definitely be a wonderful wife someday."
[Reward successfully distributed. Please create a virtual puppet identity.][------ (Any identity. Once created, it will automatically be rationalized and accepted. You may speak using this persona.)]
Hinata's face went crimson. At Naruto's sudden words, she stammered desperately:
"W-wife?! I-I haven't… it's too… too soon!"
But Naruto's thoughts were already fixed on the new reward.
Perfect. Any identity? That meant… anything was possible.
[--God of Shinobi-- Creation successful. Persona established. The host may speak once per day as this identity.]
Naruto nearly choked with excitement. Was this for real? Any identity at all?
Though the ability wasn't exactly practical, it allowed him to broadcast words anonymously into the minds of everyone nearby. Essentially, it was the Yamanaka clan's technique—but better.
Whatever. From now on, he could speak as the God of Shinobi himself. Glorious!
Meanwhile, Hinata, still overwhelmed, dared to glance up at Naruto. Seeing his delighted expression, she misunderstood, thinking he was gazing affectionately at her. Her blush deepened until her whole body overheated.
"N-Naruto-kun…" she whispered, before her knees gave out and she fainted backward.
"Hinata!" Naruto caught her quickly, panicking. No matter how much he called, she didn't respond.
"What the—why'd she faint out of nowhere?" he muttered, checking her forehead, then her breathing. Relieved she was fine, he gently laid her down on the soft grass.
Since she wouldn't be waking up anytime soon, he busied himself with cleaning the fish, gathering wood, and setting up a simple grill. Finally, he sat down and opened the system panel.
[--God of Shinobi-- (Today: 1 message available)]
What should he say?Since it was essentially a public broadcast, and the title sounded grand enough, he decided—why not make it into a diary?
Yes. The Diary of the God of Shinobi.
Cracking his knuckles, Naruto began typing:
"August 15, clear skies.
The Diary of the God of Shinobi.
Today's shinobi are all idiots. Without long-legged shrine maidens in short skirts performing sacrificial dances, this world isn't worth keeping—so maybe I should just destroy it instead.
Also, Shimura Danzō has way too many Sharingan on him. Disgusting."
[Ding! The God of Shinobi's broadcast has been created. Range: 500,000 square meters.]
In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen's hand jerked violently, ruining the document he was writing. Out of nowhere, a strange voice appeared directly in his mind, leaving him nearly coughing up blood.
When he glanced at his guards, Yamanaka Aoba and Moonfoot Raido, both of them were pale-faced too. Clearly, they had heard it as well.
"Lord Hokage!" Raido stepped forward anxiously.
This was no ordinary matter. Words materializing in the mind—this was a crisis beyond imagination. And the content itself… Raido didn't even want to think about it.
"Emergency! Summon the Konoha council immediately. No—call Yamanaka Inoichi first!" Hiruzen ordered grimly.
"Yes!" His guards bowed and vanished at once.
The Yamanaka clan was one of the few in Konoha proficient in mental jutsu. Inoichi, their leader, specialized in techniques like the Mind Transfer Jutsu, capable of extracting intelligence even from the most uncooperative prisoners.
Elsewhere, Shimura Danzō nearly had a heart attack when the words suddenly appeared in his mind. Though pale, he quickly regained composure.
This was someone's trick. And whoever it was had to be found—immediately.
"Come!" Danzō barked.
Whoosh! Four or five masked Root operatives appeared, kneeling before him.
"Investigate this immediately!"
"Yes, Lord Danzō!"
Meanwhile, the so-called "God of Shinobi" himself was happily teaching Hinata how to grill fish, with absolutely no sense of guilt, basking in the sweet, bubbling atmosphere.
"See, Hinata? If you flip the fish like this, the meat stays tender."
Hinata took a bite, her voice soft but certain:"…Delicious."