The evening sky was painted crimson, streaked with drifting clouds.
Outside the Hyuga residence, the laughter of Hinata and her mother could already be heard before they even stepped through the gate.
In the courtyard, Hyuga Hiashi was taking a leisurely stroll. Hearing his daughter's cheerful voice, he turned with a rare, gentle smile just as Hinata and Hanako crossed the threshold.
The moment Hinata spotted her father, she broke free from her mother's hand and ran toward him in tiny steps before leaping straight into his arms.
"Father! Why didn't you come pick me up after school today?" she pouted, her voice sweet and innocent.
Hiashi chuckled, lifting her effortlessly. "I was busy this afternoon, so I couldn't accompany your mother. How was your first day at the academy? Do you like it?"
The Hyuga household was peaceful and warm. Despite his stern exterior as clan head, Hiashi was deeply affectionate toward his children. And since Hinata was his second daughter, she bore none of the crushing pressure of being the clan heir. For her, he wished only a happy and healthy childhood.
Thus, she had been pampered since birth—raised with gentle guidance rather than strict discipline.
Thanks to that, Hinata had grown into a bright, kindhearted, and cheerful child.
The existence of his exceptional son, Satoru, had also put Hiashi's mind at ease in recent years. With the village's wars subsiding and Konoha's internal balance stabilizing, the Hyuga were thriving. To Hiashi, most of his life's responsibilities had already been fulfilled.
Now he could finally relax—and enjoy simple pleasures like hearing about his daughter's school day.
"I like it!" Hinata replied immediately. "All my classmates are really nice, and Iruka-sensei is super gentle. I like going to the academy!"
For a six-year-old to say that sincerely was rare. Hiashi blinked, pleasantly surprised, then laughed.
"That's good to hear. Remember to get along with your classmates," he said, tone gentle but firm. "Don't rely on the clan's name to throw your weight around. Be kind, help your friends… But if someone bullies you, you don't have to endure it silently. If you've done nothing wrong, Father will stand up for you."
He knew his daughter well—soft-hearted, yes, but also proud. He wasn't particularly worried about her being bullied; he was far more concerned she might accidentally hurt someone with her strength.
Children were easily swayed—peer pressure, dares, the desire to show off. If that kind of behavior took root, it could become cruelty. Hiashi wanted to prevent that from the start.
"I know!" Hinata nodded earnestly. "I never bully anyone! I mean… I did hurt a girl today during sparring, but it was an accident. I already apologized!"
"Oh?" Hiashi raised an eyebrow. "Sparring practice?"
He glanced at Hanako.
Hanako smiled lightly. "Iruka-sensei held a brief combat assessment today, probably to gauge their level. Hinata's opponent was a girl named Haruno Sakura. Hinata won cleanly, though the other child cried—she likely isn't from a shinobi family. I spoke with Iruka-sensei afterward and plan to send a small apology gift to the Haruno household."
Hiashi nodded. "Good. Be generous. We mustn't allow anyone to think the Hyuga throw their strength around."
Hanako's steady competence reassured him. She had always handled social matters gracefully—better than Hiashi ever could.
Turning back to Hinata, he said gently, "Remember—most children aren't trained like you. Even in friendly sparring, be careful. Hurting others isn't a trivial matter."
"Yes, Father."
Hiashi carried her inside. The aroma of freshly prepared dishes drifted through the hall—dinner was ready.
"Go fetch Satoru from the dojo," Hiashi instructed a maid as they entered the dining room. "It's time to eat."
No matter how busy they were, the family made a point to share dinner together—a small tradition that kept them connected amidst the duties of leadership and training.
When Hyuga Satoru finally arrived, the others were already seated. Hiashi's stern expression softened at once.
As Satoru sat down, his father asked casually, "I heard the Fourth Hokage sent you a letter this afternoon. What was it about?"
Meals were served individually, but conversation flowed freely—no formal restrictions. Dinner was, after all, the family's only true time together.
"The Hokage invited me to serve as one of Kushina-sensei's guard shinobi," Satoru replied, lifting his bowl. "Since she's the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki, he hopes she can completely master the beast's power. To ensure safety, he's assembled a team to support her training."
"The leader of this assignment," he continued, "is none other than one of the Legendary Sannin—Jiraiya-sama. The team includes Yamato, who wields Wood Release, my friend Uchiha Shisui… and myself."
Hiashi's chopsticks froze mid-air.
"To assist a jinchuriki in controlling the Nine-Tails…?" he repeated, frowning deeply. "That's extremely dangerous. You agreed to this?"
"Of course." Satoru spoke calmly. "To train a jinchuriki, the seal must be partially loosened so the host can interact with the beast's chakra. That carries risk—but the Hokage's preparations are thorough.
"With Jiraiya-sama overseeing, and with Wood Release and Sharingan among us, we have multiple methods to suppress the Nine-Tails if needed. And if worse comes to worst, I can evacuate everyone using the Flying Thunder God."
Hiashi's frown deepened. "Even so, risk is still risk. You could have declined."
Satoru smiled faintly. "I want to observe Kushina-sensei's training myself. And more importantly… I've heard Jiraiya-sama has mastered a unique art called Sage Mode. I'd like to see it—and perhaps learn from it."
At that, Hiashi fell quiet, recognizing the spark of ambition in his son's voice.
After a long moment, he sighed. "Very well. Since your mind is made up, I won't stop you. But be cautious. If anything feels wrong, withdraw immediately."
"Of course," Satoru said.
Hanako and Hinata didn't fully understand what a jinchuriki was, but they could sense from the men's tone that the mission was dangerous. Both looked at Satoru with concern—until he chuckled and shifted the topic, asking Hinata about school.
When she started excitedly recounting how Naruto defeated Uchiha Sasuke during their first spar, her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.
Dinner passed in warmth and laughter.
Three days later — Morning
As promised, Satoru arrived at the Hokage's office.
It had been some time since their last meeting, and Minato immediately noticed the change. The young Hyuga's features had sharpened; his aura was heavier, far more controlled.
Even with Minato's advanced sensory skills, Satoru's chakra felt immeasurably vast—like an ocean compressed into a leaf. He couldn't sense its limits at all.
That alone gave Minato confidence. If anyone could help safeguard Kushina's training, it was this young man.
When Satoru entered, Yamato and Shisui were already there, quietly waiting on the sofa. After exchanging greetings, Satoru received the mission scroll and began reviewing it.
They were only waiting for their final member.
Then—
BOOM!
A deafening crash rattled the building. Wind howled through the shattered windows, scattering papers across the room like snow.
Before anyone could react, a dark silhouette burst through the dust—
"Yo!" a booming voice rang out. "From Mount Myoboku—the one and only Toad Sage…"
"Ji—rai—ya!"
White smoke billowed across the floor as the man's geta clacked against the tiles. His silver hair whipped behind him like a banner; he struck an exaggerated pose, grinning from ear to ear.
The dramatic entrance was so theatrical that everyone—except Minato—was momentarily speechless.
Minato simply dragged a hand down his face, sighing. "Jiraiya-sensei… you never change."
Satoru and the others rose respectfully, bowing. For Yamato and Shisui, this was their first time seeing one of the Legendary Sannin in person. His reputation was one thing—but seeing him up close was something else entirely.
He radiated strength… and yet an almost ridiculous carefree energy.
Jiraiya gave Minato a sideways look before turning to the younger shinobi. His expression shifted from pride to surprise.
"Oi, Minato," he said, eyebrow twitching. "These are the ones you picked? They're just kids! You're having children help with jinchuriki training? Are you insane?"
Jiraiya rarely judged by appearances—but confronting the Nine-Tails' chakra with a team this young made even him uneasy.
Minato chuckled. "Don't underestimate them, sensei. Each one is among the strongest of their generation. I chose them carefully."
Jiraiya crossed his arms skeptically but let the matter drop.
"Now that everyone's here," Minato said, "you'll head to the training site. Spend some time learning each other's abilities—the more coordination you have, the safer this will be. Kushina is already waiting."
He rose from behind his desk.
Jiraiya sighed but followed, curiosity flickering in his eyes as he studied the group. He already knew Satoru—and respected him—but Yamato and Shisui were complete unknowns, and he couldn't help wondering what made them worthy of this assignment.
"Let's go," Minato said.
The Fourth Hokage lifted his hand, touching each of them lightly on the shoulder—
—and in an instant, their surroundings dissolved into golden light.
When their vision cleared, they stood beside a vast, mirror-still lake bordered by dense forest. On the far side, an immense cliff rose skyward, wooden structures embedded in its face like ancient shrines.
This was a secluded training ground Minato had constructed in secret—over thirty kilometers beyond Konoha's borders.
A place far enough that, even in the worst-case scenario, the village would remain untouched.
Because no matter how prepared he was…
Minato knew that taming a tailed beast was never, ever without danger.
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