During his training with Hizashi, Naruto realized that the members of the group chat couldn't see what was happening in that place.
They could only communicate through the chat.
[Tobirama Senju: Has the system generated an exclusive training space? If I'd known, I would've trained the boy personally.]
[Hashirama Senju: Does that mean we can train him directly now?! That's amazing!]
[Mito Uzumaki: Instead of transferring all my knowledge of Fūinjutsu, I'll be able to teach him in person. I much prefer this option.]
[Minato Namikaze: Indeed. Had I known, I would've trained him instead of passing on my power.]
[Kushina Uzumaki: Who cares about that now?! The best part is I don't have to wait until after the Chūnin Exams! I can finally meet my baby in person!]
[Madara Uchiha: This annoys me. I'm sure the brat hid this information from us.]
[Kushina Uzumaki: My baby would never do that...!]
[Tobirama Senju: Wait! It could be that…]
[Mito Uzumaki: If we'd known about this before, we would've refused to transfer our strength and insisted on training him directly.]
[Tobirama Senju: Exactly what I was about to say, Mito.]
[Minato Namikaze: Now that I think about it… my son tricked us, didn't he?]
[Naruto Uzumaki: I wish that were the case! But I had no idea this was even an option.]
[Tobirama Senju: I find that hard to believe...]
[Naruto Uzumaki: …]
Naruto understood that, after trying to trick and scam them so many times, it was hard for them to trust him.
Honestly, though, he didn't really care.
…
When his training with Hizashi ended, well into the night, Naruto returned home to rest.
The next morning, he went back to the same place where he had arranged to meet Hinata.
Naruto arrived first.
Soon after, Hinata appeared, beaming with joy upon seeing him standing there, waiting patiently for her.
"Good morning, Naruto-kun," she said sweetly.
Naruto smiled back.
"Good morning, Hinata. You're right on time."
She nodded, her slight smile barely hiding her excitement.
Before beginning their training, Naruto decided to trust her with the secret of his Byakugan.
"Hinata, what I'm about to tell you… you can't tell anyone, alright?"
She looked at him, slightly confused, but nodded right away without hesitation.
"Trust me, Naruto-kun! I'll never tell anyone…" she said with determination.
Naruto smiled, amused by how serious she looked at that moment.
Right now, Hinata was the person he trusted the most—even more than Sasuke.
Of course, he wasn't counting Kushina or Minato.
"The truth is… my father's grandfather was from the Hyūga Clan, from the Branch Family," he said, repeating the lie he had planned with Minato.
Hinata's eyes widened in surprise.
"Really…?"
Naruto nodded before activating his Byakugan.
Hinata gasped.
"That's incredible, Naruto-kun!" she exclaimed, excited. "If my father finds out, you might be able to join the Hyūga Clan!"
Naruto frowned.
"No way," he rejected immediately.
Hiashi would never allow someone like him to join the Hyūga Clan.
And if by some miracle he did, they'd only accept him into the Branch Family.
Besides, the idea of being branded with the Cursed Seal of the Caged Bird was completely unacceptable to him.
Hinata realized her mistake and nodded, embarrassed.
In her excitement, she had forgotten what it really meant for Naruto to join the clan.
The Cursed Seal of the Caged Bird was placed on all Branch Family members to seal their Byakugan upon death and prevent enemies from uncovering its secrets.
That part made sense.
But its other purpose was much darker: to control the Branch Family and prevent any kind of rebellion.
The clan's Patriarch could activate it at will to destroy the brain cells of any member who disobeyed or rebelled.
Basically, the Branch Family were slaves to the Main Family.
Hiashi had softened that practice since becoming clan head, but he still used it when he deemed necessary.
Even so, being the Jinchūriki of the KYŪBI, Naruto knew the Third Hokage would never allow the Hyūga Clan to have the power to control him.
And neither would Danzo.
Hinata blinked, realizing her mistake. Her excitement had made her blurt something out without thinking.
"I'm sorry…" she muttered, ashamed. "I shouldn't have said that."
Naruto sighed and shook his head.
"Don't worry. I don't blame you for being excited. But honestly, I don't want to be part of a clan that treats its own people that way."
Hinata lowered her gaze, embarrassed—not for herself, but for her clan.
Naruto noticed her expression and stepped a little closer to her.
"It's not your fault, Hinata. In fact, if anyone can change things in the Hyūga Clan, it's you. You're the heir, whether they like it or not."
She looked at him, surprised, a slight blush on her cheeks.
"You really think so…?"
"Of course," he replied firmly. "I'll help you show your father how wrong he's been about you."
Hinata clenched her fists, feeling those words light a fire within her.
"Thank you, Naruto-kun…"
"Besides," Naruto continued with a confident smile, "even though my father wasn't born with the Byakugan, my grandfather taught him the clan's techniques in case one of his descendants ever awakened it. He also passed down the most effective method for training the Byakugan. After his death, my father wrote all that knowledge down in scrolls and stored them carefully."
Hinata's eyes lit up.
"That means…" she murmured, hopeful.
Naruto nodded with a smile.
"From now on, I'll train you myself. Kurenai is a great teacher, but she can't teach you what only the Hyūga Clan knows."
Without hesitation, Hinata ran to him and hugged him tightly.
Naruto stood still for a second, surprised by the gesture. But he soon smiled and returned the hug, feeling the comforting warmth of Hinata against his chest.
"Thank you! Thank you so much, Naruto!"
Her voice was so full of emotion that Naruto couldn't help but laugh softly.
"No problem, Hinata."
After a few seconds, she quickly pulled away, realizing what she had just done.
Her face was completely red.
"S-sorry…" she stammered, unable to look him in the eye.
Naruto just smiled.
"Don't worry, you can hug me anytime…"
Hinata felt her heart stop for a second before pounding harder.
Realizing what he'd just said, Naruto laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head.
"I mean… I'm just happy to see you so excited."
Hinata nodded quickly, still blushing.
[Kushina Uzumaki: KYAAA! My daughter-in-law is so adorable…! And Naruto is blushing too!]
[Minato Namikaze: They make a good couple.]
[Mikoto Uchiha: A good couple? I don't see it. Naruto would be a better match for my daughter.]
[Hizashi Hyūga: Mikoto is right! Minato, Kushina, you'll be the first ones to be revived. You must stop Naruto from getting closer to my niece after their training!]
[Fugaku Uchiha: Hizashi! Hinata and Naruto make a fine couple—leave them alone! At least this way he won't go after my daughter, the pride of the Uchiha Clan!]
[Mikoto Uchiha: "Pride of the Uchiha Clan"? You only call her that since you found out she'll awaken the Rinnegan in the future!]
[Izumi Uchiha: Aunt Mikoto's right! Besides, Naruto and little Sasuke both want to rebuild their clans. He could always take both of them as wives!]
[Fugaku Uchiha: UNACCEPTABLE!!]
[Hizashi Hyūga: UNACCEPTABLE!!]
[Mikoto Uchiha: …I hadn't considered that possibility.]
[Kushina Uzumaki: Actually, it doesn't sound bad at all… I'd have two daughters-in-law and twice the grandkids. I like where this is going.]
[Hashirama Senju: Having one wife is already complicated… and Naruto will have two? I pity him.]
[Madara Uchiha: Idiot…]
[Hashirama Senju: Why are you insulting me all of a sudden, Madara?! You want to fight?!]
[Mito Uzumaki: So I'm complicated, huh…?]
[Hashirama Senju: T-that's not what I meant, Mito…]
[Madara Uchiha: That's why I called you an idiot.]
[Hashirama Senju: WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP ME IN TIME, MADARA?! NOW I'M IN TROUBLE!]
[Mito Uzumaki: It doesn't matter where you hide, Hashirama. You won't be able to run for long.]
[Hashirama Senju: Madara, help! She's chasing me! Mito is terrifying right now!]
[Madara Uchiha: I don't want to get hit too…]
[Mito Uzumaki: Come if you dare! I want to hit you too, you husband-stealing bastard…!]
[Madara Uchiha: …]