Naruto: Drop System

"Yakumo, didn't Sensei Kurenai take you on this mission?"

"Um... Sensei... Sensei Kurenai is on a high-level mission this time. She thinks my physical condition wouldn't allow me to keep up for more than half a month."

"A mission like that really isn't suitable for you just yet. Wait another year or two... When you turn eighteen, I'll take you on high-level missions myself."

"Mmm... okay."

In the dimly lit art studio, paintings were displayed everywhere—on the walls, floor, and propped up in corners.

Yagyu sat on a sofa in front of an easel, admiring Kurama Yakumo's artwork. If one looked closely, they'd notice his pupils had turned golden, with a red marking around his eyes.

Holding the dim Gelel Stone in his hand, Yagyu gently stroked Yakumo's soft brown hair, like petting a cat, as he chatted with her casually during the treatment.

After a while, with a faintly pained sound from Yakumo, another session ended.

Having transferred life energy from the Gelel Stone to strengthen Yakumo's constitution, Yagyu stood up, gazing down at the young girl who had resumed her dignified appearance as the Kurama clan's heiress, dressed in a kimono. He smiled, "We're having a gathering at Tsunade's house tonight. Be there by six o'clock."

"...Yes."

"Then I'll be off. Remember to get outside and get some sunlight every day."

With a final pat on her head, Yagyu left the mansion feeling refreshed, heading to the Hyuga clan's compound to pick up his fiancée's younger sister, Hanabi.

Amid respectful bows and greetings from the main and branch family members of the Hyuga clan, Yagyu soon emerged, hand in hand with a young girl in a kimono.

Much like Hinata and the others, ten-year-old Hanabi, who would turn eleven in a few months, had changed greatly over the past three years.

Three years ago, Hanabi had looked no different from when Yagyu and the others had first entered the Academy, with chubby cheeks that made her easy for Yagyu to carry around like a child during their D-rank missions.

Now, however, Hanabi's face had lost much of its baby fat, with only a faint trace remaining.

At this point, even Yagyu felt it wouldn't be appropriate to carry her around in public.

Most sixth-grade students were only around 140 cm tall at age twelve, but Hanabi was already nearly 150 cm, with physical conditioning and skills qualifying her to graduate early.

At this growth rate, by the time Hanabi graduated, she'd likely look similar to her appearance in the later series at fourteen, or even taller.

By the time she reached adulthood, she'd undoubtedly be a stunning beauty over 170 cm tall.

And all of this, naturally, was thanks to Yagyu.

The Gelel Stone had little value left for him personally, but it was still infused with tremendous power in the ruins underground. With its energy capable of devastating half a continent if unleashed, Yagyu couldn't absorb it all in just two years.

After mastering the technique of transferring life energy to others, Yagyu frequently used the Gelel Stone to enhance the health of the girls close to him. For most of them, the energy transfer happened through Yagyu's physical healing technique, similar to how he helped Tsunade.

Yagyu was especially fond of his precocious and adorable future sister-in-law, Hanabi.

Knowing she aspired to become strong enough to inherit the clan head role from her sister, Yagyu had, since last year, made a habit of stopping by to enhance Hanabi's constitution after each treatment session with Yakumo.

Today was no exception.

"Big Brother, I'm moving up to sixth grade next year," Hanabi said as they walked. She was dressed in a light-yellow kimono, with her long black hair down to her waist, braided into two pigtails at the sides of her bangs.

Once they exited the Hyuga compound, she walked backward to face Yagyu, hands behind her back, her face full of hope as she requested, "In another year, I'll be graduating from the Academy. When that happens... Big Brother, could you be my Jonin instructor?"

"Your Jonin instructor?"

Yagyu was momentarily surprised, pulling her back to his side when he saw pedestrians approaching. He asked curiously, "Has your father agreed to let anyone else instruct you?"

Unlike Hinata, who was given some independence, Hanabi had already been earmarked as the next head of the Hyuga main family and was considered the clan's future.

As the heir to one of the Leaf's few remaining noble clans, Hanabi had a very special status.

And with that status came special treatment.

No one outside the Hyuga clan could train her.

After her graduation, her father, Hiashi Hyuga, a Jonin himself, would likely take her on missions and train her in the Hyuga way—just like how Orochimaru once guided Anko Mitarashi, or how Kurenai was guiding Yakumo Kurama now.

In such a unique situation, even Tsunade or the Third Hokage would agree to the arrangement.

"Father wants Neji to be my Jonin instructor, but..." Hanabi paused, a look of admiration in her eyes. "I want to become a cool ninja like my sister!"

"I see..."

Understanding her motives, Yagyu gently patted her head and chuckled, "So, you're hoping I'll secretly teach you the monstrous strength technique, right?"

"Yes, yes..." Hanabi nodded vigorously, pouting slightly. "Father and Sister are too traditional; they always stick to the old ways. Father forbade Sister from teaching me, and Sister, following Father's orders and without permission from the Hokage, won't teach me either."

After saying this, Hanabi clung to Yagyu's arm, pleading cutely, "Big Brother, please say yes, okay?"

Faced with her earnest plea, Yagyu's heart melted instantly; he couldn't resist her request.

Thinking about Hanabi's upcoming graduation, which would happen after the current events were over, he considered that once Team 8 disbanded, taking a short break as her Jonin instructor before assuming the role of the Sixth Hokage in a few years sounded like a nice change.

So, Yagyu nodded with a smile. "Alright, I promise."

"Really? Yay!"

Hanabi cheered, hugging Yagyu's arm and bouncing up and down with excitement.

In her joy, she even jumped up to give him a peck on the cheek, then held out her pinky with a bright smile. "It's a promise, Big Brother. You can't take it back!"

"Yes, yes..."

Yagyu nodded, extending his pinky to link with hers.

"Come on, let's go help Sister."

With a cheerful grin, Hanabi took Yagyu's hand and dashed ahead, her laughter echoing as they made their way toward Tsunade's mansion.

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