Chapter 18: Rebuilding the Uchiha Clan Needs Them - The White Eyed Princess of Konoha

**Chapter 18: Rebuilding the Uchiha Clan Needs Them** Sakura, with earnestness etched across her face, said to Hinata, “Hinata, thank you so much!” Hinata chuckled, “Might as well lend a hand completely; I’ll be the one to talk to Sasuke.” Ino leaped forward and hugged Hinata, laughing, “Hinata, you’re just too kind.” Enjoying the warmth and tenderness in her arms, Hinata couldn’t help but think how easily these little girls could be deceived. A little coaxing went a long way in making friends. Of course, that was just Hinata. If Naruto were here, he might end up getting pounded instead. But if Sasuke himself came along, these girls would likely get so turned around they wouldn’t know which way was north. It just goes to show that although the ninja world appears to respect strength above all, in reality, it reveres appearances. Even someone like Obito Uchiha could be redeemed; Madara Uchiha barely has any detractors, and the Akatsuki Organization enjoys immense popularity. Not to mention Kaguya Otsutsuki, who is revered as a goddess because of her beauty. The most maligned figure in the entire shinobi world has to be Danzo Shimura. He just happens to be ugly and loves to stir trouble for the handsome ones. If not him, who else could be the target of scorn? ... Ino, who was the head of Sasuke's fan club, made Hinata’s life in class a lot easier once she began accepting her. Always decisive in her actions, Hinata, upon befriending Ino and Sakura, found it absurd to hang around the chubby, lazy, and disruptive trio any longer! A clean break was necessary! Friendship over! Hinata actually planned to leave the truancy quartet and form a Konoha version of S.H.E with Ino and Sakura, occasionally singing: “You are the electricity, you are the light, you are the only myth.” If Ino and Sakura were to sing this song, wouldn’t they be extolling Sasuke? But life rarely proceeds as one wishes. The main obstacle to Hinata quitting the truancy quartet was the homeroom teacher of the class. Forgive her! The moment Hinata saw that the teacher was some nameless extra, her interest vanished. As a result, three years into school, Hinata didn’t even know her homeroom teacher’s name. Hinata spent her classes sleeping, snacking, daydreaming, or reading novels, often getting called out to stand as punishment. Since even the good girl Hinata ended up outside for punishment, the chubby, lazy, and rebellious trio naturally couldn't escape either. But who would honestly stand as punishment? Once kicked out of class, it was only natural to go out and play! Thus, Hinata became someone popular among both boys and girls in class, her popularity constantly high. However, since she promised Ino and Sakura to steer Sasuke back onto the right path, she couldn’t go back on her word. During taijutsu class, Hinata decisively called Sasuke out for sparring, discreetly giving Ino and Sakura a look that said, “Watch this.” Sasuke wouldn’t back down from Hinata; if anything, he wished he could spend day and night with her. Alright! Sasuke merely wanted to improve his skills through sparring with Hinata. Would having great strength truly restore the glory of the Uchiha clan? Such a misguided young man. As the duel began, Sasuke charged at Hinata, his speed impressive among peers, but not so in Hinata’s eyes. Effortlessly deflecting a couple of moves, Hinata seized an opening and landed a palm strike on Sasuke’s stomach. “Ow!” Sasuke wanted to grit his teeth and refrain from crying out in pain. He could endure the pain, but the feeling of wanting to throw up yesterday's meal was hard to suppress. Hinata was precise with her strikes, just enough to prevent serious injury, at most rendering Sasuke bedridden for a few hours. But her gentle fist hitting the stomach was excruciating, nauseating, causing a several-hour-long gag reflex. “Ha!” Sasuke shouted, suppressing the pain, and charged at Hinata again. Hinata shrugged it off, dodging Sasuke’s attack with a swift movement, her small hand lightly brushing over Sasuke’s stomach, leaving him momentarily frozen and subsequently doubling over, dry heaving in agony. Poor guy, really! That's for scowling at me, for being so handsome and causing every girl in class to ostracize me! Serves you right! Oops! I forgot the promise with Ino and Sakura; will they hold it against me for hurting Sasuke? Hinata clearly overestimated human grudges. For the past three years, whenever Hinata was in a bad mood or exceedingly happy, she would call Sasuke out for sparring during taijutsu class. Ino and Sakura had long grown accustomed to Sasuke being tormented by Hinata. “Ahem!” Hinata cleared her throat, crouched down, and whispered to Sasuke, “Sasuke (inner thought: foolish little brother), you’re putting your efforts in the wrong place.” Sasuke looked up at Hinata abruptly, demanding, “What do you mean?” Could it be that there’s a problem with my training method? After all this effort, why can’t I still beat Hinata? Hinata stood up giggling, gesturing for Sasuke to follow her as she turned toward a small forest adjacent to the field. Despite the pain, Sasuke rose, clutching his stomach as he followed Hinata. Is this... the small forest? Standing at the forest’s edge, Hinata suddenly stopped. In her previous life, the small forest was a popular spot for boys and girls to meet, sometimes even finding mysterious items if one looked hard enough. Is there really no issue bringing Sasuke here? Sasuke reached Hinata's side, asking puzzledly, “Why bring me here?” Oh well, since they've already avoided the crowd, discussing matters here without venturing into the forest should suffice. Turning to face Sasuke, Hinata carefully chose her words, hesitantly speaking, “Sasuke, do you want to restore the Uchiha clan?” Sasuke’s gaze instantly turned sharp, staring at Hinata with a chilling voice, “What are you trying to say?” “Aiya! Your efforts are misguided!” Hinata chided with disappointment, “Reviving the Uchiha doesn’t require power, but descendants. Don't you understand? Just think, if you had ten sons, and each of them had ten sons, you'd have a hundred grandsons. A flourishing family would naturally re-establish the Uchiha's prosperity, right?” Sasuke: “…” Gazing at Hinata, Sasuke pondered internally: Hinata's acting unusually today! What's her goal in saying all this? Her expressions were so odd, and she mentioned sons and descendants—could it be... Sasuke had seen Hinata’s clumsy demeanor many times, resembling those naïve girls confessing their feelings for him. Sasuke’s eyes flickered, unsure how to respond for a moment. Hinata, unlike those naïve girls, possessed remarkable strength, and Sasuke had observed her for a long time. When a boy keeps an eye on a girl, even if there were other motives initially, over time, he might develop some romantic inclinations. Seeing Sasuke deep in thought, Hinata nodded in satisfaction, patting his shoulder with a ‘teachable young man’ tone, saying, “So, if Ino and Sakura confess to you again, just say yes! Rebuilding the Uchiha requires their help!” “…” “Idiot!”