Chapter 54: The Lady Must Persuade with Reason - The White Eyed Princess of Konoha

Chapter 54: The Lady Must Persuade with Reason Fish can be prepared in many ways, but given the current conditions, Kakashi could only make the simplest grilled fish. He started a small fire, cleaned the fish, skewered them with sticks, and slowly roasted them over the flame after sticking them into the ground. While keeping an eye on the fire, Kakashi added various seasonings to the fish, and soon the aroma of grilled fish filled the air. Hinata couldn't help but feel her mouth water at the enticing smell of the grilled fish. After all, she had worked hard all morning to catch these fish. Although Kakashi was the main chef, Hinata had helped, too! Indeed, there's nothing like the taste of food you've prepared yourself. It didn't take long for the thirteen fish to be fully grilled, and Tazuna's daughter also delivered lunch to everyone. Receiving her portion, Hinata spread a cloth on the ground, set out the utensils, and finally placed the grilled fish on a borrowed plate. Taking a gentle bite of the fish, she savored the crispy exterior and tender interior, enhanced by the perfectly blended seasonings. It was delicious! Content with her meal, Hinata praised Kakashi, "Kakashi-sensei, you're really wasting your talent being a ninja. Have you thought about opening a restaurant once you retire? By then, I'll probably be old enough to train new recruits. I'll bring my disciples to patronize your restaurant for sure." After some thought, Hinata added, "Of course, I'll be the one footing the bill!" Kakashi rolled his eyes heavenward. Let's just say you're complimenting me. In any case, living to retirement sounds much better than 'dying young.' Kakashi agreed to cook for Hinata not just because of her persistent request but because her words had touched him. It reminded him of the first time he visited Naruto's house, where Naruto was drinking expired milk. Kakashi's feelings toward the Third Hokage must be quite complex! During the Chunin Exams, when the Third was trapped by the Four Violet Flames Formation, Guy initially wanted to help, but Kakashi stopped him with the excuse, "He is our Hokage after all." Was Kakashi truly confident that the aged Third could defeat Orochimaru, or did he just not want to assist the Third? It's really hard to say. The Four Violet Flames Formation was formidable, but the Sound Ninja Four had limited chakra. With so many ninjas in Konoha, they could surely outlast four people, right? Consider the students led by the Third's son and daughter-in-law! Perhaps the Third wasn't as beloved in Konoha as one might think. The Third's strength was not on par with the First or Second Hokage; to rule over Konoha, he had to rely on certain means. When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you. The elderly Third may have been corrupted by the desire for power and was no longer the selfless young man he once was. "Ah." Having indulged in the meal, Hinata stretched and lay back on the ground, gazing at the drifting white clouds in the sky, not wanting to move a finger. Emptying her mind, not thinking about anything, life was truly relaxing! Hinata is someone who is content with her life and knows how to be grateful. Compared to Naruto and Sasuke, Hinata's life is much like that of a fairy tale princess—happy and beautiful. But Hinata's peaceful life comes at the expense of the entire Hyuga family supporting her. The more experiences she had in the ninja world, the more Hinata felt the weight of responsibility on her shoulders. This is not a peaceful world. The fate of ninjas may be tragic, but people like Tazuna and the citizens of the Land of Waves can't even control their own destinies. Life is hard for everyone. At this moment, Hinata felt enlightened. The more miserable the world was, the more she appreciated the blissful life of doing nothing. Not having to worry about anything, not having to think about anything, and peacefully living her cozy, serene life. Having a few silly friends, a few seemingly stern but genuinely caring elders, and enough food for three meals a day—what could be more satisfying? I'm still young, so let my father bear the burden for a few more years! Kakashi, unable to stand it any longer, lightly kicked Hinata's foot and weakly said, "Are you full? It's time to bring lunch to Naruto and Sasuke. They're almost starving!" At this moment, Kakashi suddenly didn’t seem as annoying anymore. Hinata shook her head. No! This must be an illusion. Kakashi is still so irritating! I must have fallen under a genjutsu. Tazuna's children had also brought food for Naruto and Sasuke. Hinata boxed the food and placed the last two grilled fish inside, found out where Naruto and Sasuke were, and merrily ran off with the food box. 'Bang! Bang! Bang...' Before even getting close, Hinata heard the sounds of a ninja duel. Upon closer approach, she indeed found Naruto and Sasuke sparring. Kakashi hadn't taught them any jutsu. Naruto couldn’t remember techniques with more than five hand seals, and Sasuke had his family’s fire jutsu. Apart from some signature moves, random jutsu weren’t much help to them. Having mastered tree climbing and water walking, the rest was about continuing to build a solid foundation, gaining combat experience, and learning some decisive one-hit-kill jutsu. Hinata looked up at the two figures darting swiftly among the trees and called out, "Hey, stop fighting! Come and eat!" Naruto and Sasuke leapt down from the trees, landing in front of Hinata. Their clothes were dirty, and Naruto scratched his head, laughing foolishly. "Hinata, what did you bring me to eat?" Hinata handed over the food box and said, "Here you go! These are the only things. But I caught these fish, and Kakashi-sensei helped grill them. Try them out!" Upon opening the box and seeing the contents, Naruto exclaimed, "What? Hinata, you only caught two fish all morning? And they’re this small..." 'Bang!' Hinata thumped Naruto’s head and huffed, "If you don’t want them, give them to Sasuke!" "I'm sorry!" "Humph!" Sasuke, as usual, maintained his cool demeanor, took over the box, and quietly began to eat. Naruto and Sasuke quickly devoured their meal and, without resting, were ready to resume their sparring. A sparring match, especially a balanced one, can integrate everything you’ve learned. Combat experience isn’t just about brain judgment; it’s also about muscle memory. When an opponent attacks, it's too late to rely solely on your mind to make decisions. Instead, it's about using your subconscious. When an attack comes, at the moment your eyes see it, your subconscious and muscle memory must rapidly respond, followed by conscious decision-making. "Hold on a minute!" Hinata loudly stopped Naruto and Sasuke from resuming their sparring, pointing at the messy bowls and chopsticks, dissatisfied, "Can't you clean up after eating?" Naruto stood there dumbfounded, "Isn't that something girls should do?" "Nonsense!" Hinata gave them a sweet yet firm smile, chakra-infused fists ready, saying gently yet persuasively, "I think boys can do these things too!" "I get it..."