NARUTO: Ninja World Scientific Revolution

Chapter 6: Deceiving the Hyuga Clan's Young Mistress

"Good morning, Kiyo-sama"

Hyuga Mirai greeted warmly upon seeing Kiyo Hyuga emerge from the residence of the fourth elder of the main family.

Among the Hyuga clan, branch family members of the same generation must address main family members as "lord" or "lady." For elder members of the branch family, addressing younger members of the main family as "young master" or "young mistress" is considered appropriate. Strictly speaking, the way Hyuga Mirai had addressed Kiyo Hyuga at the Ninja Academy had been improper.

Before becoming Kiyo Hyuga's bodyguard, Zosuke Hyuga had personally taught Mirai the various rules and etiquettes of the clan—protocols that allowed no margin for error.

"You've arrived, cough. Have you been waiting long?"

Kiyo Hyuga pursed her lips, attempting to maintain a stoic, mature expression as she addressed Mirai.

"Not at all, I just got here a short while ago," Mirai replied, shaking his head before falling into step behind Kiyo.

"Good. Let's head to school."

The two made their way toward the Ninja Academy. While there was more than one bodyguard assigned to protect members of the main family, finding someone of Kiyo's age to fill the role was no easy task. Zosuke Hyuga was likely in the process of selecting additional guards, possibly older members of the branch family.

Trailing behind Kiyo, Mirai couldn't help but reflect on his situation.

'My training time has been cut significantly, and I'll now have to set aside time to spar with the main family's young masters and mistresses,' he mused, adjusting his plans to accommodate this unavoidable duty.

His private training sessions would need to be handled with utmost care. Zosuke Hyuga's recent questioning had already shown a hint of suspicion, though Mirai had managed to deflect it with careful preparation.

From now on, his secret training would require even greater caution. Kiyo might be easy to mislead, but the clan elders were another matter entirely.

As for improving his physical conditioning, he had two options. The first was to increase the amount of time spent on physical training—a near impossibility given his already packed schedule. The second was to incorporate weighted gear into his routine to intensify his workouts.

After deliberating, Mirai decided to commission some weighted accessories later that evening. Being only five or six years old, he didn't need anything too heavy. Wrist and leg weights of around five pounds each would suffice. Moreover, their design could serve to conceal the weights, making them inconspicuous.

However, this meant another expense, which pained Mirai.

Mirai's unique constitution allowed him to recover energy by consuming large amounts of food. Meat provided the best results, though it was expensive, while grains and vegetables were less effective but more affordable. Balancing these costs was already a financial strain.

Even with the additional 5,000 ryo monthly stipend he received as a bodyguard for the main family—a seemingly large sum—it hardly covered two weeks' worth of late-night ramen.

Lost in thought, Mirai suddenly noticed Kiyo had stopped walking. Luckily, Mirai had been paying some attention to his surroundings and avoided bumping into her.

Kiyo turned to face him, her pearly white Byakugan eyes locking onto his.

"Is something wrong, Lady Kiyo?" Mirai asked, feigning confusion while mentally reviewing his recent actions to ensure he hadn't offended the young girl.

"Your footsteps," she said abruptly.

"Sorry?" Mirai replied, unsure of what she meant.

"Why don't I hear your footsteps when you walk?"

Ah, so that's it. Relieved, Mirai quickly explained, "Lady Kiyo, I learned this from our school textbooks. It's something I've been practicing subconsciously."

"From the textbooks?" Kiyo asked, a hint of doubt flashing across her face. She didn't recall seeing such a technique in her studies.

"Yes, the ones issued by the academy," Mirai nodded. "In Ninja Survival Essentials, Chapter Three, it mentions that to minimize noise while walking, one should lift their feet lightly, place them down slowly without shifting their weight, and coat the soles with chakra to further reduce sound."

This was indeed a legitimate technique, though few students at the academy could master it. Mirai had honed it through deliberate practice, integrating the skill into his muscle memory over time.

"So it's actually in the textbooks. It seems I need to pay more attention to the academy's theoretical lessons," Kiyo admitted. Mirai's precise citation of the book and chapter convinced her he wasn't lying.

"If it's you, Lady Kiyo, you'd undoubtedly master it faster than I did."

Mirai didn't hesitate to praise the young girl, hoping to keep her from badmouthing him to the clan elders in the future.

His words had the desired effect. Though Kiyo's lips twitched upward slightly, years of etiquette training prevented her from openly smiling in public. She pressed her lips together to suppress the expression, maintaining her composed demeanor.

"Let's not delay any further; we can't be late for class," Kiyo said, turning to resume their walk.

Mirai said nothing more and continued to follow her. Upon entering the academy grounds, the two parted ways to head to their respective classrooms.

Once in class, Mirai threw himself into his studies. With his private training time now limited, he resolved to make up for it by fully utilizing his school hours. His goal was to master the academy's theoretical curriculum—typically covered over four or five years—within one year, after which he planned to begin studying medical techniques.

Thanks to his adult-level comprehension and exceptional memory, nearly photographic in quality, this goal was entirely achievable.

Though some classmates wanted to greet him, they hesitated upon seeing him so focused on his studies. Instead, they whispered their admiration for the diligent and talented member of a prominent clan. With his strength ranking among the top in Class B, Mirai had already earned the respect of many.

Aside from a few jealous peers, Mirai now enjoyed a level of prestige in Class B comparable to Kakashi Hatake's in Class A.

When their instructor, Ichiro Ishii, entered the classroom, he was pleased to see Mirai immersed in his studies. After a quick nod of approval, the teacher rapped on the desk to signal the start of the lesson.

"Class, let's begin!"

[End of Chapter]