Naruto carried Hinata beneath a large tree and adjusted her into a comfortable position, allowing her to rest her head on his lap as she drifted into a deep sleep.
Still asleep, Hinata rubbed her face affectionately against Naruto’s leg.
She seemed to be dreaming about something.
Her cheeks turned rosy as she murmured softly, “Naruto, I… I like you too…”
A faint smile appeared on Naruto’s face as he gazed at the adorable girl.
He gently poked her cheek.
Hinata’s face grew even redder.
“Naruto… don’t do that…”
Naruto couldn’t help laughing.
He stopped disturbing her sleep and took out the three brats’ money pouches.
After briefly counting their contents, he raised an eyebrow.
“Four thousand ryō?
Just how many people did those brats extort?”
Regardless, the money belonged to him now.
Naruto casually slipped the four thousand ryō into his pocket.
Suddenly, he noticed some movement on his leg.
When he lowered his head, he was surprised to discover that Hinata had already awakened.
She remained sprawled across his lap with her face flushed red.
Opening her small hands, she offered him a large collection of coins.
“Naruto, do you need money?”
“This is all I have with me right now.
If it isn’t enough, I can go home and get more.”
Looking at Hinata’s rosy face, Naruto couldn’t help smiling.
“I only took their money to teach those brats a lesson.
After losing so much, they probably won’t dare bully you again.”
Hinata nodded despite only partially understanding his explanation.
She then looked down at the coins in her hands with disappointment.
“It’s actually all right.
I still have plenty of allowance money.
If you want…”
Her cheeks turned bright red.
“I can support you, Naruto…”
Naruto fell silent.
Was he about to become a rich girl’s kept man?
Did Hinata have the potential to become his wealthy patron?
Unable to decide whether to laugh or cry, Naruto poked Hinata’s soft, chubby cheek.
“You’re far too young to start keeping a man.
Besides, I’m not the kind of man who can be bought with money.”
Hinata looked even more disappointed.
Retracting her hands, she murmured, “I thought you really needed money.”
“Then I’ll put this ten thousand ryō away…”
Naruto froze.
Wait!
How much had she said?
Ten thousand ryō?
Naruto’s hand shot out and seized Hinata’s wrist.
Gazing sincerely into her eyes, he declared solemnly:
“Hinata, from this day forward, I am officially your kept man.”
Under Hinata’s stunned gaze, Naruto took the ten one-thousand-ryō coins from her hands.
Ten thousand ryō!
That was equivalent to an entire month of his living expenses.
And this was merely Hinata’s allowance.
The Hyūga clan was obscenely wealthy!
Fortunately, Hinata was the girl he liked.
With that thought, Naruto smiled and kissed Hinata on the cheek.
“Thank you, adorable Hinata.”
Hinata fell silent.
Poof!
A cloud of white steam erupted from the top of Hinata’s head.
Her face turned even redder than a ripe apple, and she collapsed into Naruto’s arms.
“Naruto… kissed me… Mmm…”
For the third time, the bashful Hinata lost consciousness in Naruto’s embrace.
Naruto cheerfully carried Hinata back to the Hyūga compound.
Not even the unfriendly stares of the Hyūga shinobi could ruin his good mood.
He returned home with a broad smile on his face.
Clatter!
Naruto poured every coin he possessed onto the table and carefully counted them.
The corners of his lips gradually curved into a subtle smile.
“Fourteen thousand two hundred and thirty ryō in total!”
No man grew rich without a windfall, just as no horse grew fat without extra feed at night.
Murder and arson paved the road to riches.
This was more than fourteen thousand ryō.
If Naruto had tried to save it himself, he would have needed to go without food or water for at least a month and a half.
“So this is what it feels like to be financially supported?”
“This really is… Hinata is far too adorable…”
Naruto smiled contentedly.
Later that night, Naruto sat cross-legged and closed his bright blue eyes.
His consciousness entered the system inside his mind.
This time, he didn’t open the kekkei genkai display case.
Instead, he opened the training display case.
[Taijutsu Mode—Taijutsu Training]
[Taijutsu Training: Grants the host one month’s worth of taijutsu training memories and strengthens the host’s physical constitution.]
[Sale Price: 1,000 ryō]
[Ninjutsu Mode—Clone Technique]
[Clone Technique: Grants the host one month’s worth of ninjutsu training memories and improves the host’s proficiency with the Clone Technique.]
[Sale Price: 1,000 ryō]
[Weapon Mode—Kunai Training]
[Kunai Training: Grants the host one month’s worth of kunai training memories, improves the host’s ability to throw and wield kunai, and strengthens the host’s physical constitution.]
[Sale Price: 5,000 ryō]
Naruto briefly examined the dazzling selection of training products inside the display case.
This was his first time purchasing one.
Previously, he had been so poor that he could only save every coin he possessed toward purchasing a powerful kekkei genkai.
At that thought, Naruto subconsciously glanced toward the mirror.
His reflection had dry, lifeless blond hair and a small, painfully thin body.
Even his face carried an unhealthy yellow pallor.
“I ate ramen for all three meals every day just to save money.
Even supplementing my diet with nutrients and protein occasionally wasn’t enough to compensate for the damage to my body.”
Naruto shook his head slightly.
“I seem to be the shortest person in the entire class.”
He turned his attention back toward the training display case.
“Purchase Taijutsu Training!”
The words “Taijutsu Training” immediately turned gray.
An entire month’s worth of memories surged into Naruto’s mind.
Within those memories, Naruto stood alone in an empty training ground.
His face was expressionless as he mechanically performed every exercise with perfect form.
One thousand push-ups!
One thousand sit-ups!
One thousand steps while running on his hands!
Ten full-speed laps around Konohagakure!
And much more.
Throughout that month of memories, Naruto endured what could only be described as the most brutal training regimen in the world.
Even the harshest boot camp couldn’t compare with the intensity of his training within those memories.
It was nothing short of inhuman torture.
However, the results were equally apparent.
Naruto’s sickly yellow complexion gradually regained a healthy color.
A small amount of muscle began appearing on his slender arms.
The changes were particularly noticeable across his arms and thighs.
Even the growth that had been delayed by malnutrition resumed, causing him to become slightly taller.
In a matter of moments, Naruto underwent a complete transformation.
The painfully thin boy who had suffered from chronic hunger was replaced by one possessing a healthy, powerful body.