Naruto: Reborn in Konoha, Starting with the Drop of Asura's Chakra

Yagyu had clearly overdone it, undoing two months of progress in training Hinata to be less shy in a single moment.

Hinata had never been subjected to such blunt remarks.

When she regained consciousness, she immediately reverted to her previous timid self, her head lowered, her cheeks still flushed red.

However, her lowered posture inadvertently made the effects of her prodigious appetite—evident in certain "developments"—even more noticeable. It was the kind of development that would surely make Ino and Sakura both envious and jealous.

At this rate, Hinata wouldn't take long to embody the "petite face, large..." stereotype.

Noticing Hinata keeping her head down, Yagyu worried that she might, like some manga heroines, develop insecurities or self-loathing about her premature physical growth. Acting on impulse, he comforted her:

"It's fine, Hinata. Bigger is better. I like bigger things."

Buzz— 

It was as if a train whistle echoed as a white mushroom cloud erupted from Hinata's head.

The girl then collapsed onto the tatami mat, fainting once more.

Yagyu: "..."

The next day, at 7:30 a.m., Team 8 gathered early at the village gates, waiting for Kurenai Yuhi and the caravan to arrive.

Shino Aburame, carrying a backpack, glanced at the empty-handed Yagyu and asked, "Yagyu, aren't you bringing any supplies?"

Even Hinata, who had been avoiding eye contact with Yagyu since yesterday, looked over curiously.

Deep down, she blamed herself for being too timid. If only she had stayed to help Yagyu pack yesterday, this wouldn't have happened.

Yagyu took out a scroll and smiled.

"My luggage is minimal. Everything is stored in this storage scroll."

A lie.

The scroll was completely empty.

All of Yagyu's belongings were stored in his *Spatial Backpack*, a feature of his game-like system.

Apart from its loot-drops, the system's most practical function was its 5x5 slot Spatial Backpack.

Yagyu had already tested its capabilities. Like a gaming inventory, the Spatial Backpack could only store inanimate objects. The size and weight of each item couldn't exceed his own.

Within these constraints, identical items stacked into a single slot, up to a maximum of 99 units per stack.

With smart utilization, Yagyu's Spatial Backpack could hold an incredible amount of supplies.

"Storage scroll, huh?"

Both Shino and Hinata nodded in understanding.

Once again, the group fell silent.

It wasn't Yagyu's fault; one teammate was stoically aloof, and the other was painfully shy. Every topic seemed to fizzle out quickly, leaving Yagyu unsure of how to liven up the atmosphere.

So, he simply closed his eyes and rested.

By 8 a.m., Kurenai and the caravan arrived at the village gates.

"This is Mr. Yamada. Make sure to protect him over the next few days," Kurenai introduced.

"Yes, Kurenai-sensei," the three responded in unison.

Mr. Yamada, a kindly-looking man, smiled warmly.

"Thank you for your hard work. Once we reach the mining village, I'll be sure to treat you all properly."

His words instantly won favor with Team 8.

Compared to Tazuna from the original Team 7's story, this client was a dream. No wonder he was in charge of a caravan.

After a brief introduction, Kurenai and Mr. Yamada presented their travel permits to the Chunin guards at the gate.

For the first time in their lives, Yagyu, Hinata, and Shino stepped outside the confines of Konoha's military base.

Hinata's face lit up with anticipation, brimming with curiosity about the outside world.

Shino remained as cool as ever, hands in his pockets, pretending not to care. But deep down, he was even more excited than Hinata.

Yagyu, however, was genuinely indifferent.

Before reincarnation, he had grown up in a rural area before moving to a city of steel.

Though he had never seen this world before, he could imagine its nature: dirt paths instead of paved roads, horse-drawn carriages for nobles, and a landscape of fresh air and scenic beauty juxtaposed with muddy roads and dust clouds kicked up by passing wagons.

If not for the countless D-rank missions honing his patience, traveling by foot like this might have been a torturous experience for the team.

For five days, the caravan traveled through mountain passes and dense forests, braving harsh conditions.

Finally, Team 8 and the caravan reached the mining village atop a mountain.

The village was a stark contrast to Konoha—more of a mining outpost than a proper settlement.

Aside from children, the elderly, and a few women, nearly every villager was busy digging in the mines.

Seeing this, Team 8 had no desire to linger.

After politely declining Mr. Yamada's hospitality, Kurenai collected the mission reward and led the team back down the mountain.

Just as they prepared to travel quickly using the Body Flicker Technique, a group of figures clad in black raincoats appeared ahead.

Kurenai and Hinata's expressions changed subtly at the sight.

Kurenai made a discreet hand signal to the team.

Hinata sidled up to Yagyu, whispering nervously,

"Yagyu-kun, when we ascended the mountain earlier, I used my Byakugan to scout the surroundings. I didn't detect this group."

Hearing this, Yagyu and Shino immediately tensed, their hands instinctively reaching for their ninja tool pouches as they prepared for combat.

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