Chapter 26: The Timeline Seemingly Unchanged
"Not easy? What's so difficult about living in this world?"
Hyuga Hiashi looked at Ryosuke, clearly confused by what he just said.
As the head of the Hyuga clan, backed by countless loyal branch family members who had protected the clan even in times of war, he couldn't comprehend why life now—during peace—could be considered hard. Especially when the main family had remained unscathed through every conflict.
But then, something clicked. The confusion in his eyes slowly gave way to realization. The anger faded, replaced by surprise, then disbelief.
"…What did you see this time?" Hiashi asked in a low, cautious voice.
Now that Ryosuke had said that, if Hiashi still didn't get it, he'd be a fool.
Is it really that hard to survive in this world?
If anyone else had said it, Hiashi wouldn't have thought twice. But those words, coming from Ryosuke—who could glimpse the future with his eyes—hit differently.
For someone like Hyuga Ryosuke to say it would be hard to survive… that spoke volumes about what lay ahead.
Even now, the ninja world was in a period of long-awaited peace. Could another Great Ninja War be on the horizon?
How long can this peace actually last?
That single thought opened the floodgates of questions in Hiashi's mind.
Given Konoha's position and power, there shouldn't be any external threats to the Hyuga clan. The other villages, after years of tension, hadn't managed to shake Konoha's dominance.
So who—what—would be the enemy?
Seeing the complicated emotions flashing across Hiashi's face, Ryosuke offered a soft smile.
"It'll be a mess, yeah. But don't worry, Father. I'll handle it."
"…You really can't tell me anything?" Hiashi asked, half pleading, half resigned.
Before Ryosuke could answer with his usual smirk, Hiashi shook his head. "Never mind. I get it. If you say too much, the future changes—and both our judgments get clouded."
He'd been through this before. Ever since learning of Ryosuke's special Byakugan, Hiashi had asked for help whenever major decisions loomed over the clan. Hoping for a glimpse into the future. But each time, he'd only get vague hints—sometimes helpful, sometimes cryptic. Still, they'd guided him well.
What he didn't know was that Ryosuke hadn't seen the future at all. Every insight he offered came from cold analysis and judgment—not prophecy.
"Alright then, you two should head to bed early," Hiashi finally said, letting the conversation drop.
"We'll take our leave, Father. You too, get some rest."
Ryosuke grinned, grabbed Hinata's hand, and turned to leave.
Hinata, who had been quietly standing nearby the entire time, didn't say a word. But she was always there for these talks. Ever since she completed her basic training and began learning Gentle Fist, she'd been allowed to observe clan discussions. Though she never spoke, she listened closely.
Ryosuke always kept her by his side, and Hiashi never told her to leave. As the future clan head, she needed to learn.
Hiashi watched the two walk off, eyes lingering on their backs before he sank into his chair and closed his eyes.
Once his thoughts settled, guilt slowly replaced frustration.
Maybe I overreacted…
Ryosuke's dream had seemed so small and naive at first. He didn't understand the weight of things—of war, of duty. But thinking about it now, Ryosuke was already extraordinary.
Whether as a ninja or as a Hyuga, he had surpassed expectations. There was nothing more Hiashi could teach him in theory—only in the brutal clarity of real combat.
And with every fight, Ryosuke improved so fast it was scary.
If it weren't for limits in physique and chakra reserves, he'd probably surpass me soon…
Hiashi's eyes snapped open, now filled with determination.
Maybe it's time he faced the real world. Real battles. Real killing.
With that thought, he turned back to the stack of clan paperwork and resumed his work.
---
"Alright, that's it for today. Class dismissed!"
At the front of the classroom, Iruka clapped his hands and called out, "Naruto, follow me to the office."
He packed up his gear and walked out.
At the back of the room, Naruto groaned dramatically and collapsed onto his desk.
"Ahhh… Iruka-sensei's gonna make me recite the stuff we just went over. Why does he have so much free time to torture me?"
Despite the complaint, there was a subtle happiness behind the whine.
"It's your fault for spacing out during class. He just wants you to keep up," Ryosuke replied with a grin. "You're getting special lessons after class—nobody else gets that kind of attention."
Naruto sighed again, but got up anyway. After a few seconds of sulking, he grabbed his stuff and jogged after Iruka, ignoring the annoyed glances from some of their classmates.
A full week had passed since school started. And honestly, Ryosuke found it way more boring than expected.
Still, he was patient.
The theoretical side of chakra and spiritual training was completely new to him. It was fascinating. Between studying energy properties of chakra and something "glorious" like becoming Hokage, Ryosuke would choose the former without hesitation.
Anything tied to cultivation or inner development held his attention like nothing else.
As for socializing… well, Ryosuke was stuck sitting next to Naruto. Naturally, they talked. At first, just a word here or there. But over time, they got more comfortable. Eventually, it just felt normal.
Nothing dramatic—just natural.
And surprisingly, Naruto had really taken his advice from the first day to heart. Ryosuke had told him to go talk to the Third Hokage, and for whatever reason, Naruto actually did.
Something must've clicked in that conversation, because when Naruto showed up the next morning, he was a completely different person.
Confident. Loud. Determined.
He was suddenly shouting about becoming Hokage and making the whole village acknowledge him.
Even Iruka had changed. On day one, he had carried the same underlying resentment toward Naruto that many villagers did—misguided but real. But it seemed the Third Hokage had sat him down and told him the truth, or at least part of it.
That one conversation flipped Iruka's anger into guilt, and that guilt turned into compassion.
From then on, Iruka paid special attention to Naruto in every class he taught. He made sure Naruto understood everything and wouldn't allow him to fall behind.
Naruto, of course, grumbled about it constantly. But Ryosuke could tell—deep down, he appreciated it. Even if he'd never admit it out loud.
On the surface, it looked like nothing had changed.
The plot was moving along just like in the original timeline. Naruto still acted like Naruto. Iruka still became his first real teacher. Everything seemed the same.
But Ryosuke knew better.
A butterfly had flapped its wings—and the storm hadn't even started yet.
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