Task reward: Byakugan

Ichiraku Ramen Shop.

"I'm full, thank you for the treat!"

Might Guy stood up and said, "Kitazawa, if you ever want to learn more Taijutsu, feel free to come find me."

"Okay." Kitazawa agreed without hesitation.

"I'll go meet that Rock Lee you mentioned." Might Guy had a smile on his face as he spoke.

"See you next time." Kitazawa gave a slight nod.

He watched Might Guy leave, secretly wondering if this would change Rock Lee's fate.

Would Rock Lee, who had now begun learning the Eight Gates Technique six years early, still end up being disqualified during his match against Gaara from the Sand Village?

"I'm full too, Kitazawa-sensei." Hinata put down her chopsticks with a soft voice.

The large bowl of char siu ramen in front of her had been completely emptied.

"Teuchi-san, another bowl." Kitazawa glanced at her bowl and said.

"You're still hungry?" Teuchi poked his head out from behind the counter and asked.

"It's not for me—it's for Hinata." Kitazawa smiled.

"Huh?" Teuchi blinked in surprise and looked at Hyuga Hinata.

"I..." Hinata blushed and looked down, unsure how to refuse.

"Hinata." Kitazawa leaned forward, gently pinched her cheek, and asked, "Be honest—are you really full?"

"No... not really." Hinata's heart trembled as she answered, her cheeks turning even redder.

"You really can't judge people by appearance." Teuchi sighed and returned to the kitchen.

Soon, a second bowl of char siu ramen was served. Under Kitazawa's gaze, Hinata blushed again and quietly picked up her chopsticks.

Although she was incredibly shy, she still maintained her graceful Hyuga upbringing and ate with elegant manners.

Ten minutes later, the second bowl was polished off.

"Teuchi-san, one more bowl," Kitazawa called out again.

Hinata pursed her lips, the blush on her face deepening. It was the first time someone had discovered her hidden appetite.

"Chakra is made by combining physical energy and mental energy." Kitazawa reassured her, "Being able to eat well is a good thing."

At that moment, four lines of text appeared before his eyes:

[You have uncovered your deskmate's secret. As a class monitor, you must support her while keeping it a secret.

New task: Feed your deskmate Hinata Hyuga until she voluntarily reveals her secret.

Task reward: Byakugan.]

[Do you accept?]

Kitazawa's pupils shrank slightly. Although he had completed many tasks so far, the rewards were usually basic ninjutsu. Still, for an ordinary Chūnin like him, they were valuable power-ups.

But this task was in a different league. The Byakugan was a priceless treasure.

In the ninja world's black market, the starting bounty for Sharingan and Byakugan was over 10 million ryō. Due to the cursed seal of the Hyuga Branch Family, a complete pair of Byakugan was even rarer, worth as much as someone like Asuma Sarutobi.

After all, ninja's eyes were plug-and-play.

Even if the Byakugan couldn't evolve like Sharingan, it offered massive advantages: farsight, x-ray vision, and enhanced insight would significantly boost Kitazawa's strength.

If he also learned Gentle Fist and reached Jōnin level, it would be an easy climb from there.

"Hinata, eat as much as you want. Teuchi and I will keep your secret." Kitazawa returned to his senses and said seriously.

"It's basic customer confidentiality," Teuchi added with a nod.

"Thank you." Hinata picked up her chopsticks again and started her third bowl of ramen.

Time ticked by slowly.

In the end, Hinata finished seven bowls. Much less than her future self in the original story, but considering her age, it was still impressive.

Teuchi was amazed. If not for her distinctive Byakugan eyes, he might've mistaken her for an Akimichi.

Still, as a ramen shop owner, he welcomed customers with strong appetites.

"Hinata, how do you feel about this morning?" After leaving Ichiraku Ramen, Kitazawa and Hinata walked toward the Ninja Academy.

Hinata fell silent. She didn't know how to respond at first.

For her, this was the most rebellious morning of her life. From skipping class to climbing the school wall to eating so much ramen—it was thrilling.

But more than that, it felt like a taste of freedom.

"I feel... very happy." She said it softly, barely louder than a whisper.

Kitazawa almost didn't catch it. They soon arrived at the door of the first-grade Class A room.

"Hinata, see you next class." Kitazawa smiled, then added, "Today's special training was really effective. Let's continue tomorrow."

Hinata's face grew hot. She nodded and quickly turned away, scurrying into the classroom.

It was lunchtime, and many students were resting at their desks.

"Hinata." Ino looked up at the sound and asked, "Where did you go?"

In Ino's mind, Hinata was the picture of a perfect student. Who would've thought she'd become the first to skip class?

"I... I went out with Mr. Kitazawa." Hinata replied shyly.

"Mr. Kitazawa?" Yamanaka Ino straightened her back and became more curious.

"It's n-not a big deal… we just went to practice Taijutsu." Hinata lowered her head into her arms and whispered.

Ino was thoughtful. A private lesson? But Kitazawa doesn't seem like that kind of teacher…

Afternoon.

Kitazawa stood on the training field, explaining the technique of kunai throwing. Today's lesson moved from static to dynamic targets—raising the difficulty significantly.

However, for students like Sasuke and Hinata, it wasn't much of a challenge.

They had already mastered these skills before entering the academy. Soon, the class split into two groups.

The students who successfully hit the moving targets were allowed to go into free practice.

As usual, Sasuke went off alone to practice chakra control on a tree. Kitazawa quietly followed.

"Hey, should we go take a look?" Ino noticed Kitazawa and Sasuke heading off.

"Nope." Shikamaru was sprawled on the grass, too lazy to move.

Choji didn't respond—he was too focused on his potato chips.

"Hinata, let's go." Ino grabbed her friend's hand and dragged her along.

As for Sakura, she was still diligently practicing her kunai throws. Although her talent was good for a civilian ninja, she lacked the clan background and early training of the others.

"Huh?" Hinata hesitated.

She was curious but more afraid of disappointing Kitazawa. Seeing her hesitation, Ino simply pulled her forward.

Soon, they arrived and saw Uchiha Sasuke climbing a tree.

"Since you're both here, let's train together." Kitazawa noticed them and smiled.

"Mr. Kitazawa." Ino walked up openly, smiling as she asked, "What kind of training is this?"

Hinata glanced at Kitazawa, then looked down with a light blush.

"This is chakra control training. Normally, it's taught after graduation." Kitazawa explained, "But since you're both gifted, you can give it a try in advance."