Hyuga Kawa keenly perceived Hyuga Aoi's emotional shift.
Or rather, such girlish thoughts simply couldn't be hidden from him.
Slightly disordered breathing, a tense and stiff body, a violently pounding heart...
Although he had been psychologically prepared for Hyuga Aoi's transformation, when he truly confirmed her feelings, Hyuga Kawa's mood couldn't help but feel a little strange.
Of course, it was merely strange; there were no excessive emotions, nor any romantic notions.
Because he knew very well what he wanted, and naturally, what he didn't need.
The "Hyuga Kawa" in Hyuga Aoi's eyes had never existed, from beginning to end.
"Lady Aoi."
So, he merely shifted his gaze to the insulated food container, asking knowingly, "Is this also the clan's intention?"
"...Yes."
Hyuga Aoi paused, then instinctively lifted her chin, answering stiffly.
Seemingly realizing that her mind was in disarray at the moment, she sat down on the chair by the bed with a somewhat resigned air, opening the lid of the insulated container and taking out the food inside.
Steam, carrying the aroma of rice, wafted out. All the food was relatively light.
It was clearly specially prepared, but given her capabilities, it was obviously not made by her; it was probably made by a branch family member responsible for her daily needs.
However, Hyuga Aoi's next action startled Hyuga Kawa.
She held the hot porridge in one hand and a spoon in the other, somewhat clumsily scooping a spoonful, then offered it to Kawa.
"..."
Hyuga Kawa's eye twitched involuntarily. He began, "Lady Aoi, I can..."
"Just call me by my name."
But before he could finish speaking, Hyuga Aoi impatiently interrupted, "How can you eat with your arm injured? Do you want to lick it with your tongue?"
Watching the spoon come even closer, directly to his mouth, Hyuga Kawa leaned his upper body back, swallowing the phrase "only my right hand is injured."
Just as he was pondering the most appropriate way to handle the situation,
Click.
The ward door was pushed open again. Several medical staff in white coats entered, pushing a dressing change cart and bringing with them a pungent smell of medicine.
"Lord Kawa, it's time for your dressing change."
The leading woman's voice was very gentle, but her gaze, undeniably, swept over Hyuga Aoi, making her pout and move aside.
However, soon, the annoyance in Hyuga Aoi's eyes changed, and her face became somewhat pale.
The process and sight of the dressing change looked long and painful just by watching.
Even if the medical staff's movements were gentle, unwrapping the blood-soaked bandages and cleaning the deep wounds, the scorching and tearing sensation penetrating flesh, muscle, and bone still felt like torture.
Hyuga Kawa's lips were tightly pressed, his forehead beaded with cold sweat, and his left hand gripped the bedsheet tightly, knuckles white from the effort. He made no sound, yet it was heartbreaking to witness.
"..."
Looking at the horrific wound, Hyuga Aoi's face was pale, and her body couldn't help but tremble slightly.
[Ding! Your lie has been judged as [Fake It Till You Make It], Hyuga Aoi and others have experienced intense emotional fluctuations, reaching the level of [Deeply Convinced], gaining 800 Realization Points...]
Hyuga Kawa's injuries were not fake; controlling his self-healing ability made them at most half-fake, which is why the system judged it as "fake it till you make it."
The Lightning Release ninjutsu he used on the Hidden Cloud battlefield was similar in principle to Sasuke's later developed Lightning Release: Kirin, but their difficulty and power were not on the same level.
Itachi Uchiha merely used his and Itachi Uchiha's Fire Release to create cumulus clouds, while Hyuga Kawa used hundreds of Hidden Leaf ninja and Hidden Cloud ninja.
Just guiding the lightning from the thunderclouds was enough to cause such severe injuries to the meridians and nerves of his right arm.
However, this was also the effect Hyuga Kawa desired. That single battle was enough to establish his reputation; remaining on the battlefield further would be meaningless.
Using that ninjutsu with the combined strength of Hidden Leaf and Hidden Cloud could be seen as proper strategy, but a fully-formed Two-Tails was not something he should be fighting now.
So, when facing the Two-Tails' fury at that time, he feigned a severely injured state, unable to fight further, and Jiraiya and Gamahiro appeared just in time from the sky.
First, they suppressed the Two-Tails with the "Toad Mouth Bind" technique, interrupting the Two-Tails' Tailed Beast Bomb, and then used a sealing jutsu to return it to its Jinchuriki form.
As for Hyuga Kawa, who "sacrificed" himself for Hidden Leaf's victory...
Naturally, he was escorted back to Hidden Leaf for treatment as a "hero," under the worshipful gaze of countless Hidden Leaf ninja, and thus harvested wave after wave of points from other Hidden Leaf residents.
The first performance appearing before everyone in the ninja world went smoothly. It was likely that the Fourth Raikage of Hidden Cloud Village was about to burst with anger.
However...
"The war can't end this smoothly," Hyuga Kawa chuckled inwardly. "I hope Hidden Sand Village acts quickly."
As he pondered, the medical staff finally finished changing the dressing, and another round of thick, medicinal-smelling bandages tightly wrapped his arm.
"Lord Kawa, your injuries are very severe. Please make sure to rest quietly. If possible, it would be best to have a few people care for you..."
The medical staff quietly admonished him with注意事项 (precautions) as they packed their instruments.
But from their occasional glances at Hyuga Aoi, these words seemed more directed at her.
They were well aware that during Hyuga Kawa's days of treatment back in the village, apart from a few visitors, the Hyuga clan had sent no one.
Let alone sending someone to care for him, they hadn't even inquired once.
Only the child named Hyuga Neji had visited; others were even less attentive than a five or six-year-old child.
The indifferent attitude displayed by the Hyuga clan was so frustrating that even the medical staff couldn't stand it, often badmouthing the clan behind their backs.
"..."
Feeling those piercing gazes, Hyuga Aoi couldn't help but lower her head.
After the medical staff left, the bitter scent of herbs gradually permeated the ward, overpowering the strong fragrance of flowers.
Hyuga Aoi silently returned to the chair by the bed, picking up the bowl of now slightly cooled porridge again.
This time, her mind didn't feel cluttered, and her body wasn't stiff; her movements were natural, as if they were meant to be.
Just as she brought the spoon to Hyuga Kawa's mouth,
The ward door was knocked again.
Knock, knock.
"Come in," Hyuga Kawa said.
As the ward door opened, a smoky scent, carrying hints of sandalwood and old pages, drifted in before a figure appeared.
Then, Hiruzen Sarutobi, wearing a white Hokage robe and hat, entered the ward.
His wrinkled face showed gentle concern. His gaze first fell on Hyuga Kawa's right arm, then slowly moved between Hyuga Aoi and Hyuga Kawa.
"Do I seem to have come at the wrong time?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi joked, his voice tinged with a hoarse laugh, but he still entered the ward and closed the door.
"Lord Third..."
Hyuga Kawa extended his arm, intending to get up, but as soon as he moved, cold sweat beaded on his forehead. It seemed a tearing pain shot from his right shoulder.
"Just lie down."
Hiruzen Sarutobi instantly appeared before him, extending a hand to gently stop his movement, his gaze fixed on Hyuga Kawa's face.
Looking at Hyuga Kawa's young face, his eyes once again filled with an undeniable sigh of admiration and wistfulness.
Simply too perfect.
As a ninja of Hidden Leaf,
This child was truly too perfect.
I never thought that at my age, I would find such a person again.
"Kawa."
In his surge of emotion, Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at Hyuga Kawa's face and said solemnly, "Do you have anything you want to say to all the Hidden Leaf ninja?"
Hyuga Kawa paused, before he could say anything, he heard Hiruzen Sarutobi add, "In front of the Memorial Stone."