"If you don't have a girlfriend, then I could—"
"Absolutely not!"
Might Guy flung his rag aside and leapt to his feet. His face, usually so bold and unyielding, flushed an unnatural shade of red as he waved his hands frantically at the small, silver-haired girl in front of him.
"I'd get thrown in prison!"
"What are you even thinking?" Hikari deadpanned, her expression darkening. "I meant you should adopt me."
"A-Adopt?!"
Guy froze, his bushy eyebrows shooting up. That was not the answer he'd expected.
"You can tell I'm not exactly normal, right?" Hikari picked up her cane and nudged the tan bundle at her feet.
Guy nodded slowly.
No ordinary person carried that much cash around.
And despite the cloth covering her eyes, she moved with eerie precision. He couldn't tell if she was actually blind or just faking it.
"I'm not from Konoha. I came here to become a shinobi, but the Academy doesn't accept outsiders. So, I need a Konoha citizenship—and you're my ticket."
Hikari kept it simple. Seeing Guy's scrunched-up face relax slightly—a sign he was following along—she pressed on.
"You adopt me, help me become a Konoha-nin. I pay you. Mutual benefits. Deal?"
"Well…"
Guy hesitated.
At twenty-one, freshly promoted to jōnin, he'd never considered marriage—let alone fatherhood. Adopting Hikari wouldn't disrupt his life much.
But the real kicker?
He was strapped for cash.
As a taijutsu specialist, he could only take combat missions. Each time he opened the Eight Gates, the injuries left him hospitalized—sometimes wiping out his entire mission payout.
Then there were the daily expenses: protein supplements, meat, medicine, torn training clothes… The costs piled up.
If not for his jōnin rank boosting his earnings, he'd still be borrowing from his eternal rival, Kakashi, just to scrape by.
Hikari's offer? Easy money.
But this was too sudden.
They'd just met, exchanged names, shared a meal—and now, family?
It felt…
THUD! THUD!
Two thick stacks of cash slammed onto the floor, the sound rattling Guy's resolve like a hammer to his pride.
"Say yes, and from today onward, I cover everything—food, gear, weapons, medical supplies."
Hikari flicked a strand of silver-gray hair behind her ear, her tone dripping with arrogance.
"Oh, and I've got rare taijutsu training oils and secret formulas—better than anything on the market. Yours, exclusively."
The Kaguya clan had hoarded plenty of such recipes.
(⊙o⊙)
With each perk, Guy's resistance crumbled—especially at the mention of secret training formulas. His face practically glowed with temptation.
"And a monthly allowance—"
"ENOUGH!"
Guy cut her off with a dramatic sweep of his arm, his eyes blazing.
"Konoha's Blue Beast is at your service!"
---
Rustle, rustle—
Guy bustled around, clearing out the spare room for Hikari.
Seated on a stool, she watched him work, a sly curve playing on her pink lips.
Hook, line, and sinker.
Earlier, while scanning the village with her Byakugan, she'd spotted Guy training alone—drenched in sweat, pushing his limits.
Perfect.
A strong, kind-hearted, gullible jōnin—desperate for cash?
It was almost too easy.
And then there was the Eight Gates technique…
With her near-indestructible body, amplified chakra from the Gates, and Muscle Domination to focus every fiber of her strength?
The possibilities made her giddy.
So she'd waited for him, playing the role of a helpless blind girl.
And just as predicted—Guy's kindness did the rest.
He'd barely let her fake a tragic backstory before dragging her home.
Saved her the trouble of lying, too.
After all, Kakashi had been watching from the trees all afternoon. He knew she wasn't what she seemed.
Probably reporting to Hiruzen right now.
She smirked, recalling Kakashi's bored yawns over his Icha Icha.
But with Guy as her guardian?
No one would dare touch her.
By tomorrow, the adoption would be official.
Then? She'd flaunt her talents, climb the ranks, and secure her place in Konoha—all while Guy handled chores, cooked meals, and even trained her.
One salary, infinite benefits.
The only downside?
Legally calling him "Dad."
A small price to pay.
---
Knock, knock—
Guy turned, startled, as Hikari stepped inside.
"Ah! The room's still a mess—"
"I'll help."
Before he could protest, she grabbed a rag and joined him.
"W-Wait, you shouldn't—"
"It's fine, Guy."
Hikari flipped the grimy cloth and kept scrubbing.
"Money brought us together, but after tomorrow? We're family."
"Family…"
The word hit him like a punch to the gut.
Since his father, Might Dai, had passed, family had become a distant memory.
CRASH!
A stack of clutter toppled, sending a dust-free photo frame tumbling toward Hikari's head.
Guy lunged—
Snap.
Her small hand caught it midair.
"Relax. I have my ways of 'seeing.'"
She handed back the frame—a faded image of two green-clad figures.
"But… that's a secret technique, isn't it?"
"Nothing's more important than family."
Guy stared at her, then at the photo—his father's face staring back.
Hikari's words echoed in his chest, familiar and warm.
Family, huh?
Watching her work, something in his lonely heart shifted.
---
Unseen, Hikari's Byakugan observed his softened expression.
This was why she'd come to Konoha.
The original story? Irrelevant.
A single butterfly's wings could stir a storm—let alone a living, scheming wildcard like her.
But here, she knew these people.
Their weaknesses.
Their hearts.
And in a world of shinobi, that was the sharpest blade of all.
---