People often misunderstood the technique, she thought. Because it was called wireless puppet control, everyone assumed it only applied to puppets. But a puppet, after all, was just an inanimate object — like a doll, or paper, or even a leaf.
If the principle was control, then what mattered was not the form, but the will.
The Tenseigan's power — combined with her expanding chakra control and mastery of gravitational manipulation — had made one thing clear to Hinata: the essence of her bloodline was absolute control.
Objects, energy, even chakra itself — anything without sentience could be commanded through her will.
…
With that understanding, she began to experiment.
Paper.
Wooden blocks.
Kunai.
Shuriken.
Leaves.
Each responded differently, but paper proved the most ideal. It was light, required little chakra, and could be imbued with explosive tags to turn harmless folds into deadly weapons in an instant.
Hinata watched the floating origami spin gracefully around her, their delicate movements illuminated by the soft moonlight filtering through her window.
A gentle smile curved her lips.
"Beautiful," she whispered. "And dangerous."
Hanabi clapped joyfully in the background, while Hinata's mind — calm and calculating — was already imagining new ways to turn simplicity into strength.
…
In terms of appearance, the origami couldn't take the shape of a shuriken or a kunai.
Weapons immediately drew attention — and once an enemy became wary, the entire tactic would lose its effectiveness.
Controlling paper required only the faintest trace of chakra. Unless someone had exceptionally keen senses or possessed a dōjutsu like the Byakugan or Sharingan, they would never notice it.
Taking advantage of this, Hinata decided to focus even more on deception.
If the origami looked harmless, most opponents would ignore it. And if an enemy unknowingly approached a paper flower hiding an explosive tag... the result would be devastating.
Determined to refine the concept, Hinata visited Tenten and Ino for advice, and even sought guidance from Ino's mother, who was renowned for her delicate handiwork.
After much thought, Hinata settled on the design of origami flowers — simple, elegant, and unlikely to arouse suspicion.
She abandoned her earlier prototypes: cranes, paper airplanes, paper mice, five-pointed stars, and windmills. The more realistic the flowers looked, the better. Ideally, they should appear indistinguishable from real ones.
To perfect her skill, Hinata humbly asked Ino's mother to teach her. Under her patient instruction, Hinata's folding techniques improved rapidly, and within days, her origami flowers looked lifelike enough to fool the eye.
She had considered consulting Sakura as well, but since the issue with Sasuke still weighed heavily on her, Hinata chose not to disturb her friend.
…
Hinata's thinking had begun to shift beyond the boundaries of combat.
When she worked on her home space, she applied her wireless puppet control techniques to construction — and the results were remarkable.
Her ability to multitask through chakra control allowed her to manage several tools simultaneously.
Digging foundations, pouring cement, clearing weeds — everything moved with astonishing speed and precision. The materials she had stockpiled were used up quickly, and the efficiency left her with extra time to continue studying sealing arts.
Sometimes, all it took was a simple change in perspective to unlock new potential.
…
Eight days later, a new notice came down from the Hokage's office — an official arrest warrant for Uchiha Sasuke. He was formally declared a rogue ninja.
When Teams 8 and 10 heard the announcement over lunch, all six members froze. They turned simultaneously toward their respective jōnin leaders for an explanation.
Kurenai and Asuma exchanged confused glances, then left to inquire further.
When they returned, their expressions were unreadable.
"The Hokage's orders," Kurenai said quietly. "Apparently, Sasuke has been given a… mission — as a rogue ninja."
"What kind of mission?" Kiba asked in disbelief.
Asuma shook his head. "That part wasn't disclosed. No one outside the Hokage's circle seems to know what happened during the last eight days."
Hinata listened silently. Naruto must be involved, she thought.
If both Naruto and Sakura could still smile so freely, then there was clearly more to the story than what had been told.
…
Before the end of their two-week break, Hinata waited for Tenten's discharge from the hospital — and to her surprise, Tenten invited her out for dinner.
Hinata was puzzled. When did I become so close to her? she wondered, watching Tenten beam at her across the table.
But once they began talking, the two found themselves getting along easily, sharing stories, ideas, and laughter.
Tenten was particularly fascinated by Hinata's origami flowers — the fusion of paper craft and explosive tags.
"This method is genius!" Tenten said, eyes gleaming. "They look so harmless — no one would see it coming. I can't believe I didn't think of this first!"
Hinata smiled modestly and explained her design process in detail, from chakra flow adjustments to sealing placement. Tenten listened carefully, taking mental notes.
When they finished, Tenten waved her hand dismissively.
"Don't think I'll let you share all that for free. Here — take these."
She set a box on the table filled with explosive tags.
"I can't lend you money — my parents handle all that — but ninja tools, tags, weapons, anything like that? Just name your price! If it's a small order, I'll give them to you free. Bigger quantities, I'll give you a discount!"
Hinata blinked, slightly overwhelmed. "Tenten… when did we become this close?" she thought silently, blushing as she accepted the gift.
…
As the holiday came to an end, Hinata began organizing her supplies for the next mission.
Her essentials included pills, medicinal wine, and herbs for preparing healing baths.
She also packed snacks, cooking utensils, and other necessities — all carefully sealed into scrolls using her advanced sealing techniques.
Her three restored puppets were sealed into separate scrolls and strapped securely across her lower back.
The countless origami flowers she had folded in her free time were stored in another scroll — with a deadly secret: one explosive flower hidden among every hundred harmless ones.
They looked perfectly ordinary, indistinguishable from simple decorations.
But in close quarters, when the enemy least expected it… one spark could mean instant death.
…
When everything was ready, Hinata prepared to depart. Her father, however, insisted on accompanying her to the mission post.
"Father, there's really no need," Hinata said softly. "I can handle this myself."
Hiashi shook his head firmly, carrying her pack on his shoulder.
"There are too many unsavory people out there. I'll see you off — at least that much I can do."
Together, they walked to the mission office.
When they arrived, Hinata blinked in confusion as she glanced at the posted assignment.
The client's name read: Hyuga Hiashi.
There was only one man in Konoha with that name.
She turned toward her father, puzzled. Hiashi looked slightly embarrassed but composed himself quickly.
Under the curious gaze of the Chunin on duty, he pulled Hinata aside and lowered his voice.
"Yes, that's right," he whispered. "This mission was issued by your father — specifically for you."
Hinata's eyes widened.
Hiashi continued in a conspiratorial tone, "Once you arrive, don't even think about coming back too soon. Stay out there for a while — indefinitely, if possible. The sea is vast and full of food. Catch whatever you want! Just… don't fish in our own waters. Go to someone else's."
Hinata stared blankly. "...Father…"
Hiashi cleared his throat and spoke more seriously.
"Listen carefully. Your main task is to secure food and lodging. The secondary objective is to deal with any pirates or sea monsters near the coastline. That should be manageable, yes?"
When Hinata nodded, still dazed, Hiashi's expression softened.
Once Kiba and Shino arrived, he personally saw the three of them off, activating his Byakugan to watch until they disappeared over the horizon.
Only then did he exhale deeply, his shoulders relaxing.
If Hinata stayed in the village any longer, the clan's finances would collapse. Her appetite alone was legendary.
The wealthy patrons who occasionally sponsored her couldn't sustain such expenses forever.
So Hiashi had devised what he thought was the perfect solution.
Send his daughter to the sea — where food was endless and free — and let her stay there until the clan's situation recovered.
…
"Hinata! What's the mission this time?" Kiba asked curiously as they left the village gates. Usually, Hinata would brief them in advance, but today she kept the mission scroll tucked away.
Hinata's cheeks flushed pink.
"You'll find out when we get there," she said quickly. "It's… a secret for now."
The more secretive she was, the more curious they became.
Now, even the quiet Shino tilted his head, a faint hint of intrigue flickering behind his glasses.