Survival Exercise (1)

Hinata woke up to find only Naruto beside her.

She sat up in a daze for a moment, then turned to glance at Naruto, who was sitting on a nearby step, lost in thought. Suddenly remembering what had happened earlier, a blush crept back across her cheeks.

My dream is to earn Naruto-kun's recognition...

My dream is to earn Naruto-kun's recognition...

The more she tried not to recall it, the more the words echoed in her mind. Hinata felt her face burning hot, and she grew restless, unable to sit still. Just then, Naruto noticed her stirring and turned with a smile. "You're awake, Hinata?"

"Mm... where are the teacher and Sasuke?" Hinata murmured, not daring to lift her eyes to meet his, instead fidgeting with her fingers.

Naruto found her like this utterly endearing. He took a form from his pocket and handed it to her. "They left first. This is the consent form for tomorrow's survival exercise."

"Survival exercise?" Hinata felt like she'd only been unconscious for a moment—how had so much happened? She blinked a couple of times, wanting to ask how long she'd been out, but the question felt too embarrassing to voice. She hesitated, unable to get the words out, and finally took the form in silence, lowering her head to read it.

She wouldn't have looked if she'd known—one glance and she was shocked. "If you fail the exercise, you go back to the Ninja Academy? The pass rate is only thirty-three percent?"

The elimination rate is this high... If I can't become a genin, how will I face Father?

And Hanabi—what will she think of me?

Hinata was filled with worry, feeling that among her classmates, she was still near the bottom.

Naruto stood up, stretching his arms, and laughed at her expression. "Don't worry, Hinata. I won't let Teacher Kakashi send you back!"

Hearing this, Hinata sat on the step, clutching the form in her hands, her face red and her heart pounding—thump, thump—in her chest.

Sensitive little Hinata felt like Naruto's attitude toward her was... somehow different? Was there a hint of fondness? But what if she was just overthinking it? Naruto was kind to so many people—was he treating her as a good friend, or...

Her thoughts tangled into a knot of worry.

"That's settled then, Hinata. See you at the training ground tomorrow." Naruto waved, smiled in farewell, and with a whoosh, vanished in a leap.

Hinata stayed on the rooftop for a while longer before heading home herself.

That night.

In the private dojo of the Hyuga Residence, under the dim yellow lamplight, stood a short-haired girl.

Hinata wore a mesh-tight training top, her Byakugan activated and filled with focus, as she practiced the Gentle Fist technique back and forth across the dojo floor.

Shh—her small feet twisted against the smooth wooden boards, leaving behind a trace of sweat.

Ha—she thrust out a palm, sending a surge of chakra-infused force through her hand, invisible to ordinary eyes.

Hinata was drenched in sweat, breathing lightly.

In the empty dojo, droplets of sweat fell to the floor, and everything was silent.

Swish—the door slid open.

It was Hanabi, staring in surprise at Hinata in the center of the dojo. "Sister, still practicing this late?"

Hinata smiled sheepishly, withdrew her stance, turned off the light, closed the door, and followed her younger sister to bathe.

The Uchiha Residence. Starlight spilled over the deserted pavilions and towers.

The former clan head's home.

In the courtyard, Sasuke sat casually on the edge of the veranda, letting the cold moonlight wash over him, idly twirling a kunai hooked on his finger.

Not a soul was around—not even the chirping of insects could be heard.

Staring quietly at the moon hanging against the black curtain of night, Sasuke replayed in his mind the words Naruto had said to the Third Hokage during the day.

Then he began to recall the six years of grueling training, the cold, despairing night six years ago, and the days when his father, mother, and brother were still here.

Where does my future lie?

Sasuke asked the moonlight in his heart.

The Uzumaki Residence.

Naruto sat at his desk in his pajamas, studying a scroll intently under the lamplight.

The scroll recorded the only jutsu he had memorized from the Scroll of Sealing—the signature technique of his father, the Fourth Hokage—

The Flying Thunder God Technique.

It was an extremely advanced, rare Space-Time Ninjutsu, and it demanded more from the learner's talent than any other technique.

Naruto wanted to learn it for two reasons: first, to become different from the version of himself in his memories, stronger and more outstanding; second, because his father had been the second person in Konoha to master it, and he desperately wanted to be the third.

The night was quiet, and so was Naruto's heart.

The next day, a little past eight in the morning, Naruto arrived at the agreed-upon training ground and found Hinata and Sasuke already there.

"Uh... I'm late..." Naruto scratched his head sheepishly. He'd been studying scrolls late into the night and overslept this morning, so he'd just wolfed down two slices of bread, chugged a glass of milk, and rushed over.

Sasuke carried a backpack with a short sword strapped to his lower back, showing no reaction. Hinata, of course, was even less inclined to complain; she shook her head and said softly, "It's okay, Naruto."

Naruto looked around and grinned. "Just as I thought—there's no way Teacher Kakashi would show up on time..."

Hinata covered her mouth with her fist and chuckled lightly.

Naruto laughed too.

Sasuke shot a glance at the two of them. Why did they seem so irritating to him? "Hmph... let's wait. It'll probably be a while." He walked over to a tree, set down his backpack, sat, and closed his eyes to rest.

Naruto and Hinata exchanged a look, then walked over and sat down to rest as well.

It wasn't until 11:30 in the morning that Kakashi finally strolled in, late.

Naruto couldn't take it anymore. He stood up and snapped, "That's way too slow! Isn't this going too far?!"

Kakashi waved a hand dismissively, unbothered. "Sorry, I got lost on the path of life..."

Sasuke stood up expressionlessly. Of everyone here, he was probably the most used to this shamelessness.

Hinata stood up nervously. This exercise was about whether they could become genin...

Jingle, jingle. Kakashi pulled two bells from his pocket.

Naruto saw them and smiled. "Teacher Kakashi..."

Kakashi cut him off. "Naruto, I know you understand the purpose of this exercise, and your personal skills are very strong. I was originally planning to change the format... but because of a recent breakthrough in my own training, I've decided to stick with this exercise."

He paused, then continued, "By exactly 12:00 noon, anyone who takes a bell from me passes the exercise. Anyone who doesn't... goes back to the Ninja Academy!"

Kakashi took out an alarm clock and set it on a wooden post.