"Sorry, but now isn't the time to explain everything."
Naruto replied calmly, "Konoha is about to undergo an unprecedented change. When it does, everyone's attention will be focused on it. Afterward, I promise I'll give you—and all the members of the Hyuga Clan's Branch Family—a chance to change your fates."
This promise wasn't just to the Neji standing before him. It was also a promise to the Neji from countless cycles of reincarnation, and to the Neji from his first life.
Naruto didn't need to deliberately show Neji what he could do.
When the Chunin Ninja Exams came around, Neji would see Naruto's abilities for himself.
After that, Neji would come looking for answers.
Just as Neji furrowed his brows and was about to press Naruto about his baffling words, a loud, energetic voice suddenly rang out from the other side of the training ground.
"Rock Lee!"
Everyone's eyes instinctively turned toward the voice.
A man dressed in the same green jumpsuit as Rock Lee, but with even thicker eyebrows, had appeared in the middle of the training ground at some point.
He moved with incredible speed, effortlessly separating Rock Lee and Sasuke, who had been fighting.
Naruto caught sight of the bandages scattered around Rock Lee's wrist and understood.
In the fight just now, Rock Lee had been so eager to prove himself that he'd even planned to use a Forbidden Jutsu.
But Might Guy had arrived in time and stopped the fight before it could reach its conclusion.
"Teacher Might Guy..."
Rock Lee immediately lowered his head like a child who'd done something wrong, his voice growing faint.
Guy didn't say anything at first. Instead, he suddenly punched Rock Lee hard in the face.
Rock Lee covered the swollen side of his face, his eyes instantly reddening.
"Teacher Might Guy!"
"Rock Lee!"
The next second, the master and student threw their arms around each other without warning, tears streaming down their faces as they shouted each other's names.
The scene turned awkward in an instant.
Naruto, Neji, and Tenten seemed to be used to it by now.
Only Sasuke stood there, completely dumbfounded, his face full of confusion and his eyes wide with shock.
"What are they even doing?" Sasuke couldn't help muttering.
Watching them, Naruto could almost see the two ever-passionate master and student running beneath the setting sun. He stepped over to Sasuke and said, "Let's go. It's getting late."
Sasuke looked away and snorted. "Boring... I thought I'd finally get to have a decent fight."
With that, Sasuke didn't spare another glance at the sobbing Guy and Rock Lee. He turned and followed Naruto.
Neji watched Naruto's retreating figure, his lips parting.
He seemed to want to ask something, but in the end, he said nothing.
His mind was full of questions, but he knew this wasn't the time to ask them.
Might Guy, having just finished his "lesson in youth," glanced surreptitiously in the direction Naruto and Sasuke had gone. His expression was somewhat grave.
"That Kakashi... Did he really teach Sasuke a dangerous jutsu like Chidori?"
"Looks like the strongest Genin of this generation will be either the Uchiha heir or Neji."
Early the next morning.
The three members of Team 7 gathered at their usual spot right on time.
"Sorry, sorry..." Kakashi suddenly appeared atop a telephone pole, waving cheerfully. "On my way here, I ran into a lost kitten, so..."
The three were already used to his bizarre excuses for being late, so none of them reacted.
Naruto folded his arms and said coolly, "Just get to the point, Teacher Kakashi."
"Okay, okay." Kakashi jumped down from the telephone pole and took out three forms, handing one to each of them. "Starting today, you won't have to take on any missions for a while. I've recommended you for this year's Chunin Ninja Exams."
Sasuke took the application form, a flicker of excitement in his eyes.
At last, he'd have the chance to fight more opponents and get stronger.
Naruto and Sakura each received their own application forms as well.
"Turn this form in to Room 301 at the Ninja Academy by four tomorrow afternoon," Kakashi added. "That's when the first round of the Chunin selection exams will begin."
After speaking, Kakashi suddenly turned to Naruto. "Also, Naruto, stay behind. I have something to discuss with you in private."
"Sasuke, Sakura, you can head back and get ready."
Sasuke was absorbed in the anticipation of taking the Chunin exams and didn't pay any attention to the interruption. He nodded and turned to leave.
Sakura found it a little strange, but didn't ask about it. She left with him.
Only Naruto remained where he was, a faint stir in his heart.
Something was off.
Based on his past cycles, Kakashi wouldn't have asked to speak with him alone at this point.
What had caused things to change?
It couldn't have been anything that happened in the Land of Waves...
Right, it was what he'd said to Kakashi during the survival exercise.
"Teacher Kakashi, just say what's on your mind," Naruto said calmly. "Did the Third Hokage reject your proposal?"
Kakashi scratched his hair, looking a little awkward beneath his mask. "You even guessed that?"
"It wasn't hard. The Third Hokage is conservative and unwilling to change. Even when faced with major crises, he always says, 'Wait a little longer and we'll find a way,' or 'We have to handle this carefully,' yet he never comes up with any real solutions."
"And these crises have appeared precisely because he's spent years in power doing nothing."
Naruto's tone was calm, but his words hit the mark.
Kakashi was momentarily at a loss for words.
Naruto's assessment of the Third Hokage was blunt, but impossible to refute. And it did seem to be true.
Kakashi hesitated for a moment. Feeling that speaking ill of the Third Hokage probably wasn't right, he replied quietly, "Is... that so?"
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Naruto smiled faintly. "You didn't call me over just to complain, did you?"
Kakashi let out a soft sigh, as if he'd made up his mind. His tone grew serious. "After that survival exercise, I thought about a lot of things. I admit I'd fallen into a certain misconception back then, but now I understand what matters."
"Unfortunately, the Third Hokage isn't willing to change the current system..."
As he said this, even Kakashi found it a little strange.
Why had he instinctively come to Naruto to discuss something so serious?
Perhaps it was because Naruto had been the one to bring it up in the first place.
And though Naruto was young, he always seemed more composed and perceptive than his age would suggest.
"Since you know Konoha has a lot of problems, and the Third Hokage won't change anything..." Naruto's voice remained calm. "But things have to change. That leaves only one option."
Kakashi's heart jolted at those words.
He suddenly realized that speaking with Naruto today might have been a mistake.
The Third Hokage wasn't willing to change. But what if someone forced the change?
Wouldn't that mean...
He'd originally hoped Naruto could help persuade the Third Hokage. But now it seemed Naruto's ideas were far more radical than he'd imagined.
"I was actually... hoping you could help persuade the Third Hokage," Kakashi said after a moment's hesitation.
"It won't work." Naruto shook his head. "That's just who the Third Hokage is. The older he gets, the more conservative he becomes."
"Teacher Kakashi, you remember the Hyuga incident, don't you?"
"Cloud shinobi came to Konoha intending to kidnap Hinata, and Hiashi Hyuga killed them on the spot."
"Then Kumogakure turned around and blamed Konoha, demanding Hiashi's head."
"Anyone with even a little sense knew Kumogakure was clearly in the wrong, but the Third Hokage agreed. In the end, Hizashi Hyuga had to sacrifice himself to settle the incident!"
"He acted that way back then, so what makes you think things will be different now?"
"Of course..." Naruto changed tack. "Perhaps the Third Hokage had other reasons for his actions. But in the end..."
"If we truly want what's best for Konoha, we need a Hokage with more resolve and greater foresight."
"The Third Hokage... he's grown old."
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