Mischievous Naruto

Hui looked at Kabuto with resignation. It was he who had asked these inexplicable questions, yet now he was dissatisfied with her answers. If she were truly detached from everything, she would have long since ceased to be in this state.

However, seeing that Kabuto finally seemed less burdened, Hui couldn't be bothered to argue with him. "I'm heading out now. I won't be staying for dinner today."

Kabuto didn't even look at her, merely saying a flat, "Mm."

Hui felt a bit weary. Remembering the one waiting at home, she had to say her goodbyes, but asked one thing before leaving: "Mind if I borrow a book?"

She had been reading the same one for several days and needed a change; otherwise, she really couldn't absorb anything.

Kabuto looked at her, staring for a moment before asking, "You've finished that one?"

Hui shrugged and said truthfully, "I want to see something else. I'm about to fall asleep reading the same one."

With a look of disdain in his dead-fish eyes, Kabuto remarked, "If you can't even master that, you really are the most worthless one."

"Hey, hey! That's going too far!" Hui glared at Kabuto indignantly, though her eyes were filled with helplessness. What could she do? She was just as desperate as he was.

"Heh..." That signature Kabuto-style mockery couldn't have been more familiar.

Even so, he walked into the room, retrieved a book, handed it to Hui, and then stared blankly ahead again.

Hui shrugged speechlessly and left the Orphanage with the book in hand.

Someone saw her leaving and asked curiously, "Hui, aren't you staying for dinner?" Everyone turned toward her upon hearing the voice.

Hui waved her hand and said, "I have to head back, so I won't be staying."

"Alright then, be careful on your way!" Everyone bid her farewell, knowing full well that Hui had her own life and was, in fact, different from them.

Waving back at them, Hui left the Orphanage, though her heart felt inexplicably melancholy.

With a foundation in experimentation, Kabuto's progress in medical ninjutsu was rapid. In contrast, Hui's progress was much slower. She had seen the disdain in the corners of Kabuto's eyes more than once. Fortunately, her theoretical knowledge salvaged some of her image, but she was still looked down upon in various ways, to the point where Hui almost began to doubt her own abilities.

Fortunately, the guidance Kabuto gave her was still highly efficient. Moreover, she would occasionally bring snacks to the Orphanage, successfully winning over the other children and maintaining good relationships with everyone.

Nonō would also guide the two of them. She was much more meticulous than Kabuto. Seeing that Hui got along well with everyone and was kind to them, she once stroked Hui's hair with extreme gentleness and said, "Little Hui really is a hardworking and lovely child."

Hui felt as if she were enveloped in a saintly halo, making her even more determined to master medical ninjutsu.

Naruto also noticed that Hui had become more diligent lately. She would still drag him up early in the morning to run the mountain trails, and after he was exhausted like a dog, she would make him train in taijutsu.

He had been disciplined by Hui quite a bit, as she trained him with even more severity than before. Yet, Hui remained just as "brutal," not letting him slack off in the slightest. He truly felt that Hui was incredibly black-bellied during training.

Fortunately, there was a ramen reward after completing the training. Hui would still eat ramen with him, though she often couldn't finish it, and he would end up polishing off the rest.

Additionally, that Sasuke whom he disliked would occasionally come to find Hui. Watching them spar from the sidelines, he definitely wasn't jealous at all!

Although Hui looked delicate, the explosive power in her body sometimes left even Sasuke unable to parry. Her reaction speed was also very fast, and the graceful way she controlled the entire situation couldn't have been cooler.

And that Uchiha Sasuke actually knew such powerful Fire Style ninjutsu!

Naruto sighed inwardly. Was he being looked down upon by Hui? He wanted to ask Hui for advice, but she had been so busy lately.

At night, she would sit quietly in her room reading, writing down many things he couldn't understand. The room was piled high with thick books and all sorts of notes.

Then, at noon, she would disappear somewhere. Although he had thought about following her, he had never succeeded; he didn't know if Hui had eyes in the back of her head.

The only thing that comforted him now was eating ramen with Hui. Every day, he looked forward to the time they spent going to Ichiraku after morning training.

However, he didn't have it easy either. Hui had given him many scrolls, and he had to study these things desperately when she wasn't around. Because, if Hui came back and found him slacking off or making no progress, she would turn into an explosive Hui!

Watching Hui explode again, yet seeing the helpless expression on her face, Naruto chuckled.

Hui glanced at him, turned, and went back to her room. Naruto stretched his neck to watch her, and before long, she came out holding a stick from who knows where.

"Naruto, let's spar. See this thin stick in my hand?" Hui looked at him with a cunning glint in her eyes and then began to move.

Naruto felt a pain all over and started scrambling around the room. "Hui, I was wrong! I really have been training hard!"

Hui chased after him, her hand continuing to rap against Naruto as she said, "Oh yes, you worked very hard at sleeping all day!"

"I... I was really sleepy. I was practicing... and then I just fell asleep!" Naruto hurriedly explained. He thought Hui wouldn't listen, but to his surprise, she stopped.

He looked back at Hui, fearing a sudden attack; he was like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bowstring. But Hui just stared at him blankly. After a while, she finally spoke: "Naruto... do you not like this way of training?"

Naruto froze for a moment, frowned at Hui, and said sheepishly, "The things you gave me... I really don't understand them..."

Hui paused, feeling a bit lost. For the first time, she felt that she wasn't someone who could easily change the future of others; she couldn't even control her own future right now.

As for Naruto, she was currently bringing forward everything he would only master in the future. She dared not imagine if a series of butterfly effects would occur later on.

Hui withdrew the thin stick, looked at Naruto, and said in a slower tone, "Fine. From now on, you can choose what you want to train in. I won't interfere, but you are not allowed to slack off, and taijutsu must be trained properly!"

A smile bloomed at the corners of Naruto's mouth. "Okay!"

Hui sighed helplessly, remembering that Naruto would be able to go to the Ninja Academy before long. She just didn't know if she would be able to stay until then.

"Naruto, do you want to go to the Ninja Academy?"

Naruto looked at her blankly. "What Ninja Academy?"

"It's a school where you can systematically learn various ninjutsu," Hui explained patiently.

"You mean the school Rock Lee goes to?" Naruto suddenly remembered that Rock Lee seemed to have gone to that place.

Hui nodded. Seeing Naruto fidgeting, as if he had something to say but didn't dare to, she asked, "What's wrong?"

"I heard that parents are supposed to go to the opening ceremony together. How about you come with me, Hui?" Naruto described excitedly, not wanting to stand there all alone.

Hui laughed, her eyes filled with a gentle light. "Alright."

"Hehe, I knew you were the best, Hui!" Naruto ran up to Hui and gave her a happy hug.

Hui was startled by Naruto's sudden ambush at first, but seeing the silly look on this guy's face, she understood just how much he craved the feeling of having family.

"Alright, put me down. I still have to go study!" Hui patted Naruto helplessly.

"Okay!" Naruto grinned and set her down, watching her with eyes full of joy.

Hui turned and returned to her room. Naruto watched her go inside, and then he heard her voice drift out: "You need to practice hard right now, too!"

Naruto stuck out his tongue and walked toward the pile of scrolls, picking one he liked to start practicing.