"Hanabi... y-you-you..."
Naruto pointed at the forehead protector Hanabi wore on her head and stammered.
"What is it? We haven't seen each other in days, and this is the face you make when you see me?" Though Hanabi said that, she was smiling happily, proudly lifting her chin.
The light reflecting off her forehead protector dazzled Naruto. He asked in disbelief, "You became a ninja? Hanabi, you're five years younger than me. You should only be eleven this year, so you shouldn't graduate until next year. How did that happen?"
"Hmph, of course I'm different from a dead last like you. I mastered the Ninja Academy curriculum long ago, and Father approved, so I applied to graduate early."
Hanabi was very pleased with Naruto's reaction. He was clearly extremely strong, and many people in the village who knew him found his growth unbelievable, yet this guy was still a Genin.
"Not only that, Naruto, I've already completed enough missions. I'll be directly participating in the Chunin Ninja Exams being held in Sunagakure a month from now. Once I become a Chunin, you'll be taking the exams too, right?" Hanabi bragged.
"Become a Chunin... no!" Naruto's expression changed drastically as he looked at Hanabi with utmost seriousness. "No, you can't become a Chunin. Hanabi, you absolutely can't become a Chunin. No, you can't become one yet. You need to wait at least a year. You absolutely can't participate in this year's Chunin Ninja Exams."
"Huh... Naruto, what are you talking about?" Hanabi blinked in surprise, wondering if she had heard something wrong.
Naruto looked at Hanabi solemnly and seriously. "Hanabi, you can't become a Chunin this year at the very least. It's dangerous. Being a Chunin isn't a joke. The situation is tense right now. One careless mistake and you could