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The following EIGHT chapters are already available to Patrons.
Chapter 8 (The Academy), Chapter 9 (Teaching), Chapter 10 (Feelings of Love), Chapter 11 (Family and Pride), Chapter 12 (Sharingan Behind The Mask), Chapter 13 (Genin Exams), Chapter 14 (Confess of Love), and Chapter 15 (A Genin of Kumo) are already available for Patrons.
While strolling through Kumo's bustling streets, Naruto reflected on his training under his grandfather and father. His musings were cut short when he slammed into someone, sending them both grunting to the ground.
After massaging his painful ass, Naruto turned to face the person he had just crushed. Before his dazzling blue eyes and short blonde hair were met, he thought, I really need to start paying more attention to the road.
"I apologize, I didn't look where I was going," Naruto said as he got to his feet and extended his hand to her. With a composed expression, the girl took his hand and stood up with him. Upon closer inspection, Naruto realized she was older than him—possibly by two or three years.
"It's okay. Is not like I'm heading somewhere I want to be." Her voice was lovely and quiet, and she spoke calmly.
"Samui Shiryoku,"
"I'm Naruto Yotsuki," he said, wiping his sweat off the back of his head.
The girl stopped at the sound of his name and arched an eyebrow. "Naruto, you mean Yugito's friend?" Samui inquired with a calculated look.
"Yugito! You are aware of..." Naruto paused, then remembered that Yugito had indeed mentioned that he had a new friend named Samui. Upon glancing at the girl, he was sure that she was the same Samui that Yugito had mentioned.
Naruto smiled and held out his hand to shake hers. "Oh, so you're Samui she's been talking about; good to meet you," he remarked.
"Unless there's another Samui around that I'm unaware of, then yeah, that would be me." Samui said with a hint of teasing as she dusted off the dirt from her clothes.
"So, where were you going?" They were still in the middle of the road when Naruto inquired.
"To my house," Samui said, with a note of irritation in her voice. "My uncool parents wanted to talk to me." She seemed somewhat irritated that she had to go back home.
"Well, that's right. Do you want to join me for ramen then as payment?" Naruto kindly said. His father always told him that he should always do something good to everyone, and giving her ramen would be a start. He knew he could talk with her while they ate ramen. He'd been pleased to hear from Yugito that she'd made a new friend, and now that she was standing in front of him, he wouldn't mind having a conversation with her.
Though Samui wanted to insist it was nothing, knowing he was giving away free ramen was quite alluring. Besides, it would be a great chance to meet Yugito's friend. From the start, Samui knew Yugito was trying to hide something; she had noticed the foolish people staring at her, and when Samui approached the blonde, she admitted to being a Jinchuuriki.
Samui didn't understand what was so wrong with that; if Yugito didn't have that big ass cat sealed inside her, then the same cat would be somewhere out there, and Samui was sure that she would much rather have it being sealed inside someone she considered a friend, rather than a Bijuu being out there, and potentially eating people, or maybe the last part was just crazy talk, Samui wasn't really sure.
Looking at Naruto, Samui remembered how Yugito talked about him. She described him as kind and gentle. Samui wondered how true that was; she knew people could easily tell lies, as easily as breathing.
"Yes. A bowl of ramen would be nice." Naruto's face lightened up as he led Samui through the village, and she nodded slightly.
Naruto sheepishly stated, "I hope your parents won't get angry with you," as he guided her through the streets.
Samui laughed, saying, "It's even cooler when they get angry." Naruto glanced at her before they resumed their stroll.
They began conversing about everyday topics as they strolled, such as the Academy and any training they may have received there. At some point, Naruto inquired whether she had begun the Academy.
"Not yet. My uncool parents wanted me to wait until my uncool brother is of age to enter so we could enter together, and I could be more prepared according to them." Samui replied with a huff at the end.
Since it appeared that she was irritated simply by bringing up her brother, Naruto didn't bother to ask about him. "When will you enter then?" Though she was a year older than him, Yugito had previously promised him that she would wait until he started the Academy, so it wasn't really a big deal. Besides, she still needed to train on her Bijuu.
Samui replied, "After two years, it is a bonus that I will enter with Yugito," then cast a cunning glance out of the corner of her eye.
"It seems we will be in the same year, we will be unstoppable," Naruto said with a wide grin. Samui chuckled slightly at his antics. Soon, they reached the ramen shop, and the man who served smiled brightly upon seeing his favorite blonde.
"Naruto! It's lovely to see you again." Rōjin grinned and said.
"Hi, Old Man! It's nice to see you as well. Where is Hina-chan?" Naruto asked as he looked around, but there was no sign of her anywhere.
"I gave her the day off because she's not feeling well today." the man answered.
"Aww, that's too bad. Well, tell her that I miss her and I hope she gets well soon." Naruto said with his usual bright smile.
"All right, my boy." The ramen chef answered, "I'm sure it will make her feel much better, knowing that you care about her."
Finally, Rōjin noticed the blonde girl with short hair standing next to his favorite customer. He decided to approach her and ask, "And who is this adorable little friend of yours, Naruto?" He asked with curiosity, a slightly teasing tone in his voice.
"She is Samui. She belongs to the Shiryoku Clan. I bumped into her while walking on the street before." Naruto introduced.
"He literally didn't see where he was going and he accidentally knocked me down on my ass," Samui mentioned with a mischievous smile.
"It's not a big deal, you know?" Naruto tried to justify his actions.
"You have no idea how to treat a woman." Samui responded with a smirk.
"Oh really, it was complete accident." Naruto defended himself even more, his face turning slightly red.
"Face it, you were probably dreaming with your eyes open." Samui continued teasing. She didn't care that he dumped into her while walking, but she found his reaction hilarious as she sat down on the stool.
"Everyone sometimes dreams with their eyes open." "Now, now, Naruto, that's not how you talk to your girlfriend." The Chef interrupted with a proud smirk. Naruto turned bright red from embarrassment, while Samui turned slightly pink, but she could control her emotions much better than Mister Sunshine.
"She's not my girlfriend," Naruto shouted, even more embarrassed, his face still red.
"Obviously not. Why would I ever want to be in a relationship with a blockhead like you?" Samui teased as she placed her arms along the bar, using her right palm to rest her face lazily while staring at Naruto, who glared at her halfheartedly.
"Don't worry. I wouldn't want to be in a relationship with you either, and I like girls who can handle themselves," Naruto remarked, trying to salvage any ego he had left, but his words made Samui smirk deviously.
"Ohh, really. So you like a woman that can kick your ass, don't worry, once we are done here. We can have a little fight together, and you don't have to hold back one bit." Samui said coyly before winking at Naruto, who blushed, but he didn't want to be seen as weak; he would fight, even though so far he had never really fought with a girl, and not that he thought about it. Samui was three years older than him; she was most likely stronger than him, but he wasn't about to back down; he would fight to the end.
"I won't holdback. I never do." Naruto promised as he finally turned to face the Chef, looking at them with a wide smile.
"You are probably the youngest couple that I have ever served, for this reason, it will be twenty five percent off." The Chef said with a teasing smile, especially looking at Naruto, who glared at him like he wanted to murder him.
"He wishes." Samui said low enough for Naruto to hear, who stared at her. Maybe if you beat me, we can have a date." She offered with an alluring smile. The male blonde had to admit that Samui was beautiful, but he didn't want to date girls just because of their outside beauty.
"No thanks. If we ever date, then I would like to get to know you first." Naruto said sincerely, taking Samui by surprise. This was perhaps the very first time she was caught off guard, and she never usually did as he sat on the stool beside her.
The Chef took their orders, and once he did, he disappeared into the kitchen, leaving the two blondes alone. "So, how did you meet Yugito?" Samui asked casually, starting the conversation first.
"My uncle Bee, he holds the eight tails-" Naruto went on and explained how he happened to know Yugito, including the little fight at the park. Samui listened to his every word like a hawk; she wanted to know if he was really a friend or just someone who wanted to mess with Yugito, but as she heard more words, Naruto sounded less likely the type of plotting and scheme; if anything she found him a bit too honest, especially when he mentioned that his uncle was the eight tails and had full control over it, that wasn't the kind of information that one should say out of the blue, she hoped that it was because she too was a member of Kumo, and is not something he would blurt out to anybody.
"What about you, Samui?" Naruto asked curiously. The embarrassment he had felt wavered the more he talked, and now he had no problem talking to her.
"Not really much to say, unfortunately. My uncool parents love my little brother a bit too much, so their genius idea is to forbid me from entering the Academy for three years just so we both enter at the same time." Samui explained with a hint of irritation that she was trying to suppress. She knew how important it was to hold back feelings.
"Oh, why, though? I doubt my Jiji will place both of you on the same team after you both graduate, and even if he does, you will be on the same team until you are still Genins. Once you become Chunins, the teams are separated." Naruto reminded her with a slight confusion as he grabbed his chopsticks and started eating ramen; it was his favorite dish, and he was the only one in the family who loved ramen as much as he did.
"I know, but talking to my uncool parents is like talking to a brick wall, and my brother is the kind of person that makes you want to punch him in the face the moment he opens his mouth," Samui answered with a huff as her hands opened and closed as if she wanted to punch someone right at this moment. Naruto wasn't sure how to feel about her opinion of her brother, but he knew it wasn't his role to teach her how to act with her family.
As Samui started eating her bowl of Ramen, Naruto stopped in his tracks and watched her closely; she noticed the way he was staring at her but didn't mind as much as she swallowed the noodles, and once she did.
"Do you like it?" Naruto asked almost anxiously, looking at her with puppy eyes.
"It's delicious," Samui said right away with a genuine smile. Before giving him a wink, he turned red, but his smile grew, and he was happy to hear someone else who liked Ramen. Their one bowl of Ramen quickly turned into ten bowls of Ramen. They kept talking more and more with one another. They found they liked walking in parks and enjoyed the quiet moments; they both loved blue flowers.
"It was delicious." Samui and Naruto praised the Chef once they ate their fifteenth bowl; Samui licked her lips, enjoying the taste left in her mouth, before turning to face her new blonde friend.
"So, how about that fight?" Samui asked eagerly.
"Oh, well, since you are in the mood to ounch someone. We can actually fight. I don't mind it even if I lose." Naruto offered with a broad smile.
"Such a gentleman. Lead the way, Naruto." Samui accepted with a teasing smile. As she cracked her fingers, she moved away a strand of hair blocking her face, placing it right behind her ear. But she quickly noticed that Naruto looked at her, a little awestruck.
"What?"
"Nothing. I just think you look much better like this." Samui turned a little pink from his words. She usually ignored everyone who complimented her, but she would lie if she said that this compliment felt the same as the others; it felt better, but she quickly regained her composure.
"Oh, keep talking like that, and we might have that date." Samui spoke with a tone that sent shivers down Naruto's spine. He had never heard a girl talk like that, and he wouldn't mind it if she spoke more often like that.
"Thank you, my beautiful lady." Samui smiled cutely at his compliment. They paid what they owned to the Chef, who told Naruto that he would have a fifty percent discount when he eventually had his date. This time, Naruto wasn't as embarrassed as the first time.
Soon, they reached one of Kumo's many training fields inside its territory. Naruto and Samui stood on the far side of each end, looking at one another with clear determination.
Samui's hand darted to her waist, pulling out a kunai with a practiced fluidity. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the blade soaring high into the air, the glint of the metal catching the sunlight as it spun. As the weapon descended towards the ground, and finally stabbed the ground, Naruto's fierce determination propelled him forward, his fist aimed straight at Samui's face. But with graceful agility, she evaded his attack, her movements as fluid as a dancer's. Not a single mark marred her smooth face.
How! I used Lightning Chakra on my feet!! Naruto thought, shocked, as he quickly followed his punch with many others, trying to get a hit, but Samui was easily dodging all of them, it was almost like a dance for her.
Naruto's determination burned fiercely as he gritted his teeth and reached for a Kunai from his trusty pouch. With a fierce battle cry, he launched himself at his opponent, his weapon poised to strike. But this time his Kunai clashed with hers. Their eyes locked in a fierce and intense gaze, both fighters refusing to back down. However, just when Naruto thought he had the upper hand, Samui's lips curled into a victorious smirk. Without a moment's hesitation, she launched a barrage of attacks, her Kunai slicing through the air with deadly precision. Despite his best efforts, Naruto struggled to keep up with her lightning-fast movements. And as he stumbled back in pain, his jacket torn open from her brutal strike.
"Is that all you can do?" Samui asked, almost mocking him, but Naruto wasn't about to give up so easily. He would not take the upper hand by relying on Kyuubi.
"You wish." Naruto smirked when he grabbed five more Kunais from his pouch. Samui was caught off guard when Naruto used his mouth, his hands, and his armpits to grab the Kunais. He then started swinging wildly at Samui, who quickly started defending herself, trying to keep up with the many new Kunais, trying to block each upcoming attack.
"Take this!" Naruto shouted as he suddenly slammed the ground hard, causing a wind blast to hit Samui, catching her off guard. Naruto rushed her, whirling around like a big ball full of spikes. Samui wasn't able to keep up, and one of the blades cut her arm. But much to his shock, Samui's entire body suddenly turned into... blood!
"What the hell?!" Naruto shouted in confusion as he stopped whirling and looked down at the pile of blood on the floor.
"You are stronger than I expected!" Naruto quickly turned around to see Samui standing behind him; the cut on her arm was gone.
"Was that a Clone?" Naruto asked, bewildered and a little amazed. He had never seen something like that, but a part of him was telling him that this was no ordinary clone.
"You can call it that," Samui said casually. Marks started forming around her body, from head to toe, thin red lines that spread from her heart to the rest of her body, like a tree twisting its branches far and wide.
Wait! Her veins are turning red and visible through the skin!! Naruto quickly concluded, wondering what Samui was doing right now. He wondered if this was a bloodline he had never heard of before.
"Congratulations, Naruto. Not even my brother can make me use my Bloodline." She said, and for the first time, she sounded impressed by him; before Naruto could even ask what her Bloodline was or what it could do, she disappeared, and he felt a sharp blade against his throat from behind.
"Game Over." Samui's voice came from behind, but unlike before, she sounded void of any emotions. Naruto slowly raised his hands in surrender, his Kunai slipping from his fingers and armpits, clattering on the floor one by one.
Once the last one fell. As Samui moved the sharp blade away from his throat, he couldn't help but feel a rush of relief wash over him. But then, something unexpected happened. He felt her warm and soft lips press gently against his cheek, sending shivers down his spine. His face instantly flushed bright red as she walked past him, leaving him in a state of confusion and desire.
"You fight very well, Naruto. Perhaps we can fight again one day. I see that Yugito has a real friend by her side." Samui complimented, now sounding much more relaxed. As she turned to face him, she giggled when she saw that Naruto was still bright red from her kiss.
"Y-you are an excellent fighter, Samui. I wouldn't mind fighting with you again," Naruto said with a slight stutter, still remembering the way her lips had felt against his cheek. Bee used to tease him about girls, but he always said that he didn't care about girls. Now, he found himself not minding if she kissed him again.
Samui giggled, and Naruto loved the sound she made. "I have to go now, see you around, Naruto," Samui said teasingly before winking at him as she walked away.
Now that he was finally alone, Naruto could finally try to regain his composure.
Bee will never leave me alone, he thought, groaning as his hand ran through his hair in frustration. He knew his uncle should never, ever learn about this incident.