"Hey, Hinata, why is your palm extended? Are you trying to crush something?" Haku-chan asked when he looked at me.
"Hehe, it's nothing." I reverted my hand. I just got carried away in my emotions while having that internal monologue.
One of the instructors had carried away the boy I just fought. He would be fine in some hours, but damn, his face was quite the sight when the true and harsh reality bitch-slapped him.
.
Soon, the remaining matches continued to bore us with their pathetic excuses for spars.
After the spars ended, the children were gathered in one place. Our sensei, the great Iruka, started his speech, "I have seen all of your capabilities. From the next time, you will be sparring against a suitable candidate. Now go to your class; only half an hour is left before you leave for your home."
All the children cheered up after hearing it and rushed towards the classroom.
After that, he started to teach us how to be good shinobi, always loyal to the village, and some stuff about the will of fire.
"You can go home now." He announced with a happy smile and walked away, children following behind him.
"You two, wait for me at the gate. I will be back in a few minutes," I told them, which they obliged without asking anything back.
---
"Hehe, where do you think you're going, my little fox?" Grabbing Naruto's hand, I pulled him into an empty classroom.
When he was passing the nearby classroom, lost in his own thoughts, he disappeared without noticing anyone. Of course, the culprit was the devil me.
"HINA…" Without letting him yell my name out, I put my hand on his mouth and leaned him against the wall.
'The situation seems romantic, doesn't it? But it's not lunchtime yet, after all, it's not 12, hehe.'
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"Are you perhaps going to tell everyone that I am here?" I asked him with a sweet smile.
His eyes brightened with happiness, and with a sweet smile, he said, "Of course not, Hinata-chan. I was just too happy."
"How cute of you. So, how do you like the academy?" I asked him, my palm resting on the wall.
"Haha, it's fun," he said.
"How so?" I asked with the same smile, bathing in his innocence.
'If he is going to act this cute, my soul may get purified, hehe.'
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"It's because you are here, haha," he sincerely replied.
"My, my, Naruto-kun." I touched his three whisker marks, making him giggle.
"Hahaha, stop it, Hinata-chan, it tickles," he said, but despite that, he subconsciously leaned towards my hand.
"Who was the girl beside you?" he curiously asked.
"Oh… you mean Haku-chan. She is my friend. Do you also want to become friends with her?" A mysterious smile crept on my lips.
'Hehe, it would be fun to see your perplexed face when you find out she is a he, a wolf in sheep's clothing.'
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"Why are you smiling like that?" he confusedly asked, not knowing how twisted this world could be.
I couldn't control my laughter but spoke, "Hehe, nothing, nothing. Tell me, do you want to become friends with her?"
'If he wants friends, I will give him friends better than he is supposed to have, but hehe, they will be my chosen ones.'
"Hmm, no, I don't want to. Didn't you tell me once that having friends with me will put your family in danger?"
"And, I always have you beside me. If they come, you will go away, and I don't want that," he said.
'You are becoming too dependent on me, my little fox, but I want more🖤.'
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"How understanding of you. Tell me, Naruto, what do you want on your next birthday?" I asked him.
"Do you still remember it?" he asked.
*smack*
Flicking his forehead, with a chuckle I said, "You silly, did you forget we celebrated your last two birthdays?"
It was nothing special. In the middle of the night, under the moon, he had sliced the cake. Only I was present beside him, but these moments meant everything to him because his one and only true friend remembered it and celebrated with him.
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"Haha, then I want you to teach me a cool jutsu."
"Okay, anything else?" I asked him.
Putting his fingers on his chin, he started to think, "Hmm, I had good food, the money you gave me is still not spent, I also have good clothes, there are some books also which I don't like to read… ahhh… nothing came to my mind, I had everything…" he mumbled softly.
"No, I don't have anything to ask, but hehe, you have to teach me one more cool jutsu," he said while nodding to himself.
"Okay," I calmly listened to him. He always seemed very eager to learn new things. Now that he had someone who could teach him, he didn't hesitate to ask, just like a naughty child who didn't hesitate to ask his parents.
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Nodding to me, he continued, "You look so cool at the entrances, and when you beat that kid, can you teach me how to do it?" he asked.
"Hehe, do you think I am cool?"
"Yes, very cool."
'Beware of me, Naruto-kun; your heart might get frozen due to my coolness.'
But it was impossible for him to learn. First of all, he had to make the tip of every chakra scalpel on his finger so small and constructed to the size of a tenketsu point. Bigger or smaller than that wouldn't work. Second, he had to hit it with exact precision and power on the chakra point, and it is nigh impossible without Byakugan.
And another reason is the fox inside him.
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"You can't learn it, Naruto," I said, disappointing his expectations.
"Why can't I?" he asked.
"Because, my little fox, the big fox inside you is messing with your chakra. So, you cannot perform low-level jutsus that require a somewhat decent level of chakra control."
"That damn fox, he can't even stay still in there," he said in irritation.
"Don't be so disheartened; I will teach more cool jutsus than that little trick of mine," I lifted his spirits.
But the fox inside him could be a good guinea pig for me to test my strength.
.
'I am sure that the relationship between Naruto and the fox won't be the same, because Naruto wasn't a naive fool this time, and certainly wouldn't meet the criteria which the old man had set. But in the end, the beast is a beast.'
'I can manipulate him through Naruto, hehe.'
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"Do you remember, Naruto, that I once told you that you could use the fox chakra to increase your strength many folds?"
"Yes, but you told me that it's very dangerous, and I might lose control," he said.
"Yes, but remember Naruto, I once told you not to believe what people say about others, and that might be true for the fox inside you. He may not be evil, so don't look at it in a bad way. Once the time comes, I will help you to meet the fox. I hope you can talk things out between you two," I said.
He nodded to me, "Okay, I will try. But what if he doesn't agree with me?"
Hearing him, a smile formed on my face, "Then you have to beat him into oblivion and make that happen. After all, he is just a fox."
"Can I really beat him?" he specifically asked.
"Of course, Naruto, you can. I believe in you," I said with an encouraging smile.
"Hehe, I am going to beat that damn fox, believe it," he said.
"Remember, Naruto, you're not strong because the fox is inside you, but the fox is strong because it's inside you."
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