Over the next couple of months, I run through the motions.
I occasionally bring some chips to snack on and attract Choji but for most days our talks during the morning break have become a bit of a habit already.
We mostly talk about food as I explain some of the many recipes Earth has while claiming they are from some far-away hidden village or a secret family recipe.
I don't make any effort to get closer to the rest of the male cast.
I consider disrupting Sakura's hormones during class but decide against it. I don't believe the teams will be decided solely on our grades and if it becomes necessary in the end I can just hit her with a single strong dose on the final exams to ruin her performance.
Over this timeframe, I've gained almost 5 centimeters and put in a good 10kg of muscle. Though my taijutsu skills are not up to par with Sasuke's or Hinata's clan's, my sheer base stats solidify my position as the 3rd strongest taijutsu user.
The weakest Taijutsu fighters in class outside the nameless mobs are Sakura, Shikamaru and Choji.
This newfound strength makes me a great partner for Hinata, so we've now partnered for most of our team and duel practices.
Through daily contact and some small talk, she's become less fidgety around me but no less shy. I can now start focusing on increasing her chemical attraction to me.
Oxytocine, the love drug as people call it.
The effect however is nowhere close to what one might consider a love potion. Injecting someone full of oxytocin won't make them fall in love, but it will make them more trusting and feel more comfortable around your presence.
I start using some small doses of the happy hormone trio when I'm near Hinata. Oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin work wonders and Hinata can be seen more energetic and less pessimistic.
I also start sitting next to Hinata in class and inhibiting her hormonal reactions when she stares at Naruto and slowly, without the hormonal love veil, she starts to see just how much of a failure and idiot Naruto is, how he's just clowning around looking for attention from everyone while being disruptive.
Hinata realizes she can't afford how her life may depend on what she learns in class and focuses more on learning instead of just spectating Naruto.
Graduation is now 3 months away
My unnatural growth doesn't go unnoticed and it's time for me to come clean and leverage it to my advantage.
Teams will be primarily decided in the will of those above. If I ever want my dream team the only option is to make the higher-ups want to give it to me.
I walk up to the front of the classroom at the end of a class, after every other student had rushed outside.
"Iruka-sensei can I have a word?"
"Yami-kun I've been meaning to have a word with you. Good work the past month, your grades have improved markedly"
"Thank you sensei, it's about that that I wanted to talk about.
I started to notice it a few weeks ago once I started practicing and talking with Hinata, a feeling that doing so was making my own body grow stronger. I followed that feeling a few times and while my chakra would disappear I only later noticed it did result in making me grow stronger."
I hear Iruka softly mutter Kekkei Genkai to himself before his eyes turn serious and his questions begin.
"Do you only feel that way when you are with Hinata?"
"No sensei, practiced with others and I can feel it with all the girls but none of the boys. It's especially strong when I'm near Sakura, Hinata and Ino. "
"I've not noticed any difference in their combat skills, but Hinata's mental outlook has certainly improved. Do you think this might be hurting them in any way?"
"Never sensei, I'd never allow such a thing. The only side effect that I've noticed has been a huge appetite increase.
My allowance has barely been enough to contain my craving for meat, I seem to turn food into power."
"That does make sense, a healthy diet is a prerequisite to raising a strong ninja. I'll see if something can be done about your allowance."
"Sensei there is something else as well.
I think…
I think this power can also be used on Hinata or the other girls.
But I was afraid it could be a bad thing or go wrong so I wanted to ask sensei's opinion instead of trying such a thing."
"Listen Yami, what you have is likely a Kekkei Genkai, a unique power such as Hinata's eyes. But I've never heard of this one. It's important to be discreet and keep it a secret.
I'll ask The Hokage himself for help, for now, don't use it on others"
"Yes sensei, I just wanted to help my friends get stronger and survive"
The seed has been planted, the crucial part is now.
I could maybe have risked going ahead and improving Hinata as an example but it could be seen as an attack on the princess or ignored outright as being just natural Hyuuga maturity.
No, I want them to see my rise and let their greed talk for me.
We had a day off but in the morning the following day, Iruka pulled me over.
"Yami-kun, even the Hokage has never heard of your Kekkei Genkai, it's probably brand new seeing as your ancestors showed no signs of it. I hate having to ask this but we must test it out safely.
I'm pairing you up with Sakura for the next couple of weeks. I'll put it as an assignment to give her Taijutsu lessons to one of the weaker classmates.
I've explained to Sakura we're doing a small experiment and to report her findings.
Above all be cautious and don't take it too far."
"Yes, sensei."
"Also I got your allowance increased by 5000 ryo."
"YES! You're the best Iruka-sensei"
An 18 year old ninja looks 12.
Any ninja's age over 18 just looks 6 years younger than they should be.