Naruto left the Hokage's office, his steps steady but his heart filled with disgust.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's words were nothing but empty lies.
'That old man… he's just trying to keep me under control.'
But Naruto knew.
He wasn't strong enough yet to challenge the Hokage.
So, he played along.
"Sure, old man. I'll keep training."
His tone was flat, emotionless.
Hiruzen nodded with satisfaction.
"Good. If you need guidance, you can always ask Kakashi."
Naruto simply turned and walked out.
But as he stepped onto the streets of Konoha—
He glanced back at the Hokage's office.
A cold smirk appeared on his lips.
'Don't worry, old man. I'll train.'
'I'll get stronger.'
'And one day, I'll tear down the false peace you built.'
---
For over a month, Team 7 had been stuck with D-rank missions.
Every day was the same:
Weeding gardens.
Babysitting noisy brats.
Cleaning up garbage.
Catching runaway pets.
These weren't real ninja missions.
They were chores.
The only good thing?
Naruto still had time for morning training with Hinata.
And in that time, their bond deepened.
They understood each other's feelings without needing to say it.
Neither of them spoke about it—
But the warmth between them grew stronger every day.
---
Another morning.
As usual, Naruto arrived at the training ground.
And there she was.
Hinata stood under the sunlight, holding a bento box in her hands.
Her face was flushed red with excitement.
"N-Naruto-kun… here."
She extended the box toward him.
"I made breakfast for you."
Naruto blinked.
Then, he grinned.
"Wow, Hinata! You're amazing!"
"You're kind, gentle, and you can cook? What a perfect girl."
Naruto stepped forward, reaching for the bento.
But instead—
His fingers brushed against Hinata's hand.
For a moment—
The world seemed to pause.
Hinata's eyes widened.
Her heartbeat raced.
'H-He's holding my hand…!'
Naruto smirked.
'Hahaha! This is straight from the Secret Book of Picking Up Girls!'
'Chapter 81: Hold a girl's hand accidentally. Look into her eyes. Slowly move in for the kiss.'
He leaned in slightly, his eyes meeting hers.
Hinata's cheeks burned even brighter.
She could barely breathe.
"N-Naruto-kun…?"
Naruto chuckled internally.
'Alright, next step—'
But just then—
Clap. Clap. Clap.
The sound of mocking applause shattered the moment.
A cold voice followed.
"So, this is how the Hyūga heiress spends her mornings? Flirting with an outsider?"
Naruto frowned.
Hinata froze.
They turned—
And standing at the entrance of the training ground was Hyūga Neji.
Beside him were two other familiar faces:
Rock Lee, the taijutsu enthusiast.
Tenten, the ninja tool expert.
Neji's pale eyes were filled with contempt.
His arms were crossed, his posture exuding arrogance.
Behind him, Lee smiled brightly and waved.
"Naruto-kun! We meet again!"
Tenten, however, looked confused.
She whispered to Lee, "Wait… You actually know this guy?"
Lee nodded.
"Of course! Naruto-kun is a dedicated taijutsu practitioner. His talent is extraordinary!"
He gave a thumbs-up, his teeth shining.
Naruto smirked.
"Morning, Lee."
Then, his gaze shifted to Neji.
Neji, who still had that look of disdain.
"Brother Neji…"
Hinata stepped forward, her voice small.
"It's not what you think. Naruto-kun and I were just training…"
She hesitated.
Her nervous hands clenched the hem of her jacket.
But Neji?
He scoffed.
"Save your explanations. I don't care what you do."
He stepped forward, his voice cold and sharp.
"After all, you're just a failure."
Hinata flinched.
Neji's words cut deeper than any blade.
His white eyes narrowed as he continued:
"You, the so-called Hyūga heiress, were abandoned long ago."
"Your father has already chosen Hanabi as his successor."
"You're no different from us Branch Family members now."
Hinata's head lowered.
Her fingernails dug into her palm.
She already knew all of this…
But hearing it from Neji—
It still hurt.
---
Naruto's expression darkened.
He stepped forward, standing between Neji and Hinata.
"Hey."
His voice was calm but carried a dangerous edge.
Neji raised an eyebrow.
Naruto smirked.
"You sure talk a lot, Neji."
"Acting all high and mighty… But deep down, you're just another guy trapped in a cage."
Neji's eyes flashed.
Naruto continued.
"You talk about fate like it's set in stone."
"But I'll tell you something—"
His fists clenched.
"People can change their own destiny."
Neji's expression hardened.
A tense silence filled the air.
Lee and Tenten watched in silence.
Then—
Neji smirked.
"We'll see about that."
He turned.
"Come on. We have training to do."
Without another word, he walked away.
Lee gave Naruto one last thumbs-up before following Neji.
Tenten sighed. "Jeez… That guy's always so intense."
Then, she too disappeared down the path.
======
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