Here @riojiyo131, your trusted writer.
Sorry, but there won't be a post tomorrow. I'm running out of chapters and need at least a day or two to write calmly. Thanks for your patience!
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"You're amazing, Naruto..." Hinata whispered after copying all the answers.
She never would have imagined that Naruto could actually answer the exam questions.
"You know, your lack of confidence hurts me..." Naruto said dramatically.
Hinata, who had already finished her exam, turned around. Upon hearing his words, she immediately regretted it.
"I-I'm sorry..." she apologized, hugging him.
She rested her head on his chest and looked up at him with sad eyes.
Naruto felt as if his heart had taken a critical hit!
She was too cute!
"I-it's okay..." Naruto murmured, trying to downplay it.
Hinata smiled playfully, seeing how he let it slide.
At the front of the classroom, Ibiki Morino frowned as he noticed two participants flirting.
Did they really think the Chūnin Selection Exam was a game?!
Just as he was about to disqualify them and kick them out of the room, another examiner signaled to him from across the room.
Ibiki was surprised to recognize his colleague's signal.
He looked back at the pair and noticed their exams face-down. His eyes widened in disbelief.
Had they really completed the exam without a single mistake?! And in less than five minutes since it started?!
He smirked in approval. Two of this year's nine Konoha rookies turned out to be real geniuses.
In the end, he decided to overlook their behavior.
After all, they were young.
However, a vein in his forehead bulged when he saw the blond boy lean against the Hyūga girl's shoulder and fall asleep.
Ibiki sighed in resignation and decided to ignore them entirely.
[Hizashi Hyūga: I'VE HELD BACK TOO LONG! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! GET AWAY FROM MY NIECE RIGHT NOW!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: No.]
Naruto, still resting on Hinata's shoulder while she stroked his head, smiled with his eyes closed, pretending to be asleep.
He just wanted to annoy Hizashi.
Besides, Hinata didn't seem to have any complaints. So it was a win-win.
[Hizashi Hyūga: GET AWAY! NOW! RIGHT THIS INSTANT!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: No.]
[Hizashi Hyūga: YOU'RE PISSING ME OFF, BRAT! I SAID GET AWAY FROM MY NIECE!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: No.]
[Hizashi Hyūga: STOP JUST SAYING "NO," DAMN IT! SAY SOMETHING ELSE!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: No.]
In the Pure World, Hizashi grabbed his hair in frustration and pulled so hard that he tore out several strands.
In the distance, explosions rumbled as if a war was raging.
Suddenly, Sakumo appeared beside him, covered in bruises and with his hair completely disheveled.
"Hizashi, now is not the time to cry about who your niece is dating! Duy is out of control!"
Hizashi ignored him and kept arguing with Naruto in the chat.
"You don't understand, Hizashi! Duy discovered that he can't die even after opening the Eighth Gate! He's unstoppable!"
Sakumo's words finally caught his attention.
His face paled.
Both of them rushed to try to stop Duy's destruction, who was having way too much fun with the Gate of Death.
And as soon as they did...
They were completely obliterated by Duy, who, in his enthusiasm, thought they had come to train with him.
Back in the classroom, Naruto looked at the chat group in confusion.
It seemed Hizashi had given up.
Naruto was sure he'd find another time to mess with him.
As he was thinking this, more and more participants were being disqualified.
If even one team member lost all their points, the entire team had to leave.
Some even had to be dragged out of the classroom, refusing to accept their disqualification.
As he observed the room, Naruto's eyes widened when he recognized one of the participants.
"Karin..." he murmured without realizing it.
Hinata followed his gaze until she spotted the redhead.
"Who is she, Naruto?" she asked with genuine curiosity, without a trace of jealousy.
Naruto smiled and patted her head, knowing she didn't worry about such trivial things.
"She's kind of like my cousin..." he answered.
[Mikoto Uchiha: This is dangerous! A new rival for my little Sasuke!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Not all of us marry our cousins!]
[Mikoto Uchiha: ...]
[Fugaku Uchiha: ...]
[Kushina Uzumaki: That red hair... it's obvious she's an Uzumaki.]
[Mito Uzumaki: You should reach out to her, Naruto. There aren't many Uzumaki left in the world.]
[Naruto Uzumaki: I know, I will when I get the chance. Her current situation isn't good.]
[Kushina Uzumaki: What do you mean? What problems does she have?]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Look at her headband...]
Hinata noticed the symbol on her forehead protector.
"Why is she a kunoichi of Kusagakure?" she asked in surprise.
Kushina immediately understood what her son meant after hearing her daughter-in-law's question.
"It's a long story." Naruto diverted the conversation.
Ever since he discovered that Sasuke was a girl, he realized he couldn't blindly trust his knowledge of the future.
He'd be an idiot if he did.
So far, everything had happened as he remembered, but certain details differed from the original story.
He needed to be more careful.
He would never talk about the future in the chat again without confirming the details first.
[Naruto Uzumaki: Honestly, I don't know much about her. I know a bit about her tragic childhood, but I won't say anything until I confirm it.]
[Kushina Uzumaki: Tragic...? Now I feel bad for her. Make sure to take care of her, Naruto.]
[Minato Namikaze: You wanted to rebuild the Uzumaki Clan. This could be the first step toward achieving that. Think of it that way.]
Minato's words motivated Naruto.
He was right.
Gathering the scattered Uzumaki around the world could be the first step to restoring his clan.
Naruto would make sure to approach Karin when he got the chance.
Maybe during the second test... the survival test.
Naruto got excited just thinking about the second test, led by Anko Mitarashi.
He couldn't wait to see Orochimaru's frustrated expression when his attempt to mark Sasuke with the Cursed Seal of Heaven failed.
And that wasn't going to happen, because Naruto himself would stop it.
He wasn't going to let Sasuke leave the village or fall into Orochimaru's hands—the biggest creep in anime.
Because... seriously? Was it really necessary to bite Sasuke's neck? He could have marked him anywhere else, but no, it had to be the neck.
And it wasn't even the first time. He did the same thing to Anko when she was his student.
Orochimaru just had that kind of inclination. A questionable taste for children.
For some reason, Naruto couldn't help but imagine him dressed as a priest, surrounded by smiling kids in a catechism class.
A shiver ran down his spine.