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Chapter 217 The Hyuga Miracle?!
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The chamber sealed with a low, resonant hum as the ANBU barrier snapped into place.
The Third Hokage entered first, staff tapping lightly against the stone floor. Jiraiya and Kakashi followed behind.
The assembled council rose as one.
Clan heads of the major clans of Konoha stood in quiet respect while the barrier settled fully, chakra threading through the walls like an unseen lattice.
"Thank you for gathering on such short notice," the Third Hokage said evenly. "What we discuss today does not leave this room."
That alone sobered the atmosphere.
Tsume Inuzuka flashed a sharp grin. "Hokage sama, before we get into the doom and gloom, I've gotta say, Hatake brat," she glanced over Kakashi's shoulder, "your kid's been causing a hell of a stir lately."
A few chuckles rippled through the room.
Kakashi's visible eye curved into a lazy smile. "If only you knew, Lady Tsume."
Jiraiya snorted. "Oh, trust me. They don't know the half of it."
The humor died quickly as Shikaku Nara stood. The jōnin Commander's presence alone shifted the room. "I'll get straight to the point. This meeting is about Danzo Shimura."
Every spine straightened.
"The Hokage has authorized a joint investigation between my office and the ANBU command. We've spent weeks chasing shadows. Unfortunately, Danzo is exactly as paranoid and meticulous as we feared."
Inoichi Yamanaka frowned. "No paper trail?"
"None that leads anywhere useful," Shikaku replied. "Root doesn't exist on paper anymore."
"Then how is he still operating?" Hiashi Hyuga asked coldly.
"We don't know."
"How do you plan against an unknown enemy?" Choza Akamichi asked.
Shikaku smirked. "Because Root never survived on secrecy alone. It survived on infrastructure."
That clue was enough for the elite shinobi to understand the plan.
It was commonly said that it took a dozen civilians to support a single shinobi who specialized in fighting.
The ninja villages existed because that was true.
Shinobi liked to think of themselves as fighters. It gave shape to their training and meaning to the risks they took. In practice, shinobi were weapons, and weapons were never meant to exist in a vacuum.
Even the sharpest blade needed a forge, a hand to keep it honed, and a place to be set down when the fighting was done.
Chakra made extraordinary things possible. A single ninja could breach a fortress, cross borders unseen, or survive battles that would erase ordinary soldiers. Jutsu could clear a battlefield. Shadow clones could compress days of labor into minutes.
None of it fed anyone.
None of it tilled soil, smelted metal, stitched armor, or kept a home standing while its owner was gone for months or years. Shinobi vanished on missions that stretched across borders and seasons. While they were gone, life continued without them.
That was where civilians came in.
Fields were planted and harvested on schedule whether shinobi were home to eat from them or not. Roads were cleared so movement remained possible. Supplies were produced, preserved, counted, and stored long before anyone knew they would be needed. Civilians did not live at the edge of the village. They formed the structure that allowed the village to function at all.
The division formed naturally.
Shinobi trained to move, fight, and endure. Civilians built lives rooted to land, craft, and time. Each handled what the other could not afford to.
In Konoha, the balance was visible everywhere. Training grounds sat beside marketplaces. Mission halls shared walls with supply offices. Children learned to read and count alongside basic chakra theory, whether or not they would ever wield it themselves.
Shinobi were not brutes swinging power blindly. They were weapons given purpose, shape, and restraint by the world around them.
If Danzo was truly operating Root outside of Konoha's authority, then he couldn't be doing it alone. That kind of operation would require illegal suppliers, intermediaries, and hidden support networks willing to provide resources off the books. Root surviving without Konoha's backing meant someone, somewhere, was helping keep it alive.
"So what's the plan?"
Shikaku exhaled slowly. "We squeeze."
Several brows lifted.
"We make the Land of Fire hostile territory for any unsanctioned operations," he said. "We tighten regulations, audits, inspections, and patrols. We track unusual supply flows. We lean on merchants who suddenly start moving too much steel or medicine. We follow caravans that don't make sense."
"And when they resist?" Tsume asked.
"We apply pressure," Shikaku said flatly. "Economic first. Legal second. Force only when necessary."
Jiraiya nodded. "You're talking about collapsing his support network without ever touching him directly."
"Exactly," Shikaku replied. "Danzo's strength came from Konoha's protection. Take that away, and Root bleeds resources."
Hiashi frowned. "He'll retaliate."
"Of course he will," Shikaku said. "Which gives us something he's been denying us. Patterns."
Kakashi spoke up for the first time. "If Root operatives move to compensate, they expose themselves."
"Right," Shikaku said. "If they try to secure new suppliers, we follow the money. If they intimidate civilians, we intervene. If they relocate outside Fire Country, we track the crossings."
Hiruzen nodded slowly. "We don't hunt Danzo. We make his existence unsustainable in the Land of Fire."
"That's the idea," Shikaku said. "Every action he takes becomes a risk instead of a certainty."
Shibi Aburame asked, "What of the former Root shinobi?"
All eyes turned back to the Hokage.
"They're already under surveillance," Hiruzen said. "Any deviation from normal behavior is flagged. They will be detained and interrogated for clues."
Inoichi closed his eyes briefly. "Yamanaka will assist with mind reads, but knowing Danzo, he would've taken measures to protect the minds of his men, especially in enemy territory."
Tsume huffed. "You're really done playing nice this time, old man."
Hiruzen didn't smile. "Danzo stopped playing by the village's rules a long time ago."
"This'll take time to get any results."
"Yes," Shikaku agreed. "But time is something Danzo doesn't handle well when he's on the back foot."
The chamber settled into a tense quiet as additional reports were passed around the table.
Scrolls changed hands. ANBU summaries were skimmed, dismissed, then reread more carefully. No one relaxed. If anything, the air felt heavier than before.
Tsume Inuzuka broke the silence with a sharp exhale. "Alright. If we're done dissecting Danzo's chocolate starfish that hasn't quite died yet, what about the Chūnin Exams?"
That drew a few grim looks.
"That," Hiruzen said, fingers steepled as he reached for a separate stack of documents, "is our next major concern."
"When?" Choza Akamichi asked bluntly.
"After lengthy negotiations with the Daimyōs. Konoha has been granted two months to prepare."
A ripple of disbelief passed through the room.
"Two months?" Inoichi repeated. "That's barely enough time to finish infrastructure checks, let alone security planning."
"And that's assuming nothing goes wrong," Hiashi added coolly.
"Which it will," Tsume muttered.
"Two months also means we can't afford delays. If Danzo plans to interfere, the Exams are the perfect stage."
"They always are," Hiruzen said quietly.
Inoichi leaned forward. "We also can't ignore the possibility that he's already reached out beyond the village. An alliance with another village during the Exams would be catastrophic."
"We also have strong evidence that Orochimaru was the one who leaked Naruto Uzumaki's information to the outside world."
The room went dead silent.
"Orochimaru," Choza said slowly. "Working with Danzo."
"Not confirmed," Hiruzen said. "But likely."
Shikaku's expression darkened. "That makes too much sense to ignore. Danzo provides infrastructure and secrecy. Orochimaru provides muscle, ambition, and a willingness to burn everything down."
"And if a foreign village gets involved?" Hiashi asked.
"Then the Exams stop being a political event," Shikaku replied. "And start becoming a spark of a shinobi war."
The future felt suddenly narrow, boxed in by unseen hands.
"If only the Fourth were still here."
The words hung in the air, heavy and undeniable.
Minato Namikaze's absence was felt more than his presence ever had been. He had been a constant, an unspoken certainty. When he lived, there were lines no one crossed and plans that died before they were ever formed.
Kakashi broke the quiet introspection of the others. "Even if Minato sensei isn't here," he said evenly, "his son is."
A few heads turned.
"He's not his father," Tsume said, though there was no bite in it.
"No," Kakashi agreed. "He's not. But he's here. And he's growing faster than anyone realizes."
Jiraiya snorted. "I'll agree the brat's strong," he said, earning startled looks from the clan heads. "Stronger than most shinobi his age has any right to be."
That alone caused murmurs.
"But that doesn't mean we shove the village's survival onto the next generation."
The room stilled again.
"Let the kids grow while the adults protect them. That's the Will of Fire. Not the other way around."
Hiruzen closed his eyes briefly, then opened them. "That's precisely why we need a deterrent."
The word carried weight.
"A name that makes every hostile actor pause. A presence that discourages action before it begins."
"And who would that be?" Shikaku asked, though something in his eyes suggested he already knew.
"You're going to find Tsunade," Hiruzen said without hesitation.
Jiraiya stiffened. "You're serious."
"Indeed."
"You know forcing her back could backfire," Jiraiya said. "She's stubborn enough to dig her heels in out of spite."
"The goal is to bring her back willingly," Hiruzen replied. "Force is a last resort. But the authorization stands."
"And what exactly do you expect me to dangle in front of her? Tsunade doesn't come running just because Konoha whistles."
"Team Seven recently acquired the Second Hokage's sword."
Kakashi nodded slowly. "Naruto planning to write you a strongly worded letter to give the sword to Sasuke."
Understanding dawned.
Tsume's lips curled into a grin. "Oh. That's dirty."
"Effective," Inoichi corrected.
"You're planning a gambling challenge," Shikaku said. "Money versus legacy."
"Precisely," Hiruzen said. "Fifty million ryō. If Tsunade wins, she keeps the money. If she loses, Sasuke retains the blade."
"And while she's here," Jiraiya added, "we keep her."
"With you and Tsunade present, alongside our elite jōnin, Konoha becomes an unattractive target."
Kakashi sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Naruto gambling against the Legendary Sucker… something tells me this won't go according to plan."
"Nothing involving Naruto ever does."
"Regardless," Hiruzen said, standing, "this is our best move. We strengthen our position without escalating openly. We prepare for the Exams, isolate Danzō's influence, and bring Tsunade home."
The barrier began to hum again.
The council's discussions carried on for another hour, voices rising and falling as plans were finalized. Each major clan was given its role, resources and contingencies stacked upon contingencies. When Hiruzen finally dismissed them, the tension simply followed everyone out.
Hiashi Hyūga exited the chamber with measured steps. He barely made it down the corridor before a member of the branch family approached, kneeling immediately.
"Hiashi sama."
"Speak."
"Lady Hinata has brought Uzumaki Naruto into the clan compound."
Hiashi head jerked back. "…She has?"
"Yes, Hiashi sama."
"And she did this of her own initiative?"
"Yes."
Silence stretched.
"I see."
Outwardly, the man remained composed. Inwardly, his thoughts raced. So soon? he wondered. That child has barely begun to find her footing, and yet she brings the jinchūriki into our home without consultation?
"Is there anything else?"
The branch member hesitated. "Lady Hinata requested your presence. She said it was… important."
Important.
That single word carried far too many implications.
"Did she specify the nature of this importance?"
"No, Hiashi sama."
Of course she didn't.
Hiashi resumed walking, his pace unhurried, his face a mask of dignity. "You may rise. Return to your duties."
"Yes, Hiashi sama."
As the branch member departed, Hiashi allowed himself a single, private thought.
Has my daughter truly grown this bold
As the head of the Hyūga, Hiashi found himself impressed by his daughter's boldness and initiative. As a father… he was quietly horrified.
The very notion that Hinata might already be maneuvering toward something as weighty as a political marriage made his chest tighten in a way no battlefield ever had.
Enough, Hiashi. You are overthinking this.
He drew in a slow, steadying breath, schooling his expression back into calm composure. Whatever Hinata had deemed "important," he would face it as both clan head and father.
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Returning to the Hyūga compound, Hiashi was informed almost immediately where his daughter had gone.
"She is in the guest room, Hiashi sama," a servant said quietly. "With Uzumaki Naruto… and Lady Hanabi."
The doors to the guest room slid open at his approach. What greeted him was… unexpected.
Hanabi was in the middle of the room, in a textbook Gentle Fist stance. Her expression was focused, yet it had a childlike innocence to it. The ground suddenly split as a small lizard creature burst upward, the giant crystal embedded in its body glinting faintly. Hanabi redirected the creature's momentum, sending it skidding harmlessly to the side.
"Well done," Naruto said from nearby, relaxed and approving.
Hanabi straightened with a bright smile on her face, then froze as she noticed the figure standing in the doorway. The childlike ease vanished, replaced by composure drilled into her from birth.
"…Father."
The two older kids turned at the same time.
Hinata stood and bowed deeply. "Father."
Naruto raised a hand instead. "Yo."
There were many things Hiashi had expected from Uzumaki Naruto.
The boy's height was not one of them.
Naruto was tall. Uncomfortably tall for a twelve year old. At five and a half feet already, he was closing in on Hiashi's own height. And the long, vivid red hair. Untamed and worn without a hint of concern for decorum. Coupled with the utterly unapologetic lack of reverence in his posture…
Hiashi felt a strange sense of familiarity. So that's where it comes from, he thought dryly. Kushina's spirit, plain as day.
"A pleasure to meet you, Naruto Uzumaki. I am Hiashi Hyūga."
"Nice to meet you, Hiashi ojisan!"
Hanabi hissed under her breath. "Naruto san!"
At the same time, Oscar lunged playfully at her ankle, forcing her to dodge with an annoyed yelp.
"Hanabi."
"Yes!"
"You may continue your… practice," Hiashi said after a moment.
Her eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Yes."
Hanabi nodded enthusiastically and returned to sparring with Oscar, who chirped happily and dove back into the ground.
The adults moved to sit.
Hinata poured tea with careful hands, the atmosphere settling into something almost domestic.
"You know," Naruto said casually, glancing toward Hanabi, "it took some convincing to get her to relax and play with Oscar."
Hiashi accepted his cup. "The academy will teach her restraint and balance in time."
Naruto shot him a pointed look but did not argue.
Hinata spoke up softly. "We met Konohamaru and his friends some time back. I hope they and Hanabi get along."
"Oh yeah? What's that brat been up to?"
"He's been practicing the Sexy Jutsu. He says it's to impress you."
Naruto burst out laughing. "That's awesome!"
Hiashi watched quietly.
His daughter was relaxed. Laughing in a way she rarely allowed herself to do in the Hyūga.
It was… comforting.
But he was still a busy man. He took a deliberate sip of tea, signaling time was short. Hinata noticed immediately. "Father, the reason I asked you to come is because Naruto kun can heal Mother."
Hiashi's cup paused halfway to the table.
"…That is not a claim to be made lightly," he said, his voice sharp now, controlled but dangerous. "You are speaking of a condition no medic nin in the village has been able to reverse."
Hinata met his gaze.
Then, without hesitation, she drew a kunai and brought it toward her own throat.
Hiashi's palm struck the weapon away with a crack of displaced air. "What are you doing?" he snapped. "Have you lost your mind?"
"I'm serious," Hinata said. "Even if I stabbed myself, Naruto could heal me."
Naruto's eyes widened. "Hinata!"
She did not look away from her father.
Hiashi stared at her.
At the certainty in her eyes. At the desperation barely held in check.
After a long moment, he exhaled.
"…If you trust his abilities to that extent," he said quietly, standing, "then I will allow it."
Naruto blinked. "You okay?" he asked Hinata softly.
She nodded, tears threatening. "I am. I just… I can't wait anymore."
Naruto placed a hand on her back. The Hyūga princess had waited nearly a decade for her mother to wake. She was not going to let her father's doubt stop her now.
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The walk through the Hyūga compound was awkward, though no one knew why. Hinata and Hanabi trailed just behind, unsure if it was the tension between them or the weight of what was about to happen.
Oscar, unconcerned, hopped from Hanabi's arms and trotted off to munch on a dandelion by the path.
From time to time, Hiashi's eyes flicked toward the boy at his side. He was well aware that Hinata's newfound confidence, strength and even that strange ring she wore all traced back to Naruto's. And yet…
Could this child truly succeed where elite medical nin had failed? More than once, he had been told that anything short of Tsunade Senju herself would never be enough to rouse his wife from her vegetative state.
"How, precisely, do you intend to heal my wife?"
"I'm just going to perform a healing miracle."
Hiashi did not take it as evasion, but as something else entirely. A quiet acknowledgment that the explanation would cross boundaries Naruto had no obligation to breach.
Very well, then.
"…Thank you!"
"I haven't healed her yet."
"That is not what I was referring to. I meant… thank you for what you have done for my daughter."
Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Honestly, I didn't do that much. She already had the strength in her. She just needed someone to believe in her. If anything, she helped me more than I helped her. I wouldn't have figured out half the things I did during the Wave mission without her."
"The ring she carries. That was your doing?"
"Tools only matter if the one wielding them has the skill to make them count," Naruto said, then paused, his expression turning more serious. "But… why are you talking like her growth only happened because of me? Like she's just riding my coattails?"
Hiashi did not bristle. If anything, he seemed faintly pleased. "I am not diminishing her," he said calmly. "I wished to understand you. Your character. And, more importantly, your intentions toward my daughter."
"So this was a test? A trap to see if I'd say the wrong thing?"
"Yes," Hiashi answered without hesitation or shame. "A necessary one. I needed to know whether you saw her as a companion… or as something to be used."
"You could've just asked instead of playing mind games."
Hiashi inclined his head slightly. "Deception is the language of shinobi. Truth, however, must be earned. Still, I will speak plainly now."
His gaze fixed on Naruto.
"What do you think of my daughter?"
Hinata froze.
Hanabi stopped mid step.
Naruto didn't hesitate. "She's my friend."
"Only a friend?"
"Father," Hinata whispered, her face burning red.
"Yes," Naruto said firmly, meeting Hiashi's gaze without flinching.
Hiashi regarded him for a long moment, then gave a slow, thoughtful nod. "Perhaps it is still early. You are both young, still finding your paths. Even so… for the care you have shown my daughter, for the respect you have afforded her strength and will, I extend an offer."
"An offer?"
"Ask of the Hyūga what you will," Hiashi said, "If it lies within our power, it shall be granted."
"Well, I'll tell you when i need something."
The group stopped in front of a secluded home surrounded by a blooming garden.
Hiashi stared at the house, then said quietly, "I've made many mistakes. But regardless of your wish, I've already decided that I will be someone Hinata and Hanabi can rely on. No matter what."
"Okay. My respect for you just went way up, dattebayo!"
Hiashi chuckled for the first time in what felt like years. Naruto Uzumaki was unlike any boy he had ever met.
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Hiashi dismissed the medical nin who had tended to his wife's body for years with a quiet gesture.
Tsubaki Hyūga lay unmoving upon the bed.
Her eyes were open, unfocused, staring at nothing in particular, reflecting light without recognition. Her skin was pale, almost waxen beneath the soft glow of the lights. Long, dark hair was fanned neatly across the pillow, carefully brushed each morning by servants who had never once seen her react to their touch or their voices. Her face was calm in the way a statue's was calm and utterly absent of awareness.
A slow rise and fall of her chest marked the passage of breath, kept steady by unseen aids.
Hiashi turned away from the sight before it could hollow him out again.
Naruto pulled the Thorolund talisman from his inventory. With his other hand, he rubbed Oscar's head.
"Wish me luck."
The crystal lizard made noises of encouragement.
Hinata had her hands clasped so tightly, her knuckles had gone white. She didn't let herself tremble. Not when Hanabi was with her.
"Are you ready to meet Mom, Hanabi chan?"
Hanabi swallowed. Her eyes were fixed on the woman in the bed. This woman she had been told was her mother. This stranger who had shaped her life by absence alone.
"I… I don't know, I don't really remember her."
Hinata smiled, soft and aching, and kissed the top of her sister's head. "That's okay. I remember enough for both of us. And I know… I know she's going to love you."
Hiashi turned at that.
For a moment, he forgot he was clan head. He was just a man standing at the edge of something terrifying and precious.
He stepped forward and bowed.
Deeply.
"Please," he began, voice tight. "I"
"You don't have to say anything, old man," Naruto said gently, stopping him from bowing any further. "Let me do what I came to do."
Hiashi straightened slowly, swallowing hard. He nodded once and stepped back.
Naruto took Tsubaki's hand.
The air changed.
A faint array began to form beneath the bed, golden lines etching themselves into the floor as if drawn by unseen hands. White light bloomed, soft at first, then brighter, spilling across the room like dawn breaking through a window.
Hinata gasped and covered Hanabi's eyes instinctively. Hiashi raised an arm to shield his face.
"Wh… what?"
The sound was hoarse and confused.
Tsubaki Hyūga was breathing.
No.
She was moving.
Her fingers twitched. Her chest rose with a deeper breath. Color rushed back into her skin, muscle tightening, strength returning in a way no medical jutsu should have allowed.
It was truly a miracle.
Hiashi's knees nearly buckled. "Tsubaki," he whispered, voice breaking.
She turned her head, eyes darting around the unfamiliar room. Panic flared instantly. "Hiashi?" she said. "What... what happened to Hinata? There was a shinobi... he broke in... he was trying to take her"
Her voice shook with remembered fear. The healing miracle had healed her back to the time of the Hyūga incident.
Hiashi's heart shattered all over again.
"Tsubaki," he said carefully, stepping closer. "My love… I need you to listen to me."
She looked at him properly then, really looked, and her breath hitched. "You… you look older," she whispered.
"You've been asleep for seven years."
Silence.
Seven years.
Her gaze snapped to the girls.
Hinata stood frozen, tears streaming down her face. Hanabi clung to her sleeve, wide eyed and trembling.
Tsubaki stared.
"No," she whispered. "No… Hinata was small. She was... she used to hide behind me when thunder"
Her voice broke.
She pushed herself upright, hands shaking, eyes locked on the two girls. "A Are those…?" Her breath came shallow, frantic. "They can't be... Hiashi, what is happening?"
Hiashi stepped aside so she could see them clearly. "This is Hanabi. You argued with me for hours over her name, remember?"
Tsubaki's lips trembled.
Hanabi took a hesitant step forward, Hinata beside her.
"M-Mom," Hinata whispered.
The word shattered what little composure Tsubaki had left.
She surged forward, pulling both girls into her arms, clutching them as if afraid they might disappear if she let go.
"I'm so sorry," she sobbed. "I'm so, so sorry. I wasn't there. I should've been there."
Hinata buried her face in her mother's shoulder, years of silent longing breaking loose all at once. Hanabi hesitated only a second before wrapping her arms around her mother's waist, crying openly.
Hiashi did his utmost to maintain his composure, but even a man of his discipline could not keep it intact forever.
The soft sound of the door opening drew his attention. He turned just in time to see Naruto offer him a small, knowing thumbs up. Oscar gave the family a lizard smile. Then, without another word, Naruto slipped out, gently closing the door behind him and granting the Hyūga family the privacy they needed to embrace the miracle they had waited seven long years for.
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Author's Note
Sorry for the late upload, everyone. I know the gaps between chapters can be frustrating, so I want to be clear. I didn't drop the story or lose interest in it. Life just hit all at once. Work, personal stuff, and a bunch of other commitments piled up, and writing unfortunately had to take a temporary backseat. That said, this fic is still very much alive, and I'm still invested in telling the story the way I want to tell it. I really appreciate everyone who stuck around and waited patiently.
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Q: How is the Hyūga incident seven years ago?
Good question, and this one comes down to timeline changes.
Unless you're really deep into Naruto's already inconsistent timeline, this might feel confusing. Canon wise, the Hyūga incident happens when Hinata is around three years old. Hinata and Hanabi have roughly a five year age gap, which means Hanabi wouldn't even have been born yet. Canon never really explains what happened to Hinata's mother afterward, whether she died, was injured, or something else entirely. There's just… nothing.
For my story, I changed the timeline slightly.
Because Tsubaki being left in a vegetative state is an important plot point, I moved the Hyūga incident to when Hinata was around five instead of three. That way, Hanabi is already born when it happens.
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Q: When will the Chūnin Exams happen?
Not immediately.
There's still quite a bit of groundwork that needs to be laid before we get there. I want to properly reintroduce and develop Team Asuma, Team Guy, Neji, Lee, and Tenten. We also need to explore what Danzō is planning in regard to Naruto, address Naruto's Arch Tree Release, and return to Lordran, since we haven't been there in a while and some important threads are waiting there.
All of that needs to happen before the Chūnin Exams, because what I have planned for the exams won't work without proper setup. I don't want them to feel rushed or hollow.
That said, the pre Chūnin Exams arc isn't going to be filler or downtime. There's going to be plenty of character moments, worldbuilding, tension, and fun along the way. If anything, this stretch is meant to make the exams hit even harder when they finally begin.
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Thanks again for your patience and continued support. It genuinely means a lot. I'll see you all in the next chapter.
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[ Personal Note: First off, thanks a ton to all of you for sticking with this story. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Now, if you're interested in supporting me on P@treon, let me just say that over there, I post these massive 15k-word chapters. But heads up, if you're jumping to P@treon, you'll need to start from Chapter 98, since that's where this chapter lines up with the content there.
To everyone here just reading along, please don't forget to leave a comment! Honestly, your comments make my day, and they let me know you're as invested in this story as I am. So yeah, thanks again, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day!