Chūnin Exam Day – Morning
At nine in the morning, the usually noisy Ninja Academy had transformed into a tense silence. The main hall had been converted into a formal testing room—desks neatly arranged, armed proctors standing by, and the genin's eyes sharp as blades.
Light footsteps echoed as Natsu, Izumo, and Kotetsu entered.
"Whoa... the atmosphere is totally different," Kotetsu muttered, squinting at the room.
"Feels like walking into a tiger's den," Izumo added, trying to smile but clearly tense.
Other participants immediately turned their eyes toward them—no surprise. They were the students of the legendary "Kitsune Hime," the heroine who had recently shaken Konoha's reputation by defeating the Fourth Raikage in a one-on-one duel.
Students of a legend couldn't be underestimated, and almost every other team had already marked them as a "dangerous team."
"Are those...?"
"Kushina's team?"
"One of them's rumored to be a Hyuga prodigy?"
Whispers filled the room.
Natsu walked forward calmly, her eyes unwavering.
"Don't panic. They can talk, not punch," she said flatly.
"Ugh… Natsu, you're way too calm…" Izumo groaned.
But then the atmosphere shifted. A boy entered the room alone—Uchiha Itachi, ten years old.
All eyes turned to him.
"He's alone?"
"That's... Uchiha Itachi, right?"
"He already has three-tomoe Sharingan."
"Clan head's son…"
Itachi walked past them in silence. When his eyes met Natsu's, the two exchanged a cold glance—not hostile, but measuring.
Kotetsu elbowed Izumo and whispered, "Whoa, Natsu's got a rival."
Izumo nodded. "Their gaze... it's like two blades crossing. Feels like a romantic drama waiting to happen."
"Honestly, he's totally Natsu's type, right?" Kotetsu said.
"Yeah! Cold stare, deadpan face, genius. Perfect match, haha!" Izumo added.
Natsu shot them a glare. "Huh? What are you idiots talking ab—"
BOINK!
Two light punches landed on Izumo and Kotetsu's heads.
"Oww! What was that for?!" Kotetsu yelped, rubbing his head.
Natsu sighed, her face slightly red. "Stop spouting nonsense."
Nearby genin chuckled quietly—the tension slightly eased.
Even Itachi, known for his cold demeanor, cracked a faint smile. Natsu saw it—just barely—and quietly made a mental note: He's interesting… but that doesn't mean he's unbeatable.
A tokubetsu jōnin entered the room and stood at the front.
"Attention. Take your seats. Do not sit next to your teammates. Remember, this is an exam. Not a picnic."
"Yosh!" Kotetsu and Izumo said in unison and rushed to find separate seats.
Once seated, test papers were handed out.
There's no way we're meant to answer all of this honestly... Izumo thought. This isn't a test for genin.
Natsu subtly activated her Byakugan. With her unique vision, she scanned for the "answer source" Kushina had mentioned—a disguised chunin.
'Northwest corner... man with a scar on his right brow. Steady pencil movement. That's our guy,' she concluded.
Without speaking, she gave Izumo a subtle hand signal under the desk.
Izumo grinned faintly, activating his syrup technique, creating a barely-visible trail from desk to desk until it reached Kotetsu.
Kotetsu copied the answers swiftly, keeping his face neutral.
All around them, genin from different backgrounds struggled in their own ways.
Team Kushina, however, moved like a trained unit—displaying a level of coordination that could rival even some Chūnin teams.
The proctors were watching them closely. But so far… no mistakes.
A small smile formed on Natsu's lips. 'Kushina-sensei would be proud.'
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The first exam passed without a hitch. No tricky tenth question from Ibiki. No dramatic window smashing by Anko. Just difficult questions and the quiet, suffocating pressure from the observing proctors.
But that was only the beginning.
The second exam began: the Forest of Death. A place filled with traps, giant insects, and of course—other teams, all fighting to survive.
There was no monstrous intrusion by Orochimaru this time. After all, even a madman wouldn't dare invade Konoha while Uzumaki Kushina was still patrolling the streets.
Team Kushina reached the central tower on the third day—far earlier than average—with speed and precision.
Kotetsu led from the front, smashing hidden traps with his heavy yet precise golden axe.
Izumo guarded the rear, his syrup forming an invisible web to catch ambushes.
Natsu walked in the middle, Byakugan scanning every direction, giving silent cues to her team.
Their coordination was seamless—thanks to years of harsh, disciplined training under Kushina.
But they weren't the only stars.
Behind them, Uchiha Itachi—just ten years old—entered the tower. No rush. No wounds. Not even tired. He carried both the Heaven and Earth scrolls—something normally divided among three.
Thanks to a special exception, he was allowed to take the exam alone. And somehow, he completed a five-day trial in three.
For most genin, that was impossible.
For Natsu and Itachi, it was a warm-up.
As Itachi entered the tower's main hall, Natsu approached him, steps light but confident.
"I'm Hyuga Natsu, from Team Kushina," she said, extending her hand. "I look forward to facing you in the finals, Uchiha Itachi."
Itachi gazed at her hand, then took it gently. His smile was small but sincere. "Uchiha Itachi. I look forward to it too, Natsu-san."
For a moment, the world fell silent.
But not for long.
"Aww~ look at that!" Izumo said, elbowing Kotetsu. "Is this... love at first sight in the exam hall?"
"Hyuga and Uchiha! Dojutsu clans united!" Kotetsu declared dramatically, raising his hands like a prophet.
Natsu's face turned bright red.
"IDIOTS!!!" she yelled—and within a second, her chakra-coated fists struck both boys square on the head.
BOOM!
They collapsed to the floor, groaning and giggling.
Itachi, watching for the first time, let out a soft laugh—a sound so rare it made Natsu glance his way.
She never imagined Itachi could laugh like that… so warm.
And once again, her face flushed.
'I must be insane…' she muttered internally, dragging her teammates toward the rest area.
Her heart raced as she covered her face.
'It was just a look... just a smile… So why does it feel like I was hit with genjutsu?'