Three days passed in the blink of an eye. The holiday that Kurenai Yuhi had granted to Team 8 drew to a close.
During their time off, Izanami and the Hyuga sisters explored almost every famous attraction in Konoha. They filled several photo albums—looking at the smiling faces in the pictures, Izanami was confident that purchasing a camera had been an excellent decision.
When the holiday ended, Izanami returned to training with renewed vigor, surprising both Kurenai Yuhi and Shino Aburame. Hinata, though, looked uneasy. She hesitated before speaking:
"Izayoi-kun, here's my reward for you." She placed an envelope into Izanami's hand.
"But I'm not starving," Izanami replied, gently returning the envelope. He pinched Hinata's cheek and smiled, "When I can't buy food anymore, I'll come to this young lady for support."
Hinata nodded in agreement. She wanted to use the reward money to purchase ingredients, having just discovered Izanami's strong desire—and lack of funds—for his new camera.
Hinata's realization hit her: Izanami's financial situation wasn't comparable to her own. She remembered how he'd always volunteered to buy groceries for their outings with Hanabi—not because of generosity, but necessity. She hadn't paid much attention before, but now she felt deeply moved. Tears welled in her eyes, and in that moment, she silently vowed to work harder and share Izanami's burdens.
Meanwhile, Izanami was distracted. His gaze lingered on an elderly man seated on a bench, an open wooden box and a bottle of sake by his side. The man took small sips, reluctant to indulge too freely. It was clear he hadn't paid to stay in a hotel—he looked like he came from another village.
Though Izanami had seen countless visitors from other lands, this man stood out. Deep inside, memories began to surface—vague at first, but growing clearer. Despite never having met the man before, he immediately recognized him:
Tazuna—the bridge builder from the Land of Waves, the client from the Seventh Class's first C-rank mission. Scenes from that arc flashed through Izanami's mind like a slideshow.
"Izayoi-kun? What are you staring at?" Hinata's voice pulled him back to the present.
He blinked. "Oh, nothing. Just thinking."
"What about?"
"The Chunin Exams are in just over a month. Do you want to take part?" Izanami asked, switching topics.
"Of course," Hinata replied decisively. "I want to become a Jonin as soon as possible."
"Why?"
Hinata touched a finger to her lips, mimicking Izanami's teasing gesture. "That's a secret."
Izanami smiled at her playful expression. She laughed, and he responded with mock sternness: "Do you believe I'll punish you by using you as a hand grip strengthener?"
"A… hand grip strengthener?"
Hinata wrinkled her nose. "What's that?"
"I'll explain when we get home," he said, tugging her by the hand. Just then, voices called out from a distance:
"Izayoi! Hinata! Long time no see!"
A tall silver-haired boy with narrow eyes, a fox-faced blonde, a cool-looking guy, and a qipao‑wearing girl approached—it was the Seventh Class.
"Naruto! Sasuke! Sakura!" Izanami greeted them, standing as they drew near. It had been two months since graduation, and though it didn't feel long to most, to these academy students, it had passed slowly.
"Are you two on a date?" Sasuke asked, his first words making Hinata blush. Sakura glared at Hinata with envy. How she wished her relationship with Sasuke could be as close as Hinata's with Izanami!
Before Izanami could respond, Naruto piped up: "We're heading out on a mission."
He gestured to Kakashi Hatake walking nearby, book in hand. "He's Jonin Kakashi, our supervising Jonin."
"Jonin Kakashi," Izanami greeted, bowing politely. So did Hinata.
Kakashi looked up from his "adult" novel. He glanced at Izanami and Hinata, noting how their height and chakra levels surpassed Sasuke and Sakura even without focused attention. He smirked and teased, "So this is that top student? Not bad—not nearly as good as the geniuses and the dropout, though."
He expected Naruto and Sasuke to bristle, but instead they looked indifferent. Even Sakura and Hinata nodded in agreement. Kakashi raised his mental eyebrow—unexpected praise.
"Jonin Kakashi is too kind," Izanami responded humbly, then complimented him: "There's Naruto and Sasuke, both exceptional ninjas, and Sakura, consistently top three in academics. You, as the Copy Ninja famed in all the Ninja World, a direct disciple of the Fourth Hokage, and a legendary Lightning Release master who even "cut lightning"—with your guidance, they'll surpass me in months."
Kakashi's eye widened. He sensed the Seventh Class staring at him in admiration, mouths agape.
Naruto pointed, eyes shining: "Jonin Kakashi—you won't teach us ninjutsu? You're the Fourth Hokage's disciple, you've mastered over a thousand jutsu!"
Sakura added in mock reproach, "Jonin Kakashi, you're going too far!"
Sasuke stood silently, his gaze a mix of admiration and—something colder.
Kakashi realized he couldn't slack off anymore. And as the instigator, Izanami seized the moment, grabbing Hinata's hand and pulling her away toward home.
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