The voices were faint, so soft that they could have been mistaken for the buzz of a mosquito."Hinata, you saw it too…"Ino didn't bother turning around. Her sigh carried a hint of helplessness, as if she had already rehearsed this line many times in her heart.Hinata stepped closer and gave a small, firm nod."Actually, I can understand… Sakura's heart is completely occupied by Sasuke right now," she said quietly."I know…" Ino's lips curved into a bitter smile."It's fine to like someone. No one can decide who another person's heart will choose. But the prerequisite for love should be this—you must not hurt others or hinder them." Her voice trembled slightly, revealing the conflict hidden in her chest."The Sakura right now… she has not only hurt Naruto, but she has also become an obstacle to Sasuke-kun. The sad part is, she doesn't realize it… or maybe, she refuses to realize it."Hinata lowered her eyes, her thoughts drifting."Something terrible must have happened to Sasuke," she whispered. "His state… it feels off. Different from before."Ino's brows knitted together. She wasn't privy to the full truth of the Uchiha Clan's tragedy, but as the eldest daughter of the Yamanaka clan, she had inherited fragments of information and instinctively understood that something heavy hung over Sasuke's life.Hinata, though from another clan, had also sensed this shift."No, not only that," Hinata murmured after a pause. "Sasuke was always cold, his past already hardened him. But the Sasuke of today… he feels even darker, more distant than before.""I don't know what exactly happened," Ino admitted, shaking her head slowly. Then, as if struck by a thought, her eyes flickered."If I had to guess… it must be related to Naruto again."The instant Naruto's name left Ino's lips, Hinata's heart throbbed. Her cheeks flushed faintly."N-Naruto-kun?"Ino gave her a look, half teasing, half serious. "Hinata, you noticed too, right? Although Sasuke always speaks dismissively of Naruto, the truth is… the person he cares about most is him."Hinata's breath caught, but she nodded. She had always observed Naruto more carefully than anyone else. Naturally, she had noticed long ago."Indeed…" she whispered. "Although Sasuke's words are often sharp, Naruto-kun is the only one he chooses to speak to of his own will."Ino exhaled slowly. "Maybe that's because of what they share in common."For a moment, silence hung between them. Hinata finally spoke, her voice tinged with melancholy."…Is it loneliness?"The word struck Ino like lightning. Her chest tightened. She had often felt something similar but had never dared to put it into words. Hearing Hinata say it so softly, so clearly, made the truth undeniable."As expected of Hinata," Ino thought, staring at her companion. "Her heart is delicate… she sees through to things I can't.""Yes," Ino admitted at last. "The loneliness those two carry… it's something we can't ever experience ourselves. Only they can find solace in each other. What a complicated, contradictory emotion. I doubt even they fully understand it."Just then, under the warm rays of the rising sun, Naruto appeared in front of them. His figure seemed to glow faintly as he walked toward the academy.Hinata's breath caught."Naruto-kun…"Her fingers clenched together, and her heart whispered, I sincerely hope one day, you can escape that loneliness.Ino turned her head slightly, and her gaze softened. She too saw the boy's bright figure moving against the golden light. She watched as Hinata pressed her hands together and prayed silently for him. Something inside Ino stirred deeply."Naruto, oh Naruto…" she thought. "You don't even realize how lucky you are…"Naruto, meanwhile, was completely oblivious. His mind was focused elsewhere, filled with smug satisfaction. His Divided Attention ability had become increasingly refined, and he could now juggle tasks more smoothly than ever before.He bounced along the path with springy steps, his trademark grin stretched wide. Spotting the two girls, he waved cheerfully."Good morning! Hinata, Ino!"Hinata's face flushed scarlet in an instant. She lowered her head, stammering, "G-Good morning, Naruto-kun…"But by the time she looked up again, Naruto had already bounded away, far ahead of them, his energy radiating like a small sun.Ino chuckled. "That guy already ran off."Hinata didn't seem disappointed. Instead, she smiled gently, her eyes lingering in the direction he had disappeared.Seeing her, Ino tilted her head. "Is that Naruto really that good?" she asked, curiosity lacing her tone.Hinata didn't answer directly, but her expression said more than words.Ino's curiosity deepened. "Alright then… I'll observe him myself."---Naruto's mood was soaring as he neared the academy gates.During his walk, he had discovered something new—his Divided Attention ability had improved so much that he could review lessons while simultaneously training his body.Just this morning, he had managed to memorize his textbooks while doing weighted handstands. His injured leg still ached faintly, but his physique was already strong enough to bear it.More importantly, he had a bold idea: what if he could train himself to refine chakra automatically? A passive skill that worked no matter what he was doing—studying, eating, or even sleeping.If he succeeded, his chakra reserves would skyrocket to an unimaginable level.The very thought made his eyes gleam with ambition.Ignoring the twinges of fatigue in his muscles, Naruto sat down at his desk and immediately entered practice mode. He placed his textbook in front of him, absorbing Iruka-sensei's lessons while quietly refining chakra.Across the room, Sasuke noticed his arrival. The dark-haired boy's brows furrowed, his fists clenching tightly. He had barely slept a wink last night, his body running on fumes. But seeing Naruto's determined expression ignited something inside him.Suddenly, exhaustion was burned away by raw determination. He clenched his teeth and pushed himself even harder.The seats between them created physical distance, yet the atmosphere crackled with invisible tension. Students all around felt it—two powerful, oppressive auras pressing against each other, filling the classroom like a storm.Naruto and Sasuke… again?!Originally, only Naruto had been working himself to the bone. Everyone had grown used to his relentless drive, his almost reckless training. But now even Sasuke, the untouchable genius, was visibly straining himself in public.The realization shook the class.If even Sasuke is working this hard… what excuse do we have?For some students, despair replaced motivation. They slumped back in their seats, resigning themselves to being left behind. Others, however, felt unwilling to lose. They clenched their fists and followed suit, forcing themselves to try harder.When Iruka-sensei entered the room, the strange atmosphere immediately struck him."…This class is getting stranger and stranger," he muttered under his breath.Naruto, no longer the mischievous troublemaker, was now frighteningly dedicated. Sasuke, once aloof and indifferent, was working with grim ferocity. Hinata had grown quietly determined, chasing after Naruto's back. Even Kiba, Shino, and others were caught in the wave of effort.On the other hand, Sakura, once the diligent top student, seemed increasingly distracted. Yesterday she had even skipped class, something unheard of for her.Iruka scratched his head, baffled. What on earth is going on here? Did I stumble into some kind of upside-down genjutsu world?But when his eyes landed on Choji munching snacks and Shikamaru snoring peacefully at his desk, he breathed a sigh of relief."Thankfully, some things never change."Clearing his throat, he announced, "Ahem! Class is starting now!"At his words, Naruto's eyes snapped open. A confident smile spread across his lips.Knowledge Absorption… activate!Divided Attention… activate!The difference from before was clear. Previously, most of his focus was tied to chakra refining. Now, he could balance his energy better—one side absorbing Iruka's teachings with sharp clarity, the other side maintaining a steady stream of chakra circulation.His skill had improved. Once, he could only hold the state for three minutes at a time. Now, he lasted five minutes before faltering."Five minutes…" Naruto muttered inwardly. "It's progress, but still not enough. I must last longer!"His fists clenched under the desk as he re-entered the state of deep focus.What he didn't realize was that Ino, intrigued by Hinata's earlier words, was carefully observing him. Her eyes followed every detail of his movements, sharp and analytical."Four minutes and fifty seconds…" she counted silently."Indeed. He pauses every five minutes or so, then dives back into complete concentration. That level of focus… it's almost unnatural. Like Sakura staring at Sasuke, or Hinata staring at Naruto. It's obsessive, intense, unwavering."Her eyes gleamed with realization."No wonder he's improved so much these past few days. But why five minutes? What forces him to break and restart?"The question lingered in her heart, but one thing was clear—Naruto was far from ordinary.And perhaps, she thought, it was time everyone else realized that too.
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