The thought flashed by, but Naruto still decided to step in and help Hinata.
Whether or not this was someone's deliberate scheme, it was more advantageous to him than not.
After all, who could refuse a soft, shy little Hinata who only had eyes for him?
And besides—wasn't the Hinata of the future big, round, and… even capable of floating on water?
'Evil little brats from the Konoha! ' Naruto thought. 'Here I come…'
Having made up his mind, he sprang forward in a single bound.
Relying on the physique of his perfected Uzumaki bloodline, his burst of speed outmatched many Genin.
Hinata only saw a flash of gold sweep past her vision—then three screams rang out.
The three boys she had seen as demons were already sprawled face-first on the ground, groaning in pain.
Once they recognized Naruto's face, anger and fear twisted across their expressions.
"Bastard!""It's… it's the Demon Fox!""The demon fox is going to rampage again! Run!"
Clutching their stomachs, the trio scrambled up and fled in terror.
Hinata slowly raised her head, her Byakugan focusing on the golden-haired back standing in front of her.
Naruto, now healthier and better-fed, was half a head taller than her, giving her a strong sense of safety.
Bathed in sunlight, his golden hair seemed to shimmer with a radiant glow in her eyes.
"Are you alright?" Naruto turned around, wearing a gentle smile.
Hinata froze as if time had stopped, staring blankly at him.
After a moment, she realized her rudeness—her pale cheeks instantly flushed red.
"S-sorry… and th-thank you!"
"It's fine. My name's Uzumaki Naruto. What about you?"
"Ah… I'm Hyūga Hinata…"
Just as they exchanged names, a tall figure strode up to Hinata and firmly grabbed her hand.
The newcomer had long hair, a stern expression, and the same Byakugan in his eyes.
Naruto immediately recognized him—Hinata's father, Hyūga Hiashi.
The timing of his arrival only deepened Naruto's suspicions.
"We're going home," Hiashi ordered, his tone brooking no argument.
In the gaze he cast on his daughter was clear disappointment.
Hinata, sensitive as she was, shrank from that look. Self-doubt surged within her, and her head sank low.
As father and daughter prepared to leave, Naruto's clear voice rang out from behind.
"Hinata, don't care too much about other people's eyes. Your eyes are special—they're really beautiful."
'My dad, Minato, praised Kushina's red hair. If I praise Hinata's Byakugan, it should work too, right? ' Naruto thought.
The pair froze in place.
Both sets of pale eyes turned back toward him.
Hinata's face grew even redder, to the point it looked like steam might rise from her head.
It was the first time she had been complimented like this. The little girl was utterly flustered.
Hiashi, however, stared hard at the boy's yellow hair, Minato's image flashing in his mind. His feelings were extremely complicated.
It seemed that Minato's style of "flattery" worked wonders indeed.
***
Konoha had dozens of training grounds of all sizes, covering all sorts of terrain.
The largest—the Third Training Ground—spanned a diameter of more than ten kilometers.
Naruto moved between training grounds, searching for the vibrant beast in green.
But hours passed with no sign of Might Guy.
Even after lunch, Naruto didn't give up and kept looking.
By afternoon, in a wooded path of the Third Training Ground, he finally found him.
A figure was walking on his hands—moving faster than most could walk upright.
It was none other than Might Guy, clad in his iconic green jumpsuit and eccentric look.
Even while upside-down, his pace was brisk, and he muttered aloud as he passed by Naruto.
"Twenty laps around the training ground on my hands! If I fail, I'll do twenty thousand squats!"
Such a bizarre self-punishment would be a nightmare for a shut-in.
But perhaps only someone with such immense willpower and fearlessness could unlock the final crimson Eighth Gate.
Even Kakashi, a genius, had only ever reached the Sixth Gate.
Otherwise, with Danzō's methods, he'd have raised a whole squad of Eight Gates death soldiers by now.
As Naruto reflected on this, he quickly dropped down and imitated Guy's stance, moving in sync right behind him.
At first, Guy assumed the boy was only fooling around and would quit once fatigue set in.
But soon he realized this wasn't the case.
One lap. Two laps. Three laps…
Naruto remained steady, keeping pace with him without faltering.
Through the corner of his eye, beneath those thick brows, Guy saw Naruto's unwavering focus—blue eyes as calm and firm as water.
"Such an excellent gaze! This breath of youth strikes me head-on! I feel it deeply!!"
"In return, I must get even more serious!"
Fired up by Naruto's determination, Guy sped up, his pure and earnest smile shining.
Naruto, speechless, had no choice but to quicken his own pace to match.
The ground of the Third Training Ground was uneven dirt.
By the fifth lap, Naruto's palms were torn, blood seeping out.
Yet as he continued, his wounds didn't worsen—they began to heal.
By the final lap, his hands were raw but closing, a testament to his resilience.
'Running twenty laps around a ten-kilometer field, and I'm only a bit tired. My stamina and healing… this really is the perfected Uzumaki Sage Body.'
Naruto now had a clearer grasp of his own constitution.
Guy, meanwhile, was struck speechless. Naruto was not only keeping up—he looked even more at ease.
This boy… to reach such a level? Is this the youth of a true genius? How dazzling!
After the twentieth lap, Guy stopped by a large boulder.
He raised one hand dramatically, making a circle with his thumb and forefinger and pressing it to his eye like a mask, gazing intently at Naruto.
"What an exhilarating workout! My name is Might Guy! Young man, what do they call you?"
Seeing someone use such a flamboyant greeting in real life, Naruto couldn't help twitching his eyelids.
He recalled watching Naruto in his past life—back then, he never imagined this "comedic" character could unleash such terrifying strength.
"Uzumaki Naruto," he replied truthfully.
"…Uzumaki Naruto?"
Guy repeated the name. With his poor memory, he found it familiar, yet couldn't place it.
Scratching his head in frustration, his eyes suddenly shifted to the Hokage Rock in the distance, lingering on the Fourth Hokage's youthful face.
Then, snapping his gaze back to Naruto's golden hair, realization dawned.
So that's it… No wonder he has such talent.