Chapter 15: Hinata's Super Palm Technique TalentThe days passed quickly.Sasuke came to class the day after Shikamaruinformed him. When he walked into the classroom, everyone went quiet for a moment. He had lost a lot of weight; the baby fat on his face was gone, his chin had become sharp, his cheekbones protruded, and his lips were pressed into a thin line. He didn't look at anyone as he walked straight to his seat, sat down, placed his bag on the desk, and opened his textbook. His movements were smooth and natural, just like any other day. But he was different—everyone could tell. Something was missing from his eyes.No one dared to speak to him. Sakura tried a few times; she walked up to him, her mouth opening and closing, before finally just placing a bottle of milk on the corner of his desk and walking away. Ino tried too, standing before him and asking, "Sasuke, are you okay?" only to be frozen out by his silence. Shikamaru didn't try, Choji didn't try, and neither did the rest of the class. Only Naruto would glance at him and give a small nod every day as he passed Sasuke's seat. Sasuke would occasionally nod back, and occasionally he wouldn't.Life went on uneventfully like this for over a week.This afternoon, the sunlight was pleasant. Irukastood on the training ground, holding a clipboard and a small box containing slips of paper. The whole class was lined up in two rows; some were whispering excitedly, some were warming up, and others were squatting down to tie their shoelaces. Iruka clapped his hands, signaling for everyone to be quiet."For today's practical combat class, pairings will be chosen by random draw." He shook the box. "The rules are the same as before—sparring only, no dangerous Ninjutsu allowed, and no intentional injuries. Stop immediately once an opponent surrenders or I determine the winner. Is that understood?""Understood!" came the scattered replies.Iruka began calling names. Every time two people were called, they would walk to the open space in the center of the training ground, stand face-to-face, bow, and begin their spar. Most of the matches were quite ordinary—two six-year-old children with similar levels of Taijutsu, trading punches and kicks. Occasionally, someone would use a Transformation Technique or a Body Replacement Technique, drawing a chorus of gasps. Iruka stood by, pen in hand, making notes on his clipboard, occasionally shouting "Stop" or "Continue."Naruto stood in line, hands in his pockets, watching the matches on the field. His gaze swept over the people on the training ground, landing on Hinatastanding in the front row—she was looking down, her fingers wringing the hem of her shirt, and her lips were trembling slightly. She was nervous."Next group—Hyuga Hinata, Uchiha Sasuke."The training ground went quiet for a moment. Everyone's eyes were focused on these two.Hinata walked over slowly, every step feeling like she was treading on cotton. She stood opposite Sasuke and bowed, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum: "P-please... guide me..." Sasukedidn't bow; he only gave a slight nod.Iruka raised his hand. "Begin."Sasuke didn't Move. He stood there with his hands at his sides, looking at Hinata with a completely expressionless face. Hinata didn't Move either. She stood where she was, clutching the hem of her shirt, her lips trembling, her eyes unsure of where to look. Someone on the training ground whispered, "What is the Hyuga doing?" and someone else chuckled.Hinata's face turned even redder. She gritted her teeth and took a step forward. Sasuke still didn't Move. Hinata took another step and raised her hands, assuming the starting stance of the HyugaGentle Fist—but her movements were stiff, her arms were trembling slightly, the angle of her palms was off, and her center of gravity was unstable. She took a deep breath and thrust out a palm. Sasuke stepped aside to avoid it, his movement light and casual, as if dodging a paper airplane. Hinata's palm brushed past his clothes, failing to land a hit.Hinata didn't give up. She turned around and struck with another palm. This strike was a bit faster than the last, but it still missed. Sasuke took a step back and dodged again. Hinata pursued him—third palm, fourth palm, fifth palm—her movements became faster and more fluid, her arms no longer trembled, and her footsteps no longer hesitated. It was as if she had forgotten what she was afraid of; her eyes held only her opponent and the Moves. When the sixth palm was struck, Sasuke finally stopped just dodging—he raised his arm to block, then counter-attacked with a palm toward Hinata's shoulder.Hinata sidestepped to dodge, while simultaneously turning her left palm upward to parry Sasuke's arm, and thrusting her right palm forward in one smooth motion. This palm struck Sasuke squarely in the chest.Thud.Sasuke stumbled back two steps before steadying himself. He looked up at Hinata, a hint of seriousness appearing in his eyes for the first time. Hinata was also stunned. She looked down at her own palms, then up at Sasuke, her face full of bewilderment—she didn't know what she had just done.Then, she unleashed a second palm strike.This time, it wasn't the Hyuga Gentle Fist. Her body moved on its own—her left hand feinted while her right hand thrust out from her waist, palm forward, carrying a heavy force as it struck. The posture of this palm wasn't like the Gentle Fist; instead, it resembled a more powerful and fierce palm technique. Sasuke raised both arms to block, but the force of the palm was much heavier than he expected. His body leaned back, his heels left the ground, and he had to retreat half a step to stabilize himself.Hinata didn't stop. Third palm—left palm retracted, right palm thrust out again, faster and heavier than the one before. Sasuke sidestepped to dodge, but the wind from the palm brushed his shoulder, making his whole body sway. Fourth palm—Hinata's body spun in a semi-circle, her palms striking alternately, each one faster and heavier than the last. Sasuke was forced to retreat repeatedly; his arms blocked the first palm, he dodged the second, the third brushed his shoulder, and the fourth landed solidly on his forearm—sending him staggering two steps to the side.Fifth palm. Hinata's body sank slightly, her right palm held at her waist with the palm facing up, and her left palm guarding her chest. Her center of gravity was very low, like a fully drawn bow. Then her right palm thrust out—the wind from the palm carried a low whistle, as if something was frictioning against the air. Sasuke's eyes widened; he tried to dodge to the side, but the range of this palm was much larger than he had imagined. The wind from the palm swept across his arm, and he was spun around by the force, his foot slipping as he fell to one knee.The training ground fell silent.Everyone was staring at Hinata. Hinata stood where she was, her palms still in the follow-through of the strike, her chest heaving. Her face showed no fear or nervousness, only a pure, focused blankness. Then she came to her senses, and her face instantly turned red, burning hot. She lowered her head, pulled her hands back to wring them together, and traced circles on the ground with her toe.Iruka stood nearby, his mouth slightly open, the clipboard in his hand nearly falling to the ground. He looked at Hinata, then at Sasuke kneeling on one knee, and remained silent for three seconds."Hyuga Hinata, winner."Hinata snapped her head up, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly agape. She won? She had beaten Sasuke? She turned her head, her gaze passing through her classmates, past Iruka, and through the sunlight and dust, landing on the far left of the back row—Naruto was standing there, hands out of his pockets, the corners of his mouth slightly curled as he looked at her.Naruto was indeed surprised. Those five palms Hinata had just struck—they were the first five Moves of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. Hungry Dragon Has Regrets, Flying Dragon in the Sky, Seeing the Dragon in the Field, Hidden Dragon Does Not Act, and Beneficial to Cross the Great Stream. Those were what he had drawn in the notebook he gave her, but he hadn't expected her to learn them so quickly. Even less did he expect her to use them so naturally in a spar, becoming more fluid and powerful with each strike. This was just a practice match, and she hadn't even used Chakra—relying purely on physical strength and palm technique to push Sasuke to that point. What if she used Chakra? What if she learned to drive them with Natural Energy?He looked at her and nodded.It was a tiny movement, but Hinata saw it. Her eyes lit up, and the corners of her mouth curved into a very, very slight smile. Her face was flushed, not with the red of embarrassment, but with the red of joy. She lowered her head and hurried back to the line, standing in her spot and clutching her notebook—the one with the pink flower stickers—very tightly.Sasuke stood up from the ground, brushed the dust off his knees, and walked back to the line. His expression was the same as before, cold and hard, but his gaze lingered on Hinata for a moment as he passed her before looking away. He said nothing and returned to his spot.Iruka cleared his throat and continued calling names. "Next group—Ino Yamanaka, Inuzuka Kiba." Ino didn't Move. She stood in the line, holding her small mirror, the surface angled toward Hinata and Naruto. Her mouth was slightly open, her eyes narrowed into slits, and her lips carried a "just as I thought" kind of smile."Ino!" Iruka shouted.AI Model: gemini-3.1-flash-lite"Huh? Oh! Coming, coming!" Ino stuffed her small mirror into her pocket and jogged onto the field.Her gaze swept back and forth between Hinataand Naruto before turning to Kiba opposite her, the smile on her lips impossible to suppress.Her sparring was half-hearted; she kept looking off the field while fighting, nearly getting hit in the nose by Kiba's fist.After the sparring class ended, Iruka let everyone have some free time.They scattered in twos and threes; some went to get water, some sat in the shade chatting, and others continued practicing on the playground.Ino didn't go to get water, nor did she go to the shade.She dragged Shikamaru and Choji to a large tree in the corner of the playground."Did you see that?" Ino lowered her voice, but her eyes were frighteningly bright.Shikamaru leaned against the tree trunk, hands in his pockets, looking up at the sky through the gaps in the leaves."See what?""Hinata! The palm techniques Hinata just used!" Ino's voice rose a little, then she quickly lowered it. "That wasn't the Hyuga Gentle Fist! I've seen the Hyuga Gentle Fist; Neji has used it, and it's completely different! That palm technique of Hinata's—it was wide open and imposing, forceful and powerful, every strike carrying the wind—that isn't something from the Hyuga Clan!"Shikamaru fell silent for a moment.He had indeed seen it.The five strikes Hinata unleashed were completely different in style from the Hyuga Gentle Fist.The Gentle Fist was delicate, precise, and focused on breaking through points.Hinata's palm technique was majestic, fierce, and relied on overwhelming force.He didn't recall anyone in Konoha using that kind of palm technique."Maybe she learned it herself," Shikamaru said, his tone very flat."Learned it herself? Learned it where?" Ino leaned closer to him. "Shikamaru, think about it—who has Hinata been closest to lately?"Shikamaru thought about it.Who had Hinata been close to lately? She didn't usually talk to people much, and there was almost no one in class she would take the initiative to speak to.Except for—"Naruto?" Shikamaru said.Ino snapped her fingers."Right! Naruto! Do you remember last week, when Naruto sat next to Hinata and showed her a piece of paper? And Choji said Naruto drew training diagrams on the paper—Choji, didn't you say that?"Choji was pulling a bag of chips from his pocket and froze when he heard his name."Huh? Oh, right. It seemed to be drawings of someone's training posture. I didn't look closely.""That's it!" Ino's eyes brightened even more. "Naruto drew palm technique diagrams for Hinata, Hinata learned them, and used them today—doesn't that add up?"Shikamaru looked at her without refuting.It made logical sense, but he felt that what Ino was excited about wasn't the palm technique itself."Ino, aren't you getting too involved?""What do you mean 'too involved'!" Ino put her hands on her hips. "I'm just curious—when did Naruto and Hinata get so close? They hadn't spoken more than a few words before, right? Look at Hinata; the first person she looked at after she finished fighting today was Naruto, and Narutoeven nodded at her—that was clearly the look of a 'Master watching a disciple'! They must be hiding something from us!"Shikamaru sighed."Even if they are, that's their business.""I know it's their business!" Ino said, then lowered her voice a bit more. "But I just want to know… That guy Naruto, he used to always pull pranks, cause trouble in class, and not turn in his homework. Lately, he's suddenly become obedient, stopped making noise, started listening in class, and now he can even teach Hinata palm techniques—don't you think that's strange?"Shikamaru thought about it.To be honest, he did think it was a bit strange.The changes in Uzumaki Naruto recently were plain for all the classmates to see.Some said he was scared straight, some said he had grown up, and some didn't care at all.Shikamaru belonged to the "didn't care" category—other people's business was too troublesome, and he was too lazy to think about it.But now that Ino put it this way, he also found it a bit interesting."And—" Ino's voice became even lower, low enough that only the three of them could hear, "Have you noticed the way Hinata looks at Naruto?"Shikamaru and Choji exchanged a glance."What kind of look?""Just that kind—" Ino gestured, her fingers drawing a circle in the air, "That'stars in her eyes' look. Every time she looks at Naruto, her eyes are bright, and her face is red. Last time we went to visit Sasuke, Hinata went too—she wasn't going to see Sasukeat all, she was going to see Naruto! Didn't you notice? She stood next to Naruto from beginning to end!"Shikamaru was silent for a few seconds."Ino, you're observing way too closely.""That's called being attentive!" Ino said righteously. "Anyway, I think there's definitely something going on between those two. Naruto drew palm technique diagrams for Hinata, Hinata learned the palm techniques Naruto taught, and the two of them often walk home together—doesn't that deserve attention?"Choji took a bite of his chips and mumbled, "So what do you plan to do?"Ino thought for a moment, then waved her hand."Nothing! I'm just curious, it's not like I'm going to do anything. I just—" She paused, the corners of her mouth curling up, "Think it's pretty interesting. Naruto and Hinata, those two—they're a good match."Shikamaru glanced at her."Don't you dare say that to their faces, and besides, isn't this just pure gossip?""I know! I'm not an idiot!" Ino flicked her ponytail and stood up from the ground. "Let's go, back to the classroom. School's almost out."The three of them walked out from the shade, crossed the playground, and headed toward the school building.Ino walked in front, her steps light, her ponytail swinging behind her.When passing by the side of the playground, she saw Hinata standing by the water fountain drinking water, and Naruto standing not far away, hands in his pockets, looking at the sky.The corners of Ino's mouth curled up, and she quickened her pace into the school building.When the school bell rang, Naruto packed his bag and walked out the back door.When he walked across the playground, Hinatawas already waiting at the school gate, holding that notebook, head lowered, her toe drawing circles on the ground."Naruto-kun…" She saw Naruto walking over, her voice small. "Today… thank you.""Thank you for what?""Thank you for teaching me the palm technique…" Her face turned red. "During sparring today, I, I didn't expect to be able to use it… As I was fighting, my body just moved on its own… I thought I would get beaten badly by Sasuke…"Naruto looked at her."How long have you been practicing?"Hinata was taken aback for a moment, then whispered, "Every day… after I get home every day… I practice for a while after I finish my homework…""Every day?""Yeah…" Her voice became smaller and smaller. "Sometimes I practice really late… Father asked me why I sleep so late… I, I didn't dare tell him…"Naruto fell silent for a moment.Practicing every day, for over a week, and being able to use the five strikes consecutively in sparring, and getting smoother with each use, with good control of force and angle.This wasn't something that could be achieved just by "practicing."This was talent.Hinata Hyuga's talent for palm techniques was much better than he had imagined."Well done," he said.Hinata suddenly raised her head, her eyes bright."Re, really?""Yeah. Keep practicing."Hinata nodded, nodding vigorously.Her face was red, but this time she didn't lower her head; instead, she looked up at Naruto, the corners of her mouth curved, her eyes curved, the sunset light shining on her face, her eyelashes casting a delicate shadow on her cheeks."Let's go, home," Naruto said."Yeah." Hinata followed beside him, and the two walked side by side on the way home.When they reached the alley entrance, Hinatastopped."Naruto-kun, see you tomorrow.""See you tomorrow."Hinata held her notebook, turned and walked a few steps, then stopped and looked back at him.The sunset light shone on her face, her eyes bright, the corners of her mouth curved.Then she turned back, quickened her pace, and disappeared at the end of the street.Naruto stood at the alley entrance, watching her back disappear, then turned and walked in the direction of his home.That cold gaze was still there, falling on his back from some unseen corner.He walked home, pushed open the door, walked in, closed the door, and locked it.He sat by the window, watching the sky outside turn from orange-red to deep purple, and from deep purple to navy blue.The stars lit up one by one.He recalled the five strikes Hinata had unleashed on the playground today—without using Chakra, relying purely on physical strength, she had pushed Sasuke to that extent.What if she used Chakra? What if she learned to use Natural Energy to drive it?He stood up, walked to the bed, lay down, and pulled the quilt up to his chest.The inner core in his Dantian was slowly rotating, and a warm current of Qi flowed through his body.He closed his eyes, a faint smile on his lips, and slowly fell asleep.
Chapter 16: The Arrival of the Lucky OneWhen Naruto woke up, the sky was already bright.The light through the gap in the curtains was brighter than yesterday; the spring sun rises earlier every day.He lay on the bed and felt it—the inner core in his Dantian was full, the nine patterns rotating slowly, warm Qi flowing in his body.That cold gaze was already there, landing on his face the moment he woke up.He sat up and rubbed his eyes.There was one thing to do today.He had been saving up for a long time.He walked into the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and water flowed out with a splash.He stood under the water and formed hand seals.This time he only created one Clone.The Clone stood before him, soaking wet, blinking."You go to class for me," Naruto said, "Sit in my seat, don't cause trouble, and come home after class.""Got it." The Clone nodded and walked out of the bathroom.Footsteps faded in the hallway, then the sound of the apartment door opening and closing followed.That cold gaze followed the Clone—the person monitoring couldn't tell which was the original and which was the Clone; as long as one "Naruto" went out to school, he would follow.Naruto stood in the bathroom and waited a few minutes.The gaze didn't return.He turned off the faucet, dried his hair, and changed into clean clothes—still that orange T-shirt and gray shorts, which were not so tight anymore; his height had stabilized after the Nine Yang Divine Skill reached Perfection, no longer growing wildly like before.He climbed out of the back window, landing silently, the Breath Concealment Art hiding all his presence completely.He wanted to go to a place where no one was around.The wasteland east of the Village was where the Clones practiced the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms.He crossed the commercial street, passed through the residential area, walked through a small forest, and after about twenty minutes, arrived.The wasteland was at the easternmost part of Konoha Village, surrounded by steep stone walls, the valley floor was a flat area overgrown with weeds, invisible from the outside.He jumped down to the valley floor, found a flat stone to sit on, and took a deep breath."System."The panel popped up.Host: Uzumaki Naruto. Age: Six. Points: 8,400. Nine Yang Divine Skill: Nine-Patterned Perfection. Mastered: Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, Transformation Technique, Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, Breath Concealment Art. Special Status: Nine-Tails Seal.8,400 points.He had been saving for a long time.The Uchiha Clan Annihilation night earned him 8,000, plus the 20-something points earned daily.He stared at the number for a while, then started thinking.The Nine Yang Divine Skill was already at Perfection, no need to invest.The Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms were directly instilled by the System, proficiency was enough.The Breath Concealment Art was currently at Perfection, but the System had hinted there was a higher Realm beyond "Perfection"."System, purchase twenty Cultivation Scrolls, invest in Breath Concealment Art."Confirmed purchase of twenty Cultivation Scrolls, consuming 300 points.Remaining points: 8,100.Cultivation Scrolls used.Breath Concealment Art breaking through—He closed his eyes.That thin veil changed—not getting thicker, but getting thinner, so thin it almost didn't exist.The veil merged with his body, no longer "something wrapped on the surface of the body," but became "a part of the body itself."His breathing, heartbeat, body temperature, Chakra flow, inner core rotation, the Nine-Tailed's aura—everything was hidden within this "non-existent" veil.Not covering, but merging.He merged with the surrounding environment, just like a drop of water falling into the ocean, you couldn't tell which drop was it.Breath Concealment Art, Breakthrough, effect: When not taking action, to anyone, he is an extremely ordinary person.Can shrink and expand at will, one thought can hide all presence.Naruto opened his eyes and felt it.He tried to "contract"—the veil tightened, his presence dropped to the lowest, like a roadside stone.He tried to "release"—the veil loosened, his aura leaked out a little bit, but it only changed from "stone" to "grass," still completely unremarkable.He nodded with satisfaction."System, purchase five Random Gift Packs."Confirmed purchase of five Random Gift Packs, consuming 5,000 points.Remaining points: 3,100.Random Gift Packs opening—The first pack opened.Congratulations to the Host for obtaining: Multi-Inner Dan Method.Naruto paused, then looked at the description carefully.Multi-Inner Dan Method Description: Can condense multiple inner cores in the body, up to 108.Each inner core can independently run the Nine Yang Divine Skill, absorb Natural Energy on its own, and operate on its own.108 inner cores are integrated with the main inner core, can run simultaneously or separately, coordinated like a System.If inner cores are separated from the Host's body, they can be re-condensed.Note: Multi-Inner Dan Method does not change the Nine-Patterned Perfection status of the main inner core, newly condensed inner cores need to be cultivated from scratch, but can be accelerated via Cultivation Scrolls.Naruto's mouth opened slightly.108 inner cores.Each could independently run the Nine Yang Divine Skill.When running simultaneously, 108 portions of Natural Energy running in the body at the same time—what kind of concept was that?His current Nine-Patterned inner core could already let him burst out power enough to shatter Susanoo in a short time, what if there were 108?No need for each to be Nine-Patterned, even if each had only one or two patterns, the total amount would be several or dozens of times more than now.And the inner cores could be separated from the body—or left for others.He suppressed his excitement and opened the second pack.Congratulations to the Host for obtaining: Golden Bell Shield.Golden Bell Shield Description: Use the inner core's Natural Energy to connect all Acupoints in the body, reaching the Realm of an indestructible Golden Bell.Natural Energy is poured into skin, muscles, bones, and internal organs, forming an invisible protective Qi.Cultivated to a profound Realm, immune to blades and spears, water and fire.At the same time, Natural Energy continuously circulates in the Acupoints, nourishing the body and strengthening the physique, prolonging life.Note: Each acupoint is like a tiny inner core, after Natural Energy connects all Acupoints, the effect of nourishing the body will be greatly improved.The third pack.Congratulations to the Host for obtaining: Swimming Dragon Eight Trigrams Step.Swimming Dragon Eight Trigrams StepDescription: One step, one hexagram, lotuses bloom with every step.Based on the Eight Trigrams positions, stepping on the eight gates of Kan, Li, Dui, Zhen, Xun, Qian, Kun, Gen, body like a swimming dragon, moving like flowing clouds.Cultivated to Minor Achievement, can maneuver in a square inch, avoiding most attacks.Cultivated to Major Achievement, movement like a dragon, enemies can't even touch the hem of his garment.The fourth pack.Thank you for your patronage.The fifth pack.Thank you for your patronage.Naruto looked at the panel and took a deep breath.Multi-Inner Dan Method, Golden Bell Shield, Swimming Dragon Eight Trigrams Step.Three techniques, two "thank you for your patronage." 5,000 points for three techniques, worth it."System, buy Cultivation Scrolls with the remaining 3,100 points."Confirmed purchase of 206 Cultivation Scrolls, consuming 3,090 points.Remaining points: 10.206 scrolls.Naruto thought for a moment, then distributed them.20 for Golden Bell Shield, 20 for Swimming Dragon Eight Trigrams Step, the remaining 166 all for Multi-Inner Dan Method.20 scrolls for Golden Bell Shield, invest.Golden Bell Shield breaking through—Minor Achievement.Natural Energy connected the main Acupoints of his body.A faint golden luster appeared on the surface of his skin, like a thin layer of beeswax, then quickly hid under the skin.He looked down at his arm—it looked no different from before, but he could feel the difference.There was something under the skin, like an invisible armor, tightly attached to the surface of his body.He tapped his forearm with his finger, producing a slight, muffled sound like tapping on thick leather.Not painful.20 scrolls for Swimming Dragon Eight Trigrams Step, invest.Swimming Dragon Eight Trigrams Step breaking through—Minor Achievement.Eight Trigrams patterns appeared in his mind—Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, Dui, eight positions, eight types of footwork.His muscles remembered the rhythm and angles of those steps, the body learned how to walk before the brain.166 scrolls for Multi-Inner Dan Method, invest.Multi-Inner Dan Method breaking through—108 two-patterned inner cores.Violent changes occurred in his Dantian.The main inner core—that nine-patterned golden bead—shook violently, then began to split.Not really splitting, but releasing 108 tiny points of light from the core of the main inner core, like a star releasing countless satellites.Those points of light rotated, expanded, and condensed in the Dantian, each turning into a small inner core.Patterns began to appear on the surface of each inner core—when the first pattern appeared, all inner cores shook simultaneously; when the second pattern appeared, 108 inner cores emitted golden light at the same time, illuminating the entire Dantian.A golden halo appeared on the surface of his body, lasting about three seconds, then slowly faded.108 two-patterned inner cores.Each was the size of a soybean, slowly rotating around the main inner core in the Dantian, like 108 planets orbiting a star.Each was independently running the Nine Yang Divine Skill—absorbing Natural Energy, releasing warm Qi.108 portions of Qi merged together, turning into a wide, warm river, surging in his meridians.He opened his eyes and looked at his hands.A faint golden luster flowed under the skin, as if a golden river was flowing in his veins.He clenched his fist, and his knuckles made a crisp cracking sound—not the sound of joints rubbing, but the sound of air being squeezed and exploded.His strength was much greater than before.Not one or two times, but ten or twenty times.With 108 two-patterned inner cores running simultaneously, plus the Nine-Patterned Perfectionof the main inner core, the total amount of Natural Energy in his body had reached a level he couldn't accurately estimate himself.He stood up from the stone and tried to take a step.His body felt much lighter, as if Earth's gravity on him had lessened.When he took the second step, his body moved on its own—left foot stepped on Kan position, right foot on Li position, body rotated, left palm feinted, right palm protected the chest.Swimming Dragon Eight Trigrams Step was already initiated.He stopped and took a deep breath.108 inner cores rotating in the Dantian, warm Qi flowing in the body, golden luster moving under the skin.He now had 108 two-patterned inner cores, Minor Achievement Golden Bell Shield, Minor Achievement Swimming Dragon Eight Trigrams Step, Perfection Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palmsand Breath Concealment Art.Last time at the Uchiha Clan Compound, Obitokept dodging; if he had really gone head-to-head, it was hard to say who would win.Now if he met Obito again, he wouldn't let him run away.He looked up at the sky.The sun had already moved west, he had spent the whole day in the wasteland.The Clone should be getting out of class soon.He turned around and walked towards the Village.Passing through the small forest, residential area, commercial street.People on the road didn't look at him twice—the Breath Concealment Art reduced his presence to the minimum, he was like a gust of wind, blowing past just like that.He walked to the apartment building, climbed in from the back window, landed in the bathroom, and stood there for a few minutes.Then he heard footsteps.The sound of the apartment door being pushed open, the sound of a schoolbag being placed on the table, footsteps walking towards the bathroom.The Clone pushed open the door, saw Narutostanding inside, and nodded.Naruto dispelled the Clone, with a "bang," the white smoke dispersed.Memories flooded back—the Clone had attended class for him all day, sitting in the last row by the window, not speaking, not causing trouble.Everything was normal.No one discovered that "Naruto" was fake.Naruto walked out of the bathroom, went to the window and sat down, watching the sky outside turn from orange-red to deep purple, from deep purple to navy blue.Stars lit up one by one.He stood up, walked to the bed, lay down, and pulled the quilt up to his chest.The moon outside the window rose, moonlight shone in through the gap in the curtains, drawing a bright circle on the ceiling.That cold gaze was still there, landing on his face.He turned over, facing the wall.He turned over and wrapped the quilt tighter.He had to go to class tomorrow, the Clone had to be sent out, points had to be earned, and life had to go on day by day.He closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep.The 108 inner cores in his Dantian emitted a faint golden light in the night, like 108 quiet little stars.
Chapter 17: Meeting the Nine-TailedNaruto stood on the surface of the water.An endless expanse of water, a gray sky, no wind, no ripples. Everything was exactly as it had been the last time he came here—that was over half a year ago, after that snowy night, when he had arrived here while unconscious and witnessed the dissipation of a golden figure and the shattering of a blue one. But today was different. Today, there was no one else here, only himself.He did not know how he had gotten in. He had simply fallen asleep, and then opened his eyes to find himself standing here. The water beneath his feet was like a giant mirror, reflecting his face—golden hair, blue eyes, six-year-old Uzumaki Naruto. He looked down at his hands, then raised his head to look ahead.In the distance was a massive iron gate.A Talismanic Incantation was stuck to the gate, white background with black characters, bearing a large character for "Seal." The edges of the Talismanic Incantation were slightly yellowed and curled, but the power of the Seal remained.He walked over. His footsteps landed on the water, making soft pattering sounds. He reached the iron gate, stopped, and looked up at the Talismanic Incantation."...Why are you here?" A voice came from behind the gate. It was deep, hoarse, and carried an impatient, gravelly quality, like two giant stones grinding against each other.Naruto did not speak. He stood there, hands in his pockets, looking into the darkness behind the iron gate.Silence lasted for a long time."Hey, brat." The voice sounded again, louder this time, with a hint of annoyance. "I asked you why you're here."Naruto still did not speak. He leaned against the railing next to the iron gate, rested his chin on his arms, and looked at the gray sky. The water reflected his face and his silence.The silence lasted for a long time. Long enough that the thing behind the gate began to grow impatient—Naruto heard the sound of chains dragging, a heavy, clattering noise, as if something had turned over in the darkness."You—" The voice paused, then suddenly turned sharp, like a beast that had had its tail stepped on. "What was that situation before! How did it feel like you were going to die!"Naruto leaned against the railing, silent."Hmph!" The voice grew louder, and the chains clattered. "I'm asking you a question! Why can I no longer affect your Chakra? Every time I try to influence it, a domineering force rebounds—what is that thing!"Naruto still did not speak."And!" The voice was almost roaring, the entire space vibrating, and fine ripples spread across the water. "That palm technique you used last time—the golden dragon—what is that palm technique! Where did you learn it!"A barrage of questions came crashing down like a rapid-fire cannon. Naruto leaned against the railing, listening quietly until it finished. Then he raised his head and looked into the darkness behind the iron gate."Kurama."It went quiet behind the iron gate. Absolute silence. The chains stopped rattling, the breathing paused for a moment, and even the ripples on the water vanished. That silence lasted for a long time—long enough that Naruto thought the thing behind the gate was gone.Then, a roar exploded."How do you know that name!" The iron gate shook violently, and the "Seal" character on the Talismanic Incantation lit up for a moment before dimming. The chains were pulled taut, emitting a piercing screech of metal friction. The entire space trembled, and the water surface, as if a bomb had been dropped into it, splashed up in huge sprays. "How do you know! Speak! Who told you!"Naruto stood by the railing, the water splashing onto him. He did not dodge, nor did he retreat; he simply stood there, quietly watching the surging darkness behind the iron gate.Then he extended his fist.His right hand, clenched into a fist, was raised in mid-air, the knuckles facing the direction of the iron gate. The roaring behind the gate stopped. Darkness surged within the gaps of the iron gate like thick fog blown by the wind. Silence lasted for a long time. Then, a claw extended from the darkness—a massive, red claw, covered in dark red fur, with nails as sharp as scimitars. The claw stretched out from the gaps in the iron gate, hovering in mid-air, stopping in front of Naruto's fist.The claw was bigger than Naruto's entire body. One fist and one claw, one large and one small, one golden and one red, hovered above the water, facing each other across the iron gate.The claw slowly reached forward a bit, touching Naruto's fist.It was a very light touch. Like a giant beast testing a cub. The moment they touched, Naruto's body shuddered—he saw it. Not with his eyes, but with his consciousness. Those images were transmitted from his fist, along the tip of the claw, and into the darkness.The claw retracted.It was quiet behind the iron gate for a long time. That quiet wasn't silence, but a kind of... digestion. Like someone chewing on something very tough, chewing for a long time, and finally swallowing it."You..." the voice sounded, much lower than before, so low it was almost inaudible. "You almost died???"Naruto leaned against the railing, not answering."That snowy night." The voice continued, with an uncertain tone, as if confirming something he himself couldn't quite believe. "That thing—that thing that wanted to take over your body—you absorbed it?"Naruto nodded."And that palm technique. The golden dragon." The voice paused. "That wasn't Chakra. What is it?""Natural Energy," Naruto said.The chains rattled, as if something had changed posture in the darkness. "Natural Energy... the kind used in Sage Mode?""Something like that."Silence. Then the voice sounded again, with a strange tone—not anger, not mockery, but a kind of... awkward, unaccustomed calm."Why are you telling me these things."Naruto looked into the darkness behind the iron gate. "Because you'll know sooner or later.""...Hmph." The voice lowered, and the chains clattered, as if to cover something up. "You think telling me this will make me help you? I am the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, I am—""I know who you are." Naruto interrupted him. "You don't need to tell me."Silence. The ripples on the water slowly dissipated, turning back into a smooth mirror. A thin crack opened in the gray sky, and light seeped in from the gap, warm and orange-red, just like last time."Brat." Kurama's voice came from the darkness, much lighter than before, so light it was almost a self-mutter. "What do you intend to do?""I am myself, Uzumaki Naruto, and I will change the entire world."He then retracted his fist, put it in his pocket, and turned to walk toward the light. After a few steps, he stopped, turned his head, and faced the iron gate with his profile."Are you coming along?"There was silence behind the iron gate. For a long time.The chains clattered. The water fluctuated, then calmed down. He turned back and continued walking toward the light. Behind him, in the darkness behind the iron gate, a pair of giant eyes lit up, then dimmed again. A tail swayed in the darkness, once, twice, three times, like someone unconsciously tapping their fingers while thinking.The water returned to calm. The gray sky revealed more and more light, warm and orange-red, dyeing the entire space in a warm hue.Naruto opened his eyes.The light in the gap of the curtains was white, the white of early morning, not the orange-red of the dream. He lay in bed, staring at the crack on the ceiling for a few seconds. That gaze was already there, resting on his face from the moment he woke up. He turned over to face the window. Sunlight shone in through the curtains, painting a golden band of light on the back of his hand.He recalled the dream from last night—no, not a dream. That was the mental space, the place where Kurama was sealed. He had gone there and spoken with Kurama. Kurama. He had called out that name. Kurama's reaction was much greater than he had expected—roaring, anger, the clattering of chains. But in the end, that claw had touched his fist. The moment of that touch, he knew Kurama had seen it.Naruto sat up and rubbed his eyes.He walked into the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and let the water flow. Standing under the stream, he formed hand Seals and created eight Clones. Four went to practice, four went to execute justice. As the Clones climbed out the back window, Naruto noticed the posture of the Clones practicing the palm technique was different from before—their footsteps were lighter, their center of gravity lower, their bodies slightly angled to one side; that was the starting stance of the Swimming Dragon Eight Trigrams Step. They were incorporating the footwork into their daily walking. Naruto turned off the faucet, dried his hair, changed his clothes, put on his school bag, and headed out. That gaze followed him, from the apartment to the school, never breaking the whole way.When entering the classroom, Naruto walked toward the seat by the window in the last row as usual. Passing Hinata's seat, she looked up at him, the corners of her mouth curling slightly, then she quickly lowered her head. The tips of her ears were red. That notebook was placed on the corner of the desk, the pink flower sticker on the cover already a bit old, its edges curling up slightly.He sat down, placed his bag on the desk, folded his hands on his arms, rested his chin on the back of his hands, and looked out the window.Days passed just like that, one by one.Waking up in the morning, releasing Clones, the original body going to school. Sitting in the seat by the window in the last row, watching the leaves outside change from dark green to deep green, from deep green to emerald green. At noon, he ate bread alone in a corner of the playground—the bread he bought himself, with money exchanged from points, not much, but enough to eat. After school, he walked home alone. At night, receiving the memories and points from the Clones, cooking, eating, sleeping.Hinata peeked at him every day. Sometimes during class, when the teacher turned to write on the blackboard, she would quickly turn her head and sweep a glance at the back row with the peripheral vision of her Byakugan. Sometimes during breaks, she pretended to read, the pages not turning for a long time, but her eyes looked over from the edge of the book. Naruto always pretended not to know.That cold gaze was always there. From morning to night, from Monday to Sunday, never stopping.Naruto had gotten used to it. It was like that tree outside the window, like that crack on the ceiling, like the sound of water gushing when he turned on the faucet every morning—it was always there, so there was no need to pay attention.After Ino's soul of gossip burned for a while, it slowly cooled down. Not because she wasn't interested anymore, but because nothing happened between Naruto and Hinata. They just walked home together, ate together, and occasionally spoke a few words. No holding hands, no hugging, nothing exceeding the relationship of "classmates." Ino observed for a month and finally reached a conclusion: "Are those two too slow?" Shikamarusaid: "What does that have to do with you?" Inosaid: "I just think it's a pity!...And I'm just caring about my classmates."Sasuke came to class every day, sat in his seat every day, and never spoke to anyone. His grades were still first, his Taijutsu still first, his Ninjutsustill first. He was like a precision machine, doing the same thing every day, without a single error. Sakura still brought him milk every day, placed it on the corner of the desk, and then walked away. Sasuke never drank that milk. But Sakura would still bring it the next day.Naruto's points grew slowly. About twenty points a day, over six hundred points a month. After four months, he had accumulated over two thousand more points. He wasn't in a hurry to use them; he saved them. The 108 two-striped inner cores of the Multi-Inner Dan Method operated on their own every day, each absorbing Natural Energy, each slowly moving toward the third stripe. At this speed, in about half a year, all 108 inner cores could be upgraded to three stripes.On June 1st, the Ninja Academy went on break.Iruka stood on the podium and announced the news of the break. A cheer erupted in the classroom; some were throwing textbooks, some were slapping desks, some were already discussing where to go for the summer vacation. Iruka clapped his hands, signaling everyone to be quiet."Be safe during the break, and don't go to dangerous places. Come back to class on August 1st, don't forget.""Got it—" came the scattered voices.Iruka smiled, said the final "Class dismissed," and turned to walk out of the classroom. The classroom was in chaos; some were packing their bags, some were making plans to go out, some had already rushed out of the classroom. Naruto sat in the last row, not moving. He leaned against the back of his chair, hands in his pockets, looking at the sky outside the window. The sun hung in the middle, bleaching the playground white, and the cicadas in the trees had already begun to chirp, one sound after another, unhurried and steady.Naruto walked out of the school building, crossed the playground, and walked out the school gate. The sunlight shone on his golden hair, scorching hot, and the buzzing of cicadas rang in his ears. He walked home alone, his shadow compressed under his feet by the sun, a short lump. That cold gaze followed him, from school to the apartment, never breaking the whole way; Hinata had already gone home early, so he was walking alone.He walked home, pushed open the door, entered, closed the door, and locked it. The Clones had already been dispelled—today's points income was twenty-two, and the Clones practicing the palm technique said the compressed palm power could now achieve "palm power not exceeding a foot and a half." He walked to the window, sat down, and looked at the sky outside. Blue, white, bright, without a single cloud.He stood up, walked to the bed, lay down, and pulled the blanket up to his chest. The sun outside the window had not yet set, the room was bright, and the sunlight painted a bright patch of light on the floor. That cold gaze was still there, resting on his face. He turned over, facing the wall.He closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep.
Chapter 18: I Want to Let You OutUzumaki Naruto slept very deeply.It was not the kind of stupor that comes after extreme exhaustion, but a slow sinking, like submerging into warm water.His consciousness pulled away from his body, passing through layers of darkness, before the soles of his feet touched the surface of the water.Here again.The gray sky, the boundless water, the iron gate in the distance.It was the same as last night, the same as after that snowy night more than half a year ago.But something was different today—he couldn't quite put his finger on it; the smell in the air had changed, or perhaps the angle of the light reflecting off the water had shifted, or it might just have been his imagination.He walked across the water and arrived in front of the iron gate.The "Seal" character on the Talismanic Incantationdimmed slightly under the gray light.There was no sound in the darkness behind the iron gate; no clanking of chains, no heavy breathing.It was so quiet that it seemed as if there was nothing inside."Brat." Kurama's voice emerged from the darkness, much calmer than the night before, like a massive boulder that had finally rolled to the bottom of a valley and stopped tumbling. "Those things you said earlier—"Uzumaki Naruto leaned against the railing and waited."I am very interested." Kurama said, his voice echoing behind the iron gate. "That palm technique, that energy, and that talk about changing the world…"The chains clanked once, lightly—not with the violent tugging from before, but with a… casual flick. "It would certainly be interesting. I want to be part of it too. That would definitely be exciting."Uzumaki Naruto leaned against the railing, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.He didn't say yes, nor did he say no.He simply stood there, looking at the darkness behind the iron gate.Kurama did not seem to expect an answer either.Silence spread between the two, not the awkward kind, but a… comfortable silence.Like two people who didn't talk much sitting together, neither needing to find a topic nor needing to break the quiet."Dawn is coming." Kurama said.Uzumaki Naruto looked up.A crack appeared in the gray sky, and light seeped through the gap, warm and orange-red.He turned around and walked toward that light."See you tomorrow." He said.Kurama did not answer.But he heard the chains clank once, softly, as if someone had waved their hand in the darkness.When Uzumaki Naruto opened his eyes, sunlight was already streaming in through the gap in the curtains, painting a thick band of gold across the floor.It was later than usual.He lay in bed, not getting up immediately.He was thinking about something.A very big thing.So big that even he felt it was a little crazy.He walked into the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and washed his face, without using a Clone.Then he walked to the kitchen, took the leftover bread and milk from yesterday out of the refrigerator, and sat by the window to eat slowly.Then he cleaned up the kitchen, sat at the table, and took a blank notebook and a pencil out of his school bag.He opened to the first page and began to write.Nine Yang Divine Skill.He wrote very slowly, every stroke handled with great care.Starting from how to perceive Natural Energy, to how to channel that energy into the Dantian, how to condense the inner core within the Dantian, and how to polish the first pattern.He wrote down every step, every detail, and every point to be careful about.He drew the shape of the inner core—that golden bead, with the patterns spiraling on its surface, from one to nine.He drew the path of energy flow—from the Dantian to the chest, from the chest to the shoulders, from the shoulders to the arms, from the arms to the palms, as well as the circulation map covering the three hundred and sixty-five Acupoints throughout the body.He wrote page after page; his handwriting was crooked, but every character was written with great force, and the pencil lead snapped several times.After finishing the Nine Yang Divine Skill, he turned to a new page and began to write the Swimming Dragon Eight Trigrams Step.The directions of the Eight Trigrams—Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, Dui—eight directions, eight types of footwork.He drew the Eight Trigrams diagram, marked the position of each trigram, and then drew the breakdown of the footwork movements next to it—where to step with the left foot, where to step with the right foot, how to rotate the body, and how to shift the center of gravity.He drew the complete cycle from the first step to the eighth step, and then drew the advanced variations afterward—forward rotation, reverse rotation, jumping steps, dodging steps, and chain steps.He drew many arrows; some straight, some curved, and some winding into a circle.It didn't look good, but he could understand it himself.By the time he finished writing the last character, the light outside the window had changed from white to orange-red.The sun was about to set.He put down the pencil and flexed his wrists.His fingers were a bit sore, and his wrists were a bit stiff, but he didn't stop.He flipped the notebook back to the first page and checked it from beginning to end.Was anything missing? Was anything written incorrectly?The nine patterns of the Nine Yang Divine Skill, and the polishing method for each one, were all written down.The footwork of the Swimming Dragon Eight Trigrams Step, and the advance and retreat transitions for each gate, were all drawn.Was it clear enough? Would Hinata be able to understand it?He thought for a moment, then opened a new page and added a paragraph at the end—practice must be taken slowly, do not rush, do not force it, and stop if your body feels uncomfortable.Throughout this whole process, Uzumaki Narutowas pretending to do homework.He closed the notebook and placed it right in the center of the table.Then he stood up, walked to the kitchen, took out two eggs and a small bowl of rice, and cooked a pot of porridge.The porridge was cooked a bit thicker than usual, but he drank it very slowly, mouthful by mouthful, letting the warmth of the porridge flow from his throat all the way to his stomach.After finishing the porridge, he washed the bowl, wiped the table, and put the notebook into the drawer.He walked to the window and watched the sky outside change from orange-red to deep purple, and from deep purple to navy blue.The stars began to light up one by one.That cold gaze was still there, resting on his back.He closed the window, pulled the curtains, and walked back to the bedside to lie down.He closed his eyes.This time he didn't wait too long; his consciousness, like ebbing seawater, slowly pulled away from his body, passed through layers of darkness, and then the soles of his feet touched the surface of the water.The gray sky, the boundless water, the iron gate in the distance.Just like every other time.He walked across the water and arrived in front of the iron gate."Kurama." He said.In the darkness behind the iron gate, a pair of giant eyes lit up."I want to let you out."Silence.Absolute silence.The chains didn't clank, the breathing stopped for a moment, and the last ripple on the water's surface vanished.Those eyes stared fixedly at him in the darkness, the pupils contracting slightly.Then the darkness behind the iron gate churned—not with anger, but with a… chaotic, bewildered churning.Like a large stone suddenly thrown into a pool of stagnant water, silt churned up from the bottom, muddying the entire pool."…What did you say?" Kurama's voice emerged from the darkness, very low, carrying a tone that Uzumaki Naruto had never heard before.It wasn't anger, it wasn't mockery, and it wasn't the disdain of "what kind of joke are you playing."But a… complex, incomprehensible emotion that perhaps even Kurama himself couldn't distinguish."I said, I want to let you out." Uzumaki Narutoleaned against the railing, his hands in his pockets, his voice very calm. "From behind this gate, let you out."The chains clanked loudly once, as if something had moved violently in the darkness, then stopped again."Do you know what you are saying?" Kurama's voice was pressed very low, so low it sounded like gnashing teeth. "Let me out—do you think this is as simple as letting a bird out of a cage? I am the Nine-Tailed. The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. If you let me out, this Village—""I know." Uzumaki Naruto interrupted him."What do you actually know!" Kurama's voice suddenly rose, the iron gate shook, and the "Seal" character on the Talismanic Incantation flared for a moment. "If you let me out, how will the people of this Village look at you? The Demon Fox inside you has escaped—they will say you are a traitor, an accomplice to the Demon Fox, an enemy they should eliminate! You—""I know." Uzumaki Naruto said again.The voice was not loud, but it was steady.Kurama's voice stopped.The darkness behind the iron gate was churning, roaring, struggling, but the voice stopped.It was silent for a long time.So long that all the ripples on the water's surface dissipated, turning it back into a smooth mirror.So long that the light in the gray sky cracked open again."Why?" Kurama finally spoke.The voice was so low it was almost inaudible, as if squeezed out from between teeth.Uzumaki Naruto looked at the darkness behind the iron gate.Those eyes watched him in the darkness, his small reflection mirrored in the giant, scarlet, vertical pupils.Kurama was silent for a long time."…Are you crazy? Don't drag me into your madness… I still want to live." Kurama said, without mockery, only something Uzumaki Narutodidn't quite understand—perhaps a sigh, perhaps something else."Tomorrow you will know what I plan to do." He turned around and walked toward the direction of the light.He walked a few steps, then stopped.He did not look back."Kurama.""…What.""You said, this would be very exciting."There was silence behind the iron gate.Then, a low sound, like someone laughing in exasperation, came from the darkness."…Hmph."Uzumaki Naruto continued to walk forward.Behind him, in the darkness behind the iron gate, those giant eyes were still glowing.A tail swished in the darkness, once, and again, and again.This time it wasn't tapping fingers unconsciously—it was waiting, waiting for tomorrow.The water's surface returned to calm.More and more light shone through the gray sky, warm and orange-red, dyeing the entire space with a layer of warmth.Uzumaki Naruto walked into the light, his figure blurring little by little, finally merging into the light.Behind the iron gate, in the darkness, a giant silhouette moved.The chains clanked for a while, then quieted down."…Let me out." The voice repeated it low, as if savoring the taste of those words. "…Interesting!"Something was glowing in the darkness—not the light of eyes, but something else.The light was very faint, flickering, like a heart that hadn't beaten for a long time finally moving again.The last ripple on the water's surface dissipated.The gray sky turned orange-red, and the orange-red turned to gold.Light poured in from the crack, illuminating the entire space.The Talismanic Incantation on the iron gate dimmed slightly in the light, the strokes of the "Seal" character resembling cracks.Something was moving under the water—not a fish, not a shadow, but a golden, tiny, seed-like object, slowly sinking to the bottom of the water.Uzumaki Naruto opened his eyes.The light through the gap in the curtains was golden, the gold of early morning, not the orange-red of his dream.He lay in bed, staring at the cracks on the ceiling for a few seconds.That gaze was still there, resting on his face from the moment he woke up.He sat up, walked to the window, and pulled back the curtains.Sunlight poured in, shining on his face, feeling warm.On the distant Hokage Rock, the four giant faces shimmered with a faint golden light in the morning sun.People were sweeping the streets, people were walking dogs, and the convenience store owner was moving cargo boxes.Everything was normal.No one knew what had happened in the consciousness space last night.No one knew what he was planning.
Chapter 19: Creating a Nine-Tailed CloneNaruto didn't care whether Hinata was beside him. He turned around and shouted towards the direction of the valley entrance: "Come here." Two Clones stood on either side of the valley entrance. Hearing the sound, they walked over quickly. They stood in front of Naruto, their expressions calm, like two mirrors reflecting the same person's face.Naruto closed his eyes and took a deep breath. One hundred and eight inner cores were spinning in his Dantian, with the main inner core at the very center, its nine patterns glowing with golden light. He selected two—two two-patterned inner cores, the size of soybeans, golden, with two spiral patterns on their surfaces. He separated them from his body and moved them upward along his meridians, from the Dantian to his chest, from his chest to his throat, from his throat to his mouth. He opened his mouth, and two golden beads floated out from the tip of his tongue, hanging in mid-air, emitting a warm, faint glow.The two inner cores, one floated towards the Cloneon the left, the other towards the Clone on the right. The Clones opened their mouths, and the inner cores melted upon entering, golden liquid flowing down their throats. The bodies of both Clones shuddered simultaneously, then they sat cross-legged on the ground and closed their eyes. The inner cores settled in their Dantians and began to slowly rotate. They followed the energy guided by Naruto to circulate the Nine Yang Divine Skill—once, twice, three times. After three cycles, the inner cores stabilized, and Natural Energy began to flow into their bodies on its own.Naruto watched the two Clones complete a full circulation cycle. After confirming there were no issues, he himself sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes. His consciousness began to sink, passing through layers of darkness, through the light on the water's surface, his feet finally stepping onto solid ground. A gray sky, an endless expanse of water, a distant iron gate. He walked across the water, arriving in front of the iron gate.He reached out and grasped the edge of the Talismanic Incantation. The character "seal up" (Seal) on the Talismanic Incantation lit up briefly, like an eye that had been startled awake. Without hesitation, he tore it off. The Talismanic Incantationshattered in his hand, turning into countless tiny points of light that scattered like fireflies.The iron gate began to tremble—not a violent tremor, but a slow, heavy one, like the earth breathing. The chains clattered loudly, breaking one by one. The broken chains fell to the ground with dull metallic thuds. The iron gate slowly opened—Red Chakra surged out from the crack in the door, like a tide, carrying scorching heat waves. In the darkness, a pair of enormous eyes lit up, followed by a massive silhouette—dark red fur, nine huge tails unfurling behind it. The Nine-Tailed Fox walked out from behind the iron gate, each step causing the water's surface to tremble.Naruto stood in front of the iron gate, looking up at this colossal figure a hundred times larger than himself. The Nine-Tails lowered its head to look at him. In those crimson, vertical pupils, his reflection was mirrored—a small, golden boy standing on the water's surface.Then, two golden lights appeared beside the iron gate. Two beams of light materialized from the Void Realm, growing brighter and clearer, finally coalescing into two human figures: a blond man wearing a white Hokage robe, and a red-haired woman wearing a long red dress.Minato Namikaze looked at the torn Seal, at the Nine-Tails emerging from behind the iron gate, at Naruto standing before the Nine-Tails. His mouth opened slightly, his eyes filled with shock. Uzumaki Kushina stood beside him, her hand covering her mouth, her eyes reddening."Naruto! You—" Minato took a step forward, reaching out as if to stop something. But his outstretched hand froze mid-air. Because Narutowasn't looking at him. Naruto stood before the Nine-Tails, looking up into those enormous crimson eyes. His voice wasn't loud, but it echoed clearly throughout the entire space:Uzumaki Kushina's body shuddered. She looked down at her hands—they were glowing, a golden, warm light like the sun. She looked up at Naruto, tears sliding down from her eyes."Naruto..." Her voice trembled.Naruto turned around and looked at Minato and Kushina. He walked towards them, his footsteps on the water's surface, step by step. He stopped in front of Minato, looked up at this blond, blue-eyed man—his father, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. Minato's mouth moved, wanting to say something, but Naruto didn't give him the chance to speak.He reached out and slapped a palm against Minato's chest.That slap was very light. So light it held no force, no Chakra, no Natural Energy. It was simply the palm of a six-year-old child, pressed lightly against the chest of a grown man. But Minato's body shuddered. Not from being struck, but from something else—something he couldn't put into words.Naruto withdrew his hand without uttering a word. Then he raised both fists, one left, one right, holding them in mid-air. Minato looked at him, remained silent for a long time, then extended his own fist, touching the left one. Kushina wiped away her tears and extended her fist, touching the right one.Three fists, one large and two small. Golden light shone from the points where the fists met.In that instant, Minato saw. He saw Naruto's experiences.Kushina's hair began to float. Not a gentle floating, but a violent, fiery one, as if burning. Her red hair resembled a raging fire, illuminating the entire space with her fury."I'm going to kill those people." Her voice was very low, so low it seemed like she was talking to herself, but each word struck the water's surface like a hammer, creating ripples one after another. "Those who bullied you, those who hurt you, those—""You don't have time." Naruto interrupted her.Kushina's voice stopped. She looked down at her hands—the golden light was gradually dissipating, starting from her fingertips, slipping away like sand through her fingers. Minato was also dissipating, starting from his feet, golden points of light floating upward, flying towards the gray sky like fireflies.Naruto looked at them, his voice calm. "Help me with something."The Nine-Tails crouched beside the iron gate, its nine tails slowly swaying behind it. Naruto turned his head to look at it. "Kurama, give that Clone a mass of Chakra." He pointed in the direction of the valley floor—his consciousness could sense the Clone sitting cross-legged there. The Nine-Tails nodded. A mass of dark red Chakra floated out from its claw, passed through the boundary of the consciousness space, through the Void Realm, and infused into that Clone's body.The Clone opened its eyes. Its eyes changed from blue to dark red, its pupils becoming vertical slits—identical to the Nine-Tails' vertical pupils.Naruto looked at Minato again. "Fourth Hokage, help me control that body. Also, place an identical Sealing Jutsu on him."Minato looked at him, silent for two seconds. Then he smiled—that gentle, sun-like smile. "Okay." He extended his hand. Golden light shone from his palm, passed through the boundary of the consciousness space, and landed on that Clone's Dantian. Layers of Sealing Jutsu were superimposed, identical to the Nine-Tails' Eight Trigrams Seal.Two Clones. One possessed the Nine-Tails' Chakraand Seal. The other possessed an inner core and Cultivation Technique.Minato looked down at his own body, which was almost completely dissipated—everything below the waist had turned into golden points of light. He looked at Naruto. "Is there anything else I can do?"Naruto looked at him but didn't speak.Minato smiled, extended his fist, and touched Naruto's fist again. This time, it wasn't a simple touch. The moment their fists made contact, Minato's memories surged over like a tide—the structural formula of the Flying Thunder God Technique, the Chakra rotation method of the Rasengan, the hand Seal sequence for the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, countless pieces of knowledge on Ninjutsu, combat experience, understanding of Chakra—all transmitted from that point of contact. Kushina also reached out and touched Naruto's fist. Her memories also flooded over—the Sealing Jutsu of the Adamantine Sealing Chains, the Sealing Jutsu Legacy of the Uzumaki Clan, methods to suppress the Nine-Tails' Chakra, and countless things about being a "mother"—how to cook, how to sew clothes, how to lull a child to sleep.Naruto's mind was stuffed with too much, so much that his consciousness grew somewhat dazed. But he didn't resist; he just stood there, letting that knowledge and those memories slowly settle within him.Minato's body had dissipated up to his chest, Kushina up to her shoulders. They were still smiling. Minato looked at him, his gaze full of tenderness. "Naruto, I'm sorry... for leaving you alone for so long."Kushina reached out, wanting to touch his face, but her hand passed through his cheek—she no longer had a physical form. Her tears scattered in the air, turning into golden points of light. "Naruto... eat well... sleep well..."Naruto stood before them, looking up. His eyes reddened, but he didn't cry.Kushina looked at him and suddenly smiled. That smile held tears, reluctance, and a hint of mischief. She leaned close to Naruto, her voice lowered so only the two of them could hear."Naruto... be good to Hinata."Naruto's face instantly flushed red. From the roots of his ears down to his neck, burning hot, as red as his mother's hair. His mouth opened and closed, closed and opened, unable to utter a single word.Seeing him like this, Kushina laughed even more happily. Minato also laughed, his eyes curving into crescent moons.The golden points of light grew more numerous, denser. The figures of Minato and Kushina grew fainter, more blurred within the light. They took one last look at Naruto—both smiling, as if looking at the most important thing in the world.Then they dissipated. The golden points of light drifted towards the gray sky, merging into that increasingly bright crack.Naruto stood on the water's surface, looking up at those disappearing points of light. His hand was still raised in mid-air, his fist still maintaining the touching posture. After a long time, he lowered his hand and shoved it into his pocket."Brat." The Nine-Tails' voice came from behind, deep and calm. "Are you alright?"Naruto didn't answer. He turned around and looked at the Nine-Tails. The Nine-Tails crouched beside the iron gate, its nine tails slowly swaying behind it, its enormous crimson eyes watching him."Do you want to come out?" Naruto said.The Nine-Tails snorted. "No... I'm used to it here. Trying to kick me out now?""Then I'm going out."The Nine-Tails didn't answer. But Naruto heard the chains clink once—the iron gate was already open, the chains scattered on the ground, but the Nine-Tails' tail still moved slightly, gently, as if someone was waving a hand in the darkness.Naruto stepped into that light.When he opened his eyes, he saw a gray sky—not the gray of the consciousness space, but the gray of the real world. A few clouds drifted in the sky above the desolate valley, blocking the sun. He sat cross-legged on the ground at the valley floor. In front of him stood the two Clones. Hinata stood beside him, holding her notebook with both hands, her eyes wide and round, her mouth slightly agape.She had seen everything. She saw the two Clones sitting cross-legged on the ground circulating the Nine Yang Divine Skill. She saw Naruto sitting there motionless. She saw dark red Chakradescending from the sky and infusing into one Clone's body. She saw golden light landing on the other Clone's Dantian. She saw Naruto open his eyes."N-Naruto-kun..." Her voice trembled. "Just now, that was... that was...""The Fourth Hokage," Naruto said. "And Uzumaki Kushina. My parents."Hinata's mouth opened even wider. Her eyes reddened, her fingers clutching the notebook trembling. She wanted to say something but couldn't utter a word—she just stood there, looking at Naruto, tears plopping down one after another.Naruto stood up from the ground and brushed the dirt off his pants. He pointed at the Clone on the left—the one whose eyes had already changed back from dark red to blue. "This Clone has the Nine-Tails' Chakra and the Eight Trigrams Seal. Usually, he'll attend classes, leave school, and do everything I'm supposed to do in my place." He then pointed at the Clone on the right. "This Clonehas a two-patterned inner core in its Dantian. It knows the Nine Yang Divine Skill, the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, and the Swimming Dragon Eight Trigrams Step. It will settle here. You can come to it with any questions in the future, and it will teach you. When it goes out, it will use the Transformation Technique."Hinata nodded, tears still falling.Naruto looked at her, fell silent for a moment, then reached out and patted her head. Very gently, like patting a kitten. "Don't cry."Hinata sniffled, wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, and nodded vigorously.Naruto withdrew his hand and shoved it into his pocket. He turned and walked towards the valley entrance. After a few steps, he stopped, tilting his head slightly but not looking back. "Hinata.""Hmm?""Let's go. We'll eat together."
Chapter 20: Ino and Hinata on a Date?Naruto pulled his hand back and shoved it into his pocket. He turned around and walked toward the valley entrance. After a few steps, he stopped, tilted his head, but didn't look back. "Hinata.""Hmm?""Let's go. Let's go get something to eat."Hinata froze for a moment, her fingers tightening around the notebook she was holding. Her face was still flushed, and tears still clung to her eyelashes, but the corners of her mouth were already curling up. "O-okay..."A faint halo of light washed over Naruto's body—the Transformation Technique. After the light faded, Ino stood at the bottom of the valley again, with her golden ponytail, pink top, and habitually gesturing with a small mirror in her hand. He turned around and reached out to Hinata.Hinata looked at that hand, hesitated for a moment, and then placed her own hand in it. Her hand was small and cold, and her fingertips were trembling slightly. Naruto squeezed it, let go, and turned to walk toward the valley entrance. Hinatafollowed beside him, head lowered, her face flushed, the corners of her mouth curled up, and the hand holding the notebook no longer trembled.The two walked out of the desolate valley, passed through the small woods, and stepped onto the main street. The street was getting crowded—it was the holidays, and there were children and parents out playing everywhere. Some were holding their children's hands, some were buying ice cream on the side of the road, and others were standing in front of shop windows picking out things. The "Ino" that Naruto had transformed into walked down the street, no different from any other ordinary young girl. Hinata walked beside her, head lowered, face flushed, but her steps were light and quick."What do you want to eat?" Naruto asked, using Ino's voice."W-whatever..." Hinata's voice was as small as a mosquito's."Then let's have barbecue."Hinata's face turned even redder, but she still nodded.The Konoha barbecue restaurant was in the middle of the commercial street. It was a medium-sized shop with a red curtain hanging at the entrance, and the aroma of grilled meat wafting from inside. Naruto lifted the curtain and walked in, with Hinatafollowing behind. There weren't many people in the shop, and a window seat was empty. The two sat down, and a waiter brought the menu. Narutoflipped through it and ordered a few plates of beef, pork, a vegetable platter, and two glasses of juice.After the waiter left, Hinata sat opposite him, placing her notebook on her lap, holding her juice cup with both hands, head lowered, not saying a word. Naruto didn't speak either. He leaned back in his chair, looking at the street outside the window. The sunlight shone on the glass, casting blurry shadows of the people on the street. That cold gaze was gone—the Clone had led it away. This was the first time in a while he had sat in one place without being watched.The meat was served. Naruto picked up the tongs and laid the meat on the grill, slice by slice. The moment the meat hit the iron grate, it made a sizzling sound, and white smoke rose up, carrying the charred scent of fat. Hinata looked up, watching him busy at the grill. Naruto's movements were skilled—he had never grilled meat before, but the memories passed down to him by Kushina contained it. Those memories were very clear, so clear that he could remember Kushinastanding in the kitchen, oil stains on her apron, smiling as she placed grilled meat into Minato's bowl.He placed the first piece of cooked meat into Hinata's bowl.Hinata froze for a moment, looking at the slightly charred piece of beef in her bowl, then looked at Naruto. Naruto had already lowered his head, starting to grill the second piece. He didn't look at her, just focused on flipping the meat on the grill, using the tongs to place the cooked meat into her bowl, one piece, two pieces, three pieces."Nar... Ino-classmate..." Hinata's voice was very small, "You should eat too...""Yeah." Naruto picked up a piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth, chewed twice, and then placed another piece into Hinata's bowl.Hinata lowered her head, picked up the meat in her bowl, and ate it in small bites. Her eating manner was very refined, just like when she ate ramen—every bite was chewed for a long time, every bite chewed very carefully. But she ate quickly, and a bowl of meat was soon finished. Naruto didn't speak, continuing to grill, continuing to serve. Beef, pork, vegetables, one by one they were grilled, one by one they were placed into her bowl. Hinata's bowl was never empty.Halfway through the meal, Hinata looked up at Naruto. Her lips were stained with a bit of oil, and her cheeks were flushed pink from the heat and shyness. She looked at him for a long time, then lowered her head, her voice as light as a feather falling on the surface of water. "Naruto-kun... when are you leaving?"Naruto's hand, which was flipping the meat, paused for a moment, then continued flipping. "Tomorrow, I guess."Hinata's fingers tightened around her chopsticks. She didn't look up, just nodded.Naruto placed a piece of grilled pork belly into her bowl. "Eat up."Hinata picked up the meat, stuffed it into her mouth, and chewed for a long time. It wasn't that the meat was hard to chew; it was that she didn't want to finish it so quickly.What they didn't know was that at the entrance of the barbecue restaurant, there was someone standing there, and she had been standing there for a long time.Ino Yamanaka had originally planned to go shopping today. It was the holidays, and since she finally didn't have classes, she had asked Sakura Haruno to go shopping together, but Sakura said she had to deliver milk to Sasuke and didn't have time. Ino had wandered the streets alone for a while, felt bored, and planned to go to Choji's house to mooch some snacks. When passing by the barbecue restaurant, she glanced inside inadvertently—Then she stopped.Two people were sitting at the window seat. One was Hinata—very easy to recognize, dark blue hair, head lowered, face flushed. The other was... Inorubbed her eyes and looked again.That was a girl who looked exactly like her. Golden ponytail, pink top, even her sitting posture was seventy or eighty percent like hers. That "Ino" was serving meat to Hinata, her movements very natural, as if she had done it many times. Hinatalowered her head to eat, her face red, the corners of her mouth curled up—that kind of expression, Ino had seen it, seen it in the mirror, every time she secretly looked at Sasuke, she had that expression on her face.Ino stood at the door, her mouth open wide enough to fit a fist.She watched "herself" serve meat to Hinata, watched Hinata eat in small bites, watched "herself" place the grilled vegetables into Hinata's bowl too. The two didn't speak, but the meal was very quiet and comfortable, like two people who had known each other for a long time sitting together, not needing to speak to know what the other was thinking.Ino's brain was racing. Who was that? Why did they transform into her appearance? Why take Hinata to eat barbecue? Did Hinata know that person wasn't her? She thought for about three seconds, then reached a conclusion—it was Naruto. That Naruto who drew palm technique diagrams for Hinata on the playground, that Naruto who walked home with Hinata every day after school, that Naruto who made Hinata blush every time she secretly looked at him.Ino didn't rush in. She stood at the door, watching the two by the window for a while. Then she turned around, leaned against the wall, and looked up at the sky. There were a few clouds floating in the sky, white and soft, moving slowly toward the east.The corners of her mouth curled up. Not a gossipy smile, but a smile of "so that's how it is." She remembered what Shikamaru said— "Why do you care so much about other people's business?" She remembered what she said— "I just think it's a pity." Now she didn't think it was a pity anymore.She turned back and looked through the glass window again. Hinata was drinking juice, her cheeks puffed out, her eyes curved like crescent moons. The "Ino" opposite her was looking at her, the corners of her mouth also curled up, very slightly, so slightly that if you didn't pay attention, you wouldn't notice.Ino turned and left. After a few steps, she stopped, took out that small mirror from her pocket, and looked at herself in it. The girl in the mirror had a golden ponytail, blue eyes, and a smile on her lips. She put the mirror away, flicked her ponytail, and quickened her pace toward Choji's house."Choji! Come out and eat barbecue! My treat!" She shouted at the door of Choji's house. Choji poked his head out of the window, a potato chip still hanging from his mouth. "Really?" "Really! Let's go, let's go, I'm starving!"Ino dragged Choji toward the barbecue restaurant. When they reached the door, she glanced at the window seat—Hinata and that "Ino" were gone, and only a few empty plates remained on the table. Ino smiled, pulled Choji inside, and sat in the seats the two had just occupied. The waiter brought the menu, and Ino waved her hand and ordered several plates of meat."Ino, why are you so generous today?" Choji asked while flipping through the menu.Ino leaned back in her chair, looking out the window. "I'm just in a good mood."Choji looked at her, didn't ask further, and buried his head in ordering. The meat on the grill sizzled, white smoke rising and drifting toward the ceiling. Ino picked up a piece of cooked meat and stuffed it into her mouth, chewed twice, and smiled. It was indeed quite delicious.When Naruto and Hinata walked out of the barbecue restaurant, the sun was already setting in the west. The light on the street turned orange-red, stretching the shadows of the two people very long.The two walked to that familiar alley entrance and stopped. From here they would separate, one going east, one going north.Hinata looked up at Naruto. Her eyes were bright in the setting sun, like two white glass beads soaked in orange-red light. Her lips moved, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, she only said: "Naruto-kun... tomorrow... should I see you off?"Naruto looked at her and shook his head. "No need."Hinata lowered her head and nodded. She didn't ask why, just stood there, hugging her notebook, her toes drawing circles on the ground. After several seconds, she looked up and smiled. That smile was very small, the corners of her mouth only curled up slightly, but her eyes were bright, as if she had hidden everything she wanted to say in that smile."Then Naruto-kun... be careful on the road.""Yeah."Hinata turned around and walked toward her home. After a few steps, she stopped and looked back at him. The sunset light shone on her face, her hair blown up by the wind, floating beside her shoulders. She smiled, then turned back, quickened her pace, and disappeared at the end of the street.