[Here we go, here we go]
[Are the OVA characters going to show up in the main series?]
[Let's just watch. The OVA supposedly takes place around the same time as recent events, but since it's a side story, it probably won't overlap much with the main plot]
[Says who? Some anime dump critical info into OVAs—skip the side story and the main series makes zero sense. Total poison]
[Just watch the episode, just watch the episode!]
A little over a week remained until the Chūnin Exams.
After sorting out Hikari's identity, Hanabi brought her back to Konoha.
Getting Hikari a new identity wasn't difficult.
There were plenty of obscure little nations in this world. Forging an identity from one of them—or rather, obtaining a genuine one—was perfectly feasible.
Hanabi secured a legitimate identity for Hikari from a small country called the Land of Vegetables.
The Land of Vegetables was a minor nation that appeared in a Naruto anime-original arc. But Hanabi discovered that this little country also existed in the real world—much like the Land of Demons, the Land of Snow, and the rest.
Getting an identity from there meant Hikari could legally enter Konoha.
—With the Chūnin Exams approaching, merchants and foreign shinobi were flowing into Konoha in droves. This was the least conspicuous time to slip someone in.
The episode opened at dawn.
Of course, this was no longer the OVA but the main series, so the figure on screen this time wasn't Hanabi—it was Naruto.
"Adamantine Sealing Chains! Adamantine Sealing Chains! Adamantine Sealing Chains... Argh, I just can't pull it off!"
In the early morning, Naruto was drilling at the training grounds.
Kushina had already taught him the Adamantine Sealing Chains.
But he couldn't get them to materialize.
"This is a precious sealing technique of the Uzumaki clan, you know. It hasn't even been that long—thinking you can use it already is way too naïve."
Kushina thought Naruto's progress was actually quite good.
It was just that Naruto himself had no idea how difficult the technique he was studying was, so he kept griping about this and that.
Grumble...
Naruto's stomach growled.
"Well, let's head back for now," Kushina said. "You've got a mission today."
"You're so annoying, woman! Stop nagging like some old hag!" Naruto finally snapped.
"—Hah?!"
The next moment, Kushina dragged Naruto into the mindscape and immediately landed several resounding slaps.
[That's a real mom right there. Case closed]
[LOL, Naruto actually went and said it]
[I still prefer the main series' lighthearted vibe]
[+1, the OVA was way too heavy. The main series with its goofy slice-of-life is more my speed. Shōnen this, hot-blooded that—I don't care either way. Good art, exciting fights, goofy daily life? I'm in]
[Not me though. I want to watch my waifu Hanabi as the protagonist]
[Watching your waifu go conquer another waifu, huh? 2333]
[Isn't that basically being a cu—]
[OH GOD the cuck warriors are back! Everyone retreat!]
"Ugh..."
The scene cut again. Naruto was now sitting dejectedly at the dining table at home.
Completely tamed.
At this point, the show's timeline had synced up with the real world, entering live broadcast mode once more.
This was "daily life," and Hanabi could technically use a camera card to steal scenes.
But she didn't.
Because she noticed that while Kushina and Naruto were interacting, her own popularity points were climbing too.
—In other words, because of her influence, Naruto and Kushina had begun interacting, and his entire behavioral pattern had shifted.
And the dramatic appeal generated by that butterfly effect was being credited to Hanabi.
"Since when was Naruto's place this clean?"
The Stage gave a close-up of the protagonist's room, showing how tidy it was.
Naruto's meals were also generous—nothing like what a twelve-year-old boy would cook on his own.
"Wait, why IS my house so clean? When did my food get this good? Nine-Tails—it's you, isn't it!"
Naruto finally noticed. Shocked.
"Well..."
Kushina hemmed and hawed, saying nothing.
Mystery solved.
It really was Kushina.
She probably couldn't stand Naruto's living situation and had taken it upon herself to step in—likely emerging while he was asleep to tidy up and prepare breakfast.
"But Aunt Kushina never considered how entertaining it'd be if she got caught in the act, did she?"
Hanabi's expression lit up with delight.
Pure chakra didn't significantly alter one's physical appearance.
But Seance Jutsu was an exception—it reproduced the deceased's living form, so the body itself changed accordingly.
Kushina believed Naruto was learning quickly for similar reasons. Because she occasionally manifested, some of her innate traits and characteristics would linger in Naruto's body, indirectly aiding his training.
"Well then—it's almost my turn to appear."
After Naruto finished eating and set out, the screen went dark, because Naruto was heading to the Team 7 assembly point for their mission.
Since Hanabi's return from her leave, this was Team 7's first assignment.
"Hanabi, are you heading out?"
Hikari emerged from her room.
This was the Hyūga estate's annex—effectively Hikari's residence now.
During this period, she needed to study modern knowledge and common sense. Beyond that, there was a great deal more she had to learn.
Over the centuries, even for shinobi, it wasn't just raw combat power that had evolved—intelligence gathering, information collection, infiltration skills, and more had all advanced.
Hikari didn't want to become a shinobi. But she wanted to help Hanabi.
So she had to learn all of it.
"Yep, duty calls," Hanabi said.
"Um—could I come watch?" Hikari asked. "I want to see what Hanabi looks like on a mission."
"Do you also want to see that last scion of the Uchiha?" Hanabi added.
If anyone could serve as Sasuke's teacher, it wasn't Kakashi and it wasn't Orochimaru—it was Hikari, who wielded the Sharingan and Fire Style with effortless mastery.
Never mind anything else—if Sasuke could just learn Hikari's approach to using Amaterasu, the technique wouldn't be roasted by half the fandom as one of the most useless Mangekyō abilities.
"I don't like that person." Hikari's expression soured.
"Because he's an Uchiha?" Hanabi asked.
"That doesn't matter. I've left the Uchiha behind."
—If it were possible, could she change her name to Hyūga Hikari?
The thought flickered through her mind for just an instant.
"Then why?" Hanabi pressed.
"Because that guy keeps trying to talk to you. He pays way too much attention to you." Hikari was thinking about what happened when Hanabi had returned to Konoha just two days ago.
"Uh—so you're saying you want him to stop interacting with me?" Hanabi asked.
"Huh? How dare he ignore Hanabi!" Hikari flared up even more.
But her conclusion was obvious: this was all Sasuke's fault.