The sky was gradually growing dim as the sun disappeared behind the clouds. The forest, already silent, became even more still and eerie.
Crunch!
The crispy roasted boar skin cracked in their mouths, salty and fragrant, while the meat underneath was tender and juicy. With each bite, rich oil burst in their mouths. Naruto munched away with puffed cheeks, chewing non-stop, like even his tongue wanted to join in on the feast.
"This is sooo good!" he shouted.
Chōji was covered in grease, clutching a roasted boar leg in both hands, devouring it bite by bite.
Ino looked angrily at Hikari, who was sitting comfortably and enjoying the food without lifting a finger. Ino had spent the entire afternoon sweating and choking on smoke to roast the wild boar, only for Hikari to swoop in and claim the lion's share.
And she had the nerve to call it a "naming fee."
Seriously, who even does that?
Shikamaru sat to the side, clearly uncomfortable. The meat was supposed to last the three of them for at least three days—until two bottomless pits showed up.
Naruto and Chōji both had big appetites. But Hikari? She could out-eat the entire group combined—twice over.
Shikamaru winced as he watched her tear off a slab of pork ribs with her bare hands. She bit into it, ripping through meat, bones, and sinew in one go, then swallowed it all in a few chews.
His teeth ached just watching her.
The thick smoke from their fire would definitely attract their academy teachers to come investigate—and scare off any nearby students who didn't want to be caught. But of all people, they had the misfortune to run into her.
Did she sense them?
Shikamaru eyed Hikari's completely covered eyes. In the fading light, the black cloth that veiled them appeared even darker and harder to read.
He knew she had some kind of sensory ability—but he never imagined it was this wide-ranging.
Even in the vast Zero Training Field, she had precisely locked onto their location.
Her sensory skills might be on par with the Hyūga clan's Byakugan.
Hikari had no idea what Shikamaru was thinking.
She was too busy devouring the roasted meat.
The rich fats were rapidly broken down in her stomach, and her body's 130 trillion cells continued to generate energy from it, which poured endlessly into her chakra core.
Since entering the Zero Training Field, that familiar sensation of being watched had grown stronger—so strong now that it wasn't even being hidden.
But since animals didn't have chakra, she couldn't pinpoint which one was being used to spy on her.
Could be any of them. Or none.
She suspected the enemy might be preparing to make a move here.
But why now?
In the Forest of Death, she had been alone—an easy target—yet they hadn't appeared.
Now, in the Zero Training Field, there were a dozen Chūnin-level instructors around, not to mention a Jōnin like Kazama Etsu.
Why choose now to attack?
Only one thing had changed—
Her classmates.
Maybe the target wasn't just her. Maybe it included Shikamaru, Naruto, and the others.
Most likely Naruto.
The Kyūbi sealed within him was far more valuable than her Byakugan. If there had been rebellion among the Uchiha, maybe it gave the other villages a reason to get bold—come try their luck.
This wasn't in the original timeline, was it?
The Naruto storyline started when Naruto graduated.
Everything before that was vague.
And since Hikari hadn't studied the series in depth—just watched episodes casually while eating after work—she couldn't say for sure if this was part of canon.
Looks like her previous assumptions were wrong.
The enemy wasn't avoiding her because they lacked confidence. They had bigger ambitions and didn't want to waste time on just her.
How arrogant.
She ground the boar meat with her teeth, pulverizing it.
Her Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse)—which she hadn't used in a long time—began to stir restlessly inside her.
The muscle beneath her bone membranes began to grow wildly. Her already steel-cable-like muscles became even stronger and more defined.
Huff—
Uncontrollable steam of heat rose from her mouth and nose.
She didn't plan to let the enemy walk away alive.
If they had already witnessed her using Gentle Fist, it meant they had observed too much.
She'd either have to kill the enemy—or eliminate the Hyūga clan.
She couldn't let either off the hook.
But she'd need to be strategic.
The Hyūga were a massive clan with deep roots in Konoha.
Thanks to Hinata and Neji, who acted like double agents, she had gained a clearer understanding of how powerful the Hyūga had become after the Uchiha were wiped out.
Counting the clan head Hiashi, the Hyūga had only two elite Jōnin.
Few Chūnin, almost no Genin.
But they had more than fifty regular and special Jōnin.
All with Byakugan—a powerful tool in battle. Hikari knew this firsthand.
Even an average Kage-level shinobi might struggle against a dozen coordinated Jōnin.
So she'd pick the easy target first.
Compared to the mighty Hyūga, the one monitoring her would be much easier to deal with.
She would take them out first.
Whoosh!
Bang!
Just as they were eating, a sudden pop echoed across the sky.
The sun hadn't completely set yet.
In the dim light, a flare lit up the sky—a faint red glow trailing behind it.
"A distress signal—someone's calling for help!" Chōji looked up, startled.
Ino followed his gaze, worry filling her pale blue eyes.
"Could they be in danger?"
"Don't worry. The Zero Training Field is a safe zone. With so many instructors here, nothing too serious could happen," Shikamaru reassured her calmly.
Ino nodded.
Shikamaru might act lazy most of the time, but when it counted, he was reliable. She trusted his judgment.
"Uh, Hikari? Why aren't you eating anymore?" Naruto, his face still greasy from the meal, looked over curiously as Hikari froze mid-bite.
"Quiet," Hikari said, raising a hand to stop his questions.
From a moment ago, the birdsong around them had become sharp and piercing.
Hikari, who had grown used to the natural background noise, suddenly found it painfully jarring.
No words were needed.
Her Byakugan activated instantly, invisible power radiating from her eyes.
And then—
Her expression stiffened. Her pupils shrank.
She slowly stood up.
Her movements drew the attention of Shikamaru and the others.
Just as they were about to ask what was wrong—
From the dark depths of the forest, dozens of glowing green eyes lit up, surrounding them.
Grrrr...
Their furry chests rose and fell like bellows, foul-smelling drool dripping from their jaws.
The pressure in the air made Chōji lower his half-eaten boar leg. The once-delicious meat now seemed impossible to swallow.
Everyone stood up.
"Why are there so many—"
Ino's voice trembled as she pulled a sharp kunai from her tool pouch.
Naruto dropped his heavy training weights to the ground.
He clenched his fists, stepping protectively in front of Hikari.
Shikamaru pulled a signal flare from his backpack and aimed it at the sky.
But before he could launch it—
Whoosh!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Countless signal flares exploded into the air, lighting up the sky in rapid succession.
The sky was ablaze with light—redder than even the setting sun.
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