On the other side of the training field, as Hinata and her team continued their exercises, Kurenai Yuhi suddenly sensed someone approaching. She turned her head instinctively.
"It's Gai's students," she murmured, a faint, sly smile tugging at her lips. "Perfect this could be a good way to knock them down a peg."
Beside her, Akamaru gave a low bark, having also picked up the incoming chakra signatures.
Kiba Inuzuka looked up, puzzled. "Who are they?"
"The one in the middle… he's from the Hyuga clan," Shino adjusted his glasses. "Hinata, do you know him?"
Hinata gave a small nod. "Yes. He's my older brother."
Casting a brief glance toward Kurenai, Hinata then immediately ran toward Neji. "Brother Neji…"
Even her sensei couldn't compare to her onii-san.
Neji reached out, gently ruffling Hinata's silky hair. "How's your training coming along?"
"Mhm!" Hinata's cheeks flushed a deep pink.
After greeting her, Neji's gaze shifted, lingering on a graceful figure nearby.
So that's Kurenai Yuhi… She's even more beautiful in person.
And, if he recalled correctly, this should be before she and that stubbled guy Asuma ever got together.
Hah. A woman like her gentle, kind, and so dignified there's no way he'd let her end up with that scruffy man.
As Neji studied Kurenai, she too was quietly observing him.
"So this is the Hyuga clan's prodigy…"
Just then, something seemed to catch her attention. Her expression shifted subtly as she looked toward the sky, her face clouding with unease.
"That's enough for today. Dismissed."
With that, Kurenai gave Neji a long, contemplative look before vanishing in a flicker.
Neji watched the direction she disappeared into and murmured, "So soon?"
"Yes! Finally, training's over." Kiba spun around joyfully with Akamaru in his arms.
"Woof! Woof!"
Akamaru's excited barks echoed his mood. Training really was exhausting.
"Well, since no one has anything else to do, how about grabbing a bite together?" Tenten offered, ever the outspoken one.
Everyone glanced at each other, grinning. Clearly, they were all thinking the same thing.
"Brother Neji, how did your mission go?" Hinata asked nervously, always worrying he might've been hurt.
"It was nothing. Just another S-rank mission," Neji replied casually, though his chest swelled with pride.
Even he wanted to look good in front of Hinata.
"Eh? An S-rank?" Hinata tilted her head, wide-eyed in awe.
Kiba and Shino, too, couldn't hide their envy. They were the same age, yet Neji had already completed an S-rank mission while they were still stuck running errands.
"Brother Neji, you're amazing…"
Bathed in Hinata's admiring gaze, Neji felt even more smug. Without hesitation, he began recounting both his recent A-rank and S-rank missions, playing them down as if they were routine.
Because his two missions had been back-to-back, without any real downtime, Hinata had assumed it was all just one assignment.
But once they heard the full story, all three made up their minds they had to work harder.
Just as they reached the barbecue shop, a commotion echoed from a nearby alley.
"Ow! You little brat!"
"Let go of Konohamaru, you jerk!"
"…No way," Neji muttered, recognizing the voice. What were the chances?
"Konohamaru? Isn't he the Third Hokage's grandson? What's he doing getting into trouble?"
"Don't worry about it," Shino replied. "Konohamaru's usually got someone watching over him. If anything goes wrong, they'll step in."
"In that case, let's eat," Tenten said with a shrug.
Everyone nodded and quickly moved on, Konohamaru already forgotten. Neji, however, lingered, silently watching.
Poor kid.
Still, this was the perfect chance to witness Gaara's strength firsthand.
"Brother Neji? Where are you going?" Hinata called, concerned. The others also turned to him.
"It's nothing. I'll be there soon."
With that, Neji strolled off at a leisurely pace.
In the Alley
"Hey, Kankuro, take it easy. We don't want to get chewed out later," Temari warned.
"Relax. I've been meaning to test the strength of these Leaf Genin anyway."
"L-let go!" Konohamaru shouted, pounding weakly at Kankuro's arm.
"I said let him go!" Naruto roared, charging in.
But with a flick of his fingers, Kankuro's chakra threads tangled Naruto's legs, sending him sprawling.
"Really? This is the best the Leaf has to offer?" Kankuro sneered.
"Ahaha, just a misstep, that's all!" Naruto chuckled awkwardly as he scrambled back up.
Thud!
"Ow! That hurt!"
Sakura had slammed her fist onto Naruto's head. "Would you please stop embarrassing us?"
Crack!
Suddenly, a pebble shot down from the trees and struck Kankuro's hand squarely. He hissed in pain, instinctively loosening his grip just enough for Konohamaru to wriggle free.
"Who's there?!" Kankuro roared.
"That's the best the Sand Village can do? Tch. Pathetic."
Everyone turned to see Sasuke, lounging lazily against a tree, casually tossing another pebble in his hand.
Konohamaru looked at him with awe, then turned to Kankuro and muttered bitterly, "Big bro… you're so lame."
"Damn it… Why does he always steal the spotlight?" Naruto fumed, practically shaking with jealousy.
Now both boys were itching to fight.
Naruto had already formed hand seals, ready to overwhelm Kankuro with Shadow Clones.
Kankuro, meanwhile, had released his puppet, Crow, and was prepping for his Black Secret Technique to humble Sasuke.
"Hey, Kankuro, this isn't the place. You know this is pushing it," Temari tried to reason.
"No big deal. Worst case, I'll toss them the antidote afterward," Kankuro said dismissively.
Whish-whish-whish
Several blasts of sand whistled through the air, forcing Kankuro and Naruto to leap back in alarm.
"Those are sand bullets… no way…"
Both Kankuro and Temari turned toward the source, eyes wide in panic. "G-Gaara!"
The others followed their gaze, spotting a figure with a gourd slung over his back, perched where Sasuke had just been.
Sasuke frowned. "When did he get there?"
"He's as fast as Kakashi…" he mused warily.
"You're a disgrace to the village," Gaara said coldly, staring down at Kankuro.
"But Gaara, they started it" Kankuro protested.
"Shut up," Gaara snapped.
His gaze then drifted toward Sasuke, thoughts flickering behind his pale eyes.
"This one… He hit Kankuro's hand dead-on with just a pebble. Interesting."
"My apologies," Gaara said aloud, though his tone was anything but apologetic.
He then dissolved into a swirling stream of sand, drifting down from the tree to the ground. Turning to his siblings, he said,
"Let's go. Don't forget why we're here."
But Naruto, desperate not to lose face again, wasn't going to let them off that easily.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"