Kitazawa watched Hinata Hyūga open her Byakugan and nodded with quiet satisfaction.
After working so hard, the results had finally come.
In the original storyline, Hinata certainly did not awaken the Byakugan at the age of six.
Now, thanks to his influence, she had done so early, giving Kitazawa a surge of accomplishment.
At that very moment the system issued its prompt:
[Current Mission: Help Hinata Hyūga awaken the Byakugan]
[Mission Reward: Eight Trigrams – Mountain Crusher Strike]
[Mission completed. Reward delivered.]
Eight Trigrams – Mountain Crusher Strike is one of the Gentle Fist techniques that pairs with the Byakugan, complementing the style of Gentle Fist – Eight Trigrams Sixty‑Four Palms.
The first stresses explosive power in an instant; the second focuses on sustained blows.
Once he defeated Class 2‑A he would earn Eight Trigrams Sixty‑Four Palms as well—at which point his overall strength would rival an average elite jōnin.
"I did it, Kitazawa-sensei!"
Fresh from her victory, Hinata ran over. She was still flushed with excitement from opening her eyes.
"Congratulations, Hinata," Kitazawa said with a smile.
"You won beautifully, Hinata!" Yamanaka Ino praised without stint.
"The Byakugan really lives up to its reputation!" Inuzuka Kiba gave a thumbs‑up.
"I've actually wanted to ask for a while—why are Hinata's eyes white?" Uzumaki Naruto scratched his head.
He had no idea what a Kekkei Genkai was, so he didn't understand the Byakugan.
"Kekkei gen—" Aburame Shino adjusted his sunglasses, about to explain, when Kiba cut him off.
"Leave it to yours truly." Kiba chuckled and explained kekkei genkai to Naruto.
"So cool!" Naruto exclaimed when he finished.
"When it comes to bloodline limits, the strongest is the Uchiha clan's Sharingan!" Haruno Sakura declared, hands on hips.
"Sasuke, have you awakened yours?" Naruto asked curiously.
"…" Uchiha Sasuke's mouth twitched—he didn't want to answer.
If he had awakened it, would he still be keeping quiet?
He couldn't help but envy Hinata: once her eyes opened, her strength jumped enormously.
Could he still beat her as easily as before?
Sasuke felt the urge to spar with Hinata—but before that he had another opponent to face, Hyūga Neji.
…
"Why—why did this have to happen?" Mizuki was the one hit hardest.
Tenten had been in control and on the verge of victory, when Hinata suddenly opened her Byakugan and turned the match around. The emotional roller coaster left him miserable.
"Sorry…" Tenten stepped down and re‑joined the Class 2‑A students.
"Losing to the Byakugan is normal," Neji said calmly.
Mizuki had been about to lecture Tenten, but hearing that, he held his tongue; this was no time to damage team morale.
"It's true," Rock Lee added, comforting her. "Hinata really is strong—don't be too down."
Neji glanced at him. Was Hinata already being called strong?
On reflection, yes: awakening the Byakugan at six was rare even in Hyūga history—she was a prodigy.
Neji suddenly wanted to fight her; now she was worthy of being his opponent.
"Lee," Mizuki said after thinking for a while, "you'll fight the next round."
Lee had once been the tail‑ender of Class 2‑A, but since meeting Might Guy his taijutsu had skyrocketed; by second‑year standards he was formidable.
"Mizuki-sensei! I swear on my youth I won't fail you!" Lee thrust up a thumb.
"Kitazawa-sensei!" Seeing Lee step onto the field, Naruto shouted.
"Go ahead—be careful." Kitazawa had already planned for Naruto to face Lee, so he agreed readily.
"Great!" Naruto leapt to the training ground.
When Lee saw who his opponent was, his thick brows shot up and his blood boiled.
"Lee!" Naruto yelled excitedly.
"Naruto!" Lee answered.
"Who'd have thought we'd end up opponents?" Naruto marveled.
"Guy-sensei will be thrilled," Lee said, clenching his fist. "We're contesting taijutsu under the Hokage's very eyes!"
The next second the two hugged each other and wept tears of passion.
"…?" A question mark appeared on Sarutobi Hiruzen's face. What a bizarre development.
"So… full of spirit," Nara Shikaku muttered, eyelids twitching.
"You don't have to force the praise," Hiruzen quipped.
"Hokage‑sama, I was speaking from the heart," Shikaku coughed.
…
"Begin!" Kitazawa, unable to watch any longer, finally called the start.
"Watch out, Naruto!" Lee launched a kick.
"Leaf Whirlwind!" Naruto countered with the same spinning kick.
Two green whirlwinds collided with a dull thud.
"Youth means battle!" Lee stepped back and came in again. "Leaf Great Whirlwind!"
"Leaf Wind Rising!" Naruto refused to yield, using the new move he had learned—meeting Lee's high kick with a flying elbow.
Boom! A shock wave rippled outward.
Lee's face remained calm, but inside he knew he was on the back foot.
Thanks to the Nine‑Tails' chakra and his Uzumaki blood, Naruto was practically iron‑skinned; Lee, an ordinary taijutsu ninja, couldn't match that toughness—but he did not retreat. The two traded fists and feet in a pure taijutsu duel.
"Guy taught him well," Hiruzen nodded, seeing Naruto in control.
"Naruto has talent too," Shikaku added with a smile.
"A pity taijutsu specialists have real limitations," Hiruzen murmured after a pause. Against ninjutsu users they were born disadvantaged; only those who mastered the Eight Gates or possessed a bloodline like the Byakugan survived. He hoped Naruto would become a ninjutsu ninja like Minato Namikaze.
"Naruto!" After several minutes Lee broke away. "Give it your all!"
Naruto looked slightly torn. Hiruzen's interest was piqued—had Naruto learned the Eight Gates? Impossible, he decided; that art was far too hard.
"Naruto, youth demands a full‑power explosion!" Lee pleaded. "I want to lose with full conviction!"
Mizuki's scalp tingled. What are you doing, asking to lose? He regretted ever proposing this "friendly match."
"Alright!" Naruto flashed hand‑seals.
Shadow Clone Jutsu!
Two Narutos appeared in a puff of smoke—then instantly made seals again.
A moment later there were seven Narutos on the field.
"Lee, please give it your all!" the seven Narutos cried, all launching Leaf Whirlwind.
The outcome was inevitable—Lee suffered a righteous group beating.
"This kid reproduced the effect of Multi‑Shadow‑Clone Jutsu like that?" Hiruzen's eyes widened.
He even wondered if he should hand Naruto the real Multi‑Shadow‑Clone Jutsu—it suited him perfectly.
"Six clones at age six?" Shikaku murmured in shock. "How much chakra is that?"
Mizuki, meanwhile, turned to ash on the spot; he couldn't make six clones himself, yet a first‑year could do it easily—who wouldn't lose?
"That's Shadow Clone Jutsu?" Nara Shikamaru stared.
"Has Naruto already mastered a B‑rank jutsu?" Inuzuka Kiba felt the gulf between them.
"…." Uchiha Sasuke fell silent. Earlier he'd wondered whether he could beat Byakugan‑awakened Hinata—now he had a new question: could he withstand a beating from seven Narutos? Ridiculous! How could tiny Class 1‑A have so many geniuses?
"Winner: Uzumaki Naruto." Hiruzen announced with a broad smile.
Naruto's skillful use of Shadow Clones proved he could be more than a taijutsu user; with his talent he could master both taijutsu and ninjutsu. More importantly, Hiruzen knew he carried the Nine‑Tails—once Naruto commanded that power, who could guess his limits?
"You okay, Lee?" Naruto dispersed the clones and helped him up.
"You're really strong—but I'll work hard to catch up!" Rather than discouraged, Lee was exhilarated.
"I'll be waiting!" Naruto gave a thumbs‑up.
"Neji," Mizuki turned to Hyūga Neji, "you're up next."
There were five matches—best of three—and they had already lost twice. If Neji didn't step in now, there would be no chance left.
"Neji, Class 2‑A's hopes rest on you," Mizuki said earnestly. "If you lose, the friendship match is over."
"I understand," Neji replied with complete confidence. "I won't lose." He walked to the center of the field.
Uchiha Sasuke instinctively looked at Kitazawa—eager to enter.
"Kurama Yakumo," Kitazawa suddenly called—a name that surprised everyone.
"Not me?" Sasuke froze in shock.
Neji stared blankly at the unfamiliar girl across from him.
~~~
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