"You did well, Naruto. That last tactic was very effective," Kakashi said, narrowing his eye in amusement. As someone who often relied on shadow clones to mislead opponents, he understood the cleverness behind Naruto's ploy. Before gathering full intel, he himself would never risk exposing his true body.
"Hinata, what was that just now?" Guy asked curiously. "How did you suddenly appear behind Naruto?"
At his words, both Kakashi and Naruto turned toward her, their eyes filled with curiosity. Even Sasuke, who hadn't caught the moment clearly, looked at her in surprise.
"I… I think it was spatial transference," Hinata answered softly. Her cheeks flushed pink, but her voice was steady.
"It was Naruto's idea, actually," she admitted. "He gave me the initial inspiration, and after working on it for a long time, I managed to refine it. Within the Eight Trigrams Seal, I can displace anything matter, energy, even myself."
Kakashi and Guy exchanged glances, shock flashing in their eyes.
Naruto raised an eyebrow. He had only ever spoken vaguely to Hinata about an ability he remembered from one of his dreamlike visions, something called Eight Gates Transfer. The details had been blurry, just fragments of another world's story.
But Hinata had taken that vague concept and, through her own reasoning, crafted something far superior. She had turned Eight Gates Transfer into Eight Trigrams Transference.
And in battle, if her opponent didn't know about this ability, it could easily become a killing blow.
Teleport behind an enemy, and it wasn't always necessary to use Gentle Fist. A kunai to the throat was enough to end any fight. Ninja might wield terrifying techniques, but at the end of the day, they were still flesh and blood. A severed neck meant certain death.
"Alright, that's enough training for today," Guy clapped his hands, grinning widely. "Let's all go get some barbecue!"
"Yeah!" Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata cheered in unison, their faces brightening instantly.
They headed to the Akimichi barbecue restaurant, where Guy rented a private room. Tomorrow was a big day the graduation exam. For Naruto and his friends, it would mark the end of their time as academy students and the beginning of life as genin.
Guy, who had already taken on a squad the year before, wouldn't be able to lead them. There was a high chance Kakashi would become their jonin instructor.
The private room filled with laughter, clinking cups, and the sizzling aroma of meat. They ate heartily, savoring every bite, until their stomachs were full and their spirits warm. When the meal was finished, they parted ways for the night.
Naruto and Sasuke walked back together, eventually arriving at the Uchiha compound.
Yes Naruto had shamelessly moved in with Sasuke.
"Why waste time in a cramped apartment when there's a whole mansion here?" he had argued with his usual grin. "Even an idiot knows which one to pick."
Though Sasuke had grumbled at first, he still ended up helping Naruto carry his belongings. And once Naruto moved in, the vast, echoing house felt far less empty.
Following Naruto's suggestion, Sasuke had even rented out the unused houses in the compound.
The Uchiha district was far from the village center, and the shadow of tragedy still lingered over the place. But land was expensive in the Leaf, and the homes here were spacious. Renters didn't mind the dark history as long as the price was right. After all, the ninja world had seen countless deaths across three great wars. To most, death was a familiar presence.
Thanks to the steady income, Sasuke was no longer in want of money. Even if he abandoned the ninja path, he could live comfortably as a landlord.
That evening, the two of them sat in the living room. Sasuke brewed tea with practiced ease, pouring two cups.
Naruto slurped his noisily, then set the cup down with a satisfied sigh.
"Tomorrow after the graduation exam, I'm heading to the Sarutobi clan's training grounds. Come with me," Naruto said calmly.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "The Sarutobi clan? That's the Hokage's family ground. Why go there?"
"We have our own training fields."
Naruto's expression didn't waver. "I need to test my current strength."
"You mean… you want to spar with the Third Hokage?" Sasuke's eyes widened.
Naruto nodded. "Yeah. In this whole village, only Grandpa Third can really give me a fight worth having."
"What about Guy-sensei? Or Kakashi?" Sasuke pressed. Both were among the most elite jonin in the Leaf.
Naruto chuckled. "Guy-sensei uses the same techniques as me. Unless we both open the Eight Gates all the way, our battle would end in a stalemate. And Kakashi… well, my ninjutsu has gone beyond his."
Sasuke fell silent at that. He knew Naruto wasn't exaggerating. Naruto had mastered all five elemental affinities, bringing both nature and form transformations to perfection. That was something even Kakashi hadn't achieved.
The only one who could match such breadth was Hiruzen Sarutobi, the so-called Professor of Ninjutsu.
"But he's an old man now," Sasuke said quietly. "Not in his prime."
"That's why I'll keep it short," Naruto replied, pouring himself more tea. "I won't drag the fight out or take advantage of my massive chakra reserves. What I want is a peak battle a true clash of skill. That's the only way to measure myself."
Sasuke stared at him for a long moment before nodding. "I'll come watch. Seeing a battle of that level… it will be good for me."
He studied Naruto, a faint shiver running through him. His brother-in-arms was becoming impossible to measure. Nobody knew the true depth of his power not even Guy or Kakashi.
After all, Naruto had been the first to endure Guy's extreme training regimen, pushing his body past its limits not once but three times every day. The result was strength no one else could comprehend.
Sasuke felt no jealousy, only admiration. He had trained alongside Naruto, but the intensity his friend endured was beyond human. To force it on himself would only have wrecked his body.
"I'm going to rest and adjust myself for tomorrow," Naruto said, standing up. "You keep training if you want."
He retreated to his room, leaving Sasuke to the quiet night.
Outside in the courtyard, Sasuke prepared his own practice. Several large water jars were arranged across the yard. Their rims were thin barely thicker than paper and slick with oil he had smeared earlier.
With a light leap, Sasuke landed on the edge of one jar. The fragile rim did not shatter, nor did he lose balance. From there, he began to move from jar to jar, stepping lightly as though strolling across level ground.
It was a deceptively simple drill, but one that revealed mastery. To walk such narrow, slippery edges without breaking them required flawless chakra control. Each step demanded precise, minuscule bursts of chakra, turning invisible energy into an unshakable platform.
This level of control far surpassed the average shinobi's understanding. It was a sign of mastery, the ability to unleash the greatest power with the smallest effort.
The exercise had been Naruto's idea. After the classic tree-climbing and water-walking drills, he had realized the importance of chakra control and invented this advanced method. Sasuke had followed him in the practice, and the results were clear.
Now his control was sharper than ever, letting him maximize the power of his limited chakra reserves.
If Naruto was the blazing sun that lit the sky, Sasuke was a blade of tempered steel precise, unyielding, and ready to cut through any obstacle.
And tomorrow, he would witness just how far the sun had risen.