The rules for the second exam were simple: teams that reached the tower with both sets of scrolls within five days would pass. Those who were late would fail. For those who arrived early, it meant waiting—but also enjoying the benefits of rest and resources.
The tower provided everything the genin needed—food, rest, and medical care. The earlier one arrived, the more advantages they secured.
Hinata sat at a table, staring quietly at the meal before her: a bowl of rice, a side dish, a bowl of miso soup, and a small portion of grilled fish.
Kiba and Shino, less concerned, finished eating quickly, cleaned up, and headed back to their rooms. Whether they were resting or secretly training didn't matter—as long as they stayed within the tower, they were safe.
Hinata finished her modest meal without even realizing it. Still feeling empty, she placed a hand on her flat stomach and sighed softly. Turning to a nearby Chunin, she said politely,
"Excuse me… may I have more to eat?"
The man, busy with paperwork, didn't even look up. He simply pointed toward the kitchen and waved her off.
Hinata stood, nodded, and quietly walked over. The kitchen was empty, though several pots of cooked food were still warm.
…
After a moment, Hinata found the cook washing up in the back room.
"Ah, you want more food?" the man said with a chuckle, not thinking much of it. "Go ahead and eat! There are extra ingredients in the cupboard—you can cook whatever you like. Kids your age are growing, after all."
He stretched his back and winced. "Ouch… these old bones…"
Hinata thanked him softly, then returned to the kitchen.
First, she scooped the remaining rice from the pot, refilled it with raw grains, and set it to steam. Then she emptied the miso soup, separating the vegetables and meat before pouring them over her rice. Finally, she carefully deboned the fish, added the flesh on top, and mixed everything together.
She took a few bites with the rice spatula. It was good—simple but satisfying.
Still, she wasn't in a rush to eat everything at once. The cook had mentioned there were ingredients in the cupboard, and if she wanted to eat to her fill, she'd need to prepare them steadily. Hinata decided to cook while she ate, keeping a continuous rhythm so she wouldn't lose momentum.
She opened the cupboard and found a basket of eggs—at least forty or fifty. Without hesitation, she cracked them into a pot, added salt and chopped green onions, and stir-fried them until fluffy. Then she mixed the eggs into her rice and ate heartily.
Next came the meats.
She marinated more than twenty chicken wings with sauce and placed them in the oven. Then she fried ten pork chops one by one, sprinkling them with cumin and chili powder. After that, she stir-fried sliced beef and lamb with mushrooms, potatoes, and vegetables until the aroma filled the kitchen.
Hinata ate until she was half-full.
Half-full.
She looked at the dwindling food supplies and frowned slightly. There were still three days left in the exam—how was she going to last that long? There wasn't enough food for even two proper meals.
After thinking for a while, she finally came up with a plan.
…
A long time later, the cook returned, walking with an awkward limp.
"Huh? You've finished eating already?"
He blinked in confusion at the spotless kitchen. The rice pot was empty—completely scraped clean. Then his gaze drifted toward the counter, and his face froze.
Every pot. Every pan. Every container.
Empty.
"...!?"
He opened the cupboard. Only half a bag of rice remained, along with a few lonely chicken wings. The beef and lamb were gone. Most of the vegetables had vanished too.
The cook stood there in stunned silence, trying to process what he was seeing.
"Where's… all the food?"
After several moments, realization—or denial—finally struck him. He clapped his hands together, eyes wide with sudden inspiration.
"Ah! Of course! She must've shared it with her friends! That's it! There's no way a single child could eat all that alone. Right…?"
Convincing himself of his own reasoning, the cook sighed with relief and went to report the shortage.
"We're out of supplies. Requesting more ingredients for the tower kitchen."
…
Meanwhile — Hyuga Residence
"...'Father, I'm hungry,'" Hiashi read aloud from the small handwritten note, his lips twitching slightly.
"Did Hinata say anything else?" he asked the messenger in front of him—a member of the Hyuga branch family, and a medical-nin on duty for the Chunin Exams.
The man shook his head quickly.
"No, Hiashi-sama. She only said that once. She told me to give you this note and that you would understand."
Hiashi waved his hand dismissively, dismissing the messenger back to his duties. When he was gone, Hiashi looked down at the note again, sighed heavily, and went to the kitchen.
There was barely any rice or flour left at home—and even if there were, there wasn't enough time to prepare anything fresh.
"We'll just have to buy food from a restaurant," he muttered, rubbing his temple. After some thought, he summoned an attendant to make arrangements.
Normally, during the Chunin Exams, outside interference was forbidden. But this—this was just delivering food, wasn't it? Nothing wrong with a little… nourishment.
He was about to send the order when something occurred to him. Hiashi quickly ran out and called back the servant who had already set off. Taking out a pen, he scribbled a second note and sent another messenger after the medical-nin.
"Wait. Everything the participants need during the exams—food, shelter, supplies—it's all covered by the village, isn't it?" he murmured, a sly smile forming.
"If that's the case, why not let her eat their food? Why waste ours?"
The realization struck him like divine enlightenment. He began pacing excitedly, hands clasped behind his back, a proud gleam in his eyes.
"The village belongs to everyone. The Hyuga clan's wealth was earned through generations of effort. Let the village feed her! She's just one more mouth among hundreds!"
Hiashi stopped and sighed, shaking his head in equal parts amusement and exasperation.
"People say a hearty appetite is a blessing, but this… this is financial ruin."
Still, he couldn't suppress a chuckle.
"Yes… let the village handle it. Every meal she eats there is one less expense for us. We'll call it—profit."
[4]
…
Hinata was doing push-ups, her slender arms trembling slightly as she waited for her father to send the promised food. Hunger gnawed at her stomach, and her throat was dry. After yesterday's meal of raw meat, she still felt a bit nauseous—so today, she planned to treat herself better.
But after waiting what felt like an eternity, no food came.
Instead, she received a note.
"Eat what the village provides. It's free, so make good use of it."
That was all.
Hinata stared at the note in silence. For a moment, she wanted to hit someone.
Was it really so wrong to want to eat properly?
The carefully prepared, nutrient-rich meals at home weren't just indulgences—they were essential. During high-intensity training, the body's greatest need was nutrition. Without it, strength declined, recovery slowed, and the body would break down.
Simply put—Hinata needed to eat her fill, and eat well.
"Lady Hinata, there's also this!"
The branch family member who had delivered the note set down a box, opening it to reveal rows of glittering pills—each one designed to replenish energy, blood, and fortify the body.
Hinata's irritation melted instantly. A small smile formed on her lips.
Well, with these, she could make do. As long as she had something to fill her stomach, the nutritional balance didn't matter as much.
…
That evening, Hinata joined Kiba and Shino for dinner. She ate quietly, finishing just enough to look polite, then slipped away as soon as they left the table.
Once alone, she crept into the kitchen. Not finding the cook, she peeked into the bathroom and informed him first before returning.
Then, she began to eat—while cooking at the same time.
Hinata knew better than to scare Kiba and Shino with her true appetite. If they ever discovered how much she could eat, they might never invite her to dinner again. And places where she could eat for free were far too precious to lose.
…
When the cook finally came out, groaning as he rubbed his lower back, he froze at the sight before him.
Every pot was empty. Every container was spotless. The cupboards, too, had been cleared out.
He sighed deeply, shaking his head.
"These kids sure can eat…"
Resigned, he went to file another report requesting more ingredients.
…
The next to arrive were the three Sand siblings—Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro. When they were told the food was gone, they went to the kitchen to check for themselves, only to find it emptier than their own plates. The pots gleamed; even the bottoms were spotless.
Temari frowned, unease flickering across her face.
"A village as large as Konoha wouldn't deliberately starve three visiting genin," she muttered under her breath.
Had Konoha discovered something? Was this a warning?
She exchanged a quick look with Kankuro, who understood immediately. Without another word or complaint, they turned back to their quarters.
"Sorry! The ingredients will arrive tomorrow—come eat then!" the cook shouted awkwardly after them.
Temari didn't respond.
…
The next morning, Hinata woke before dawn, as usual. With two puppets strapped to her back, she began her daily training regimen.
The damage to the puppets' outer shells and synthetic flesh from the battle with Orochimaru remained unrepaired—she lacked the materials for proper restoration. That would have to wait until she returned home.
Still, the missing outer layer didn't hinder her at all. The weight of the puppets was carried entirely by their steel frames, and Hinata's body had long adapted to their burden.
As she trained, her mind replayed the fight against Orochimaru.
That battle had been a sharp reminder. If someone that strong could still be classified as a genin, what about chunin? Jonin? Were they truly stronger—or was the ranking system in this world simply deceptive?
She recalled something her instructors from her previous life—back in the assassin training camp—had once told her:
"Look down on the weak, and you'll grow arrogant. Look up at the strong, and you'll grow afraid. The only one you should compare yourself to is who you were yesterday."
Those words had stayed with her through life and death.
No matter how strong others were, Hinata knew that her only goal was self-improvement. So long as she kept growing stronger—one step at a time—she would win in the end.