Chapter 44: Hinata's Growth
The first round of the Chunin Exam's final tournament had given the audience the ultimate visual spectacle. Ryuzen's devastating slash had brought the atmosphere to an explosive climax, leaving everyone buzzing with excitement for the matches to come.
But that excitement cooled rapidly when the second round arrived—and Uchiha Sasuke was nowhere to be seen.
As the spectators who had come specifically to see the last Uchiha began voicing their dissatisfaction, Shiranui Genma made an announcement: the second match, which would have resulted in Sasuke's forfeiture, was being moved to later in the schedule. For now, the tournament would continue with the third round.
Aburame Shino vs. Kankuro
The audience settled in, ready for another exciting confrontation.
Kankuro walked onto the arena floor, surveyed his opponent—a strange figure in sunglasses and a high collar, surrounded by an almost imperceptible buzzing—and made his decision in approximately three seconds.
"I forfeit."
The announcement drew immediate shouts of protest from the stands. People who had paid good money for seats, who had taken time off work, who had traveled from other villages to witness the finals—they hadn't come to see forfeits. Curses rained down on the puppet master from Sunagakure.
Kankuro ignored them completely. Preserving his strength for the real battle to come was far more important than entertaining civilians. He returned to the waiting room without a backward glance.
Shino stood alone on the arena for a moment, then quietly exited as well. His expression—not that anyone could see it behind his glasses and collar—betrayed nothing.
The tournament jumped to the fourth round.
Temari vs. Nara Shikamaru
This was the battle where Nara Shikamaru would emerge from relative obscurity and make his tactical genius known to Konoha's leadership. Among the nine finalists, at least four could defeat him in straightforward combat. But the Chunin Exam wasn't just about power—it was about judgment, strategy, and the qualities that made a true leader.
In the original timeline, out of one hundred fifty-three candidates, Shikamaru had been the only one promoted to chunin. Standing out from that many competitors spoke volumes about his abilities.
The arena had changed since Ryuzen's match. The massive trench carved by his sword energy remained—a permanent reminder of the power on display—but Shikamaru hardly needed a flat surface to implement his strategies. He studied the terrain, studied his opponent, and formulated a plan.
The battle unfolded with Shikamaru's characteristic laziness masking razor-sharp calculation. He baited Temari, dodged her Wind Release attacks, and slowly maneuvered her into the perfect position. When his Shadow Imitation Technique finally caught her, he had complete control of the match.
And then he raised his hand.
"I concede."
The audience erupted again—this time in confusion rather than anger. Why would someone concede when they had clearly won?
But Shikamaru understood something they didn't. His chakra was nearly exhausted. Even if he defeated Temari here, he would have nothing left for the next round. By conceding strategically, he preserved his dignity and demonstrated the kind of tactical thinking that would later earn him his promotion.
The fourth round ended with a proud attitude despite defeat.
Now the fifth round approached.
Uzumaki Naruto vs. Hyūga Hinata
Ryuzen gently patted Hinata's shoulder, his touch warm and reassuring through the fabric of her outfit. A smile played at his lips as he encouraged her: "Go on. Do your best."
Hinata nodded firmly—a confidence that would have been unthinkable in the original timeline. She walked toward the arena with steady steps, her red scarf a bright spot of color against the gray stone of the passageway.
Ryuzen leaned against the guardrail, his gaze drifting briefly toward the VIP section where he had sensed Hiashi Hyūga and Hanabi earlier.
During his fight with Neji, Ryuzen's Kenbunshoku Haki had maintained constant awareness of the Hyūga clan leader's position. That was no accident. He had deliberately displayed his power in front of Hiashi, knowing that if he didn't demonstrate his strength clearly, there would be countless obstacles in his and Hinata's future.
Now, Hanabi sat alone. Hiashi had disappeared sometime after Neji's defeat—likely to find his nephew and untangle the knots in the boy's heart. The cage bird seal, the weight of branch family existence, the hatred that had festered for years... perhaps today, something would finally change.
Just as Ryuzen's gaze swept across the VIP area, a pair of pure white eyes met his from a distance.
The little girl with the Byakugan—Hinata's younger sister, Hanabi—stared directly at him without flinching.
Ryuzen blinked, then withdrew his gaze with a slight smile.
Interesting. Has she been watching me this whole time? Curious about my relationship with Hinata, perhaps?
He dismissed the thought and turned his attention to the arena below.
Hinata and Naruto stood opposite each other on the damaged arena floor. The massive trench from Ryuzen's match cut through the space between them, a constant reminder of the power that had been displayed here.
Shiranui Genma bit down on his senbon and glanced between them. "If you're ready, begin."
"Yes." Hinata's voice carried quiet confidence. Her Byakugan activated, veins bulging at her temples as she settled into the Gentle Fist stance. "Naruto-san, please give me your guidance."
"Same to you, Hinata!" Naruto responded seriously, his face showing no trace of his usual playfulness. He had watched her preliminary match. He knew she wasn't someone to underestimate.
They stared at each other for several seconds.
Then Hinata moved.
Whoosh—
Chakra gathered beneath her feet as she launched forward, becoming an afterimage that crossed the distance between them like wind. Years of tree-climbing and water-walking practice—techniques she had mastered long ago alongside Ryuzen—had given her chakra control far above average. Her speed was considerable.
"So fast!" Naruto's eyes widened. He recovered quickly, fingers forming the familiar cross seal. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
POOF poof poof!
Smoke exploded across the arena as dozens of shadow clones materialized around Naruto, all of them charging toward Hinata with determined expressions.
Too slow. Too many flaws.
The thought passed through Hinata's mind almost casually. Years of watching Ryuzen train, of sparring with him, of absorbing his approach to combat through sheer proximity—she had internalized a different standard of speed and precision.
Her forward momentum didn't pause. Her petite body turned slightly, one slender arm extending, fingers striking like arrows released from a bow.
SWISH—BAM!
A single blow. One shadow clone dissolved into smoke.
"Eight Trigrams Air Palm."
Long lavender hair streamed behind her as Hinata pivoted, one palm thrusting forward. Compressed air shot from her hand like a cannonball, aimed directly at Naruto's position among the clones.
BAM bam bam!
Clones exploded in sequence. The real Naruto was caught in the blast and sent tumbling across the arena floor.
For six years, Hinata had watched Ryuzen. She had seen his talent, witnessed his grueling training regimen, absorbed the reality of his overwhelming strength through daily proximity. Eating together, napping together, training together—she had learned more from simply being near him than from any formal instruction.
But her greatest growth wasn't in technique.
It was in herself.
She was no longer weak. No longer paralyzed by fear. No longer unable to act when it mattered. Only in front of Ryuzen did she still show shyness—and even that was changing. Her heart had become calm and composed, trained by years of matching his rhythm, his discipline, his relentless pursuit of strength.
Her Byakugan tracked Naruto's chakra constantly. Even among the swarm of shadow clones, even though her eyes couldn't visually distinguish the real body from the copies, she knew where he was. She had memorized his movement patterns. She watched for the tells, the subtle differences in positioning, the way the real Naruto always positioned himself slightly behind the clones.
When the opportunity came, she would be ready.
In the VIP section, Hanabi Hyūga watched with wide eyes.
Her sister—the sister she had always been told was weak, was a failure, was unworthy of the Hyūga name—was absolutely dominating her opponent.
When did she... how did she...
If Hiashi were still present, his reaction would have mirrored Hanabi's exactly.
Somehow, without anyone noticing, the extremely weak girl who had lost to a sister five years younger had grown up.
Naruto picked himself up from the ground, coughing slightly. "Ahem... so... so amazing!"
His eyes, when they met Hinata's, held genuine respect. Then he grinned—that irrepressible Naruto grin—and his hands flashed through the cross seal again.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
POOF POOF POOF!
More smoke. More clones. Dozens upon dozens of orange-clad figures filled the arena, surrounding Naruto's real body in a sea of copies.
Hinata's expression didn't change. She settled deeper into her Gentle Fist stance, and around her, an invisible Eight Trigrams formation spread outward—encompassing herself, encompassing the clones, encompassing the real Naruto hidden among them.
"Gentle Fist Technique: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms."
SWISH—
She launched forward like an arrow, directly into the mass of clones. Her target was clear in her mind—not through visual identification, but through pure positional memory. She had tracked his movements. She knew where he would be.
Her palms became afterimages.
Two palms. Four palms. Eight palms. Sixteen palms. Thirty-two palms...
Each strike precise. Each blow landing on a tenketsu point, injecting chakra, disrupting flow.
...Sixty-Four Palms!
The final strike landed. Hinata spun on her heel, one palm pressing against Naruto's chest as she completed the rotation.
"Eight Trigrams Air Palm!"
BOOM!
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