44Qualifying matches have ended.AI Model: gemini-3.0-flashChapter 44: The Preliminaries End
After speaking, Naruto carried Hinata straight to an empty hospital bed and laid her down.
Sakura and Ino subconsciously stood up and walked toward the door.
Then, the two of them glanced at each other.
Wait, that's not right... Didn't we agree never to be bossed around by that bastard again?!
Why did we suddenly chicken out?
"...Wait a minute!"
Ino suddenly turned around and looked at Naruto.
"Something the matter?"
"I have something to say to you!"
"Spit it out already."
Without even looking up, Naruto unbuttoned Hinata's jacket, condensed Chakra in his right hand, and began checking her injuries.
Seeing him ignore her like this, Ino couldn't help but feel a bit irritated.
"Hmph! Sakura and I have made a pact! We're never going to listen to the orders of a Dead Lastlike you again, even if you—"
Before she could finish her sentence.
Naruto directly formed a seal with his left hand and summoned a Shadow Clone.
"If you have something to say, tell it to my Shadow Clone."
Poof—!
With a dull thud, the Shadow Clone kicked Inostraight out of the room.
Then, he looked at Sakura.
"Something the matter?"
Sakura: "...Nothing."
"What did she just say about a pact with you?"
Sakura shook her head.
"You know, we're not that close."
After saying that, she turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her and standing obediently at the entrance... Hinata's injuries weren't heavy.
Soon, the treatment was over.
Aside from a few bruises, her breathing and Chakraflow had returned to normal.
Withdrawing the Chakra from his palm, Narutogently brushed her bangs aside.
"There, you're alive. It's not a big deal."
Hinata lay on the bed, her face a bit flushed, blinking her eyes.
"Na... Naruto-kun..."
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"Mm."
"Do you... do you think I'm useless...?"
"A little bit."
"Ugh..."
Hinata buried her head in the covers, making a whimpering sound like a kitten.
She hadn't cried even after enduring the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Three Palms, but now, she was completely broken by a single "a little bit."
Then, Naruto continued:
"But it doesn't matter."
"You just need to get stronger bravely, bit by bit, at your own pace."
"Because I will become the strongest, the Savior of this world."
"When that time comes, I will stand at the very front. You all just need to stand behind me."
...The strongest? Savior?
Hinata was stunned.
She didn't understand the full meaning of Naruto's words, but she could hear the immense confidence and promise within them.
It was a kind of power that made one feel at ease, a power to which one could entrust everything.
Her fingers gripped the corner of the blanket.
"Naruto-kun..."
"Yeah?"
"I will definitely become stronger!"
Naruto smiled slightly and flicked her forehead with his finger.
"Keep it up, Hinata."
"Mm...!"
The atmosphere in the room suddenly fell into an ambiguous silence.
After a long time, Hinata suddenly spoke.
"Naruto-kun..."
"Yeah?"
"Do you like boys or girls?"
Naruto was taken aback. Hinata's face instantly turned bright red as she quickly explained:
"I... I mean, if Naruto-kun has children in the future, would you prefer a boy or a girl!"
"A girl, of course."
Naruto said decisively, "If it's a boy, I'll throw him into the Mist Village and let him fend for himself."
"Waaah! Why would you do that?!"
"Because..."
Naruto leaned down and whispered a few words into Hinata's ear.
Just then.
The room door was suddenly pushed open from the outside.
Sakura and Ino lost their balance and stumbled into the room.
Behind them, Might Guy hurriedly walked in carrying a young boy.
"Didn't I tell you two to guard the door?"
Naruto stood up and noticed Lee in Guy's arms.
Sakura and Ino scrambled up from the ground in embarrassment, their faces flushed red.
Sakura stammered, "I... I wasn't eavesdropping, really!"
Ino also waved her hands frantically, "Right, I wasn't eavesdropping either, there was just a little accident!"
Guy rushed to Naruto, his booming voice carrying a sob:
"Naruto!! Isn't your medical Ninjutsu very powerful? Please, save my beloved pupil! Save this youth that hasn't had the chance to bloom yet!"
Naruto frowned, remembering the battle between Lee and Gaara in the original story, where Leeopened the Fifth Gate but still had a leg crushed by Gaara.
He didn't refuse.
He sent Chakra into the ruined leg. After a moment, he slowly withdrew his hand and shook his head.
"I can't do it."
This level of neurological damage and repair was simply too troublesome.
After all, he had only read textbooks for a few days, and he simply had Chakra control far beyond ordinary people.
To heal Lee's leg, one would not only need a deeper medical understanding but also a specific medical Ninjutsu for surgery.
Even then, there was still a significant chance of failure.
"However..."
Naruto looked at Guy, "It's just that I can't do it right now."
"If you can find me an A-rank or higher surgical medical Ninjutsu, I should be able to heal his leg in a week."
An A-rank medical Ninjutsu?
Guy fell into hesitation.
One must know that training a Medical Ninjausually takes at least ten years.
The Medical Ninjas from the Medical Unit had already concluded that unless they found one of the Sannin.
Otherwise, Lee's body would no longer allow him to continue active duty as a Ninja.
Could he really trust Naruto's words?
One week?
He hadn't heard of Kakashi teaching Naruto any medical Ninjutsu, but the treatment on Tenten had left even veteran Medical Ninjas in awe.
Thinking of this, Guy looked at Naruto. After seeing the confidence in the boy's eyes, he finally made a decision.
"Fine, I promise you! I will find an A-rank medical Ninjutsu for you!"
"Naruto, I'm counting on you. Please, you must heal Lee!"
Naruto nodded.
In the next second, Guy turned into a green whirlwind and rushed out of the room.
"Hey, Naruto..."
Ino snapped out of it, "Can... can you really heal Lee? In just one week?"
"Don't tell me you just made up a condition to comfort Teacher Guy. If he actually finds an A-rank medical Ninjutsu..."
Naruto couldn't be bothered to respond to her.
Sakura tugged on Ino's sleeve, "Forget it, Ino..."
She looked at Lee's bandage-wrapped face, remembering how he had risked his life to save her in the Forest of Death.
Although Naruto's words sounded absurd, she couldn't bear to shatter this ethereal hope.
Just as the atmosphere grew heavy, a lazy voice suddenly rang out.
"This round of the Elimination matches is over."
Kakashi walked into the room slowly, holding a scroll.
"The final exam will be held in one month. The match list is out."
"The list?!"
Sakura's breath hitched slightly as she subconsciously looked at the scroll.
Kakashi handed the scroll to Naruto.
"Yes. Naruto versus Hyuga Neji, Sasuke versus Gaara."
"All candidates who entered the final round have one month for special training."
"However, I'm sorry, Naruto. I need to guide Sasuke, so I won't have time to tutor you..."
"It doesn't matter," Naruto said nonchalantly. "I don't need it anyway."
"Uh..."
Kakashi scratched his head and continued:
"However, I've specifically found a private tutor for you. He will come to help you with your training then."
"Also, Sakura, Sasuke and I might be out of the Village for a while, so please take care of Naruto."