Hanabi got it now: this section was basically the stage giving each major character their entrance moment, and now it was her turn.
"Morning, Hikari," Hanabi greeted her.
"You left so early. I heard the exam this time is a drill—sounds like it lasts a while, so here… this is a bento for you."
Most people didn't know what the exam content was, but for anyone who'd been through it, it was basically an open secret.
First phase was the written test. Second phase was the drill.
"Thanks."
[An OVA character really showed up]
[Looks like Hanabi's personal cheer squad]
[Are Naruto and Sasuke going to get OVAs later too?]
[The protagonist doesn't need OVAs—protagonist material goes in the main series. It even helps pad episode counts]
[I wanna see a Hidden Sand Village OVA]
[You up there, your taste is a little…]
[Wait, did none of you notice Hikari's neck?]
[Sweet Dream and Hell also released Road to Ninja videos]
[Has the anime section finally mobilized?!]
[Crap, what about Bilibili Anniversary Fest! They still have time to drop videos?!]
The audience had started out discussing the plot, but then another heavy-hitter creator made an entrance and the danmaku veered off.
Compared to regular danmaku, livestream danmaku felt more like a group chat.
"Hey, Hanabi… hm?"
Sasuke had arrived too.
The moment he stepped over, he felt a spine-chilling bloodlust hit him.
But it came and went fast. Almost like he'd imagined it?
"Hikari?" Hanabi asked quietly.
"Mm, it's nothing." Hikari smiled. "Then I'll head out. Hanabi, good luck!"
"Mm, you too. After the exam's over, I'll come check your homework."
"Hmph, you're so mean!" Hikari turned her head and shot a glance at Sasuke.
The stage gave that moment a cheeky little close-up.
[Lmao, the resemblance really is there]
[These two really are freaking relatives]
[Hanabi: here, Sasuke-bro, let me introduce you—this is your ancestor from a few hundred years back]
[Hikari: now, call me grandma]
[Yo, grandson!]
Honestly, that cheeky beat landed pretty well—the previously derailed danmaku snapped right back on topic.
Sasuke: ???
For some reason, he felt like something had just shorted out in his chest. But the second he blinked, the strange girl was already gone.
"Naruto's still not here?" Sasuke asked.
"Relax, he'll be here soon."
Hanabi also started on her final equipment checks.
She'd laid out several stages for herself.
Stage one was her current fully-restrained state.
Ranged attacks would primarily use Zhuixia as a weapon; her main body would stay mostly stationary. At this level, the combat style was about elegance—she could take down fodder enemies from mid-to-long range. At medium range, she'd fight with puppet ninja tools, including kunai, senbon, and the like. At close range, she'd release part of Curse Bind and engage in close-quarters combat.
Stage two was switching to Shiranui Shinobi Outfit Mode, bringing in Fire Release and her other jutsu.
Stage three was drawing the dual swords and pulling out the stuff she'd kept in reserve.
Of course, if an enemy could get through all three stages, no worries—Hanabi still had the Summoning Technique.
—Surprised? Big sis has a stage four!
Sasuke waited a while longer, but Naruto never showed. Instead, Hanabi wandered off.
"Big sister~"
Hanabi had gone looking for Hinata, of course.
"Hanabi!"
Hinata saw Hanabi and reflexively put her hands behind her back. Bandages were wrapped all over her body.
In recent days, she hadn't let up on her fighting practice for even a moment.
"Here. Take this."
Hanabi handed Hinata a doll.
"This is?"
Hinata looked at the Hanabi doll, puzzled.
"If you run into a fight, throw it out and shout 'Hanabi'—you'll get to watch a gorgeous fireworks show~"
"Uh, it's not going to be, like, an explosive tag or something, is it?" Kiba took a step back from beside them.
"Of course not—an explosive tag isn't this good."
Hanabi was pretty confident about that.
"Oh, right. Your hand."
Hanabi had Hinata hold out her hand.
"My hand? What? That?"
Hinata panicked a little.
She didn't want Hanabi to see.
But Hanabi didn't give her a choice—she grabbed Hinata's hand, and red cords coiled around it.
"Don't move~"
"Uh, mm…"
Hinata's face was bright red.
But she felt a warm sensation spreading through both her hands.
So strange, so warm.
"Huh?"
As the red cords slipped away, Hinata realized her previously aching hands suddenly felt… comfortable?
"My—my wounds?!"
Her hands were incredibly nimble now.
Not just that—her weary body also seemed to have been healed.
Was this some kind of healing ninjutsu?
"Shh."
But Hanabi only lifted a finger, signaling Hinata not to say anything.
"This is a secret between you and me, big sis."
"Mm, mm!" Hinata nodded.
Then, as if bracing herself, Hinata fixed her gaze: "Hanabi, I'm definitely going to pass the Chūnin Exams!"
This was the one thing she refused to lose at.
She wanted to stand on equal footing with Hanabi.
Hinata herself couldn't quite say why she'd started thinking this way.
Before she'd met that Hikari Uchiha, all she'd wanted was to quietly devote herself to Hanabi, to take care of her.
She'd even thought about whether her Byakugan could somehow be transplanted to Hanabi.
But now, Hinata's thinking had shifted.
Or rather—the appearance of that other woman had given Hinata a different perspective.
"I want to get stronger. I want to stand in the same place as Hanabi."
"I'm supposed to be the older sister, but Hanabi's the one taking care of me…"
"I can't stay like this!"
Hinata firmed her resolve.
After checking in with Hinata, Hanabi returned to Sasuke's side.
"Hanabi, Hanabi!" Naruto had finally shown up.
"Yesterday you were so shaken you could barely stand, and today you're bouncing around like this. I really can't tell whether you're thick-skinned or just brainless."
Sasuke saw Naruto this energetic and felt relieved and speechless in equal measure.
After getting so crushed in yesterday's exam, here was Naruto, bright and full of life.
All that worrying had been for nothing, hadn't it?!
"Ha, Sasuke, I'm the hero who's gonna become Hokage! There's no way I'd go down here!"
[Here we go—airhead and tsundere]
[For real, they should just hook up already]
[Watching them bicker like lovers every single day]
Hanabi stood off to the side wearing a knowing smile at these dopey audience members.
And right then, the head proctor, Anko Mitarashi, finally arrived at the venue.
"Welcome to Training Ground 44. Also known as—the Forest of Death."