Just as Izayoi had told Hinata.
The graduation exam didn't take much time.
After a brief chat, the other students who had passed the graduation exam gradually gathered on the playground.
Not long after, Umino Iruka arrived as well.
This meant that the familiar faces not present here were those who had failed the graduation exam and were unfortunately eliminated.
Upon closer inspection, one would notice that the only familiar face missing was Uzumaki Naruto.
"Students, sorry to keep you waiting," Umino Iruka said with a smile, holding a clipboard. "Everyone, put on your forehead protectors. We'll now take you to take your official photos."
"Teacher Iruka, where should we wear the forehead protectors?" a student raised their hand and asked.
"Anywhere on the upper body is fine," Umino Iruka replied.
Thus, the students wore their forehead protectors in various ways—some on their foreheads, some tied around their arms, some hung around their necks, and others used them as hairbands, and so on…
Hinata was one of those who hung it around her neck.
Izayoi, on the other hand, tied his around his left arm.
Once everyone was ready, Umino Iruka led them to the rooftop of the main building.
A photographer had been waiting there for some time, standing next to a tripod-mounted camera.
After queuing up and taking their official photos, the students couldn't wait to leave the main building. Some walked leisurely, while others rushed toward the school gate.
At the school gate, parents had already gathered.
Some parents were comforting their children who had been eliminated, while others looked eagerly toward the school.
They all knew that those who hadn't come out yet were the Genin who had passed the graduation exam.
As the students appeared, the school gate immediately became lively.
However, this lively scene saddened some orphans who had no parents.
Some watched with envy, while others couldn't bear to look and ran out of the school.
Uchiha Sasuke was both the former and the latter.
After a brief glance of envy, he vanished in an afterimage.
Izayoi, however, didn't belong to either group.
Because…
"Oniichan, sister, over here!"
At the school gate, a girl's voice rang out loudly.
There, wearing a yellow-brown kimono with flame patterns along the hem, Hanabi waved her small hand toward Izayoi and Hinata.
Seeing this, Izayoi's lips curled into a slight smile, and Hinata also smiled softly.
Before even reaching the school gate, Izayoi knelt down and caught Hanabi as she rushed toward him.
"Oniichan, sister, I came to pick you up," Hanabi said, wrapping her arms around Izayoi's neck. She immediately noticed the forehead protector on his arm and asked curiously, "Oniichan, is this the Genin forehead protector?"
"Mm, here, you can play with it," Izayoi nodded, taking off the forehead protector and handing it to Hanabi. Then he picked her up and exchanged a smile with Hinata.
The three of them then left the school together.
Several years had passed, and Hanabi, now seven years old, had also undergone significant changes.
In the original story, at this age, Hanabi still had shoulder-length hair.
However, after seeing her sister grow her hair long, she deliberately did the same.
Now, her hair reached her waist, just like in the movie version, with the two strands of her bangs braided.
During training or combat, she either kept her hair straight or tied it into a single ponytail. Combined with her determined eyes and serious expression, she already bore some resemblance to her appearance in Boruto.
Perhaps due to her early maturity, Hanabi's growth has been much faster than Hinata's. Although she is expected to reach a height of 1.7 meters in the future, she has already grown to 1.32 meters now, just a head shorter than Izayoi.
Moreover, at this age, Hinata still has a chubby, baby-faced appearance.
However, Hanabi's face has already shed much of its baby fat, taking on a more defined, oval shape. Mimicking Hinata, Hanabi hung her Genin forehead protector around her neck and said to Izayoi with a cheerful smile, "Oniichan, to celebrate you and sister becoming Genin, let's have hot pot today."
"It's clearly you who wants to eat it."
Hinata extended her slender, jade-like index finger and gently tapped Hanabi's forehead.
"Hehe..."
Hanabi stuck out her tongue sheepishly and said, "It's because Father doesn't allow us to eat such things, but I really want to have hot pot today."
Izayoi was charmed by Hanabi's adorable demeanor and immediately agreed, "Alright, let's have hot pot today."
"Great!"
Hanabi cheered and then, pushing her luck, added, "Oniichan, I also want a piggyback ride."
"No way."
Hinata pouted and scolded, "Hanabi, you're already so tall. You can't do such things anymore."
"I'm only seven years old, what's the big deal?"
Hanabi made a face at Hinata and then turned to Izayoi, pleading, "Oniichan, please?"
"No problem."
Izayoi immediately flexed one arm, striking a strongman pose, and said, "Even if Hanabi were as tall as Oniichan, she could still have a piggyback ride."
"As expected of Oniichan."
Hanabi immediately put on an admiring expression, then climbed down from Izayoi's arms and hopped onto his shoulders from behind.
"Really..."
Watching Izayoi, who was being directed by Hanabi toward the market, Hinata sighed in resignation but then followed with a fond smile.
Whoosh—
Not long after the three had left, a figure suddenly appeared out of thin air in their previous spot.
Upon closer inspection, it was a Hyuga clan member wearing a green vest, with eyes similar to Hinata and Hanabi's.
This person was Hanabi's bodyguard.
Hinata always had a bodyguard when she went out, so it was only natural that Hanabi would have one as well.
However, for some reason, he didn't protect Hanabi closely but instead watched over her from the shadows.
Although Hanabi was unaware of his presence, both Izayoi and Hinata knew about the bodyguard.
Over the past six years, although Izayoi had yet to meet Hiashi Hyuga in person, he had developed a tacit understanding with his future father-in-law.
The former was responsible for nurturing Hinata and Hanabi with warmth, allowing them to grow up under his care and indulgence after losing their mother; the latter was strict, ensuring they bore the honor of their prestigious family.
Living under such high pressure at home, Hinata and Hanabi naturally relied heavily on Izayoi.
It was only in front of Izayoi that Hanabi displayed the liveliness, playfulness, and mischief typical of her age.
In front of Hiashi Hyuga, she was, just like in the original story, a very precocious little adult.
Hinata was the same.
After purchasing ingredients for the hot pot at the market, along with Hanabi's favorite mochi, bananas, and milk, as well as Hinata's favorite cinnamon rolls, Izayoi took the two girls home to enjoy the hot pot.
After eating and drinking their fill, the three of them sat on a long sofa, digesting their meal while chatting.
Sitting next to Izayoi, Hinata finally let go of her reserve and leaned her head on his shoulder. She suddenly spoke up, "Izayoi-kun, it seems like Naruto-kun is the only one in our class who hasn't graduated yet."
"Hmm."
Izayoi, who was playing with Hanabi's bangs, nodded slightly.
When they arrived at the school gate, the first thing they noticed was Uzumaki Naruto sitting on the swing.
"Naruto-kun has such powerful Chakra, so why can't he even perform a simple Clone Technique?" Hinata asked, puzzled.
"Perhaps his Chakra Control is just average," Izayoi replied casually. "His academic performance is poor, his Shuriken throwing hasn't improved much, and he's always the first to be eliminated in Survival Exercises. The only thing he excels at is Taijutsu Duels. Maybe failing isn't such a bad thing."
"Hmm."
Recalling Naruto's performance over the past six years, Hinata nodded in agreement.
However, neither Hinata, who was leaning against Izayoi, nor Hanabi, who was dozing off with her eyes half-closed, noticed the subtle curve that formed at the corner of Izayoi's lips as he gave his dismissive response.
(End of Chapter)