Reiji Arata watched Hinata with a gentle smile.
Her short black hair framed her fair, round face; her pale eyes were wide and shy, and her lips were pink and sweet like a freshly picked strawberry.
Reiji looked at the bento in Hinata's hands and asked softly, "Hinata-san, did you make this for me?"
Hinata nodded shyly. "Yes. I saw that you only had rice balls for lunch, so I made this specially for you."
Reiji's smile grew warmer. "Hinata-san, why are you always so kind to me?"
Hinata lowered her head, blushing deeply. "Because....."
Seeing her unable to finish, he quietly replied, "Thank you, Hinata-san. Let's go find somewhere to eat together."
He gently scratched her nose, took her small hand, and led her out of the classroom. Hinata's face glowed crimson beneath his touch.
She murmured, "Reiji, I brought extra rice balls too, so I didn't bother you…"
Reiji shook his head reassuringly. "It's not a bother. Let's go—I have something delicious for you too."
Seeing his earnest expression, Hinata's shy resistance melted away. She gratefully followed, her bashful smile lighting the way.
In Naruto, many girls were admired—like the aloof long-legged Tsunade, the fierce Mei Terumi, or the stylish Konan. But Reiji had known Hinata since they were kids, and his affection for her was deeper than any fleeting spark.
Holding her hand, he led her out of the school building toward a quiet garden on campus, nestled among hills and streams.
They settled beneath a shady tree and Reiji carefully opened the bento.
Inside was a perfectly grilled sausage nestled on fluffy rice, a secretively crafted beef sauce hidden beneath. On either side of the sausage lay heart-shaped tamagoyaki. The aroma made Reiji's mouth water.
Hinata hesitated, then asked softly, "Is it… tasty?"
Reiji took a bite of the sausage, savoring it slowly. He closed his eyes in delight. "It's delicious, Hinata-san. I want to thank you properly—so I brought something special too."
He pulled out several packets of self-heating hotpot from his scroll.
"What's that?" Hinata asked, curious eyes shining.
"Just wait a few minutes."
Reiji added water to the hotpot packet and it began to steam. Ten minutes later, the rich fragrance healed their hunger.
Hinata picked up a sticky rice cake with her chopsticks and took a small mouthful. "Mmm… chewy, soft, and so good!"
Reiji smiled. "Eat slowly—don't burn your mouth. I have other flavors too."
They ate side by side under the shade, sharing their homemade meal.
Afterward, Hinata retrieved a neatly kept notebook and handed it to Reiji.
"Reiji-kun, I heard you need help with the Three Body Technique. Here are my notes... if you want to study them."
Reiji's heart leapt with gratitude. This was a treasure. The notebook included detailed diagrams of hand seals, foot stances, and highlighted the tricky parts.
He threw his arms around her in a sudden hug of appreciation.
It was Hinata's first time being hugged like that by a boy—and it overwhelmed her. Her chest tightened, her vision blurred, and she fainted gently into Reiji's arms.
"Hinata!" Reiji called out, holding her as she collapsed. Puzzled but caring, he laid her down under the tree and carefully went over the Three Body Technique notes while she rested.
Her notes proved useful—clear, concise, and perfect for learning.
Once confident, Reiji summoned the system and spent skill points immediately:
[Ding! Clone Technique upgraded to LvMAX. Clone Power +50%.][Now able to create up to 10 identical clones, each with half-strength. Enemies can't tell which is the original.]
[Ding! Transformation Technique upgraded to LvMAX. Transformation Quality +100%.][Transformations become perfectly realistic and last an extra hour.]
[Ding! Avatar Technique upgraded to LvMAX. Avatar Speed +100%.][Can swap nearby objects with avatars at 10× normal speed.]
Reiji smiled contentedly.
Afternoon Combat Practice
After lunch, the students assembled on the training field. Iruka stood front and center, clipboard in hand.
"Alright everyone, we're doing one-on-one sparring. Take it seriously—it'll help prepare you for graduation!"
The first match: Naruto vs. Inuzuka Kiba.
Naruto beamed. "Watch me—I'll show you the greatest transformation technique ever created, dattebayo!"
"You've been putting in the effort, Na-ru-to," Iruka commented with a smile. "Show us what you've learned."
Kiba and Akamaru attacked first, launching quick jabs at Naruto. With calm focus, Naruto sealed his hands and shouted:
"Henge!"
White smoke enveloped the field as the legendary Meiko Shiraki appeared—completely unclothed.
Naruto said with a moan, "Ara~. Where do you think you are looking~?"
The crowd gasped and cheered.
Nearly every guy had a nosebleed. "We bow before the lord!" the guys exclaimed, while the girls were mostly angry and comparing themselves with Meiko Shiraki.
Iruka coughed, trying to conceal the nosebleed, but the look said he was quite pleased.
Naruto, seeing Kiba and Akamaru stunned, delivered twin punches to Kiba and Akamaru, knocking them out. The school erupted in cheers.
"Iruka-sensei... I won!! Dattebayo!" Naruto declared triumphantly.
Iruka sighed, embarrassed but impressed. "Well... Naruto wins the first round!"
Next match: Choji vs. Shikamaru.
Shikamaru sighed. "How troublesome. I give up."
Iruka nodded in understanding. He dulled his efforts and Choji advanced.
Finally: Sasuke vs. Reiji Arata.
The crowd buzzed.
"Reiji's way weaker than Sasuke! This is gonna be brutal."
"Lin Fan's strong in looks, but his chakra is low—Sasuke'll crush him."
"Don't watch—I don't want to see Reiji get humiliated."
Despite the doubt, Reiji calmly prepared for the showdown as his classmates whispered.