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Thanks to Sasame's help, Uzumaki Naruto had unlocked his potential earlier than expected, leading to a noticeable shift in his personality compared to the original timeline.
He no longer needed pranks to get attention—his overwhelming strength and cheerful demeanor had already earned him recognition among his peers.
Though to the villagers, who remained ignorant of the truth, the "demon fox" seemed even more terrifying.
Uchiha Sasuke, having never experienced the massacre of his clan, wasn't as emotionally scarred as before, but he still carried the Uchiha clan's pride.
And so, whenever he clashed with Naruto, he often found himself utterly exasperated.
Sasame couldn't help but think Naruto was becoming more and more like Namikaze Minato—
A little sun, radiating warmth.
But his excessive kindness only frustrated his opponents.
Take Sasuke, for example.
Every time he lost to Naruto, he was met with encouragement instead of mockery.
Frankly, he'd have preferred being insulted.
The match began.
Meanwhile, Sasame sat in the stands, chatting amiably with Hyūga Rinka.
After witnessing Hinata's astonishing growth, the woman couldn't contain her joy and eagerly shared her thoughts.
"I used to worry about her so much. Hiashi had such high expectations—I feared she'd collapse under the pressure one day."
Hyūga Rinka's eyes shimmered with emotion, her ample chest rising and falling slightly beneath her kimono.
"Seeing her like this now… I'm happy, but also heartbroken. Who knows how much effort she put in behind the scenes?"
Listening to her, Sasame suspected she might be sizing him up as a potential son-in-law.
Because soon enough, she started recounting Hinata's childhood embarrassments.
If the poor girl were here, she'd probably have fainted on the spot—
Too mortified to ever face him again.
On the field, the battle reached its climax.
Under Sarutobi Seinosuke's guidance, Naruto had patched up his taijutsu and weapon-handling weaknesses, giving him a clear edge over Sasuke.
But his gentle nature held him back from going all out, making the fight seem evenly matched.
Only Sasuke knew the bitter truth.
Every. Single. Time.
Just a little short.
It was driving him mad.
Finally, he leaped back, hands forming seals.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!
A massive fireball erupted on the training ground—Sasuke had pushed this C-rank jutsu to its absolute limit.
Most genin wouldn't have stood a chance.
Let alone academy students.
The crowd gasped.
But Naruto remained unfazed. Retreating slightly, he formed his own seals.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!
Another C-rank technique.
The most basic wind-style jutsu, simply generating a gale—but its power scaled with the user's chakra.
And Naruto's reserves dwarfed even a jōnin's.
The resulting storm shattered the fireball effortlessly and barreled toward Sasuke, who stood frozen in shock.
At the last second, Naruto flashed forward with the Body Flicker Technique, scooping him up and darting away.
"Let go of me! I don't need your help!"
Sasuke's face burned crimson as he struggled free, glaring at the dissipating whirlwind with frustration.
"Uh… you okay?"
Naruto scratched his head sheepishly.
"..."
Sasuke's anger fizzled.
That damn smile again.
How was he supposed to stay mad?
Couldn't win. Couldn't even yell at him properly.
Infuriating.
"You've gotten way stronger!"
Naruto gave a thumbs-up, flashing a grin so bright it could've rivaled that green-spandex weirdo he'd met recently. "I had to go all out to block that!"
"…Really?"
Sasuke eyed him skeptically.
If it was Naruto's full power, then maybe the gap wasn't that wide.
Still manageable.
"Wouldn't lie to you!"
Naruto's earnest, sunbeam-like smile made Sasuke nod grudgingly.
Good. There's still hope.
With that, the intra-grade matches concluded.
Next up were cross-grade challenges—
But after Naruto and Sasuke's display, no one dared overestimate themselves.
"Naruto truly is remarkable."
Hyūga Rinka, aware of his heritage, sighed softly.
Had the Fourth Hokage lived, this boy would've been showered with praise.
Yet now, apart from Nara Shikamaru's group, few bothered to applaud.
Meanwhile, Sasame pondered his next move.
Maybe it's time to undo Naruto's seal and let him talk to the Nine-Tails.
Under his plan, once Tsunade became Hokage, he'd replace Shimura Danzō as advisor and take control of Root.
Then, after Naruto's graduation, he'd personally mentor him—
Before ultimately guiding him to deliver Sarutobi Hiruzen's end.
The Nine-Tails was one of Naruto's greatest assets. It'd be a waste not to utilize it.
In the original timeline, Naruto and Kurama's partnership started rocky.
Sasame could… expedite their bonding.
Or rather, give the Nine-Tails a little reminder of Senju Hashirama's legacy.
"Sasame, I should head back to prepare lunch. Until next time."
Hyūga Rinka rose gracefully.
The exams had ended, and students were returning to class.
"Take care, Auntie."
Today's conversation had finally clarified something for Sasame—
Hinata's personality (and figure) definitely didn't come from Hyūga Hiashi.
Thank god for that.
His gaze swept the grounds, spotting Hinata lingering nearby. A quick Body Flicker brought him before her.
"Sasame-nii!"
Her voice brightened as she looked up eagerly. "How… how was I today?"
Her pearlescent eyes shone with anticipation—like a child begging for candy.
"Beyond expectations."
He ruffled her hair. "I'm sure you noticed everyone's shock too."
"I…"
Hinata hesitated, then swallowed her words.
Right now, she only cared about his praise.
Everyone else was irrelevant.
"Hm?"
Sasame blinked as her cheeks suddenly pinkened.
"N-nothing!"
She shook her head rapidly. "I-I have class! See you tonight!"
With that, she scurried off.
Sasame chuckled.
No idea what that was about, but adorable either way.
As he turned, his eyes landed on a petite girl nearby.
Delicate features, cool expression, chestnut hair cascading to her shoulders—
She was studying him with open curiosity.
Sasame's brow arched.
He sensed it immediately—
A faint but potent chakra signature.
Yin Release.
The power of spiritual energy, governing imagination—creation from nothingness.
The Mangekyō Sharingan represented yin's pinnacle, its ocular techniques embodying this principle.
No matter how absurd the desire, a corresponding ability would manifest.
(Only the potency varied.)
Normally, ninjas suppressed their chakra to avoid detection.
(Except for the Byakugan, of course.)
This girl's yin energy, however, was unusually refined.
Intrigued, Sasame approached.
"I'm Sasame. And you?"
The girl flushed, embarrassed at being caught staring.
"…My name is Yamanaka Ino."
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 175 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 35 power stones I will publish the next chapter.
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