“Hmm?” Akali’s willow-leaf eyebrows furrowed slightly, as she mentally projected three question marks.
If, in her original world, minor subjects like physical education and art had to give way to core subjects like language, math, and foreign language, then at the Ninja Academy, the Will of Fire course held the same status as those core subjects.
How could such a class be ending just as it had begun?
Faced with such an anomaly, not only Akali, but everyone else was also very puzzled.
“Iruka?” The honor student Sakura raised her hand politely.
“Didn’t we just start class?”
“We did just start class, but we are also ending it simultaneously!” Iruka explained.
“Because the assessment a month from now will be extremely difficult, the school has decided to grant a one-month holiday, leaving this month for everyone to improve yourselves individually!”
“Of course, considering that some students may not have the conditions for self-improvement at home, during this month, Mizuki and I will hold a special intensive training class. Students who are interested can just come to class as usual this month.”
“Ah!” Iruka’s words caused quite an uproar among the students.
Originally, they had thought that even if high-level Ninja came to assess them, it wouldn’t be too difficult; surely they wouldn’t be prevented from graduating, right?
But now, the Ninja Academy was actually granting a one-month holiday for them to specifically focus on self-improvement.
This attitude pushed the importance of the assessment a month from now to the maximum.
Immediately, no one felt relaxed anymore, and everyone wore a heavy expression.
Faced with the tactics of these cunning adults, even someone as smart as Shikamaru grew nervous.
Only Akali felt it was extremely strange.
Because this was something that had never happened in the original story.
“So, is this the butterfly effect?” Akali pondered in her heart.
“Because Mizuki’s role was squeezed out by me, and Naruto is still missing an assessment, they are using this attitude to cover it up, implying that it’s directed at everyone.”
“But in reality, is this just aimed at Naruto, and everyone else is just a sidekick accompanying the prince?”
“That possibility isn’t entirely out of the question…”
After all, Akali knew exactly what kind of institution the Ninja Academy was.
Apart from a small minority, most Ninja who graduated from the Ninja Academy were merely expendable resources who only knew some basic Ninjutsu and basic Taijutsu; they were manual laborers who performed low-level tasks like weeding and transport.
Such expendable resources, how could they be worth a special assessment?
So, after making a rough guess, Akali set her mind at ease and stopped paying attention.
However, just as Akali was about to leave, Iruka called out to her!
Following Iruka, Akali arrived once again at the familiar teacher’s office.
She had assumed that Iruka called her this time because of the apology letter.
But before Akali could pull out the ten-thousand-word apology letter that her Shadow Clone had worked so hard to write, Iruka spoke up and apologized first.
“I’m sorry, Akali, I misunderstood you regarding the matter with Hinata!”
“Huh?” Akali tilted her head slightly, feeling a bit dumbfounded.
“Iruka, what is this…”
Iruka had been so angry before, so why was he suddenly apologizing now?
“I just learned about some things!” Iruka didn’t say much more, but instead looked outside the office door and called out: “Hinata, come in!”
From outside the teacher’s office, a young girl with pure white eyes walked out.
“A… Akali, long time no see!”
Looking at Akali, Hinata’s eyes curved into crescents, her soft, delicate hands waved gently, revealing a cute smile mixed with shyness.
Seeing Hinata, Akali understood why Iruka’s attitude had changed so much.
It must be that Hinata had come forward to explain the situation.
“So, Iruka, you know everything now?” Akali asked suspiciously.
“Yes, Hinata told me everything!” Iruka nodded with some emotion.
Who would have thought that Akali’s seemingly absurd actions actually contained a core representing friendship and bonds.
Iruka couldn’t help but feel moved; sometimes he was truly too one-sided and lacked composure.
He shouldn’t have panicked as soon as the pressure from the Hyuga clan came down, to the point where he didn’t even investigate the truth of the matter.
Iruka reflected inwardly.
He prepared to explain things to Akali earnestly.
But upon hearing that Hinata had told Iruka everything, Akali had no intention of staying there to listen to Iruka preach.
Before Iruka could even open his mouth, Akali hurriedly grabbed Hinata’s soft little hand and pulled her out!
The two girls disappeared without a trace in the blink of an eye.
[Ding, emotion points from Iruka + 999!]
In a secluded corner of the Ninja Academy playground, Akali withdrew her gaze from the emotion points gained from Iruka. New chapters come out on g.com first.
Afterward, she looked at Hinata, who had a calm and gentle smile on her face.
Akali’s willow-leaf eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she asked uncertainly: “Hinata, you seem a little different from before!”
“Different? Do I?” Hinata blinked in confusion.
“Emmmmm…”
Looking into the other girl’s pure, flawless eyes, Akali couldn’t be sure.
But seeing Hinata again, Akali really felt she had changed a lot, whether it was the disgust she showed earlier when seeing Naruto and Sasuke kiss, or the quiet calmness just now.
Unlike the Hinata from before, who was insecure and introverted, like a little rabbit that would immediately shrink back into its burrow at the slightest touch and wouldn’t come out for a long time.
Could it be that her desensitization therapy was actually working?
Was Hinata not as introverted anymore?
Akali was a little happy.
Because this also meant Hinata was easier to cuddle (crossed out), to interact with.
However, now was not the time for cuddling.
Recalling what had just happened, Akali asked seriously: “Iruka said you told him everything. What did you say?”
This was exactly what Akali wanted to ask, which was why she had been so eager to pull Hinata away.
This silly girl Hinata, she didn’t tell him about her crush on Naruto, did she?
“I didn’t say anything much?” Hinata looked a bit bewildered.
“I just said that because I’m too shy, I wanted to be less shy.”
“And that guy Naruto is usually carefree, so he puts the least amount of pressure on me. That’s why I asked Akali to transform into Naruto to stimulate me, so I could break out of my shy state!”
“So Iruka misunderstood!”
“I see!” Listening to Hinata’s description, Akali set her mind at ease.
But at the same time, another problem appeared.
What did she mean by Naruto being carefree and putting the least pressure on Hinata?
He was clearly the one who put the most pressure on Hinata!
Yet, Iruka believed Hinata’s story!
In other words…
the original mimosa-like Hinata was actually able to lie to Iruka without changing her expression, and fooled him!