Disclaimer:
Naruto and all of its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
I own nothing but the original characters I make.
“Dialogue”
‘Thoughts’
-Author notes-
Chapter 19: Where are you
The academy courtyard had become a chaotic mix of celebrations and despair.
The students who had passed the final exam were clustered together, talking excitedly and showing off their new headbands.
And then there were the others.
The ones who hadn’t passed.
They stood apart, with their shoulders slumped and bitter expressions.
Some glared at the successful students with barely concealed envy.
Others simply stared at the ground, unable to meet anyone’s gaze.
Sho stood near the edge of the crowd, his own headband clutched in his hands.
Hinata was beside him, her face glowing with pride.
“I can’t believe it,” she said softly, her eyes shining.
“We’re actually genin.
We did it.”
Sho forced a smile, but his mind was elsewhere.
“Yeah.
We did.”
Hinata’s expression shifted, her joy being replaced with concern.
“Sho-kun?
What’s wrong?
You should be happy.”
“I am happy.
I just…” He paused, searching for the right words.
“I’m worried about Naruto.”
Hinata’s smile faded.
“Oh.
Yes.
He left so quickly after…”
“After he failed.” Sho’s jaw tightened.
“I should have helped him more.
I should have…”
“Sho-kun.” Hinata’s voice was gentle.
” I know you are friends with Naruto, but this was not your responsibility.
If anyone has failed him, it’s the academy senseis.”
“I could have done more for him, though.” Sho shook his head.
“I was so focused on my own problems…on the tournament, on the exam, on my own issues…that I didn’t see how badly he needed help.
He’s my friend, and I failed him.”
Hinata reached out, squeezing his hand.
“He’ll be okay.
Naruto-kun is strong.
He’ll find his way.”
Sho was quiet for a moment.
Then he spoke, his voice low.
“There’s something else.
Something I noticed during the exam.”
Hinata tilted her head, her brow furrowing.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s about Mizuki-sensei.” Sho’s eyes narrowed.
“When I was taking my exam…the Sys-, I mean…I got a strange feeling.
A bad one.
And when I looked at him, he was staring at Naruto with…”
He paused, searching for the right word.
“Hatred.
Pure, cold hatred.”
Hinata’s eyes widened.
“Mizuki-sensei?
But he’s always been kind to the students.
He’s always seemed so patient.”
“Patient?” Sho shook his head.
“Maybe.
But there was something in his eyes when he looked at Naruto.
Something dark.
And after Naruto failed, I saw him smile.
A cold smile.
Like he was happy Naruto had failed.”
Hinata was silent, processing his words.
“That’s…
that’s terrible.
But are you sure?
But you haven’t been in the academy that much this year.
Maybe you misinterpreted-”
“I’m sure.” Sho’s voice was firm.
“There is something wrong with that person.”
“Mmm…if you say so.
I believe you.” Hinata said.
“But what do you want to do about it?.
Do you want to speak with Iruka-sensei?”
“No…he wouldn’t believe me.” Sho looked toward the academy gates, his expression troubled.
“I need to find Naruto.
I need to warn him.”
“But…
you don’t even know where he is.”
“I know where he might go.” Sho turned to his sister, his expression resolute.
“I’ll check his apartment first.
Then the training clearing.
If he’s not there…”
He trailed off, unwilling to finish the thought.
“Sho-kun…” Hinata reached for his arm.
“Be careful.
If Mizuki-sensei is dangerous-”
“I’ll be careful.
I promise.” He tried to sound reassuring.
“I’ll see you later at home, Hinata.”
He turned and walked away at a brisk pace.
<><>
Sho’s first stop was Naruto’s apartment.
He had only come here one time, a few years back, but luckily, he still remembered the way.
The building was a rundown structure on the edge of the village; its walls were cracked and stained with age.
It was the kind of place where no one asked questions, where tenants came and went without anyone noticing.
Sho climbed the creaking stairs to the third floor, his heart pounding.
He knocked on the door…once, twice, three times.
No answer.
He tried the handle.
It was unlocked.
The door swung open to reveal a small, sparsely furnished room.
A futon lay in the corner, its blankets rumpled.
A few empty ramen cups sat on a low table.
Clothes were scattered across the floor.
But no Naruto.
“Naruto?” Sho called out, stepping inside.
“Are you here?”
Silence.
He checked the tiny bathroom.
Empty.
The closet.
Empty.
The only sign that anyone lived here was the lingering smell of instant ramen and the faded picture of the Hokage monument on the wall.
Sho’s stomach tightened.
‘He’s not here.
Where could he be?’
<><>
His next stop was the training clearing.
The forest felt quiet as he made his way through the trees and found the familiar path leading him to the hidden space where he and Lee had trained for so many weeks.
Naruto had come to join them a few times.
But Sho found the clearing empty.
The grass was still flattened from where they’d trained, the tree trunks marked with the scuffs of their practice.
However, there was no sign of Naruto.
Sho stood in the center of the clearing, his hands clenched at his sides.
‘Where are you, Naruto?
What are you doing?’
He thought about his friend’s reckless nature, his tendency to act before thinking.
Naruto was impulsive, emotional, and prone to making bad decisions when he was upset.
‘He failed the exam.
He’s devastated.
What if he does something stupid?’
Sho shook his head, trying to push the thought away.
Naruto was strong.
He’d survive.
He’d bounce back.
He always did.
But the image of Mizuki’s cold smile lingered in his mind.
‘What if that man does something to him?’
<><>
While having no idea where else to look for Naruto, Sho decided to take a moment to examine his rewards.
He sat down on the grass and glanced at the text windows in the corner.
The system notifications were still waiting for him, patiently hovering in his vision.
[Quest Complete: Become a Ninja!]
Reward: 6,000 Experience Points
New System Function Unlocked: Inventory
Sho smiled despite his worry.
‘Inventory… huh?.
That sounds handy.’
He focused on the word, and a new window appeared.
[Inventory]
Storage Space: 10 Slots
Weight Limit: 50 kg
Current Items: None
Note: Items stored in the Inventory are suspended in a temporal stasis.
They will not age or decay while stored.
Sho blinked.
So it’s like a pocket dimension.
Like the storage scrolls the ninja use, but more convenient to use.’
He looked around the clearing, searching for something to test the function.
His eyes landed on a smooth stone lying on the ground.
He reached out, touching the stone, and focused on the Inventory function.
‘I want to store this.’ He closed his eyes and imagined himself putting the stone away.
The stone vanished.
“It’s gone!” Sho exclaimed.
“Okay…lets see…Inventory.”
[Inventory]
Item Added: Smooth Stone (x1)
Sho stared at his empty hand, his heart racing with excitement.
‘It worked.
It actually worked.’
He focused again, this time thinking of the stone.
‘Retrieve.’
The stone appeared in his hand.
He laughed, feeling very pleased with this new ability.
‘This is incredible.
I can carry anything I want without anyone knowing.’
He spent the next few minutes experimenting with the Inventory, storing and retrieving various objects.
Leaves.
Sticks.
A small kunai he’d brought for training.
Each time, the process was seamless.
The objects vanished when he stored them and reappeared when he retrieved them.
‘This is going to be so useful,’ he thought.
‘I can carry extra weapons, supplies, anything I need.’
But his excitement quickly faded as he remembered why he was there.
He checked the sky.
The sun was beginning its descent, painting the horizon in shades of orange and pink.
‘It’s getting late…maybe he is back already.
I should try his apartment one more time before going home.’
The walk back to Naruto’s apartment felt longer than before.
The streets were quieter now, the evening crowds beginning to disperse.
Sho moved quickly, his eyes scanning the faces of everyone he passed, hoping to catch a glimpse of familiar blonde hair.
When he reached the apartment, the door was still unlocked, the lights were off, and the place still looked empty.
Sho stood in the small room, his frustration mounting.
‘Why hasnt he returned yet?.
Where could he be?
He’s not here.
He’s not at the clearing.
Where else would he go?’
He thought about the places Naruto frequented.
The ramen shop.
The Hokage monument.
The training grounds.
But he couldn’t search them all.
Not tonight.
He needed to get home before dark.
‘I’ll check again tomorrow,’ he decided.
‘If I can’t find it…I will have to ask for help.’
He turned and left; his steps felt heavy.
When Sho arrived at the Hyuga compound, the sun had nearly disappeared below the horizon.
He walked through the main gate with his head bowed; his mind was busy with a hundred thoughts.
A familiar voice stopped him.
“So…
you became a genin.”
Sho looked up and found his father, Hiashi, standing in the courtyard with his arms crossed and a serious expression.
“Father?, what are you…I mean, yes.
I have passed the exam.” Sho held up his headband, letting his father see it.
Hiashi studied the headband for a long moment.
His face was like carved from stone, but there was some emotion in his eyes.
“I see.”
The silence stretched between them for a long minute.
“Did they assign you a team yet?” Hiashi asked finally.
“No.
Not yet.
Hinata and I need to return to the academy in three days for the team assignments.”
Hiashi nodded slowly.
“Remember that once you are outside, doing your missions, you are still part of this clan.
Whatever you do will reflect on us.
Make sure to always act with the dignity and class expected of a Hyuga.”
Sho felt a familiar pang of disappointment.
‘Of course.
That’s all he cares about.
The clan’s reputation.’
Not that Sho had expected to receive a word of praise from this person.
“Yes, Father.” His voice was flat.
“I understand.”
He turned and walked away, his shoulders slumped with exhaustion.
For a moment, he thought he heard something…a soft breath, perhaps, or the rustle of fabric.
He paused, almost turning back.
But no.
There was nothing.
Just the silence of the evening and the weight of his father’s cold dismissal.
‘What am I thinking?’ Sho thought bitterly.
‘Why would I expect anything different?’
He continued walking, his head down, his steps heavy.
Behind him, Hiashi stood motionless, watching his son disappear into the shadows.
The boy walked with his head down, his shoulders hunched.
He looked so small, so vulnerable.
And for just a moment, barely a flicker, Hiashi’s lips curved into a soft smile.
It was there and gone in an instant, invisible to anyone who might have been watching.
He turned and walked away.
The words remained unspoken, locked in his heart where they had always been.
Sho never saw the smile.
Never heard the unspoken words.
He walked to his room, the headband still clutched in his hands, and believed, as he always had, that his father didn’t care.
<><>
That night, Sho lay in his futon, with the headband resting on the pillow beside him.
He couldn’t sleep.
His mind was still going through today’s event, still thinking about Mizuki’s sensei and his strange behaviour.
And of course, he was also thinking of his friend.
‘Where is he?
Is he okay?
What is Mizuki planning?’
He tossed and turned for what felt like hours, trying to find a comfortable position.
And then, when he was finally starting to relax…the alarms began to blare.
Sho sat up in an instant.
The sound was loud and insistent.
The kind of alarm that meant something had gone very…very wrong.
He jumped to his feet, rushing to the window.
Outside, the compound was in chaos.
People were running around.
Lights flickered on in every building.
“What’s happening?” Sho muttered, pulling on his clothes.
He hurried to the main gate, where a group of clan members had gathered.
A Chunin was speaking urgently to the guards.
“Someone stole the Forbidden Scroll from the Hokage’s office!” the ninja said.
“The entire village is on alert.
No one is allowed to leave until the thief is found!”
Sho’s blood ran cold.
[Status Update – End of Chapter 19]
Name: Hyuga Shokuhi
Level: 5
Title: The Eclipsed Spare / The Unbreakable
Stats:
Strength: 6
Agility: 6
Vitality: 6
Perception: 6
Chakra Capacity: 7
Chakra Control: 8
Available Stat Points: 3 (Unallocated)
Status Effects:
Chakra Vein Constriction (Mild) – Permanent
Brittle Bones (Mild) – Permanent
Byakugan Inefficiency – Permanent
Passive Skills:
Endurance: Intermediate (Level 1) – Your body has adapted to sustained physical stress beyond normal limits.
When activated, you may temporarily ignore pain and fatigue effects for a short duration.
Shuriken Throw: Novice (Level 7) – Increases accuracy when throwing shuriken and kunai by 40%.
Quick Learner – All skill experience gained from training and combat is increased by 15%.
Active Skills:
Clone Technique: Novice (Level 7) – Creates up to six tangible illusions.
Clones have no substance but are visually identical.
Transformation Technique: Novice (Level 8) – Allows transformation into a physical replica of another person, animal, or object.
Duration: 3 Minutes.
Substitution Technique: Novice (Level 8) – Instantly swaps position with a nearby object.
Range: 25 meters.
Gentle Fist: Novice (Level 9) – Basic understanding of Hyuga Gentle Fist techniques.
Strikes are still clumsy and imprecise.
Desperate Strike – Last-resort attack usable when health is below 10%.
System Functions:
Inventory – 10 Slots, 50 kg weight limit
Quests Active:
None
A.N: