Yamato was sitting in the shallow water, leaning back against the mud. Hinata had landed effectively in his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck to keep from drowning. Her wet clothes were now clinging tightly to her skin, making her hoodie slightly translucent.
To make it worse, Yamato’s hand, in his attempt to push himself up, was firmly pressed against Hinata’s lower back, looking like he was pulling her closer.
"Netorare Situation Detected!" The System announced with glee. "The 'Wet T-Shirt Captain' Event. Very cliché. Very effective. Shy Points Gained: One Thousand Two Hundred."
("One thousand two hundred!") I mentally cheered, ignoring the vein throbbing in my forehead. ("That is the jackpot!")
"Captain Yamato!" Sakura screamed from the other bank. "What are you doing to Hinata?!"
Yamato ripped his forehead protector back up, coughing out river water. His eyes went wide as he realized he was holding his student’s student in a romantic embrace in the mud.
"I... I was blinded!" Yamato sputtered, his usually scary face turning pale. "It was the fish! I swear!"
Hinata scrambled away from him, splashing water everywhere, covering her chest with her arms. "I am sorry! I am so sorry!"
She looked like she wanted to activate her Byakugan just to find a hole deep enough to die in.
I decided it was time for my entrance. I leaped from the rock—using my new Taijutsu coordination to actually make the jump—and landed in the shallow water next to them.
"Captain!" I yelled, splashing water on him dramatically. "I know you are lonely, but Hinata is off-limits!"
"It was an accident, Naruto!" Yamato yelled, standing up and trying to wring out his flak jacket. "And why are you happy about this?"
"I am not happy!" I lied, suppressing a grin as I looked at my new point balance. "I am furious! Furious, I tell you!"
I took off my orange jacket and wrapped it around Hinata’s shoulders. It was a smooth move, one I had seen in movies.
"Cover up," I whispered to her. "You are freezing."
Hinata looked at me, her face burning so hot I expected steam to rise from her wet hair. She pulled my jacket tight. "Thank you... Naruto-kun. I... I do not know why I am so clumsy today."
"It is okay," I said, patting her head. "Maybe it is just a curse. Or maybe the universe just really likes testing us."
"Okay, enough!" Yamato barked, trying to regain his authority despite being soaked and covered in mud. "We are wasting daylight. Everyone, dry off. We continue in ten minutes."
I walked Hinata to the riverbank. As she sat down to wring out her hair, I stepped behind a tree to check my System.
("System, status report.")
Shy Points Balance: One Thousand Five Hundred.
("Excellent. I can afford the Water Walking skill now, right?")
"Yes," the System said. "Water Walking Control costs seven hundred points. Would you like to purchase it?"
("Buy it. And what else can I get? I need something offensive. If we actually meet bandits, I can't just slap them with basic Taijutsu.")
"You can purchase 'Chakra Reserve Unseal: One Percent' for five hundred points. This will give you enough chakra to perform one or two C-Rank Jutsus without passing out. Or, you can purchase the memory for 'Shadow Clone Jutsu (Single Clone)' for three hundred points."
I thought about it. The Shadow Clone was Naruto’s signature move. Without it, I was just a blonde guy in a tracksuit.
("I will take Water Walking (700), the Chakra Reserve Unseal (500), and the Shadow Clone memory (300). That is exactly one thousand five hundred points.")
"Processing..."
A rush of heat flooded my body. It felt like a dam breaking. The tiny trickle of chakra I had before expanded into a small stream. It wasn't the ocean of power Naruto usually had, but it was something. I felt strength return to my limbs. Knowledge of how to mold chakra for the clone technique imprinted itself on my mind.
I stepped out from behind the tree. I felt different. I felt... capable.
"Hey, Captain!" I called out.
Yamato looked up, still wringing out his gloves. "What is it now, Naruto?"
I walked onto the river. This time, I didn't look for rocks. I stepped directly onto the flowing water. My chakra flared at my soles, creating a perfect, steady platform. I stood there, hovering above the current, grinning.
"I think I got the hang of it," I said. "The 'Log Training' really paid off."
Sakura blinked, staring at me. "You... you learned that in five minutes? You were struggling just to climb a tree this morning!"
"I am a fast learner when I am motivated," I said, glancing at Hinata, who was watching me with awe-struck eyes.
"Show off," Kiba muttered, though he looked impressed.
Yamato narrowed his eyes, sensing the sudden fluctuation in my chakra, but he just sighed. "Good. At least one thing is going right today. Let's move out. The bandits were spotted near the canyons."
I walked over to Hinata and offered her my hand to help her up.
"Ready to go?" I asked.
She nodded, her face still pink but her eyes determined. "Yes, Naruto-kun."
"Don't worry," I whispered. "If you trip again, I will catch you. Unless, you know, there is a handsome bandit nearby."
"Naruto-kun!" she squeaked, scandalized.
I laughed. The System was a pain, and my girlfriend was a walking hazard, but for the first time since the banana peel, I felt like I could actually survive this world.
Now, I just had to hope the bandits weren't too handsome. I didn't think my heart could take watching Hinata tackle a villain into a romantic embrace.
The terrain shifted from the lush forest of the Fire Country to the jagged, dusty expanse of the canyons. Towering walls of red rock rose on either side of us, creating a natural wind tunnel that whistled eerily.
.....
...