Chapter 72: Rewards, An Active Hinata
"Lee, are you alright! Lee, wake up quickly!"
The atmosphere in the hall was utterly silent.
Only Might Guy's voice, thick with panic, broke the stillness.
His reaction was understandable.
Rock Lee at that moment resembled a charred fish, his clothes and skin blackened and smoking faintly due to the lingering power of the Storm Release ultimate technique and the aftereffects of the Eight Gates Formation.
His consciousness had long since fled, and were it not for the faint rise and fall of his chest and the almost imperceptible thrum of his heart, anyone would have mistaken him for a thoroughly cooked corpse.
Simultaneously, two beams of blue light, invisible to all present, detached themselves from Lee's body and streaked towards Izayoi.
Despite his defeat at Izayoi's hands, Rock Lee had undeniably proven himself through the sheer force of the Eight Gates Formation.
"Cough cough... don't worry, he's just unconscious." Hayate Gekko offered a reassuring word, then retrieved his communication device. "Medical team, hurry over here. We have a patient requiring immediate attention."
Moments later, three medical-nin clad in white appeared in a swirl of leaves, carrying a stretcher. They immediately began administering emergency treatment to Lee, then carefully lifted him to carry him away from the examination grounds.
Might Guy, his remaining two students having already concluded their matches, chose to follow them, his face a mask of worry.
No one paid them any mind.
Their gazes remained fixed on the gaping black chasm that now marred the once pristine floor of the hall.
Then, as one, their attention shifted to Izayoi as he gently floated back down to the ground.
Whether they were Genin or Jonin, the way they looked at Izayoi was now fundamentally different from before.
If Izayoi's earlier display of Lightning Release nature and form manipulation had led the Jonin to believe he was a future all-rounded Jonin of exceptional caliber, then now, they collectively regarded him as a potential ace combatant, a cornerstone of Konoha's future strength.
Ultimate ninjutsu, also known as S-rank techniques, were not simply skills that could be acquired through diligent effort alone. They were super-level jutsu that one might never master, regardless of the dedication poured in.
Every ninja who commanded an S-rank technique was an elite Jonin within their major village, possessing the potential to threaten Kage, become Kage, and represent the Kage as a trump card.
Without a doubt, Izayoi now possessed such power.
Once his wisdom, benevolence, courage, leadership skills, and combat record matured, his ascension to the ranks of elite Jonin was an undeniable certainty.
"Izayoi, is that a ninjutsu you developed yourself?"
The moment Izayoi touched down, Kurenai Yuhi asked with palpable excitement.
Beside her, Shino Aburame and Hinata Hyuga stared intently at Izayoi, the latter's eyes betraying an unconcealed admiration for him.
"Yeah."
Izayoi nodded, a smile playing on his lips. "I said I'd drop your jaws, didn't I? I didn't disappoint, did I?"
"No, it was too strong."
Kurenai clapped Izayoi firmly on the shoulder. "You little rascal, you've been hiding your true strength!"
She had initially thought Izayoi might become the Kakashi Hatake of this era, but now she realized he was already surpassing even Kakashi's prodigious early talent.
While Kakashi Hatake had become an all-rounded Jonin by the age of twelve, even developing his own A-rank Lightning Release: Chidori, his Chidori paled in comparison to Izayoi's Storm Release: Judgment. The difference was not a mere margin, but a vast chasm.
Having such a student, Kurenai suddenly found their earlier bet to be utterly ludicrous.
She had been winning from the very beginning, and winning big!
"That brat... to have perfected the Rasengan to such an extent... truly a prodigious talent!"
Orochimaru's gaze, filled with a strange mixture of appreciation and something akin to hunger, lingered on Izayoi. He almost couldn't resist the urge to flick out his long tongue and lick his lips.
Izayoi had not made him wait in vain, delivering a truly captivating duel.
Despite lacking a Kekkei Genkai, his innate talent reminded Orochimaru of his own younger self and the countless other brilliant commoners he had encountered.
Satisfied, Orochimaru quietly slipped away into the shadows.
Meanwhile, the Special Jonin who had been guarding Hiruzen Sarutobi used Earth Release ninjutsu to repair the gaping black hole in the hall.
The time required and the chakra consumed were both astonishing.
The ninjas who had witnessed the destructive power firsthand once again grasped the sheer might of that Storm Release ultimate technique.
To fuse Lightning Release and Water Release nature transformations into Storm Release... could that kid have unknowingly manifested a Kekkei Genkai?
Kurenai seemed to have the same thought, unable to resist asking, "Izayoi, did you somehow awaken the Storm Release Kekkei Genkai?"
"No, I merely used that energy sphere as a medium, utilizing ultra-high-speed rotation to barely manage to fuse the two nature transformations. It's a more advanced form of composite ultimate technique, still not at the level of directly converting chakra into Storm Release nature transformation," Izayoi explained, shaking his head.
In truth, even Izayoi had been startled when he initially synthesized Storm Release.
But after carefully examining his body, he confirmed that he did not possess the Storm Release Kekkei Genkai, and his personal panel did not display the entry for Kekkei Genkai: Storm Release (Purple).
His ability to synthesize Storm Release was entirely due to his Chakra Control (Gold) skill.
Or perhaps it was a contribution from his Tenseigan.
Regardless, the fusion of two elements was not Izayoi's limit.
Storm Release: Judgment was merely one of his ultimate techniques.
Once the hall was repaired, the examinations continued.
Izayoi and Rock Lee's battle had been the tenth round.
Of the initial twenty-three examinees, only Gaara, Dosu Kinuta, and Shino Aburame remained.
Among these three, one fortunate individual would receive a bye.
The names on the screen swiftly began to spin, finally settling.
Gaara VS Dosu Kinuta.
"..."
Izayoi was slightly speechless, surreptitiously casting a peculiar glance at Shino Aburame.
The perceptive Shino Aburame instantly noticed. "Is something the matter?"
"No, nothing," Izayoi replied, shaking his head.
He couldn't very well say, "Did you get a bye because your presence is so low-key that even the proctors backstage overlooked you?"
Such a statement would undoubtedly wound Shino Aburame deeply.
The eleventh round duel concluded with Gaara's swift and brutal defeat of Dosu Kinuta.
Had Dosu Kinuta not been wearing a Konoha forehead protector, and had Hayate Gekko not intervened promptly to halt the match, the former would likely have been crushed to a pulp by Gaara's Sand Coffin.
Sasuke Uchiha had not been marked with the Cursed Seal of Heaven, allowing him to still utilize his Sharingan. Dosu Kinuta's chakra-absorbing ability was not as potent as Zaku Abumi's Pressure Wave Severing.
Having failed to become the lucky recipient of the bye, Dosu Kinuta's defeat was an inevitable outcome.
And just like that, the preliminary rounds concluded, with eleven examinees advancing to the final tournament.
These eleven were Dosu Kinuta, Sasuke Uchiha, Hinata Hyuga, Kankuro, Temari, Shikamaru Nara, Naruto Uzumaki, Neji Hyuga, Izayoi, Gaara, and Shino Aburame.
"As stated earlier, the Chunin Exams are a microcosm of the allied nations' conflicts. The final tournament of the third exam will be attended by a large number of dignitaries and spectators."
"These individuals may very well become your future clients. Therefore, to provide them with the best visual spectacle, you have one month for preparation. During this time, hone your skills diligently, and then gather at Konoha's plaza at ten o'clock in the morning sharp."
In the hall, after delivering his instructions, Hiruzen Sarutobi gestured for Anko Mitarashi, who was holding a box, to step forward. He instructed the eleven remaining examinees to draw lots to determine their opponents for the final tournament in one month.
With eleven participants, there would be five matches, leaving one fortunate individual with a bye.
Swiftly, the eleven examinees completed the lottery.
Anko Mitarashi wrote down the drawn numbers and the corresponding examinees' names on a board.
[Match 1]Naruto Uzumaki VS [Match 2]Dosu Kinuta.
[Match 3]Hinata Hyuga VS [Match 4]Temari.
[Match 5]Shikamaru Nara VS [Match 6]Kankuro.
[Match 7]Izayoi VS [Match 8]Gaara.
[Match 9]Sasuke Uchiha VS [Match 10]Neji Hyuga.
The fortunate recipient of the bye – Shino Aburame.
As the list was revealed, many curious glances turned towards Shino Aburame.
Shino Aburame finally experienced the sensation of being the center of attention, his long-held desire fulfilled.
The corners of his mouth, hidden beneath his high collar, couldn't help but curve into a slight smile.
Following the drawing of lots, the examinees departed the Forest of Death alongside their supervising Jonin.
Emerging from the forest, Kurenai Yuhi immediately draped an arm affectionately over Hinata's shoulder, addressing Team Eight with a cheerful smile. "Alright, let's go celebrate your perfect advancement! Teacher's treating you all to a feast."
"Thank you, Kurenai-sensei." Having endured five days of rather uninspired meals within the central tower, Team Eight readily accepted the offer.
Dusk was just beginning to settle, the perfect time for dinner.
After their meal, night had fully descended.
Hinata did not return home immediately. Instead, she went to Izayoi's house, where they spent time developing the photographs they had taken during the exams in his room.
"Hinata, that final strike of yours was so cool!"
"Hehe... Izayoi-kun's final Storm Release: Judgment was incredibly cool too! I never imagined Izayoi's ultimate technique would be Storm Release!"
"Then tell me, should I work harder so that my future children might also have Storm Release?"
"E-eh—"
Inside the room, the windows and door were tightly shut, the blackout curtains drawn, and only a small lamp on the desk illuminated the space.
Izayoi and Hinata sat side-by-side on a chair, admiring the freshly developed photographs and complimenting each other.
As their conversation flowed, Izayoi suddenly steered the topic towards children, feigning to speak of himself while casting a mischievous smile at Hinata.
Hinata instantly became flustered, her face flushed crimson, her gaze darting around as she stammered, "I... I don't know..."
Yet, within the confines of her mind, she was already conjuring images of her and Izayoi's future child.
Their hair color would surely mirror their own, but what about their eyes? Would they inherit the Byakugan, Izayoi's sapphire blue, or that mysterious dojutsu known as the Tenseigan?
Did Izayoi harbor a preference for boys or girls?
Lost in these sweet contemplations, steam began to rise from Hinata's head, her usually pale lavender Byakugan slowly morphing into dizzying, swirling patterns.
Just then, a gentle hand rested upon Hinata's shoulder, drawing her back to the present.
Izayoi leaned closer, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Hinata, do you remember what I said to you before the match?"
"W-what?"
Hinata's brow furrowed in confusion, her mind momentarily blank.
"The reward, it's the reward!" Izayoi repeated, his tone perfectly reasonable. "I won, shouldn't you give me a reward?"
Hinata couldn't help but chuckle. "Izayoi-kun, are you turning into Hanabi?"
"I've told you before, we've watched Hanabi grow up. What's so strange about her having a similar personality to mine?" Izayoi tilted his head back slightly. "When Hanabi earned the title of top student, didn't she also ask me for a reward? Now that I've advanced, shouldn't you reward me too?"
"And what about mine?"
This time, Hinata didn't readily agree. Instead, she launched her own playful offensive, her smile radiant. "I advanced too, Izayoi-kun. What reward do you intend to give me?"
"I have something in mind~"
Izayoi held a finger to his lips, a teasing smile gracing his features. "But this reward will have to wait a little while."
Wait a little while?
Hinata tilted her head, quickly deducing the timeframe.
Thus, she didn't press further, her voice soft and gentle. "Then, what reward does Izayoi-kun desire?"
"Photoshoot!"
Izayoi had been waiting for those words. He immediately stood up, opened his closet, and retrieved two gift boxes hidden within.
These had been secretly delivered by a Shadow Clone before the Chunin Exams began.
Due to Hanabi's presence, Izayoi hadn't yet found the opportune moment to present them to Hinata.
He pressed both boxes into Hinata's arms, his expression eager. "Hinata, I want to take some artistic photos!"
"Artistic photos?"
Hinata was puzzled, but she could guess that these boxes also contained clothing.
Could it be... another sailor uniform?
Or perhaps more of Izayoi-kun's original designs?
A wave of shyness washed over Hinata, yet a flicker of anticipation also sparked within her as she quickly tore open the wrapping.
But as she opened the boxes, the blush that had just begun to recede from her cheeks instantly returned with a vengeance, her face becoming a vibrant, steaming red in the blink of an eye.
"Th-this... this..."
Hinata stared at Izayoi with her eyes now swirling like incense coils, her voice trembling. "Six... Izayoi-kun, d-did you... did you make a mistake? These clothes... they look like they're for Hanabi!"
"Nope, these are specially prepared for you."
Izayoi held up a short-sleeved white top by its collar with his thumb and forefinger, a smile on his face. "This outfit is called a gym uniform, and it comes with matching shorts. The one-piece swimsuit underneath is called a sukumizu. The other box contains a cheerleader uniform and pom-poms."
"T-too... too small..."
Looking at the few small pieces of fabric that could easily fit into a single box, let alone two, Hinata felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. It was as if she were taking a scalding hot bath in a poorly ventilated bathroom, the steam suffocating her.
"Please, Hinata."
Izayoi clasped his hands together, his voice drawn out in a pleading tone. "This is my lifelong dream!"
Her mind a hazy fog, Hinata wasn't entirely sure how she found herself in the bathroom.
Despite being just a few small pieces of fabric, it took Hinata over ten minutes to finally emerge from the bathroom.
Watching Hinata step out, clutching the hem of her clothes and keeping her head bowed in the soft glow of the bathroom light, Izayoi, who had already activated his Tenseigan to ensure their privacy, suddenly felt a warmth in his nostrils.
He reached up to touch it, his hand coming away covered in blood.
The noble Otsutsuki, just one step away from a pure-blooded alien, was having a nosebleed.
There was no help for it. Hinata's current appearance was more devastating to Izayoi than any Kekkei Mora.
The perfectly sized white sailor-collared shirt had already sent a blush creeping up Hinata's neck.
Now, wearing the slightly too-small gym uniform, Hinata hadn't fainted only thanks to Izayoi's efforts over the past six years.
With her original personality, she would have undoubtedly collapsed in the bathroom, her eyes rolling back in her head.
"Gulp..."
Izayoi, having already stuffed cotton balls up his nose, swallowed hard, his voice strained and slightly trembling. "H-Hinata, lie down on your side first. I'll teach you some poses."
"Mmm..."
Her head still bowed, Hinata hadn't noticed Izayoi's distress. She responded with a soft, almost inaudible murmur.
Then, she followed Izayoi's instructions and lay down on her side.
Anxious that the young maiden might faint, Izayoi didn't turn on the main light. Instead, using the soft glow from the bathroom and the desk lamp, he directed Hinata to lie down, propping her up with pillows, instructing her to make a peace sign with her hands, all while holding his camera and searching for the perfect angle.
Click...
The shutter snapped, the flash briefly illuminating the room in a burst of white light, accompanied by a sudden spurt of blood.
Seeing the crimson droplets splattered on the blanket, Hinata finally forgot her shyness. She quickly looked up at Izayoi, who was now clutching his nose, her expression filled with concern. "Izayoi-kun, you're having a nosebleed! Are you alright?"
"I... I'm fine. It's probably just the dinner being too spicy tonight."
Izayoi waved his hand dismissively, his gaze lingering on Hinata with a strange intensity, a few words hovering on his lips, yet shyness prevented him from uttering them.
"S-Izayoi-kun, what's wrong?"
Sensing Izayoi's unusual behavior, Hinata asked hesitantly, her cheeks still flushed.
"Well..."
Looking at Hinata's adorably bewildered expression, Izayoi couldn't resist pressing the shutter again, capturing another photo.
Then, he finally offered a subtle hint. "Hinata, haven't you forgotten something?"
"Hmm?"
Hinata tilted her head in confusion. Seeing Izayoi scratching his head and avoiding her gaze, she instinctively followed his line of sight.
Whoosh—
In the next instant, Hinata's small face turned an even deeper shade of red, her temperature skyrocketing to its limit, a visible plume of white steam erupting from her head.
Then, her eyes swirling into dizzying patterns, Hinata fainted on the spot.
Since Izayoi's modifications, Hinata's resilience far surpassed her original self.
Shyness was a frequent occurrence, and blushing was commonplace, but transforming into a steaming maiden was a rare event.
As for fainting, it had never happened before.
This clearly indicated that she had truly been pushed beyond her limits.
(End of this chapter)
[author]
I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to those who support me on this journey. Your contribution make a real difference!
As a patron, you unlock:
Exclusive Access: Get advanced chapters ahead of everyone else.
👉 Join now: patreon.com/Chaos_God
[/author]