Sasuke was even more at a loss for words. Her body trembled slightly, a result of her own excessive shyness and embarrassment at being approached so directly.
"Um, that..." Sasuke stammered, finding it difficult to get the words out.
"What is it?"
"Can... can you tell me the secret to the tree-climbing training?"
Hinata's heart skipped a beat. This was the first time Sasuke had ever spoken to her on his own initiative. She paused for a moment, then a gentle smile graced her lips. "Of course."
"Th-thank you," Sasuke mumbled, lowering his head. He could make threats and issue challenges with ease, but for someone like him, asking for help felt worse than death. Hinata, being perceptive, guessed his feelings and, without saying much, directly shared her insights and the lessons she had learned.
Sasuke listened attentively and soon grasped the concepts. "I see." He turned to leave, then paused and added one more word. "Thanks."
Hinata smiled slightly. "You don't need to be so polite, Sasuke-kun. We're not just classmates; we're teammates in Team 7."
Sasuke paused again but ultimately just nodded before walking away. Hinata watched his retreating figure and couldn't help but smile. She knew he wanted to surpass Naruto, and that was the only reason he would humble himself enough to ask her for advice. For him, this was a once-in-a-lifetime event.
*Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun... as a member of Team 7, I can't fall behind either.* With renewed determination, Hinata quickly resumed her own training.
Soon, the sun began to set, and night fell. The three members of Team 7 were completely exhausted. Only after being urged by Tazuna and Tsunami did Kakashi call them back for dinner. Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata immediately began to wolf down their food, replenishing their lost energy. Naruto and Sasuke, in particular, turned the meal into a fierce competition, eating bowl after bowl.
"Another bowl, please!" they both said in unison, and a flash of electricity seemed to arc between their eyes.
"I need to finish eating quickly so I can continue my training!" Naruto declared.
"Me too!" Sasuke shot back.
Kakashi sighed. "Naruto, Sasuke, while training requires effort, rest is equally important, especially at your age."
"Kakashi-sensei, I usually train until midnight every day before going to sleep!" Naruto replied immediately. "And now that I have such a difficult task, it's even less likely I'll go to bed early!"
"Midnight?" Sasuke scoffed. "I usually meditate until one or two in the morning."
"Well, I train even when I'm sleeping!" Naruto retorted.
Kakashi and Hinata exchanged a look and shook their heads, clearly not believing him. They couldn't be stopped, however; after dinner, the two rivals went right back out to continue their training.
"Then, Kakashi-sensei," Hinata said, not wanting to be outdone, "I'm going to continue my training, too."
"Alright."
"Mr. Kakashi, is it alright to let them go out so late at night?" Tazuna asked, frowning with concern.
"Don't worry," Kakashi reassured him. "With their current strength, they won't get into trouble easily. Protecting you is the key mission." Tazuna just felt a pang of guilt.
"Inari, where are you going?" Tsunami suddenly asked. Her son didn't even turn his head.
"Just for a walk." Kakashi and Tazuna exchanged a look, knowing he had gone to watch the three genin train again. That night, Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata all trained until late, only stopping when Kakashi pointed out that they were keeping Tazuna's family from getting any rest.
The next day was the same. On the third day, Sasuke was gradually approaching the top of the tree, and Hinata had nearly perfected her water walking. Only Naruto seemed to be making little progress. That afternoon, Sasuke and Hinata both passed Kakashi's tests, proving their genius. The two of them then went to watch Naruto.
"What... what is that?" Sasuke frowned, staring at Naruto's bizarre training, momentarily shocked. Hinata was equally dumbfounded.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!" Naruto roared, creating a howling wind. Then, he would pick up a single leaf, gently release his chakra, and carefully try to slice it in two. He repeated this over and over, his face contorted in concentration.
"K-Kakashi-sensei," Hinata asked, "what kind of training is Naruto-kun doing?"
After Kakashi explained, the two were even more surprised. "Is that even possible?"
"Of course, ordinary people can't do it," Kakashi replied calmly. "But Naruto doesn't want to be an ordinary person." His words sent a slight tremor through Hinata and Sasuke.
"Hey, Naruto, it's almost time," Kakashi called out, adding fuel to the fire.
Naruto was panting, but his eyes remained resolute. "It's not over yet! Before today ends, I will definitely master both of these ninjutsu!"
Suddenly, Kakashi's book snapped shut. His visible eye looked up into the distance. A mysterious mist was rising, spreading quickly toward them. He was instantly alert, his lazy demeanor gone. "Naruto! Sasuke! Hinata!" he shouted sharply. "Enemy attack! Protect Mr. Tazuna!"
Sasuke and Hinata reacted instantly, flanking Tazuna. Before Naruto could react, he and his clones were swallowed by the thick mist. Kakashi was about to rush forward when, in a flash of light, a massive blade appeared out of nowhere, slashing down fiercely towards Tazuna. The strike was silent and impossibly fast; even Sasuke and Hinata were unable to react in time.
"Success!" a sinister voice hissed from the mist.
But in the blink of an eye—*CLANG!*—the sound of metal clashing rang out. Sparks flew as Kakashi appeared between the enemy and Tazuna, his kunai blocking the huge, chillingly sharp executioner's blade.
"Hmm?" the enemy grunted, surprised. He looked up at the man in front of him. "I see. No wonder the Demon Brothers failed. I never expected to face the Copy Ninja of Konoha, Kakashi of the Sharingan."
Kakashi's brow was furrowed. "A rogue ninja from Kirigakure, formerly one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist... the Demon, Zabuza Momochi."
Both names were renowned throughout the ninja world. As they met, a palpable chill filled the air. They pushed against each other, the force of their clash blasting them apart.
"Your reaction is quick, Kakashi," Zabuza said, his voice a low growl. "But while you're protecting your client, is it really a good idea to leave your student trapped in that thick fog? He's most likely dead by now."
Kakashi smiled slightly. "Don't underestimate Naruto, Zabuza. Whether it's my clone or your comrade, taking down that boy won't be so easy. Because," he declared, his voice ringing with conviction, "he is the top graduate of this year's class from Konoha, a true genius ninja whom I acknowledge!"