With both Minato and Kushina alive, Naruto's childhood had bent down an entirely different road. As the Hokage's son, he met smiles wherever he went. No jinchuriki stigma, no whispered fear—just warmth that spilled over from Konoha's love for its Fourth.
Plenty of kids orbited Naruto, but only a few truly clicked: Shikamaru, Choji, and Hinata among them. Friendship, at that age, was pure instinct—kind hearts finding each other.
Hinata—Naruto's inseparable playmate—had yet to awaken her Byakugan, but years spent watching her older brother Hyuga Satoru train had taught her how to look. Uchiha Sasuke was strong; that much was obvious. Formal footwork, tight lines, a polished base far ahead of their peers. Even so, Hinata's faith never wavered.
Naruto had started early too, but with Kushina as his hands-on coach. The Nine-Tails' rampage hadn't taken her life, only left a scar—and a promise that if the shadows ever reached for her son, he'd already be strong enough to stand. Naruto didn't complain. After the day he'd been beaten protecting Hinata, the ember of pride inside him had become a steady flame. Get stronger. Protect what matters.
To keep up (and to stay by his side longer), Hinata trained as well. Her logic was hilariously simple: Satoru spent most of his time with sparring partners—so if she became Naruto's partner, she'd never be left behind.
Which is why the squeals for Sasuke from the row of girls made her eyes go flinty and dangerous.
Iruka handled the class with a careful teacher's touch. "Sasuke performed excellently—and Kiba, your form was solid too. Don't be discouraged. Keep training."
Kiba slunk off, sulking. Iruka clapped once. "Anyone else want to challenge Sasuke? Don't fear getting hurt or embarrassed. As shinobi, defeat won't cost you face—it may cost your life. Better to learn that now."
Silence. Sasuke's earlier display had reset everyone's scale of "strong."
Then a hand went up.
"Iruka-sensei, I'll try."
Heads swiveled. Uzumaki Naruto.
Even six-year-olds knew exactly what that meant: the Uchiha heir vs. the Hokage's son. A headline bout on day one.
Iruka's shoulders tightened. "Only taijutsu," he warned. "No ninjutsu."
They faced each other, exchanged names, touched hands in the Seal of Opposition.
"Begin!"
They vanished into motion.
"So fast—!"
Iruka barely tracked the first clash. Naruto's reflexes were a shade quicker; his fist flicked for Sasuke's cheek. Sasuke got a forearm up—smack—absorbed the blow, snared Naruto's wrist, and turned in clean textbook fashion for a scything kick.
Naruto's eyes lit—finally. He popped up on the trapped arm, split his legs to let the sweep pass, twisted, and scissored for Sasuke's ankles. Sasuke stumbled. Naruto crashed a shoulder into his chest and flipped him cleanly.
Thud.
The girls screamed—then screamed again as Sasuke rolled through, landed on his feet, and straightened with that maddening Uchiha poise as if nothing had happened.
Ino and Sakura all but swooned. The temperature dropped. They glanced sideways into Hinata's glacial stare and fell dead silent.
"Oi! Naruto!" Hinata barked, hands on hips. "Stop messing around and finish that jerk!"
A chorus of scandalized gasps. The "cute, gentle" ribboned princess had fangs.
A dozen glares snapped her way. Shikamaru winced. "Hinata, maybe—"
She clamped an arm around his neck and palmed Choji's face, eyes daring anyone to try her. "What are you staring at? You got a problem—say it."
Six-year-olds broke faster than wet twigs. The crowd looked away as one.
"…can't… breathe…" Shikamaru wheezed. She let go in a panic. "S-sorry!" Choji blinked at her in awe. "You're scary. In a cool way."
On the field, the fight pushed on—Naruto's improvisation and raw athleticism against Sasuke's blade-sharp basics. For long minutes it held even. Then Sasuke's breath hitched, footwork losing a millimeter of snap. Naruto smelled the opening. A heavy cross rocked Sasuke; a clean lift and slam flattened him.
"Stop! Match over!" Iruka chopped his hand down, moving in at once.
Naruto had won.
Hinata jumped high enough to startle herself. Choji whooped. The girls rallied to Sasuke with bright encouragement—"It's okay, Sasuke! You're still the best!"—and if nothing else, he left with a brand-new fanclub and the unofficial "Best Boy" sash.
He barely heard them. He reached for Naruto, palm forward, eyes burning. "I'll surpass you."
For the first time, Sasuke had found a rival worthy of obsession.
In the second half, Iruka cycled more pairs—clan heirs and civilian kids—gauging talent honestly. One pairing snagged every eye:
Hyuga Hinata vs. Haruno Sakura.
Perfect demo material: two girls, neither expected to go for the throat. Sakura's parents weren't shinobi; she'd earned admission by acing the written exams. Hinata, on the other hand, was the clan head's daughter—little sister to a prodigy who threw kunai that bent space.
They stepped up. Hinata calm, Sakura visibly rattled.
Hinata had fully intended to teach this pink-haired squeal-leader a lesson. Then she got a good look at Sakura's face and lost interest.
"Sensei," Hinata said, frowning. "Another opponent? There's no point bullying someone without fighting spirit."
Flat, not cruel—just the bluntness of a child raised loved, confident, and a little possessive.
Before Iruka could answer, Ino shouted from the side, "You've got this, Sakura!"
Sakura swallowed. "I'm fine, Sensei. I can fight."
Iruka's smile turned warm. "Good. Courage matters more than the result."
They formed the Seal of Opposition.
Hinata tilted her head, voice cold enough to frost steel. "Not everyone is worthy of a Hyuga's opponent. Remember that."
The air around her changed. Whatever "cute" her mother had arranged with ribbons that morning evaporated. She wasn't even looking at Sakura. Her eyes slid past her—to Ino and the other girls. The warning was a blade turned sideways.
Iruka frowned. This… was not the temperament in the Hokage's file.
"Begin!"
Hinata stepped—and exploded forward.
"—Hah!"
A straight, heavy palm for the chest—well under her true speed—and Sakura still chose to block it square.
Boom!
Arms crossed, Sakura flew. Iruka blurred, catching her before she cratered, the force skidding him back meters.
"This strength…" he breathed, stunned.
Hinata lowered her palm like nothing had happened.
Even Naruto gaped. Outsiders might label it shocking, but he'd seen Hinata eat. That energy had to convert into something—and apparently it was muscle. From a certain angle, that was talent too.
Satoru would've deadpanned: A Hyuga variant of the Love Hashira, huh.
To everyone else, she looked anything but normal.
"So… strong…" Sasuke murmured despite himself.
Hyuga blood. In hindsight, perhaps inevitable.
Iruka exhaled, gaze sharpening as he checked Sakura's breathing, then looked back at the tiny storm standing center field.
"This girl," he said under his breath, "might just be the strongest of all the new students."
From the shade of a cherry tree at the field's edge, a pair of unseen eyes watched Hinata for a beat longer—then narrowed, interested—and slipped away without a sound.
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