*Chapter 169: The Misunderstanding Between Hinata and Sakura! *

Sakura’s sharp gaze remained fixed on Hinata, who stood a short distance away. Deep within Sakura’s eyes was a hint of wariness.

This quiet girl…

She always keeps such a low profile! Who would’ve thought? She hides it so well!

Sakura felt she had stumbled upon a major revelation. Her eyes darted to Sasuke’s back, and she rolled them with exasperation.

Sasuke! Why are you so attractive?!

This much charm is just too troublesome!

A mix of frustration and pride swirled in Sakura’s heart. On one hand, the fact that so many girls liked Sasuke was proof of her excellent taste and his outstanding qualities. On the other hand…

When a boy is this amazing… the competition just piles up!

“Hey, you’re here too!” Sasuke’s gaze landed on Team 8, his eyes lingering briefly on Hinata.

The future princess still has a long way to go.

“One bowl for everyone here is on me, Uncle Teuchi,” Sasuke said calmly. After all, sitting here were the future princess and her friends—it wouldn’t hurt to show some respect.

+10

The system notification pinged in Sasuke’s vision, labeling this as a cool flex.

“No problem!” Uncle Teuchi gave Sasuke a thumbs-up, squinting as he smiled.

“Sweet!” Kiba grinned ear to ear. Free food was always a win, especially when Sasuke was paying.

“Naruto, go ahead and order whatever you want,” Sasuke said, turning toward Naruto just as the latter stepped forward, practically drooling as he stared at the menu on the wall.

“Well, since Sasuke’s treating, I’ll let you guys have this spot,” Kiba said, grabbing his bowl and scooting over to sit beside Shino.

The seating arrangement, which had previously been a tight squeeze, now shifted.

*Old Arrangement:*

Empty seat, Shino, Hinata, Kiba, empty seat, empty seat, wall.

*New Arrangement:*

Kiba, Shino, Hinata, empty seat, empty seat, empty seat, wall.

The new configuration conveniently left three adjacent seats open for Team 7. Naturally, this meant that whoever from Team 7 sat down first would be next to Hinata.

Sakura’s eyes gleamed as she realized this. Without hesitation, she strode quickly to Naruto’s side, practically shoving him forward.

“Naruto, sit here before someone else takes the spot!” Sakura exclaimed, pressing down on Naruto’s shoulders and planting him in the seat right beside Hinata.

Hinata’s eyes widened. Though her pale irises betrayed no emotion, her cheeks flared bright red.

“Hinata, you don’t mind if Naruto sits here, do you?” Sakura asked with a faintly smug tone. By positioning Naruto beside Hinata, Sakura had effectively blocked Sasuke from sitting near Hinata and separated the two geographically.

“N-no… not at all…” Hinata stammered, her head dropping so low it nearly dipped into her empty bowl. Beneath the table, her fingers fidgeted nervously.

“Good,” Sakura said with a sly smirk, plopping down on the other side of Naruto. This left only one seat for Sasuke—against the wall, right next to Sakura.

Genius move, Sakura thought, feeling immensely pleased with her plan.

Sasuke, however, looked slightly puzzled. While he hadn’t read as much into the situation as Sakura, he couldn’t help but notice the awkward atmosphere. Naruto now sat between an overly shy Hinata and an enthusiastic Sakura.

Weird vibe…

Without giving it much thought, Sasuke quietly moved to the seat by the wall, lacing his fingers under his chin in a deliberate cool and aloof pose. He preferred not to get dragged into the strange dynamic.

Meanwhile, Naruto eagerly ordered seven bowls of ramen, five of which were for himself.

“Sasuke, did you guys go on a mission today? How was it?” Kiba leaned across the table, his head popping into Sasuke’s line of sight.

Sasuke, lost in thought about whether his planned 100-pull gacha strategy was worth it, didn’t respond.

+15

Another system notification popped up, awarding Sasuke points for unintentional coolness.

Kiba froze awkwardly, still leaning forward. After a moment, he turned to Naruto instead.

“Naruto, how’d your mission go? Must’ve been tough, huh?” Kiba’s tone instantly softened, making the contrast painfully obvious.

“Hmph!” Naruto huffed, visibly annoyed. Normally, he’d have jumped into a verbal sparring match with Kiba, but today, he couldn’t shake the lingering memory of his near-death experience—saved only by Sasuke’s intervention.

“Ha! Judging by that reaction, it didn’t go well, did it?” Kiba teased, feeling somewhat vindicated. If Sasuke’s team struggled, it means they’re not invincible.

Hinata, who had been quietly observing, realized for the first time that Naruto’s team had also been on a mission. Her pale eyes glimmered with barely perceptible concern.

“Naruto… are you hurt?” Hinata asked softly, so quietly that even she could barely hear herself.

“Huh? What did you say, Hinata?” Naruto leaned closer, his confusion genuine.

“N-no… nothing…” Hinata’s face turned as red as a tomato. With Naruto suddenly so near, her mind went blank, and she couldn’t form a coherent response.

“What’s going on?” Naruto scratched his head, completely baffled.

“Naruto, what’s wrong?” Sakura asked from his other side, leaning over with a suspicious look. She hadn’t heard what Hinata said, but her instincts told her it might involve Sasuke.

“I’m fine!” Naruto replied with his usual goofy grin, seemingly oblivious to the tension around him.

Meanwhile, Hinata cast a wary glance at Sakura. As Naruto’s secret admirer, Hinata had long noticed Naruto’s unrequited crush on Sakura. However, she’d never felt threatened, knowing Sakura’s heart was set on Sasuke.

But now…

Hinata’s keen intuition told her something had shifted in Sakura’s attitude. Though she couldn’t put her finger on it, she felt a subtle but unmistakable hostility.

Taking a deep breath, Hinata tried to steady her nerves. She couldn’t afford to lose her chance with Naruto, especially if Sakura had truly changed her target.

Could Sakura… actually like Naruto now?

Across the table, Sakura caught Hinata’s fleeting glance toward Sasuke. Her suspicions deepened.

I knew it! This quiet little girl really does have her eyes on Sasuke!

Enemies everywhere!

As the two girls silently clashed, their gazes locking in an unspoken battle, the tension between them thickened like a powder keg waiting to explode.

“Ramen’s ready!” Uncle Teuchi interrupted, placing seven steaming bowls on the counter.

The aroma filled the air, cutting through the awkward silence.

“Smells so good!” Naruto exclaimed, reaching for the bowls. Before he could grab one for Sasuke, Sakura stopped him.

“Naruto, you’re hungry. Eat first. I’ll bring Sasuke’s bowl to him,” Sakura said sweetly, sending a pointed look at Hinata as if to assert dominance. Think you can challenge me for Sasuke? Not happening.

But to Hinata, this gesture appeared entirely different. Her already flustered mind misinterpreted Sakura’s intentions.

She’s helping Naruto first… maybe she really does like him now.

Driven by a rare surge of boldness, Hinata decided to take a stand.

“N-Naruto… I… I’m still hungry. Can I… can I have some of your ramen?” Hinata stammered, her fingers nervously tapping together.

Naruto misunderstood completely.

“Oh, you must feel bad ordering more since Sasuke’s paying! Don’t worry, I’ve got you!” Naruto smiled brightly and waved to Teuchi.

“Uncle Teuchi, another bowl for Hinata! What do you like on it?” Naruto asked cheerfully, oblivious to Hinata’s mortification.

And so, the misunderstanding deepened.

---

He had absolutely no intention of giving away his bowl of ramen.

It was his.

He didn’t even have enough for himself!

How could he possibly share?

Just at that moment…

Sasuke, who had been lost in thought because of Sakura handing him a bowl of ramen, snapped back to reality and refocused on the ramen shop.

And then he overheard Hinata and Naruto’s conversation.

What?

The Princess didn’t get enough to eat?

Right!

This princess has quite the appetite. She can eat up to 40 bowls of ramen, and she’s only had one so far. Of course, that’s not enough!

Sigh…

Sasuke shook his head helplessly and glanced at Naruto.

This guy really is the ultimate clueless straight guy!

He hasn’t noticed that Hinata likes him.

He doesn’t even know that Hinata can eat so much.

But since she’s a friend’s girl, it’s only right to help out.

From the moment Sasuke entered the ramen shop, he hadn’t moved. But now, he suddenly shifted his posture and looked toward Naruto and Hinata.

This scene was perfectly caught by Sakura, who had been secretly watching Sasuke.

Thud!  

Sakura’s heart skipped a beat.

She sensed danger—Sasuke seemed to be showing interest in Hinata.

This was not a good sign!

Sakura had been paying attention to Sasuke for a long time, and she had never seen him care about any girl before.

Naturally, she became even warier of Hinata.

“Not enough!”

Suddenly, Sasuke spoke up.

His voice instantly drew the attention of everyone in the ramen shop.

“Ichiraku-san.”

“Add 10 more bowls of ramen for Hinata!”

“With everything on them.”

“Put it all on my tab!”

Sasuke said this very seriously, entirely out of consideration for Naruto.

The number +20 flashed in front of Sasuke’s eyes as the system registered his action.

“Got it!”

Ichiraku-san immediately started preparing more ramen.

However…

Everyone in the shop was stunned. They stared blankly at Sasuke, their eyes filled with astonishment.

Was this really the Sasuke they knew?

Especially Sakura.

Her lips twitched, and her eye involuntarily twitched too. Her heart sank to rock bottom.

This didn’t make sense!

Something wasn’t right!

Sakura’s heart was in turmoil. From her perspective, it seemed like Hinata was already one step ahead.

Even Hinata was baffled.

How did Sasuke know she wasn’t full?

And why did he suddenly order so much food for her?

Hinata glanced at Sasuke in confusion. They were both students at the ninja academy, but they had never spoken before. Yet, he seemed oddly familiar with her.

Hinata’s glance didn’t escape Sakura’s sharp observation.

These two definitely had something going on!

Sakura felt like a detective uncovering a mystery and became even more vigilant.

“Hinata, if it’s not enough, just order more. We’re all friends here, and I’m treating today, so don’t be shy.”

Sasuke spoke nonchalantly.

After saying this, he turned his attention back to his own ramen, picked up his chopsticks, and started eating silently.

The system added another +25 points for the performance.

“Friends?”

Hinata’s cheeks flushed instantly.

Could it be…

Sasuke had realized she liked Naruto?

The thought made Hinata lower her head shyly, feeling as though her secret had been exposed.

She wasn’t wrong.

When Sasuke said “friends,” that’s exactly what he meant!

But…

Those same words, combined with Hinata’s shy demeanor, made Sakura think entirely differently.

Her face darkened, and her mood sank further.

“Sakura, are you feeling okay?”

Naruto asked with concern. He was just about to start eating his ramen when he noticed Sakura looking unwell.

Swish!  

Hinata’s gaze also fell on Sakura, and a faint smirk appeared on her face. In her mind, Sakura’s state was somehow related to Naruto ordering ramen for her.

“Eat your ramen.”

Sakura said curtly, clearly in no mood to talk. She buried her head and ate in silence.

“Uh…”

Naruto, familiar with Sakura’s temper, didn’t say anything more and focused on his meal.

Hinata misinterpreted the scene entirely.

She thought Sakura was mad at Naruto, which made her feel a bit smug.

Even as Sakura ate her ramen, she kept an eye on Hinata.

She noticed Hinata’s improved mood, which only strengthened her belief:

Hinata was her rival in love!

…

During this seemingly ordinary meal at Ichiraku Ramen, two teenage girls were caught in a silent battle of emotions, unbeknownst to everyone around them.

Their misunderstandings deepened with each passing moment.

The more they thought about it, the more scenarios they concocted.

And at the center of it all was their mutual assumption that the other was their rival!

However, the object of their affection wasn’t even the same person!

As for Sasuke, who was completely oblivious to the situation, he was still pondering future plans and had no idea about the misinterpretations between Hinata and Sakura.

Even if someone explained it to him now, he wouldn’t believe it.

How could it be possible?

There was no way these two girls could see each other as rivals!

Such a scenario wouldn’t even happen in a novel!

Sasuke, an avid reader of fiction back in the day, had never come across such a ridiculous plot twist.

This kind of coincidence just didn’t exist, not even in stories!

---

---

*"I must become as handsome as you!"*

"How is that even possible!"

Sakura thought Naruto was just bragging. She didn’t take his words seriously but couldn’t resist mocking him.

"The Flying Thunder God Technique is a space-time jutsu developed by the Second Hokage," Naruto began.

"And the Fourth Hokage took it to the next level!"

"Sakura," he continued, "you know the title of the Fourth Hokage, right? Everyone calls him the Yellow Flash!"

"If the Fourth Hokage could master the Flying Thunder God, then so can I! I’m going to inherit his legacy—I’ll become the Golden Flash of the Hidden Leaf!"

Naruto proudly raised his thumb, pointing to his own golden hair.

He didn’t elaborate further—his lineage was still a secret that needed to be kept. But deep inside, Naruto was filled with confidence.

"If the Fourth Hokage could wield the Flying Thunder God Technique, then as his son, there’s no reason I lack the talent for space-time ninjutsu!" Naruto thought, his ambition reigniting in his heart.

"I will become Hokage of this village!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, as if declaring his dream from atop the Hokage Rock to all of Konoha.

"Alright, alright. The entire village already knows!" Sakura said, exasperated, her face lined with frustration.

"I’m off to train!" Naruto declared.

Sasuke glanced at Naruto and Sakura briefly before leaping toward the rocky terrain behind Hokage Rock.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!  

Sasuke moved swiftly, bounding across several rocks before stopping on one that seemed just right.

It was the same spot he had trained at previously. Within a few leaps, he had created nearly a kilometer of distance between himself and Naruto and Sakura.

+45

When Sasuke landed, numbers flickered before his eyes.

"This..."

Naruto and Sakura exchanged glances, both surprised by the terrain ahead.

It was steep—not quite a sheer cliff, but difficult to navigate.

Sasuke had put significant distance between himself and them, and it wouldn’t be easy to close the gap quickly.

"Why’d Sasuke pick such a remote, barren place to train?" Sakura muttered, annoyed. She suspected he was deliberately trying to ditch them.

"No idea!" Naruto scratched his head, equally confused. "We used to train in the forest, but now he’s out here in this desolate, rocky wasteland."

For a moment, the two remained still, watching Sasuke from afar.

On the rocky terrain, Sasuke lifted his eyes to the bright blue sky. It was the perfect time to train.

He stretched out his arms, as if embracing the heavens.

Ever since the "100 Consecutive Draws" system had appeared, Sasuke had been in turmoil.

The allure of the [SSS Reward] was undeniable!

But...

10,000 system points were still an astronomical sum for him.

When faced with things he couldn’t figure out, Sasuke’s solution was simple: exercise.

Sweat it out.

Maybe then, clarity would come.

Sasuke steadied his emotions and slowly closed his eyes.

He crossed his hands in front of him, entering a state of absolute calm.

Buzz!  

Sasuke’s body began trembling slightly. He didn’t bother starting from the first gate—Naruto and Sakura were too far to notice, and they didn’t understand the Eight Gates technique anyway.

Taking things slow would be a waste of time, and wouldn’t earn him any system points.

He made his decision.

"Sixth Gate: Gate of View... OPEN!"

Boom!  

Green chakra surged from Sasuke’s body as he entered the sixth gate’s state.

With his hair lifted and his body glowing, Sasuke exuded a powerful aura.

Whoosh!  

A wave of energy rippled outward, blasting over Naruto and Sakura from afar.

+50

Sasuke saw the numbers increase again. The system registered it as a display of dominance.

"Is that Sasuke?" Naruto muttered, his expression changing as he stared at the glowing green figure on the distant peak.

"Sasuke’s chakra is incredible! I can feel it even from this distance!" Sakura gasped.

She realized she had misjudged Sasuke—training like this really did require solitude.

She couldn’t even imagine what kind of pressure she’d be under if she were standing right next to him.

Back on the rocks, Sasuke stabilized his energy flow and took things a step further.

"Seventh Gate: Gate of Wonder... OPEN!"

Whoosh!  

A pale blue light began emanating from his body, sweat evaporating in waves.

Roar!  

A stronger shockwave erupted, knocking Naruto and Sakura back a step.

+55

The system points increased again.

"That’s amazing!" Sakura whispered in awe, her eyes filled with admiration as she watched Sasuke, glowing blue with power, his hair lifted by the force.

She felt an overwhelming sense of security. With someone like Sasuke leading the way, there was nothing to fear.

Naruto, meanwhile, was stunned silent. He had always tried to picture Sasuke’s strength, but no matter how much he imagined, he had underestimated him.

"This is Konoha’s greatest prodigy..."

---