Chapter no.57 Naruto

Chapter no.57 The Life of Hinata Hyuga

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Hinata Hyuga was born beneath a sky heavy with stars, as if even the heavens were bearing witness to her burdened arrival. The first daughter of Hiashi Hyuga, clan head of the esteemed Hyuga Clan, she was marked from the beginning as an heir. Not a child, not a person... an heir. The clan's future wrapped in swaddling cloth, her destiny decided before her first breath. Her eyes—those pale, ghostly orbs of the Byakugan were meant to see everything. But they would never see the one thing she most longed to understand: why her life had unraveled before it had ever begun.

For a while, there was warmth. Her father was distant, his affection disciplined and measured like the beat of a war drum, but her mother, Tsubaki, was the gentle rhythm beneath it all. Tsubaki's hands were calloused but soft, her voice a hush of cherry blossoms in spring. When Hinata was scared, when the clan felt too cold or too vast, her mother would hold her close and whisper: The world is already so cruel, little moon. So you be soft, even if it hurts. You be the kindness they forget.

That voice would become a ghost.

The night everything changed was moonless. No wind, no warning, just a scream—and then silence. A masked intruder breached the Hyuga compound, a jonin from Kumogakure disguised beneath the veil of diplomacy. His mission: to steal the Hyuga's secrets by taking Hinata, the heir. But he hadn't expected a mother's love.

Tsubaki intercepted him before Hinata even fully understood what was happening. She fought with a ferocity Hinata had never seen. She bought just enough time for Hiashi to arrive.

Hiashi killed the man swiftly. No hesitation. No mercy. It should have ended there.

But Tsubaki didn't rise from where she had fallen.

She lived—but not in any way that counted. A shattered spine. No movement from the neck down. No speech. No light in her eyes. The healers said it was a miracle she'd survived. To Hinata, it felt like a curse.

She was only five years old.

Tsubaki was moved to a room deep within the Hyuga compound; ornate, yet lifeless. The Clan insisted on keeping her away from public view. A symbol of vulnerability. Weakness. A reminder of failure. For Hinata, it became a place of pilgrimage and punishment.

Sometimes Hinata would sit beside her mother for hours, brushing her hair, whispering old stories back to her, pretending the stillness wasn't suffocating. Other times she couldn't bring herself to enter the room at all. The smell of herbs and still air, the empty gaze that never turned toward her—it became too much. Too painful. And in the quiet between her thoughts, a question began to bloom like poison in her chest: How did the intruder get past the Byakugan? Why did Father arrive so late? Why did he change after that night?

There were no answers. Only silence.

Hiashi Hyuga became harder after that night. Not just toward her—but toward everyone. Especially the branch family. Whatever warmth or idealism had once flickered in him vanished. He turned rigid. Doctrinal. The Caged Bird Seal was enforced with more vigor. The talk of unifying the clan dissolved into silence, replaced by cold tradition.

His grief was invisible but vast, a glacier Hinata was always crashing against.

And with her mother's voice gone, there was no one left to protect her.

Training began at six. She was made to spar against older cousins, pushed beyond her limits. Hiashi watched in silence as she stumbled, as her gentle hands refused to strike with killing intent. He called her soft. Weak. Unfit. She trained harder. She bled. She cried—never in front of him.

Neji, her cousin, watched her with cold eyes. He had lost his father too, in the aftermath of the so-called Hyuga Affair, when Hizashi had been handed to Kumogakure as compensation. Another secret the clan buried. Another scar they never spoke of. And he blamed her... the precious heir, for all of it. Hinata didn't argue.

How could she, when she blamed herself too?

The final blow came at age seven.

Her sister, Hanabi, had begun training. Sharp. Precocious. And without the burden of doubt that clung to Hinata like a second skin. The elders whispered of potential. Of replacement. And then came the test: a public match, sister versus sister, to determine the future of the clan.

Hinata hesitated. Hanabi didn't.

She lost.

The humiliation was absolute. Her title as heir was quietly revoked. The elders pretended it had never been hers. Her father said nothing at all.

She was sent to the Academy with the commoners. A last resort. A way to keep her out of sight.

The quiet, curious child that once wandered the gardens of the Hyuga estate was gone. In her place was a girl who walked with her eyes downcast, who whispered when she spoke, who folded in on herself like origami.

The frost had crept in overnight, layering the academy playground in a brittle glaze. Tiny clouds of white puffed from the mouths of children laughing and shouting as they ran across the yard before class.

Hinata Hyūga stood at the edge of it all, her footsteps crunching softly on the frozen grass. Her pale eyes watched the other students from beneath her bangs, her arms wrapped tightly around herself more out of habit than cold. The laughter felt far away, like it belonged to a world she didn't have permission to touch.

She wanted to belong. She always had. But the walls around her had gone up long before she ever entered the academy.

Some children avoided her because she was a Hyūga. They whispered about her family's jutsu and their rigid rules. They said her eyes were creepy, that she always stared through you, never at you. Others ignored her simply because she didn't talk. She wasn't loud like Kiba or boastful like Ino. She just stood there... quiet, polite, and forgettable. And some... some thought she didn't even have parents. No one had ever seen them. No father cheering her on at the entrance ceremony. No mother packing her lunches. Just a tall, silent Hyūga clan guard who appeared at the gates like clockwork to collect her. That's all anyone ever saw. And in some ways, that was all she had.

Hinata didn't blame them. She barely knew how to talk to herself, let alone anyone else. Still, every morning she came early and lingered just close enough to pretend she was part of the group, telling herself that maybe today would be different. It never was.

"Oi! Hinata!"

Her stomach clenched.

The voice came from Daichi, the boy who was always too loud, always grinning at someone else's expense. He was surrounded by his usual group of boys, like flies around spoiled fruit. "I said, Hinata!" he called again, stepping closer. "Hey! If you're really a Hyūga, prove it! Let's see those freaky eyes!"

She froze. All the warmth left her limbs in an instant. "I-I don't want to…" she said, barely above a whisper.

"What's wrong?" Daichi mocked, loud enough for the others to hear. "Can't hear you. Speak up! Or did your fancy clan forget to teach you how to talk?"

His friends laughed—harsh, stinging sounds that cut deeper than any blade. They closed in around her like a tightening net.

"Maybe she doesn't even know how to use it," Renji snorted. "She's probably just some dud they threw out of the house."

Hinata's throat tightened. The words stuck behind her teeth like broken glass. Her fingers twitched at her sides. Her mother's voice, soft and almost forgotten, rose from the depths of her memory: You can soften the edges of the world, little moon. Even if it cuts you.

But the world was all edges today. Sharp. Jagged. Cruel.

"C'mon, show us!" Daichi taunted. "Let's see those monster eyes!"

Monster.

The word hit her harder than she expected. It wasn't the first time. It wouldn't be the last. Why do they always say that?

"Just ignore her," another kid added. "She doesn't talk anyway. I bet her parents dumped her here to get rid of her."

Her knees wobbled.

"Hey!"

The shout rang out, cracking through the cold air.

The circle broke. Every head turned. He stood there like an ember in snow—bright orange jacket, messy blonde hair, a bruise already forming on his cheek like it had been earned that morning.

Naruto Uzumaki. The orphan. The troublemaker. The loudmouth no one wanted to sit near. She'd seen him before—always in trouble, always grinning, always getting back up after being knocked down.

"What's your problem?" he barked at Daichi. "Picking on someone just because they're quiet?"

Daichi rolled his eyes. "Buzz off, loser. No one's talking to you."

"Well I'm talking to you!" Naruto shouted. "Leave her alone!"

Hinata's breath caught in her chest. She couldn't believe it. Someone was standing up for her. Why?

Daichi stepped forward. "You want some too? Fine by me."

"Bring it!" Naruto yelled, charging with all the grace of a falling log.

The scuffle was messy, ugly, and completely one-sided. Naruto didn't stand a chance. But he fought anyway. He clawed and swung wildly, refusing to stay down, even when Daichi and the others kicked him to the ground.

Hinata's hands clenched at her sides. Her heart was pounding. Her vision blurred with tears. Why…? Why is he doing this for me? And then something flickered in her chest. Not rage. Not courage, exactly. But something warmer. Something she hadn't felt in years.

Hope.

She stepped forward and activated her Byakugan.

The veins around her eyes bulged. Her vision shifted, clear and detailed. She dropped into the Gentle Fist stance—the one her father drilled into her bones. The one she was never allowed to use outside the compound. Her legs trembled, but she stepped forward then she slipped. Her foot hit a patch of ice. The world spun. She hit the ground hard. Mud and snow soaked through her uniform. Laughter exploded around her.

"She can't even stand up!" Renji cackled.

"Two freaks in one," Daichi sneered.

Hinata couldn't move. Her eyes burned. Her chest felt hollow.
She had tried. She had stood up and failed. Just like always.

"Hey."

Naruto knelt beside her, his cheek bleeding, his lip split, his grin still there.

"You okay?"

She stared at him. Words tried to form but caught in her throat.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why help me?"

Naruto tilted his head. "Because you looked like you needed it. Duh."

Hinata blinked. The answer was so simple it stunned her.

Before she could reply, her clan's guard appeared behind her, eyes narrow as he looked at Naruto. He didn't speak—he never did. Just placed a hand on her shoulder and guided her away like an object being retrieved.

As she walked, Hinata dared one last look back.

Naruto waved with a scraped-up hand. His smile hadn't wavered once, and with her active Byakugan activate, she gazed upon his chakra.

It was blinding. Warm. So bright it almost hurt to look at. It burned at the edges, too full of life, too vast to belong to someone so alone. She never told anyone, not even her vegetative mother, but she liked to sneak glances at Naruto's chakra when she could. It was her strange, secret ritual. A kind of proof that something beautiful could burn quietly in a world so cold.

At first, it had been simple gratitude. He'd saved her once. When no one else did. But it became more than that.

Naruto Uzumaki became a quiet, undeniable presence in her life. Her eyes always found him in the crowd. She listened more carefully when he spoke. She watched how he failed, and got up, and failed again—but never stopped trying.

In a strange, aching way, he was everything she wasn't. Bold. Loud. Unapologetic. And yet... kind. Kind in a way the world didn't ask him to be. He was a light. Distant, untouchable. But warm.

Then came the graduation incident.

Naruto arrived louder than life in a full suit of armor that looked far too real to be some academy prank. He said it was a gift from his master. Master? That word stayed with Hinata. In all the years she had quietly watched Naruto from afar, she had never once heard him speak of a master. Never saw him train under anyone. He was always alone. So who gave him this armor? And what had they given him with it?

She didn't have time to wonder.

Kiba said something—just one of his usual jabs. Nothing worse than what he'd said before. But something about it hit Naruto harder than usual. Much harder. Because the moment Kiba mocked that armor, Naruto exploded.

It wasn't like anything she had ever seen.

Naruto didn't argue. He didn't shout. He moved. Fast. The next thing Hinata knew, Kiba was flying across the room. The class went silent. The world seemed to still. And then... Naruto's chakra erupted.

It was suffocating.

Not like the gentle warmth she'd grown used to—that burning sun that always gave her courage. No. This was different. His chakra poured out like a wave of pressure, full of violence and something else. Something darker. Colder. Alien. The killer intent that radiated from him felt ancient, wrong, like it didn't even belong in this world. It wasn't the chakra of a prankster. It wasn't even the chakra of a shinobi.

It was something Hinata had only ever felt once before—when her father struck the Kumo jonin that tried to kidnap her. Except this... was worse. That wasn't Naruto-kun.

Hinata wanted to believe that the Naruto she admired was still in there somewhere. That the boy who once stood up for her, who shone like the sun, was just... going through something painful. Something she didn't understand yet. So when her name was called—Team 8, with Kiba and Shino—her heart sank.

Not because she disliked Shino's quiet strength or Kiba's brash energy. But because, deep in her chest, she had quietly hoped she'd be placed by Naruto's side. Especially now, when he seemed lost beneath the weight of something dark.

That hope flickered even dimmer when she overheard her father later that night. Cold. Unbothered. "Let her be Yūhi Kurenai's responsibility. If she fails, she does so outside this house."

The sting of it lingered for days.

But slowly, Team 8 became her shelter.

Kurenai didn't treat her like a failure. She listened. Kiba was loud, but he never mocked her. He filled the silences she didn't know how to break. Shino, quiet and perceptive, treated her like an equal. Not a burden. Not a ghost. With them, Hinata began to breathe again.

Two weeks into her life as a genin, a summons came.

Hinata stood before the Hyūga compound's main estate, nerves twitching in her stomach. The doors to her father's office loomed in front of her like the gates to another world. A colder one.

She entered softly, her steps as silent as her breath.

The room was immaculate. Polished floors. Scrolls arranged in perfect symmetry. Hiashi sat behind a lacquered desk, the scroll in his hand commanding more of his attention than she did.

"Hinata," he said, not looking up, "how is your training with Kurenai progressing?"

"I-I-It's going well, Father. Kurenai-sensei emphasizes teamwork... she says unity is strength. I... I like it."

"And your missions?"

"Only D-rank... helping villagers, cleaning streets... n-nothing major."

Silence stretched between them like drawn wire.

"I've spoken to the Hokage. You and your team will assist Team 7 on their current mission."

Hinata blinked. "T-Team 7? That's... N-Naruto-kun..." She cut herself off, too late.

Hiashi finally looked up. His expression unreadable. "Ah. Yes. You've had a crush on the Uzumaki boy for some time now."

The air vanished from the room.

Hinata's cheeks flamed red. Her hands flew to her mouth, shame and panic crashing over her in waves. "I... I didn't...!"

"There's no need to explain. The elders have informed me," he said flatly. "They observe everything."

Hinata swallowed the urge to vanish into the floor. Of course they knew. They always knew. Even her feelings were not hers to keep.

"But that's not the reason for this meeting," Hiashi continued, his tone colder now. "I want you to become close to Naruto Uzumaki."

Hinata blinked, stunned. For a moment, she thought she had misheard. Surely this was some kind of strange dream. To be sure, she pinched her arm lightly beneath her sleeve. No. This was real. "W-Why? Why would you want that? E-Everyone's always said I shouldn't go near him…"

Hiashi lifted his hand, silencing her with the same quiet authority he always wielded. "Naruto is a complicated figure, both within Konoha and among the clans. His presence draws scrutiny. Any association with him used to be dangerous... for you and for us."

Hinata furrowed her brow, uncertain. "I-Isn't he just… a normal boy?"

Hinata paused realizing then, painfully, that she didn't really know Naruto. Not truly. Watching someone from afar, admiring their light, didn't mean you understood their shadows. Not his thoughts, not his past… and certainly not this new side of him. The armor. The sudden mention of a master. A lineage that no longer seemed vague but carefully hidden.

"Is… is this about Naruto-kun's changes?"

"Yes. The Uzumaki boy has proven to be a far more valuable figure in the political sphere than anyone previously anticipated."

The armor of the Uzumaki Clan suggested that Naruto had access to more of his heritage than previously believed, potentially including a rare elemental Kekkei Genkai, such as Scorch Release. Coupled with his position as the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, this revelation painted a far more significant picture. Even more telling was the Third Hokage's decision to strong-arm Jiraiya into checking up on the boy—a move that hinted at deeper importance.

And that wasn't even considering his lineage as the son of the Fourth Hokage.

Clearly, Naruto held far more political power than anyone had previously thought. To Hiashi, the boy now seemed more valuable than ever. While he saw the potential benefits of a connection between Naruto and the Hyūga Clan, he knew better than to push too far. Anything beyond friendship at least for now would spark political controversy. The clan could not afford to appear overreaching or greedy, especially given Naruto's growing influence.

As for what might happen between Hinata and Naruto in the future? That, Hiashi decided, would be dealt with in due time.

Hinata looked down. Her fingers curled tightly at her sides. "F-Father… I can't. I don't want to be his friend because it benefits the clan. That's not… that's not right."

Hiashi's composure faltered slightly, the corners of his mouth tightening as he studied her. "So, I can't even show you a path to be useful to your own clan?"

Hinata raised her head. And for once, the words came clearly. "Am I speaking to my father… or the clan head?"

Hiashi's eyes narrowed. "Meaning?"

"Are your orders for my sake, or just for the clan's benefit?"

There was a long pause. Then a sharp, clipped sigh. "Maybe you wouldn't be in this position if you showed this level of strength where it mattered."

"Huh?"

"Hinata," Hiashi said, his voice turning cool and formal again, "your position as heir is already under review. The elders are discussing transferring you to the branch family. The only thing protecting your status is birthright and tradition. And neither lasts forever."

The words hit like ice water. She froze in place.

"I'm doing this for you," he said, more firmly now. "Naruto Uzumaki is your opportunity to survive. If the elders see you forging a bond with someone of such political promise… you may hold your place a little longer."

Hinata's heart twisted. "He's lived with enough burden," she whispered. "I won't betray him. I'd rather be branded than use Naruto-kun like that."

Hiashi stared at her, silent for a moment. Not angry. Almost… contemplative. She didn't stutter this time. She didn't look away.

"…I'm not asking you to marry him," Hiashi said at last.

Hinata flushed bright red despite the weight of the conversation. "T-That's not...!"

"Just be his friend," he said, with finality. "Genuine or not. Do that, and I'll convince the elders not to move forward with your branding."

Her breath caught.

A small part of her wanted to ask, Is there another way? She didn't need to speak it. Hiashi answered anyway.

"Or you can become an elite jōnin," he said plainly, as if it were obvious. "Give the clan a reason not to brand you with the Caged Bird Cursed Seal."

He turned away, his back to her, hands clasped behind him like a man returning to duty. The conversation was over.

"…I'll try to be Naruto's friend," she said quietly.

The words tasted like defeat but also, like a door cracking open.

She looked down, ashamed that she hadn't said I'll become a jōnin. But it wouldn't be true. She wasn't confident enough to lie to herself, that she had the talent to become a jōnin… Maybe this was her excuse. To stand beside the boy she'd always watched from afar. To see for herself whether that sun still burned as brightly as before… or whether the darkness she saw at the graduation had already started to spread.

Just as her father said, Kurenai delivered the news. "The Hokage has assigned Team 8 to support Team 7 for the remainder of their mission."

Her first thought was gratitude she would get to see him up close again. Her second was dread. Please let it go smoothly. Please let Kiba behave. But that was probably asking for too much.

Even before they had made it past the front gates of Konoha, Kiba had already voiced his frustration—loudly—about being sent as backup. The tension only thickened in the Land of Waves, where his hostility toward Naruto became impossible to ignore.

Hinata had felt it like a stone in her stomach.

He'd been sharp, impatient, aggressive. She could understand why. And worse—she couldn't bring herself to do anything about it. Explain to Kiba that now was not the time to deal with their histories. And yet… Naruto hadn't seemed angry at Kiba. She didn't know whether that made it better or worse.

The only silver lining was that Naruto, at least on the surface, seemed like himself again. Gone was the overwhelming pressure from the graduation exam, that eerie power that had rippled off him like heat from a flame too close to consume. In its place was the unpredictable, loud, and genuine boy she admired from a distance.

And then, the next morning, something happened Hinata hadn't expected: Naruto and Kiba were talking. Not snapping. Not arguing. Talking.

Hinata stared, bewildered. They were fighting yesterday. Weren't they? Kiba practically insulted everything Naruto stood for. And now they're… fine? Something tightened in her chest. He made peace with Kiba. But I… haven't even said hello. She lowered her eyes, silent.

Kiba turned, looking past Naruto to the small boy seated near the window. "Oi. Kid."

Inari looked up slowly.

"About last night… I'm sorry I yelled. I got angry that you said I might lose Akamaru. He is someone important to me."

Inari's face twisted. "It doesn't matter. People die all the time. You should leave before it happens to you."

Kiba frowned, glancing at Naruto.

Naruto didn't say a word. He just gave a subtle nod.

"Inari," Kiba said again, gentler now, "who's going to protect your grandpa if we go?"

The boy blinked. His lip trembled.

Naruto stood, shifting the massive Zweihander so it didn't break the table as he leaned it against the wall with a soft thud.

"There's a reason your grandpa hired us," he said simply. "We're here to protect you. All of you."
He grinned, "And when this is over, you should come visit Konoha. I'll buy you the best ramen you've ever had. Ichiraku. You'll forget what sadness tastes like."

Inari didn't speak. He just stood and left the table, footsteps soft.

Naruto exhaled. "Too much?"

"No," said Tsunami, her voice quiet but firm. "Thank you. You didn't say anything wrong. You… reassured him. That's more than most adults manage."

Naruto scratched his cheek, sheepish. "People get scared when they don't understand something. But sometimes, all it takes is knowing that someone sees you as an equal. Someone willing to speak to you, not down to you for that fear to start fading."

"Wise words for a kid," Tazuna muttered, raising his teacup. "You sure you're not secretly an old man in disguise?"

"Just speaking from experience," Naruto said, shrugging as he stood up, readying his gear.

Kiba placed Akamaru into his hoodie. "Ready?"

Naruto nodded, picking up Oscar, who clung to his shoulder like a smug lizard prince.

They left, chatting easily.

Kurenai frowned slightly, watching the door Naruto and Kiba had just walked through. "What are they doing?"

Sasuke didn't glance up from his tea. "Kiba agreed to help Naruto train with Oscar. Something about last night's fight."

Sakura raised a brow. "Wait, didn't Naruto say not to tell you that? He didn't want Kiba getting into trouble."

"I'm not telling her. I'm just thinking aloud."

Kurenai's eyes narrowed. "Thinking aloud or trying to make a point?"

"Both."

There was a short pause before Sasuke continued, his tone smooth but cutting. "Naruto forgave Kiba too easily. That's not something you just overlook."

Shino finally spoke. "Perhaps it would be best to hear it from Kiba himself. A direct account of the incident would clarify intent and accountability."

"No," Sakura interjected. "The two of them sorted it out on their own. Dragging them back here to explain everything is only going to humiliate them. It's done."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her. "That doesn't erase the fact that Kiba stole another shinobi's companion and baited him into a fight. That's blackmail. And conspiracy. This all happened during a mission..."

"He can be court-martialed," Shino finished for him, nodding once.

Kurenai clenched her jaw. "I didn't know…"

"I know," Sasuke said. "But now you do."

"I'll talk to him. He'll take a pay cut after this mission."

Sasuke raised a brow. "Lenient. Isn't that favoritism, sensei?"

"No. It's judgment. He's a Genin. He made a mistake. One I'll make sure he learns from."

Sakura crossed her arms. "Honestly… they worked it out. Whatever happened between them, it ended in respect. Maybe it wasn't the best way to handle it, but it worked."

Shino nodded. "Conflict can be formative, if allowed to resolve naturally."

Kurenai sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Maybe. Still, it's my responsibility to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Hinata stayed silent through it all. She listened, absorbing every word, but said nothing.

Instead, her gaze drifted to the door where Naruto and Kiba had left moments earlier. They were already gone, walking side-by-side like nothing had ever been wrong. How did a fight fix everything between them? She couldn't understand it.

The way they laughed this morning like they were brothers, after everything. After shouting, after threats. After hurt.

Could things really be that simple? That fast? Hinata rose from her seat quietly. The door had long since closed behind the boys. But maybe… maybe she could still catch up.

"So, what do you know about ninken?" Kiba asked, tossing a stick for Akamaru, who caught it mid-air with a proud bark.

"They're like… talking ninja dogs that can use chakra, right?"

Kiba rolled his eyes. "Pretty much, yeah. But they don't start that way. A ninken is just a regular dog at first. It takes years of training to sync with chakra. They're not born with it like summons are."

"I wonder how Oscar would react to chakra," Naruto mused. "I mean… he's from another world."

Kiba blinked. "Wait, so the lizard is a summon?"

"Nope," Naruto said with a shake of his head.

Kiba frowned. "You just said he's from another world. That makes him a summon."

Naruto tilted his head. "Oh… that's how that works?"

Kiba stared at him. "You mean you didn't realize—? Ugh, never mind."

Both sides had a different definition of another world in this context.

"Whatever," Kiba grumbled. "Summon or not, you still need to make a binding contract if you want him to be your ninchū. You can't just toss chakra at him and expect magic to happen."

Naruto blinked. "Binding contract?"

Kiba crossed his arms and took a deep breath. "Okay, let me break it down for you. A summoning jutsu lets you call animals from a specific clan. You sign their contract, boom, now you're their summoner. They're already trained to work with chakra."

Naruto nodded slowly. "Right… right. That makes sense."

"But binding contracts are for animals that aren't part of summoning clans. If you have a creature like Oscar who's just… weird and powerful, you need to forge a chakra connection yourself. It's like making your own summoning link, from scratch."

"Ohhh!" Naruto's face lit up. "So that's what you did with Akamaru?"

"Yup. The Inuzuka have a ritual that bonds us for life. Shares chakra, instincts, everything."

Naruto looked at Oscar, who blinked at him with glowing, expressionless eyes. "I haven't done anything like that with Oscar. Guess I should!"

"Finally," Kiba muttered. "Alright, let's do it. I'll show you how to initiate the chakra-binding... WAIT." He froze, looking at Naruto's right arm. "Oh… crap. You can't do hand signs."

"Yeah. That's… a problem."

Kiba groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "I got my ass kicked by someone who can't even use ninjutsu properly…"

"Hey!" Naruto snapped, but Kiba just turned to Akamaru. "Can you believe this, buddy?" he muttered. "A cripple beat me."

Akamaru gave a smug arf, tail wagging.

Before Kiba could get another word in, Naruto was already jogging away, yelling over his shoulder, "I'm gonna ask Miss Kurenai if there's a way to do ninjutsu with one hand!"