"Is that someone you know?"
Yamanoi Miye asked beside Naruto. He nodded slightly. "Yeah, an old classmate. It's been a long time."
"A long time? Naruto, you bastard, why did you go to another ninja village? And why are you wearing a Suna forehead protector now?"
Kiba Inuzuka, clearly irritated, shouted at him. Akamaru barked twice on his head as if agreeing.
"Your father's a hero of the village, right? I remember you saying at school that you were the son of a hero. So why would you end up in another village?"
Kiba's barrage of questions made the smile on Naruto's face slowly fade. Kawano Kamikawa, standing nearby, frowned and was about to step forward to defend him. During their missions, Naruto had been warm and helpful, saving both him and Miye several times. Thanks to Naruto, they'd received better educational support — something even Miye had noticed.
So Kamikawa couldn't stand seeing this Konoha Genin badgering Naruto.
"You don't know what—"
Before he could finish, Naruto raised a hand to stop him.
"Forget it, Kamikawa. We're still on a mission." After calming his teammate, Naruto turned to Kiba. "Kiba, if you don't know the truth, why don't you go find out yourself? Gathering intel is part of the Chunin Exam, isn't it? As for me being a hero's son, just assume I was lying. Hardly anyone at the Academy believed me anyway."
Naruto had learned part of what happened that night from Aunt Ayaka. That was exactly why he despised being called the son of a hero.
His father was Hokage, his mother had given everything for the village — yet because of the beast sealed inside him, his mother was nearly killed, and later almost died at his own hands.
When Naruto first learned the truth of that night, his emotions had flared so violently that he nearly resonated with the Nine-Tails' chakra. It was only because Ayaka was there that the beast settled back down.
Since then, Naruto had come to hate the Hokage — the title that almost made him attack his mother — and also his masked father, who had sealed the Tailed Beast inside him.
Kiba faltered, struck silent. He too had never really believed Naruto's words back then. The "hero's son" story was something only Naruto himself had said, and apart from going to and from school, Naruto rarely interacted with anyone.
When Kiba once asked his mother about Naruto, she told him not to pry. So he'd assumed Naruto was lying.
Though everyone knew Kushina was alive, the Third Hokage had gathered the clans and ordered secrecy. Later, Danzo personally visited each family, and the major clans chose to avoid trouble — following Hiruzen's word and pretending the mother and son didn't exist.
No one had expected Danzo to target the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki, forcing Kushina and her son to defect from the village.
"Damn it… what does that even mean…"
Kiba still couldn't fully grasp it, but anger burned inside him. Sakura stepped in, pulling him back slightly before taking a breath.
"Naruto… do you know where Sasuke is?"
"Sasuke? He probably went somewhere else. We split up after we got here," Naruto said, scratching his head. He remembered Sakura somewhat — she'd left an impression, though not for her hair color. It had been five years since they last met, and he had almost forgotten her face.
"Naruto, let's go. We don't have much time before the gathering."
Miye lightly smacked his yellow head, scolding him for nearly spilling information about his teammates again.
"Ow, I get it, Miye."
Naruto rubbed his head and followed her to continue gathering intel. They had just found two leads but hadn't had time to decipher them yet.
Sakura, Kiba, and Shino watched Naruto leave with a strange heaviness in their hearts. Once classmates, they now felt worlds apart.
Elsewhere, Sasuke Uchiha also encountered Ino. She was thrilled to see him, but her overexcited reaction nearly triggered a conflict between their squads.
Sasuke, who barely remembered his old Konoha classmates, frowned at her overly familiar behavior. Nakamura Yoko wasn't one to back down either, and if not for Shikamaru's quick intervention, they might have started the second round early.
Meanwhile, the three-man squad from Otogakure stood quietly.
"Captain, shouldn't we gather some intel too?" Tayuya asked, seeing Neji Hyuga sitting motionless while other teams had already started moving.
Neji opened his eyes slightly and replied calmly, "No need. We'll just follow the others when the time comes."
With his Byakugan, the first exam had been easy. He simply didn't want to move now — not with the risk of encountering the clan head. If that happened, he wasn't sure whether she'd target Hinata.
"Alright then, whatever. Lord Orochimaru thinks highly of your bloodline anyway."
Tayuya shrugged and stepped back. She wasn't the captain, and if they failed, it wouldn't be her fault.
She could talk to Neji easily enough, but when it came to Hinata Hyuga, a faint fear lingered. Hinata gave off the same chilling aura as Orochimaru himself.
Once, while passing by Hinata's room, Tayuya had heard muffled, restrained groans from within. When she peeked closer, she saw a pale, bloodshot serpent's eye at the window — full of madness and bloodlust. It had terrified her to the core.
Hinata Hyuga was definitely not ordinary.
Tayuya shook her head and leaned against a nearby tree, quietly waiting for the exam to begin.
After a while, a signal flared in the sky. Seeing it, all the Genin began gathering at the rendezvous point.
Nearly four hundred Genin assembled — more than the size of a typical ninja battalion.
The Otogakure trio arrived as well. Neji and Hinata immediately spotted Kiyo Hyuga on Konoha's side. Others noticed them too.
Otogakure headbands — but two of the team bore Byakugan. That alone caught everyone's interest. Then Kiyo's next move shocked them even more.
"Kiyo…"
Kurenai Yuhi called out, but she was too late. In the next instant, Kiyo vanished with Shunshin.
At her speed, most couldn't even see her figure. Neji and Hinata, however, had already sensed her approach through natural energy.
Neji pushed Tayuya aside and moved in front of Hinata, ready to counter, but before he could react — Kiyo was already there.
"So fast!"
Even though he knew the clan head was only acting, the sheer speed still stunned him.
Bang!
Thud!
Kiyo struck twice. Neji blocked the first blow, but the second hit his right shoulder before he could react, sending him flying backward.
As Neji tumbled away, Kiyo's veins bulged along her temples. She struck again, this time straight at Hinata's chest.
Hinata activated her Byakugan too — though one eye now bore a vertical slit like a snake's pupil.
As Kiyo attacked, Hinata bent slightly and countered with a Gentle Fist strike.
Kiyo's eyes widened. The timid Hinata she once knew had actually fought back.
Still, Hinata's technique was raw. Kiyo sidestepped easily — but then felt an invisible force strike her arm, throwing off her balance.
Even so, Kiyo kicked Hinata away. Though Hinata raised her arms to block, the force sent her flying.
"Kiyo!"
Kurenai appeared beside her in an instant, grabbing her shoulder. But when she saw the bruise on Kiyo's arm, she froze. Could that bruise have been from Hinata?
Several Jōnin from other villages also appeared, surrounding the scene. Mabui spoke sharply, "Konoha's Jōnin — before the Chunin Exam begins, attacking a participating Genin from another village is forbidden, regardless of origin."
The Otogakure leader added angrily, "Konoha strikes our ninjas before the exam even starts? That's outrageous!"
The other villages only sneered. Otogakure had the nerve to harbor Hyuga defectors and even bring them to the Chunin Exams — an open provocation toward Konoha.
Still, Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and Kumogakure each decided to investigate Otogakure's background.
If they had the power to shelter Hyuga traitors and still send them to compete, someone powerful had to be backing them — perhaps even an ally worth courting.
"It was just a greeting," Kiyo said calmly, subtly pocketing something before healing her bruise with medical ninjutsu.
If she'd shown no reaction at all to seeing clan defectors, that would have been unnatural. Attacking them immediately had been planned — but Hinata's unexpected counter had truly surprised her. That invisible strike used a strange form of energy.
"This will be the only warning. If it happens again, as hosts of the first exam, Kumogakure reserves the right to sanction Konoha's participants," Mabui stated firmly, choosing to end the dispute there.
"Kiyo, you were too impulsive," Kurenai said softly once Kiyo's arm had healed. "Even if they're defectors, we could have reported to Lady Tsunade later. It's enough that we know they're with Otogakure."
Kiyo replied evenly, "Don't worry. I won't act again during this exam."
Once all the Genin from every village had gathered, Mabui finally announced the start of the first exam.
(End of Chapter)