While Naruto took advantage of the crowd to openly tease his precious little wife, more and more children surged out of the Ninja Academy in waves. As the number of people at the scene quickly dwindled, it marked the official beginning of the third round of the exam.
…
At this point, five minutes had passed since the exam began.
With Sasuke appearing strong on the surface and Naruto secretly acting as the real examiner behind the scenes, the success of the first group—Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke—was already set in stone. Because of this, unlike the other candidates dashing off in a hurry, Naruto and Hinata, despite being among the first to step out of the academy, walked forward at a leisurely pace. As if this round of the exam were a casual stroll, they took their time, stopping and starting, completely at ease. Soon, aside from a few frail kids who couldn't run with weighted gear, no one else could be seen. The path—clearly marked with directional signs—became noticeably quiet and empty.
'Oh ho… They're all fired up. Just a few minutes in, and they've nearly all rushed off already. Looks like the physical condition of this year's batch of students isn't as bad as I feared…'
Naruto's right hand remained tightly interlocked with Hinata's soft one, quietly sending chakra into her body. Meanwhile, his left hand casually lifted to his brow, forming a shade over his eyes as he looked around with a smile.
'But in the end… kids are still just kids.'
As the one who designed the exam, Naruto had specifically instructed Tenzo to explain beforehand that this final round would involve running a full lap around the village. On paper, it looked like the most obvious and toughest challenge—an actual marathon in every sense.
Unfortunately, it seemed most of the students, overly fixated on whether the rules were hiding any sinister traps, had subconsciously overlooked the biggest and most visible hurdle.
Going all-out right from the start—never mind other issues, even stamina consumption alone would become a massive problem. After all, even most adults would struggle to sprint an entire marathon. Let alone kids, who were not only physically inferior in every way but were also carrying gear completely inappropriate for their age group.
Although the examinees all looked fine for now—relaxed, not showing any signs of discomfort—that was simply because only five minutes had passed since they suited up and began the test. Their stamina was still at its peak.
But once the final sprint stage came around… if this bunch of adorably headstrong kids kept relying solely on enthusiasm to push forward—armed with just a single ration pill and a pitiful amount of water issued by the academy—how were they supposed to endure the rest of the exam?
Just as Naruto was sighing over how easily children were tricked, Hinata—who had been walking silently beside him with her head down—was now practically steaming like a boiling kettle. A mist-like cloud of "steam" seemed to rise from the top of her head.
They were now well outside the Ninja Academy grounds, far behind the main group thanks to Naruto slowing his pace on purpose. No longer worried about being watched, the quiet, hand-in-hand atmosphere between them had turned almost date-like. And that, in turn, made the blush on Hinata's face deepen even more.
Earlier, back in the exam room, Naruto had leaned close without warning, warm breath brushing her ear as he whispered something softly—half teasing, half serious. Since then, she hadn't been able to summon the courage to meet his eyes.
If someone could see the face Hinata was hiding with her lowered head, they'd notice her eyes had already turned into little swirling whirlpools—completely lost in fantasy. If Naruto hadn't been firmly holding her hand and gently guiding her forward, she'd have probably already walked straight into a wall or utility pole by now.
'Protect me… for life? If Naruto-kun meant that, then doesn't that… doesn't that mean…? Uwaaah! What am I even thinking right now?!'
Her muttering repeated as Naruto's whispered words replayed endlessly in her mind. The normally shy and soft-spoken Hinata was now so flustered that she couldn't tell which way was up. Even her mental images were filled with Naruto's gentle, doting gaze.
If it weren't for Naruto holding her hand in advance—just like the night they met in the snow—and continuously sending her that warm, soothing chakra, she would've likely turned and bolted out of sheer embarrassment just to keep him from seeing her this panicked and red-faced.
"Naruto-kun, didn't you say we should catch up to Sasuke-kun soon…?"
After standing silently for what felt like forever—even as the stragglers among the examinees faded into the distance—Hinata finally gathered enough courage to lift her blushing face and quietly speak.
"Then… should we walk a little faster?"
"No rush, no rush. If I had to put it into one phrase…"
Seeing Hinata finally speak again, Naruto felt a wave of relief settle in. Smiling warmly, he replied softly, and with no one else around, he casually let go of her hand and gently wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into a light embrace. With his free hand, he smoothed the stray bangs on her forehead, suppressing a laugh as he pretended to stay serious. Then, leaning down, he placed a gentle kiss on her warm cheek and teased with clear intent:
" Haste makes waste."