Although he hadn't been injured during the Forest of Death exam, the continuous fighting had left Natsuki mentally exhausted.
Now, back home, lying on the soft bed, he felt incredibly comfortable. The gentle sound of water from the bathroom was like a lullaby, causing him to drift off to sleep.
Click
Half an hour later, the bathroom door quietly opened.
Hinata, wrapped in a towel, walked out. When she saw Natsuki fast asleep, she immediately lightened her steps. She crouched beside him, quietly gazing at his delicate features.
"Natsuki… you're such a lovely man," she whispered. Only at times like these did Hinata dare to stare at him so intently.
But her face was still flushed crimson, as if she had done something wrong.
After a while, Hinata felt her head getting hotter, and her gaze becoming unfocused.
Slowly, she leaned closer to Natsuki. Finally, she opened her mouth slightly and gently pressed her lips to his cheek.
Her entire body trembled, practically emitting steam from nervousness.
This action instantly roused Natsuki from his light sleep.
Their eyes met.
"Ahhhh... This... this... Natsuki, the...the hot water is...is ready," Hinata stammered, flustered and at a loss for words.
"Okay, then let's bathe together," Natsuki said with a playful grin.
"Eh? Bathe... together?" Hinata pictured the scene, and her mind short-circuited like an overloaded machine, practically smoking from her ears.
She promptly fainted.
Natsuki shook his head.
It seemed the girl's mental fortitude still needed work.
He gently lifted Hinata and placed her on the bed. Then, he grabbed his change of clothes and headed into the bathroom.
It was another half hour before he emerged.
The first thing he noticed was Hinata's fluttering eyelashes.
She was awake.
"It's still early. Get some more rest," Natsuki suggested softly, bending down to peck her cheek.
"Mm..." Hinata responded with a barely audible hum
…
Meanwhile, at the Inuzuka Clan training grounds…
Kiba and Akamaru were engaged in a grueling training session.
Kiba was the trainer, and Akamaru was being trained.
Since returning from the Forest of Death, Kiba, desperate for his Akamaru to transform into a beast like Greymon, had initiated this brutal training regimen.
Following Natsuki's advice, he believed that as long as he shouted loud enough and with enough spirit, he would achieve the desired result.
"Akamaru Beast Evolution!" Kiba yelled with all his might.
"Woof woof..." Akamaru bared his fangs and howled with all his might as well.
Unfortunately, there was still no reaction.
"It seems… it wasn't loud enough, or spirited enough.
"Akamaru, again! We can do it!" Kiba patted his Akamaru's head encouragingly.
"Akamaru Beast Evolution!"
"Woof..."
Outside the training ground, Kiba's mother and sister watched him with worried expressions.
"What's wrong with Kiba? He's been acting strange since returning from the Forest of Death.
"Is he trying to make Akamaru... evolve? Akamaru is just a normal ninja hound. Could he possibly evolve into a wolf? Is that even a thing?
"Should I... knock some sense into him?" Hana suggested to her mother.
"Leave him be. I hear there were many strong opponents in this Chunin Exam. Let him vent his frustrations."
"Though his method of venting is a bit... unusual.
"Go get some screens to block the view. Let's not air our dirty laundry in public." [tl/n: A metaphor for embarrassing oneself in front of public]
"Yes, Mother."
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