Before they knew it, the first semester was nearing its end.
For the first-year students, the semester consisted solely of academic classes and physical education. Each day was a cycle of studying, training, and practicing chakra extraction.
Outside of Class 1, other classes had already seen students drop out. Becoming a ninja was that rare—both the entrance exam and the graduation tests were grueling. Even passing graduation wasn't a guarantee; without a jonin's approval, students were sent back to retake courses, with elimination rates staggeringly high.
And that was just to become a genin.
Above genin were chunin, special jonin, and the versatile elite jonin.
But none of this concerned Izayoi or the Nine Rookies.
After the first two weeks, Izayoi stopped attending school in person. Until taijutsu sparring was introduced, he had no reason to show up.
His sole purpose for enrolling in the Ninja Academy was Hinata, Naruto, and Sasuke—or rather, their red-tier talent entries. Before graduating, Izayoi needed to claim those entries, or at least one or two. Waiting until after graduation would make it exponentially harder—not due to a gap in strength, but because opportunities to meet and clash would dwindle.
In the original story, the Nine Rookies didn't reunite until the Chunin Exams. Graduation was March 31st; the Chunin Exams began July 1st—fixed annual dates separated by a season.
Ding-a-ling…
The bell signaled the end of another day. Despite an afternoon of P.E., the students brimmed with energy.
"Izayoi-kun, wanna play ninja with us?"
"Izayoi, heading home together?"
Some students left for home, while others lingered, inviting classmates to form small groups. Izayoi, a popular figure in class, received plenty of offers.
Though only his Shadow Clone attended school, and his focus was on Hinata, Naruto, and Sasuke, he didn't snub others. He greeted everyone with a smile, declining invitations with tact.
Today was no different.
Facing a flurry of invitations from boys and girls, his clone clasped its hands, grinning sheepishly. "Sorry, I've already got plans. Next time, I promise!"
"Aw, booked again? You're too popular, Izayoi-kun."
"Alright, next time we'll play ninja together."
Disappointed but understanding, his classmates didn't press.
After leaving school, the clone slipped into an alley and dispelled itself. Its memories and fatigue flooded back to Izayoi's real body.
Digesting the day's events, Izayoi—done training and resting at home, now feeling the clone's exhaustion—muttered, "A few more days until break. Time to make my move."
On July 20th, after morning classes, it was lunchtime.
Some students, living close by, went home to eat. Others brought bento to school, eating in the classroom or outside.
With a clone usually attending, Izayoi always ate at home. But today, his real body showed up, bento in hand.
He shared lunch with Hinata in the classroom.
Over three months, they'd become friends—not the spill-all-your-secrets kind, but close enough to know each other's hobbies and quirks. Hinata, for instance, loved pressing flowers.
She also knew her desk mate was often just a Shadow Clone.
When she first learned this, her mouth fell open, eyes wide with shock. Then her admiration for Izayoi deepened. Mastering Shadow Clone Technique before the academy even taught the Three Basic Techniques was unthinkable.
As they ate, Izayoi broke the silence. "Hinata, tomorrow's the start of break. Got any plans?"
"I'll probably train at home," she replied softly.
"Wanna train with me?" he offered.
"C-can I?"
Hinata's eyes lit up, meeting his gaze with surprise. Before he could respond, her expression dimmed, and she shook her head. "No, I can't. Father doesn't let me go out freely."
Since the kidnapping attempt, Hinata needed an escort to leave home alone. Even then, outings were limited. Now enrolled in the academy—sharing a class with an Uchiha, no less—she had to train diligently to uphold the Hyuga clan's honor, lest the Uchiha overshadow them.
"Hey, don't worry about that," Izayoi said with a sly grin. "Just answer me: do you want to hang out during break and train together?"
"…Yes."
Hinata lowered her head, nibbling her food, her voice barely audible.
"Great. Tomorrow, I'll handle it, and here's the plan…"
Leaning close, Izayoi whispered his scheme in her ear. His warm breath tickled, turning her cheeks and ears crimson. Her chopstick-holding hand trembled.
This was the closest they'd ever been, and three months of building tolerance vanished instantly. Unlike her original-story self, though, she didn't faint from embarrassment.
But her mind blanked, and she forgot everything he said.
"…Got it? Tomorrow, you need to take the lead, or they'll see through us," Izayoi finished, stressing the point.
"Uh-huh…"
Hinata nodded dazedly, adorably clueless. Then she looked up. "Izayoi-kun, what… what did you just say?"
Izayoi froze.
With a thwack, he flicked her forehead, ignoring her pitiful pout, and repeated the plan.
Clutching her forehead, Hinata's eyes sparkled.
The next day, the Ninja Academy began its forty-day summer break.
Izayoi left home, heading to a nearby alley. A pop—like a bursting balloon—echoed within.
A blonde girl, her hair visible despite a hat, darted out, making a beeline for the Hyuga compound.
Any Class 1 student would've recognized her as Ino Yamanaka.
"Hi, I'm Ino Yamanaka. I'm here to pick up Hinata—we made plans yesterday."
At the Hyuga gates, Izayoi, disguised as Ino via Transformation Technique, flashed a sweet smile at the guards.
The two exchanged a glance.
"Please wait a moment."
One guard studied Izayoi closely, then bowed politely and entered the compound.
Soon, he returned, followed by a small girl in a white coat—Hinata.
Hinata jogged over, sharing a knowing smile with the disguised Izayoi.
The plan had worked flawlessly. The heiress was free.
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