Chapter 17: Guiding Team 7, The Third Pays a Visit
The third round preliminaries of the Chūnin Exams came to a close after the brutal, all-out battle between Lee and Gaara.
Twenty-six participants had entered. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuB3F1hbBnC
After the matches, only twelve remained.
The twelve drew lots, determining their upcoming opponents in advance. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPx49TdNpc
The Third Hokage gave a brief explanation of the situation, 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblrkyEyJhZ
then granted everyone a one-month break for rest and preparation before dismissing them.
But after the dismissal…
Many people didn’t head home. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkbVJGdN4Yw
Instead, they rushed straight toward Byakuya’s bookstore.
……
“Back then, Byakuya-kun was always hanging around with that Byakugan girl. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ImkKFVcoR
And now she’s even learned Byakuya-kun’s ninjutsu first! 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡunVrTjWstt
So enviable!”
“Exactly!”
“I wonder if Byakuya-kun actually likes her?”
“No way! 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12DlyTe2tg
There’s no way Byakuya-kun would like that kind of cute-but-clueless girl! 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZztA4ACyY
If he likes anyone, it’s definitely going to be a beautiful girl like me!”
“Pfft! 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhLyMKood6
Big Forehead!”
“You ugly freak!”
“Big Forehead!”
“Ugly freak!”
Sakura and Ino both stopped dead in their tracks. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rKia1eXFv
They glared at each other, eyes locked in a fierce stare-down. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpc3SSibGJq
Sparks practically crackled in the space between their gazes.
“Women are so troublesome…”
Shikamaru glanced at the two girls and let out a long sigh.
“Ino, Asuma-sensei is treating us to barbecue. Are you coming or not?”
“I’m coming!”
Ino shot one last vicious glare at Sakura.
“Big Forehead, I’ll settle this with you another day!”
“Tongue out~”
Sakura tugged down her lower eyelid and stuck her tongue out in a childish taunt.
With the departure of the Ino–Shika–Chō trio, 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUJXI2P2pz
the only ones left searching for Byakuya were Naruto’s team of three… and Hinata, who had come to express her gratitude.
“Byakuya! Byakuya! 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHhBwoVl6I
Where are you? 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPnHaOyVZA
Whereeee?!”
The moment Naruto burst into the bookstore, he immediately started shouting at the top of his lungs.
“Let me tell you, we had so many crazy things happen during the Chūnin Exams! 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZRretaTMT
We even ran into this guy in black clo—”
DUANG!
Before Naruto could finish saying “black-cloaked organization,” Sakura’s fist slammed straight into the back of his head.
“Sakura-chan!”
“Naruto! 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvAATEwitu
Did you already forget what the ANBU told us?!”
“Uh…”
Seeing Sakura’s angry expression, Naruto instantly shrank back.
“Go! 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6f2brHK97
Clean the place!”
“F-Fine…”
Watching Naruto shuffle off dejectedly to start cleaning, 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfyLQEnXcPV
Sakura finally turned toward Byakuya.
She clasped her hands in front of her chest, eyes sparkling with little hearts.
“Byakuya-kun, you’re seriously amazing! 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLw1jf6bc3E
Just a little bit of advice for Hinata, and she managed to beat Neji!”
“H-Huh?”
Hinata blinked in confusion.
“I… I never said Byakuya-kun was the one who taught me…”
“With that terrible lying face of yours, who would possibly believe you?”
Sasuke, hands in his pockets, gave Hinata an exasperated look.
“Eh?!”
Hinata’s Byakugan instantly rolled into pure white shock. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6r0w2Ecca
She stood frozen in place, completely flustered.
She had been planning to keep it a secret… 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOeUJ1jO5p
and yet here they were.
“Um…”
Sakura ignored the bewildered Hinata completely. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvZtxBhNwS
She sidled up close to Byakuya, suddenly shy and fidgety.
“Byakuya-kun… 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQSQKSbIfv
I… I also want to get stronger… 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtgT6Rg4pDR
So, um… 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISdoT9HzbF
Would it be possible… 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXf4QSH7rRT
for you to give me some private lessons?”
Byakuya glanced at Sakura, 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcd9vgiSCn
then gave a small nod.
“Come by tomorrow. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH49qpVp2F1
I’ll teach you a pretty useful taijutsu style.”
“Yay!”
Sakura practically exploded with excitement.
“Byakuya-kun~ 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgL21yyXeGj
I’ll start cleaning for you right now~!”
Humming a cheerful little tune, she happily went off to clean.
【Ding! Plot changed. Gained 20,000 plot points!】
Sasuke stood off to the side, mouth opening and closing, unable to speak.
He wanted to get stronger too. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHy7Xb5nfQ
But… 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDNCx1cfFR
He just couldn’t bring himself to ask.
He felt like asking Byakuya how to get stronger was somehow incredibly embarrassing.
Of course, Byakuya had already seen right through him.
After a moment’s thought, 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0XlvcEwCQU
he spoke first.
“Sasuke. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRFKBt96eI
If you want to get stronger, 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNaaqJ4pcB
you could talk to Kakashi about entering the ANBU for training. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHRI91aXVE
There’s a lot more combat there—you’ll grow fast. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4iRIQy5T8
Of course, how fast you grow ultimately depends on your own effort. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUaIuiXscX
If you can train as hard as Lee does, 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWeo9HR2ctO
you’ll improve very quickly. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcaCTmxGCc
Do your best.”
The moment Byakuya mentioned Lee, 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFp9BSu1E6
Sasuke unconsciously clenched his fist.
He remembered the terrifying power Lee had displayed after opening the Gates not long ago.
“If even he can do it, then of course I can too!”
Sasuke silently resolved himself to train harder than ever. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOcgDKwFGQ
Then he gave a small, grateful nod.
“Thanks.”
【Ding! Plot changed. Gained 20,000 plot points!】
“Not bad, not bad~”
Watching Sasuke’s back as he went to clean, Byakuya couldn’t help but smile.
“Even a mosquito is still meat when it comes to plot points~”
“U-Um…”
Hinata’s face was bright red. She kept poking her two index fingers together in front of her, looking extremely guilty.
“Byakuya-kun… 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFGFRlISGF
I…”
“I know, you didn’t mean to~”
Byakuya stood up with a gentle smile, 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRdi56RSNx
lightly patted Hinata on the head, 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6vZx6Eoxo
and spoke softly.
“It’s not exactly some big secret anyway. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyocO1Ss2U5
It’s fine. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3DLpADOXm
Besides… the way you can’t lie at all is actually really cute.”
“Eh?”
Hinata froze. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSA4XEhaId
Then the temperature in her face skyrocketed. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOeorLNtoy
Finally—
Bam!
She passed out on the spot.
Byakuya: “…”
“When are you going to fix that fainting habit of yours?!”
Byakuya was momentarily speechless.
……
Not long after, someone from the Hyūga family came to pick Hinata up.
After Naruto’s team finished cleaning, 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzifQkbOMe
Byakuya generously treated all three of them to a meal at Ichiraku Ramen.
During dinner, Byakuya casually told Naruto to come find him tomorrow. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5eo85rGeP
He would teach Naruto some things too.
Naruto’s eyes immediately lit up. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5TI3mHnXO
He nodded over and over again, thrilled.
Byakuya smiled inwardly.
With his presence and guidance, 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYr6mNcxxYF
the bond between Naruto’s team and the Sannin might just get severed. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJh5ZkTeZQ
And when that happened… 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0LeYAYp8lw
he’d get to harvest another big wave of plot points.
That felt pretty good.
After the meal, everyone parted ways.
Byakuya walked back toward the bookstore alone.
But before he even reached the door, 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44bRwFNsDC
he sensed someone quietly waiting for him there.
It was the Third Hokage—Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Seeing this, a smile slowly spread across Byakuya’s face.
“Sarutobi Hiruzen, huh~ 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡha3cnxBm6j
Now this is a proper ATM machine~”
Orochimaru hadn’t left Konoha. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2nUFJ5rjJ
He was still secretly preparing to cause trouble. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIOITmWZxq
Under the pull of fate, the Third would probably “die” over and over again in the future.
If he could seize the chance to “save” Hiruzen a few times… 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmailSeJKEo
it would be like repeatedly withdrawing cash from a broken ATM.
One had to admit— 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mzztRDWS1
sometimes saving people earns way more plot points than killing them!
Wanna read ahead? Join my Patreon and support the story: patreon.com/ArealMaster6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZB7FJwyw7
6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTekomP97M
and then Add to home screen.