Chapter 5: Izayoi's Invitation, Summer Vacation
Before anyone noticed, the first semester was already coming to an end.
In the first semester, the first-year students only had academic and physical education classes.
Every day was either studying or physical training, followed by chakra extraction.
Except for Class 1-A, other classes had students who were advised to drop out.
That's how rare true ninjas are.
Not only is the entrance exam difficult, but the graduation assessment is also extremely tough.
Even graduation isn't true graduation—if one fails to gain the approval of a jōnin, they must repeat the year. The elimination rate is absurdly high.
And that's just the promotion from trainee ninja to genin.
Above genin, there are still chūnin, special jōnin, and all-rounder jōnin.
But for Izayoi and the "Nine Little Powerhouses" (九大小强), none of that mattered.
Except for the first two weeks, Izayoi never went to school in person afterward.
Unless there was a taijutsu (hand-to-hand combat) match, he wouldn't show up.
After all, the reason Izayoi enrolled in the ninja academy in the first place was because of Hinata, Naruto, and Sasuke.
To be precise, it was because he had his eye on their red tags (presumably some kind of special characteristic or potential).
Before graduation, Izayoi had to "explode" (trigger) their red tags—at least one or two of them.
Otherwise, once they graduated from the academy, it would become much harder for Izayoi to do so.
It wasn't about the strength gap, but the fact that chances to meet and fight them would become far less frequent.
In the original storyline, the Nine Little Powerhouses only reunited again during the Chūnin Exams.
Graduation was at the end of March; the Chūnin Exams started on July 1st—both important annual events.
That's a full season apart.
Ding-ling-ling...
As the dismissal bell rang, another school day came to an end.
Even after an entire afternoon of physical education, the students were still full of energy.
"Hey, Izayoi-kun, want to play ninja games with us?"
"Izayoi, want to walk home together?"
Some students left for home, while others stayed behind at school, forming small groups and inviting their classmates.
Izayoi received many invitations—he was quite the popular figure in class.
Even though it was just a shadow clone attending school, and his only targets were Hinata and Naruto, Izayoi was never cold to the others. He always greeted them with a friendly smile.
Even when he declined, he did it very politely.
Today was no different.
Faced with the invitations from his classmates, Izayoi's shadow clone put his hands together and smiled apologetically."Sorry, I already made plans with someone else. Maybe next time, okay? I promise!"
"Aww, you got roped into something again? Izayoi-kun's really popular."
"Next time then! We'll all play ninja games together."
Although disappointed, the classmates didn't push the issue.
Once Izayoi's clone left school, it slipped into an alleyway and dissipated on its own.
All the memories and fatigue returned to the main body.
Digesting the day's memories while resting at home after finishing his training, Izayoi muttered:"Just a few more days until vacation… it's time to start acting."
On July 20th.
After the morning classes, it was lunchtime.
Some students lived nearby and chose to go home for lunch.
Others brought bentō (boxed lunches) to school.
Some ate in the classroom, while others went outside.
Because it was always a shadow clone coming to school, Izayoi normally went home to eat.
But today, Izayoi came in person—rarely—and even brought a bentō.
He was eating lunch in the classroom with Hinata.
In just three months, Izayoi and Hinata had become friends.
Though they weren't at the "sharing everything" level yet, they knew each other's hobbies and a few small secrets.
For example, Hinata's hobby was pressed flowers.
And Hinata also knew that her desk mate was usually just a shadow clone.
When she first found out, Hinata's small mouth opened in shock and her big eyes widened—she was clearly amazed.
Since the school hadn't even taught the Three Basic Jutsu yet, the fact that Izayoi had already mastered the Shadow Clone Technique was incredible.
While eating her lunch, Hinata suddenly heard Izayoi say,"Hinata, tomorrow's the start of summer break. Got any plans?"
"I'll probably just be training at home," Hinata answered softly.
"Wanna train with me?" Izayoi invited.
"C-can I?" Hinata looked at him in surprise and delight.
But before Izayoi could answer, she lowered her head sadly and shook it."No… I can't. Father won't let me go out freely."
Ever since the kidnapping incident, Hinata wasn't allowed to go out alone—she had to be accompanied by guards.
She also wasn't allowed to go out often, since she was now attending the ninja academy—and there was a Uchiha in her class.
For the honor of her clan, she had to train hard and couldn't afford to fall behind the Uchiha clan.
"Hey... don't worry about that."
Izayoi grinned and said,"Just answer me—do you want to go out and have fun during the break? Train with me?"
"…Mm."
Hinata lowered her head as she ate, replying in a voice as soft as a mosquito's.
"Great. I'll help you tomorrow, and then…"
Izayoi leaned close to Hinata's ear and whispered his plan.
His warm breath brushed against her ear, causing her cheeks and ears to flush bright red. Her hand holding the chopsticks trembled slightly.
This was the first time she had been so close to Izayoi. All the resistance she'd built up over the past three months instantly dropped to zero.
Fortunately, her personality wasn't quite as exaggerated as in the original story—she didn't faint from embarrassment.
However, with her mind going completely blank, she forgot everything Izayoi had just said.
"…Remember, you have to be proactive tomorrow. Otherwise, my plan will definitely be exposed," Izayoi reminded her.
"O-okay…"
Hinata nodded blankly, looking adorably clueless.
Then she looked up at Izayoi and asked,"Izayoi-kun… what did you just say?"
Izayoi: "…"
Then—snap!—he flicked her forehead without mercy.
Under her pitiful expression, he repeated the plan.
Hinata covered her forehead, her beautiful eyes slightly sparkling.
The next day, the Ninja Academy officially entered a 40-day summer vacation.
Izayoi stepped out of his house and walked into a narrow alleyway.
With a puff—a sound like a balloon popping—something happened in the alley.
From within emerged a blonde girl wearing a hat (though her hair color was still visible), jogging off toward the Hyūga compound.
If any of Class 1-A's students had been there, they would've instantly recognized the girl as Yamanaka Ino.
"Hi, I'm Yamanaka Ino. I came to invite Hinata out—we arranged it yesterday."
Standing at the gate of the Hyūga clan's compound, Izayoi—disguised as Ino using the Transformation Jutsu—smiled sweetly at the gatekeepers.
The two guards exchanged a glance.
"Please wait a moment."
One of the guards took a closer look at "Ino," gave a respectful bow, and then walked inside the compound.
Moments later, he returned—with a small girl in a white cloak behind him: it was Hinata.
She jogged over, and upon meeting Izayoi (in disguise), the two smiled knowingly at each other.
The plan had gone perfectly. The young lady had left the house.
(End of Chapter)