"Good morning, class," Iruka stated, standing at the front of the classroom with all the authority of his position as an Academy sensei. "For lecture today, we'll be reviewing the Third Shinobi War and Konoha's part in it. But first, we have a new student. Naruto, please come down."
Naruto gave Hinata's hand a comforting squeeze before letting go and standing up. He walked down the steps to Iruka, his ears picking up confused whispers among his classmates.
Iruka addressed the class. "Naruto here has been given special permission by Hokage-sama to join our class despite the fact the year is well underway." Iruka turned to Naruto. "Introduce yourself with your name, age, and why you want to be a shinobi."
"Yes, Iruka-sensei," Naruto acquiesced. The Order Journeyman turned to face the class. "Hello to you all. I am Uzumaki Naruto, I turn 12 on Monday, and I want to be a shinobi so I can work to make the world a better place for everyone. Please take good care of me." He bowed at the waist.
"You may recall in first year that when you introduced yourselves, the class was allowed to ask you three questions. We'll do the same for Naruto. I will select three of you at random to each ask one question." Iruka flicked his eyes around the room before landing on a student. "Shino."
"Why are you in this class?" The Aburame Clan Heir asked.
"To become a proud shinobi of Konoha, of course," Naruto replied with a beaming smile.
Iruka was about to pick the next person when Shino raised his hand. "Yes, Shino?"
"I fear I misworded my question. Why? Because there was a misunderstanding. I meant, why are you in this class when my insects inform me you are stronger than my father?" The bug user clarified.
That caused a stir. Everyone knew how strong a Clan Head was in Konoha. Naruto scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Well, I wanted to experience the life of an Academy student. I could have just been inducted as a shinobi and learned what I didn't know about the ninja lifestyle from a tutor. Instead, I wanted to come here and be with all of you, learning and training and bonding, like any other Konoha boy my age."
"I see," Shino said, showing no emotion on what little of his face was visible.
"Moving on," Iruka said. He looked over the class before going on impulse. "Ami."
"How did you get such long, beautiful hair?" the kunoichi-in-training asked, mixed awe and jealousy in her tone.
"Good genes, channeling chakra to my scalp to reinforce my roots, and a wash with a potent hair tonic once a week," Naruto told her readily.
Iruka looked for the last student to pick on. "Sasuke."
The last (loyal) Uchiha looked with intense dark eyes at Naruto. "Have you ever killed before?"
Iruka was about to veto that dark question, but Naruto was already answering. "I've slaughtered animals for meat before. I've yet to take a human life. I hope I never have to, but if it comes down to it… well, you know what they say. Ninja don't win or lose; they survive or die."
"That'll be all. Naruto, go sit back down and we will begin with today's lesson," Iruka ordered.
Naruto went back up towards Hinata, keeping half an eye on Uchiha Sasuke. 'So, brother of my soul, we meet once again in our new forms,' he mused. He shook his head of such thoughts as his reincarnating older brother and simply focused on being a dutiful Academy student. He summoned an empty notebook and pen from the storage seals he'd tattooed on his palms and took notes with his left hand as Iruka-sensei began the lecture, his right curled around Hinata's left. He was lucky to be ambidextrous.
There were two periods in the morning at the Academy, a lunch period, and then three periods in the afternoon. The first period was Iruka's promised lecture on the Third Shinobi War. For the second period, Mizuki took the reins and led them all to the training yard behind the Academy building for weapon throwing practice. They all joined one of three lines and attempted to hit the target with five kunai and five shuriken. Naruto patiently waited for his turn. When he got to the front, he picked up a kunai in his right hand and a shuriken star in his left. "Well, here's hoping I have beginner's luck," he mused to himself. Then he carefully and methodically threw each kunai and shuriken at the target. He got one bull's-eye by blind luck, the rest barely hitting the target at all.
"Sorry, Naruto-kun," Hinata said when Naruto joined her with the students who'd already gone.
"It's no trouble, Hinata-chan. I just need to get some practice in," Naruto said with his customary smile.
The bell rang a little after the last student had gone, Iruka-sensei calling out "Break for lunch!" Naruto let Hinata guide him through the Academy building to the cafeteria. They found a currently empty table and sat down side by side, pulling out their bento. They began to eat, their hands still clutching each other.
"So, I take it your father is hard on you?" Naruto asked gently after the first few bites had been made in peaceful silence.
Hinata looked down. "He thinks I'm unworthy of being the Clan Heiress. He favors my little sister. He says Hanabi was born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born."
Naruto winced. "Ouch. No child wants to hear that from their parent. I'm so sorry, Hinata-chan."
"It's not your fault, Naruto-kun," Hinata said with a small but heartfelt grin.
At that moment, Aburame Shino walked up to them. "May I sit with you?" he asked in his usual dull albeit polite tone.
Naruto looked to Hinata, and she gave a hesitant nod. "Of course, Shino-san," Naruto told the other student.
"Thank you." Taking his place on Naruto's left on the bench, Shino pulled out his own bento and began to eat.
"So, Shino-san, why did you want to sit with me and Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked, eyeing the rest of the cafeteria and the many openings at other tables.
"I feel I should stay close to you, befriend you if possible. Why? Because you are the most powerful human I've yet to meet." Shino paused and then admitted "Also, my insects find your chakra particularly fulfilling. They wished to be near you to have easier access."
Naruto lifted his hand, where he could see three kikaichu resting on the back. "Is that why these guys have been following me around? I'm their new favorite flavor?"
"Your conclusion is accurate," Shino said formally. "I hope you are not bothered by my insects feeding on you. I have commanded them only to take what you will not notice missing."
"Hey, I have more chakra then I know what to do with. If your bugs want to snack on some, I don't mind at all," Naruto shrugged with a grin. "And sure, we can be friends if you want. The more the merrier, right?"
At that moment, Inuzuka Kiba, his ninja hound Akamaru resting on his head, sat down across from Naruto and Hinata uninvited. "Hey, new kid," Kiba said with a feral grin.
"Hello, Kiba-san. And Akamaru-san as well. May we help you?" Naruto asked with a raised brow.
"According to Shino and Akamaru, you're pretty strong. And my mom always told me to run with the alpha when you can. So I figure I'd hang around you for awhile, see if you're all you're cracked up to be," the brash Clan Heir explained as he dug into his food.
Akamaru barked.
"Yes, I do like dogs, Akamaru-san. I also like cats and most other animals kept as pets as well, though," Naruto replied to the puppy.
That got Kiba's attention. "Wait, you speak Dog?"
"I understand Dog. I lack the proper vocal chords to speak it. Your clan are hardly the only ones in the world to crack the trick to translating animal tongues, Kiba-san," Naruto explained patiently.
"So where'd you learn how to do it?" Kiba asked with genuine interest.
"Where I learned most everything I know. The Order of the Horned One," Naruto said to Kiba, Shino and Hinata eagerly listening as well.
"You're a horn? What are you doing here? Oh, and we'd like to sit here please," Chouji asked from next to the table, Nara Shikamaru behind him with a bored expression.
Naruto glanced at Hinata. She saw his look and gave a cautious nod. She was used to lunch utterly alone. Now they seemed to be attracting half their class. "Sit down Chouji-san, Shikamaru-san. And to answer your questions, I left the Order to come here to Konoha to be a shinobi," Naruto spelled out.
"You've been in the Order? Is that where you gained your strength?" Shino asked, pausing in his meal.
"Yes, Shino-san. I entered an ordinary untrained 6-year-old, I left the man I am now. And I've already explained why I'm in the Academy as opposed to already in the ninja corps," Naruto answered.
Chouji looked up from his Akimichi-sized bento. "Are you really stronger than Shino's dad?"
Naruto shrugged. "I have more chakra than him, and I'm well-trained in combat. I'm not certain I'd win a bout with Aburame-san in real life, though."
"And how did an 11-year-old get more chakra than a Jonin and Clan Head?" Shikamaru asked pointedly, looking vaguely interested instead of completely bored.
"The way anyone gets anything in this world: blood, sweat, and tears. Though I will admit to having a few advantages others don't, such as my clan heritage," Naruto shrugged.
"What clan? I've never heard of the Uzumaki Clan!" Yamanaka Ino asked, sitting down between Chouji and Kiba uninvited, her eyes alight with curiosity.
"We're not from the Land of Fire and we were rendered almost extinct during the Second Shinobi War. But make no mistake, Ino-san, the Uzumaki Clan are nothing to sneeze at. We're cousins to the Senju, which is why Konoha had a strong alliance with our village, Uzushio. So much so, in fact, that when Uzushio was destroyed in the war before Konoha reinforcements could arrive, Konoha changed its sigil to incorporate the Uzushio spiral in memory of the village's destruction and the crippling blow dealt to the Uzumaki," Naruto lectured before taking another bite of his bento.
Kiba blinked. "No shit? Your clan is the reason we have that little whirlpool in the middle of the leaf symbol?"
"That is correct," Naruto confirmed.
Ino's eyes kept flicking between Naruto and Hinata with a widening smile on her face. "You and Hinata seem awfully friendly, Naruto-kun. There a reason for that?"
"She's my girlfriend," Naruto replied for them, sensing Hinata's social anxiety was high with so many people at their table.
"Really? Is that so? Best of luck then, you two. There goes my plan B," Ino sighed.
Naruto, who'd have to be blind to have missed the fangirling over his soul-brother most of the class's female population engaged in, made a couple deductions. "I see. You were hoping I could be a consolation prize in the event you fail to nab Sasuke-san. Should I feel flattered?"
Before Ino could answer, Hinata slammed her right palm on the table, drawing attention to her. The veins around her eyes bulged from her active Byakugan. "Hands. Off," she said, every inch the heiress of a proud, ancient clan as she stared Ino down.
Shocked to see such aggression from the ordinarily meek Hyuuga, Ino held up her hands in surrender. "You can have him, Hinata. Sasuke-kun's the one for me, you know that."
Hinata deactivated her Byakugan and returned to eating, though her left hand clutched Naruto's like a lifeline. Naruto was proud of his girl standing up to defend their relationship.
The seven tweens settled down, chatting and eating, Naruto the main subject of interest but ordinary Academy woes and gossip leaking in every now and then. It was far from the intimate lunch with her boyfriend Hinata had hoped for, but she found herself enjoying the meal nonetheless. It was such a delight to see Naruto making new friends, his whole aura lighting up as one person after another pledged their companionship to him.
By the end of lunch, Naruto had forged bonds with almost every Clan Heir or Heiress in the village. Not bad for an hour's casual work.
The third period that day was another lecture, this time on Anatomy. The fourth period was Jutsu practice, the Jutsu of the day being the Replacement Jutsu. The fifth and last period was the most exciting, being Taijutsu spars among the class. Everyone went out to the training yard and waited for their name to be called.
Finally, at the end of the class, Iruka called "Naruto vs. Sasuke!"
Naruto stepped into the chalk-outlined ring and faced the Uchiha Heir. He calmly got into his preferred stance as the ravenette did the same. When Iruka called out "Begin!", Sasuke rushed forward, taking the offensive. Naruto blocked every attack, making no move to counter or make his own charge. After a solid minute of fending off Sasuke, Naruto seemed to double in speed and flipped and pinned his opponent out of nowhere. Iruka called out "Victory: Naruto!"
Sasuke picked himself up, an incredulous expression on his face. He NEVER lost. Naruto turned to regard him with a neutral expression. "How did I beat you?" The blond asked the Uchiha.
Sasuke grit his teeth. "... You were too fast," he finally ground out.
"Remember that. No matter how desperately you believe you're in the right, you can fail all the same. Against a better opponent, the only real options are to flee or surrender. So take a minute to be honest with yourself before you go charging off half-cocked after Itachi. Just some helpful advice."
Sasuke clenched his jaw, dusted himself off, and made for the exit to the Academy, the last bell conveniently ringing as he walked away.
Naruto walked hand-in-hand with Hinata to the front courtyard, where a tall Branch House Hyuuga was standing waiting to escort Hinata back to her Clan Estate. Naruto parted with another kiss on the back of her hand, Hinata blushing prettily as she walked over to her escort. Naruto withstood the piercing glare of said escort, and knew without having to spy on it that Hinata's father would be made aware of this budding romance. Hopefully most of the heat would fall on Naruto, not Hinata.
Naruto walked from the Academy to the Training Grounds. He used his sensing skills to pick one empty, walking until he stood at the center of a grass clearing in the vast forest the First Hokage had made to protect the village. Then he focused his chakra along familiar lines and created five Shadow Clones. "You know what to do," he said simply.
Shadow Clone 1 made 499 Shadow Clones of his own. They then split into five groups of 100, each focusing on converting their chakra into one of the five Elemental Chakras. They'd long since passed the leaf exercise for their respective elements, so they had to get creative with what they had.
Shadow Clone 2 made 499 Shadow Clones as well. They all immediately began to fight each other, summoning all manner of weapons using Jutsu or their Storage Seals as they engaged in a battle royale. The last one standing would dispel and then Naruto would recreate all 500 of them all over again. It was a great way to get battle experience.
Shadow Clone 3 made 499 Shadow Clones and then each Clone made a handful of kunai or shuriken. They'd spend hours practicing with the thrown weapons until they could hit a bull's-eye while running at full speed past the target.
Shadow Clone 4 made 499 Shadow Clones with a simple thought. Then the 500 copies all went into the meditative position and focused on sensing and integrating Natural Energy into their chakra. If any of the Shadow Clones went overboard and absorbed enough Natural Energy to be turned to stone, they would dispel and the energy be dispersed among the hundreds of other Clones. There was little to no risk to Naruto himself.
Shadow Clone 5 sat down and then laid back on the ground, enjoying the afternoon sunlight. His job was to restore his chakra stores to full and then dispel last in order to stretch Naruto's chakra coils and increase his reserves even further.
The original Naruto took off his top and began his typical stretching routine. One of the only things Shadow Clones couldn't help with was physical conditioning. If Naruto wanted to get stronger, faster, or gain more endurance, he had to work for it himself. After he'd finished warming up each major muscle group, Naruto turned to his right wrist and the Gravity Seal he'd inscribed there. It was currently set at '1.0'.
"Let's try and really go for it today. I took yesterday completely off, after all," Naruto thought aloud. With a thought and surge of chakra, the number changed to '10.0', even though his previous personal best was '8.5'. Naruto endured the sensation of gravity's pull on his body going up an order of magnitude. Then, an eager grin on his face, he started a blistering, challenging physical exercise routine he'd developed over the years with guidance from his teachers in the Order.
The next 4 hours passed in a blur, Naruto's body almost going on auto-pilot as he stopped thinking and focused totally on movement. He replaced the second group of Shadow Clones after each victor dispeled. Otherwise, he only engaged in testing his body to its physical limits. When the sun had set and the stars were shining overhead, Naruto figured enough was enough. "Time! Dispel 25 at a time, we've been over this!"
His Shadow Clones dispelled in groups so as to minimize the strain on his mind from processing all their memories once they vanished. When Naruto was alone in the Training Ground, Naruto nodded. He was full of energy despite his hours of hard labor, due to his fifth Shadow Clone filing him with as much chakra as he'd had when he woke up that morning. His body would process the increase by the time he woke up.
Naruto walked back to his apartment, opening the door and spotting, through the hustle and bustle of his research team, a hot meal on the kitchen table as well as a couple envelopes. "I have mail already?" he wondered out loud as he shuffled through the room to the table. "First things first," he said before attacking the nutritious dinner. Washing his own dishes and putting them away, Naruto went for the messages he'd received.
The first was a letter from Kakashi. "Hey, Naruto. Knew you'd be at the Academy all day so I figured I'd leave this note. I'm spending the next few days training, and I regularly book Training Ground 7 most days of the week. Ever feel like a friendly spar, working out a new technique together or, hell, teaching this old dog some new tricks, feel free to come! P.S. Anko-chan says you can pop in on her whenever you want to work on the seal. If she's not at her favorite dango stand she'll be at her apartment." The addresses of both locations were given at the end of the postscript.
"Ooh, a training buddy. That has possibilities," Naruto grinned. He grabbed the second envelope and felt immediately that it was a higher quality paper than standard. Opening it, Naruto pulled out an invitation card embossed with what he'd bet his left nut was real gold. "You are cordially invited to a formal dinner at the Hyuuga Clan Estate with Clan Head Hyuuga Hiashi and family. Dinner to be held at 6:00 p.m Friday evening. No confirmation necessary." Naruto blew out a breath. "Meeting the future father-in-law tomorrow so he can decide whether I'm worthy of his daughter's hand. I better bring my A-game."
Figuring that to worry was to suffer twice, Naruto put the thought of how many ways the formal dinner could go wrong aside in favor of washing the cooling sweat off his body. Once he'd bathed and had a luxuriously long soak, he meditated before going to bed before midnight. Early to bed, early to rise, etc.
Naruto woke up with the dawn, got dressed and had breakfast. He had the research team all pop at once, processed the headway they made, then replaced them with new Shadow Clones. He walked out of the apartment complex and to the Academy, ready to take on whatever the day threw at him.
Naruto got to the Academy courtyard before Iruka. Shrugging, Naruto settled himself in the shade of the swing tree and began to meditate. He stirred only when he sensed Iruka's chakra signature inbound. He got up, exchanged a cordial greeting with his sensei, and went to sit at his preferred seat in the proper classroom.
Students came in sporadically as the 8:30 bell loomed nearer. Hinata came in about 10 minutes before, and all but ran up to sit next to Naruto. "Did you get the invitation?" she asked worriedly, holding Naruto's hand in both of hers.
"Yes, I did. Impressive work on such short notice," Naruto said cheerily.
Hinata hung her head. "I'm so sorry. Ko reported I was being overly friendly with a boy and Father insisted on meeting you."
"Relax, Hinata-chan. It could have been worse. He could have ordered you not to see me anymore. At least he's waiting to meet me before he passes judgment."
Hinata heaved a sigh. "I hadn't thought of that."
"Relax. We'll eat, we'll talk, your dad will be my biggest fan before dessert!" Naruto grinned.
Hinata chuckled despite herself. "EVen you aren't that charming, Naruto-kun."
"Maybe. But no harm in trying, right?" Naruto smirked.
"I wish I had your optimism," Hinata said, but the tension had mostly bled out of her.
"I'll be optimistic enough for the both of us," Naruto said with gentle reassurance.
The bell rang then, and the young couple focused on learning for the next 3 hours. AFter lunch bell, they went to the cafeteria. They were looking for a place to sit when CHouji waved from the table they'd had yesterday, Shikamaru beside him. Shrugging, Naruto led HInata by the hand to what was apparently 'their' table. As they sat Shino, Kiba, and Ino joined them within moments.
"It appears I've accidentally made a 'cool kids' table," Naruto observed after a bite of his lunch.
"Or at least a 'clan kids' table," Shikamaru yawned. "We're all Heirs and Heiresses after all."
Naruto noticed someone absent and spared a second to use his sensor technique. "Why is Sasuke-san eating in an empty classroom instead of here with us?"
Kiba snorted. "He needs a whole room to himself to fit his ego."
Shino answered helpfully with "To avoid his more fanatical fangirls during the lunch hour."
"We're not fanatics," Ino pouted.
"Just won't take no for an answer," Chouji observed with his mouth full.
"So he's rejected all his fangirls' advances?" Naruto checked.
"To date, yes," Hinata spoke up.
Naruto hummed. "Then my guess is he's either gay or doesn't respect any of his fangirls. Possibly both, who knows?"
Ino turned fiery eyes on Naruto. "Sasuke-kun is not gay! He's just playing hard to get, that's all!"
"You're entitled to your opinion, just as I am," Naruto shrugged.
Hinata, finished with her lunch, took a chance and leaned into Naruto's side, her head resting on his shoulder. Naruto just grinned, kissed her hair, and returned to the group conversation. Hinata smiled in bliss as she savored Naruto's strong body heat, hard muscles, and masculine scent.
The rest of the school day passed quickly, with a reminder it was a long weekend due to the Kyuubi Festival on Monday. Naruto waved Hinata away as she joined her escort, before going home to ensure he was his most well-groomed for the formal dinner.
At 5:45 p.m., Naruto found himself in his fanciest outfit, a black silk yukata, his hair bound in a tail in front of the gates of the Hyuuga Clan Estate. It was a sprawling collection of buildings dominated by the Main House Mansion. Two Branch House guards flanked the entrance.
"State your name and reason for coming," barked the one on the right.
"Uzumaki Naruto, invited to dinner with Hiashi-sama. I have the invitation here," Naruto said calmly, holding out the card.
The one on the left took the card and verified its authenticity. Convinced it was real, he activated the short-range radio he was wearing. "Guest Whirlpool at entrance." He then gave back the invitation to Naruto wordlessly.
After a few minutes of slightly awkward silence, Hinata's escort Ko came out the front door of the Mansion. He approached Naruto and, after a small bow, ordered "Follow me." He then turned and went back towards the massive house. Naruto trailed behind.
Ko led him through the palatial residence Hinata called home. They finally arrived in a surprisingly small dining room, probably meant for the Clan Head's family alone. The only furniture was a low, square dining table and four pillows set at each side. Hiashi, Hanabi, and Hinata were already seated, dressed up for a meal with the Daimyo. Naruto was glad he'd gone to such lengths to look his best.
"You're dismissed, Ko," Hinata's father said blandly. The escort bowed and exited, leaving just the four of them in the room.
Naruto bowed at the waist. "Greetings Hiashi-sama, Hanabi-san, Hinata-chan. You honor me by inviting me here."
Hiashi looked like he didn't need the Byakugan to see right through people. "Please, take a seat, Uzumaki-san. Dinner is about to start."
Naruto went to kneel on the pillow. He observed the moods of his three dinner companions. Hanabi tried to conceal it but she seemed fascinated by Naruto like he was some exotic animal she'd never seen before. Hinata's eyes held equal parts affection and worry. Hiashi looked cold as ice but there wasn't any hostility that Naruto could detect.
"So Hiashi-sama, does the interrogation start now or does that come after dinner?" Naruto asked plainly.
A flicker of surprise followed by just a hint of amusement. "I planned to wait until we'd at least finished the first course."
"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather we just get it out of the way, Hiashi-sama," Naruto answered.
"Very well. Straight to the point. What are your intentions with my daughter?" Hiashi asked with all the weight of his station.
Naruto was prompt. "I intend to make her my wife, the mother of my children, and the happiest girl in Konoha if not the world. Not necessarily in that order."
Hanabi's jaw dropped. HInata blushed but smiled despite herself. And Hiashi actually raised a brow. "Bold words, given you've only known each other 3 days."
"When you know, you know Hiashi-sama. She's the one for me. I'm the one for her. It's that simple," Naruto declared.
"Very well. But what makes you believe you are worthy of the Hyuuga Clan Heiress?" Hiashi countered.
"Three reasons. I'm an Uzumaki, a clan just as old and venerable as the Hyuuga. I'm the son of the Fourth Hokage. And I'm strong enough to defend her from most threats," Naruto could have been discussing the weather, he was so casual.
"What?!" Hanabi gasped. Hinata's eyes widened, but she didn't seem overly surprised. Hiashi just narrowed his pupiless eyes. At that moment, a Branch House woman with the air of a servant came in with a tray holding four bowls of soup. She set them down in front of the diners, bowed, and left without a word.
Hiashi said "Itadakimasu," echoed by the children, and they began to eat. Between sips of the extremely well-made dish, Hiashi commented "I did not expect you to be aware of your heritage. On either side."
"Self-discovery is a core aspect of life in the Order of the Horned One. Also, the temple Master met my parents and saw the resemblance when we first met. I've known for years," Naruto explained.
"Father, he's really the son of Fourth-sama?" Hanabi asked in disbelief.
"Yes, Hanabi, he is," Hiashi said plainly to his younger daughter. His attention refocused on Naruto. "I will admit you have an impressive pedigree. But it will take more than that for me to approve a relationship between you and Hinata."
"What would convince you that I am a suitable future son-in-law?" Naruto asked directly.
Hiashi narrowed his eyes. "You say you're strong enough to protect her. And at the least, you carry yourself like a martial artist. There's only one way to convince me you belong by Hinata's side. Face me in a bout."
"Done. When and where?" Naruto replied without blinking.
Hanabi gaped between her father and Naruto before turning to face her older sister. "Where the heck did you find this guy, onee-san?"
"I didn't. He found me," Hinata said with a smile that was just as luminous as Naruto's in its own way.
Hiashi glanced at his firstborn. Naruto could have sworn there was just a drop of tenderness in his eyes before it was covered by his usual frigid demeanor. "Tonight, after dinner, in the dojo."
"Very well."
The Branch House woman came back, taking the empty bowls of soup and replacing them with salads. The next three courses consisted of appetizer, entree, and dessert. Naruto managed to keep a line of lighthearted small talk going with the occasional assist from Hinata throughout the meal. After they'd all finished the green tea ice cream, they were served cups of tea and the conversation continued as they digested their large meal. After half an hour, Hiashi stood, prompting the three children to stand as well.
Hiashi walked briskly from the private dining room to the Mansion's dojo. It was naturally empty at this hour. Hinata and Hanabi sat on the sidelines while Hiashi and Naruto went to face each other on the tatami mats.
"Any restrictions, Hiashi-sama?" Naruto asked.
"None, though I would request you avoid any Jutsu that might bring the Mansion crumbling down around us," Hiashi stated.
"Of course. Minimal collateral damage it is," Naruto nodded in all seriousness.
The two men bowed and then got into their preferred Taijutsu stances. Hiashi activated his Byakugan. LIke Kakashi, he was shocked at the amount of chakra Naruto held, but he swiftly suppressed his surprise to focus on showing this suitor after his daughter's hand a lesson. Naruto for his part looked to the side at Hinata and winked. She blushed pretty as a rose.
"On three. One… two… three!" Hiashi called before rushing forward. As Clan Head of the Hyuuga Clan, Hiashi was an expert at the Gentle Fist. His Taijutsu skills were easily Kage-level. Against most 11-year-olds, the battle would have been over within a half-dozen hits.
But Naruto was NOT most 11-year-olds.
The blond Academy student kept up perfectly with Hiashi, blocking or deflecting every blow, not allowing any of Hiashi's chakra to be injected into his system. As he and his potential father-in-law traded blows, four Shadow Clones appeared and dashed for the corners of the mat. They each began to run through hand seals as fast as they could without risk of error. Hiashi saw the Clones but he was too tied up in fending off Naruto's offensive to do anything about them. Soon enough, the clones ended on the last seal of whatever Jutsu they were casting. A cube made of a soft blue-green energy sprung into being around the two combatants.
In a flash of yellow light, Naruto vanished from right in front of Hiashi to a few strides back. Hiashi's eyes widened as he realized just what he was dealing with. "The Flying Thunder God Jutsu?"
"Not exactly," Naruto corrected. "Just as Dad improved on the Second Hokage's original formula, I've taken the Flying Thunder God Jutsu a step further." Naruto held out his arms as if to indicate the geometric shape they found themselves in. "Behold, Sealing Art: Room. In this cube, I can teleport to any point within its boundaries. In this space, I am everywhere and nowhere. In this area… I am God."
Hiashi swallowed as he felt a chill run down his spine. How to fight an opponent that could vanish before any blow landed, appear anywhere and disappear just as quickly? There was a sinking feeling in his gut as he realized the answer was he couldn't. He stood and hid his hands in the opposite sleeve. "Stop. I am convinced."
With a thought, the Shadow Clones popped, taking the cube with them. Naruto cricked his neck, not looking tired at all from a couple minutes of S-rank Taijutsu combat or the chakra cost of Room. Hiashi could only snort, remembering the irrepressible energy the Uzumaki Clan was renowned for. "Do you also know how to use the Uzumaki chakra chains?"
"Of course. But I figured using them during our fight would have been a bit excessive," Naruto shrugged.
Hiashi shook his head and then turned to regard Hinata and Hanabi. "Come over here, Hinata."
Hinata got up and walked over, standing next to Naruto at a respectable distance. Naruto reached out to take her hand heedless of propriety, and Hinata gripped his hand tight. Hiashi looked between them, an odd sort of melancholy in his eyes before it vanished behind a business-like mask. "I will approve this union for the time being. But be aware, Naruto, that the first slight against the Hyuuga Clan's honor will lead to the termination of this relationship."
"I understand. I vow to be on my best behavior when seen in public with Hinata-chan," Naruto said.
"I expect you two to wait until you're at least 15 before getting married," Hiashi declared.
"That makes it 3 years and 81 days until Hinata's birthday. We can wait that long," Naruto mused aloud. Hinata got an angelic smile at the thought of marrying Naruto.
Hiashi almost chuckled before remembering he was going for scary father-in-law. "Though I desire grandchildren, I expect them to be legitimate. If your firstborn is born one day sooner than 9 months after the wedding, I will render you sterile, Naruto. In as painful a manner as I can devise."
"That's what birth control is for, isn't it? Seriously though, we'll wait until our wedding night. Makes it more special," Naruto said with as serious an expression as he could manage given the topic was sex. Hinata looked in danger of an aneurysm.
"Then I hope this is the start of a long and fruitful alliance between the Hyuuga and Uzumaki Clans. Now, Hinata, escort Naruto to the front gate. Hanabi, you're dismissed to your room. Good evening, Naruto." There was just a hint of respect in Hiashi's tone.
"Good evening, Hiashi-sama," Naruto bowed, before prompting Hinata to take him out of there.