*A/N: Oi, bruv, you already know Naruto belongs to Kishimoto innit', now don't sue me you bloody *redacted, now enjoy reading ya wanker!*

Chapter 10: Divide into the Center of Fate

Konoha Village: Hinata's POV

Walking around gives me a much-needed sense of peace. From training with Kurenai sensei to my own training outside of the team, and to now reading up on politics in order to be a better fit for my rightfully earned position as future clan head, my schedule is quite busy. Nothing much has happened recently, just the usual D-ranks we got to get done before doing any higher ranks, I really wish we could at least get a B-rank, I need to test my strength, these D-ranks are nothing but chores. My Father recently after my priority mail shipment of an ass-kicking, has been quite…different. He is still somewhat distant, but when he sees me, he actually seems…happier. No… that can't be right…maybe he is just, less…angry. In other words, he doesn't carry that same face of hatred that I have grown used to years ago. I still can't get used to his new attitude, I feel less threatened, but I still feel uncomfortable, I…I honestly do not know what to do, I guess all I can focus on is my current objective and get some experience. Unfortunately, my musings were cut short as a blond, troublesome loudmouth popped into my face. "Oi, Hinata chan, how are you!" I quickly prevent myself from activating my eyes and doing something I might regret and slightly giggle and smile at the hyperactive blond. Jeez, he should already know not to startle a ninja, let alone a Hyuuga.

"Hello, Naruto," I said with a small smile after calming down. "You don't seem to be busy, I was getting something to eat, would ya like to join?" Asked Naruto. I shrugged and agreed, I was also somewhat hungry anyway. "Some Ramen would be fine." Hearing this Naruto turns around with a face of horror, as if I crucified Kiba's puppy, "FINE! IS THAT ALL, YOU REALLY NEED TO TRY THE FOOD OF THE GODS, WE WILL SEE WHO'S…FINE!" Shouted the follower of the third most popular religion in the elemental nations behind the Holy Log, Saints of Ramen. I sighed, covering my ears, "You know, it's quite impolite to yell, Naruto." I said with a shack of my head. He blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, but you kinda disrespected the gift from Kami, dattebayo." I sighed again, preventing myself from standing up for Cinnamon Buns, "We should get going, Naruto, I can hear your stomach grumbling from here." I said with a slight chuckle as I started walking away. "YOSH, ICHIRAKU!" Squawked Naruto, as he started following me to his beloved God.

Ichiraku's Stand: Hinata's POV

"Oi, Oi, Ayame Nee chan!" Naruto greeted. Immediately, I saw a young, brown-haired girl whose name I assume is Ayame answered back, "Ah, Hey Naruto, W-w-w-w-w-w-w-w who's THIS!?!? MY NARUTO FINALLY GOT A GIRLFRIEND!" I blushed slightly in embarrassment, "Uh, no, we're just good friends." I quickly said, missing the bashful look on Naruto's face. Uh, why does everyone assume I like him like that? I mean, I had a small crush when I was younger but that's all, Kami have mercy. After that, Ayame adopted a sheepish face, "Hehe, uh sorry, uh, would you like the usual Naruto?" Asked the Ramen cook. "Ayame, Hinata here doesn't know-…" I turn to stare at Naruto with a questioning look, "Know what?" Before he could answer, a certain feeling of dread took me over as I looked to Ayame to see a look of absolute determination on her face. "She doesn't know, huh? Well, we shall find out soon, ONE BOWL OF PORK RAMEN AND TEN BOWLS OF MISO COMING UP!" I nearly face fault, TEN FREAKING BOWLS! Where is he keeping all of that?

After a few moments and after Ayame went to cook up the food, Naruto and I sat at the bar area, patiently waiting for me to be converted to this sacred religion. "Oi, Hinata, how have you been doing? Getting tired of the D-ranks yet, huh?" I shudder in place, remembering the hell of those damn D-ranks, "I've been fine except for those missions." I sighed out, "It would be good to finally get a C-rank but Kurenai sensei said she didn't know." I finished. "Ahhh, I see, well you will get a C-rank soon enough, dattebayo. It took my team a while but, with my help, we finally got a C-rank." Naruto said, boastfully. I turned in surprise, fast as a bullwhip, "What did you do this time, Naruto, take the Hokage's underwear?" I asked slyly. He squawked in indignation, "Why would I do something like that?" I stare at him with a blank face, as an answer to my staring, he initiates, 'Naruto Pose 1', and scratches the back of his head in embarrassment, "That's the old me, Hinata Chan, I'm a Ninja now, I just asked the old man to give us a higher ranking mission, you know, for our hard work."

Continuing to stare at the troublesome blond with a blank face, not buying anything he is saying, he goes back to 'Naruto Pose 1' for the second time. "Uhhhh, fine, I kinda, ya know, sort of, uh, demanded he give us a mission, ya know." Explained Naruto truthfully. With a giggle and a shake of my head, I reached to pinch Naruto's cheek, "You can't go around demanding stuff from the Hokage, Naruto Kun." I said chastizing, as Ayame came back out with the bowls of Ramen. As Naruto sputtered in indignation, I missed the puzzled look on Ayame's face as she sat down the bowls in front of us. Finally turning to the food, Naruto and I finally get our chopsticks, breaking them, "Itadakimasu." We said as we, or more correctly, I, dug in for my first bowl of Ramen, As the noodle wrapped seductively around my chopstick like a well-paid stripper, I opened my mouth and accepted the entrance of the salty broth of the pork-flavored Ramen. The noodle was slippery and evasive, but I finally caught the slick bastard and swallowed, along with the broth, experiencing an experience I can only sum up in one word, 'Not Bad'.

Yeah, I know it's two words, but you get the point. Opening my eyes to see Naruto and Ayame looking at me with suspense, I, unconsciously smiled and nodded, "This is good!" I said, trying to placate so I just get some damn food. "I TOLD YOU HINATA, THE FOOD OF THE GODS DATTABAYO!" I slightly cringed at the volume of the avid lover of Ramen as Ayame adopted a face of triumph at a, to her, a new convert to the greatness of the Holy Ramen Saints. With an inner sigh, I just got back to eating the decent, sodium-infused creation, as Naruto finally showed that he really was as troublesome and unpredictable as he said. The next few moments are something that would make the Shinigami shat his…pants?...robe?...Whatever, but this guy Naruto is built differently. It started off as a slight slurping and humming sound similar to the sounds I was making, but then it turned into what I would imagine a sexually frustrated leech. Turning to the side to see Naruto sucking up more Ramen than a hooker with bad time management, Naruto is emptying bowl after bowl after bowl of Ramen at record speed. Looking to Ayame in shock and…I don't even know what the other feeling is…she looks back at me with a face of understanding, "Woah…" That is all I can say as Ayame giggled and got back to whatever restaurant cooks do.

After several minutes of Naruto's, 'Not family friendly', handling of his food and the stacking of the umpteenth bowl. We both sigh in contentment after finishing our meals, for different reasons of course. "Ahhhhhhhh, that's the spot, ya know." Sighed Naruto. I giggled in amusement at his antics, as I had to agree that the Ramen was in fact, decent. "OI, Hinata Chan, I might be gone for some time, me and my team gotta take an old drunkard to a village some distance from here for our mission." Said Naruto. Looking at Naruto in understanding, "Are you sure you're going to be fine? Do you have all of your needed weapons?" I asked. "Yeah, I got everything." Said Naruto. "And you're leaving the village on your first serious mission as a ninja, wearing that?" I asked in confusion. Naruto squawked again, 'Oi, what's wrong with this?" I sighed, "Naruto Kun, you stick out too much with that outfit, you're a ninja now, which means you have to carry yourself like a ninja or you may draw attention to yourself or your team.

That and your overall loud persona can put you, your team, or your mission at risk by an enemy." After my lecture, Naruto adopted a downcast face, "I know Hinata, it's just that the village stores won't let me buy anything else." Said Naruto. Understanding his plight now that I can easily break down his chakra with my upgraded eyes, I put a hand on his shoulder, "It's fine Naruto, you're still young, but I just wanted you to know that now before it's too late." I reminded. "Hehehe, you're right Hinata Chan, I think I'll ask the old ma-.." I interrupted him with a stern look. "Uh, Hokage Sama, that I will need help with clothes, he might also punish those who kicked me out." He finished. I smiled as I patted him on his head, "Good boy, now you should get going before you're too late." "Oi, I'm not a dog, dattabayo." After a few moments, we got up and bid our goodbyes for now, not knowing how much Naruto would change after his first real mission.

Timeskip 2 Days: Hinata's POV

"Good job Kiba, Akamaru, just be sure to remember your positioning and the Sun's positioning, your shadow, even when slight, a higher level ninja would be able to see it," Kurenai said after a short one-on-one stealth challenge with Kiba who was second after Shino. Now, it's time for me to show off. "Hinata Chan, are you ready?" Asked the woman I definitely do not have a small crush on, yes, definitely not existent. "I'm ready when you are," I responded back with a determined look on my face. "In that case, genjutsu: whispering waves jutsu." Said Kurenai in a quiet voice as she disappeared using one of her lower-level camouflage jutsus to hide so we could track and find her. Unfortunately for sweet Kurenai sensei, she still doesn't fully know about my Byakugan no Shirori Me or even the slight improvements to my vision with my normal eyes. After 1 minute and without much effort, I activate my Byakugan and instantly find Kurenai, who somehow ended up nearly a whole kilometer away from this training field, nearly halfway across the village. With a sigh and a slight giggle from Kiba on my left, I quickly left the training ground, bounding towards Kurenai in an intercepting route.

For a Jonin, she is expectantly pretty quick, however, for a genin, I am also pretty quick. I have Kurenai locked in my sights from roughly 700 meters away and closing as Kurenai seems to now be circling the village near the outer walls. Dodging random tree branches with no effort, moving as swiftly as a snake with wings with the wind wooshing past me, I can see some of the villagers lining up their clothing for drying. Speeding past them so fast that I nearly made their clothing fall off the lining, and so fast that I never heard the shout of annoyance with the face of a tomato. 600 Meters, Kurenai seems to now be casting some higher-level genjutsus around her and taking a slightly altered path, now aiming to go through the shopping district. Still, with ease, I can follow her down to the last strand of her wild, yet beautiful hair. 500 meters, with some acrobatics, I dodged all of the carts and slightly startled horses in my pursuit, getting closer and closer. 400 meters, Kurenai now seems to want to pull out the real challenge with her using what I would determine as A-rank genjutsu as if that could change her fate. 300 meters, now getting slightly bored with the chase, I decided to really make myself known by activating my favorite jutsu to put an end to this.

Konoha Chase: Kurenai's POV

Running at top speed is not something I would usually do for a cute little genin, fresh out of the academy and nowhere near the level of a Jonin. But this, I believe is no ordinary genin. I saw those eyes of unrivaled strength, Hinata seems to have gone through a lot in her early life that I can see through her pearly orbs. From what I know, Hiashi is a tyrant and very strict, at least that is a cleaner way of putting it from what I heard Anko say. Well, let's test that strength, let's see if she's really a normal genin or something…more. Deciding to switch up my tactics, I decided to speed off towards the village parameter, aiming to run on the edge of the village all while applying a slightly higher level of genjutsu around me making it to where I create illusions with my chakra remnants that spread out into different directions, throwing off my scent.

After some time, I can barely see Hinata behind me, seemingly closer than before. My last genjutsu could probably throw off a lower-level tracker but since she is a Hyuuga, I am not too surprised, however, how is a genin able to keep up with me or get closer? She definitely is not a normal genin, at least in speed and endurance, very interesting. Deciding to add to the challenge, I cast one of my more powerful genjutsus which makes it to where my chakra is masked down to be similar to a small animal, all while making me invisible. To top it off, I decided to switch my route, to go through the village shopping district, trying to lose the Hyuuga heiress. After a bit more running and dodging, I am now convinced that Hinata is at least mid to high-chunin rank in overall endurance and speed, maybe higher, which is absolutely astonishing from supposed green genin. Noticing Hinata can still see me and still seems to be gaining, I sigh and plan my next move until…"What the-!?" I shouted in shock as half of my body all of sudden lost function as I fell down near a training ground slightly North of the shopping district. Like a puppet with its strings cut, I sat lying on the ground in pain and shock. "What…what was that?" "My body." I rasped out, not understanding how all of a sudden, half of my body just went numb.

"That was pretty entertaining sensei, but you're no match in the tracking department." Said Hinata in a singsong voice with a hint of mirth, while walking up to my prone form. I turn my head in shock, looking at the amused expression of the Hyuuga. "What did you do?" I asked in complete confusion. She sighs slightly as she kneels down to help me sit up properly. "Let's just say I have an upgraded version of the Byakugan and one of its abilities is that it gives me more control over chakra." Explained Hinata. I looked at her, she looked at me…then I looked at her, then she looked at me. Then I looked at her more, then she adopted a slight blush to her cheeks in embarrassment. "Um, Kurenai sensei, are you OK?" She asked with a puzzled look. I sigh in resignation, I don't even want to know right now, my head is gonna start hurting. After our little awkward stare off, she then reached her hand out to help me get up. There is much more to learn about her, I might need to watch her more closely.

End of Chapter