---
Konoha Gates – Early Morning
Kiba and Shino stood at the village gates, waiting for Naruto and Hinata.
"You two are so slow!" Kiba shouted, visibly irritated.
"Woof!" Akamaru barked and leaped directly onto Naruto's head.
"Hey! You traitor! I'm the one who feeds you, takes care of you through all the mess, and every time Naruto shows up, you turn against me?!" Kiba yelled, glaring at the canine perched smugly on Naruto's head.
Akamaru gave Kiba a disdainful glance before curling up and falling asleep on top of Naruto.
"Alright, let's get moving!" Naruto declared, walking toward the gates and pulling out a carriage from a scroll.
Hinata blinked in surprise.
From the trees above, several shadows landed nearby, watching in disbelief.
"Are you serious?!" Kiba ranted, "You're taking a carriage? What, are we not coming back for a whole month?!"
Naruto shot Kiba a smug look, then turned to Hinata with a gentle smile. "I just want my wife to travel comfortably."
"N-Naruto…" Hinata blushed, then quickly jumped ahead to hide her face.
Kiba clutched his head in frustration. "What kind of karmic sin did I commit in my past life? Raising a dog just to get force-fed dog food in this life!"
---
Afternoon
"Let's take a break!" Naruto yawned dramatically. "It's practically night already…"
The other three glanced up at the glaring afternoon sun, barely moved from its zenith. Silently, they decided to ignore him.
"Naruto, I'm the team leader. You need to follow orders," Shino said sternly, his face still obscured by his collar and glasses.
"..." Naruto had no comeback.
---
Evening
By sundown, Shino instructed the group to set up their tents.
Naruto frowned at the golden sky. "You all sleep this early? Don't you have any nightlife? Fun? Adventure?"
"Most insects are active from sunrise to sunset. If you want to study or control them, you must adapt to their rhythm," Shino replied with unwavering seriousness. "Also, I'm the team leader, so…"
"Ugh…" Naruto groaned. "Mystery guys are always the most boring."
Noticing Kiba and Hinata setting up a tent, Naruto asked, "Wait, you three are sharing one tent?"
"As the team leader, I must remind you: carrying too many items, like tents, can be a hindrance during missions," Shino replied blandly. "One is sufficient."
"..." Everyone went silent.
Naruto sighed dramatically. "Fine. Out of the way—Wood Style: Four-Pillar House Technique!"
With a puff of chakra-infused smoke, a massive two-story wooden house materialized before them.
"What the hell?!" Kiba and Shino's jaws dropped. Even with Shino's face mostly hidden, his stunned silence was evident.
Naruto stood proudly at the door and gestured inside. "Come on, Hinata. Let's enjoy the big house. No need to squeeze into a tent with Dog Biscuit and Mister Bugnet."
Kiba exploded. "You bastard! What did you just say?!"
Shino held Kiba back with his insects. "As much as I want to punch him, I must restrain myself. As the team leader…"
Dark lines formed above everyone's heads. How much do you care about being the team leader, anyway?!
Eventually, they all entered the house.
"Holy crap," Kiba muttered, staring at the luxurious interior. "This is insane…"
"As team leader… I agree with Kiba," Shino admitted.
Naruto opened a bedroom door. "Come on, Hinata, let's get some rest."
"Eep!" Hinata gasped, her face completely flushed.
Naruto was immediately yanked away by Kiba, who dragged him out with a giant backpack.
Naruto grumbled, "Seriously, sleeping this early? Who does that… Huh~~~ZZZZ…"
Kiba and Shino exchanged a look.
---
Midnight
Naruto blinked awake, rubbing his eyes. "Ugh… bathroom…"
He stumbled outside into the woods.
"Brr… it's cold," he muttered. "Huh? Is that… a waterfall?"
Drawn by curiosity, Naruto crept toward the soft rushing sound. Beneath the moonlight, a silhouette danced gracefully in the falling water.
"What the hell…" Naruto's Sharingan activated unconsciously, trying to enhance his vision. As the crimson tomoe spun, a sudden nosebleed dripped from his face.
SPLASH!
In his dazed state, Naruto slipped and fell into the pool below.
"Dammit!" he sputtered, surfacing with a gasp. He glanced around, but the figure was gone. "You idiot! You just had to get excited, and now there's nothing to see!"
He slapped himself in frustration.
Back in the Chūnin Exams, you barely knew Hinata existed. Now look at you, drooling like some pervert...
---
The Next Morning
Naruto looked half-dead.
"What's with you?" Kiba asked.
"Yawn… Don't talk to me. I'm already dying inside."
"Did you not sleep at all?" Shino asked. "As the team leader—"
"Yeah, yeah, we get it! Captain Shino!" Naruto waved him off, muttering under his breath. "That moonlit beauty… fresh from the bath…"
Hinata, walking nearby, suddenly turned red like a tomato.
"Your face is so red," Shino commented. "Do you have a fever? As the team leader, I—"
"N-NO! I'M FINE!" Hinata shouted and darted ahead, smoke practically billowing from her ears.
Shino: "...I wasn't finished."
---
Noon – In the Forest
They picked fruit for lunch.
"These fruits are edible. We'll eat these today," Shino said, pointing at an apple-shaped fruit. "Also, let me remind you, there's a rare one that grows on a tree, and if you—"
"Hey! Can we eat this one too?" Kiba interrupted, holding a giant fruit almost as big as his torso.
Akamaru took a bite beside him.
"No. That one causes digestive issues. You'll have stomach cramps for hours," Shino said calmly.
Kiba and Akamaru froze.
"Hey Kiba! Hurry up already!" Naruto called from the trees.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!" Kiba groaned, clutching his stomach.
"Wait for me too!" Akamaru barked… in perfect human speech.
"Did… did you just talk?" Kiba gawked.
"Shut up, you moron! If you hadn't eaten it, I wouldn't have either!"
Naruto, Shino, and Hinata collectively sighed.
---
Evening – Campground
Naruto watched Hinata training alone under the moonlight.
"She's amazing…" he muttered, then glanced around. "Too bad there's no waterfall nearby... damn, missed my chance again!"
He yawned. Two sleepless nights had taken a toll.
---
Later
Naruto trudged behind the group. "Are we there yet?"
"No," Shino answered, stopping near a massive sinkhole. "Now we're here."
They climbed down the steep cliff.
"As the team leader, I need to remind you—"
"Nani now?" Kiba asked warily.
"Don't fall."
Everyone: "..."
Suddenly, Kiba screamed.
"AHHH!!"
Naruto covered his face. "Why…"
Shino calmly summoned his insects, binding Kiba mid-air and lowering him safely to the ground.
Clutching his stomach, Kiba muttered, "I can't hold it anymore!"
He dashed into the woods.
Naruto narrowed his eyes, watching Shino silently as he adjusted his glasses.
He rubbed his chin, thinking.
Interesting.
---
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