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The arena was eerily silent, save for the faint hum of anticipation hanging in the air. The large screen continued its endless cycle of names, taunting the remaining contestants who were left to face their fates. Among them stood *Kenmei*, the ninja known for his soft-body transformation technique from the original storyline, where he had faced off against Kankuro.
However, this time, his opponent was none other than the unbeatable legend of the Hidden Leaf—Shino Aburame!
The abilities of the Aburame clan were unparalleled in their versatility. Whether it was reconnaissance, support, healing, or direct combat, they excelled at everything. Coupled with their cold, analytical minds, no one could claim an easy victory over an Aburame unless they possessed overwhelming power. Shino was no exception; aside from lacking in taijutsu, he was a well-rounded shinobi.
Especially in chaotic battles, Shino was practically invincible. It wasn't uncommon for opponents to forget they even had another enemy on the field—a fatal mistake when facing someone like him.
Thus, Kenmei lost. Against Shino, it didn't matter if he transformed into a gelatinous blob or a slime creature—Shino's insects would devour him regardless. As Kenmei was carried away, still writhing in agony from the insect bites, his mind raced with thoughts of revenge.
But as he was dragged out of the arena, only one thought remained:
[Why does this hurt so much?]
The preliminary matches finally concluded, and the victors were gathered in the center of the arena. Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, stepped forward to deliver yet another speech.
"Each of you will represent your respective nations in the upcoming tournament. We hope you'll perform to the best of your abilities."
"Therefore, the main event will take place one month from now. This period is intended for preparation and also to notify the feudal lords and leaders of the various villages that the preliminaries have ended..."
The Third began rambling endlessly, as elderly men often do. Naruto, listening intently but impatiently, summarized the key points in two sentences: One month until the finals. Use this time to train, gather intel on your opponents, and prepare accordingly.
A simple message that the old man managed to stretch into ten minutes of monotonous droning. Combined with his frail voice, it felt almost hypnotic.
Finally, came the moment everyone awaited—the drawing of lots to determine the matchups for the finals.
"Starting from the left, announce the numbers on your slips," Ibiki Morino instructed, his booming voice cutting through the lethargy induced by the Third's speech.
"1," Naruto declared confidently. In traditional Chinese culture, the leftmost position was considered the most prestigious. Feeling that universal forces deemed him the ultimate wildcard, Naruto proudly took his place at the far left.
"9," said the person next to Naruto—none other than Sasuke Uchiha, the second wildcard.
"2," Neji Hyuga announced.
Naruto chuckled inwardly. Fate truly worked in mysterious ways. Despite the chaos of the tournament, he found himself paired against his future brother-in-law once again. To repay the Hyuga family for raising such a wonderful fiancée, Naruto resolved to help Neji eliminate the blind spot in his Byakugan... using a brick, naturally. How exactly he'd pull this off remained to be seen during the match.
"3," Shikamaru drawled lazily.
"10," Gaara stated impassively.
"7," Dosu chimed in.
"5," Kiba Inuzuka barked enthusiastically.
"4," Kankuro confirmed.
"6," Shino Aburame added.
"8," Ino Yamanaka finished.
"Ibiki, show them the final matchups," the Third instructed.
Ibiki unveiled the freshly written list:
- *Naruto Uzumaki vs. Neji Hyuga*
- *Shikamaru Nara vs. Kankuro*
- *Kiba Inuzuka vs. Shino Aburame*
- *Dosu vs. Ino Yamanaka*
- *Sasuke Uchiha vs. Gaara*
The competition would follow a knockout format, with the winner advancing to the next round. One participant would receive a bye based on the draw, leaving three finalists to compete in the final showdown.
The group stared at the matchups in stunned silence before turning to Naruto. Was he deliberately targeting the Hyuga family? First Hinata, now Neji—and why was he always first to fight?
Then they noticed the sword in Naruto's hand and immediately understood. Since the start of the tournament, this cursed blade had dictated every aspect of the matches. Those who wielded it were forced to participate, while those who refused risked being erased entirely—even appearing nameless despite stepping onto the field.
Afterward, the Third went on another lengthy spiel about the conditions for promotion to chunin. Naruto boiled it down to one sentence: Impress the higher-ups, and you're in.
Oh, how this old man loved to talk.
"Well then, see you all in a month. Goodbye!" Finally, the Third uttered the words Naruto had been waiting for.
As the crowd dispersed, Hiruzen retreated to swallow a few painkillers. This headache-inducing ordeal was finally over.
Naruto gathered his teammates and Hinata, finding a secluded spot to open a portal home. He dropped off Sasuke and Sakura at the training grounds, allowing them to make their own way back.
Summoning a shadow clone, Naruto sent it home to fetch money—returning directly with Hinata would have been too complicated given the strange artifacts scattered around his house. Both were slightly dirty and exhausted, but Hinata radiated happiness. This was their third date, and she felt they were closer than ever to formalizing their relationship.
Returning to the same bustling food street, the dynamic remained unchanged: feeding each other bites of delicious snacks. During the exam, Naruto hadn't indulged Hinata too much, saving the real feast for afterward.
Taking his girlfriend shopping and treating her to meals was the epitome of masculinity—or so Naruto believed. But as they moved from stall to stall, he began to realize his wallet might not agree.
Becoming a ninja hadn't granted him significant wealth, and mission rewards were meager. His funds were running dangerously low.
Approaching the next food street, Naruto suddenly pointed toward a music shop in mock surprise. "What's that?"
He wasn't merely changing the subject—he genuinely couldn't believe his eyes.
"It's a piano, Naruto-kun. Don't you recognize it?" Hinata giggled softly, feeling that perhaps she needed to take Naruto out more often. Years of isolation had clearly deprived him of basic knowledge.
Naruto knew perfectly well what a piano was. But the presence of such an instrument in this world baffled him. Their technological tree was bizarre—no cars, yet wireless earpieces existed. No telephones, but television and film thrived. Cameras resembled ancient contraptions from the Qing Dynasty, yet camcorders somehow existed.
Reflecting on Killer Bee's performances with microphones and speakers, Naruto shrugged internally. A piano wasn't so strange after all.
"Naruto-kun seems very interested?" Hinata observed curiously. She had never seen Naruto display such fascination—not even for the mystical sword everyone else coveted.
"Yes," Naruto admitted. He had always wanted to play the piano, but his modest upbringing hadn't allowed for such luxuries. Playing—not practicing—was the family tradition.
His memories of his eccentric father, Xu Fu, flooded back. Xu Fu's antics ranged from drunken motorcycle rides (nearly killing his son) to obsessive gaming marathons. Once, while playing Call of the Wild, Xu Fu spent three hours crouched under a tree with a pellet gun, attempting to shoot a bird. Mosquito bites landed him in the hospital for two weeks, only for the family cat to eat the bird anyway.
Documentaries inspired equally absurd behavior. After watching one about Eskimos, Xu Fu built a snow igloo in the backyard, inviting the family to dine inside. Had their mother not returned early, frostbite might have claimed them all.
Naruto's childhood adventures weren't far behind. Once, he lit a candle near his bed for light, nearly burning the house down. He often suspected his father's reckless antics were retaliation for that incident, which had delayed his retirement dreams.
Only their mother's stabilizing influence kept the family from meeting tragic ends.
"Let's go check it out," Hinata suggested, tugging Naruto toward the store.
"Okay."
"Boss, do you have beginner piano books?" Naruto asked bluntly upon entering.
"We do! Buy a piano, and we'll throw in the book for free," the shopkeeper replied warmly. While unfamiliar with Naruto, he recognized Hinata immediately. Instrument shops catered to wealthy clients, and Hinata was currently the young mistress of the Hyuga clan—the wealthiest family in Konoha.
"Do you sell the book separately?" Naruto already knew he couldn't afford a piano. For now, a textbook would suffice.
The shopkeeper hesitated, wondering why anyone would come to an instrument shop just for sheet music. Glancing at the couple holding hands, he relented. "Sure."
He reasoned that nurturing potential customers was worth the investment. Even if Naruto appeared less affluent, having a wealthy girlfriend made up for it.
Your gaze says otherwise—I'm not some kept man living off a sugar mama!
Naruto glared at the shopkeeper, who regarded him suspiciously. "How much?"
"2,500 ryo."
Not expensive compared to Asuma's bounty, but equivalent to thirty or forty bowls of Ichiraku ramen.
Naruto froze, realizing he only had four coins in his pocket.
"I'll handle it," Hinata interjected smoothly, activating her Byakugan to confirm Naruto's financial state. She wouldn't let him suffer embarrassment.
Recalling romantic stories where wives saved money to send their husbands to study in big cities, Hinata felt a surge of happiness. In her mind, this moment mirrored those tales perfectly.
What she didn't know was that in Naruto's world, such stories often ended tragically. Husbands abandoned their wives for glamorous city life, returning years later with mistresses in tow. And Naruto? Well, he fit the trope perfectly: broke, talented (thanks to shadow clones), and carrying Kurama as his literal fox spirit.
In the shopkeeper's smug gaze, Naruto allowed Hinata to drag him out of the store.
To repay her kindness, Naruto vowed to master the piano within a month. Using shadow clones to accelerate his learning, he aimed to compose a piece specifically for Hinata.
He had already chosen the song: "Sorrow and Grief."
In the Naruto fandom, it was better known by another name—"Neji's Death."