《Will of Fire in a Land of Curses [Naruto X Jujutsu Kaisen Crossover]》 001 Welcome to Japan - Hinatas POV 001 Welcome to Japan - Hinata''s POV Hinata pulled her sunglasses down, adjusting them carefully over the bridge of her nose. They weren¡¯t the best fit, but they did a decent job of obscuring her unusual eyes. She spared herself a glance in the convenience store''s grimy breakroom mirror¡ªpale skin, dark hair, a ratty hoodie pulled up close to her face. She looked nothing like a former kunoichi, much less a Hy¨±ga heiress. But that was the point. With a sigh, she tugged her hoodie tighter around her and stepped out of the store. The familiar ding of the automatic doors rang behind her as she emerged into the dimly lit street. The city¡ªwherever they were¡ªbuzzed with artificial light, neon signs flickering above narrow sidewalks. The air smelled like exhaust, cheap food, and something acrid she still couldn¡¯t place. It had been over a month and a half since she and Naruto had dropped into this world. At first, she had held out hope¡ªmaybe a genjutsu, a time-space jutsu, maybe even a dream. But time kept passing, and no amount of chakra scanning or sealing techniques changed their circumstances. Hinata had, of course, done her research. As much as anyone could without access to any actual information. The technology here was beyond anything she had ever seen, yet the people were still ordinary¡ªno chakra, no shinobi, no clans vying for power. Her best theory was that they had either been displaced in time or caught in some strange reincarnation cycle. Not that she knew enough about either to be certain. She sighed again, waiting at the bus stop. The city never truly quieted, but this street had an uneasy stillness to it. The few people nearby kept their heads down, absorbed in their phones, uninterested in their surroundings. That was when she noticed it. A strange figure shuffled toward her, its shape slightly off, like it wasn¡¯t entirely solid. It looked vaguely human¡ªtall, gangly, but its limbs bent unnaturally. Its skin rippled like static on a broken screen. ¡°Diet pills,¡± it muttered in a scratchy voice. Its head tilted at an unnatural angle. ¡°Diet pills¡­ you want diet pills?¡± Hinata stared. ¡°No, thank you.¡± The creature swayed closer, its presence warping the air around it. ¡°Diet pills¡­ free sample. Make you lightas air¡­¡± Hinata sighed. She had been hoping for a quiet evening. In a blur of motion, she struck. A flick of her wrist, a precise step forward. Her fingers met the creature¡¯s torso with a sharp thud¡ªa Gentle Fist strike, straight to what she assumed was its chakra network. The thing let out a garbled screech, its form distorting, then bursting into nothing. A thin wisp of smoke, and then¡ªsilence. Hinata frowned. Killed? No¡­It didn¡¯t feel like a kill. Exorcised? Yeah. That sounded right. She adjusted her sunglasses, pulling her hoodie closer again. The bus pulled up with a screech, its doors hissing open. She stepped inside without looking back. This world had too many mysteries. The bus ride was quiet, filled with the low hum of the engine and the occasional chatter of passengers. Hinata sat by the window, her hoodie pulled up, hands resting on her lap. The city lights blurred past, a neon haze reflecting off the rain-slicked streets. Honestly, living here was tough. She had read about Japan¡ªthis country, the one without shinobi, without chakra, without war. It was a world that should have been peaceful, yet somehow, it felt just as exhausting as the one she had left behind. The part-time jobs were grueling, her hours unpredictable. One shift ended, and another began. The pay barely covered her needs, let alone food and¡ªmost concerning¡ªthe growing pile of hospital bills. Her grip tightened slightly. Naruto was still in a coma. She exhaled slowly, steadying herself. The moment they had landed here¡ªwherever herewas¡ªNaruto had collapsed. No injuries, no visible wounds, just¡­ unconscious. A deep, unnatural sleep that no doctor could explain. She had tried everything. Chakra healing, pressure points, even old herbal remedies. Nothing worked. If she hadn¡¯t checked his pulse herself, felt the steady beat beneath her fingertips, she might have thought¡ª No. He was alive. The bus jolted to a stop, pulling her from her thoughts. With a quiet nod to the driver, she stepped off, the cool night air wrapping around her. The hospital loomed ahead, its fluorescent lights stark against the dark sky. She had memorized this path¡ªthe sliding doors, the sterile scent, the hum of machines. She barely paid attention as she entered, moving on instinct. The staff knew her by now. A few nurses greeted her, some with pity in their eyes, others with quiet understanding. She forced a small smile and made her way to the elevator. As the doors slid open, she hesitated. A soft sniffle reached her ears. Just outside the elevator, on a bench near the waiting area, a pink-haired kid sat hunched over, their shoulders shaking. He looked about her age, maybe a little younger. His hands clutched the fabric of his pants tightly, as if trying to ground himself. Hinata recognized that kind of grief. She glanced toward the elevator panel, then back at the kid. For a brief moment, she considered saying something. But what could she offer? Words had never been her strength. This world was strange. These creatures that lurked in the shadows, the way reality sometimes felt¡­ off. She was constantly on edge, never truly resting. If it weren¡¯t for the kindness of a few people, and her own relentless effort, she wasn¡¯t sure she could keep going. Stolen novel; please report. Hinata hesitated for only a moment before walking away. She had her own worries. The pink-haired kid¡¯s muffled sobs faded behind her as she moved toward the elevator, her footsteps quiet against the polished floor. She felt sympathetic, of course¡ªgrief was an old companion, one she understood too well. But right now, she had no space in her heart for anyone else¡¯s sorrow. Would she cry like that too? If she ever realized there was no way for Naruto to wake up? Her hands clenched into fists at the thought. No. Naruto would wake up. Just like he always did. Just like he always had. She stepped off the elevator, making her way down the sterile, dimly lit hallway. Her fingers brushed the cool metal of the door handle before she pushed it open. And then she froze. Naruto was sitting up. The blankets were rumpled, the IV still attached to his arm, but his back was straight, and his gaze was distant as he stared out the window. The moonlight outlined his familiar golden hair, casting soft shadows over his face. For a moment, Hinata couldn''t breathe. ¡°Naruto-kun¡­?¡± Her voice was barely above a whisper. Slowly, he turned toward her. His blue eyes blinked a few times, as if adjusting to the light. His expression was blank, unreadable. And then¡ª ¡°Who are you?¡± The tears that had threatened to spill from Hinata¡¯s eyes twisted into something else entirely. Her breath hitched, but she clasped a hand over her mouth before any sound could escape. Her vision blurred. She wiped the back of her sleeve against her cheeks in one swift motion, controlling her breathing with the discipline of a shinobi. Naruto didn¡¯t seem to notice. He wasn¡¯t looking at her closely enough. Hinata was suddenly glad she wore sunglasses. She had put them on to hide her eyes, but now¡ªnow, they hid something else. Naruto blinked at her, confusion written all over his face. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Hinata swallowed past the lump in her throat. She took a step forward. Then another. Before she could think, before she could stop herself, she crossed the room and wrapped her arms around him. She felt his warmth, solid and real beneath her trembling hands. His heartbeat, steady and strong, thumped against her ear. Hinata pressed her forehead against his shoulder, breathing him in. ¡°I missed you,¡± she whispered. The words were fragile, almost breaking apart as they left her lips. ¡°I missed you so much.¡± For a moment, Naruto didn¡¯t move. Then, slowly, his arms came around her. The embrace was hesitant at first¡ªlight, uncertain. But then, he pulled her closer. Tighter. Neither of them said anything. They just held onto each other. A second. And a second longer. Minutes passed in quiet warmth. Hinata felt Naruto¡¯s heartbeat against her cheek, steady and familiar. His grip was solid, as if she might disappear if he let go. She clutched the back of his hospital gown, afraid to move, afraid that if she did, this moment would shatter into something less than real. Then¡ª ¡°Uh, Hinata-chan?¡± Naruto¡¯s voice was hesitant. ¡°Not that I¡¯m complainin¡¯ or anything¡ªhuggin¡¯ a pretty girl like you is nice and all, ya know?¡± Hinata froze. His verbal tic. That familiar, boyish speech pattern. It was so him. A quiet, relieved laugh almost escaped her lips. Then, realization hit. He had just called her pretty. Heat exploded across her face. She shot back, practically stumbling over her own feet. Oh no. Naruto blinked at her reaction, tilting his head. ¡°Hey¡­ are you sick or somethin¡¯?¡± Hinata hiccuped. ¡°I-I¡¯m not sick,¡± she stammered, voice an octave higher than she intended. Her fists clenched at her sides. For a split second, she had the insane urge to punchhim, but she quickly squashed it down. She wasn¡¯t a child anymore. She had self-control. Calm down, Hinata. She spun around, avoiding eye contact like her life depended on it. Her breathing slowed, measured and precise¡ªjust like when she used Gentle Fist. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Finally, the heat in her cheeks settled to something manageable. She turned back to Naruto. ¡°Uuhh¡­¡± She blinked at him. Naruto looked at her expectantly. ¡­What was the question again? And more importantly¡ªwhat was she supposed to say?! Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Did Naruto just¡ª Hinata¡¯s thoughts stuttered to a halt as realization struck. He had called her Hinata. She swallowed, her hands gripping the hem of her hoodie as she searched his face. ¡°Naruto¡­ why did you call me that?¡± Naruto blinked, confused by the question. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°My name,¡± she clarified, stepping closer. ¡°You called me Hinata¡­ but how did you know that?¡± Naruto scratched the back of his head, looking a little sheepish. ¡°I dunno.¡± His brows furrowed slightly, as if trying to make sense of something just out of reach. ¡°I don¡¯t remember knowing your name, but when I looked at you, Hinatajust felt¡­ right, ya know?¡± Hinata¡¯s fingers curled. If this was muscle memory¡­ then what kindof muscle memory was it? She didn¡¯t have an answer, and that made her uneasy. ¡°Wait here,¡± she said, her voice firmer than before. ¡°I need to call a nurse. Or a doctor.¡± Naruto¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Eh? Oi, oi, is that really necessary?¡± But Hinata had already turned on her heel, her feet moving quickly toward the door. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, a steady drum of nerves and uncertainty. Something about this situation wasn¡¯t adding up. And she needed answers. Hinata stopped just as she reached the door. She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. Calm down. Rushing out wouldn¡¯t solve anything. If Naruto had really lost his memories, she needed to confirm it first. And if he waspretending, she needed to know why. With that in mind, she turned around and walked back to the hospital bed, forcing herself to be calm. ¡°Oi, what was that about?¡± Naruto asked, still looking a little confused. Hinata ignored his question and sat down in the chair beside him. Her eyes, hidden behind her sunglasses, studied his face. ¡°Are you pretending?¡± she asked, voice steady. Naruto blinked. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Are you pretendingto have lost your memories?¡± she repeated. Naruto looked offended. ¡°Why the hell would I do that?¡± Hinata frowned, trying to ignore the sting in her chest. It had hurtwhen he looked at her earlier and asked who she was. She crossed her arms. ¡°Fine. Then answer some questions for me.¡± Naruto looked wary. ¡°Uh¡­ okay?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your favorite food?¡± Naruto¡¯s face brightened. ¡°That¡¯s easy! Curry!The hospital food is really good, ya know!¡± Hinata¡¯s brow twitched. Curry?! She exhaled sharply and moved on. ¡°Your favorite color?¡± ¡°Green!¡± Naruto answered confidently. Green? Why?! Hinata¡¯s patience thinned. ¡°Who was your first sensei?¡± Naruto hummed, thinking for a second before answering, ¡°Yamato?¡± Hinata¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°And your second sensei?¡± Naruto grinned. ¡°Gai-sensei!Maybe?¡± She gripped the armrest of the chair so hard it creaked. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Everything was wrong. Finally, she asked, ¡°Who was your crush?¡± Naruto stiffened. His grin faltered, and for the first time, a scaredlook crossed his face. ¡°¡­Hinata?¡± he answered hesitantly. Silence. A verylong silence. Hinata¡¯s face turned beet red. Why¡­ why was thatthe answer he got wrong?! And why did he look scaredwhen he said it?!She kind of hoped he¡¯d get it right, but she was secretly happy¡­ he was thinking her¡­ But still¡­ Was there something to be scared of?! Her brain short-circuited. The next thing she knew, she had bolted out of the room, slamming the door behind her hard. A startled thudcame from inside, likely Naruto flinching at the sudden noise. Panting, Hinata pressed her back against the wall, hands gripping her hoodie as if it could hide her. ¡°Shhh!¡± She turned her head and locked eyes with an elderly woman in the next room, who was staring at her with an unimpressed expression. The grandma raised a wrinkled finger to her lips. ¡°You¡¯re too loud, young lady.¡± Hinata opened her mouth, then promptly closed it. Without another word, she bowed stiffly and hurried down the hallway, her face still burning. 002 Getting Discharged - Naruto’s POV 002 Getting Discharged - Naruto¡¯s POV Naruto sat on the hospital bed, his legs swinging idly over the edge as he watched the doctor flip through a clipboard. The room smelled of antiseptic, and the steady beeping of machines filled the silence. Hinata stood nearby, her hands clenched in front of her, eyes downcast. The doctor sighed, finally setting the clipboard aside. ¡°Uzumaki-san, you have amnesia.¡± Naruto blinked. ¡°Uh¡­ What¡¯s that?¡± The doctor adjusted his glasses. ¡°It means you¡¯ve lost your episodic memories¡ªmemories of your past experiences. You might remember how to talk, walk, or even how to do your hobbies, but you won¡¯t recall specific moments of your life.¡± Naruto stared at him. ¡°So¡­ I forgot everything?¡± ¡°Not everything,¡± the doctor reassured. ¡°Your common sense, skills, and instincts should still be intact. It¡¯s just your personal memories that are affected.¡± Naruto frowned, rubbing the back of his head. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ weird.¡± He glanced at Hinata, noticing the way she bit her lip, her shoulders trembling slightly. She looked so sad. Uncomfortably so. And for some reason, that made his chest tighten. If he could turn back time, he would have pretended everything was fine. Maybe if he had acted normal, she wouldn¡¯t look like she was about to cry. But could he even pull off a lie like that? He wasn¡¯t sure. Hinata hesitated before speaking. ¡°But¡­ earlier, Naruto-kun said my name,¡± she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°How is that possible?¡± The doctor nodded as if he had anticipated the question. ¡°It¡¯s rare, but not unheard of. Sometimes, familiar words or names can slip out through subconscious memory. A more common term for it would be muscle memory.¡± Naruto mulled over that explanation, tapping his fingers against his knee. His body could remember things his mind couldn¡¯t? That sounded like a load of nonsense¡­ but at the same time, wasn¡¯t that kind of like throwing a punch without thinking? His body just knew what to do. Still, it didn¡¯t change the fact that he couldn¡¯t remember anything about himself. And judging by the look on Hinata¡¯s face, that truth hurt more than he realized. Hinata shifted her weight from one foot to the other, glancing at Naruto before turning to the doctor. ¡°Um¡­ Is it possible for Naruto-kun to be discharged now?¡± she asked, her voice quiet but firm. The doctor hummed in thought, flipping through Naruto¡¯s chart. ¡°He¡¯s in good physical condition, and his vitals are stable. There¡¯s no real reason to keep him here any longer.¡± He nodded to himself before looking at Naruto. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll discharge you.¡± Naruto watched as the doctor reached for the IV attached to his arm. ¡°Hold still for a moment,¡± the doctor instructed. A small sting followed as he removed the needle, pressing a cotton swab to the spot before securing it with a bandage. ¡°There we go,¡± the doctor said, stepping back. Then, turning to the door, he called for a nurse. ¡°Help Hyuga-san with the discharge paperwork, would you?¡± The nurse, a young woman with a gentle demeanor, nodded. ¡°Of course, doctor.¡± Hinata bowed slightly. ¡°Thank you.¡± With that, the doctor and nurse exited the room, leaving Naruto and Hinata alone. For a moment, neither spoke. Then, without a word, Hinata reached out and took Naruto¡¯s hand. Naruto blinked at the warmth that spread through his palm. He hadn¡¯t expected it, but¡­ it felt nice. Comforting. Even though he couldn¡¯t remember anything, at least he had someone by his side. Someone who cared. Their eyes met. Hinata smiled¡ªsoft, hesitant, but undeniably warm. A second passed. And another. Naruto thought she was about to say something, but instead, she suddenly looked away, her grip on his hand loosening. A second later, she let go. He didn¡¯t know why, but the absence of her touch left behind an odd feeling. A small, inexplicable disappointment. ¡°You should change into your clothes,¡± Hinata murmured, still not meeting his gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll wait outside.¡± Naruto tilted his head. ¡°Uh, sure. But¡­ where are my clothes?¡± Hinata hesitated before answering. ¡°Your old clothes were torn up, so¡­ I had to buy you new ones.¡± Naruto blinked in surprise. ¡°You did?¡± Hinata gave a small nod before turning toward the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be right outside,¡± she said, slipping out of the room. Naruto stared after her for a moment before sighing, rubbing the back of his head. ¡°¡­I guess I should get changed, then.¡± Naruto sat on the edge of the hospital bed, staring at the door Hinata had just walked out of. His fingers flexed idly at his sides, still feeling the warmth of her touch. His gaze drifted down to his hospital gown, and he frowned. Just what kind of accident had he gone through for his clothes to be torn up so badly? He had no memory of it¡ªno flashes of pain, no blurred images of a fight or a fall. Just emptiness. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. With a sigh, he pushed himself up and glanced around the room. His eyes landed on a plastic bag sitting on top of the cabinet nearby. That must be the new clothes Hinata mentioned. Walking over, he grabbed the bag and pulled it down. It was wrapped in something¡­ smooth and slightly crinkly. What was the material called again? He frowned, trying to recall the word. Ah¡ªpaper. No, wait. Plastic. He unwrapped the package, revealing a neatly folded set of clothes inside. A black tracksuit with orange trimming. Naruto held up the jacket, his fingers brushing against the fabric. The color caught his eye, especially the orange. Something about it felt¡­ right. Familiar, even. A small smile tugged at his lips. Yeah. He liked this color. Naruto ran a hand over his forehead, his fingers pressing against the skin as an odd sense of absence settled over him. Something was missing. He didn¡¯t know what, but the feeling lingered, nagging at him like an unfinished thought. He rolled his shoulders, feeling stiffness in his neck, and tilted his head from side to side, eliciting a few quiet cracks. Stretching his arms over his head, he exhaled before making his way toward the door. As soon as he stepped out, he bumped into something¡ªor rather, someone. ¡°Oh¡ª!¡± Hinata stumbled back slightly, blinking up at him in surprise. Naruto immediately raised his hands. ¡°Ah, my bad!¡± Hinata shook her head, a small pink hue dusting her cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Naruto-kun.¡± He rubbed the back of his head, still feeling that strange emptiness. His fingers drifted back to his forehead as he frowned. ¡°I dunno¡­ I feel like something¡¯s missing.¡± Hinata¡¯s gaze flickered toward his hand, thoughtful. Instead of responding right away, she reached into her sleeve and pulled out a small, folded piece of leather. Naruto stared at it, trying to recall what it was called. A¡­ wallet? Yeah, that sounded right. Hinata carefully opened it, checking inside. She muttered to herself, ¡°I probably have enough¡­¡± Naruto tilted his head. ¡°Enough for what?¡± Hinata hesitated, then shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she said softly, tucking the wallet away. He felt a flicker of curiosity but didn¡¯t push. Instead, he just watched as she met his gaze again. ¡°I think I know what¡¯s missing,¡± Hinata murmured, a small smile forming on her lips. Naruto and Hinata walked side by side down the quiet hospital corridor, their footsteps echoing softly against the polished floor. The air smelled faintly of disinfectant, and the dim lighting cast long shadows along the walls. As they approached the elevator, Naruto glanced at her. ¡°Hey¡­ what was I like?¡± Hinata blinked, looking at him with wide eyes. ¡°You were¡­ a lot of things,¡± she said, her voice holding a warmth he didn¡¯t quite understand. A small smile curved her lips. ¡°Brave, loud, determined¡­ kind.¡± Naruto raised an eyebrow. ¡°I sound amazing.¡± Hinata let out a quiet giggle, covering her mouth with her fingers. ¡°You were.¡± Naruto smirked, but before he could say anything else, Hinata¡¯s expression shifted. The light in her eyes dimmed, and for some reason, that same sadness from before returned. His smile faded. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Hinata blinked, as if startled by the question. Then, she shook her head and shrugged lightly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she murmured. Naruto frowned but didn¡¯t press. The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, and they stepped inside. The ride down was quiet, the hum of the moving elevator filling the silence. When the doors opened, they stepped out into the hospital lobby. As they walked, Naruto¡¯s gaze wandered, taking in the people around them. A man and a woman stood near the entrance, the man¡¯s hand wrapped gently around the woman¡¯s as they talked. He was attentive, aware of her every movement¡ªcaring in a way Naruto couldn¡¯t quite put into words. What was that called again? The word flickered in his mind. Being a gentleman. Naruto looked down at his own empty hand before glancing at Hinata. Without really thinking, he reached out and took her hand in his. Hinata yelped, her whole body tensing in surprise. Naruto immediately panicked. ¡°Oh¡ªuh¡ªdid I do something wrong?¡± He started to pull away, only for Hinata¡¯s grip to tighten around his palm. He blinked, looking down at their intertwined fingers. Hinata¡¯s face was turned away, but her hold on his hand remained firm. Warmer. Steady. Naruto wasn¡¯t sure what to make of it, but for some reason¡­ it felt right. As Naruto and Hinata walked through the hospital corridor, something made him stop in his tracks. He turned his head, his gaze settling on a pink-haired kid standing by the reception counter, filling out forms. There was nothing particularly strange about him, but for some reason, an uneasy feeling crawled up Naruto¡¯s spine. A sense of something¡­ ominous. His fingers twitched, and his instincts screamed at him that there was something wrong. But just as quickly as the feeling appeared, it was gone. ¡°Is something wrong, Naruto-kun?¡± Hinata¡¯s voice was gentle, pulling him back to the present. Naruto narrowed his eyes at the kid for a second longer before shaking his head. ¡°I dunno¡­ I just got this weird feeling from that kid. Like something was off.¡± Hinata followed his gaze, then gave him a thoughtful look. ¡°It¡¯s probably the nature of their chakra.¡± Naruto turned to her, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Chakra?¡± Hinata nodded. ¡°Some people naturally have a powerful presence because of their chakra composition. You might¡¯ve sensed strong yin chakra just now.¡± ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡± Naruto scratched his cheek, only half following along. ¡°And that means?¡± Hinata smiled softly. ¡°It means you have a lot to relearn.¡± Naruto groaned. ¡°Great. Homework.¡± Hinata let out a quiet giggle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll get the hang of it again.¡± Naruto exhaled, glancing once more at the pink-haired kid, but the ominous feeling was long gone. Maybe Hinata was right. Maybe it was just a chakra thing. Still, something about it didn¡¯t sit right with him. As Naruto turned back toward the hospital exit, a movement near the reception counter caught his attention. A black-haired kid approached the pink-haired one, standing close as they exchanged a few quiet words. Beside him, Hinata suddenly tensed. Naruto noticed the way her shoulders stiffened, the way her eyes locked onto the dark-haired boy with unmistakable wariness. Then, in a low voice, she murmured, ¡°His chakra is¡­ strong.¡± Naruto tilted his head. ¡°Okay, you keep mentioning this chakra thing. What¡¯s the deal?¡± Hinata didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, she reached for his wrist. ¡°Naruto-kun, we should go.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Naruto barely had time to react before Hinata all but dragged him toward the exit. ¡°Whoa, hey¡ª! What¡¯s the rush?¡± he asked, stumbling after her. Hinata didn¡¯t look back. ¡°We¡¯re leaving. Now.¡± Naruto blinked as they stepped out of the hospital doors. He wasn¡¯t sure what had just happened, but Hinata was acting¡­ different. More urgent. She scanned the street, then quickly raised a hand to hail a cab. As they waited, Naruto caught her muttering under her breath. ¡°¡­shouldn¡¯t linger¡­ not safe¡­ priority is his welfare¡­¡± Naruto scratched the back of his head, watching her with mild confusion. ¡°Uh, Hinata-chan? What are you talking about?¡± Hinata¡¯s lips pressed together, but she didn¡¯t answer. The cab pulled up, and without another word, she opened the door and practically ushered him inside. Naruto sighed as he slid in. In his eyes, Hinata¡­ looked kind of paranoid. After a moment, she exhaled softly and murmured, ¡°The shinobi of this world are strange. They act differently from those back home¡­¡± Naruto blinked. ¡°This world?¡± Hinata hesitated, then shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve brushed against a few of them before,¡± she continued, sidestepping his question. ¡°Their chakra feels¡­ different. Almost unnatural.¡± Naruto frowned. He wasn¡¯t sure what she meant, but something about her tone told him she wasn¡¯t comfortable talking about it any further. Before he could press, she suddenly looked at him, her expression softening. ¡°You know,¡± she said, her voice lighter now, ¡°when we were kids, you always got into trouble.¡± Naruto raised an eyebrow. ¡°I did?¡± Hinata nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. ¡°You were loud, mischievous¡­ but always kind.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°You once got scolded for drawing on the Hokage Monument.¡± Naruto blinked. ¡°What¡¯s a Hokage?¡± Hinata paused before giggling. ¡°Someone important.¡± Naruto knew what she was doing. It was a poor attempt to distract him from whatever was really on her mind. But for some reason, he didn¡¯t mind. So, he leaned back and listened. 003 Reintroducing Ramen - Hinata’s POV 003 Reintroducing Ramen - Hinata¡¯s POV The cab ride was quiet, save for the gentle hum of the engine and the occasional rustle of movement. Naruto sat beside Hinata, his face practically pressed against the window, his eyes darting around as if trying to absorb everything at once. ¡°What¡¯s that, Hinata-chan?¡± he asked, pointing at a brightly lit storefront with glowing signs. Hinata followed his gaze. ¡°A convenience store,¡± she answered. Naruto hummed in thought, then pointed again. ¡°And that?¡± ¡°A train station.¡± Again. ¡°That one?¡± ¡°A vending machine.¡± It continued like that for a while¡ªNaruto pointing, Hinata answering. His curiosity was boundless, his gaze flickering to everything that seemed remotely interesting. And in this world, that was almost everything. Hinata sighed. There was a lot Naruto needed to learn about modern Japan. The technology, the culture, the way things worked here. But more than that, there were things he needed to relearn¡ªthings about himself, about his past. She glanced at him, her grip tightening slightly on her lap. Naruto-kun¡­ Peaceful as Japan seemed on the surface, it was still a dangerous place. Not because of war or missing-nin, but because of something else entirely. Something far more insidious. The cab slowed to a stop. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± the driver announced. Hinata looked up, recognizing the area. They were dropped near Sugisawa Municipal High School, a towering structure standing proudly against the skyline. Naruto stepped out of the cab, craning his neck to take in the sight. He pointed at the tall building. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°A school,¡± Hinata answered. ¡°A place of learning. Just like the Academy, where we learned the basics as a shinobi.¡± Naruto nodded slowly, though it was clear he was still trying to process everything. The streets were busier than she would have liked¡ªstudents heading home, workers bustling about. The sheer number of people made Hinata uneasy. Without thinking, she reached for Naruto¡¯s hand, gripping it firmly. Naruto blinked but didn¡¯t pull away. ¡°Don¡¯t get lost, Naruto-kun,¡± she murmured. Then, she led him forward, guiding him through the sea of unfamiliar faces. They walked past the school, past the bustling streets, slipping further away from the crowd until they reached the outskirts¡ªa forested area where the city noise dulled to a distant hum. Hidden within the trees stood an abandoned building, its walls cracked and worn, its windows either broken or covered in grime. Hinata stopped in front of it, releasing a slow breath. ¡°This is where I¡¯ve been staying,¡± she said. Naruto stared at the place, then at her. ¡°Hinata-chan, you¡¯ve been staying here?¡±Hinata gave a small nod. ¡°It¡¯s safe. It¡¯s hidden.¡± It wasn¡¯t much, but it had been enough for her. And now, it would be enough for them both. The abandoned building stood silent and unassuming, hidden away in the forest. It was the kind of place people ignored, a forgotten structure with its cracked walls and moss creeping along its foundation. It hadn¡¯t always been like this. Once, long ago, it had been a part of something¡ªa complex, maybe an old dormitory¡ªbut time and neglect had left it to decay. Hinata stepped inside, the wooden floor creaking under her weight. The air inside was still, a faint trace of dust lingering in the corners, but compared to how she had first found it, the place was practically spotless. The first time she arrived here, she could tell immediately why it had been abandoned. A lingering presence. Something inhuman. Something wrong. Nationally, the number of unexplained deaths and missing persons exceeded ten thousand annually. It was a horrifying statistic, one that spoke of the reality hidden beneath Japan¡¯s peaceful surface. This place was just one of many¡ªabandoned, forgotten, and left to fester with whatever unnatural force had claimed it. But she had cleansed it. The ghost¡ªor weird ghost thing-y, as Naruto-kun would probably call it¡ªhad been persistent. She could still remember the oppressive weight of its presence, the cold prickle along her skin. But it wasn¡¯t nearly as strong as the people she had faced before. A well-placed strike, her chakra flaring in controlled bursts, and the spirit had dissipated. From that moment on, the place was hers. With a bit of effort, she had fixed it up. The main room, which was now her living space, had been barren at first. Now, it felt lived in. A desk sat in one corner, something she had hauled over from a different abandoned building. It was worn but sturdy. She had gathered a few other pieces of furniture over time¡ªa chair, a small table, even some shelves. The kitchenette was simple, but functional. She had saved up from her part-time job at the mall to buy utensils at a discount¡ªa pot, a pan, a few plates, and chopsticks. Nothing extravagant, just enough for one person to survive. And then, in one of the cupboards, she had stocked the one thing that had become a staple in her diet. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Ramen packets. Cheap, flavorful, and easy to cook. Hinata exhaled slowly, letting her shoulders relax. This place, as rough as it was, had become a home. A temporary home, perhaps, but a home nonetheless. She glanced back at Naruto. He was taking in the space. She wondered what he thought about all this¡ªabout her squatting in a place like this, about how she had been getting by. But more than anything, she wondered if he would be comfortable here. Because for the first time since she had arrived in this world, she felt she wasn¡¯t alone. Hinata glanced at Naruto as they settled into the abandoned building. The moment they stopped moving, she remembered something important. ¡°Do you want to eat, Naruto-kun?¡± she asked. Before Naruto could answer, a loud grumble echoed through the room. Naruto froze. Then, with an awkward laugh, he scratched the back of his head. ¡°Uh¡­ I guess that answers it.¡± Hinata fought back a smile. This was it¡ªa golden opportunity, a one-in-a-thousand chance to reintroduce him to ramen. Her excitement surged. If she played this right, she could rekindle his love for the dish properly. ¡°Give me a moment,¡± she said, rolling up her sleeves. Naruto perked up. ¡°Want me to help?¡± Hinata shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve got this.¡± She moved to the kitchenette, already familiar with the motions. She had done this countless times before¡ªboiling water, preparing ingredients, setting up the bowls. It wasn¡¯t anything fancy, but she wanted to make it good. She filled a pot with water and set it on the portable gas stove. As she waited for it to boil, she opened the cupboard, retrieving two packs of instant ramen. She peeled the lids back, revealing the dried noodles curled inside. The scent of seasoning, even in powder form, made her stomach grumble in anticipation. The water began to bubble. She poured it over the noodles, covering them just right. While waiting for them to soften, she opened the fridge, scanning its contents. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ egg, fishcake, and seaweed.¡± That¡¯s all she got, but it was still something. She grabbed an egg, cracked it gently, and let it swirl into the hot broth. The white cooked instantly, creating a soft, cloudy effect. She sliced the Japanese fishcake into thin rounds, the pink spirals adding a pop of color. Lastly, she placed a few strips of seaweed on top. A few minutes later, two steaming bowls of ramen sat on the table. The broth glistened with oil, the noodles perfectly cooked, and the toppings arranged neatly on top. It wasn¡¯t Ichiraku-level ramen, but it was good. Hinata clasped her hands together. ¡°Itadakimasu.¡± Naruto blinked, then hurriedly copied her. ¡°Itadakimasu!¡± She picked up her chopsticks, pried them apart, and lifted a bundle of noodles. The first slurp was comforting, the warmth spreading through her instantly. Naruto followed her lead, taking a slurp of his own. His eyes widened. Hinata watched carefully. Would this be the moment? Would he recognize the taste? Would his memories come rushing back? But Naruto simply swallowed and grinned. ¡°This is great, Hinata-chan!¡± Hinata smiled, content. Even if he didn¡¯t remember yet, this was a start. Steam curled from the bowls as they ate, warmth filling the otherwise quiet room. Hinata took the lead in the conversation, filling the silence with small, familiar pieces of Naruto¡¯s past. "You know," she said, stirring her chopsticks through the broth, "ramen has always been your favorite food." Naruto blinked, mid-slurp. ¡°Really?¡± She nodded. "You used to go to a small ramen stand called Ichiraku. The owner, Teuchi-san, and his daughter, Ayame-san, were always happy to have you around. You ate there all the time." Naruto hummed thoughtfully. ¡°Sounds like a nice place.¡± ¡°It was,¡± she said, smiling. "You could eat bowls and bowls without getting tired of it." Naruto grinned. "That does sound like me. I really am loving this, so ramen is probably my favoite food then!" Hinata relaxed a little. This was nice¡ªtalking, reminiscing, filling in the gaps left by his amnesia. "You also had two senseis you cherished," she continued. "One was Kakashi-sensei, your j¨­nin instructor. He was¡­ well, he always seemed lazy, but he was actually really strong. He had this habit of reading books all the time, and he wore a mask, so no one ever saw his full face." Naruto tilted his head. "Did I ever see it?" Hinata chuckled. "Maybe¡­ but that¡¯s something you''ll have to remember on your own." He huffed. "That¡¯s not fair." Hinata let out a quiet laugh. "The other was Jiraiya-sama," she said, her voice softer. "He was your mentor, your teacher, and¡­ someone very important to you." She didn¡¯t dwell on it. She didn¡¯t mention what happened. Instead, she moved on. "You were in Team Seven," she said, carefully recalling what she knew. "It was just you, Sakura-san, and Sasuke-san under Kakashi-sensei. Ah, there was Sai too¡­ You trained together, went on missions together." Naruto looked intrigued. "Sounds like we were close." Hinata hesitated. Were they? Once, maybe. But she wasn¡¯t sure if she should say more. Instead, she shifted the topic. ¡°I was in Team Eight. My sensei was Kurenai-sensei, and my teammates were Kiba-kun and Shino-kun. We specialized in tracking missions.¡± Naruto listened intently, slurping his noodles as she talked. She told him about Kiba¡¯s loud personality, Shino¡¯s quiet but reliable nature, and Akamaru, the giant nin-dog Kiba always had with him. She skimmed over the darker parts. The Akatsuki. Pain¡¯s attack on Konoha. Jiraiya-sama¡¯s death. Sasuke¡¯s betrayal. The war. The countless lives lost. She left them unspoken, like ghosts at the edge of her thoughts. She didn¡¯t realize she had gone silent for a moment too long. Naruto noticed. ¡°Hey¡­ what¡¯s wrong?¡± Hinata blinked and looked up. His blue eyes searched her face with concern. She gently shook her head. "It¡¯s nothing," she said, offering a small smile. Naruto didn¡¯t look convinced, but he let it go. They continued eating in peaceful silence, the warmth of the ramen filling more than just their stomachs. The warmth of dinner was suddenly interrupted by a sharp, almost unnatural shift in the air. Hinata tensed, her chopsticks stilling mid-motion as she sensed it¡ªa sudden spike in yin chakra. Naruto shivered. "What was that?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just got a weird chill." Hinata didn¡¯t answer immediately. She stood up, her movements quick and precise, and headed straight for the closet. Sliding the door open, she retrieved her gear¡ªa pouch secured with old but well-maintained straps. It still held her projectile weapons, though she was painfully aware that she had long since exhausted her stock of explosive tags during Pain¡¯s attack. Naruto blinked in confusion as she armed herself. "Uh, Hinata-chan?" Before he could finish his question, something malformed phased through the wall. Naruto barely had time to react as the grotesque creature lunged at him. It was an inky, twisted thing, its shape barely coherent, a mass of writhing limbs and hollowed-out eyes. Hinata was already moving. With a blur of speed, she appeared in front of Naruto, intercepting the creature with a swift strike of her palm. Gentle Fist! Her chakra surged, disrupting whatever cursed energy composed its body. The creature let out a distorted screech before dissipating into nothing. But Hinata wasn¡¯t done. Her Byakugan activated, veins bulging at the sides of her eyes. She foresaw two more coming, one from the left, the other from the right. She pivoted swiftly, stepping toward the one on the left and striking cleanly at its core. Before the other could react, she twisted her body and sent a second precise strike to the right, exorcising both before they could even reach Naruto. Naruto, pressed against the wall, could only watch in stunned silence. "What was that?!" he finally asked. Hinata didn¡¯t answer right away. Instead, she reached out, gripping his wrist and pulling him toward the wall. She placed herself protectively in front of him, ensuring that he was in a position where nothing could ambush him from behind. Her Byakugan extended its range beyond the walls of the building, searching. More are coming¡­ no¡ª Her brows furrowed. The creatures outside were avoiding them now. Instead, they were rushing toward Sugisawa Municipal High School. Hinata¡¯s grip on Naruto¡¯s wrist tightened ever so slightly. Something was very, very wrong. 004 Kakashi-sensei? - Naruto’s POV 004 Kakashi-sensei? - Naruto¡¯s POV Stuff were moving¡ªfast. Hinata blurred in and out of sight, her strikes were precise and her movements were like a flowing river. Naruto heard impacts, saw flashes of movement, and felt the rush of displaced air. But beyond that? Nothing. Something was there, he knew something was there, but his eyes¡ªhis mind¡ªrefused to register it. Naruto narrowed his eyes, focusing. It was frustrating. If he squinted just right, he could see¡­ vague outlines. Faint, shifting distortions, like shadows cast by something unseen. His gut told him they were monsters. He felt something deep inside him shift. It was strange¡ªan awareness of a mass of something resting within him, flowing like liquid yet dense like stone. He instinctively moved it¡ªlike shifting weight between his feet¡ªexcept this time, he sent it to his eyes. The world sharpened. The distortions gained more form. No longer mere outlines, but grotesque figures, hunched and deformed, their bodies made of something foul and shifting. Naruto exhaled sharply. "What are these monsters?" Hinata didn¡¯t answer right away. She was too busy fighting. She moved in a blur, her fists striking the creatures with pinpoint accuracy. Each impact sent chakra coursing through their bodies, exorcising them in bursts of disrupted energy. Naruto watched, mesmerized. His body tensed, and something clicked. He could do it too. He didn¡¯t know how he knew¡ªhe just did. His legs moved before he could even think. It wasn¡¯t as graceful as Hinata¡¯s movements, but he zoomed. A blur of motion, like muscle memory awakening from deep within him. One of the creatures¡ªone with a grotesquely stretched fish-like head¡ªturned its hollow eyes toward him. Naruto¡¯s fist shot forward. The impact connected with the monster¡¯s face. A resounding boom echoed as the creature¡¯s head exploded. The moment the fish-headed creature exploded, the remaining monsters recoiled. They twitched, their grotesque bodies jerking unnaturally, before frantically dispersing in every direction. It was as if they had just realized something¡ªsomething terrifying. They fled, phasing through walls and slipping into the darkness like insects scurrying from light. Naruto barely noticed. A suffocating bloodlust surged through him, coiling around his body like a living thing. His fists trembled, his breath came out ragged, and his fingers curled into claw-like shapes. A reddish hue flickered over his knuckles, dark and sinister, pulsing with something¡­ hungry. More. Naruto¡¯s body moved on its own. He chased. One of the creatures barely managed to phase through the doorway before Naruto was upon it. His hand lashed out, his fingers sinking into its shifting form. With a violent jerk, he ripped it apart. The monster shrieked. Its body twisted, flailed¡ªthen vanished. A rush of something seeped into Naruto¡¯s body. The strange, distorted energy the monsters gave off¡ªthe yin chakra Hinata had mentioned¡ªwas flowing into him, whether he wanted it to or not. It was intoxicating. It made his skin tingle, his muscles burn with restless energy. He wanted more. He bolted after the creatures, driving his fists into their twisted bodies, relishing in the destruction. His laughter echoed as he tore through them. He was strong. He had power. And he enjoyed it. But then¡ª A flicker of white caught his eye. Naruto stilled. Hinata was standing a few feet away, her body rigid. Her sunglasses lay on the floor, knocked off at some point. Her pale, pupil-less eyes were wide¡ªnot with concern. Not with relief. With fear. No. It was more worry, than fear. Naruto''s breath hitched. His mind raced, trying to understand. In his frenzy, in his reckless, maddened pursuit¡­ he had hit her. A sharp chill settled into his gut. The bloodlust drained from his limbs. The red hue on his fists faded. The exhilarating high of destruction ebbed away, leaving only cold reality in its wake. For the first time since waking up in this strange world, Naruto felt genuinely unsettled. Hinata''s expression shifted. The worry in her gaze didn¡¯t linger for long¡ªshe was steady, composed. There was no hesitation when she stepped closer, determination settling in her posture. ¡°How much do you remember?¡± she asked. Naruto opened his mouth, closed it, then sighed. His shoulders sagged, and his fists loosened at his sides. "I... dunno," he admitted. "It kinda just happened." Hinata studied him for a moment, then turned away, walking toward a cabinet tucked against the far wall. She opened one of the drawers and pulled something out. When she returned, she held a small, circular hand mirror. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. She held it up for him to see. Naruto blinked, confused at first¡ªthen he saw it. His reflection wasn¡¯t quite his. His eyes, normally bright and blue, had turned into beast-like slits, dark and predatory. His canines, though always sharp, now protruded slightly, resembling fangs. His face still looked like him¡ªbut at the same time, it didn¡¯t. A strange, creeping sensation crawled up his spine. ¡°¡­That¡¯s me?¡± Naruto muttered, his voice uncertain. There was something off about the reflection. It wasn¡¯t just the physical changes¡ªit was the feeling behind the eyes staring back at him. Something malicious lurked there, something foreign yet familiar. Yet, oddly enough, Naruto felt¡­ calm. His heart wasn¡¯t racing, and his breathing was even. It was as if his body recognized this state, as if it belonged to him. But in the back of his mind, a quiet fear began to take root. Was this really him? Slowly, he forced himself to take a deep breath. He relaxed his hands, letting go of the tension in his fingers. His heartbeat slowed. His mind cleared. As he exhaled, the beast-like slits in his eyes softened, fading back into familiar ocean-blue. The fangs receded, his face returning to normal. Hinata watched in silence, lowering the mirror. Naruto swallowed. ¡°¡­What the hell was that?¡± ¡°It has something to do with your memories,¡± offered Hinata weakly. Of course, Naruto was curious. He narturally wanted to ask, but there was a bigger concern¡­ Naruto stared at the scattered remnants of the creatures, his fists clenched. Even if they were gone for now, he couldn¡¯t shake the unease creeping into his thoughts. ¡°What if they caught a civilian?¡± he muttered, voice tinged with concern. ¡°I mean¡­ those things were attacking us, but what about normal people? What if¡ª¡± Hinata gave a small nod, as if she had already thought of the same thing. ¡°That¡¯s why I planned to hunt them down,¡± she admitted. ¡°At least clear enough of them around our place.¡± Naruto glanced at her, surprised. ¡°Hinata-chan, are you going to be okay?¡± Hinata didn¡¯t answer right away, instead adjusting her stance and dusting off her sleeves. ¡°They¡¯ll keep coming otherwise,¡± she said simply. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, Naruto-kun.¡± Naruto took a moment to consider that. A part of him still didn¡¯t fully understand what these creatures were, but he did know that letting them run loose felt wrong. ¡°Then I¡¯m coming too.¡± Hinata looked at him, studying his expression. There was no hesitation in his voice, only determination. She exhaled softly, then nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± With that, the two of them left their building, stepping onto the quiet streets. ¡ª As they moved through the area, Naruto kept his senses sharp, trying to pick up on any strange movements. The earlier rush of power had faded, but the memory of it lingered in the back of his mind. Then, as they passed a dimly lit stretch of sidewalk, Hinata slowed her steps. ¡°I will take care of this.¡± Hinata moved quickly. Her strikes were accurate and efficient. The last few monsters didn¡¯t stand a chance against her flurry of attacks. Their malformed bodies flickered, dissipating into nothingness. She exhaled, lowering her stance. ¡°They dispersed the moment you drew on your Ky¨±bi chakra,¡± she murmured. ¡°However, there are still a few lingering around.¡± Naruto frowned. ¡°Ky¨±bi¡­ chakra?¡± The words felt foreign yet familiar, like an echo from a half-remembered dream. Hinata¡¯s eyes softened. She took a deep breath, as if steadying herself. For the first time, Naruto truly saw her eyes. Wide, pale, and nearly colorless, her gaze carried an intensity that was both striking and inhuman. He blinked. There was something about them¡ªsomething that felt important¡ªbut he couldn¡¯t grasp it. ¡°¡­Your eyes,¡± he said. Hinata¡¯s lips parted slightly in realization. ¡°Ah,¡± she murmured. ¡°This is probably the first time you¡¯re seeing my Byakugan in action after you lost your memories.¡± Naruto frowned. The word stirred something in him, but he couldn¡¯t put a finger on what. ¡°¡­Is it strange?¡± she asked quietly. Naruto tilted his head. ¡°No,¡± he said simply. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. Like a white lily.¡± Hinata blinked, surprised. Then, slowly, she gave him a small, rueful smile. She turned slightly, motioning toward a nearby bench. ¡°Come on. Sit down,¡± she said. Naruto followed her gaze¡ªand for the first time, he realized where they were. They had wandered closer to Sugisawa Municipal High School. Silence lingered between them as they sat on the bench. The streets around Sugisawa Municipal High School were quiet, the eerie stillness broken only by the occasional rustling of leaves. The monsters had fled. The rush of battle had passed. But Naruto¡¯s mind was still clouded with unease. He shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Hinata. His gaze flickered to her face, then to her hands resting on her lap. Then, finally, to the broken sunglasses lying beside her on the bench. ¡°¡­I hit you.¡± The words came out heavier than he expected. His hands clenched at his knees. ¡°I¡ªuh, I didn¡¯t mean to. I got caught up in everything, and I¡ª¡± Hinata tilted her head slightly, then followed his gaze to the sunglasses. ¡°Oh.¡± Her expression remained unreadable for a moment before she exhaled lightly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize.¡± Naruto frowned. ¡°Of course I do! I¡ª¡± ¡°They were just sunglasses.¡± Hinata gave a small shrug. ¡°I can buy another pair.¡± Naruto fell silent at that. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but the way she brushed it off made him feel even guiltier. His grip on his knees tightened before he hesitantly asked, ¡°¡­Are you mad?¡± Hinata shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m just glad you calmed down.¡± Then, after a brief pause, she asked, ¡°You don¡¯t feel any¡­ lingering emotions, do you?¡± Naruto blinked. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Anger. Hate. Resentment.¡± She watched him carefully. ¡°Anything negative?¡± Naruto thought about it. He wasn¡¯t sure what he had felt back then¡ªit wasn¡¯t anger, not exactly. It was more like¡­ hunger. Like something had taken over, twisting his instincts. But now? He shook his head. ¡°Nah. I don¡¯t feel anything like that.¡± Hinata¡¯s shoulders relaxed, and for the first time in a while, she smiled. It was small and fleeting, but it was there. ¡°Good,¡± she murmured. Naruto exhaled, running a hand through his hair. ¡°¡­Can you at least tell me what the hell that was?¡± Hinata¡¯s expression turned contemplative. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a long story.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got time.¡± Hinata glanced at him, then gave a slight nod. ¡°Alright,¡± she said. ¡°Then let me start from the beginning.¡± She took a breath, composing her thoughts, before speaking again. ¡°A long time ago, there was a monstrous fox¡ªone with nine tails.¡± Naruto straightened slightly, feeling a strange sense of familiarity with the words. ¡°The Ky¨±bi,¡± Hinata continued. ¡°It was a being of immense chakra, capable of leveling mountains with a single swing of its tails. The village feared it. And so, to protect everyone, they sealed it away¡­¡± She trailed off. Her shoulders tensed. Her eyes sharpened. Hinata¡¯s Byakugan activated. Naruto blinked, startled by her sudden change in demeanor. ¡°Oi¡ªwhat¡¯s wrong?¡± Hinata didn¡¯t respond immediately. She was staring past him, her white eyes locked onto something in the distance¡ªat the school. Naruto followed her gaze, but all he saw was the empty campus, dark and still under the night sky. Hinata¡¯s voice was hushed. ¡°There are people fighting.¡± Naruto stiffened. His first instinct was to get up. ¡°We should¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s already over.¡± Naruto froze. Something about her tone unsettled him. She sounded¡­ uneasy. He turned back to her. ¡°Hinata?¡± She didn¡¯t answer right away. Her lips pressed together, and after a brief hesitation, she whispered, ¡°He stared back at me.¡± A chill ran down Naruto¡¯s spine. He didn¡¯t know why, but those words put him on edge. Before he could ask what she meant¡ª Something dropped from the sky. Naruto barely had time to react before a figure landed lightly in front of them, feet touching the pavement with unnatural grace. A man¡ªtall and lean, with messy white hair¡ªstraightened himself. He wore a dark high-collared jacket, his hands tucked casually into his pockets. A blindfold covered his eyes. Then, with a smile that sent a prickle of unease down Naruto¡¯s back, he said, ¡°Oh my~ Seems like we have a peeping tom here.¡± Strange didn¡¯t even begin to describe it. Naruto¡¯s first instinct was to take a step back. Something about the man¡ªhis presence, his sudden appearance¡ªput him on edge. It wasn¡¯t just that he had dropped from the sky without a sound. It wasn¡¯t just the way he stood there, too relaxed, too casual. It was the blindfold. Who the hell wore a blindfold at night and still moved like that? Yet, despite the unfamiliarity, something about him triggered a memory. A flash of silver hair. A mask. One eye, sharp and unreadable. Naruto narrowed his eyes. ¡°¡­Kakashi-sensei?¡± The white-haired man tilted his head, as if considering the name. Then, with an exaggerated shake of his head, he grinned. ¡°Nope.¡± He straightened, one hand raising in a dismissive wave. ¡°It¡¯s Gojo-sensei to you kids.¡± Naruto blinked. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Gojo clapped his hands together. ¡°So,¡± he said, tilting his head slightly, ¡°do you kids want to become Jujutsu Sorcerers?¡± A Jujutsu Sorcerer? Naruto exchanged glances with Hinata, who looked just as perplexed as he felt. What the hell was even that? 005 Jujutsu Sorcerer - Satoru’s POV 005 Jujutsu Sorcerer - Satoru¡¯s POV Gojo Satoru had never been so¡­ intrigued. The past few minutes had already been unusual¡ªwhat with the pink-haired brat eating Sukuna¡¯s finger and surviving¡ªbut now? Now, he had these two. A blonde boy with eyes as blue as the sky and a girl with an obvious scrying ability or something similar to it. Satoru leaned forward, peering into the blonde¡¯s gaze. Beautiful. A shade so vivid, so pure, that for a fleeting second, he almost thought¡ªalmost¡ª ¡°¡­The Rikugan?¡± he mused aloud, narrowing his own hidden gaze behind the blindfold. No. Not quite. After all, he have the Rikugan. ¡°You have blue eyes,¡± he observed. The boy blinked at him, clearly confused. ¡°Uh¡­ yeah? I do?¡± Satoru hummed, tilting his head. Interesting. His gaze shifted to the girl. Now, she was something else. When he first felt her stare, he thought he had imagined it. But no¡ªhe hadn¡¯t been mistaken. That kind of perception, the way her eyes tracked things unseen, wasn¡¯t normal. Scrying abilities weren¡¯t exactly common, and finding someone with an Innate Technique that sharp? That was rare. Leaning toward her slightly, he scrutinized her features. White. Not just pale, but pure, unblemished white. A dojutsu, undoubtedly. Something like his. The intricacy of it, how her gaze seemed to pierce through layers unseen, piqued his curiosity. A smirk tugged at Satoru¡¯s lips. ¡°Your eyes aren¡¯t so bad,¡± he remarked. Then, with a playful tilt of his head, he added, ¡°But mine are better.¡± Gojo Satoru wasn¡¯t often surprised. He was the strongest, after all. He had seen things, known things, that others could barely comprehend. But these two¡­ well, they were interesting. The white-eyed girl, in particular, intrigued him. Her gaze had a weight to it, a sharpness that wasn¡¯t just intuition¡ªit was perception manifest. Unlike his Rikugan that was vibrant blue, hers was pale white. Rare might even be an understatement, since this was the first time he was seeing something like this. He might not show it, but Satoru was quite well-read. He wouldn¡¯t claim he was wise or anything like it, but he had knowledge. ¡°Hey do you want to compare?¡± There was a mischievous lilt to his tone as he tried testing her. And what better way to test her reaction than a little show-and-tell? Grinning, Satoru reached up and tugged his blindfold just enough to reveal his Rikugan. The world sharpened into crystalline perfection, his vision layering over itself in fractals of cursed energy and limitless possibility. He expected something¡ªmaybe fear. His reputation as the strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer wasn¡¯t just for show. Or maybe admiration? He wasn¡¯t blind to his own looks. Instead¡ª A protective arm stretched out in front of the girl. Blondie had moved. Satoru¡¯s grin widened as the boy positioned himself slightly in front of her, his stance defensive but firm. Cute. ¡°You¡¯re bothering her,¡± the blonde said, frowning. Satoru blinked, then glanced at the girl. To her credit, she did look bothered. But not in the way most people did when faced with his Rikugan. There was no fear, no awe¡ªjust mild annoyance, as if she had just realized he was strange. She shot him a look. Satoru chuckled, slipping his blindfold back into place. ¡°So¡­ how much do you kids know about the Jujutsu world?¡± The response was immediate. The girl stiffened, her white eyes narrowing ever so slightly. Guarded. Calculating. It wasn¡¯t outright hostility, but it was clear she wasn¡¯t about to answer him easily. The blonde, on the other hand, looked completely clueless. His expression scrunched up in confusion, lips parting slightly as if Satoru had just spoken an entirely different language. ¡°Jujutsu¡­ world?¡± the boy repeated, tilting his head. Bingo. Satoru¡¯s smirk widened. If his assessment was correct¡ªand he was always correct¡ªthen these two were anything but normal. Even without the Six Eyes, he could feel the sheer amount of cursed energy pouring off of them. It wasn¡¯t just a lot¡ªit was absurd. The blonde alone had enough cursed energy to make most Jujutsu Sorcerers look like amateurs. ¡®Scratch that,¡¯ Satoru mused. ¡®This kid has more than even Yuta¡­¡¯ On second thought, way more. And the girl? She wasn¡¯t as overwhelming, but she was no slouch either. He could tell, just from the way she moved earlier, that she had experience. She was a fighter, disciplined and precise. Interesting. Very interesting. Before he could probe further, the girl made her move. She reached for the blonde¡¯s hand, grasping it firmly. ¡°Excuse us,¡± she said smoothly, her voice polite but final. ¡°I believe you¡¯re mistaken about something.¡± With that, she turned on her heel and walked away, dragging the confused blonde with her. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Satoru watched them go, his smirk never fading. ¡®Oh? So that¡¯s how it¡¯s gonna be?¡¯ Fine. This was turning out to be way more fun than he expected. Would he let them walk away so easily? Of course not. Satoru sighed, stretching his arms overhead as he let his cursed energy stir. Then, in an instant, he moved. A flash of Blue. A ripple in space. Boom. One moment, he was standing casually behind them. The next, he was right in front of the girl, completely cutting off her path. The blonde yelped, stumbling back slightly. The girl barely reacted, only tensing for half a second before coming to a stop. Her white eyes locked onto him, cautious and intense. Satoru raised both hands in mock surrender, his tone light and playful. ¡°Okay, okay. Maybe we started on the wrong foot.¡± He flashed a charming grin. ¡°Let¡¯s try this again.¡± The girl said nothing. The blonde blinked in confusion. Satoru pressed a hand against his chest, tilting his head slightly. ¡°The name¡¯s Gojo Satoru.¡± ¡­Nothing. No reaction. Satoru¡¯s smile twitched at the edges. That was¡­ unexpected. He gave them a few more seconds, waiting¡ªexpecting something. A flicker of recognition. A slight widening of the eyes. A gasp of realization. But no. The blonde only stared at him like he had just said something completely meaningless. The girl didn¡¯t even blink. Satoru resisted the urge to whistle. ¡®They have no idea who I am.¡¯ Either these two were incredibly uninformed, or¡­ no, that had to be it. Even if they weren¡¯t from a Jujutsu Sorcerer family, everyone knew the Gojo name. At the very least, they should¡¯ve recognized him. But they didn¡¯t. This pretty much confirmed it¡ªthe kids in front of him weren¡¯t big on the Jujutsu World. As for their background¡­ He couldn¡¯t quite place it. The girl finally broke the silence. ¡°Hy¨±ga Hinata,¡± she introduced herself, voice calm but wary. Then, she gestured toward the blonde. ¡°And this is Uzumaki Naruto.¡± Satoru hummed, letting the names roll off his tongue. ¡°Uzumaki. Uzumaki¡­¡± He tilted his head slightly. ¡°Hy¨±ga. Hy¨±ga. Hy¨±ga¡­¡± Nope. Nothing. Neither name rang any bells. Weird. There weren¡¯t any major sorcerer families with those surnames, at least none that he could recall. If they were from one of the smaller clans, that would be surprising. No way would a clan let go of kids with this much potential. Maybe they were from the countryside? Some isolated place where the Jujutsu Society didn¡¯t have much reach? That was the only thing that made sense. Satoru let out a slow breath, rubbing his chin in thought. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± ¡°Can we go now?¡± asked Hinata whow as trying er best to be polite. Satoru wasn¡¯t Sherlock Holmes, but with the Rikugan, he didn¡¯t need to be. His perception was beyond human¡ªhe could see the finest details, the subtlest shifts in body language, the faintest traces of cursed energy. And right now? He was studying them. Hinata stood composed, her expression calm, but her body language told a different story. Her gray hoodie was fraying, its edges worn and torn, as if it had been through battle multiple times. The slight tension in her muscles, the barely noticeable shift in her stance¡ªshe was ready to throw hands if it came to it. Civilians didn¡¯t carry themselves like that. And then there was her hand, subtly resting against a pouch strapped to her side. Weapons? Probably. Satoru didn¡¯t care. He turned his attention to the boy. Naruto, unlike the girl, was harder to read. His tracksuit practically screamed brand new. The giveaway? The price tag still hanging off the collar. Seriously, how do you miss that? But aside from his strange energy, Satoru couldn¡¯t find anything conclusive about him. No hidden weapons, no defensive stance¡ªjust an odd, restless energy radiating from him. The girl, Hinata, raised an eyebrow. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, we should be going.¡± Her voice was polite but firm. Satoru clicked his tongue. ¡°Oh, come on,¡± he said, wiggling a finger in the air. ¡°You¡¯re both clearly suspicious. And I love mysteries.¡± He tapped his chin, gaze flicking between them. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ fraying clothes, combat-ready stance, the way you keep touching that pouch like it¡¯s a lifeline¡­¡± His smirk widened. ¡°And the bright-eyed boy with the brand new tracksuit¡­¡± Then, with a dramatic snap of his fingers, he threw out the wildest guess he could think of. ¡°You two are runaway lovers, and your clan is after you!¡± Hinata choked. Naruto blinked. Once. Twice. Then he slowly turned to Hinata. ¡°¡­Really?¡± he asked, completely bewildered. Hinata sucked in a sharp breath, visibly forcing herself to calm down. She almost succeeded¡ªif not for the faint dusting of red on her cheeks. Gojo ¡®Sherlock Holmes¡¯ Satoru grinned. Hinata took a breath, then spoke with the careful precision of someone reciting something memorized. ¡°We¡¯re not being hunted,¡± she corrected, her voice steady. ¡°But¡­ we are runaways.¡± Naruto looked at her, blinking in surprise, but he didn¡¯t interrupt. ¡°Our village was destroyed by a monster attack,¡± Hinata continued. ¡°An accident happened, and we ended up here.¡± There was no hesitation in her tone, but Satoru could tell¡ªthis was a lie. A plain, scripted one. After all, if there had been Cursed Spirits powerful enough to wipe out an entire village, he would have at least heard of it. Especially if it included two special kids with as much cursed energy as the two in front of them. Satoru had his ear on news of talented youths and he hadn¡¯t heard anything about the two in front of him. Thus, it could only be a lie. But that didn¡¯t mean there wasn¡¯t truth buried in the lie. The thing about tragedies? They weren¡¯t rare. Over ten thousand deaths or missing persons occurred annually in the country. A village being wiped out wasn¡¯t outside the realm of possibility. Still¡­ Hinata was just a bad liar. And judging by Naruto¡¯s confused reaction, he probably wasn¡¯t much better. Satoru didn¡¯t call them out on it. Instead, he folded his arms, watching as Hinata continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about this Jujutsu World you mentioned. But I do know that there are people who kill the strange monsters prowling the city.¡± Ah. There it is. Satoru let out a lazy hum, tilting his head. ¡°Jujutsu Sorcerers,¡± he corrected. Naruto''s brows furrowed. ¡°Jujutsu¡­ Sorcerers?¡± Well, since they were already here, might as well give them a crash course. Satoru sighed dramatically. ¡°Alright, listen up, kids. This world is filled with negative energy¡ªthe bad vibes people throw around every day. That negative energy gathers and gives birth to Curses¡ªugly little things that love causing havoc.¡± Naruto tilted his head, eyes narrowing in thought. ¡°So, like those monsters we saw earlier?¡± Oh, so they must have seen the Curses scrambling to here¡­ Did they come here, knowing that? ¡°Exactly!¡± Satoru snapped his fingers, pointing at him. ¡°They¡¯re called Curses. Nasty little things born from human fear, hatred, and suffering.¡± Hinata remained quiet, taking in every word. Satoru could see the gears turning in her head. He shrugged. ¡°And because Curses exist, people like me exist to exorcise them. That¡¯s where Jujutsu Sorcerers come in. We use Cursed Energy to fight, stop disasters, and make sure civilians don¡¯t get eaten in the middle of their morning commute.¡± Naruto frowned, digesting the information. ¡°So¡­ you fight them? And you¡¯re strong?¡± Satoru grinned. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m more than strong. I¡¯m the strongest.¡± Hinata¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but Satoru could feel her skepticism. Naruto, on the other hand, just muttered, ¡°Huh¡­ cool.¡± Satoru waved a hand. ¡°I¡¯m not great at the talking part, but that¡¯s the gist of it.¡± He reached into his pocket, rolling his eyes at himself. ¡°Ugh, this is so lame.¡± With an exaggerated sigh, he pulled out a business card and handed it to Hinata and Naruto. They both looked at it. Satoru almost couldn¡¯t believe himself. ¡®Since when did I start doing things like this?¡¯ Satoru wasn¡¯t usually this¡­ subtle. Normally, he¡¯d be way more persuasive¡ªlike what he was about to do with Itadori Yuji. Well¡­ once the kid woke up, anyway. ¡­Er. Okay, maybe that was a bad example. Yuji was still unconscious, currently under Megumi¡¯s watch. Satoru would have to convince him soon, but for now, that wasn¡¯t his problem. But these two? Something told Satoru that they weren¡¯t the type to be easily convinced. He didn¡¯t mind. He liked a challenge. Slipping his hands into his pockets, he turned slightly, tilting his head. ¡°If you two ever get curious about the Jujutsu World¡­ and won¡¯t settle for a life of mediocrity,¡± he said casually, nodding toward the business card, ¡°¡­just call the number.¡± Hinata¡¯s fingers curled around the card with an unreadable expression. Naruto just looked at it, squinting slightly. Satoru let them be. No point in forcing things. With a dramatic stretch, he turned on his heel. ¡°Welp, I still got some stuff to do,¡± he remarked lazily. Then¡ª He vanished. 006 An Uncertain Future - Hinata’s POV 006 An Uncertain Future - Hinata¡¯s POV Back inside the abandoned building, Hinata worked quietly, stuffing their meager belongings into a worn-out bag. The night air seeped in through the broken windows, carrying the distant hum of the city. Their temporary shelter¡ªan old office space long since forgotten¡ªhad served its purpose. But now, after that strange encounter, Hinata wasn¡¯t sure what to do next. Behind her, Naruto sat cross-legged on the dusty floor, turning a small, sleek business card between his fingers. He had been staring at it for a while now, flipping it back and forth as if expecting it to reveal some hidden message. "Should we call it?" Naruto finally asked, breaking the silence. ¡°How do you even call it? Do I¡­ uuuh¡­ whisper to it?¡± Hinata paused, her hands tightening around the strap of the bag. She turned to look at him. "Call what?" Naruto held up the card, its smooth surface catching the dim light. Embossed in bold letters were the words Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School. "This," he said, waving it slightly. "The Gojo guy gave it to us. Maybe it''s important, ya know." "I don¡¯t know," she murmured, unsure. ¡°Maybe?¡± Naruto hummed in thought, tilting his head. "That Gojo guy¡­ he was weird, but I don''t think he was lying about everything. He knew stuff. And he was strong." Hinata sighed, resuming her packing. "I don¡¯t know, Naruto-kun." Naruto fell silent for a moment, watching her carefully. "So¡­ what''s the plan?" he asked, his voice quieter now. Hinata¡¯s fingers stilled. That was the real question, wasn¡¯t it? What was the plan? On one hand, this Gojo Satoru had approached them like a recruiter. He had seen something in them¡ªwhether it was their abilities, their energy, or just their circumstances¡ªand wanted to get them involved in this so-called Jujutsu World. Hinata didn¡¯t like it. She didn¡¯t trust people who moved too fast, who acted too easily, who were too impossible to read. As a kunoichi, it was embarrassing that she couldn¡¯t get a proper read on him. His energy was too erratic, his presence too overwhelming. Even when he had taken off his blindfold, revealing those striking blue eyes, she hadn¡¯t sensed deceit. But that didn¡¯t mean she trusted him. And yet¡­ what other options did they have? She glanced at Naruto, who was still waiting for an answer. His blue eyes, so bright and clear even in the dim room, reminded her of their past¡ªof a time when things had been so much simpler, so much easier. Well, the easier times at least. After all, the shinobi world was never easy. Naruto didn¡¯t remember, but she did. And she had to be the one to figure out where to go from here. Hinata sighed. "I don¡¯t know yet," she admitted, her voice softer than before. Naruto nodded slowly, as if he had expected that answer. He didn¡¯t push her. Instead, he lay back on the floor, holding the card above his face and squinting at it again. "...I kinda wanna see what this school is like," he mused. Hinata didn¡¯t reply. She simply kept packing, her thoughts too tangled to sort through. For now, she¡¯d let the night pass. Maybe by morning, she¡¯d have an answer. Hinata tightened the straps on the duffel bag, giving it one last check before straightening up. Packing hadn¡¯t taken long¡ªthere wasn¡¯t much to pack in the first place. A few clothes, some food they had scavenged, and whatever essentials they had managed to gather since arriving in this strange world. As for Naruto, his belongings were practically nonexistent. What little he needed, they could procure along the way. As she adjusted the weight of the bag over her shoulder, Naruto¡¯s voice broke the silence. ¡°So¡­ are we going to this Tokyo place?¡± he asked, his legs stretched out lazily in front of him. He twirled the business card between his fingers, watching it flip back and forth. ¡°Or¡ª¡± he hesitated, squinting at the text again, ¡°¡ªshould we, uh¡­ call this number? Whatever that means. I¡­ I am sorry, Hinata-chan. I kinda feel restless, ya know.¡± Hinata exhaled slowly, shifting her weight. Naruto didn¡¯t know what calling meant. He had no memories, and even if he did, it wouldn¡¯t have helped. Phones didn¡¯t exist in their world. A slight frown tugged at her lips. The closest thing she could compare a phone call to was the long-distance telegraphs that had been introduced in some parts of the Land of Fire. Not many people used them, but she remembered hearing about them in passing. Some shinobi villages had experimented with similar systems for communication between outposts. Then there were carrier pigeons, which had been more widely used by the shinobi forces. Messages carried over great distances, sometimes encoded, sometimes urgent. And then there was the ANBU. She recalled a conversation she had once overheard between Kurenai-sensei and Asuma-sensei. There had been whispers¡ªrumors, really¡ªof an advanced communication method used exclusively by the ANBU. Something that allowed them to send messages without the use of pigeons or scrolls. The details had been vague, but now, standing here in this unfamiliar world, she wondered if that rumor had been referring to something like this¡ªphones. ¡°Hinata-chan?¡± Naruto¡¯s voice pulled her from her thoughts. He was looking at her expectantly, clearly waiting for an answer. Hinata shifted her grip on the bag, adjusting its weight before responding. ¡°Calling¡­ is a way to talk to someone from far away,¡± she explained, choosing her words carefully. ¡°Kind of like how messages are sent through telegraphs or pigeons.¡± Naruto blinked. ¡°So, like a long-distance jutsu?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Hinata hesitated, then nodded. ¡°Something like that.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. She had given Naruto a crash course about chakra and jutsu, so it wasn¡¯t strange he think of something like a long-distance jutsu. ¡°Huh¡­¡± muttered Naruto, ¡°Weird,¡± Hinata couldn¡¯t argue with that. She turned toward the window, peering out into the city. The streets below were illuminated by the glow of neon signs and streetlights, a sight she still hadn¡¯t quite gotten used to. This place was nothing like Konoha. No towering trees, no dirt roads, no Hokage Monument watching over them. Everything here was metal, glass, and electricity. Would this Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School have any answers for them? Hinata wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°¡­So?¡± Naruto asked again, pulling her attention back. ¡°Are we calling or what?¡± Hinata sighed. ¡°Not yet,¡± she decided. ¡°I am still thinking about it.¡± Naruto nodded, ¡°Take your time, Hinata-chan.¡± Hinata¡¯s fingers moved swiftly as she counted the bills in her wallet. The thin paper felt fragile between her fingertips, so different from the currency she had grown up using. Yet, after weeks of working part-time jobs, she had grown accustomed to it¡ªjust as she had adapted to so much in this strange world. Her ability to adjust had surprised even herself. At first, the unfamiliarity had been overwhelming¡ªthe strange technology, the odd customs, the complete lack of chakra in people. But survival demanded adaptability, and if there was one thing she had learned from being a kunoichi, it was how to survive. She let out a quiet sigh as she closed her wallet. The money she had left wasn¡¯t much, but it would have to do. ¡°Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School¡­¡± Naruto murmured, rolling the name around in his mouth. ¡°Was it¡­ like the Academy?¡± Hinata hesitated. ¡°I can¡¯t tell,¡± she answered plainly. She had no idea what a Jujutsu Sorcerer truly was, but if they were anything like this country¡¯s equivalent of shinobi, then their existence could only mean trouble. A school for these so-called sorcerers¡­ what did they teach? How many were there? And more importantly, were they part of the government? If they were truly a military force, much like how Konoha¡¯s shinobi served the Land of Fire, then it would be in their best interest to not get involved with them. Naruto¡¯s presence alone would complicate things. The Ky¨±bi. Even without actively using its chakra, Naruto still had the beast sealed within him¡ªdidn¡¯t he? Hinata had no idea what had become of their abilities since waking up here, but she wasn¡¯t willing to take chances. If these sorcerers found out what was inside Naruto, what would they do? She wasn¡¯t going to wait around to find out. ¡°I¡¯d rather leave,¡± she said at last. ¡°Be as far away from people like Gojo Satoru as possible.¡± Naruto looked up at her, blinking. ¡°You really don¡¯t trust that guy, huh?¡± Hinata frowned, tightening her grip on her wallet. ¡°I couldn¡¯t read him,¡± she admitted. ¡°As a kunoichi, that¡¯s¡­ embarrassing.¡± She had spent years training to read people, to pick up the smallest shifts in body language, the slightest hesitation in words. And yet, when it came to that man with the blindfold and that wide, easy-going grin¡­ She had nothing. And that scared her more than she wanted to admit. Naruto stretched his arms behind his head, letting out a breath. ¡°Well, if you say so,¡± he said, tone easy but accepting. ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t we packing too much?¡± Hinata didn¡¯t answer right away. Instead, she moved toward the bed where she had laid out their supplies. A large camper¡¯s backpack sat there, already filled with the essentials. She hefted it onto her back, testing the weight. Naruto frowned as he watched her. ¡°You¡¯re carrying that?¡± Hinata barely had time to nod before Naruto stood and grabbed the straps. ¡°I¡¯ll carry it.¡± She blinked at him. ¡°I can handle it.¡± Naruto gave her an exasperated look. ¡°Yeah, and so can I. It¡¯s fine, Hinata-chan. You don¡¯t have to carry everything.¡± Hinata hesitated before relenting, allowing him to take the backpack. Thinking about it, she grabbed another spare bag and began stuffing it with supplies¡ªcooking utensils, canned food, medical kits¡ªanything she thought they might need. If they were going to flee, she wanted to be prepared. Naruto watched as she packed, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he sighed, rubbing the back of his head. ¡°You¡¯re really serious about this, huh?¡± Hinata paused, glancing at him. ¡°Yes,¡± she said simply. Naruto looked at her for a moment longer before he grinned, shifting the weight of the backpack on his shoulders. ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s get going.¡± The night air was crisp and cool, wrapping around Hinata like a second skin as she moved. The city lights behind them faded into the distance, swallowed by the dense treetops. Shadows stretched long beneath the moonlight, but to her, they posed no obstacle¡ªher vision worked perfectly in the dark. Naruto, on the other hand, struggled. She could hear him behind her, his breath uneven as he tried to keep up. The way he moved lacked his usual grace¡ªhe was hesitant, unsteady. When she leapt from one tree branch to another, he followed, but with far less confidence. His landings were rough, his footing unsure. Yet, despite that, he didn¡¯t fall. Somehow, he managed. Hinata glanced back at him as she adjusted her pace. He¡¯s learning. Slowly but surely, Naruto was finding his rhythm, and once he did, she pushed forward. She wasn¡¯t running full speed¡ªshe didn¡¯t want to risk exhausting him¡ªbut they needed to keep moving. By the time they reached their destination, nearly an hour and a half had passed. An abandoned construction site loomed ahead, skeletal structures of unfinished buildings standing tall against the night sky. Rusted scaffolding lined the perimeter, and large concrete pipes lay scattered around, half-buried in dirt and weeds. Hinata slowed, her senses sharp. The air felt heavy. She recognized this sensation all too well by now¡ªthe unnatural weight, the crawling unease at the back of her mind. Curses were here. Naruto felt it too. He stiffened beside her, scanning their surroundings even though he couldn¡¯t see what she could. ¡°Hinata?¡± he asked cautiously. She nodded, stepping forward. ¡°Stay close.¡± Without hesitation, she activated her Byakugan. Her world shifted. Veins bulged at the corners of her eyes as her vision expanded, piercing through the darkness. Figures twisted in the shadows¡ªgrotesque shapes with too many limbs, hollow sockets where eyes should be, gaping mouths frozen in silent screams. Curses. It was the term Gojo Satoru used and it fitted. Hinata moved. The lesser ones fell easily. A single precise strike to their cores was enough to dissipate them into wisps of cursed energy. She weaved through them effortlessly, ducking under clawed limbs, striking vital points with the practiced ease of a kunoichi. Naruto watched, fists clenched at his sides. Then the strongest one emerged. It was larger than the others, its body resembling something between a human and a beast. Its torso was long and stretched unnaturally, its limbs too thin yet too powerful. Jagged teeth protruded from its wide, lipless mouth, dripping with something black and foul-smelling. Its eyes¡ªfour of them¡ªrolled wildly in their sockets before locking onto Hinata. It lunged. Hinata barely had time to react as it swiped at her, its claws slicing through the air where she had been moments before. She twisted away, landing on the metal framework of a half-built structure. The Curse let out a shriek. It moved fast. Faster than the others. Hinata¡¯s mind worked quickly. The core. She had to find it¡ªstrike it before the Curse could overwhelm her. She adjusted her stance, bringing her palms up. Gentle Fist. The Curse rushed at her again. This time, she met it head-on. Her strikes landed true. One, two¡ªstraight to its limbs, disrupting the flow of energy within. It stumbled but didn¡¯t fall. With a guttural snarl, it lashed out again, and Hinata barely ducked in time, feeling the air shift as its claws nearly grazed her cheek. Faster. She moved in a blur. Her hands found their mark¡ªits chest, where the energy pulsed strongest. She thrust her palm forward, chakra-less but precise. The Curse let out a shriek, convulsing violently before crumbling into nothing. Silence fell. Hinata exhaled. She had been lucky. There were no bigger Curses here. If there had been, she wasn¡¯t sure she could have fought them and kept Naruto safe. Those she tried to avoid. Naruto approached her cautiously. ¡°You okay?¡± Hinata nodded, wiping her sleeve across her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Naruto looked around at the now-empty site, then back at her. His expression was unreadable, but his hands were clenched into fists. ¡°¡­I need to get stronger,¡± he muttered. Hinata looked at him, but before she could say anything, he turned away. They still had a long way to go. 007 Relearning the Basics - Naruto’s POV 007 Relearning the Basics - Naruto¡¯s POV Naruto sat cross-legged on the dusty concrete floor, his arms resting on his knees as he watched the city skyline through the gaps in the unfinished walls. The distant glow of streetlights and neon signs painted the horizon in hues of orange and blue. He sighed, leaning back slightly. He wished he could have helped. Hinata had taken care of the Curses without breaking a sweat, while he¡­ Well, he had just stood there. Useless. It was frustrating. His body still felt strong¡ªhe knew he should have been able to fight¡ªbut something was missing. Every time he tried to grasp at the power that once felt so natural, he came up empty. Was it the Kyubi? Naruto frowned, rubbing the back of his head. He hadn¡¯t said anything to Hinata, but the thought of being useless gnawed at him. Hinata, seemingly unaware of his inner turmoil, had already started setting up their camp for the night. They had decided to rest on the middle floor of the abandoned construction site¡ªit was elevated enough to keep them out of sight, and it had plenty of open space. With Naruto''s help, they cleared the place. Naruto let out another sigh and turned to her. ¡°Man, I wish I could''ve helped earlier.¡± Hinata paused in the middle of unpacking and glanced at him. ¡°You helped enough, Naruto-kun,¡± she said simply. ¡°Yeah, by carrying bags,¡± he muttered, tugging at his sleeve. ¡°You were the one doing all the actual fighting.¡± Hinata didn¡¯t answer right away. Instead, she resumed her work, her movements precise and methodical. Finally, she said, ¡°You will be able to fight. Just¡­ give it time.¡± Naruto wasn¡¯t sure if she was just saying that to make him feel better, but he nodded anyway. His stomach growled. Loudly. Hinata looked at him. ¡°¡­Heh.¡± Naruto scratched his cheek sheepishly. ¡°Guess I¡¯m still hungry.¡± Hinata nodded, standing up. ¡°You must be. We never got to finish our dinner.¡± Right. Naruto had almost forgotten about that. They had left the bowls behind when they fled Hinata¡¯s place, and there had been no time to eat since. ¡°¡­Sorry,¡± he muttered. He wasn¡¯t sure what he was apologizing for, but Hinata shook her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now,¡± she said, already reaching into her bag. She pulled out a small gas stove and a pack of instant ramen. ¡°I brought a lot of them just in case.¡± Naruto watched as she set up the stove, a tiny flame flickering to life. The scent of cooking broth soon filled the air, warm and familiar despite their unfamiliar surroundings. Naruto¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Oh! Ramen!¡± Hinata nodded, pouring water into a small pot and setting it on the stove. ¡°It¡¯s the fastest option,¡± she said. ¡°Fastest and best,¡± Naruto corrected with a grin. They sat in companionable silence as the water began to boil. Hinata added the noodles, stirring gently as they softened. The scent of seasoning filled the air, making Naruto¡¯s stomach grumble again. When the ramen was ready, Hinata turned off the stove and carefully lifted the pot. Naruto blinked. ¡°Uh¡­ we don¡¯t have bowls.¡± Hinata simply handed him a pair of chopsticks. Naruto looked at the pot, then at her. ¡°Wait. We¡¯re just gonna eat straight from the pan?¡± Hinata nodded. ¡°Less cleanup.¡± Naruto considered this for a moment before grinning. ¡°I like the way you think.¡± The two of them leaned over the pot, taking turns picking up the noodles with their chopsticks. The warm broth was comforting, the noodles filling. For a moment, as Naruto slurped up another mouthful, he could almost forget about everything else¡ªthe weird modern world, his missing memories, the strange guy who had given them a business card. Right now, it was just him and Hinata, sharing a meal under the open night sky. And for the first time since waking up, Naruto felt just a little bit at home. After finishing their meal, Naruto leaned back, stretching with a satisfied groan. ¡°Ahh, that hit the spot.¡± Hinata nodded, carefully packing away the stove and utensils. The night air was cool against their skin, and the hum of the distant city was a quiet reminder that the world hadn¡¯t stopped moving just because their own had changed so drastically. Naruto stood, brushing off his pants, then walked over to the edge of the unfinished building. He sat down, legs dangling over the side, and looked up at the night sky. The moon was bright, casting silver light over the skeletal framework of the construction site. Hinata joined him a moment later, sitting just far enough that their shoulders didn¡¯t quite touch. Naruto let out a slow breath, watching it mist in the air. ¡°So,¡± he said, swinging his feet absentmindedly, ¡°what¡¯s next?¡± That was always the question, wasn¡¯t it? Hinata was quiet for a moment, her pale eyes reflecting the moonlight. ¡°What do you think?¡± she asked finally. Naruto tilted his head, considering it. ¡°Honestly?¡± He scratched his chin. ¡°I dunno.¡± Hinata gave him a look. Naruto grinned sheepishly. ¡°I mean, whatever you decide, I¡¯ll support it.¡± She frowned slightly, shifting her gaze back to the skyline. ¡°Naruto¡­ we have to decide soon. This isn¡¯t something I can decide alone.¡± Naruto leaned back on his palms, staring up at the sky. He supposed she was right. As much as he wanted to just go with the flow, they couldn¡¯t afford to drift aimlessly. Not forever. He thought about that Gojo guy. Naruto wasn¡¯t sure if they could trust him, but there was something undeniably intriguing about him. About what he represented. ¡°I mean¡­¡± Naruto started, watching the clouds pass lazily over the moon. ¡°I¡¯m kinda curious about this ¡®Jujutsu¡¯ stuff.¡± Hinata glanced at him. ¡°Think about it,¡± Naruto continued. ¡°We were shinobi, right? At least, you were for sure.¡± He let out a small chuckle. ¡°And from what that Gojo guy said, these Jujutsu Sorcerers kinda sound like shinobi, yeah? At least that¡¯s the impression I got.¡± He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. ¡°So what¡¯s the difference? Is there a difference? Maybe being a shinobi is like being a Jujutsu Sorcerer, and we just don¡¯t know it yet.¡± The more he thought about it, the more his curiosity grew. And then¡ª Pain. Naruto winced as a sharp, splitting migraine shot through his skull. He shut his eyes, hissing under his breath. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Fragments of memories flickered through his mind¡ªshadows of things he should know but couldn¡¯t grasp. The sensation was maddening, like trying to catch smoke with bare hands. He saw glimpses¡ªan orange glow, a massive beast, voices shouting his name¡ªbut nothing solid. Nothing real. ¡°Ah, damn it¡­¡± He pressed his palms to his forehead, his fingers digging into his temples. Hinata tensed beside him. ¡°Naruto-kun?¡± ¡°Ugh. Just¡ªheadache,¡± he muttered, forcing himself to take a slow breath. The pain ebbed, but the frustration remained. His memories were there, lurking in the back of his mind, but every time he reached for them, they slipped away. Hinata watched him closely, concern in her gaze. Naruto forced a grin. ¡°Guess thinking too hard isn¡¯t my strong suit, huh?¡± Hinata didn¡¯t smile. Still, Naruto turned back to the sky, his mind a storm of half-remembered things. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep,¡± interrupted Hinata, ¡°We¡¯ll need our rest, especially you.¡± The tent was small¡ªbarely enough space for the two of them to fit comfortably. The fabric was a dull green, patched in some places, but it held firm against the night breeze. The inside was even tighter than it looked from the outside, with just enough room for two sleeping bags side by side. Naruto fumbled with the poles, grumbling under his breath as he struggled to piece them together. ¡°How the hell do people do this so easily?¡± Hinata, already familiar with the setup, knelt beside him and adjusted one of the joints. ¡°Here, this part slides in first.¡± Naruto blinked, then gave her a sheepish grin. ¡°Oh.¡± Despite the initial struggle, he caught on quickly. Soon enough, they had the tent standing, though it leaned slightly to one side, giving it a somewhat lopsided appearance. Naruto stretched his arms behind his head, admiring their work. ¡°Not bad, huh?¡± Hinata looked at it, then at him, and sighed. ¡°It¡¯ll do.¡± Inside, the space was cramped. Their sleeping bags nearly overlapped, and any movement from one of them would be felt by the other. The air inside was warm, a stark contrast to the cool night outside. Hinata pressed her lips together. ¡°Sorry¡­ I should¡¯ve saved up for a bigger one. Or even bought a second tent.¡± She sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°There¡¯s only so much I can earn in a day.¡± Naruto shook his head, settling into his sleeping bag. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± His voice was barely above a whisper, already fading into soft, even breathing. In truth, he wasn¡¯t asleep yet. He could sense Hinata¡¯s tension, the way she shifted slightly, as if troubled. If pretending to be asleep would help ease her worries, then he had no problem doing it. Slowly, he listened as her breathing steadied, turning calm. Only then did he let himself drift off for real. Naruto dreamed. He wasn¡¯t sure where he was, only that the warmth in the air felt like home. The sound of soft laughter filled his ears, blending with the clinking of bowls. Across from him sat a red-haired woman, her expression playful yet gentle as she pushed a bowl toward him. Beside her, a blonde man chuckled, watching the exchange with a fond look in his eyes. The words they spoke were muffled, lost to the haze of his dream, but the feeling they left behind lingered. Warmth. Safety. A kind of happiness that felt just out of reach. Then, the dream faded. Naruto¡¯s eyes fluttered open, and he found himself staring at something soft. Something very close. Hinata¡¯s face. Naruto froze. Hinata was hugging him in her sleep, her arms wrapped snugly around his torso, her forehead nearly pressed against his neck. Her breath was warm against his skin, slow and steady. For a moment, Naruto panicked, his body tensing. ¡®How do I get out of this without waking her up?¡¯ he thought, carefully shifting. Unfortunately, Hinata was quite the hugger¡ªher grip tightened as if sensing his attempt to escape. Heat rushed to his ears. Okay, okay¡ªcalm down. It was just a hug. Nothing to freak out about. At least, he hoped so. As long as the blood was rushing to his face and not¡­ somewhere else, he would be fine. Just when he convinced himself to relax, Hinata stirred. Her eyelids fluttered open, and for a brief moment, she simply blinked at him sleepily. ¡°Good morning, Naruto-kun,¡± she murmured, her voice still thick with drowsiness. Then, realization struck. Hinata¡¯s eyes widened. In a blink, she pulled away, scrambling back so quickly she nearly tumbled out of the tent. Naruto could swear her entire face turned as red as a tomato. Neither of them said anything. Five minutes later, they sat outside the tent, awkwardly sipping on bottles of water. They had yet to make eye contact. The awkwardness from earlier still lingered, but Hinata seemed determined to move past it. Without a word, she busied herself with preparing breakfast, working efficiently over the small gas stove she had brought. The smell of warm rice and miso soup filled the air, and Naruto¡¯s stomach growled in response. As she handed him a bowl, Hinata pointed toward the far end of the construction site. ¡°There¡¯s a water tank over there,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s not the cleanest, but it should be fine for a cold shower. If you want to wash up after training, you can use that.¡± Naruto perked up. ¡°Wait, training?¡± Hinata nodded. ¡°I left some clothes you can change into, along with soap and a towel. It¡¯s not much, but it¡¯ll do for now.¡± She paused, then added, ¡°I¡¯ll try to come back early so I can help you with chakra control.¡± Naruto tilted his head. Chakra. He knew what it was¡ªhe was sure of it. But whenever he tried to recall how to use it, his mind hit a wall. Noticing his silence, Hinata hesitated. Then, as if making up her mind, she knelt in front of him and placed her hands over his. ¡°Here,¡± she said softly. ¡°I¡¯ll use Chakra Transfer. Try to feel it.¡± A faint warmth spread from her palms. It was weak¡ªbarely noticeable¡ªbut it was there. A gentle pulse, like a ripple in still water. Hinata frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not very good at this¡­ And your chakra is supposed to be huge, so you probably won¡¯t feel much.¡± Naruto closed his eyes, focusing on the sensation. It was faint, but¡­ familiar. Somewhere in his body, something recognized it. Hinata pulled away, sitting back on her heels. ¡°Chakra is the energy inside us,¡± she explained. ¡°It comes from both physical and spiritual sources, and we use it to do all kinds of things¡ªclimb walls, walk on water, heal injuries¡­¡± Naruto blinked. ¡°Walk on water?¡± Hinata nodded. ¡°Yes, though it takes control. The first thing you need to learn is how to channel chakra properly. If you don¡¯t, it¡¯ll be impossible to use techniques.¡± She lifted her hands into a familiar seal. With a small burst of chakra, her form shifted. Naruto stared at¡­ himself. Hinata¡ªnow an exact copy of Naruto¡ªoffered a sheepish smile. ¡°This is the Transformation Technique. A basic jutsu.¡± The transformation faded, and she returned to normal. ¡°It¡¯s a good way to practice controlling chakra flow,¡± she continued. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try?¡± Naruto scratched his cheek, unsure. ¡°Uh¡­ yeah. I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡± Hinata smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll check on you when I get back.¡± With that, she stood up, brushing dust from her clothes. ¡°Where are you going?¡± asked Naruto. ¡°Work,¡± answered Hinata. ¡°And then investigate the lead Gojo Satoru gave us.¡± They talked a bit more. About chakra. About Transformation. Etc. As Hinata prepared to leave, she gave Naruto a firm look. ¡°Don¡¯t show your techniques to civilians¡­ or even Jujutsu Sorcerers,¡± she warned. ¡°We still don¡¯t know if we can trust them.¡± Naruto tilted his head. ¡°Not even Gojo?¡± Hinata hesitated. ¡°¡­Especially not Gojo.¡± Naruto chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. ¡°Alright, alright. I won¡¯t go showing off.¡± With a nod, Hinata turned and disappeared into the early morning light, leaving Naruto alone with his thoughts. Naruto sat cross-legged in front of a broken mirror, its jagged edges barely enough to reflect his full image. He squinted at his own face, concentrating hard as he formed the hand seal for the Transformation Jutsu. Taking a deep breath, he tried to focus. "Channel your chakra." The warmth he had felt from Hinata¡¯s transfer earlier¡­ he tried to call on that same feeling within himself. The flow of energy, the control. It was slow going. At first, nothing happened. Then, gradually, he felt something stir¡ªan unfamiliar yet familiar sensation deep within him. He clenched his fists. "Alright! Let¡¯s try that Transformation thing she did!" Naruto formed the seal Hinata had shown him, concentrating hard. The first few attempts were disasters¡ªhis form flickered, parts of him shifted randomly, and at one point, he accidentally turned himself half into a tree. "Argh! Come on!" He shook his arms, willing the leaves off. After multiple failures, his determination only burned brighter. He refused to give up. If his past self could master this, then so could he! Besides¡­ if he was really as good as Hinata said, it meant he had to be close to a breakthrough. Naruto paused, thinking back to the conversation they had before she left. She had mentioned that he¡¯d devised an original jutsu based on the Transformation Technique¡­ something so well-known that people in his village apparently talked about it in hushed whispers. When she said it, she had blushed so hard he thought she might combust on the spot. It made Naruto very suspicious. If it was just a simple transformation, why would Hinata react like that? He tried to think of any hints, but his memories were still a frustrating mess. Hinata was the type to get flustered easily, though. Maybe it was just something embarrassing? Naruto tapped his chin. "Did I turn into something weird¡­?" The thought made him shudder. Well, whatever it was, he''d figure it out soon enough. Right now, he had chakra to master. Gritting his teeth, he got back to work. "Okay, let¡¯s try one more time¡­ Alright, focus. Just like Hinata showed me. Visualize the form, channel the chakra¡­" He took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and willed the change to happen. Then, his nose twitched. ¡°Aah¡­ aah¡ªCHOO!¡± The moment he sneezed, a puff of chakra smoke exploded around him. When it cleared, he felt¡­ weird. Different. His tracksuit felt tighter in some places. A lot tighter. He blinked at the mirror. And blinked again. A pair of large, round, very much not his assets were staring right back at him. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Naruto croaked. Long, flowing blonde hair cascaded down his back, his face was delicate and soft, and¡ªoh crap¡ªhis figure was dangerously curvy. His hands trembled as he reached up and¡ªoh. Oh, wow. That was¡­ was this as good as the real thing or what?! Naruto stared, wide-eyed, as his fingers sunk into the impossibly soft¡ª He yelped and recoiled, face burning. ¡°What the hell?! What did I just do?!¡± He scrambled backward on his hands and feet, his transformed body moving in ways that made him even more flustered. His head whipped toward the mirror again. This¡­ this wasn¡¯t just any transformation. This was¡ª His breath hitched. Oh no. A memory flickered in his mind. An echo of laughter. Of panicked yells. Of angry women chasing after him with brooms. His gut twisted. "Wait a sec¡­ I invented this jutsu, didn''t I?" Naruto whispered to himself in horror. Hinata¡¯s deep blush earlier made so much sense now. Oh no, no, no, noooooo¡­ His gaze drifted lower, down to his pants. Curiosity struck. ¡­No. No. No. NO! He slapped his cheeks hard, willing the thought away. "Stop, stop, stop¡ªwhat the hell am I even thinking?!" He groaned, covering his face. With a desperate puff of chakra, the transformation dispelled, and he was back to normal. Naruto flopped onto his back, staring at the sky in shame. This chakra training thing was going to be way harder than he thought.