Chapter 55: The Younger Sister-in-law's Growth, The First Exam

Chapter 55: The Younger Sister-in-law’s Growth, The First Exam

The atmosphere outdoors and indoors couldn’t have been more different.

Though few in number, the genin outside exuded warmth—Team 7 and Team 8 huddled together like classmates sharing stories in a winter sunroom. Indoors, however, the exam hall buzzed with over a hundred examinees, yet Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno shivered as they stepped inside. A frigid tension prickled their skin.

The room fell silent as if sensing their presence. Countless eyes pierced them like needles, triggering memories of the Land of Waves—of battles against Momochi Zabuza and Haku that Naruto and Sakura had narrowly avoided, leaving them reliant on Sasuke Uchicha’s strength. Their shoulders stiffened; fear flickered across their faces.

“Dead-Last, are you actually shaking?” Sasuke’s mocking voice cut through the air.

Naruto’s dread evaporated as he glared at Sasuke’s smug expression. “Who’s shaking?! I’m just hyped up!” he barked, his voice cracking slightly.

Izayoi ignored Team 7, addressing Hinata Hyuga and Shino Aburame instead. “Find your seats.”

The two nodded and moved toward the rows of desks. Izayoi and Hinata’s assigned seats were in the third row, center aisle—original seats once occupied by Naruto and Sasuke in canon. By swapping numbers, Naruto now sat beside Hinata while Izayoi took the spot next to Sasuke. A small favor Naruto readily accepted.

The implications of this change lingered. Would Sasuke assist Naruto during the exam, as he had in canon? Would the iconic moment of camaraderie still unfold? Already, the butterfly effect was altering events.

The nine Rookie Genin no longer clustered near the front. Kabuto Yakushi’s absence erased his calculated charm offensive, and the Sound Ninja’s orchestrated drama never materialized.

As the exam began, Izayoi and Hinata exchanged whispers under the guise of casual conversation, careful to avoid drawing suspicion.

“Hanabi’s already learning the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms? That’s impressive,” Izayoi remarked, eyebrows raised.

Hinata smiled proudly. “Father and the elders say her Gentle Fist talent surpasses mine. At her age, I was still practicing the Tenketsu Strikes, and my chakra reserves were weaker.”

Izayoi smirked inwardly. Hanabi’s potential was undeniable, but Hinata’s growth—fueled by his Swirl Bloodline (Purple) and Physical Healing chakra absorption since age five—would eclipse her sister’s. If Hanabi’s early mastery of advanced techniques was surprising, what might her future hold with continued exposure to his chakra? Evolution into the Rinnegan? Unlikely, he decided.

Hinata’s Byakugan, enhanced by his chakra, had already transcended the Hyuga Clan’s limits. Yet her Ōtsutsuki Bloodline remained at Blue-ranked Entry, indicating his chakra alone couldn’t catalyze its evolution. Even the Rinnegan, a manifestation of the Ōtsutsuki Bloodline (Crimson), required more than Byakugan refinement. If Hinata and Hanabi focused solely on advancing their Byakugan, their path to the Rinnegan would remain closed. But what transformations might emerge if their Kekkei Genkai evolved to Red Inherited Traits? A power akin to Kaguya’s reality-altering genjutsu? Or the pure Ōtsutsuki Clan’s celestial abilities? Izayoi relished the possibilities.

Their musings were interrupted by sharp, staccato pops—several smoke bombs detonated at the front. Through the dissipating haze emerged Ibiki Morino, the scarred, glowering proctor, flanked by chunin examiners. Silence fell instantly.

“Settle down,” Ibiki barked. His gaze alone silenced even the most defiant genin, their bravado crumbling under the weight of his prison-warden stare.

After outlining the rules and teasing the infamous “Tenth Question,” Ibiki commenced the exam.

Naruto blanched as the test papers landed on desks. The questions mirrored the grueling Ninja Academy curriculum—a nightmare he’d never mastered. “Sasuke… help!” he whispered, desperation overriding pride.

Sasuke’s smirk faltered as he scanned the paper. What the hell is this?! His confidence crumbled. Was his reputation as an academic prodigy a lie?

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Izayoi and Hinata writing furiously. A chasm yawned between them—a gap no amount of Sharingan could bridge.

Still, he had advantages. Slouched in the back row, he activated his crimson two-tomoe Sharingan, eyes locked on Izayoi’s movements. His pen flew across the page, copying answers with flawless precision—though the handwriting betrayed the deception.

Around the room, other cheaters employed bloodline limits, ninja tools, and crude glances. Ibiki and his team observed, deducting two points per infraction. Teams with negative ten points were expelled, dragging their comrades down with them.

“Candidate 35 eliminated. Both teammates, out!” A proctor barked five minutes in. The first casualty stormed out, protesting until a chunin’s demonstration of power silenced him.

Tension mounted. Only those with secret techniques or bloodline limits remained unfazed.

Forty minutes later, nearly half the room sat empty. Izayoi and Hinata, having finished early, exchanged covert hand signals under the desk—a sight that made proctors twitch in irritation.

Ibiki checked his watch. “Pens down. Time for the Tenth Question.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end