Naruto: Unlocking Kaido Template

Without mentioning Zixu, who was just slacking off, the battle between Hyuga Chinano and Uchiha Gen was still intense. However, Chinano held the upper hand overall. The Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist wasn't famous for nothing. Even without the Byakugan, she could infuse her chakra into every strike, targeting the acupoints in Gen's body based on her deep understanding of human anatomy. This disrupted her chakra flow, limiting her ability to fight effectively.

The Uchiha clan wasn't known for their taijutsu—at least, not until they awakened the Sharingan. Neither Gen nor Chinano had activated their respective dojutsu yet, but Chinano's mastery of Gentle Fist gave her a clear advantage.

"Eight Trigrams Palm Strike!" Chinano's palm struck Gen's chest, sending a powerful surge of chakra into her system. Her breath hitched as her chakra flow became sluggish, leaving her unable to continue fighting.

Seeing this, Gouda Takeshi stepped forward to intervene. Though Uchiha Gen was clearly defeated, Gouda had to at least give the Uchiha clan some face.

"Alright, this match is over! The winners are Hyuga Chinano's team!" Gouda declared, stepping between them and raising Chinano's hand as the official victor.

Gen gritted her teeth but quickly accepted reality. If the fight continued, she'd only lose worse.

Zixu, still pretending to be injured, was supported by Aburame Hatsuizumi as they approached Chinano, both smiling.

"We won!" Zixu and Hatsuizumi cheered.

Chinano rarely smiled, but seeing Maruyama lying in the distance and Zixu leaning on Hatsuizumi, her expression darkened slightly.

"Are you hurt?" Her voice was cold as ever, but there was a hint of concern.

"It's nothing serious," Zixu shrugged, though in truth, he wasn't hurt at all.

Chinano hesitated for a moment before saying, "I'll ask my clan for some medicinal herbs later." Her face showed reluctance, as if she disliked dealing with the elders of her family.

"I... I'll do the same," Hatsuizumi added. "Zixu, if not for you, my arm might have been—" She trailed off, guilt written all over her face. Zixu had saved her yet again, and she didn't know how to repay him.

"No need," Zixu waved them off. "We're all comrades who share the Will of Fire, aren't we? Helping each other is natural."

Chinano blinked, seemingly unfamiliar with the word "comrades." Then, just for a fleeting second, a smile crossed her lips before disappearing.

"If we're comrades, then you have to accept our help," she said firmly. "Or do you not see us as your comrades?"

Hatsuizumi nodded in agreement. After seeing the state Yuanye was in, she refused to believe that Zixu was perfectly fine.

Seeing no way out, Zixu sighed and reluctantly accepted their kindness. At that moment, Gouda Takeshi called them forward for the awards ceremony.

"First of all, congratulations to Hyuga Chinano, Uzumaki Zixu, and Aburame Hatsuizumi for their outstanding performance in this match." Gouda's voice carried through the arena as he stepped forward, holding three small scrolls.

"These are Sealing Scrolls—each containing the power of Space-Time Ninjutsu. Inside, you'll find about one cubic meter of storage space. You can seal various items inside and retrieve them when needed..."

The students gasped, their eyes practically glowing with envy.

Sealing Scrolls were rare and valuable. Only a handful of shinobi could wield Space-Time Ninjutsu, making these scrolls precious resources. Many of these kids came from clans that didn't even own a few of these, and now three were being given away for free.

This, of course, was a calculated move by the higher-ups. It served as both an incentive for the students and a message to the clans: Konoha is strong. Follow us, and you will be rewarded.

Zixu was naturally thrilled—this was basically free inventory space. His system might eventually unlock a similar function, but for now, these scrolls would allow him to store items discreetly without arousing suspicion.

The awards ceremony concluded amidst the eager eyes and burning ambitions of the other students.

Yet, Zixu's mind remained sharp. His gaze flickered toward Yuanye, whose fractured leg left him incapacitated on the ground.

In this world, either don't make enemies or make sure they can never come back to bite you.

He could feel Yuanye's resentment and anger directed at him. If they were outside the village, he would have ended it already. But here, under Konoha's watchful eye, he couldn't make a move—his cover was too important.

Still, Yuanye was just a kid. Maybe he deserved one more chance. If he squandered it... then Zixu wouldn't hesitate to show him what true despair felt like.

---

"Let's go celebrate with some barbecue!" Hatsuizumi suddenly suggested after school, smiling brightly. She wanted to treat Zixu to a meal as thanks.

Chinano, who had been packing her schoolbag, paused, then gave a small nod.

Zixu, of course, agreed. His budget had been tight lately, and he hadn't eaten a proper meal in days. If he ate as much as he wanted, his entire month's allowance would be gone in one sitting.

As the three walked under the setting sun, their shadows stretched along the road.

Zixu strolled with his hands in his pockets, thinking about what to eat.

Hatsuizumi led the way, excitedly describing the restaurant's best dishes. The excitement in her voice was almost childlike.

Chinano walked beside Zixu, arms crossed, lost in thought.

Eventually, their three shadows merged into one as they disappeared down the road.

"Can I really eat as much as I want?" Zixu stared at the table filled with tender red and white chunks of meat. The sizzle of marinated meat from the next table hitting the searing-hot grill filled his ears, while the rich aroma of roasting meat, cumin, and other seasonings made his mouth water. His eyes practically teared up.

"Of course! Just think of it as my way of thanking Zixu-kun and Chinano for leading us to victory," Aburame Hatsuizumi said, raising a small cup filled with juice.

Zixu and Chinano picked up their cups as well, lightly clinking them together.

"Cheers!"

Everyone took a sip and started barbecuing.

At first, Hatsuizumi thought nothing of it, but soon she realized something was off. The restaurant staff couldn't keep up with the speed at which Zixu and Chinano were devouring food. The plates stacked higher and higher, nearly surpassing their height. She stared in disbelief.

She understood Zixu's insane appetite—after all, with Kaido's physique, he practically had a bottomless stomach. But Chinano? How did that little girl manage to pack away so much food?

Zixu and Chinano exchanged a glance and, in that brief eye contact, silently confirmed what they already suspected—they were both foodies.

Under the shocked stares of the restaurant staff and Hatsuizumi, the two finally slowed down.

"I think I can still afford this..." Hatsuizumi muttered, mentally calculating. "Yeah, the piggy bank should cover it... If not, there's still my New Year's money from Grandpa... But damn, my poor wallet."

Zixu, feeling a little guilty, hesitated before asking, "Uh... maybe I ate too much?"

"Yeah... maybe just a little," Chinano admitted, wiping her mouth with a tissue.

"N-No, it's fine! Everyone, keep eating!" Hatsuizumi forced a smile, but deep inside, she was panicking. These two had completely shattered her understanding of human appetite.

"Then I won't hold back," Chinano said seriously.

"!!!"

"Just kidding." For once, she actually cracked a joke.

"Really?"

"Hahahahahahahaha!"

Just as they were laughing, an unwelcome voice interrupted their conversation.

"Huh? Isn't this Chinano from the branch family? Why's she fooling around here so late instead of going home? Tch... I guess all branch family kids are just a bunch of lowlifes."

A boy, around fifteen or sixteen, swaggered into the barbecue restaurant. His stomach bulged slightly, giving him an arrogant, smug look as he sneered at Chinano.

Chinano's expression instantly turned cold. Her white, crystalline eyes widened, and veins bulged at the corners.

Zixu felt the temperature around them drop several degrees—and not even the barbecue flames could warm the sudden chill in the air.

"It's none of your damn business what I do," Chinano shot back, her voice as icy as her stare. "And besides, you're from the branch family too."

The boy smirked. "Yeah, but unlike you, both my parents are from the Main Hyuga clan. My blood is pure. You? You're just a bastard."

As he spoke, he finally opened his eyes. Unlike Chinano's refined, piercing gaze, his eye sockets were surrounded by thick, bulging veins, giving him a grotesque, almost monstrous look.

Chinano's fury burned hot, her right eye glinting with a faint red glow. She stepped away from the table, smoothly shifting into a Gentle Fist stance, ready to launch an attack.

Zixu, sensing things were about to explode, quickly grabbed her wrist.

"Wait, calm down."

He had no idea what the full story was, but his gut told him this guy wasn't here just for a random fight—he had a reason for picking this battle.

Zixu narrowed his eyes and took a step forward, placing himself between Chinano and the boy.

"What's your deal? We're still students at the Ninja Academy, and yet, a so-called 'elite' of a 'noble' Konoha clan is out here bullying his own villagers? Do you even remember the Will of Fire that the Third Hokage speaks of? Every student here is supposed to contribute to the village. Are you planning to betray the Third Hokage?"

Zixu didn't care if it made sense—throwing a big accusation out first always worked in these situations.

The boy froze, visibly caught off guard. He stammered, completely speechless.

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