NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 22: chapter 22
"Didn't I say yesterday that today's exam wouldn't take long, so you don't need to bring food?"
Izanami closed his Byakugan and stepped out of his room.
At a glance, he saw Hinata already seated at the dining table, several bento boxes arranged neatly before her.
Though Izanami had said she needn't prepare, he sat down without fanfare and began eating the breakfast Hinata had carefully made.
"I didn't plan on it, but I forgot to remind Hanabi yesterday," Hinata said with a smile, placing her hands on the table.
"Hanabi woke up earlier than me this morning and specially made your exam bento."
"I see. Hanabi's quite thoughtful."
In one box, seaweed rice balls spelled out "exam success" in tiny radish shreds—an immediate boost to his appetite.
These past few years, he'd come to appreciate his sisters-in-law more than he'd ever expected.
"You eat too; I can't finish all this by myself," he gestured while reaching for another rice ball.
"No need—I've already eaten at home." Hinata shook her head, then stood and opened the refrigerator. She took out a bottle of milk and poured herself and Izanami each a glass.
From waking him up to pouring milk now, Hinata moved with ease, as if this was her own home. Which, for all intents and purposes, it was.
Izanami and Hinata hadn't visited their old meetup spot for years. Though he'd never stepped foot in the Hyūga clan compound, Hinata and Hanabi treated his house like a second home. They each had a key and would drop by whenever convenient—cooking, cleaning, or just hanging out together. They'd gradually made this a shared space.
After breakfast and a quick dishwashing session, Izanami and Hinata left together, heading toward the Ninja Academy.
The pair—a handsome boy and beautiful girl—caught many admiring glances along the road.
Six years had passed, and Izanami had grown from handsome child to handsome youth. His height, now 1.63 meters, wasn't remarkable in the Hidden Cloud Village but was notable in Konoha, where most students averaged around 1.50 meters. Standing next to Hinata, he drew attention in their class and grade.
Hinata, too, had changed. Izanami couldn't recall her exact height in the original timeline, but she was clearly taller now, with broader features. A hearty appetite, consistent nourishment, and rigorous exercise had pushed her to around 1.55 meters—several centimeters taller than other girls her age. Her chest had also developed noticeably, no longer the modest frame she had at twelve in the original tale.
Even the loose white windbreaker she wore couldn't conceal her figure, especially if she zipped it down to reveal the tight fishnet lining beneath. Izanami couldn't help but admire her beauty—only in a two-dimensional world could someone so young be so stunning.
"Izanami-kun, Hinata, good morning."
"Good morning, Minako."
"Still inseparable—aren't you two a couple?"
It was March 21st. First- through fifth-grade students had all finished their annual exams yesterday; sixth-grade graduation assessments were scheduled today. The campus was noticeably quieter, populated only by sixth graders—and outside, some parents waited anxiously for the results.
For ordinary families, today's test was make-or-break: their child's chance to escape mediocrity and become a ninja. But children from ninja clans didn't need to worry. Even a failed test wouldn't bar them from advancement—they could leverage their family's privileges to join a special ninja department regardless.
Walking into school, Izanami and Hinata were greeted by classmates of both sexes, many teasing them about being a couple. Izanami responded with a polite smile; Hinata blushed. Though both were well-liked, Hinata's presence amplified Izanami's popularity—nothing compared to Uchiha Sasuke, but still significant.
They'd been desk mates since first grade—practically inseparable. At first, other girls had tried to win Izanami's attention, but he always declined their advances, subtly preferring Hinata. Eventually, they stopped bothering, realizing he and Hinata were clearly close.
Despite this, the girls didn't turn hostile—Hinata was the eldest daughter of a prestigious ninja clan, top three in grades, and masterful in Gentle Fist taijutsu. Nobody wanted to provoke her; being struck in a pressure point, only to feel searing pain or numbness, was far worse than a punch.
This reputation granted Izanami peace—he no longer had to dodge invitations or social antics. Hinata was his shield, and with her by his side, he could focus on what mattered.
As they entered the room, many students were already seated. Some whispered to one another, others sat tensely, fists clenched in nerves. Even Uzumaki Naruto—who had caused yesterday's classroom chaos by vandalizing the Hokage rock and forcing random Transformation Technique tests—sat unusually quiet.
Izanami and Hinata took their seats and exchanged whispers. Observing the top two students nonchalantly chatting before a major exam sparked envy in the girl next to Hinata. Honor students were confident. She, by contrast, had been tense since last night. She hadn't slept well. 😟
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