A few days had passed since the barbecue outing, and life in Konoha was progressing at its usual speed. In a quiet corner of the bustling academy, Uchiha Shizuka found herself staring at a familiar blue screen that only she could see.
[New Sub Task Unlocked]
Task: Kiss Senju Gojo in front of everyone.
Reward: Chunin level Taijutsu.
Shizuka sighed with a swirling mix of exasperation and determination. "Kiss Gojo? Seriously? Why must it always be so… public?" She glanced at Gojo, who was blissfully curled up on his desk, snoozing soundly. His unruly hair fell over his forehead just right, and he looked even more charming in his lazy state.
"Ugh, just look at him!" Ino whispered to Sakura, both of them peering intently at Gojo as if he were some irresistible dessert. Their mouths were practically watering.
"Like, how does he make sleeping look so good?" Ino gawked, entranced.
Sakura nodded in agreement, jaw slack. "I'd kiss him in a heartbeat… well, almost."
Hinata, shy as always, stole peeks at Gojo, her cheeks blooming rosy as she sealed her lips tightly. "I-I could never do that…" she murmured to herself, feeling butterflies swarm in her stomach.
Kiba and Choji lounged nearby, snacking away. Kiba looked at the group of girls staring at Gojo and smirked. "Is he a shinobi or a model? Why does everyone look like they've seen a deity?"
"I dunno, but can anyone pass the chips?" Choji replied with his mouth full.
Shikamaru, sitting slumped at the back, attempted to concentrate on his nap. He lifted his head slightly, eyeing the scene. "What is with all the eye-rolling over there? It looks more like a soap opera than a classroom."
Iruka-sensei entered with his usual lively energy, cutting through the dreamy atmosphere. "Everyone! We have a practical test this afternoon! The opponents will be called randomly!"
The mood instantly shifted from dreamy admiration to competitive spirit. Shizuka rallied herself; this practice would be the perfect chance to make a move.
"Time to put the kissing task into action…" she thought, mustering her courage.
---
Meanwhile, Hinata decided to be bold. Tentatively, she reached out, gently waking Gojo from his peaceful slumber.
"G-Gojo?" she whispered, her voice almost a thread.
Gojo let out a long yawn before lazily blinking awake, "Huh? What's up?"
"You, uh, need to prepare for the practical test…" Hinata's words trailed off, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves.
"Practical test? Oh man, hope I don't embarrass myself," Gojo mumbled, rubbing his eyes.
"You'll do great!" she encouraged, and he smiled back at her, making her heart flutter even more.
"Careful, or I might wake up just to crush my opponents," Gojo joked, a sly grin emerging. "But if it's against you, I'm definitely losing on purpose!"
Hinata blushed furiously, covering her face with her hands. "Y-you shouldn't say things like that!"
---
The casual banter and excitement swept through as they made their way to the practical test arena, where the Third Hokage was observing with eager eyes through his telescope technique. Danzo, lurking in the shadows, watched with his usual stoic demeanor—though the faint glint of intrigue glimmered in his eyes.
Iruka-sensei began calling out names, "First up: Shikamaru Nara versus… uh, who even is this guy?"
The chosen opponent glanced nervously at Shikamaru, who merely yawned.
"Sorry, man," Shikamaru replied, "But I'll end this really quickly. After that, we can chill, yeah?"
The match commenced, and as expected, Shikamaru deftly maneuvered his way to victory with barely any effort. "Too easy," he muttered, settling back into a comfortable position.
"Kiba Inuzuka! You're up!" Iruka called, shifting the focus.
Kiba dashed in, engaged in a quick skirmish with a random guy who, let's just say, had no chance. It was almost comedic how fast Kiba dispatched him. Afterward, he strutted back, boasting to the girls, "See? It's all about the canine instincts!"
"More like instincts for victory!" Ino quipped, snickering at Kiba's exaggerated swagger.
Then came Shino, who quietly dominated a female opponent with effortless grace. "Sorry…" he muttered as he caught her off guard and won the match.
Finally, it was Hinata's turn. The crowd buzzed with anticipation. Gojo watched, gradually becoming more alert, surprised to see her fighting for real, focusing intensely on her opponent without the gentleness typical of her character.
"C'mon, Hinata! You've got this!" he shouted, his voice cutting through even his own image concerns.
"W-wait, Gojo?!" Shizuka whispered to herself, annoyance bubbling. "Not like this!"
Many girls looked green with envy, literally seething as they watched him support her openly. Sasuke leaned back against the wall with a scowl. "What a show-off," he muttered under his breath.
As Hinata squared off against her opponent, Gojo heard a familiar sound pinging inside his head.
Ding! Congratulations to Host for plundering Naruto's opportunity to support Hinata! Reward: 3000 System Points.
Gojo blinked at the sudden influx of points. "Wait, Naruto supported Hinata in the original series during this fight against Neji," he thought, glancing back at Hinata, who was putting her heart into the fight. "Looks like I'm in the same position—though in this timeline, it's a lot more cute!"
Hinata continued to press forward, determination shining in her eyes. With each passing moment, the crowd seemed to grow more raucous, especially the group of girls watching Gojo. Their jealousy became palpable as they watched him cheer for Hinata.
"Who does he think he is? The shinobi equivalent of a romantic lead?" an exasperated Ino scoffed.
"More like a Playboy!" Shizuka spat out, crossing her arms and glaring doubtfully at Gojo.
"Ironically, the only thing he seems good at is napping," Sakura chimed in sarcastically.
Meanwhile, Hinata skillfully dodged her opponent's attacks, surprising everyone with her fierceness. "H-Hinata!" Gojo cheered enthusiastically, waving his arms in encouragement.
"Go, Hinata! Hit him with the Lion Fist!" He couldn't help but support her wholeheartedly, and even the Third Hokage watched with wide eyes, intrigued by the potential unfolding before him.
The match reached its climax as Hinata plunged forward with confidence, her fists raised high. "I won't hold back this time!" she declared, surprising even herself. The excitement in the air was infectious, and Gojo felt compelled to shout even louder, "That's my girl!"
The entire audience erupted in applause as Hinata clinched victory, defeating her opponent with a decisive blow. Her eyes sparkled with newfound confidence, and Gojo felt pride swelling in his chest.
"Good job, Hinata!" he called out, waving enthusiastically while she bowed shyly, cheeks flushed pink.
"See? You're amazing!" he continued, unconcerned about any teasing or judgment from his peers.
"Gojo is totally swooning over her! Did anyone else notice?" Kiba laughed, munching on his snacks.
"The kiss task is getting closer," Hinata beamed, holding her fist triumphantly.
"Now that's a sight I like to see!" Iruka smiled, jotting down notes for future evaluations.
Next, Iruka called out, "Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha, it's your turn!"
The classroom murmured with excitement, and the two boys stepped up to the grassy arena. "Prepare to be demolished, Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, pumping himself up while bouncing on his heels.
"I'd be worried if you didn't yell that," Sasuke replied coolly. "But let's see who ends up crying first."
"On the count of three!" Iruka shouted. "Ready? One… Two… Three!"
As they clashed, the test quickly became chaotic, with Naruto launching into his usual exuberant jutsu and Sasuke trying to keep up with his seasoned techniques. Gojo, still riding the wave of adrenaline from Hinata's victory, looked on, a grin plastered across his face.
"Maybe they should just settle this with a BBQ cook-off instead. No jutsu needed!" Gojo joked to Shikamaru.
"Now that's a competition I'd watch," Shikamaru chuckled, casually tossing a snack into his mouth.
Naruto unleashed a barrage of clones, each vying for an opportunity to hit Sasuke, who dodged and countered with precision.
"BANANA SLIP!" Naruto yelled dramatically, sending a wave of shadow clones towards his teammate while pretending to slip on a banana peel, causing everyone to erupt with laughter.
Sasuke, not missing a beat, retaliated with a series of fire-style techniques that had everyone on the edge of their seats.
"I give up! Where's my lettuce?" Naruto joked, feigning defeat as he dramatically fell to the ground, clutching his stomach. "This is getting serious!"
"Is your plan always to fail at the last second?" Sasuke remarked with a cocky smirk, but even he couldn't hide the glimmer of amusement in his eyes.
Just as they prepared for the final showdown, Shizuka leaned toward Gojo, her annoyance evident. "He's being ridiculous," she muttered, glancing at Naruto. "What does he think this is—a circus?"
"Honestly, if this keeps up, I might just wake up from a nap and join in," Gojo quipped, laughter spilling out of him.
"Let's just focus on how I'm going to get that kiss done," Shizuka self-talked, squaring her shoulders with determination.
In the interim, the practical tests continued, filled with mishap, laughter, and unexpected twists.
Finally, the match concluded with Naruto dramatically groaning in defeat. "One day, I will beat you!" he declared, stretching with exaggerated flair. The audience erupted into applause. Even Sasuke couldn't help but feel a rush of camaraderie—this was the essence of friendship and rivalry.
"Alright, that's our show for today!" Iruka announced, running a hand through his hair. "Great performances all around. Rest up, because tomorrow brings the next set of challenges!"
---
As the crowd dispersed, Gojo noticed Hinata looking particularly refreshed, a blush still tinting her cheeks from the thrilling experience. "You were fantastic, Hinata! Seriously, you had that match in the bag!"
"Th-thank you, Gojo! I couldn't have done it without your encouragement!" she replied, beaming brightly.
"Oh, look at that!" Shizuka interrupted, feigning innocence. "Seems like someone's trying to impress their favorite playboy!"
Gojo raised an eyebrow at her. "You make it sound like I'm the one aiming for the romance! Why are you getting beefy?"
Before Shizuka could respond with a snarky comeback, Ino jumped in. "Forget the drama —why don't you ask him if he wants to be your sparring partner? At least then, you won't have to kiss him. Just aim for his ego!"
"Oh please, as if he needs someone to boost his already too-inflated ego," Shizuka rolled her eyes, but deep down, she was secretly plotting how she could cut through the tension and solidify her own resolve.
As the group continued to chatter away, the kind-hearted Hinata chimed in hesitantly, "Maybe we could all train together? It might get beneficial for everyone." The idea of a group training sounded perfect but also deeply terrifying to her.
"Now that's an idea I can get behind!" Gojo exclaimed with enthusiasm. "With me leading the way, it'll be a barbecue extravaganza! Who can resist grilling while training?"
Kiba let out a bark of laughter. "Grilling and training? Might just end up eating more than we fight!"
"Exactly!" Gojo shot back with a grin. "But on a serious note, everyone can work on their techniques and allow me to give my glorious advice on how to munch and fight in perfect harmony!"
"Great advice if you want to be the first ninja to get knocked out while having a snack," Shikamaru shrugged, shaking his head. "Forget effective training; we'd be better off just watching bad movies at my place."
"Or we could spice it up!" Ino jumped in. "How about we have a 'grilled-treat challenge' where we mix cooking with battle drills?"
"That sounds dangerously chaotic for a 'training session'," Shizuka interjected, pretending to look skeptical, though her inner wheels were already turning. "But it could work as an effective distraction."
"Less distraction, more grilling!" Gojo declared enthusiastically, stealing a playful side-glance at Shizuka. "We could even have a point system—like nailed it if you land a move while balancing a kabob!"
"Okay, now you're just being ridiculous," Kiba chuckled.
"Ridiculous? This could be revolutionary!" Gojo proclaimed dramatically. "Imagine! 'Fighting for Your Food' could be the next great chapter in shinobi training across the lands!"
"More like a chef's nightmare," Shikamaru countered dryly.
As their banter filled the air, Shizuka quietly watched Gojo, fleetingly thinking of her task. She knew she could lead him into a corner during one of the more chaotic moments in training and snag the kiss she required.
"Focus, alone time, or a public spectacle…" she thought mischievously, visualizing the scenarios, trying to gauge how to execute her plans around the impending chaos of their training day.
---
Meanwhile, in the shadows of the dark cave, Madara surveyed the unfolding events with unblinking interest, contemplating the developing relationships between the young shinobi.
"It seems they are stronger together, but too naive to see the true game at hand…" he murmured to himself, the swirling darkness responding to his contemplative thoughts.
"Patience will be the key," he continued, his voice reverberating off the cave walls. "The alliance between the Senju and Uchiha might just give birth to the next great storm." He smiled ominously. "And when that storm comes, I will be ready."
---
Back at the academy, amidst the wondrous discussions surrounding grilled feats, competitions, and the various antics of their school lives, Hinata felt a wave of determination swell. Meanwhile, Shizuka was plotting cleverly her next move.
"Gojo," she called out, "we need to stick together to train aggressively before the exams. Are you in?"
"Count me in; how about tomorrow?" he said casually, his focus still on the group's chatter as he finished tidying up.
The sun began to set, casting golden hues on their playground, and amid the fun and laughter, the mission to grow stronger continued.
As the sun dipped lower, laughter rang out into the night, drumming an unbreakable beat of friendship, rivalry, and potential future conflicts, all under the watchful, guiding stars.
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Chapter 29 Ends
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[ TO BE CONTINUED ]
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Author's Note:
Boom! The chapter ends… but my journey as a humble author continues!
If you laughed, raged, or felt the urge to slap a fictional character today—don't forget to drop a Power Stone or add this novel to your collection!
It fuels my fingers and feeds the system behind this villainous tale.
Got an idea? A plot twist suggestion? Or just wanna yell at a character?
Slide into the comments—I read everything.
Until next time,
Stay evil, stay awesome, and thanks for reading!
– Your Scheming Author
azuredragonx
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