7 going stronger together

Chapter 7: Growing Stronger Together

This chapter is updated by Wuxia.Blog

But before Naruto could start talking, he was suddenly interrupted by Hinata.

"Who are you?" She asked with a grim expression.

"E-excuse me? Naruto doesn't know how to reply to the question that came out of nowhere.

Hinata might have looked like a meek 10-year-old little girl. But her thought was deep. Although she was acting clumsy and bashful during the meal, Naruto's action of constantly peeking at her from the corner of his eyes had never escaped her byakugan.

The way Naruto talked to her was also very different. How should she put this? It was tender and affectionate instead of his previous indifference. Although she was happy about it but she's still a bit skeptical and apprehensive.

"The air around Naruto were too different just now. Is he the real Naruto? Or is he just an impostor that use transformation technique? If it's true, then what happened to the real Naruto?"

Hinata's back was drenched with cold sweat when the thought crossed her mind.

"Who are you? Are you the real Naruto? The Naruto I know would never talk to me like this. Tell me! What have you done to the real Naruto?!" She shouted before activating her byakugan.

"Huh? This chakra signature definitely belongs to Naruto." She thought. " Is it some kind of mind controlling technique then?"

Naruto was flabbergasted. Never in his wildest dream did he expected Hinata to turn hostile all of a sudden.

"Well this is awkward." Naruto doesn't know whether to laugh or to cry.

He has forgotten that although his drastic changes in temperament can escape everyone's eyes in the village, it would have never escaped Hinata's. The little girl was always observing him from behind since they were six years old.

"Trust me Hinata. I'm the real Naruto. Err. I can prove it to you. I know that you are Hyuga Hinata the daughter of Hyuga Hiashi. The previous heiress of the Hyuga clan. However, you were disowned two years ago by your father. And your sister Hanabi took your place as the heiress. And right now, you are living together with Kurenai sensei." Naruto explained.

Hinata still doesn't trust Naruto. "Hmph! Everyone would know those facts after doing a bit of research! Now tell me what you have done to the real Naruto?!"

Naruto sighed. Seems like there's no escaping from this.

Naruto's expression turned serious. "I can't give you the details but to sum it up, I had a long dream. It was a dream so vivid that I thought it was real and I would have never woken up from the dream. It might be a dream or it might also be a prophecy about the future. Unfortunately, the dream turned into a nightmare in the end. Konoha was annihilated by our enemy. Everyone dies while protecting our village. And I failed to protect everyone that were dear to me. And that's including you, Hinata."

Naruto decided to tell Hinata the truth. He could lie to anyone, but he could never lie to the only girl he loved. Nevertheless, he did modify the story a little bit to make it sound more believable.

"In that dream I learned a lot of things. And that is including the fact that you have a crescent shaped birthmark near the lower part of your left chest." Naruto tried his best to give Hinata a solid proof.

Poof!

White steam can be seen coming out of Hinata's head. Her mind starting rotating at full speed to process everything Naruto had said. Naruto's last statement shocked her to the core. The crescent shaped birthmark is only known to her. Even her father doesn't know about it.

But the thing that preoccupied her mind the most is the sentence where Naruto said that she was dear to him.

"W-wait! How did he saw my birthmark in that dream? Unless our relationship has progressed further than just a classmate in the dream? Did we get mar--"

Hinata flopped to the ground and almost fainted. There's no trace of the previous hostility coming from her. Now she just looks like a bashful little girl. Her face was crimson starting from the neck to her ears.

"Are you okay Hinata?" Naruto asked with a voice full of concern. He tried to pull herself up again while supporting her shoulder.

"T-thank you N-Naruto." Hinata said with a voice almost as small as a mosquito.

"Hinata. I want to be strong. Much much stronger. I need strength to protect everyone. I need enough strength to protect this village. I don't want the tragedy in my dream to happen again. Even if the probably of it repeating itself is small, I still don't want to take the risk. " Naruto declared with a serious expression.

"However, I've realized something important recently. My power alone is not enough."

"So, let us start training and get stronger together. By the time when we become a higher-level shinobi, we can show everyone our effort and prove it to them. That you are not a disgrace to the Hyuga clan, and I am not the demonic fox kid that they loathe previously. What do you think?" Naruto gave Hinata an offer.

Hinata's mind was blank. Naruto's invitation come out all too sudden and her brain couldn't process the information efficiently due to the nature of the situation.

Naruto believed that it would take a while for Hinata to make her decision because of her timidity and indecisiveness. Yet, he was wrong this time.

"Yes! I'm willing, Naruto. I want to get stronger and prove myself to my clan. Especially to my father." Hinata replied without even a need to consider. Her voice is firm and filled with resolution.

Naruto gave a beaming smile. "Well this is the Hinata that I used to know. From the outside she looks like a gentle and docile person but her Nindou (Ninja Way) of not giving up is stronger than everyone else." He thought.

Despite her timidity, deep down Hinata was a stubborn girl and will never run from confrontation, instead doing all that she can to face it. If she fails, she gets up again and trains herself to not fail a second time.

Hinata is kind, always thinking of others more than for herself, and always caring about other's feelings and well-being. She doesn't like to be confrontational for any reason; she doesn't even like being confrontational about her dislike of confrontation.

It is for this reason that Hinata so often comes off as submissive or timid to others, as her overwhelming kindness can render her unable to respond or act because she feared offending others.

Her father constant push to alter this personality trait when she was younger only made it worse, eroding Hinata's self-confidence and making her even more timid because she placed so little faith in her own thoughts and opinions.

When Hinata's younger sister Hanabi started displaying her superior talent, Hiashi began to reconsider Hinata's selection as heiress. Later, Hinata and Hanabi were pitted against each other to determine who would one day lead the Hyuga clan.

Because Hinata was unwilling to harm her little sister, she was easily defeated, disappointing her father greatly. Hinata was then disinherited and turned over to the care of Yuhi Kurenai.

"At this moment, all she needs is a little push to boost her confidence. And someone to give her emotional support. The dumb me in my previous life was ignorant about her situation. And it has been one of my greatest regret." Naruto smiled wryly.

"But fate has given me a second chance. This time, I'll become her pillar of support until she blooms into the strongest and the most beautiful kunoichi that have ever been produced in Konoha." He vowed silently in his heart.

"Hahaha. Great! I knew you have it in you Hinata! Hmm let's see. Today I have a few errands to do. And I also need to meet up with the old man Hokage after this."

"How about this. Let's meet up near the village gate after class tomorrow? I believe the class will end at 12pm. Later we'll decide what kind of training that we should do."

Hinata nodded.

"Umm. So, N-Naruto. In t-that dream of yours. Did we g-get ma-rri-? " Hinata stuttered with an almost inaudible voice.

"Huh? Sorry can you repeat that again Hinata? I couldn't hear you clearly just now".

"Ah. It's nothing. I must go first. See you tomorrow. Bye." Hinata escaped lightning fast while covering her reddened face.

"Uuh? Ok bye. See you tomorrow." Naruto was left dumbfounded while scratching his head.

Naruto breathed deeply. His mind was clear, and his mood is better than ever after meeting Hinata.

"Now then. One thing is settled. Let's continue our next plan."