5 The Battle

The morning flew by, and before he knew it, the bell rang. Hayashi packed up and headed home for a quick lunch. He had a lot to get done, and he wanted to make the most of his time.

It had been just a month since he started swinging the sword, and he was amazed at how far he'd come. His movements had become second nature. Even with just one hand, he could still maintain perfect form with ease.

He'd also managed to shave off a significant chunk of time from his daily routine. What used to take hours was now done in just an hour and six minutes.

In the spiritual realm, time worked differently, so what felt like an eternity to Hayashi was just a brief moment in the real world. It hadn't taken up much of his day at all.

With the remaining time, he focused on his sword skills. After feeling satisfied, he took a short nap.

When he woke up refreshed, he headed back to school, bursting with energy. Once he felt confident in his abilities, he took a quick power nap to recharge.

Feeling refreshed and revitalized, Hayashi headed back to school.

----------

Iruka's voice echoed across the classroom. 

"Alright, students, gather at the training ground!"

As the students formed up, he began to organize them for practice.

The entrance exam was finally behind them, and the class had already shrunk by five students over the past month. Now, only 48 remained.

But the real test was yet to come. A survival exercise lay ahead, designed to push them to their limits. Only the best would remain in this class, and it was likely that half of them would be eliminated, leaving just a handful of teams standing.

Iruka stood on the practice field, surveying the students before him. Holding a form in hand, he addressed them with a serious tone.

"Over the past month, you've worked hard on physical exercises, shuriken throwing, and the Three Body Technique. You may not be Genin level yet, but I think you're all eager to see who's the strongest in the class."

"In the coming days, we'll find out. First up, we have a test of physical skills."

A student raised their hand, curiosity getting the better of them.

"Iruka-sensei, what's the physical skills test all about?"

Iruka explained, "It's a combat assessment. This time, it's not just a drill where you show off your moves. You'll be dueling each other, and the teachers won't step in until there's a clear winner."

A yellow-haired kid couldn't contain his excitement.

"This is what I've been waiting for! Sasuke, let's see how I beat you!"

He stepped forward, a confident smirk spreading across his face as he pointed boldly at his black-haired classmate.

Naruto's boastful words earned him hostile glares from his female classmates.

But Sasuke remained unfazed, a proud smirk spreading across his face. He didn't know that he would soon be baptized by the Uchiha Genocide.

"Bring it on," he declared confidently.

Iruka's forehead creased with annoyance as he watched Naruto's antics. Suppressing his frustration, he addressed the blond kid sternly, "Naruto, step back, please."

Naruto chuckled sheepishly, scratching his head as he retreated to the safety of the group.

"Ah, sorry about that..."

Iruka cleared his throat, continuing, "The physical skills assessment isn't about picking fights at will. You'll be paired up based on your training results."

"As I call out your names," the instructor announced, "please come to the platform."

----------

"First Match, Yusuke Hayashi vs. Hyuga Hinata!" Iruka's voice rang out across the field.

Hayashi's eyes widened in surprise.

"Huh?"

He was standing at the back of the line, but now he made his way towards the platform.

The class quickly cleared a space, leaving ample room for him and Hinata to face off.

The class quickly parted, clearing a space for the two opponents to face off. Hayashi's gaze fell on Hinata, who looked timid and shy. But when their eyes met, she mustered a fleeting glance and a soft greeting.

"Um... H-hello, Hayashi. Are you... are you doing well?"

Hinata stammered, her cheeks flushing pink.

Hayashi nodded slightly.

"Hello."

Hinata rushed on, trying to get the words out before she got too nervous.

"T-thank you... for that day!"

Hayashi's expression turned sincere.

"You're welcome. Actually, I should be the one thanking you," he said, his words filled with genuine gratitude.

Ino watched from a distance, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Wait, does Hinata know Hayashi?!" she exclaimed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Indeed, Hayashi and Hinata had a history, though it wasn't exactly a close one. It was more of a one-sided connection.

One of his earliest challenges in this new world was defending Hinata from a group of bullies. It was during that confrontation that something unexpected happened - the system within him was activated.

As a result, Hayashi felt a deep sense of gratitude towards Hinata. Without her, who knows how long it would have taken for the system to awaken?

Hinata's face fell, her momentary confidence deflating like a popped balloon. She wanted to say more to Hayashi, but her voice barely whispered out a faint response.

"Um..."

The courage she had mustered over the past month vanished in an instant.

"Are you ready?" Iruka's voice broke the silence, interrupting the moment between the two.

Hayashi nodded firmly.

Hinata's voice trembled as she stammered, "I... me too."

Iruka nodded, stepping back.

"Then, let's get started."

As Hayashi and Hinata faced each other, their eyes locked. Her gaze was drawn to his yellow pupils, and for a moment, she felt a little dizzy.

Hinata had remembered Hayashi's face clearly since he rescued her one year ago. When she discovered they were in the same class, she was thrilled.

She longed to thank him and apologize for not doing so earlier, but seeing him constantly surrounded by other girls made her hesitant to approach him.

After suppressing her feelings for months, Hinata finally found the courage to speak up. A surge of joy washed over her, though she didn't even realize it herself.

---------- 

'Finally, one step closer... from this moment onward.'

Hinata knew she couldn't afford to be timid anymore. Not now, when she wanted to leave a lasting impression on Hayashi.

Her timid demeanor melted away, replaced by a strong sense of resolve in her eyes.