The Chaos of Chūnin

Moonlight Hayate's violent reaction was swiftly overshadowed by Naruto's concern.

"No, no... I was just joking!" Naruto hurried to reassure Hayate. "Don't take it seriously. What's the big secret here?"

Naruto had initially intended to come up with an excuse to send Moonlight Hayate home, hoping to avoid the limelight that had fallen upon him in recent days. But judging by Hayate's reaction, it seemed he might have more to hide than Naruto initially thought.

Could it be that Hayate's girlfriend, Xiyan, had left him for someone else? Naruto's mind raced with possibilities.

"Hiss—" Naruto exhaled, feeling a chill at the thought.

Moonlight Hayate, covering his face with his hands, cried bitterly and coughed intermittently. Naruto, trying to comfort him, placed an arm around Hayate's shoulders, but his words only seemed to make things worse.

"Uncle Hayate..."

"The flowers can bloom again after they wither. If you were early... she would definitely leave."

"Wow—"

"Woooooooooooooooo..."

The mention of a certain keyword only made Hayate's sobs louder.

"That... maybe it's a misunderstanding?" Naruto quickly realized he had touched a nerve and didn't want to push Hayate further. He was wary of making the situation worse.

"Naruto... tell me why!" Hayate pleaded, his voice cracking with emotion.

Naruto, feeling awkward, struggled to find the right words. It felt strange for him, a young ninja, to offer comfort in such a personal crisis.

Eventually, Hayate wiped away his tears, spoke briefly with the Third Hokage, and then hastily left the Chūnin exam site.

Naruto was left feeling conflicted. While he didn't think Hayate would be in any real danger, the emotional turmoil seemed intense. He hoped that Xiyan hadn't actually left him.

An hour later, the third match was scheduled to begin.

The duel was between Gaara and Rock Lee. With Tsukune Hayate temporarily absent—rumored to be off dealing with a traitor—a scar-faced Konoha Jōnin had stepped in as the new examiner.

Naruto, disinterested in the fight, noted that Rock Lee's only notable moment had passed, and now he was banned from further participation. As he watched the fierce battle below, his attention waned. Sakura had taken Hinata away, leaving Naruto to retreat into the sealed space of his mind to distract himself.

"Ah—"

"I miss you so much!"

Jiraiya, walking through the streets of Konoha, looked nostalgic. Every familiar intersection reminded him of old times with Orochimaru and Tsunade.

"It's Jiraiya-sama!"

"Jiraiya-sama is back!"

"Thank goodness!"

"Hahahahahaha, this is wonderful!"

Villagers and older ninjas alike shouted with excitement upon seeing Jiraiya's distinctive white hair. A legend in Konoha held that as long as Jiraiya was in town, he could rein in Naruto's antics.

Jiraiya was overwhelmed by the villagers' warm reception. People offered him eggs, fish, meat, and other goods, eager to show their appreciation.

"Enough, enough!" Jiraiya laughed, trying to push the gifts back towards the villagers. "We can't take any more. Everyone, please go back!"

Despite his efforts, the villagers continued to shower him with gifts. Jiraiya felt both appreciated and overwhelmed by their hospitality.

The excitement wasn't limited to the villagers. Ninjas came forward to pay their respects, praising Jiraiya for his legendary status and his past deeds. Their admiration made Jiraiya feel incredibly pleased.

"Hahahahaha!" Jiraiya chuckled, scratching his head. "I didn't expect to be so celebrated."

However, the attention became too much. Ten minutes later, Jiraiya, feeling the weight of the praise, waved to disperse the crowd and headed toward a nearby bathhouse.

"It's been ages since I collected materials," Jiraiya mused, taking out his binoculars. He peered towards the bathhouse with a mischievous grin. "I haven't been back to the village for years, but the enthusiasm hasn't changed!"

Jiraiya sighed contentedly, enjoying the renewed sense of welcome, though he was initially taken aback by the villagers' exuberance.

As the seventh match was announced, Naruto's eyes widened. Hinata was about to face her uncle, Neji, in the final duel of the second exam.

True to the original story, Neji glared at Naruto before the fight began, then started his usual criticism. When the battle commenced, Hinata used the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms technique to subdue Neji, showcasing her strength.

Naruto was not particularly surprised by Hinata's performance, given his training had made her one of the strongest in her class. However, he noticed a faint blue light emanating from Hinata's left eye during the battle, a glow that made him uneasy about his future as her husband.

The blue light in Hinata's eyes soon disappeared, blending in with the natural lighting, but Naruto was concerned that she might soon unlock a new level of power.

Sasuke approached Naruto, whispering, "Hinata's eyes..."

"About the same as your Mangekyō."

"Don't tell anyone else."

Naruto nodded in agreement, and the two shared a quiet conversation. They were unaware that Sakura and Hinata had arrived behind them, overhearing their exchange.