“How To Hold Back Without Holding Back” By Adam Zenith

" Hey, are you enjoying yourself ?"

In the most smooth way possible, Adam brought a chair from god knows where, and placed it next to Hinata, who silently nodded her head.

" You had ramen, uh. That's some good taste you got there."

The young woman looked embarrassingly at the empty bowl-

Bowls, of ramen she had eaten.

Maybe a few too many for a lady her size.

' Where the hell does all that food go…?"

With a quick glance at her chest area, his question seemed to be answered.

' Right…'

Coming out of the momentary embarrassment, Hinata pulled a strand of hair behind her ear, allowing for Adam to slightly see her nape unintentionally.

Turning to see Adam, she couldn't help but feel wronged. The smile he was giving her was borderline mocking.

" J-just so you know, I don't usually eat this much. Today is a special occasion."

Adam raised his eyebrow at that.

"Oh~? What's the occasion?"

In the same mosquito like voice, Hinata continued.

" Earlier today was my first ever solo clear of a C-Rank dungeon, so I'm a bit more hungry than usual from all the accumulated stress."

Adam had to say, despite their physical similarities, which made them almost identical, this Hinata seemed a bit more outspoken than the one from the show.

The Hyuga princess was extremely timid in her early youth, and although this lessened by a great extent as she grew older, she still remained quite shy.

Yet, the Hinata before him wasn't like that at all, at least from Adam's perspective.

In his opinion, she was more of a quiet type of person rather than a shy one.

She could interact with people with no issue, and didn't avoid eye contact.

' I wonder if this is all that's different from the original.'

Maybe as a consequence of his confidence and ever growing power, he had no issue with saying what he said next.

" You single ?"

His straightforwardness was almost painful.

" Uh?"

Hinata had to take a moment to digest the question.

A few second ago he was playfully making fun of her eating 'capabilities', but then out of nowhere he was flirting ?

Taking her silence as an answer Adam concluded;

" Mh? Is that a no?"

The still confused girl, just shook her head slowly, finally out of the surprise induced by the sudden personal question the young hunter threw her way.

" I am. I'm not dating anyone."

That made Adam's smile turn sweeter, which alarmed Hinata.

The sensuality in his every action was so overwhelming she didn't know where to look, despite how collected she acted.

" In that case, it wouldn't be out of place to ask for your number, would it ?"

The next thing she knows, she found herself typing her number in Adam's phone and returning it to him.

' W-when ?!'

She was so taken back by the experience of being openly courted for the first time in her life that she didn't even realize what she did.

" Sweet~. Feel free to text me whenever. I'll do so as well if you don't mind me doing it."

She nodded absentmindedly, yet managed to form a sentence.

" S-surely. I don't mind at all."

With a swift motion, Adam stood up from his seat, giving her a last look.

" Good, I'll go talk to the others. It was nice talking to you, Hinata."

'He is like a storm.' Was the thought that formed in her head when Adam left her side.

Since the moment he approached her it was already decided that he would take her number, she just didn't know about it.

' That was, exciting ?'

She didn't know how to describe it, but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling.

' I should text him later-'

But then a thought hit her.

He had her number, but not the other way around.

' Oh no… Would it look weird if I bring it up?'

She could always wait for Adam to contact her first, but Hinata, regardless of how different from the original she was, remained a sweet girl.

The fact that she didn't ask for his number in return made her look impolite. At least that's what went through her mind.

"*Ding!*"

But just as she started panicking, a notification sound caught her attention.

- Unknown: "I promise I'll take you out for ramen in the future. Just please let me stay away from bankruptcy. <3" < p>

As soon as she read the message her ears turned crimson red.

She was so embarrassed she didn't even turn to look at his teasing smile from the other side of the table, where he was engaging in chitchat with the Fairy Tail "wizards", as they called themselves.

....

In the mean time, Fubuki looked at Adam incredulously.

She had seen everything from beginning to end and couldn't believe her eyes.

' This bastard…'

Yet, instead of feeling sad, she was fired up by the new variable that Hinata represented.

' I'll make you mine, Adam Zenith, mark my words…'

If only she knew…

Hinata was only one of the many "rivals" she would encounter in the near future.

...

' Hehe~. Teasing cuties is so freaking fun.'

In record time, he had managed to get Hinata's number. One of his objectives when he approached her.

Gaining her interest was the other, but that was an even easier task.

" So, Adam right?"

Adam turned to look at the blonde Fairy Tail wizard, Lucy Heartfilia.

" Yes, that would be correct."

The young girl nodded at his confirmation, assuring her that she got his name right.

" What major are you taking? Louis is on the medicine department, but unlike you , he has a healing supernatural power, so I doubt you are going for that route." Said the girl as she touched her chin with one of her index fingers.

" I'm not doing any major. I do a little of everything."

Lucy squinted at this comment.

" Uh? Is that allowed?"

" For me it is."

Since he wasn't sitting next to Lucy, but two seats to her side, the person in between them interrupted.

" Forget about that! You good at fighting?"

Adam could only laugh internally.

No matter the world he was in, Natsu would always be the same in regard to fighting.

Dude was a battle maniac in every sense of the word.

" I know some tricks…"

Natsu's eyes glinted in excitement.

" Wanna fight then?!"

As focused as everyone was with their own conversations, Natsu's naturally loud voice was impossible to ignore.

" I don't think that's a clever idea. You're a B-Rank, soon to be A-Rank hunter, while Adam just got his license. Isn't that unfair ?"

Facing them from the other side of the table, Ino shared her thoughts.

Shikamaru at the side also agreed to that logic internally. Though, he had a lingering feeling that there was more to Adam that met the eye, it was just that, a feeling.

" Oh common guys! Y'all know this rank thing is bullshit. We all were above our actual rank when we awakened. All he lacks is dungeon experience. If he can fight he can fight!"

Instead of arguing, everyone looked at Adam for his opinion on the matter. After all, he was the one being challenged.

' This should be fun. '

Instead of answering right away, Adam dialed a certain number on his phone.

After a few seconds, the line was picked up.

<" What is it, Adam?">

" Hey master, how you doing?"

<" Worst than I was before you called me…">

" Still mad about that? You know it wasn't my fault."

<" Like hell it wasn't! You almost blew the whole room off with a beginner water spell! How fuck do you have enough mana for that shit !? are supposed to be an apprentice magician god sake!!>"

" Meh, I'm just special, no need to cry about it."

<" You little shi-">

" Anyway, will you be a sweetheart and let me use room 2? I need to do a little sparring with a pal."

<" You really wanna get killed, brat…">

" Oh common! It will be fine, I'm an F-Ranker you know?"

On the other side of the call, Irene raised an eyebrow.

' He has some company.'

<" 20 *Sigh* Use room from the lower floors, I can't have you up here if company. Just… please don't make entire building collapse.">

" That works. Thanks a lot master. Love you ~."

Before Irene could complain about his mocking words, Adam hung up the call.

No one knew exactly what just happened, but they had a feeling it was some crazy stuff.

" We have a sparring room available. Who wants to come?"

They all looked at each other before ultimately raising their hands.

" Cool."

Since everything was paid off by Fubuki already, meaning his hard earned cash wasn't spent at the end, he swiftly teleported to room 20, located in the lower floors of the Hunter Association Building.

Alongside him, every member of the group appeared.

They were momentarily confused before realizing that Adam had used his powers to teleport them all to a room. A very spacious one at that, which they recognized instantly.

" The Hunter Association? How did you get permission?"

Sakura asked as she looked around.

" I have my ways."

Before they could scrutinize him with any more useless question, he teleported to the centre of the room, where a circle like area meant for sparring could be found.

" What are you waiting for?"

Hearing this, Natsu's mana erupted, allowing those who could feel it to squint their eyes.

" You got it !"

....

" Go easy on him, flaming idiot."

Gray, who for some reason was given the task of being the referee, looked at Natsu seriously.

" Shut up and call it !"

Everyone just shook their heads at his eagerness to fight Adam.

The latter simply stood in place, hands behind his back.

' He's way to proud. This should serve as a learning lesson.' Thought Shikamaru as he looked at the two combatants awaiting for Gray to call the start the fight.

" *Sigh* You better be ready to be scolded by gramps."

As he said this, Gray crated an ice construct, a coin. Then, he flipped it upwards, leaving gravity do its work.

No words were needed.

*Click*

The moment the coin touched the ground, Natsu dashed toward Adam, his hands in flames.

" Fire Dragon's Iron Fist !"

As he threw a flaming punch toward Adam's unguarded chest, one of great destructive proportions, Adam smirked.

' What's with these people yelling their attack moves?'

Before the astonished faces of the group of hunters, Adam sidestepped at a monstrous speed, avoiding Natsu's attack with ease.

' He didn't teleport?!'

To them, that was the only advantage Adam would have in this fight, yet, he was once again proving them wrong.

Almost imperceptibly, one of Adam's hand moved away from his back in a blur-like motion, back punching Natsu in the head.

The punch seemed to have broken the sound barrier, as the movement was followed by its sound with a lag.

*BOOM!!!*

This destructive attack prompted the group to close their eyes out of instinct and slight discomfort from being so close to the fight.

When the sonic impact subsided and they all looked at them again, they could finally process what had happened.

" Natsu!?"

Lucy asked in worry.

The Fire Wizard was currently stuck on the floor. His head, almost sinking in the ground.

" Don't worry, I held back. He will be fine with some rest."

When he said "held back" he looked at Gray provocatively.

" To say the truth, I'm a big fan of fighting myself so…"

As he directed his eyes to every individual in the room, he was greeted with disbelieving looks, which put a smile in his face.

" Who wants to go next~?"

.

.

.

.

.

.

New chap.

Might write another one next week.

I hope you're having a great day.

Btw, this chapter was barely proofread so I would really appreciate it if you corrected any typo I might've made.