27 - Inviting everyone for birthday party...

Konoha…

Park beside the Academy building…

Naruto and Kirito are waiting for their friends as they usually do.

While waiting, they see two new kids in the park with different eyes from the rest of the kids and black long hair. Naruto doesn't notice it, but Kirito easily recognizes one middle-aged man looking after the two new kids with the same eyes.

"They look so different... " Naruto comments, looking at the two new kids.

"They are from the Hyuga clan. " Kirito says with a calm tone, thinking to himself, 'That girl is the Hyuga princess that I saved the other day, but who is that boy with her? Well, it's none of my business.'

"One of the two strongest clans in the village… " Naruto says with a nod of approval.

"Yes, their clan also has ocular power just like the Uchihas... " Kirito explains while looking at the two kids and subtly gesturing to Naruto to use his eyes to examine theirs.

"That's why they have that different eye color from us, but I don't mind… " Naruto says with an approving nod.

"No one is asking for your approval… " Kirito retorts disdainfully, remembering how his brother went back on his promise of practicing with him.

"Tch... Why you??? " Naruto responds angrily but gets stopped by someone.

"Hello, you two... " Neji says with a warm smile, coming in front of them with Hinata following shyly.

'Why did they come to us? Do they want to play with us?' Naruto wonders as he looks at them.

'Could they want to thank me for the other night… ' Kirito thinks as he observes them.

"Hello, my name is Uzumaki Naruto, and I will become the future Hokage… " Naruto says loudly with his usual idiotic smile.

"Hello, my name is Uzumaki Kirito. I am his younger brother. Please tell me how we may help you two??" Kirito says with a simple smile on his face.

"Hello, my name is Hyuga Neji. Nice to finally meet you. I have heard a lot about you from my cousin here. " Neji says, looking at Hinata, who has a shy red glow on her face.

"Do you have a fever??? " Naruto asks, looking at Hinata's red face.

"If I am not mistaken, you are the Hyuga princess from the other day, right??? " Kirito asks, looking at Hinata.

"Yes, yes, that was me. Thank you for saving me the other day… " Hinata says with a shy smile.

'Is she blushing like that… ' Kirito wonders as he asks, "It wasn't a big deal, but more importantly, are you okay, princess? "

"Yes, I am fine. Thank you. Also, don't call me Princess. My name is Hyuga Hinata. You can call me Hinata if you don't mind… " Hinata responds with a shy smile.

"Okay, then I will call you that. You can also call me Kirito if you want to. " Kirito says with a smile and nods.

"Thank you for saving my cousin the other day. It was my duty to save her, but… " Neji says, bowing his head in gratitude.

"Stop, stop, I get it. Don't do that in the middle of the park. " Kirito says, stopping Neji.

As they continue introducing themselves, the others also enter the park and see them together.

"Shikamaru, why do I feel like I saw those two kids somewhere before??? " Choji asks, looking at Hinata and Neji.

"You mean the ones with Naruto and Kirito??? " Shikamaru says, looking at them from afar.

"Ahhh, I know her. That is the Hyuga princess from the other day... " Ino says with a smile but looks puzzled when she sees Neji. "But I don't know about that boy... "

"Yes, you are right. That is the Hyuga Clan's young genius, Hyuga Neji… " Shikamaru says with a nod and thinks, 'I know him because my mother made me introduce myself to everyone at the birthday party.'

"Is he better than Sasuke-Kun??? " Ino asks, looking at Neji.

"I don't know about that, but one thing I can say is that none of them is a match for Kirito over there… " Shikamaru says, remembering what he heard from his dad about Kirito's potential.

"Is he really that great??? " Ino asks, surprised.

"Hey, you guys are here. Quickly, come over here… "

As they approach, they hear Naruto calling out to them.

"Meet them, guys. They are our new friends... " Kirito says with a smile, pointing to Hinata and Neji as his old friends come near them.

"Aren't you Hinata Hyuga? Remember me? I am Ino Yamanaka. We met the other day at your birthday party… " Ino says with an excited smile, talking to Hinata.

"Shikamaru, it's you. I didn't know you were friends with them... " Neji says with a smile, looking at Shikamaru and remembering how unfortunate Shikamaru was at the party, begging his mother to stop.

"Neji, it's nice to see you doing well. " Shikamaru says, nodding at Neji.

"Ino, it is you... " Hinata says with a soft tone.

"Oh, you guys knew each other??? " Kirito says, thinking, 'There's no surprise. They might have met at that birthday party. '

"Now, enough talking. Let's play... " Naruto says, and they all start playing together.

Before everyone leaves, Kirito stops them and says, "Oh right, I forgot to tell you about our birthday party… "

"Oh, right. You said you will celebrate it this time. " Shikamaru says with a small nod.

"So when is it??? " Choji asks with a smile, rubbing his tummy...

"It is on the day of the Nine-Tails Festival... " Naruto says with a smile.

"Will there be meat??? " Choji asks with a grin.

"Don't worry. There will be more than you can finish. Also, everyone, don't forget to bring your parents, okay? " Kirito says with a smile.

After saying goodbye, they all head towards their respective houses.

A few miles away from Konoha…

Beside the Great Lake…

Saito is standing beside Kirito, and he takes out a Chakra testing paper.

"Now that you have become as strong as a normal chunin-level shinobi, it is time to go one step further. " Saito Sensei says as he hands Kirito the chakra testing paper.

"What is this paper, Sensei??? " Kirito asks, looking at it curiously.

"This is a chakra testing paper. With this, I will test your chakra nature. " Saito says, taking out another paper.

"So, how will we use it, Sensei??? " Kirito asks, looking at the paper in his hand.

"You just need to infuse your chakra into the paper, and we will know your nature from the reaction it gives. " Saito explains and points to his hand. "Look at my hand carefully, Kid."

After that, Saito infuses his chakra into the paper. First, the paper splits in two, then one side of the paper ignites with fire, and the other side gets soaked with water.

"You see, I have three chakra natures: Wind, which splits the paper in two; Fire, which burns one side of the paper; and Water, which makes the other side wet. " Saito explains, pointing at the paper in Kirito's hand, and then he asks, "Now it's your turn… "

Kirito nods and says with a serious tone, channeling his chakra into the paper, "Well, here goes nothing… "

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