"Hmm?"
Akali slightly knitted her delicate brows, projecting three black question marks.
If in her original world, core subjects like language, mathematics, and foreign languages took precedence, relegating physical education and art to the sidelines, then at the Ninja Academy, the Will of Fire curriculum held equal status to math, language, and foreign languages.
How could a class like this be ending just as it had begun?
Faced with such an anomaly, not only Akali, but everyone else was deeply puzzled.
"Iruka-sensei?" Sakura, the top student, raised her hand politely. "Didn't class just start?"
"Class did just start, but we are also dismissing right now!"
Iruka explained, "Because the evaluation a month from now will be extremely difficult, the school has decided to grant a one-month break, leaving this month for everyone to improve yourselves individually!"
"Of course, considering that some students lack the conditions for self-improvement even at home, Mizuki-sensei and I will host a special crash course during this month. Any students who are interested can simply attend class as normal."
"Ah!"
Iruka's words caused a stir among the crowd.
Originally, they had assumed that even if advanced ninja were brought in for the evaluation, it couldn't be all that difficult—surely they wouldn't just refuse to graduate them?
Yet right now, the Ninja Academy was directly giving them a month off specifically to improve themselves, an attitude that instantly maximized the importance of the upcoming evaluation.
Immediately, no one felt relaxed anymore, and every single one of them wore a heavy expression.
Faced with this cunning adult's trick, even someone as smart as Shikamaru grew nervous.
Only Akali felt a profound sense of strangeness.
Because this was something that had never happened in the original story.
"So, is this a butterfly effect?" Akali pondered internally.
"Since my actions squeezed Mizuki out of the spotlight, and Naruto still lacked an evaluation, they're using this attitude to cover it up, making it look like it applies to everyone."
"But in truth, this is entirely aimed at Naruto, and everyone else is just tagging along for the ride?"
"That possibility can't be ruled out..."
After all, did Akali not know what kind of institution the Ninja Academy was?
Aside from a small handful of people, the vast majority of ninja graduating from the Ninja Academy were merely disposable cannon fodder who knew only basic ninjutsu and basic taijutsu, physical laborers meant to execute low-level tasks like weeding and transport.
Where would such cannon fodder ever warrant a dedicated evaluation?
So, after making a rough guess, Akali set her mind at ease and stopped worrying about it.
Then, seeing that everyone was somewhat distracted by his news, Iruka announced the end of class.
However, just as Akali was about to leave, Iruka called out to her!
Following Iruka, Akali returned once more to the familiar teachers' office.
She had assumed Iruka was calling her this time because of the detention essay.
Yet before Akali could even pull out the ten-thousand-word essay her Shadow Clone had labored to write, Iruka apologized first.
"Sorry, Akali, I misunderstood you regarding Hinata!"
"Huh?" Akali tilted her head slightly, somewhat bewildered.
"Iruka-sensei, what are you..."
Iruka had been furious just a moment ago; why was he suddenly apologizing now?
"I just found out about a few things!"
Without saying too much, Iruka looked toward the office door and called out, "Hinata, come in!"
From outside the teachers' office door, a young girl with pure white eyes walked in.
"A—Akali, long time no see!"
Looking at Akali, Hinata's brows curved into gentle crescents, her soft little hands swaying slightly as she revealed a cute smile tinged with shyness.
Seeing Hinata, Akali finally understood why Iruka's attitude had changed so drastically.
This must have been Hinata stepping forward to clear up the situation.
"So, Iruka-sensei, you know everything now?" Akali asked, puzzled.
"Yeah, Hinata told me everything!" Iruka nodded, somewhat emotional.
Who would have thought it? Akali's seemingly absurd actions actually contained a core representing friendship and bonds.
Iruka couldn't help feeling that sometimes he was truly too superficial, lacking a bit of steadiness; he shouldn't have panicked the moment pressure came down from the Hyuga clan, failing even to investigate the truth of the matter.
Iruka silently reproached himself in his heart.
He prepared to explain things to Akali in all earnestness.
Yet upon hearing that Hinata had told Iruka everything, what heart did Akali have left to stand here and listen to Iruka chant scriptures?
Before Iruka could even open his mouth, Akali hastily grabbed Hinata's soft little hand and dragged her right out!
The two girls vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye.
...
...
[Ding! Emotion value from Iruka +999!]
In a secluded corner of the Ninja Academy playground, Akali withdrew her gaze from the harvested emotion value coming from Iruka.
Then she looked at Hinata before her, who still wore a serene smile on her lips.
Akali knitted her delicate brows slightly and asked with some uncertainty, "Hinata, you seem a bit different from before!"
"Different? Do I?" Hinata blinked in confusion.
"Ummmmm..."
Looking into the girl's pure, flawless white eyes, Akali couldn't quite be certain.
Yet seeing Hinata again, Akali truly felt she had changed a great deal—whether it was her earlier disgust at seeing Naruto and Sasuke kiss, or this quiet serenity right now.
She was nothing like the Hinata of before, who had been timid and introverted, like a little rabbit that would instantly shrink back into its burrow at the slightest touch and refuse to come out for a long time.
Could it be that her desensitization therapy was actually working? Was Hinata not as introverted anymore?
Akali felt a tiny surge of happiness.
Because this also meant Hinata would be much easier to cuddle (scratch that), to get close to.
Right now, however, was not the time for cuddling.
Recalling what had just happened, Akali asked seriously, "Iruka said you told him everything. What exactly did you say?"
Dragging Hinata out in such a rush, this was precisely what Akali wanted to ask.
Surely this silly girl Hinata hadn't blurted out that she had a crush on Naruto, had she?
"I didn't really say much?" Hinata looked somewhat blank. "I just said that because I'm too shy, I wanted to become less shy."
"And since Naruto-kun is usually boisterous and puts the least pressure on me, I asked Akali to turn into Naruto's appearance to give me a stimulus and help me break out of my shy state!"
"So Iruka-sensei misunderstood!"
"I see!" Hearing Hinata's description, Akali let her heart drop back into place.
Yet at the same time, another question arose.
What was that about Naruto being boisterous and putting the least pressure on Hinata?
He clearly put the most pressure on Hinata of anyone!
Yet Iruka had believed Hinata's explanation!
Which meant...
That very mimosa-like Hinata of before had actually managed to lie to Iruka without changing her expression, completely fooling him and getting away with it!