"Tōma."
While Naruto was still in the arena, Hatake Kakashi walked over.
"Hm? Something wrong, Kakashi?" Fujimoto Tōma asked.
"I heard from Sakura about what happened during the exam," Kakashi said. "The sealing technique you used on Sasuke… what was it exactly?"
"Four Symbols Seal combined with the Eight Trigrams," Tōma replied plainly.
Kakashi froze.
Then his visible eye twitched.
He'd come over prepared to redo the seal himself if necessary. Now he felt like an amateur showing up to lecture a surgeon.
Among the people Kakashi knew, only his sensei and Kushina-sama could use those seals properly. And Tōma could already do it too. On top of that, medical ninjutsu, combat prowess, space-time techniques…
This isn't a genius anymore, Kakashi thought. This is a problem.
"How is it?" Tōma asked lightly. "Need me to redo it?"
"N-no, no need," Kakashi laughed awkwardly, scratching his silver hair before retreating at record speed.
Below them, the match was nearing its end.
With Tōma's version of Wind Release: Gale Palm, Naruto was frankly overtuned for this stage of the exam.
The technique itself wasn't terrifying. What made it absurd was Naruto's stamina and his bottomless chakra reserves. Add those together and the result was a shinobi with almost no exploitable weaknesses.
Inuzuka Kiba's Fang Over Fang could break through Naruto's guard, but doing serious damage was another matter entirely. Meanwhile, Kiba's stamina was draining fast.
Naruto, on the other hand, was still bouncing around like he'd just warmed up.
Kiba stared at him, a quiet sense of despair setting in.
Even the Sound ninja watching from the stands exchanged looks of sympathy.
We know that pain.
Kakashi sighed. "He really did it…"
He glanced at Tōma, then decided not to walk over again.
In raw peak potential, Sasuke with Chidori still edged Naruto out. But Naruto's floor had risen absurdly high. Kakashi had no intention of sparring with this version of Naruto using only taijutsu.
Eventually, Kiba ran out of strength and conceded.
As Naruto walked off the field, Hyūga Hinata noticed the shallow cuts left by Fang Over Fang. Her fingers twisted together nervously.
Beside her, Yūhi Kurenai saw everything. She gave Hinata's shoulder a gentle pat and smiled encouragingly.
Blushing furiously, Hinata stepped forward and held out a small container with both hands.
"H-here… this is ointment. Please… take it."
"Huh?" Naruto blinked. "Why're you giving this to me?"
He recognized her, of course. The shy girl who always froze when he talked to her. He remembered she'd helped him before too. Every time he tried to thank her afterward, she ran away.
"Naruto, take it," Tōma said, appearing beside him with a smile.
"Oh. Okay!" Naruto grinned. "Thanks, Hinata!"
"Y-you're welcome…" Hinata squeaked before fleeing back to her team, looking like she'd just accomplished something monumental.
Kiba snorted. "Oi, I look way worse than him."
"You'll understand someday," Kurenai said calmly.
Hinata soon returned and handed Kiba the same ointment. This time, she wasn't nearly as flustered, and there was even a hint of relief on her face.
Kiba stared at it for a moment, then sighed. At least he hadn't been forgotten.
But Hinata's smile faded quickly.
The screen refreshed.
Hyūga Hinata vs. Hyūga Neji
Tōma watched, interest flickering in his eyes.
Main family versus branch family.
The Hyūga.
He thought of the Caged Bird Seal and let out a faint, mocking smile. What Tōma truly thought of that system, no one could say.
The fight was brutal.
Hyūga Neji showed no restraint. He was a genuine prodigy, arguably sharper than Sasuke at this stage. Sasuke only surpassed him later by stacking advantages on top of advantages.
Neji struck Hinata without mercy.
Watching Hinata fall, and Naruto swear revenge beside the bloodstained field, Tōma smiled faintly.
Leave this one to Naruto.
But his attention soon shifted. His expression hardened as he looked at the next match forming.
Rock Lee vs. Gaara
Tōma immediately moved to Might Guy's side.
"Guy, we need to talk."
"Can it wait until Lee's match is over?" Guy asked.
"It's about this match," Tōma said, then explained Gaara's Sand Burial and its true lethality.
He warned Guy plainly. If Lee was at risk of being trapped by sand, Guy needed to throw in the towel. As Lee's teacher, he had the authority, even if it meant punishment.
Guy's face darkened. "I see. I trust Lee… but thank you. I'll be careful."
Satisfied, Tōma stepped away. There was one more thing he'd been waiting to say.
He stopped beside Kurenai.
"Sensei," Tōma said quietly, "it might be time to reconsider Hinata's path."
Kurenai fell silent.
"Naruto, you too," Tōma added calmly. "Listen."
"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, clearly upset. "Hinata worked so hard!"
"Her problem was never effort or talent," Tōma said. "It's temperament. She isn't suited to frontline combat."
"But—"
"So you want her to keep walking a road that doesn't fit her?" Tōma asked. "Is that really helping her?"
Naruto froze.
"I'm not saying she should stop being a ninja," Tōma continued. "There are many kinds of ninja. Recon. Medical. Support. Sealing."
Kurenai hesitated. "But the Hyūga clan—"
"When Hinata was assigned to your team," Tōma cut in gently, "wasn't that already the answer?"
Kurenai's breath caught.
"Finding the right path sooner is kinder to everyone," Tōma said. "But the choice is still yours."
After a long pause, Kurenai asked softly, "What would you recommend?"
"Recon and medical," Tōma replied. "Byakugan makes her an exceptional scout. And in medicine, her temperament and vision let her see what others can't."
He paused, then added, "Once she masters medical ninjutsu, she can learn Chakra Scalpel. Combined with Byakugan and Gentle Fist principles, it's a natural fit."
Kurenai nodded slowly.
Naruto, finally understanding, brightened. "Oh! So you'd already thought this through!"
Tōma smiled. "Of course."