The Alexandria Quartet

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Sasuke knew Hinata's personality well—she would never do anything meaningless. Well… except for designing his current outfit, which made him look like some kind of playboy. The punk-style clothes and accessories had practically doubled the number of fangirls chasing after him.

"Don't question me! Just put them on!!"

Raising both arms, veins bulged slightly at the corners of Hinata's eyes, and her voice carried a direct challenge—one that could not be ignored.

"I want to see with my own eyes just how big the gap between our strength has become!"

With a sharp clench of her fists, a bright orange flame erupted around them, flickering wildly like a beast thirsting for destruction. The sudden display made Sasuke and Naruto's pupils contract instantly—this was dangerous!

"I've already proven that I'm right! My methods, my way of thinking—everything! Now, I want to see whether you two, who've been blindly following in my footsteps, truly have what it takes to keep up! HAAH!!"

With a powerful shout, Hinata raised her right fist high and smashed it straight into the ground!

BOOM!

The once-smooth training field cracked and collapsed like crumbling tofu, dust and flames surging outward in violent waves.

"Ugh!!"

Naruto and Sasuke leapt back in alarm, barely avoiding the shockwave. Their hearts pounded in disbelief. They had trained alongside Hinata all this time—shouldn't their progress be similar? Then how the hell was she pulling off something this powerful?!

Perched on a wooden training post, Sasuke's black eyes trembled as he took in the scene—within a five-meter radius around Hinata, the ground had caved in completely, flames still crackling among the shattered stone and dirt. The level of destruction was on par with his Great Fireball Jutsu. But Hinata had done it with a single punch.

"Do you see it now? This is the true essence of Enshaken! Transforming chakra into real flames and unleashing it through pure martial power!"

Standing tall, Hinata lifted her chin with a smirk. Her voice was filled with excitement—and clear provocation.

"Now, prove yourselves! Show me that you have what it takes to wield this power just like I do!"

"If you can't…"

"Then admit defeat!"

It was the real deal.

"You've both been dying to know, haven't you? Out of the three of us, who's really the strongest right now?" Hinata's voice carried an almost lazy confidence. "Well, today's your chance. The area is nice and clear—let's settle this once and for all."

She activated her Byakugan to its fullest range, confirming that no one was watching. As an elite Jonin, Kakashi's surveillance likely covered only the outer perimeter of the Uchiha compound, and he was still just one person—he couldn't monitor everything at all times. Right now, the silver-haired shinobi wasn't paying attention to what was happening inside the training grounds.

"Well, aren't you in a hurry?"

Sasuke's dark eyes narrowed slightly, but a fire of excitement lit up in them. She was right. Ever since he had been knocked out in the Uchiha shrine, that humiliation had burned in him. Now was his chance to wipe it clean.

"Tch! Like I'd ever lose to you two!!"

Naruto shot back defiantly, and Hinata let out a cold laugh, lowering her head slightly.

"Anyone can talk big. But real strength—"

She reached into her weapon pouch, fingers moving with practiced ease.

"—is something you prove through action!"

With a sudden flick of her wrists, two shuriken shot forward like blazing meteors, streaking straight toward Sasuke and Naruto's throats! The flames still lingering on her gloves transferred onto the weapons, heating them to a burning red.

SCHLK!

The sharp sound of blades piercing flesh rang out.

Sasuke and Naruto both staggered, their bodies tilting backward as the burning shuriken struck them—

Only for both of them to burst into smoke.

Poof!

Two lifeless wooden logs fell to the ground in their place.

Hinata's eyebrows twitched.

So, they had both learned to expect surprise attacks from her. Smart.

"Raiton: Hoshibana Claw Storm!!"

Sasuke's voice rang out as five shuriken tore through the air from the left, slicing toward Hinata at high speed. These weren't ordinary weapons—each one was coated in a layer of crackling blue electricity.

"Ohh~? So you've improved a little."

With her Byakugan, Hinata could see the electric charge surrounding the shuriken. She wasn't foolish enough to stand still and take the hit.

Her pale eyes flashed, and with a swift sidestep, she dodged the incoming blades, shifting toward an entirely different position.

Aside from their Sharingan, the Uchiha were also known for their mastery of shuriken techniques and Fire Style jutsu. The fact that Sasuke had managed to develop an original jutsu—infusing shuriken with Lightning Style—without saying a word to anyone meant his talent with ninja tools was leagues ahead of Hinata's.

Standing still against an attack like that? Yeah, that would've been a mistake.

"Tch!"

Hiding in the bushes, Sasuke clicked his tongue in frustration. Just as Hinata had expected, the five Raiton: Hoshibana Claw Storm shuriken suddenly shifted in flight. The two shuriken at the back changed direction sharply, colliding with the ones in front. This sudden impact increased the speed of the front shuriken, altering their trajectory from a direct frontal attack to a pincer formation from both sides.

Now, with one coming straight at her and two from the sides, it was a near-perfect three-way assault!

If Hinata had stayed in place, she definitely would have taken a hit. And with the lightning chakra infused into the shuriken, even the smallest cut would paralyze her limbs, leaving her wide open for a follow-up attack.

After all, lightning chakra worked best with metal weapons. Combined with the Uchiha clan's famous shuriken techniques, it was a terrifying combination.

Understanding this, Hinata immediately abandoned any plans to fight Sasuke in a battle of ninja tools. She wasn't even going to chase after him now. She knew that Sasuke, being just as smart when it came to battle tactics, had definitely set traps around the area to prevent her from getting close.

Since taijutsu was her specialty, it was only natural for Sasuke to plan ways to keep her at a distance.

But knowing each other's strengths and weaknesses also meant making the right choices in battle.

If Sasuke wasn't the right target for now… there was still one other person left.

"Naruto! You can stop hiding—there's no way your tricks work against my eyes!"

Before dealing with Sasuke, Hinata had to make sure Naruto wouldn't interfere. Compared to Sasuke, who specialized in setting up traps and ninja tools, Naruto's biggest advantage was his endurance. But against Hinata, that was the least of her concerns.

"Don't underestimate me!!"

Naruto, who had been hiding in the trees, jumped out in frustration. His blue eyes burned with determination as he pulled out a shuriken from his pouch. He grinned mischievously and formed a quick hand sign as he threw it—

"Take this! Reverse Harem Jutsu – Falling Angel Mode!"

With a loud poof, the airborne shuriken transformed mid-flight into a handsome, muscular blond man—completely naked!

Because of the angle, his pose looked like he was flying straight into Hinata's arms, his gaze filled with deep affection. For most girls, this would have been an overwhelming, heart-stopping attack.

But…

BAM!

Without even flinching, Hinata delivered a brutal rising kick, striking him right between the legs. The transformed "man" let out a silent scream before exploding into a puff of white smoke, revealing the original shuriken, which clattered uselessly to the ground.

At that very moment—

"Yaaahhh!!"

Naruto roared as he leaped high into the air. He had expected his distraction to fail, but that was never the real plan—his true goal was to use that moment to land a powerful punch!

There was no time to dodge! Even if she used Tiger Roar, she would still take some damage! The only choice was to block!

Hinata quickly crossed her arms over her head. A split second later, Naruto's Holy Fist Gauntlet came crashing down onto her forearms with a heavy boom!

Her body shuddered from the sheer force of the attack. The impact wasn't the only problem—sharp pain sliced across her arms and cheek, as if invisible blades were cutting through her skin!

So he's learned how to use wind chakra too…!

Despite his usual antics, Naruto had clearly improved. The brutal Iron Sand Fist training had sharpened his wind chakra manipulation. Now, whenever he attacked, the chakra naturally gathered around his hands, forming invisible blades. Combined with the Holy Fist Gauntlets, which absorbed and amplified his chakra, those blades became even deadlier!

Even though Hinata had successfully blocked his punch, the wind blades had completely ignored her guard and still managed to cut her!

Her expression darkened.

With a swift movement, Hinata drove her right elbow straight into Naruto's stomach. His body bent forward from the force, and before he could recover, her left hand shot up like lightning—grabbing him by the throat!

"You sure put a lot of effort into these transformation tricks, Naruto," she said, her voice dripping with amusement. "But did you really think a cheap distraction would be enough to beat me?"

Before Naruto could respond, flames burst violently from Hinata's palm.

With a muffled boom, the fire-infused chakra exploded at point-blank range!

Naruto let out a sharp scream as the blast sent him flying backward. He tumbled across the ground before coming to a stop, his body motionless. A faint trail of smoke curled from his neck, where a dark burn mark had formed.

"...Looks like the Kusanagi Ancient Martial Arts techniques fit in perfectly."

Satisfied, Hinata flexed her fingers before turning to face Sasuke, who had just arrived too late to intervene.

"Now, it's just the two of us, Sasuke-kun~"

"Tch…!"

Watching Naruto go down so easily sent a chill down Sasuke's spine. He had already expected Hinata to be stronger than before, but this…

She had completely dominated Naruto, barely giving him a chance to fight back!

And worst of all—

Her attacks were precise. Efficient. There was no wasted movement. Every strike was meant to end the fight as quickly as possible. Even with all of Sasuke's skills, he wasn't confident he could withstand a hit like that.

"...You're starting to understand now, aren't you?"

Hinata's white eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. She took a step forward, her tone filled with amusement.

"This whole time… there was never any such thing as 'Hokuto Shinken.'"

Sasuke's breath caught in his throat.

"...What?"

Sasuke's black eyes suddenly shrank, and his body even trembled for a moment. "Then… the training you made us do was really…"

"Of course, I tricked you! Otherwise, why would you obediently help me film and make money?! The Hyūga Clan—those rigid traditionalists—how could they possibly have someone who could surpass the limits of the Gentle Fist and reach greater heights?"

Hinata spread her hands wide, and bright orange flames flared up in her palms. "Only me! It was me! I created this style! What you've been training in isn't some ancient secret technique—it's the supreme martial art that I invented! I, with my own eyes and personal experiments, have proven the value of the 'Nantō Seven Holy Fists'! You and Naruto should feel honored! As test subjects, you've witnessed the success of this grand vision! Ahahahaha~! Yahahahaha!!"

Her crazed laughter made Sasuke instinctively bite his lip, hard enough that a thin line of blood ran down from the corner of his mouth.

At that moment, he couldn't even tell what exactly he was feeling. The only thing he knew was that a burning emotion was welling up inside him. And with the crackling sound of electricity, blinding blue lightning began to surge around his gloved fists. The intensity of the chakra mirrored the storm raging in his heart.

"You… are you done talking?!"

Sasuke lifted his head sharply, and his eyes had changed—no longer their usual black but now a deep crimson. His left eye held a single tomoe, while his right eye had two. It was the legendary bloodline limit of the Uchiha Clan—the Sharingan!!

Seeing his awakened eyes, Hinata only grinned slightly, her expression twisted with amusement.

"Of course. Just one last thing."

She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice.

"Everything I just said—was a complete lie."

"Wha—?!"

Even in his furious state, Sasuke froze on the spot. It was like he had taken a punch straight to the gut, leaving him completely stunned.

"Now's my chance!!"

Hinata didn't waste the opening. She lunged forward in an instant. By the time Sasuke's instincts kicked in, it was already too late. Her right fist shot up in a perfect uppercut, crashing against his crossed arms as he barely managed to block.

The moment they made contact, a searing heat burst through his arms, scorching his skin and forcing them upward. Seeing her opportunity, Hinata followed up with another vicious uppercut—this time slamming straight into Sasuke's unguarded jaw.

The force of the impact lifted him off the ground. His body was sent flying backward!

"Hah!!"

With a sharp battle cry, Hinata leaped into the air, crossing her fists above her head. As Sasuke hung midair, she swung her fists down in a brutal hammer strike.

The moment the attack landed, Sasuke let out a choked cry as he was smashed into the ground. His body bounced off the dirt like a ragdoll, rolling several meters before finally coming to a stop.

"...You… this…"

Unlike Naruto, Sasuke was still barely conscious. He lifted his head with difficulty, glaring at Hinata with unwillingness in his eyes.

"What kind of idiot listens to the enemy's long-winded speech in the middle of a fight… and even lets their guard down because of it?"

Hinata let out a soft breath, lifting her right hand. With a smirk, she casually blew out the tiny flame on her fingertip.

"Hope you remember that lesson. This time—it's my win~"

"Damn… it…"

With one final ragged breath, Sasuke's eyes rolled back, and he passed out from the pain. No matter how you looked at it, this battle had been a crushing defeat for him.

Hinata turned her gaze toward the two fallen boys, satisfied. She deactivated her Byakugan. Just as she had expected, the Holy Fist Gauntlets had allowed her to bypass the need for 'chakra nature transformation.' Instead, they directly converted her chakra into lethal flames. Combined with her refined martial arts, the result was a terrifying form of Taijutsu.

In the future, once she could fully master chakra nature transformation on her own, the gauntlets would no longer be necessary.

The power was undeniable. Whether it was the Crescent Moon Sunlight Strike that knocked out Naruto or the Triple Sunflower Combo that crushed Sasuke, both techniques had flowed smoothly in battle. The gauntlets allowed her to shape and control the fire naturally, meaning she could possibly develop even more techniques in the future.

After all, both the Kusanagi Ancient Martial Arts and the Yagami Ancient Martial Arts weren't famous for just a handful of moves. They had a full arsenal of advanced and devastating techniques. Now that she had the flames and the martial skills, it was only a matter of time before she could master their ultimate moves.

As for Naruto and Sasuke, they had also reached the level where they could properly use the Holy Fist Gauntlets. Sasuke had managed to gather raw lightning in his hands, and Naruto's fist had carried razor-sharp wind blades. Both of them had successfully converted their chakra into elemental attacks.

Mastering the finishing moves wouldn't be easy. But they had already found the path forward.

Now, all that was left—was time.

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With one hand gripping Naruto's ankle and the other holding Sasuke's, Hinata leisurely dragged both of them toward the Uchiha compound. Her corpse-hauling style quickly caught the attention of onlookers, and Kakashi, who had been casually standing guard outside the compound, was so startled that he rushed out to meet her, his voice unusually tense.

"What happened to these two?"

"Nothing much, just our usual training session. You know, when guiding two boys of the same age who both lack intelligence and self-control, sometimes you need... more intense methods."

Without a change in expression, Hinata casually dropped the two "corpses" onto the ground. Kakashi twitched at her words, but his instincts quickly filtered out the unnecessary details, leading him to the most straightforward conclusion—these two just got beaten up by the white-eyed girl. Again.

"Sigh... Hinata-sama's training is really strict, huh?"

Resigned, Kakashi picked up Naruto and Sasuke, slinging one over each shoulder as he followed Hinata. He hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Is this all to become a strong shinobi?"

"Of course. I am a Hyuga."

Walking ahead, Hinata raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone completely natural. "Besides, my opponent is from the Uchiha clan—there's no way I can lose."

Then, her voice shifted, turning indifferent. "Take care of those two. I'm heading home. Don't be late for work tomorrow."

As he watched Hinata leave, Kakashi stood in the courtyard, lost in thought. Eventually, he carefully laid the unconscious Naruto and Sasuke onto the tatami in the main hall. From his assessment, their injuries were just surface-level—nothing serious.

By the time Sasuke woke up, the sun had already started to set. A heavy, dull pain pressed against his chest, and the Uchiha heir clenched his fist against the tatami in frustration. There was no doubt—he had lost again.

No matter what methods Hinata used, she fought like a true shinobi—powerful, cunning, and absolutely ruthless in battle. The worst part? Her methods worked.

"Ahhh—ow, ow, ow—damn it..."

Almost as if their fates were tied together, Naruto groaned at the same time, rubbing his neck as he sat up. The two locked eyes, then simultaneously looked away with a deep sigh. Being repeatedly taken down by a girl... it was a little humiliating.

"...Naruto?"

Sasuke glanced at the blond idiot next to him, an idea suddenly forming in his mind. That's right. Hinata was strong, but no matter how skilled she was, she always fought by picking them off one by one. That meant she wasn't confident in handling them both at once.

If that was the case... maybe this blond fool could be a useful shield. As long as he followed Sasuke's lead!

"What do you want, you smug bastard?"

Naruto folded his arms, looking at Sasuke with an exaggerated pout. It wasn't every day that Sasuke willingly spoke to him first, so he was going to milk it for all it was worth.

"I'm saying... from what we've seen so far, neither of us can beat Hinata alone. So—how about we team up?"

Suppressing his frustration, Sasuke tried to reason with Naruto, even considering whether he should use hand gestures to make it easier for the blond to understand.

"Tch—just don't slow me down."

Naruto's blue eyes flickered mischievously as an idea popped into his head. That's right! Honestly, Sasuke was at least decent with ninja tools. If he could keep Hinata distracted, then Naruto would have the perfect opening to land a finishing move. He could take down both Hinata and this arrogant jerk in one go!

If that worked...

Maybe this smug bastard could be a useful shield. As long as he followed Naruto's lead!

"Hey, Naruto... why do I feel like you're thinking something really rude right now?"

Sasuke felt a vein twitch on his forehead, but he kept reminding himself to stay calm. This was for the sake of strategy. This was for the mission.

"Ehh~~ of course not, Sasuke, you're imagining things~"

Naruto waved his hand dramatically, giving a playful grin. "Alright, alright, I accept our alliance. So, what's next?"

This idiot... he's definitely up to something.

Sasuke's mouth twitched, but he sighed. "Naruto, we're the only ones right now who can match Hinata's level. But let's be real—she still has the advantage. She's had more time to test these gloves, so she understands how to use them better than we do. Plus, she has the Byakugan, which is perfect for close combat. If we just charge in recklessly, we'll lose again."

Pausing for a moment, Sasuke continued.

"So... I can teach you some shuriken techniques. Do you want to learn?"

"Tch? You? Teach me??"