075: Graduation Season, Gathering!

Time flew past. 

It was now the 60th year of Konoha. This relatively peaceful life was about to be shattered with the graduation of the Konoha 12. 

Moreover, there was now an additional presence in the ninja wold, constantly changing its landscape.

"Lady Kurenai, is Natsuki awake yet?"

"Today's the graduation exam. Yesterday, everyone agreed to meet up at your house."

"I made breakfast for Natsuki... oh, and for you too, Lady Kurenai."

The morning sun was bright. 

Early on, several kids barged into the courtyard of Natsuki's house. 

They were the members of Natsuki's Dimensional End's Congregation: the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, Hinata, Sasuke, and Naruto.

As for Lee, he had become a Genin a year ago and was currently out on a mission with Guy. 

It was said that because of his obsession with practicing the Hidde Lotus Palm, he would run off to punch trees whenever he had free time. Apparently, Tenten, the little rich girl, mistakenly thought Guy was again riling Lee up with nonsense, driving him to madness.

"Oh, it's little Ino and Hinata. Come on in!

"Natsuki should be up. Why don't you go wake him up? My seafood porridge is almost ready."

"We'll all eat together in a bit," Kurenai greeted them cheerfully. 

It seemed that despite her brother's eccentricities, he was quite popular at the Academy, having so many good friends.

"Wow, is there breakfast? I didn't eat enough this morning. I'll help out!" Choji exclaimed happily, pulling Shikamaru along to help.

"You ate five bowls at my house this morning, what do you mean you didn't eat enough?" Shikamaru retorted with a look, but still went to help.

"Then we'll wipe the tables," Naruto, never one to stay still, shouted, pulling Sasuke along with him.

Well, Natsuki asked everyone to gather at his house yesterday. Is this his way of getting us to clean up his house? Natsuki's always been a schemer.

Sasuke thought with a deadpan expression as he accepted a rag. Still, it had been a while since he felt this kind of homey atmosphere.

"Lady Kurenai, I'm not a little kid anymore. We're about to become ninjas!" Ino pouted, placing her and Hinata's large lunch boxes on the table and pulling Hinata towards Natsuki's room.

Indeed, over the past two years, Ino had developed nicely. 

Coupled with her straightforward personality and more mature clothing style, she looked like Hinata's older sister taking care of her younger sibling.

Knock, knock, knock!

"Natsuki, wake up! The sun's burning your butt!" Ino knocked on the door, her knocks growing increasingly louder.

"Um... Ino. Are we too early? Maybe we should let Natsuki sleep a little longer," Hinata whispered, tugging at Ino's hand.

"We're not early in the slightest! At this pace, by the time he washes up and eats, we'll be late for the graduation exam. No, we have to wake him up now."

"But... maybe Natsuki was exhausted from protecting the dimensional seal last night and overslept," Ino said thoughtfully, stroking her chin. 

Suddenly, her eyes lit up. She leaned close to Hinata's ear and whispered, "Hee hee, Hinata, do you want to see how Natsuki looked like when he sleeps? I have the key to his room."

Ino pulled out a key from a hidden corner of a nearby cabinet.

"How did you get that key?" Hinata's eyes widened, a strange emotion in her voice.

"Oh, haven't we come over to play many times? Last time, we couldn't wake him up from outside, so Lady Kurenai led me in directly and... splashed water on him to wake him up. And she told me where this hidden key was.

"Alright, hurry up and decide. Are you coming in or not? If not, just wait out here," Ino urged, quietly opening the door.

"This... isn't right," Hinata gulped, a worried expression on her face. 

But seeing Ino slip inside quietly in her socks, she gritted her teeth, kicked off her shoes, and followed, quickly closing the door behind her as if afraid of being caught.

Inside the tidy room, a small mountain of blankets bulged on the comfortable bed.

"Hee hee hee..." Ino rubbed her hands together and made a 'shush' gesture at Hinata. She tiptoed to the bed and grabbed the corner of the blanket.

"Lazy pig! Wake up!" she yelled, quickly pulling back the covers, hoping to surprise Natsuki.

However, beneath the blanket lay only a large pillow. No Natsuki.

"What's going on? Where is he...?" Before she could finish, a figure jumped down from the ceiling near the doorway.

Caught off guard, Ino and Hinata were tackled, falling back into the blankets. Startled, they were about to fight back when a familiar voice rang out beside their ears.

"Audacious! Where did these two little monsters come from, daring to trespass into the palace of the Dimensional Lord!

"Prepare to surrender your lives!"

Hearing this, Ino was the first to react, raising her hand in a claw-like gesture: "I am the great Second Mage, Yamanaka Ino, servant of the magnificent Dimensional Lord, the Great Demon God Sealer, founder of the Dimensional End's Congregation!

"State your name! You dare disrespect me?!"

Natsuki effortlessly pinned down Ino with one hand. "Hmph! I am the Dimensional Lord you speak of, Yuhi Natsuki!"

"So it is the Lord! No wonder you defeated me with one blow. But as the Second Mage, I will not yield so easily!" Ino crossed her arms, struggling to push against Natsuki's arm.

"Very well. It seems the Second Mage's power remains undiminished.

"And this one?!" Both looked towards Hinata.

"Eh?" Hinata hugged herself nervously. "I... I surrender..."

"No!" Ino shook her head. "Have you forgotten your identity? We are the pioneers who protect the dimension. How can we surrender so easily?"

"Ah? I, I haven't forgotten!" Hinata stammered, recalling her lines. Imitating Ino's tone, she declared, "I... I am... the First Mage, Hyūga Hinata!"

Hinata's face flushed crimson, and steam seemed to rise from her head.

"Excellent. You must always remember your identities. This world needs us to protect it!

"Now, seeing your unwavering efforts and indomitable spirit, I, as the Dimensional Lord, must reward you." Natsuki struggled to suppress his laughter, maintaining a serious expression as goosebumps rose all over his body!

He flicked his wrist, and the blanket billowed, engulfing the three of them.

"Hahaha, stop it! Don't tickle me!" Hinata shrieked with laughter, kicking her legs.

"Oh right! The graduation exam! The graduation exam! We'll really be late if we don't leave now!" Ino exclaimed.

"Yeah, and my sister's breakfast should be ready soon," Natsuki said, popping his head out from the blanket.

Soon, two other little heads emerged on either side of him.

"Sigh, we're 12 years old just like that. We're graduating already...

"Yeah, feels like we haven't played enough yet. But becoming a ninja is great too."

Exhausted from playing, the three little ones lay there, heads together, lamenting the passage of time. 

Under the blanket, Natsuki was held tightly by the two girls like an octopus caught in a net.

Ino and Hinata exchanged glances. Hinata's head steamed again, and even the usually boisterous Ino blushed faintly.

Donate some powerstones please!! Have a great day/night!