Chapter 87
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One week later — Uzumaki Family Residence.
[Group Chat System – Update: COMPLETED]
[Current Members: 5/15]
[MEMBER LIST]
[Hashirama Senju — Shinobi God]
[Tobirama Senju — Uchiha Suck]
[Madara Uchiha — Uchiha's Ghost]
[Mito Uzumaki — First Kyūbi Jinchūriki]
[Yahiko — Founder of Akatsuki]
[After an exhaustive search, ten new perfect candidates have been found to join the group.]
Suddenly, a flood of notifications began to fill the screen:
[Ding! Member 'Kamikaze-kun' is waiting to join the group.]
[Ding! Member 'Deadly Midwife' is waiting to join the group.]
[Ding! Member 'Monkey D. Negligence' is waiting to join the group.]
[Ding! Member 'Father of the Year (Sand Edition)' is waiting to join the group.]
[Ding! Member 'Mother of the Desert' is waiting to join the group.]
[Ding! Member 'Bro-Senju' is waiting to join the group.]
[Ding! Member 'Dad Didn't Choose Me' is waiting to join the group.]
[Ding! Member 'Daddy's Favorite' is waiting to join the group.]
[Ding! Member 'Creator of Ninshū' is waiting to join the group.]
[Ding! Member 'Lord of the Moon' is waiting to join the group.]
[Do you allow all these new members to join the group chat now, or would you prefer to wait before approving their entry?]
Naruto ignored the system for a moment and stared out the window of his room.
In the street, the entire village was dressed in black, mourning the death of the Third Hokage.
With flowers in hand, the villagers walked in silence toward the Hokage Mansion for Hiruzen's funeral.
But there he was, just waking up at 11:00 A.M., still in pajamas.
His pajamas were simple: black shorts, no shirt.
Looking toward the street, at the entrance to his house, Naruto met the gaze of Sakura and Reika, both several meters apart from each other, watching him silently.
Naruto could feel the discomfort radiating from them through the window.
Neither looked at or spoke to the other.
Sakura still hadn't accepted that Sasuke had turned out to be a girl.
"Naruto, get down here or we'll be late!" Sakura exclaimed, impatiently.
Naruto rolled his eyes at the sight of them there, dressed completely in black, waiting for him.
Who told them he was going to Hiruzen's funeral? Because it sure wasn't him.
Though he couldn't help but look at Reika with amusement. It was the first time he'd seen her in a dress.
Even she looked uncomfortable in it.
"You're both insane if you think I'm going to that old bastard's funeral. Go to hell, both of you," he said with contempt—though not directed at them—before closing the window and drawing the curtains.
Not even if he were paid would he attend Hiruzen's funeral.
Sakura and Reika stood in silence, staring at the closed window in surprise—though for different reasons.
"Poor Naruto, the Third Hokage was like a grandfather to him… he must be devastated, he doesn't even want to leave the house," murmured Sakura, sadly.
Reika looked at her, puzzled.
"Naruto hated the Third Hokage," she replied firmly. "Do you really know him so little…?"
Sakura didn't respond. She lowered her gaze and turned around, still uncomfortable with Reika's presence, and walked away.
Reika, unfazed, shrugged, still staring at Naruto's closed window.
"If I'd known Naruto wasn't going, I wouldn't even have bothered getting out of bed," she said to herself.
But instead of leaving, Reika walked to the door.
"N-Naruto was shirtless…" she murmured to herself, blushing, as she raised her hand and knocked gently.
To her surprise, it wasn't Naruto who opened the door.
Reika froze upon seeing Hinata peek through the crack, her head slightly tilted, confused, as if unsure why she was there.
"Oh… Reika-chan," said Hinata, surprised, though with a soft smile. "I wasn't expecting you."
She said nothing more. She didn't ask why she was there, nor did she seem uncomfortable. Just… calm. Too calm.
Reika blinked, as if trying to process what she was seeing. Her brow slowly furrowed.
Hinata was barefoot, her hair still slightly damp, and she was wearing shorts. Very short shorts. But that wasn't what made Reika's stomach churn.
It was the T-shirt.
THE T-shirt.
A loose white T-shirt with the image of a ramen bowl in the center.
Naruto's pajama T-shirt.
Reika swallowed hard. The silence between them grew heavy, as if the air itself refused to move.
"Why are you here…?" Reika asked bluntly, with a coldness sharp enough to slice skin.
Hinata held her gaze, calm… too calm, Reika noted.
She used to be too shy, but Hinata wasn't like before.
"Why, you ask?" she repeated, with a smile that seemed innocent—but wasn't.
She blinked sweetly, as if the question genuinely confused her. "I don't understand the question, Reika-chan."
Then, her expression changed. It became firmer, more confident. She took a small step forward, not moving away from the door.
"I'm at my boyfriend's house," she said in a soft but steady voice. "I should be the one asking what you're doing here."
Reika clenched her fists tightly, her knuckles turning white.
There were many ways to say "he's mine," and Hinata had just chosen the most direct, the boldest… and the most effective.
Her jaw tightened, and she said nothing at first.
She didn't have to. The message had already been received.
She hated it.
She hated the sweet way Hinata had just rubbed in her face that she was Naruto's girlfriend.
And that she wasn't.
"How long are you staying?" Reika asked in a tone that tried to sound casual.
Hinata smiled, placing a finger on her chin as if truly considering it.
"Hmm… I think as long as necessary. At least long enough to keep away those who think they have the right to come between Naruto and me."
The words, though gentle, fell like blades.
Reika scoffed and looked away.
"Mhpm. I don't care. I didn't come for Naruto anyway."
It was a lie, of course. And they both knew it.
"Oh?" Hinata tilted her head, her tone charmingly kind. "Then what do you need, Reika-chan? Can I help you with something?"
That "-chan" was pure venom laced with honey.
Reika's eyebrow twitched. She hated that tone change, that fake kindness from Hinata.
And worse: she had no prepared answer for her question.
"I-I…" she stammered, feeling more exposed than ever. Hinata looked at her with a raised eyebrow, patiently waiting to hear her excuse.
"I came to see Karin," she finally said.
And she hated herself for it. For that obvious excuse.
She wanted to facepalm, bite her tongue—anything but maintain eye contact with the girl who had just watched her lie so poorly.
But when she mentioned Karin, Hinata's face lit up.
Reika watched her, and then she understood.
This was a game.
A cold war disguised as courtesy.
And Hinata had landed the first blow.
If Hinata wanted to play, so be it—let the games begin.
Reika forced a smile. She didn't like losing, and even less on a board she hadn't even realized she was standing on.
The winner would get Naruto.
"Wait here a moment, I'll call her," Hinata said, gently closing the door. But not without casting one last look...
Reika stood at the entrance, grinding her teeth. The minutes felt eternal. Her fists clenched tightly, knuckles pale, nails digging into her palms.
When the door opened, it was Karin who appeared, looking at Reika with a mix of surprise and annoyance.
"You? What are you doing here?" she asked, crossing her arms. "What do you want from me…?"
Reika took a deep breath.
"I came to see you," she replied, feigning confidence, as if that had been her intention all along.
Karin narrowed her eyes, doubtful. And in that moment, Reika noticed.
She too had been dragged into the game by Hinata.
They spent the rest of the day together, not really knowing how. Or why.
But in Karin's expression, Reika saw it clearly.
Hinata had manipulated them. Had turned them against each other without lifting more than a finger.
She had won this round.
But she wouldn't win the next one.
Because if Hinata thought Reika was the only threat…
She was about to find out Karin had claws too.