44 - Call me Koyuki...

A/N: Happy Diwali Everyone!!

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Snow Country...

Kirito, dressed warmly, walks a short distance behind Koyuki as they navigate through the surroundings.

Koyuki suddenly stops and turns to Kirito, her smile lighting up her face. "Your name is Kirito, right?"

"Yes, Princess," Kirito responds with a neutral tone.

"Do you want to be friends with me?" Koyuki asks with hope, looking directly at Kirito.

Koyuki, living in the castle and rarely interacting with someone her age, finds herself hoping to make a friend. Kirito, who seems close to her age or slightly younger, presents an opportunity for companionship. Despite his unusual hair color, Koyuki doesn't mind.

"If the Princess is willing, I'd be honored to be your friend," Kirito replies, a smile forming on his lips as he gazes at Koyuki.

Seeing Kirito's smile causes Koyuki's heart to skip a beat. Her face blushes slightly, and she turns away from him abruptly, suddenly feeling an unfamiliar rush of emotions. Without saying a word, she starts running towards the market, leaving Kirito behind.

Perplexed by the sudden change, Kirito quickly follows after her.

...

Konoha...

In Training Ground 7, Naruto continues practicing the first step of Swift Release.

"Try to pick up the pace, kid," Saito comments, coming up behind Naruto and giving him a light tap on the head.

"Come on, Sensei, I've been doing this for a week and haven't seen any progress," Naruto complains, pausing in his movements.

"And you still can't dodge a single log," Saito retorts, his tone neutral.

"That's because there are so many logs, and you did something weird to me when we started training," Naruto grumbles, feeling weaker since starting his Swift Release training.

"I did that to help you build some basic physical strength before we move on to the next phase of training," Saito explains. He then places his hand on Naruto's back, forming hand seals before saying, "Release."

Confused by the sudden change in his body, Naruto experiences a surge of newfound strength.

"What did you do, Sensei?" Naruto questions, feeling the significant difference in his body's strength.

"That's not important right now. Show me your progress," Saito replies, his gaze fixed on Naruto, sensing a remarkable transformation in him.

"Just watch," Naruto declares, and he begins running at an incredibly fast speed, surpassing his previous limits.

With the seal that had been restricting his chakra flow removed, Naruto covers an unprecedented distance compared to his prior attempts.

'Looks like he's ready for the next phase of training,' Saito thinks, pleased by Naruto's progress.

However, just as Naruto is about to reach the finish line, he's hit by a massive log and ends up in the water.

"It seems I need to make the training a bit more challenging," Saito remarks as he proceeds to heal Naruto.

...

Hyuga Compound...

Inside the training hall, Hinata and Neji engage in a combat practice.

"Brother Neji, please don't hold back against me," Hinata insists, launching a palm strike at Neji.

"Are you certain, Hinata?" Neji inquires, hesitating as he doesn't wish to harm his cousin.

"Yes, I am. If you hold back, how can I get stronger?" Hinata says firmly, determined to improve her skills.

"Very well, prepare yourself, Hinata," Neji announces, moving back a couple of steps to assume a new stance.

"I'm ready, too," Hinata responds, taking her own battle-ready stance.

After only a few exchanges, Neji manages to overpower Hinata, sending her flying onto the wooden floor.

"Hinata!" Hiashi rushes to his daughter's side, concerned for her well-being.

Hearing his daughter's cry, Neji also approaches to ensure she's alright.

"I'm fine, Father," Hinata reassures, getting up before anyone can assist her. She then turns to Neji and says with determination, "I need to get stronger, strong enough to defeat you."

As they observe the sparring, clan elders on the sidelines discuss their concerns about Neji's growing strength and the potential need to implement the Caged Bird Seal on him.

...

Nara Compound...

Shikaku and Shikamaru engage in a game of shogi.

"Finally won against you, Dad," Shikamaru says, pushing a piece forward in triumph.

"Think you're that good?" Shikaku replies with a smile, moving his own piece on the board.

"Not again!" Shikamaru exclaims in frustration, realizing his victory is short-lived as his father counters his move.

"What a drag," Shikamaru mutters, looking at his father with a mix of annoyance and admiration.

Shikamaru then brings up a topic concerning Naruto. "The other day, Naruto mentioned he's also learning a clan jutsu, like us..."

"Did he tell you the name of the jutsu?" Shikaku asks with interest, unaware of the specifics of Naruto and Kirito's training under Saito.

"He mentioned something called Swift Release..." Shikamaru answers with a puzzled tone, curious if his father knows anything about it, as the jutsu name is unfamiliar to him.

"Swift Release, huh? Saito Sensei is teaching him such a powerful jutsu at his age," Shikaku comments, his expression turning more serious.

"Dad, is it true that Swift Release is stronger than our Shadow Possession Jutsu?" Shikamaru inquires earnestly.

"It all depends on the user," Shikaku replies neutrally, his gaze drifting to the sky.

Shikamaru, who is known for his preference for a relaxed approach, murmurs, "What a drag..."

"Quit staring at the clouds and come inside. Dinner's ready," Shikamaru's mother calls out from the house, her voice irritated by their dawdling.

...

Land of Snow...

After enjoying ramen together, Koyuki leads Kirito to a pet shop.

"Princess, are we heading to the pet shop?" Kirito inquires, observing the shop in front of them.

"Yes, and for the last time, please stop calling me 'Princess' and call me Koyuki," Koyuki insists, her tone tinged with irritation.

"I apologize, Princess. It would be dishonorable for me to address you by your name," Kirito responds quickly, shaking his head.

"Didn't you say we're friends now?" Koyuki asks with a serious expression, her frustration evident.

"Yes, I did," Kirito nods, paying the bill for their ramen as a gesture of friendship.

"Then call me by my name, if you consider us friends," Koyuki demands.

"I understand. I'll call you Koyuki," Kirito concedes with a sigh.

"Good, now let's go. I heard they have a rare type of pet at that shop," Koyuki says excitedly, taking Kirito's hand and leading him to the shop.

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