At the Ninja Academy.
Outside the teaching building, on the target range.
A handsome boy with raven hair and dark eyes flicked his wrist with effortless grace. A shuriken flashed with a cold light, vanishing for a split second before a sharp thud announced it had struck the center of the bullseye.
He turned. The "Ping-Pong paddle" crest of the Uchiha on Sasuke's back glistened under the afternoon sun.
"So cool, Sasuke!"
Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka led a small army of girls in a makeshift cheerleading squad, their voices a cacophony of adoration around him.
"Hmph, big deal," a voice muttered from the distance.
Naruto Uzumaki sat with his back against a tree, a leaf dangling from his mouth as he mimicked Shikamaru's lazy posture. His expression was sour with envy. He failed to notice a blue-haired girl with pale eyes nearby, pretending to train while casting shy, blushing glances his way.
Woof! Woof! Woof!
"Good boy, Akamaru!" Kiba Inuzuka tossed a piece of kibble to the white pup on his shoulder, giving the dog's head a playful scratch. Nearby, Choji Akimichi's cheeks bulged as he poured a handful of potato chips into his mouth. As an Akimichi who converted calories into chakra, he considered this high-intensity training.
"Kazama-sensei is in a fight!"
A scrawny boy with a runny nose came sprinting toward them, his shout instantly cutting through the noise.
Kazama-sensei is fighting?
Kazama Yue was one of the few Jonin-level instructors at the Academy. Rumor had it he was a veteran of the Third Shinobi World War who had retired due to injuries. Formidable, silent, and strikingly handsome, he held the dual roles of Admissions Officer and Dean of Students. He was adored by the girls and sat firmly at the top of the boys' "Must Be Eliminated" list.
"Who's he fighting? Where?" Naruto's friend asked.
"A girl. Pretty, about my height... and I think she's blind. They're on the main training ground! Half the teachers are already there watching!"
Blind?
Whack!
A taller boy cuffed the messenger on the back of the head. "You call that a fight? That's just Kazama-sensei bullying a disabled girl!"
The boy rubbed his head and whispered, "But they're actually fighting! And... Kazama-sensei looks like he's losing!"
What?
The crowd stood stunned.
"No way! Let's go see!"
Naruto felt a jolt of recognition. Could it be Hinami? Fighting Kazama-sensei? Is she going to get hurt? Thinking of the first friend he'd ever made over a bowl of Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto scrambled to his feet and sprinted toward the center of the training grounds.
Even Sasuke and the usually lethargic Shikamaru found their curiosity piqued. A Jonin-level bout was rare, especially involving the stern Kazama Yue. They joined the surging crowd of students.
Moments later, Iruka Umino returned from the restroom, rubbing his stomach. He blinked at the empty target range. Only a few scattered kunai remained on the ground.
"Wait... did I walk into the wrong school? Where is everyone?"
Standing directly in front of him, Shino Aburame adjusted his sunglasses. His expression, hidden behind his high collar, was even more puzzled than Iruka's.
"Am I not a person?"
Minutes earlier, at the center of the training grounds.
Word had traveled fast. The Academy teachers had already formed a semi-circle, their hushed whispers filling the air.
"What's going on?"
"I heard the blind girl wants to enroll and Yue-sensei refused. So she challenged him."
"Really? I heard she was his secret love child coming for child support!"
Might Guy stood at the front of the crowd, his eyes filled with concern. He had already gathered some intel on the opponent. Kazama Yue: a Wind Style specialist, a combat veteran, and a man of immense experience.
Then there was Hinami. Six years old, small, and blind. On paper, she shouldn't be able to beat a single student here.
The gap in their strength should have been a chasm. Guy didn't think she could win, but he wouldn't stop her. No one had the right to block someone's path to their dreams. As her "family," all he could offer was support and a shoulder to lean on when she inevitably fell.
If she can just hold out long enough for the teachers to see her spirit, they'll have to give her a chance, just like the Third Hokage did for me!
"Guy? What are you doing here?" Mitsuda-sensei, who had taught Guy years ago, recognized the iconic bowl cut.
"Mitsuda-sensei! I... I'm just dropping my daughter off for her first day."
"Daughter? My, how time flies! What class is she in? What's her name?"
"Uh, her name is Hinami... she's the one fighting Kazama-sensei."
Guy pointed to the small figure in the center of the field. Seeing the teacher's speechless, bewildered expression, Guy awkwardly rubbed his head, unable to explain the absurdity of the situation.
Ignoring the surrounding noise, Kazama Yue looked down at the blind girl who didn't even reach his chest. His green eyes glinted with amusement.
"If you can even touch me, I'll give you the right to take the entrance exam."
Hinami remained unmoved by the provocation. Beneath her blindfold, the veins around her eyes were throbbing.
Chakra level: High-tier Jonin. Muscle and bone density: Average. No special tools—thirteen kunai and shuriken total. Old fracture scars on both shins. Severed nerve endings in the hands... Wind Style marks?
Conclusion: Unknown Wind Style jutsu to watch out for. Otherwise, minimal threat.
"Are you ready?"
Faced with Hinami's calm reversal of roles, Yue didn't answer. The amusement left his eyes, replaced by a cold, professional focus.
Shinobi Rule Number Seven: Regardless of the opponent, discard emotion and focus entirely on the battle.
Yue dropped into a low crouch and lunged. He was incredibly fast, yet his feet made no sound against the earth—he moved like a sudden breeze.
Let me show you why a blind person cannot be a ninja.
His eyes remained locked on the unresponsive girl as his chakra-infused palm reached for her neck. He was inches away. He could almost feel the warmth of her skin.
THUD!
The cane struck the ground. With that dull sound, a torrent of water erupted from the dry earth, surging forward like a tidal wave.
Such a fast Water Style! Can she see? When did she weave the signs?
Yue didn't have time for shock. He curved his fingers like claws, tearing through the water with raw strength.
Splash!
Flesh met water. Droplets filled the air.
Hinami's focus tightened. Under the guidance of the Byakugan, the scattered droplets froze in mid-air, reshaping into thousands of razor-sharp needles.
She held her hand out, her slender index finger pointing directly at the space between Yue's eyebrows. An invisible ripple spread through the aquatic arsenal.
A half-second of vibration—then the swarm screamed forward!
The sky was blotted out by a curtain of needles. Yue's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. This time, he saw it clearly.
This girl... she didn't use a single hand sign!