Compared to the original timeline, Hinata, Naruto, and Sasuke were clearly far stronger now. Between their medicinal conditioning and their Sacred Fist training, their physical capabilities had vastly improved.
And in the ninja world, a powerful body meant everything—more chakra, faster control, quicker release, better stamina.
By all accounts, they could easily defeat their canon selves at this age.
Hinata wasn't sure how to measure her own strength. But her Byakugan gave her omnidirectional sight and full-body chakra control—an advantage Sasuke and Naruto couldn't match, as they could only release chakra through hands and feet.
"So, Naruto. We keep going until one of us gives up. No holding back."
Raising her arms, a light blue chakra surged around her sleeves, wrapping her arms like mist—just as it had during their training with molten iron sand.
"Alright! I'm not losing!"
Naruto's fists clenched with resolve. "If I can beat you, then beating Sasuke will be easy!"
"Then let's see what you've got."
She gestured for him to attack. Naruto lunged in, aggressive and fast—he still hadn't fully grasped the Sacred Fist stances, but his instincts were sharper than they were in the original timeline.
"In any taijutsu battle, you need to hold back about thirty percent of your strength for transitions. If you go all in every time…"
Hinata's left arm suddenly intercepted his incoming punch, subtly redirecting it upward with a deflecting motion.
"…then a counter like this becomes easy. Crane Snatch."
Naruto's body tilted off balance—he had put too much force into that punch, dragging his own weight forward.
"And then, with your other fist, hit their core. This is—Wild Fang!"
Her right fist slammed into Naruto's gut—hard. She purposely avoided his heart, but the punch still sent a shockwave through his body.
"And once you're in close range, shatter their balance entirely. Tiger Roar!"
Hinata stepped in, jumped, and smashed her fist into Naruto's chin with an uppercut empowered by her full body. The blow lifted him off the ground, eyes rolling back.
"And when they're midair—vulnerable—finish it with a spinning kick. Spinning Slayer!"
As he began to fall, Hinata rotated midair and kicked him brutally in the chest, sending him crashing to the ground like a rag doll, bouncing twice before lying still, face-down.
Landing lightly, Hinata looked down at Naruto. He was completely knocked out. Even with his jinchūriki body, repeated hits to the gut, chest, and chin were too much.
"I hope your body at least remembers the pain. Fighting without thinking is just giving the enemy a training dummy."
She stood silently beside him. Should she leave him here? He wouldn't die—but…
After a pause, she sighed and hoisted him up. He was, after all, a valuable income source. Might as well not break the merchandise.
And if nothing about her body felt strange even after all this—maybe she really was just imagining things. Or was it a lingering piece of the original Hinata's consciousness?
Best to be sure.
With a sly grin, Hinata changed direction—heading off toward Konoha's streets.
She had someone in mind. Someone who could help.
The Yamanaka clan weren't far. Known for their mental jutsu, they handled Konoha's sensory barriers and internal surveillance. A key figure in the village.
And sure enough, Ino wasn't asleep. Unlike Hinata, she loved her beauty routine—and now flush with cash from the film project, she'd splurged on high-end cosmetics and was eagerly testing them one by one.
Just as she picked up a new lotion—THWACK!
A shuriken pierced her window and slammed into her vanity table.
Ino screamed, nearly knocking everything over.
"WHO?!"
She grabbed the embedded weapon—and saw a note tied to it.
Her eye twitched.
The handwriting was unmistakable, and the message was simple: Come to the hill outside. – Hyūga Hinata (signed)
"…Seriously? That's how she summons people now?"
Recognizing both the signature and the message, Ino sighed and slapped her own forehead. But despite the annoyance, she got dressed quickly.
Avoiding the front door to not wake her parents, the blonde girl slipped out the window and leapt into the night, curious to know what Hinata wanted at this hour.
When she arrived at the hill, Hinata was already there—and so was Naruto, lying unconscious at her feet.
"What the heck, Hinata? I just found the perfect foundation match, and you—wait, what happened to him?!"
"Lost to me in a challenge," Hinata replied flatly, nudging Naruto with her foot. "I beat him up."
Ino's jaw twitched. "That's… refreshingly straightforward."
Kneeling beside Naruto, she activated a basic healing jutsu.
"Just so you know, I'm still new to medical ninjutsu. I can treat surface injuries, but no promises on speed or perfection."
"That's fine," Hinata said calmly. "Pain will help him remember. Besides—Ino, I need your expertise. I… may have sleepwalked tonight. What's your take?"
"Sleepwalked?"
Startled, Ino looked up. "So that's the real reason you brought me here?"
"Exactly. Your clan specializes in mental techniques. I want to know: is this kind of mental state… normal? Like… it felt like there was another 'me' inside me."
Hinata's pale eyes narrowed.
Ino tilted her head slightly, then answered in a gentle tone.
"Hinata, you're overthinking it. Sleepwalking can be caused by stress or overexertion—especially at our age. You're practically running an entire production team by yourself. It's no surprise your mind's stretched thin."
Standing, Ino placed a reassuring hand on Hinata's shoulders.
"Why don't we talk about makeup for a bit? Or flower arrangements for the next scene set? Might help you relax."
Hinata frowned slightly. She couldn't tell if Ino was being honest or evasive. As a mind-ninjutsu specialist, Ino was much harder to read than, say, Sakura. That calm, cheerful smile might be a mask.
"…No. It's late. We'll go over it tomorrow during rehearsal. You're right—I probably just need some sleep."
Brushing Ino's hand off her shoulder, Hinata glanced at Naruto. "Heal him enough so he can walk. I'm heading back."
"Sure, sure. See you tomorrow~" Ino waved as Hinata departed. Once alone, her smile vanished.
"Tch… how am I supposed to answer something like that? If I tried using mind jutsu on the Hyūga heir without permission, I'd be insane."
(TL: Hinata still the heir to her clan. Although nobody in her clan treats her like that.)
Ino wasn't a fool. She knew the laws—and the dangers—of her clan's mental techniques. Without consent, using them was a major violation. Especially on someone like Hinata, whose bloodline and clan status made her politically sensitive.
Better to dodge the question than risk saying the wrong thing.