In the dim room, a cool ray of Gekko quietly streamed through the window, gently spreading across the silent floor.
On the desk, the little frog was curled up in its shell, sharing the tranquility with a silent wooden bird carving beside it.
However, Chizhao's mind was tightly entangled by the day's trivial matters, making it hard for her to fall asleep.
Staring at the pitch-black ceiling, she tried to chase away all the chaotic thoughts, then turned over, pulled the blanket over her head, and started counting sheep.
Suddenly, an urgent "bang bang" sound came from the window, breaking the night's silence.
Chizhao thought it was just the strong wind outside rattling the glass, so she didn't pay it any mind.
It wasn't until the knocking became frequent again that she finally couldn't hold back, sat up, and decided to investigate.
Using the bright Gekko from outside the window, Chizhao's eyes widened.
A face radiating a brilliant smile appeared, and she couldn't help but exclaim in surprise:
"Naruto?!"
She quickly opened the window, allowing the night wind to carry Naruto's figure lightly into the room.
Naruto wore a hint of apology, yet his eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Sorry, Chizhao, for coming to find you so late, but I have something good to share with you!"
When his gaze inadvertently swept over Chizhao's thin nightgown, a blush quietly crept onto his cheeks.
His eyes began to dart around nervously.
Chizhao's attention was quickly drawn to the large scroll on Naruto's back, and an alarm bell rang in her heart.
She leaned out the window, looked around, and after confirming no one was there, quickly locked the window and drew the curtains.
The large patch of Gekko instantly shrank, faintly glowing in the narrow gaps.
Chizhao pulled Naruto down, asking seriously, "Did you go and steal the scroll?"
"Eh? How did you know?"
Chizhao was stunned.
The timing was off.
In her memory, Naruto was supposed to have failed the exam and then, at Mizuki-sensei's instigation, gone to steal the scroll.
Why was it earlier this time?
Seeing Chizhao's thoughtful expression, Naruto scratched his head in confusion.
He sat cross-legged on the floor, placing the scroll behind him between the two of them, a harmless smile on his face:
"Oh, right, I haven't told you what this is for yet."
He proudly puffed out his chest, his voice filled with extreme excitement:
"This scroll contains some very powerful Ninjutsu. As long as Chizhao learns it, she'll definitely be able to graduate successfully!"
Chizhao's heart trembled fiercely: "Did you steal it for me?"
Naruto awkwardly rubbed the tip of his nose, answering with a hint of shyness:
"Yeah, Mizuki-sensei said the exam wasn't the Clone Technique, so Chizhao, you'd have a hard time passing. He told me there were other Ninjutsu that could help you pass the exam, so I stole this scroll!"
An unspeakable emotion spread in her heart. She gently bit her lip and pushed away the scroll placed in front of them.
In Naruto's astonished gaze, a pleasant scent enveloped him.
His body stiffened in place. Through the girl's thin nightgown, his hands hovered at his sides, and he nervously swallowed.
"Chizhao?"
After a moment, Chizhao's voice brushed past his ear like a breeze:
"Thank you, Naruto."
In this hazy room, the girl's soft murmur tickled Naruto's heart like a feather, bringing a slight itch.
Even the temperature of his earlobes unconsciously rose a few degrees.
Bright Gekko passed through the gap in the curtains, casting a black shadow on the two embracing figures in the dim room.
Naruto, whose heart was racing, was about to hug the girl back when Chizhao suddenly pushed him away, her expression turning serious.
"We have to return the scroll!"
Naruto looked puzzled: "Huh? But this is for you..."
Chizhao didn't say much and simply unrolled the scroll.
Sure enough, the first thing that caught her eye was the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.
"Naruto, you memorize this jutsu."
A confused Naruto tilted his head: "But I don't need it..."
"This jutsu is very important! Whether you can become Hokage depends on whether you know this jutsu!"
"Really?"
"Really!"
The naive Naruto didn't ask why. As soon as he heard about becoming Hokage, he immediately looked at it with great interest:
"Let me see, let me see... Shadow Clone Technique... Why is it the jutsu I'm worst at right from the start?!"
Feeling the urgency of time, Chizhao quickly took out clothes from the wardrobe, while also looking at the troubled Naruto.
She said righteously, "Naruto, turn around."
Looking up from the scroll, Naruto's clear blue eyes blinked.
"I'm changing clothes. If you dare to turn around... we'll never be friends again."
"Eeek?!"
Naruto instantly spun around, turning his back to her. The heat on his face increased significantly, but he still pretended to be calm and promised:
"Don't... don't worry! I absolutely won't peek!"
Although he said that, the rustling sound of clothes from behind him attracted Naruto's thoughts like a magnet, making his mind wander.
He nervously bit his lower lip, and the hand holding the scroll tightened a bit more.
He shook his head vigorously, trying to shake off the offensive images in his mind, and tried to focus his attention on the scroll in front of him.
He even stumbled through reading the contents aloud to forcibly divert his attention.
Finally, with Naruto's not-so-charming recitation, Chizhao finished changing her clothes.
"Alright! Did you memorize this jutsu?"
Looking up and seeing the neatly dressed girl, Naruto suddenly stood up and scratched his hair.
"M-maybe..."
Her gaze fell on the scroll of seals on the floor. Chizhao carefully calculated in her mind, then asked tentatively:
"Did Mizuki-sensei tell you to wait for him?"
"Huh? No, he only told me where this scroll was, nothing else."
Now Chizhao couldn't understand. Logically, Mizuki should have taken the opportunity to seize the scroll, but why didn't he tell Naruto a meeting point?
Could it be...
Suddenly, a dangerous premonition entered Chizhao's mind, and she vigilantly pounced on Naruto.
"Naruto! Get down!"
"Bang!"
Several Kunai pierced through the window, scattering with shards of glass all over the floor.
"What happened?!"
Before he could figure out the situation, Naruto, using the Gekko streaming through the broken window, saw Chizhao shielding him.
On her delicate left cheek, a tiny scar was particularly glaring.
But she seemed completely oblivious, only looking cautiously towards the window.
"I'm not sure yet, but we need to get out of here first."
Mizuki must have guessed that Naruto would come to her first, so he had already ambushed them outside?
Her grandmother was old and probably wouldn't notice the commotion here for a while, and she didn't want her grandmother to get involved.
The window and front door were definitely not safe. The only option was the kitchen window.
"Naruto, follow me and try to stay quiet."
"Got it!"
Although Naruto was usually quite carefree, in the face of the current situation, he could more or less sense the gravity of the matter.
After all, even the usually gentle Chizhao was so serious, so he had to cooperate with her obediently.
Just as Chizhao was about to turn and open the door, her wrist was suddenly gripped tightly by a small hand.
She turned back in surprise, meeting worried, clear blue eyes in the Gekko.
Being stared at by those close eyes made Chizhao's thoughts pause for a moment.
A gentle small hand caressed the noticeable scar, her voice soft:
"Does it hurt?"
Chizhao was startled, her expression relaxing slightly. She held Naruto's hand in hers, showing a reassuring smile:
"It's just a small scratch, it'll be fine in a moment."
Afterward, Naruto, carrying the large scroll, tiptoed behind Chizhao down the stairs.
She quickly ran to the other side and soon returned with a short blade on her back.
Naruto, who had never seen Chizhao use a sword, widened his eyes and opened his mouth:
"Shh~ I know what you want to ask, let's get out first..."
Meanwhile, Mizuki, lurking on the opposite rooftop, was staring intently at the broken window, his brows tightly furrowed:
"What's going on? They should have fled out of fear..."
He felt something was amiss, so he leaped to the window and peered inside.
The dim room was empty, with glass shards scattered across the floor, glinting coldly in the Gekko.
He cursed through gritted teeth: "Damn brats, did they escape through the back?"