A bullshit worldview! A bullshit power map! Bullshit character arcs!
And that endlessly recycled flashback-after-flashback plot, dragging on for over ten years and still not even halfway through the main story!
Ever since arriving in this world, these negative thoughts had been growing louder in her mind.
She had once been just a spectator. Now she was part of this ridiculous drama? How utterly fucking laughable!
The tree creaked under Hinata's feet as she launched herself forward. Panting slightly, she finally slowed down. At full sprint, it had taken her barely ten minutes to reach the waterfall far from the ninja academy.
And as if on cue, a hand suddenly reached up from the water and grabbed the rocky edge, dragging its owner weakly onto the shore.
Naruto's body trembled uncontrollably. Being smashed into the plunge pool from a hundred-meter height had left full-body trauma—his entire form was visibly swollen, with bruises and welts on his arms and face.
This idiot! He actually went and…!!
Just one glance at the scene—and Naruto's condition—was all Hinata needed to understand what had happened. There was no doubt: that infuriating blond dumbass really had jumped off the cliff. He'd just chosen to do it at the waterfall. And the result was exactly as expected—a total failure. Most likely minor internal injuries and widespread bruising. There probably wasn't a single part of him that didn't hurt.
But just as Hinata was about to jump down and rip into him, her steps froze.
Right… she had no reason to scold this fool. Because that's just how he was.
Even if everyone mocked him, rejected him, hated him—he still gritted his teeth and pushed forward, refusing to give up. And in the end, he really did become the greatest ninja in the village.
"Tch!"
Hinata spat viciously and spun around, running off in another direction. In the Uchiha district, there was clearly another idiot just like Naruto.
Soon, Hinata reached Sasuke's home. With her Byakugan activated, the room's interior was fully visible. The crude electric chair, cobbled together from a mess of batteries, and Sasuke inside, gasping in exhaustion, were plain as day. The pain must have been intense—bad enough to make even the Uchiha heir feel like his bones were being roasted.
This one went for electrocution? Dumb as it looks, the effort level's about the same.
Hinata wasn't surprised at Sasuke's determination. If that dumbass Naruto had gone all out, then it made perfect sense for his rival-friend to do the same.
But once again, that uncomfortable feeling in her chest sharpened.
No, she wasn't angry because she'd lied to them.
She was angry because… these two were pushing themselves far beyond what she expected. Or rather—beyond what she had done.
It was like—what, she, the high-and-mighty transmigrator from the real world, was being outdone by two fictional pixel-boys in terms of effort?
To get stronger, Hinata had pushed herself to the limits. Just like she'd said—her past two and a half months had been the physical embodiment of pain.
Every one of her fingers had fractured repeatedly under brutal training. Then she would soak them in boiling herbal concoctions to recover. That kind of pain couldn't be put into words. And it was only by enduring it that she'd built the strength and coldness she carried now.
Yes—pain brought unimaginable suffering. But it also brought unimaginable power.
Believing her pain was greater than anyone else's was what let her stand taller, firmer. And the pursuit of that pain—that effort—was how she measured her value and strength.
And now, Hinata could clearly see it.
Naruto and Sasuke were running ahead of her—outpacing her—on this path of pain and growth.
"What a joke… like hell I'll lose to you two!"
She sneered to herself and turned away from the Uchiha district, rage smoldering in her chest. Was this shitty world trying to prove to her that her suffering wasn't special? That anyone could do what she did? That her effort meant nothing?
Bullshit! Let's see if these so-called protagonists can even last!
But her fury didn't cloud her mind—it made her thoughts even sharper. Hinata didn't return to the ninja school. Instead, she went straight to her usual supplier: the Nara Clan's pharmacy. Shikamaru was still at school, so the shop was manned by his dad, Nara Shikaku.
"Well now~ isn't this Miss Hinata? What're you doing out at this hour? Shouldn't you be in class?"
With a toothpick in his mouth, Shikaku seemed to know her well by now. Despite his words, he asked kindly, "Here for more medicine? Got yourself hurt again?"
"Ah—sorry, Uncle Shikaku. I'd like to place an order for some herbs."
She took out her wallet and said crisply, "A set for electric burns. Another for internal bruising. And finally… a third for fire burns."
Like other pharmacies, the Nara shop offered pre-brewed medicine services—for an added fee, of course. Not everyone had the time or skill to decoct their own herbs.
"Huh? Is someone in your family injured? I mean… we can brew those, but…"
Shikaku was clearly surprised. Hinata usually only bought simple items for herself. But now she was ordering three separate remedies? That was definitely suspicious.
"As long as you can make them, that's enough. The money's here. I'll come pick them up tonight."
Not in the mood for chit-chat, Hinata left immediately. She had other things to take care of.
When you had money, everything became easier. Within half an hour, Hinata had what she needed: a large furnace and a cart of coal.
"Hmph. Let's see who can really hold out the longest."
Reaching into her ninja pouch, Hinata pulled out a scroll labeled "Nanto Flame-Killing Fist." No doubt about it—this was the third made-up Sacred Fist scroll she had "created" for herself.
Of course, she hadn't planned on actually training with it back then. It was just a fake. But now… she had to see which of the three—herself, Naruto, or Sasuke—would break first under their own fabricated training.
She dumped the red-hot coals from the furnace onto the grass in front of her, forming a glowing path about five meters long. Then, without hesitation, she tossed the scroll into the roaring flames. After all, she'd made it up—she didn't need to keep it.
"Training method for the Flame-Killing Fist: handstand-walk across burning coals until your hands are no longer burned."
Hinata smirked at the glowing trail in front of her. "Now this… this might be even more fun than Exploding Acupuncture."
She shrugged off her jacket, took a deep breath, and pushed into a handstand. She could feel the heat radiating from the coals—hot enough to cook raw meat. Putting your hands on it? That was pure torture—one of the cruelest punishments imaginable.
"Let's see what this pain feels like!"
Clenching her teeth, Hinata concentrated all her chakra into her palms—and thrust them down onto the burning coals.
—
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Konoha Village basked in the peace of another day. No one noticed anything strange—except perhaps that the day had felt a bit hotter than usual.
Naruto limped home, using a stick as a crutch. He'd spent the whole day at the waterfall, trying and failing again and again to make the leap. After being smashed into the plunge pool countless times, he could barely feel the pain anymore—only the numbness that followed.
"Huff… damn it… but I'm not giving up…"
He muttered encouragement to himself as he rounded a corner—only to stop dead.
There, leaning against the utility pole outside his house, was Hinata.
Her face was pale, her hands wrapped tightly in bandages. Beside her sat three paper bags, each exuding a bitter medicinal smell.
"H-Hinata? What are you doing here?"
Naruto scratched his head awkwardly. He felt kinda embarrassed. He'd talked big about being the first to master the Sacred Fist, and now she'd caught him looking like a wreck.
Hinata dropped her crossed arms and strode toward him. Just as the confused boy was about to speak, she suddenly kneed him hard in the gut!
"Guuh!"
Already barely standing, Naruto crumpled to the ground with a grunt. He squirmed, trying and failing to get back up.
"Wh-what the hell, Hinata?!"
Clutching his stomach, Naruto yelled in protest. But Hinata just sneered coldly.
Seriously? He needed to ask?
"Obviously I'm beating the crap out of you. Isn't it obvious?"
She squatted down and grabbed his head with her bandaged hand, growling through clenched teeth, "Look at my hands!! These are the scars from training the Nanto Flame-Killing Fist!! You seriously thought you were outworking me?!"
---
TL: If you spot any mistake let me know.