Chapter 16: The Superglue Handshake and the Ramen Dilemma part-1
[System: Nighty night, Host.]
I flopped back onto the pillow. I had a feeling that "getting stuck" to things was going to be the next chapter of my nightmare. Imagine getting stuck to Naruto. Or Sasuke. Or the Hokage.
I pulled the blanket over my head.
"I just want to be a normal ninja," I mumbled.
But as I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but smile a little. I had saved the team. In my own, incredibly embarrassing way, I had won.
And I hadn't fainted once today. That was progress.
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Name: Hinata HyugaShy Points: 200 (Spent big on Chakra Control).New Ability: Sticky Hands/Feet (triggered by nervousness).Reputation: The unpredictable kunoichi who targets pants.Team Eight Status: Kurenai thinks Hinata is a genius of deception. Kiba is terrified of her kicks. Shino is collecting data.
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Returning to the Hidden Leaf Village felt like waking up from a fever dream. We had survived the bandits, I had accidentally stripped a man twice my size, and I had purchased a new skill that promised to fix my clumsiness.
[Chakra Control Boost (Level 1)]
It sounded so professional. So reliable. I imagined myself walking up walls, standing on water, and definitely not tripping over flat surfaces.
"Mission accomplished," Kurenai said, handing the scroll to the receptionist at the mission desk.
I stood behind her, trying to look cool and composed. I leaned casually against the wall of the Hokage Tower.
(See? I am leaning. I am cool. I am not falling.)
[System Warning: Anxiety levels rising. Chakra Control responding to emotional stimulus. Adhesive properties activating.]
(Wait. Adhesive properties?)
"Hinata, let's go," Kiba called out, heading for the door.
"Coming," I said.
I tried to push myself off the wall.
I did not move.
My shoulder blade was firmly attached to the plaster. It felt like I had been nailed to the building.
(What is happening? Why am I part of the wall?)
[System Explanation: You are nervous about the mission report. The Chakra Control Boost assumes you want to stay put. So, it is bonding your chakra to the surface. You are now a gecko. Congratulations.]
"H-Help," I whispered.
"Hinata?" Shino turned around. "Why are you still interacting with the wall?"
"I... I am stuck," I admitted, my face heating up.
Kiba laughed. "Stuck? Did you get gum on your jacket?"
He walked over and yanked my arm.
Riiip.
With a sound like tearing Velcro, I peeled off the wall. A small patch of white paint was now stuck to the back of my jacket.
"Weird," Kiba said. "You really love this village, huh? Taking a piece of it with you?"
I rubbed my shoulder. "I... I just have very... strong chakra today."
.......................
We walked out onto the main street. The village was bustling. It was peaceful. I was ready to go home and hide.
"Hey! Team Eight!"
A loud, familiar voice cut through the crowd.
My heart did a somersault. I looked up. Sitting on the railing of the bridge ahead was Naruto Uzumaki. Sakura and Sasuke were standing nearby, looking less enthusiastic.
"Naruto-kun," I whispered.
"We heard you guys took down a C-Rank!" Naruto shouted, jumping down and running toward us. His blue eyes were sparkling with excitement. "And I heard Hinata took out the boss! That is awesome!"
(He heard? Naruto heard about me? Oh no. Did he hear about the boxers?)
My anxiety spiked. My heart rate monitor—if I had one—would have broken.
[System Alert: Proximity to Crush. Heart Rate: Critical. Nervousness Level: 100%. Chakra Adhesive Status: Superglue Mode.]
"It was nothing," I squeaked, looking at my feet.
"Nothing? Kiba told everyone at the dango shop that you used a 'Secret Hyuga Spinning Kick'!" Naruto beamed. He reached out his hand. "Put 'er there, Hinata! High five!"
He held his hand up.
I looked at his hand. It was tan, calloused, and attached to the boy I had liked since we were children. A high five. A normal social interaction.
(I can do this. Just slap his hand. Do not trip. Do not faint. Do not strip him.)
I reached out. "O-Okay."
Smack.
Our palms connected. It was a solid high five.
"Yeah! Believe it!" Naruto grinned. "Alright, see you later!"
He tried to pull his hand away.
He couldn't.
My hand was glued to his. Palm to palm. Finger to finger.
"Huh?" Naruto pulled harder. "Hey, let go, Hinata. You are really strong."
"I... I..."
I tried to let go. I mentally commanded my hand to release. But the more I panicked, the tighter the chakra bond became. It was like those Chinese finger traps, but with chakra.
"I cannot!" I cried. "It is stuck!"
"Stuck?" Sakura walked over, frowning. "What are you two playing at? Stop holding hands in the middle of the street, it is embarrassing."
"We are not holding hands!" Naruto yelled, tugging his arm. I was dragged forward with him. "She is stuck to me! Look!"
He waved his arm. My arm waved with it, as if we were a single organism.
Sasuke watched us with a look of profound indifference, though his eyebrow twitched slightly. "Hmph. Is this a new Hyuga grappling technique?"
"No!" I wailed. "It is an accident!"
[Ding!]
[Achievement Unlocked: "The Unbreakable Bond." You have achieved physical union with the protagonist.]
[Reward: 1,000 Shy Points.]
[System Note: To release the bond, you must calm down. Current chance of calming down: 0%.]
"Okay, okay," Kiba said, stepping in. "Let me help."
He grabbed Naruto's arm with one hand and my arm with the other. "One, two, three, PULL!"
He pulled. We screamed.
"Ow! Ow! My arm!" Naruto yelled. "Stop! You are going to rip my socket out!"
It was useless. We were fused.
"This is problematic," Shino observed, inspecting our joined hands. "The chakra flow is looped. Until Hinata's chakra stabilizes, you are effectively one entity."
"One entity?!" I felt faint. "You mean... we are... married?"
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