Game of Shadow

chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor The Gamer. I own nothing, really.

Chapter 6

"So, where are we going today?" Naruto asked cheerfully as I panted, my lungs desperately working to give my body much needed oxygen.

"I hate your stamina, Naruto." I grumbled as he waved me off. We started making our way to the physical training area for the conditioning exercises.

"I hate exercising." Shikamaru said, to which all of us rolled our eyes. I'm sure even Shino did.

I case anyone is wondering, the Aburame hadn't quite become a regular in our group. But he did stay with us during classes and hung out with us now and then. He mostly kept to himself while out of the Academy though. None of us, had a problem with that. We just assumed he just was that kind of person.

"Honestly, I don't feel like doing anything today. How about we go to your house and play some Shogi, Shikamaru?" I asked with my breathing slowly coming back to normal.

"Sure." The lazy genius said smirking at me while Naruto groaned.

"Nope, I'm not going to spend my day like that. Ne, Chouji, how about we go…" While the blonde knucklehead started making plans with the Akimichi heir, I was acutely aware of someone's eyes on us. Shikamaru and I looked at each other.

"Even ignoring it is getting troublesome." He said with a sigh and I couldn't help but agree.

For the longest time, someone was almost stalking us. Although, being completely fair, this person's attention wasn't focused on us. It was focused on Main Character-kun. You have three guesses as to who I'm talking about and the first two don't count.

I turned my head slightly to look at the girl with dark blue hair and almost white eyes. Hinata Hyuuga really hadn't changed much from canon apparently. She couldn't keep her eyes off Naruto during Academy hours, and although I couldn't prove it, I was sure she watched him outside from time to time. This meant that she also watched our group most of the time, as we always were together with him.

It wasn't like we had a problem with the girl, not really. It was just a bit… tiresome, to deal with her stares sometimes, not that the oblivious idiot noticed, but Shikamaru, Shino and I surely did. The Aburame hadn't commented on it though.

"I'm really starting to think we should do something about it." I said with a grimace.

"Like what?" The Nara asked me with a raised eyebrow. And I stared at him for a second, he could follow my train of thoughts no problem. Sure enough, he sighed again. "Do we have to? I don't know what is more troublesome, doing that or keeping things like this."

"I kind of want to help." I said with an awkward half smile. "Shyness is kinda cute, but sometimes it's just… a bit much. That's her case, honestly." I said trying not to insult her. I really didn't have a problem with her, I knew she was a great person. But that extreme shyness…

"You are remarkably not troublesome, Eiji. But sometimes…" He just ended the statement with yet another sigh and I smiled apologetically at him. "During the spar wait time?" He asked resigned.

"I guess." I shrugged. I looked around "Reckon I'll have to fight Kiba today?"

"Probably." He answered disinterestedly. "Can't get past this week." I nodded in agreement. I had been fortunately dodging that bullet for a long time. I was running out of time. Luckily for me, I was already at a level that I was confident I could beat the Inuzuka, or at least put up a hell of a fight. "I wouldn't worry too much."

"Thanks." I smiled at him. Shikamaru wasn't one to give compliments, that was as close as he could get to one.

Just a moment later, I received a notification.