Iruka walked into the classroom to announce the team assignments. As expected, the students were divided into groups of three.
"Team 7!"
Naruto froze for a moment. The very first name called was his team? That had to be a decision carefully weighed by the Third Hokage himself.
But… would the teams be the same as in the original storyline?
This time, Naruto had ranked first in the graduation exams, Sasuke second, and Sakura third. If everything were based purely on results, having the top three in one team felt a little unbalanced.
"Haruno Sakura!"
Sakura blinked in surprise, then immediately grew nervous.
"Uzumaki Naruto!"
As expected. He had already guessed this outcome.
Sakura, however, seemed somewhat relieved—after all, who wouldn't want strong teammates?
But Naruto, in this new life, didn't cling to her. Their relationship was just normal classmates. She didn't dislike him; she was just curious. His sudden growth and overwhelming strength compared to their peers made her feel like Naruto had matured overnight. Curiosity, yes—but no real affection.
"Uchiha Sasuke!"
The moment Iruka's voice fell, Sakura shot to her feet, unable to suppress the joy on her face.
"Yes!"
"Troublesome." Sasuke snorted coldly, clearly displeased.
Iruka's voice continued, moving on to Team 8's roster. Naruto listened quietly, realizing that nothing had actually diverged from the original story. Suddenly, he turned sharply toward the back corner, just in time to catch a pair of eyes staring at him.
Hinata instantly panicked, yanking her gaze away, her cheeks burning red like a guilty thief caught in the act.
Once the team announcements ended, Sasuke didn't immediately leave.
"Let's go out and have a meal together," Naruto suggested.
"I'd love to!" Sakura agreed right away, sneaking a glance at Sasuke. Without hesitation, she nodded, silently giving Naruto a big thumbs-up in her heart.
"Not going." Sasuke's reply was cold.
Naruto wasn't surprised. He stopped, turned toward Sasuke, and asked,
"Is it because you're dissatisfied, and want to go home to train?"
"What's it to you?" Sasuke's tone was distant and frosty.
Anyone else might have gotten angry at his attitude, but Naruto completely ignored the Uchiha prince's arrogance.
"Let's not waste words—this kind of attitude will only waste time," Naruto said calmly. "We're already teammates. That won't change."
"So what?"
"So what? Don't tell me you don't even understand this." Naruto fixed his eyes on him. "Do you know the power of cooperation?"
"I don't need teammates." Sasuke gave Naruto a cold glance and turned to leave.
"Sasuke…" Sakura reached out, trying to grab his sleeve.
"Don't bother with him," Naruto said flatly. "He's just a conceited brat. If you don't want to get stronger, and only want to waste time, then go ahead. Walk away."
"You'll just stay a loser forever."
"What did you just say?" Sasuke whirled around, grabbing Naruto by the collar.
"I could say it ten thousand times—it doesn't change a thing." Naruto stared him down. "I thought you were smart, but turns out you're just an idiot."
"You!" Sasuke's expression turned icy.
"Naruto, Sasuke, stop it!" Sakura rushed forward, trying to pull their hands apart. "We're supposed to be teammates!"
"He doesn't see you as a teammate at all," Naruto said. "In his eyes, there's only himself. How could someone like that ever have comrades?"
"I told you—I don't need comrades!" Sasuke shot back. "I'm enough on my own. Comrades only drag you down."
"Sasuke." Sakura forced a smile, trying to soften the tension. "Naruto only suggested eating together because he probably has something important to share."
"Recently, Naruto's gotten so strong all of a sudden. Maybe he's found a new training method. It wouldn't hurt to listen."
Sasuke hesitated. After a brief struggle, he finally released Naruto's collar.
Naruto didn't mind. That was exactly his plan—to provoke Sasuke into coming along to talk.
Just as Sakura said, he had intelligence he wanted to share with them.
From now on, the three of them would be risking their lives together on dangerous missions. Better to avoid pitfalls in advance.
Suffering wasn't a treasure, and hardship wasn't a blessing—it was simply unavoidable. And at the end of suffering lay only despair.
The three of them went to a barbecue restaurant, ordering a few plates of meat and some juice.
It seemed Sakura had never grilled meat before; she looked nervous in front of Sasuke. Sasuke, meanwhile, sat with arms folded and his usual icy expression, as if he was only there to hear Naruto out.
Naruto, however, relied on his pre-reincarnation dining experience. He skillfully brushed oil onto the grill, then spread on a layer of cheese.
The cheese-coated meat sizzled with a rich, creamy aroma that instantly whetted their appetites.
"Naruto, do you eat barbecue often?" Sakura asked, a little surprised.
"Me? Hardly—I don't have that kind of money. I just hunt a lot, so I've picked up a few tricks about grilling." Naruto answered modestly.
He divided the meat onto Sakura and Sasuke's plates, then started grilling another batch.
"Thanks." Sakura's cheeks flushed.
"Tch… th-thanks." Sasuke muttered awkwardly.
After a plate of barbecue, the atmosphere around the table softened. Sasuke quietly ate his share—though his face was still a mask of ice, his frown had eased.
"Delicious." Sakura sipped her juice, smiling with satisfaction.
Seeing that the timing was right, Naruto finally put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and looked at the two of them. After a long pause, he spoke.
"Do you know the inside story behind how these teams were assigned?"
Sakura shook her head. "It must be decided by Lord Hokage and the others. Probably based on exam scores."
"And what does that matter to us?" Sasuke asked indifferently.
"It matters a lot," Naruto replied. "For a ninja, the most important part of any mission is gathering intelligence. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you'll never be defeated."
"In the future, we might have to cooperate—or compete—with other teams. Don't forget, there's still the Chūnin Exams."
"…That actually makes sense." Sakura nodded slowly. "Naruto, do you really know the inside story?"
"Of course." Naruto nodded. "Team 8 is made up of heirs from Konoha's scouting clans: the Byakugan of the Hyūga, the scent-tracking of the Inuzuka, and the insect-tracking of the Aburame.
This grouping was decided by the Konoha elders—each team formed based on the members' skills and personalities."