The next day, after the holiday ended, Naruto returned to the Ninja Academy.Today was the day of team assignments.
Sitting by the window, Naruto's gaze drifted outside.In the distance, he saw a large tree, with a crude swing hanging from one of its branches.
Today, the classroom was full of many unfamiliar faces from other classes.As for the students from his original class—more than half of them hadn't passed the graduation exam.
Naruto looked at the students in the room and wondered whether the team assignments would be altered because of him.
Soon enough, Iruka began announcing the results.Teams of three.The first six teams were all filled with names Naruto didn't even recognize—just background nobodies.
"Next, Team 7. The members are Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura!"
Hearing Iruka's words, Naruto frowned.
Being placed with Sasuke, he could understand.But putting Sakura here—wasn't that because the original Naruto liked her?
Now, however, he himself only felt surface-level dislike for Sakura.Why would the Third Hokage still stuff her into Team 7?
Sasuke kept a cold, indifferent face about being in the same group as Naruto, but deep down he felt a faint satisfaction.Sakura, on the other hand, was thrilled to be paired with Sasuke, but her excitement soured the moment she remembered Naruto was also on the team.
"Team 8: Inuzuka Kiba, Hyuga Hinata, Aburame Shino."
Hearing her assignment, Hinata looked toward Naruto with a trace of disappointment.
"Team 10: Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji, Yamanaka Ino."
Ino's face fell. Sure enough, she still hadn't been placed on Naruto's team.
After hearing the lineup, Naruto quickly guessed why Sakura had ended up with him.It was simply because there was no one else to slot in.
The Ino-Shika-Cho trio was a fixed team.Hinata's group was clearly designed for reconnaissance.As for the other civilian students, their talent was mediocre. Sakura, among them, was simply the "tallest among the short."
The team assignments ended.
Sakura eagerly bounced over and sat beside Sasuke.Even though she was displeased, she still felt some fear toward Naruto, so she didn't dare say much.
One by one, the jonin instructors began entering the classroom to take their teams away.
When Kurenai Yuhi walked in, Naruto couldn't help but take a second glance.Her long, black, curly hair framed a pair of ruby-like eyes, brimming with the aura of a mature beauty.In reality, she looked even more alluring than in the original story.
She took Hinata and the other two away. Before leaving, Hinata cast Naruto one last regretful look.
Before long, all the students had left with their instructors.In the wide classroom, only Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura remained.
Half an hour passed, yet their instructor still hadn't shown up.
Sakura grew impatient, muttering, "What the heck, everyone else left ages ago. Our teacher still hasn't come—must be some unreliable guy!"
Sasuke folded his arms, expression disdainful, his impression of their future teacher already low.
Naruto, however, had already guessed.This habit of being late—it had to be Kakashi.
Yawning, Naruto said, "I'm gonna take a nap. Wake me up when he gets here."
Sakura's eyes immediately flashed with displeasure.She decided she wouldn't wake him at all, so he'd leave a bad impression on the teacher.
Another half hour passed before the classroom door finally slid open.
A white-haired figure walked inside.
As soon as he entered, Sakura and Sasuke looked over.At the same time, Sasuke kicked at the desk, while Naruto opened his drowsy eyes.
Kakashi scratched the back of his head and chuckled dryly."Sorry, sorry. I'm late. I was helping an old lady get home."
Even Sakura didn't believe that clumsy excuse, rolling her eyes.
"Alright, let's start with introductions. My name is Kakashi Hatake, and I'll be your instructor. Now, you all introduce yourselves."
"My name is Haruno Sakura. I like good-looking people and things…" As she spoke, her eyes drifted toward Sasuke.
"Uchiha Sasuke. I have no hobbies. My only goal is to kill a certain man!" Sasuke's voice was grim.
"Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto only gave his name with a flat tone.
Kakashi's gaze swept across the three of them, finally lingering on Naruto.Seeing that overly handsome face, he couldn't help but think of his own teacher, Minato Namikaze.
He really looks like sensei. Maybe even more handsome than him… but his personality, that's completely different from Minato-sensei.
The introductions finished, Kakashi clapped his hands.
"Alright, our test will be tomorrow, outside the village. Since it'll be physically demanding, remember not to eat breakfast."
After giving the meeting point, Kakashi left straight away.
That nonchalant attitude immediately set Sakura off."What the heck, making us wait so long, then just leaving after saying a few words!"
Naruto stood up and walked toward the door.Sakura called after him, "Naruto, where are you going? Tomorrow's the test, don't you think we should discuss strategy?"
Naruto didn't even turn around."Strategy? With your brain, what strategy could you even come up with?"
"You!!" Sakura spluttered, nearly tongue-tied from anger.
She turned desperately to Sasuke, a thought flashing through her mind: Perfect! If Naruto doesn't join in, I can have some alone time with Sasuke!
"Sasuke, how about the two of us—"
Sasuke rose to his feet without even looking at her."Not interested."
He left as well, leaving Sakura slumped in disappointment.
Naruto didn't go straight home.Instead, he arrived at his old training spot—the Third Training Ground, beside a small stream.
His fingers twitched, and more than a dozen Shadow Clones appeared around him with a bang, bang, bang.Each met his eyes, nodded, and sat cross-legged.
Today's training was on a secret technique of the Uzumaki clan: Kagura's Mind Eye.
Its sensing range could stretch for several kilometers—an extraordinary sensory ability.
He was learning it in preparation for his eventual plan to defect from the village.
Although his current strength was enough to protect himself, having this sensory technique would make him even safer.
Both his real body and his clones focused their full attention, expanding their mental energy outward according to the method.
The sun moved slowly across the sky, until dusk painted the heavens crimson.
All the clones dispersed at once, and Naruto's real body snapped his eyes open, a sharp light flashing in his blue irises.
Closing them again, he perceived every chakra fluctuation within several kilometers, as though an image was playing in his mind.
It felt like a cultivation novel's divine sense, projecting awareness across the land.
In just half a day, he had already extended Kagura's Mind Eye to a range of several kilometers.The training speed was nothing short of remarkable.
With his immense spiritual power and the help of countless Shadow Clones, it wouldn't be long before he mastered all the forbidden and secret techniques he'd stolen from the Sarutobi compound.
By then, it would be time to set his plans for defection in motion.
But before leaving… he had a few things to leave behind, and a few things he intended to take with him.