A new arrival's here — and it's about Sasuke-kun! 😎 Go ahead and check it out!
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Three days later,
At the Tower's Newcomer Reception:
"It's finally over..."
Yakushi Kabuto entered the tower, looking weary. After submitting the scroll, he couldn't help but sigh softly.
"It's all because you had to act on your own initiative... Not only did you make us re-collect the scrolls, but we also had to wait for you to heal.
If it weren't for Lord Orochimaru, I would have killed a smart aleck like you already..."
Akado Yoroi said coldly beside him, showing no respect whatsoever to Kabuto, his nominal superior.
This caused Yakushi Kabuto's gaze to turn cold, filled with killing intent... "You look quite disheveled, Kabuto..."
Suddenly, just as Yakushi Kabuto was about to lash out, Orochimaru's voice rang out.
A whirlwind appeared out of nowhere, and Orochimaru emerged with it, leaning against the wall, his snake-like eyes gleaming with an unusual light... "Well, after all, the opponents were the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki and Uchiha... Here is all their intelligence data!"
Yakushi Kabuto adjusted his glasses, concealing his killing intent, and said calmly, handing over two intelligence cards.
At the same time, he subtly questioned Orochimaru: why did he have to place the Heavenly Cursed Seal on Naruto?
"Are you questioning me, Kabuto...?"
Orochimaru, of course, wouldn't admit that Naruto had unexpectedly made him lose face. He took the cards and smiled playfully.
Immediately, this inscrutable expression made all three, including Kabuto, tremble inwardly... "Of course not... All the decisions are yours, aren't they, Lord Orochimaru...?"
Yakushi Kabuto immediately put on a fake smile to mend things, afraid of causing any unnecessary misunderstandings.
"Hehe, that's why I like you... You're very smart, Kabuto..."
Orochimaru withdrew his gaze, chuckled, and his figure vanished with the wind again...
"That's why I said, I hate smart alecks like you the most!
If you hadn't been careful just now, it might have implicated us..."
Akado Yoroi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and spoke rudely again, making Yakushi Kabuto's face turn cold.
"Let's go, we don't have time to linger here... The Chunin just told us to gather in the hall."
Misumi Tsurugi, seeing the tense atmosphere, immediately spoke up to smooth things over and led the way towards the tower's main hall.
Yakushi Kabuto and Akado Yoroi exchanged cold glances, then followed closely behind...
At the same time,
Tower Resting Area:
"By the way, what's been up with Sakura these past few days?
She's been hiding and avoiding us!
Now it's time to gather, and she still hasn't appeared.
Oh, right, she must be mad at you, Sasuke-kun... It's your fault for locking her out that day..."
Naruto, holding his head, walked beside Sasuke, exclaiming exaggeratedly and self-importantly.
"Idiot..."
Sasuke snorted coldly without looking back, dismissing that conclusion with disdain.
How could that be?
Couldn't it just be a girl's period??
Ugh, overthinking it, overthinking it...
"Ah~~~
Sakura, where's your hair?"
Just as Sasuke was lost in thought, Naruto's loud voice suddenly erupted next to him.
Sasuke looked over at the sound, only to see Sakura, Hinata, and Ino appear together...
However, her beautiful pink long hair had been cut into a neat, short style.
This... [Could it be that there's a so-called plot correction in this world??]
Looking at the somewhat shy Sakura, Sasuke couldn't help but gape in astonishment.
"Hehehe... Sakura, see? I told you so!
I told you not to cut your hair, but you wouldn't listen.
See? Sasuke-kun is already speechless..."
Ino, seeing Sasuke's expression, immediately rubbed salt in the wound, her pretty face beaming with delight!
Meanwhile, Sakura, standing beside her, had tears welling up in her eyes, almost on the verge of crying...
No matter how firm her resolve was when she decided to cut it, after actually doing it, she couldn't help but worry about her appearance.
That's why she hid for three days, to give herself some time to adjust...
She didn't expect...
"Ino, what nonsense are you talking about... Sakura looks beautiful with short hair too, she truly is the girl I like..."
Naruto immediately complimented and comforted her, making Hinata, who was nervously trying to say hello, instantly turn pale.
"Stop talking nonsense... Let's go, we'll be late..."
Sasuke's face turned cold upon hearing Naruto's blunt declaration. He urged them on and grabbed Sakura, pulling her along.
Naruto, that guy, is he getting too bold?!
He tries to steal his girl whenever he gets a chance... Doesn't he fear that he might try to steal Hinata?
"Sa-Sasuke-kun... Do I look really bad like this...?"
With Sasuke holding her arm, a blush rose to Sakura's pretty face as she asked nervously.
Could it be that Sasuke-kun really likes girls with long hair and who are strong??
"No, I find this look more pleasing..."
Sasuke replied without thinking, without even turning his head, causing Sakura behind him to instantly gasp, her breathing erratic with surprise and joy.
More pleasing??
Although the phrasing was subtle, it already conveyed Sasuke-kun's meaning...
In an instant, Sakura immediately adjusted her mindset and recovered.
"Naruto, what are you still standing there for?
Didn't you hear Sasuke-kun say we'll be late...?"
In just one breath, Sakura turned and shouted cheerfully, urging him on.
She also gave Ino a defiant look...
"That hateful Sakura, she's making me so angry...!"
Ino, provoked by Sakura, exploded with anger, directly bypassing the equally fuming Naruto and chasing after them.
But a thought arose in her heart... Could it be that Sasuke-kun likes short-haired girls?
Sasuke... He just found it more pleasing, don't overthink and add drama to it, you guys...
A few minutes later,
The uniformly advanced teams stood in seven rows, 21 people in total, staring intently at the examiner panel led by the Third Hokage and the Jonin.
Among them, Naruto and Sakura's eagerly anticipated teacher, Kakashi, was prominently present...
"First, on behalf of all the examiners, I congratulate everyone on successfully passing... However, now is not the time to relax..."
Anko, as the chief examiner, stood in front of the crowd and delivered a speech, but her gaze intentionally or unintentionally swept over Sasuke and Naruto.
Through three days of covert observation, she had confirmed that the two youths Orochimaru spoke of were Sasuke and Naruto...
However, due to Orochimaru's pressure, she did not inform the Third Hokage.
Leaving Sasuke aside, just Naruto alone made her unable to ignore the situation!
If things went wrong, Orochimaru might really cause another Nine-Tailed rampage in Konoha...
"Ahem... Everyone, before the Third Exam officially begins... I want to clearly inform you of a fact, which is the true purpose of this Chunin Selection Exam.
That is the covert struggle between nations..."
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, cleared his throat and began a lengthy speech...
"Hmph, that old man is still so talkative... Anyway, I'm not afraid!
And you, Kakashi-sensei... I've finally caught you..."
Naruto mumbled and complained behind Sasuke, his gaze fixed on Kakashi as if he wanted to devour him.
"Exactly, exactly... We've finally waited for Kakashi-sensei!"
Sakura, standing behind Naruto, echoed him, her eyes scanning the Cursed Seal on Sasuke's nape before looking at Kakashi with resolute determination.
[Huh??
Apparently, I haven't offended them, have I... What are these two up to now??]
Being simultaneously stared at with such intensity by Naruto and Sakura, Kakashi couldn't help but feel suspicious and sigh inwardly.
However, seeing the three of them successfully advance, he felt greatly relieved...
[Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, well done!!]
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