"Hmm, very good." Kakashi nodded in satisfaction. "You three certainly have a lot of personality! Alright, then, tomorrow morning at five o'clock, we'll begin our team's first mission—the Survival Exercise."
"Wait a minute?" Sakura immediately caught on to something amiss, asking in confusion, "Exercise? How can a mission be an exercise? And if it's an exercise, we've already done plenty of them at the Ninja Academy."
"Heh heh heh heh heh heh…"
Just as Sakura finished speaking, Kakashi suddenly lowered his head and let out a series of low, sinister, and strange laughs.
The laughter made Sakura shiver involuntarily. "W-What's so funny?"
Naruto's expression also turned a bit odd as he watched the scene unfold.
In the original story, Kakashi as a child was a typical aloof, sharp-tongued genius. Even if he occasionally showed a hint of humanity, it was the kind that was ninety percent tsundere and ten percent dere!
He was even colder than the original Nizhu Zi at the same age.
But this current sullen, scheming, and mischievous demeanor… How did he end up like this?
…One could only say that Guy-sensei's influence was truly terrifying; he practically twisted an ice mountain into a dark-bellied, repressed pervert.
Kakashi finally stopped his chilling laughter, raised his eyes, and swept his dead-fish gaze over the three, his tone becoming "earnest" yet full of mockery.
"Those childish games at the Academy don't count as real exercises. My Survival Exercise… is on a completely different level. By the way, let me tell you something interesting—" He deliberately paused, enjoying the nervous expressions of the three, mainly Sakura.
"If you can't pass, you won't be qualified to be a Ninja, and you'll have to go back to the Ninja Academy, and…"
"Out of 27 graduates, only 9 people were recognized as Genin… In other words, this is an extremely difficult test with an elimination rate of over 66 percent. So, for tomorrow's exercise, you'd best come prepared with the resolve to 'go back to the Ninja Academy and start over.'"
"In any case, meet at the training ground tomorrow morning at five o'clock! Remember to bring your Ninja tools."
The effect of this "66% mortality rate" statement was significant. Sakura felt her heartbeat involuntarily accelerate, and her palms started to sweat. No! Absolutely not!
She had finally been assigned to a team with the Satsuki she admired; how could she be eliminated here?! She absolutely had to pass this test! No matter what!
Satsuki still maintained her calm, indifferent expression on the surface, but her hands, resting on her knees, were slightly clenched due to nervousness and determination.
Kakashi's exaggerated elimination rate did put some pressure on her… But no matter what, she absolutely had to become a Ninja with Naruto! They absolutely couldn't be separated!
As for Naruto… he was completely unfazed, even a little amused.
Survival Exercise? Isn't it just a bell-stealing game? Old hat… The question he was pondering now was, how much of his strength should he show tomorrow?
Would it be inappropriate to go too far and directly defeat Kakashi? Would it scare him?
"Oh, right." Kakashi, who had already turned to leave, seemed to suddenly remember something and turned back to add, "Remember not to eat breakfast tomorrow morning… or you'll throw up."
After this "warm reminder," Kakashi's figure disappeared using the Body Flicker Technique.
"Huh? He's gone already?" Naruto scratched his head a little regretfully, looking at the empty spot. "I was going to invite him to lunch…"
No sooner had he spoken than he felt someone gently tug at his sleeve. Naruto turned his head and saw Satsuki looking up at him, her large, dark eyes gazing expectantly, with a hint of… obvious craving?
Why? Because today was an important day—it was the day Naruto and Satsuki had agreed that Naruto would cook lunch himself! Satsuki had been looking forward to this meal since morning; Kakashi's intimidation had not affected her appetite in the slightest.
"I know, let's go. Today's menu is all your favorite dishes." Naruto smiled, habitually reaching out to ruffle Satsuki's soft black hair. He performed this intimate gesture with incredible naturalness, and Satsuki narrowed her eyes slightly, clearly enjoying it.
Sakura, watching this incredibly harmonious and intimate scene, felt extremely envious. Head pats for Satsuki… She really wanted to try that too!
But, had they agreed to have lunch together?… Though, at the Ninja Academy, it did seem like she saw them eating together every day at noon…
Watching her two future teammates seemingly about to naturally leave her behind, and recalling Satsuki's crisp, almost cold refusal to her invitation just now, Sakura couldn't help but feel a surge of disappointment and loneliness. Sure enough, she still couldn't fit in…
However, Naruto noticed the subtle look of disappointment on Sakura's face. This kind of behavior, akin to "isolating" a teammate, made him feel uncomfortable.
After all, they would be a team in the future, and it wouldn't be good to have a strained relationship. So he turned his head, looked at Sakura, and extended an invitation. "Oh, right, Sakura, why don't you come along too? As future teammates, it's a good opportunity to get to know each other, and you can also try my cooking, how about it?"
"Eh? Really?!" Sakura was flattered when Naruto actually invited her, and her eyes lit up.
"Yes, of course it's real." Naruto affirmed with a smile, his expression as open as ever.
And Satsuki, standing beside Naruto… Although her face remained expressionless, her internal thoughts instantly became intense.
Huh?! This, this sounds like just a polite invitation, doesn't it?! Although… from Naruto's way of thinking, he's definitely serious… But!
But you should be able to tell this is just politeness, right? A girl just so easily agrees to go to a boy's house for a meal? There has to be a limit to being overly familiar! Have some sense of propriety!
You're not really going to agree, are you?!
"Thank you so much! Naruto-kun! Then I won't be shy!" Sakura happily and unhesitatingly agreed, a brilliant smile blossoming on her face.
However, the very next second after she finished speaking—
Sakura suddenly shivered violently without warning. W-What's going on?! Why does it suddenly feel so cold?!
She instinctively hugged her arms, looking around cautiously, but only saw the smiling Naruto and… Uchiha Satsuki, who was still staring at her with an expressionless face.
Is it just my imagination…?