Sakura didn't expect to be called on first.
"My name is Haruno Sakura. What I like is… well, more like someone I like rather than a thing..."
"And my hobbies... my dream for the future is..."
As she spoke, she kept glancing at Sasuke, as if she was trying to make it obvious that he was the only thing on her mind.
Kakashi looked speechless and interrupted, "And? What do you hate?"
"Naruto." Sakura's expression instantly turned cold.
A drop of sweat slid down Kakashi's forehead. "Alright, next."
Naruto looked at Sasuke, and seeing he had no intention of going first, he said, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto. What I like… well, I'm not sure if it counts as something I really like, but right now, I guess I'm interested in money."
"As for my dream... I haven't decided yet. Maybe to make a ton of money and improve my life. Maybe to become the strongest ninja. Maybe even become Hokage. Who knows?"
"And what I hate... I hate simp girls."
"Simp girls with pink hair!"
As if worried Sakura might miss the hint, Naruto made sure to say it loud and clear.
"What did you just say, Naruto?!"
Sakura got the message and turned bright red with anger.
She clenched her fist, ready to punch him right then and there.
But Naruto didn't care at all. He even gave her a quick glance and added calmly, "Oh, and I hate girls with bad tempers too."
"You jerk, Naruto!"
Sakura couldn't hold it back anymore and raised her fist to hit him, but Kakashi stepped in just in time.
"Alright, last one."
Sasuke hadn't been affected at all by Naruto and Sakura's exchange.
He rested his hands under his chin and said in a low voice, "I'm Uchiha Sasuke. There are a lot of things I hate, but nothing I really like."
"And one more thing—I'm not just talking big when I say I have a dream. I have real ambition!"
"I'm going to restore the Uchiha clan, and one day... I'll kill a certain man with my own hands!"
Sasuke's response made the whole group fall silent for a moment.
Sakura looked shocked and even forgot how mad she had been at Naruto just moments ago.
But after a second, she was once again lost in Sasuke's handsome side profile.
Naruto sat on the steps, holding his cheek with one hand, staring at the sky, wondering if he should just beat Haruno Sakura up.
Kakashi, meanwhile, looked a bit troubled, already starting to worry about the future of Team 7.
"Well then, you three have strong personalities—very interesting!"
Kakashi tilted his head and said, "Starting tomorrow, we'll begin missions!"
"Missions? What kind of missions?" Sakura looked at him curiously.
Kakashi crossed his arms. "Survival training."
"Survival training? I thought we were doing real missions? We've already done tons of training back at the academy!" Sakura complained, clearly unhappy.
"This isn't normal training..."
Kakashi looked at the three of them and suddenly smiled.
"What's so funny, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura pouted.
"I was just worried that if I told you what kind of training it was, you might get too scared."
Kakashi covered the lower half of his face with his hand and said in a low voice, "Out of the 27 students who graduated, only 9 will actually be recognized as ninjas. The other 18 will be sent back to school. In other words, this is an extremely hard test with a fail rate of over 66%!"
"What?!"
Sakura looked miserable. "Then what was the point of our graduation exam?"
"That was just to see if you had the potential to *try* becoming a Genin. It wasn't the real ninja test."
Kakashi squinted and smiled. "Besides, don't you think becoming a ninja sounded way too easy?"
"That's not fair~"
Sakura looked frustrated. She turned her head and saw that Sasuke looked nervous too—his tightly clenched hands squeezing even harder.
Then she looked at Naruto.
'Ugh, he's just a loser acting like nothing matters. So annoying!'
'Perfect chance to get rid of him during tomorrow's test. We can replace him with someone else... anyone but Ino or Naruto will do!'
Sakura pouted, looking clearly annoyed.
Kakashi also noticed Naruto's calm expression.
'Is he acting confident just because he beat Ebisu?'
He was still surprised when the Third Hokage told him that yesterday.
Even though Ebisu was only a special Jonin, he came from the same generation as Kakashi. He had completed many missions and survived countless deadly situations. He was a skilled elite ninja.
And yet—even someone like Ebisu lost to Naruto!
Word was, Naruto beat him with just one move!
'Looks like I'll need to take tomorrow's training more seriously.'
Kakashi thought to himself, then turned his back and said to the three of them, "Tomorrow at the training grounds, I'll decide if you pass or not. Bring a full ninja toolset. Be there at 5 a.m. sharp!"
"Oh, and don't eat breakfast—or you'll throw up~"
"Alright then... dismissed!"
With that, Kakashi walked off.
Sakura wanted to ask Sasuke to go home with her, but he turned her down.
Then, with a Body Flicker, Sasuke disappeared too—leaving only Naruto behind.
The moment she saw Naruto, Sakura's anger flared up again.
"Naruto!!!"
Her frustration from Sasuke leaving and Naruto saying he didn't like her earlier finally exploded.
"What is it?"
Naruto looked at her with his usual dead fish eyes, a bit of impatience showing on his face.
Honestly, he was really starting to hate Haruno Sakura.
"What's with that look?"
Sakura clenched her fists and sneered. "The stuff in the classroom, and just now too—don't you think you owe me an explanation?"
"Explain? Explain what?"
Naruto gave a mocking look. "How I graduated has nothing to do with you, right? Was I wrong to say it's none of your business?"
"You—!"
"Hold on, I'm not done yet."
Naruto continued, "And about what I said earlier—what's wrong with saying I don't like boy-crazy or violent girls? You mad because I hit a nerve?"
"Naruto!!!"
Sakura finally couldn't take it and threw a punch at Naruto's face.
But her punch was easily caught with one hand.
"That's all the strength you've got? Didn't eat today?" Naruto said with a cold smile.
"You—!"
Sakura tried to yank her hand back with all her strength, but it wouldn't budge.
Seeing her struggling so hard, Naruto suddenly let go, causing her to throw herself off balance and fall backward onto the ground.
"Nar... Naruto, you—!"
Sitting on the ground with her hand aching, Sakura looked up at Naruto towering over her, and a sudden wave of fear crept in.
"Don't come any closer…"
"Relax. I won't."
Naruto looked at her and said flatly, "You're not nearly likable enough for that. I'd rather stay as far away from you as possible."
Hearing that, Sakura's face was full of hurt, and tears welled up at the corners of her eyes.
No one had ever hated her like that before.
Even when kids used to make fun of her big forehead, no one was this cold.
She could feel it—Naruto really, truly didn't like her.
But… why?
I didn't do anything wrong. I even look cute!
Didn't he used to like me?
If he liked me before, why does he hate me now?
Kind reminder: If you like this book, add it to your shelf so you don't lose it later.