When Naruto suddenly dropped that unexpected word, it wasn't just Shikamaru—Ino, who had only just begun to process the situation, was also left dumbstruck, staring blankly in place.
"Price…? What… what are you talking about, Naruto? All of a sudden…"
Naruto's serious tone, devoid of any hint of joking, combined with the faint but oppressive aura quietly spreading from him, made Shikamaru instinctively gulp.
He tried to maintain his composure and stammered out a reply, but the moment he caught sight of Naruto's emotionless eyes, whatever he was about to say got stuck in his throat, completely choked off.
"You two already know that I'm the proctor, don't you?"
With his smile completely gone, Naruto seemed like a completely different person. Cold and unapproachable, his sharp gaze sliced back and forth between Shikamaru and Ino.
Only after both of them instinctively lowered their heads in guilt did he continue, speaking slowly and deliberately.
"Among the rules for the third round of the exam… there's one in particular. If a proctor determines that a participant is physically unfit to continue and offers aid—what do they have to pay in return? I trust you two still remember, don't you?"
Gone was the friendly Naruto they had first met. Now, the one standing before them radiated a stern pressure completely mismatched with his youthful appearance.
His gaze swept over them like a blade, causing both Shikamaru and Ino to shrink their necks, unable to meet his eyes.
"Y-Yes…"
Of course they understood what Naruto meant by "price." It couldn't have been clearer in their minds… yet after a long, awkward silence, neither could summon the courage to say it aloud.
"Hmm? What's wrong? You two had plenty of energy when you were causing a ruckus earlier. Now suddenly you don't even have the strength to answer a simple question?"
Naruto, clearly losing patience, wasn't about to let it slide. Seeing the way both of them were avoiding eye contact and refusing to admit the truth, he scoffed with cold mockery.
"Fine then. Since you don't want to say it, I'll say it for you… If a proctor intervenes to help before the exam officially ends, it means you're considered incapable of completing the trial. In other words—"
He paused for a brief moment, watching Shikamaru and Ino clench their fists in frustration. But Naruto's eyes showed no pity whatsoever. Without hesitation, he laid the truth bare.
"According to the rules, the moment you passed out… you were disqualified!"
"W-What?!"
Even though they'd known it in their hearts, hearing it spoken out loud shattered any lingering hope. Ino, overwhelmed with frustration, couldn't help but stomp her foot and cry out. Her eyes reddened as tears began to well up.
"B-But we're fine now! We can still take the exam! And even if you hadn't helped, we still had the ration pills from school, didn't we?!"
"Ration pills? Hah! Hahaha! Ino, you've got some nerve saying that."
But Naruto, completely unmoved by her teary eyes, furrowed his brow even further. Fixing his gaze squarely on her small frame, his voice turned frigid and scornful.
"If it had been Shikamaru who said that, maybe it would've made a little sense… But you, Ino? You were the one who put him in that condition to begin with. Do you honestly believe a single ration pill could've brought him back enough to complete the exam? As the one who hurt him—don't you have even a shred of self-awareness?"
"B-But…"
Cornered by Naruto's overwhelming presence, Ino couldn't get a single coherent word out. Lips trembling and eyes averted, she lowered her head again, trying desperately to justify herself.
"It's just that… Shikamaru… he… he started it! So I…"
"Oh? So you're saying it's justified because he started it, huh? Is that what you want me to believe?"
Naruto's expression twisted into something between a smirk and a sneer. Though his face seemed to relax slightly, the coldness in his smile made it even more terrifying.
"Then let me ask you, Yamanaka Ino. Exactly how did Shikamaru offend you? Did he beat you black and blue? Leave you paralyzed and unable to move? Or maybe he embarrassed you in public by tearing your clothes?"
His icy interrogation now came with a subtle shift in tone. He'd stopped using her first name and was now addressing her by full name—an unmistakable sign that the emotional distance between them had widened.
"I… I…!"
Ino was at a complete loss. She instinctively glanced toward Shikamaru and saw the bruises and cuts still clearly visible on his body.
She knew—deep down—that Naruto's every word was on point. Guilt swept over her, and she instinctively shrank even further into herself.
"What do you mean 'I'?! Just because of a small disagreement between teammates, you went so far as to beat Shikamaru until he couldn't move? And even now, instead of reflecting on what you did, you're playing the victim and making excuses?"
Naruto's voice grew sharper. He recalled Ino's spoiled behavior during their previous interactions and couldn't help but raise his voice even more.
"You hurt him that badly. If I hadn't stepped in, forget one ration pill—I'd have to give each of you ten more and it still wouldn't be enough to finish the exam!"
Of course, it wasn't that Naruto had something personal against Ino.
He understood her background well—an only child from a prominent clan, pampered and protected like a precious gem. It made sense she was a bit spoiled.
If they'd just been regular kids who didn't know each other, Naruto wouldn't have bothered to get involved in this little drama. But Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino weren't just any group—they were the famed "Ino-Shika-Cho" trio, a partnership known across the Hidden Leaf Village.
They were supposed to trust each other with their backs and their lives. That bond was meant to last a lifetime.
If a mere argument could drive Ino to brutalize Shikamaru like this—and then dodge all responsibility by playing innocent—Naruto couldn't help but wonder: would this kind of behavior one day destroy the foundation of their teamwork?
And beyond that… would he come to regret ever nurturing her, ever planting the "seed" that might one day grow into something twisted?
More importantly, Ino's actions had already crossed the line. This wasn't just a spoiled tantrum anymore. It was dangerously close to what you'd call a problem child.
And when it came to problem children, Naruto didn't believe in blind indulgence. On the contrary—he believed in timely, strict discipline.
If Ino's parents couldn't bring themselves to correct her, then Naruto had no problem stepping into the role of the bad guy—as the proctor, he'd wear the black hat today.