After handing in their ninja registration forms, Shinju and Naruto headed to the Ninja Academy for their very last class — the Ninja Orientation Session.
In this class, the teacher would systematically go over everything they needed to pay attention to after becoming ninjas, as well as assign them into genin squads.
Ninja Orientation Session.
Iruka-sensei stood on the podium.
"From today onward, you're all real ninjas."
"Konoha's genin operate in small groups called 'teams.' Each team consists of three people plus one supervising jōnin."
"The 'supervising jōnin' will be your teacher for the rest of your ninja career."
"Now, let's begin the team assignments."
"Team 1…"
"Team 2…"
"Team 3…"
"..."
As Iruka-sensei read out one name after another from the podium with an expressionless face, Shinju's heart tightened.
He didn't know who the other two members of his team would be. Hopefully Naruto was one of them — after all, they'd played together since they were little!
The teacher on the podium continued reading: "Team 6…"
"Team 7: Shinju, Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke."
Shinju: Σ( ° △ °|||)︴
Naruto: ヽ( ຶ▮ ຶ)ﾉ!!!
Shinju was shocked because he'd just been put on a team with both of the main characters.
Naruto, on the other hand, was shocked because he'd been put on the same team as Uchiha Sasuke!
That was his love rival!
He still couldn't understand why Sakura liked that guy!
"Sensei, can you transfer Sasuke to another team?" Naruto said with a pained expression.
Iruka shook his head without a hint of emotion.
"No. The current assignments are the best fit for all of you. Switching one person would throw the whole arrangement into chaos."
Naruto had no choice but to drop it. He turned to glare at Sasuke behind him and muttered, "Arrogant jerk."
"But at least I'm on the same team as you, Shinju," Naruto added after a moment's thought, smiling.
Shinju didn't answer.
He was busy thinking about something far more profound.
He knew a little bit about the original Naruto storyline.
Originally, Team 7 was Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.
Now, Naruto and Sasuke were here — but he'd replaced Sakura.
Fact: Sakura is the main heroine of Naruto, with pink hair.
Fact: He was a transmigrator with unknown origins… and red hair.
Could it be… he'd actually gotten the female lead's script?!!
Σ(っ °Д °;)っ
"Shinju, why are you spacing out? What're you thinking about?" Naruto shook him with a puzzled face.
"I was just thinking about what to eat tonight," Shinju replied casually.
"Hey, Shinju, it looks like we're stuck in the same team with a guy we don't like. How about we just freeze him out?" Naruto said with a sly grin.
"What are you thinking?" Shinju shot him a glare. "We're in the same team now — that means in the future he's our comrade in life and death."
"Instead of isolating him, we should be building a good relationship!"
Shinju said it with righteous conviction.
Naruto hadn't expected Shinju to have such a lofty sense of unity, and suddenly realized how narrow-minded he'd been.
"Right! I get it now! A great ninja shouldn't just excel alone, but should also unite his comrades and form deep bonds with them!"
Shinju gave him an approving look. Finally, this guy was starting to get it.
"Exactly! That's the spirit!"
Naruto caught on and scooted over to Sasuke's side.
He was determined to have a good chat with this usually silent loner and deepen their bonds as teammates.
At that moment, Sasuke was staring at Shinju sitting in the row ahead.
Unlike the other students, Sasuke had looked at Shinju in a new light ever since seeing his talent back then. He thought Shinju might even be more gifted than himself.
Teaming up with someone like that? He was more than fine with it.
Plus, rumor had it that ever since Shinju started living with Naruto, he'd been helping him study hard, and the two of them had passed the ninja exam together.
Not a bad comrade at all.
Sasuke was thinking about how to build a good relationship with him when suddenly…
A face appeared right in front of him.
Naruto had suddenly leaned over Sasuke's desk, grinning wide and showing a full row of white teeth.
Startled, Sasuke's chair jolted, and he scooted half a step back.
"What are you doing?!"
"From now on we're on the same team, so please take care of me!" Naruto said cheerfully, extending a friendly hand.
And then—
"Achoo!"
The classmate in front of Sasuke sneezed, lost his balance, and toppled backward — right into Naruto's butt!
"Whoa!"
Knocked forward, Naruto stumbled toward Sasuke…
And their faces met—
"Smack~"
After Naruto and Sasuke's accidental kiss, half the girls in the class exploded in outrage!
They liked Sasuke, and would never allow their crush to be defiled by Naruto!
As for the other half… after Shinju had shown his talent earlier, they'd switched camps to him.
Sitting in the front row, Shinju had heard the commotion and turned curiously—
Only to witness one of the most iconic scenes in Naruto history!
If there'd been smartphones in this world, he'd definitely have taken a picture and posted it to his social feed.
On the podium, Iruka-sensei looked at the noisy students below with mild irritation.
"Naruto, Sasuke, what exactly are you two doing?"
Naruto and Sasuke scrambled to their feet, dusting themselves off in embarrassment.
They could only pretend nothing had happened and answer casually, "Sorry, sensei, we just tripped."
Iruka nodded slightly.
"Be careful. Now, your supervising jōnin will be here soon. Head to your assigned classrooms and wait for them."
...
After that, everyone went to their respective rooms according to the new team assignments to wait for their supervising jōnin.
Inside one of the Academy's classrooms—
Shinju, Sasuke, and Naruto sat in a row.
Mischievous as always, Naruto placed a blackboard eraser on top of the door, intending to prank their new teacher.
Shinju, who only wanted to live peacefully and keep his head down in the ninja world, urged him to take it down.
"If the teacher gets mad, that's not good."
"It's fine, it's just a blackboard eraser. The teacher won't get mad," Naruto said with a wave.
Even so, cautious Shinju went up and removed it himself.
Their supervising jōnin still hadn't arrived.
Thinking about how he and Sasuke would be partners on missions from now on, Shinju figured he couldn't just stay silent. He extended a friendly hand toward Sasuke.
"Hi, I'm Shinju. Glad to be in the same team with you."
Sasuke hesitated for a moment.
And then—
He actually blushed.
Shinju: "??? "
It's just a greeting! Why are you blushing!!
(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
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