Ino followed up with a series of swift, graceful combos.
Haruno Sakura immediately broke through the defense and engaged in a sparring match with Ino.
Iruka quickly intervened: "Hey, hey, hey! This isn't a real combat exercise!"
Ino and Sakura exchanged light strikes, keeping it controlled.
Sasuke, hoping to join the fun, approached Naruto to request to join their team.
His real intention was to team up with Naruto during the survival exercise.
Naruto naturally refused.
Whenever Sasuke joined, he always challenged the team, which would ruin Naruto and Hinata's peaceful exercise.
Ino and Sakura noticed Sasuke's plan.
The two immediately joined forces and drove Sasuke back to his seat.
Then, they adopted a compromise approach—letting Naruto decide.
Naruto looked at Ino.
Ino flipped her golden hair, looking shy.
Then he looked at Sakura, who had a history with him and knew him well.
Sakura raised her hand and swore, "I promise to behave and not cause any trouble."
Naruto: "Alright, it's you."
Sakura secretly thought: Otherwise, once I grow up, I'll capture Naruto's heart, push Hinata aside, and…
Kick Ino…
Of course, Naruto had no idea about this.
In the end, Naruto successfully formed a team with Sakura and Hinata.
The next day, all students assembled.
The "survival exercise" was essentially a training exercise where ninja students carried supplies into the wild to spend the night.
Naruto's team, though only three members, brought comprehensive equipment:
Pots, pans, a tent, a kettle, flint and steel, food, and even insect repellent.
The survival exercise took place in a forest within Konoha, remote and wild.
Under the instructors' supervision, the drills began.
Naruto's team followed the river upstream and eventually found a high spot to set up camp.
"All survival exercise objectives complete!" Naruto thought.
It was simple; after all, this was basic ninja training.
Naruto noticed that Sakura wasn't causing any trouble and was quietly staying put, which made him happy.
He pulled Hinata aside and said to Sakura, "Little Sakura, keep an eye on the camp. We'll go to the river to fetch water."
Sakura, sitting near the tent, perked up, but then noticed Naruto holding Hinata's hand.
Hinata stood shyly behind Naruto, who wore a smile.
"Wow… they're perfect together," Sakura thought, feeling a little disappointed.
Naruto and Hinata went to the river to get water.
Sakura waited, but after a while, they hadn't returned.
"Why are they taking so long?" she wondered, walking along the grass to the river.
She saw Hinata leaning against a tree, Naruto resting his head on her lap.
"Oh… why do I even bother?" Sakura muttered and returned to camp, thinking to herself.
At the river, Naruto and Hinata rested in the shade.
Naruto enjoyed Hinata's lap pillow, watching her rosy face from below.
At that moment, Kurama's voice appeared in Naruto's mind: "Naruto, someone's here."
Naruto sat up, frowning.
Hinata, sensing danger, asked, "Naruto-kun, are you feeling uncomfortable?"
"No… no," Naruto replied, reassuring her. "Hinata, you go back to camp first."
Though unsure why, Hinata trusted Naruto's judgment.
Before leaving, she activated her Byakugan and scanned the area.
Her expression froze.
These people…
They had bad intentions!
Hinata knew she wasn't strong enough to help and staying could even hinder Naruto.
She whispered to him, "Naruto-kun, I'll go find Iruka-sensei."
"No, go back first," Naruto said with a confident smile. "Don't you still trust me?"
"I… I trust you, Naruto," Hinata replied, leaving to find a nearby teacher instead of returning to camp.
Alone by the river, Naruto faced the intruders.
"The eldest lady of the Hyuga clan is gone, move in!"
Swish swish~
Masked ninjas in Root uniforms appeared from all directions.
Naruto sat under the tree calmly.
"Are you Anbu or Root?" he asked.
The intruders ignored him, closing in step by step.
Naruto stood, his expression serious.
The lead ninja said, "The sealing team is ready!"
Kurama: "Haha, a bunch of small fry trying to seal me?"
Everyone panicked at this.
"The Nine-Tails' seal is gone? How is that possible?"
"No, your intel isn't wrong."
"Uzumaki Naruto wants to release the Nine-Tails, but he won't survive being separated from it."
"So the seal the Nine-Tails returned to is still in place! Don't panic."
"Just restrain him and start the extraction."
Kurama, enraged, sent its chakra to Naruto.
"Naruto, kill these pests!"
A terrifying scarlet chakra enveloped Naruto—Nine-Tails' chakra!
"Kurama, your chakra is strong," Naruto said, examining the chakra coat forming around him.
Kurama snorted: "Of course!"
Suddenly, a voice shouted from outside the encirclement:
"Stop!"
An Anbu leaped in front of Naruto, drawing her sword.
"I've sent information to Hokage-sama. If you don't want to die, leave immediately!"
Naruto tilted his head, noticing her purple hair.
"Are you… Anko Mitarashi? Are you spying on me?"
Anko replied, speechless: "How do you know me? And… though Hayate said you're the Fourth Hokage's son, don't reveal my real name!"
The Root leader, disgusted, barked: "Tsk! Just a low-level Anbu. Kill her and capture the Nine-Tails!"
The Root ninjas were clearly very powerful.
As the battle began, Naruto saw them launching a dense array of attacks: insects, ninja tools, and ninjutsu…
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