Iruka couldn't help but nod, a proud smile gracing his lips. "You're very perceptive, Ino. That's right. The top three graduates this year have all been assigned to Team 7, and fittingly, their Jonin leader is indeed one of the most outstanding and powerful ninja in the village." His voice filled with reverence. "Kakashi Hatake, the genius ninja of Konoha, also known as the Copy Ninja, who is said to have copied over a thousand jutsu. He is a renowned figure throughout the Five Great Nations and the entire shinobi world!"
A collective gasp went through the crowd, followed by murmurs of envy. Following such a powerful Jonin wouldn't just improve their own strength; it would provide an overwhelming sense of security on missions.
Iruka laughed, noticing their expressions. "There's no need for that. None of the Jonin who lead a team are weak. They are all absolute elites. The only thing you should ever worry about is yourselves. Alright, next up is Team 8, led by Jonin Kurenai Yuhi! The members are... Kiba Inuzuka! Aburame Shino! And... Sakura Haruno!"
Kiba and Shino showed little reaction, but Sakura's expression soured even further. *With Kiba Inuzuka and Aburame Shino? Neither of them seems very impressive...* she thought in despair. *Sigh, what should I do? Should I ask Iruka-sensei to switch teams?!*
"Team 10 will be led by Jonin... Asuma Sarutobi!" Iruka continued.
Naruto's heart skipped a beat. *Asuma-sensei?! I wonder who'll be in his squad...* Naruto was naturally grateful for all the help Asuma had given him.
"Nara Shikamaru! Akimichi Choji! And Yamanaka Ino!"
Shikamaru and Choji remained indifferent, but Ino let out a loud wail. "With those two, Shikamaru and Choji?! My future looks bleak!" In reality, the three had known each other since they were children, and their families—the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi—were bound by a generational alliance.
Choji, now free to eat his snacks openly, munched loudly. "Mmmph... Ino, what's wrong? Aren't Shikamaru and I a good match?"
Shikamaru just shook his head. "It's a drag no matter who you're with..."
"Don't I know exactly what kind of slackers you two are?!" Ino retorted angrily, though she had suspected this outcome. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio was a traditional formation. The previous generation, their fathers, had been led by Hiruzen Sarutobi himself. It was only fitting that his son, Asuma, would lead their generation. It wasn't a coincidence, but a carefully orchestrated arrangement. Ino could only sigh and accept her fate.
Naruto pouted. "Asuma-sensei is so cool, but he ended up with you three..."
"Naruto, what did you just say?!" Ino snapped.
"Well, it's a waste of Asuma-sensei's skills!" Naruto replied. "One of you only knows how to eat and the other only knows how to sleep!"
Ino was taken aback for a moment, then nodded in solemn agreement. "On that point, I completely agree with you."
Choji just kept eating. Shikamaru let out a long, sleepy sigh.
***
Soon, the newly formed squads gathered in their respective classrooms, waiting for their team leaders to appear. Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata waited in a heavy, silent atmosphere. The tension was palpable. Naruto and Sasuke sat as far apart as possible, as if the other carried a contagious disease. If their eyes met accidentally, they would immediately snort and whip their heads away.
Hinata shifted uncomfortably. Although she had expected this, the mood was still incredibly cold. She wanted to sit next to Naruto but was too shy. She settled for the desk beside his. "Naruto-kun, please take care of me from now on."
Naruto's tense expression immediately melted into a smile. "Ah, Hinata, you too! Being in the same squad as Sasuke is annoying, but I was actually really happy to hear you'd be with us!"
A surge of sweetness filled Hinata's heart, and her face turned an even deeper shade of red. She knew he was telling the truth; everyone had seen him jump up excitedly when her name was called. "I... I'm very happy too, Naruto-kun."
Listening to them, Sasuke's displeasure intensified. "Hmph. Dead-last. Do you think I wanted to be in the same squad as you?"
Naruto's good mood vanished. He whipped his head around to glare at Sasuke. "What do you mean, 'dead-last'?! I was number one in the graduation exam! You still see me with your old eyes, you jerk! Don't forget who won our last fight!"
Sasuke's blood pressure instantly skyrocketed. "What did you say?!"
"I'm stating a fact! I was the victor in last year's sparring match!"
Sasuke shot to his feet. "Hmph. That was last year. We haven't had a real fight this year."
Not to be outdone, Naruto stood up, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked. "Alright, then let's do it right now, before Kakashi-sensei arrives! Let's have a proper fight!"
"I couldn't ask for more," Sasuke replied coldly.
Hinata quickly tried to intervene. "Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun, please don't act so impulsively! If you start fighting now, it will leave a very bad impression on our new teacher!"
But it was too late. The moment they saw each other, Naruto and Sasuke became fixated, their rivalry igniting a fire no one else could understand. In a shared fit of rage, they kicked their tables aside, roared in unison, and charged!
"Naruto!"
"Sasuke!"
After the classic exchange, their chakra exploded. They became blurs, their fists and feet about to connect in a clash of devastating force.
But at that very moment... *smack*. *smack*.
With two soft sounds, a figure appeared out of nowhere between them. In a fluid motion, he grabbed Sasuke's arm with one hand and Naruto's leg with the other, effortlessly throwing them apart.
*BANG!* *BANG!*
The two boys slammed into opposite walls with pained cries before crashing to the ground.
Hinata gasped. "Y-you are..."
The newcomer casually sat down on a desk, already absorbed in a small orange book titled *Make-Out Paradise*. Casually dispatching two of the academy's strongest graduates seemed to be a trivial matter he had already forgotten.
"Who the hell are you?!" Naruto roared in fury.
A chill ran down Sasuke's spine. *Just now, Naruto and I were both going all out. But this person... he stopped us both at the same time like it was nothing!* He realized that even though he and Naruto had just graduated, they were already at the level of Chunin, or perhaps even beyond. Yet the man before them had diffused their fight with ease. Even among Jonin, this person had to be an absolute standout. The strength he possessed was unfathomable.
"Well, how should I put this..." the man said, not looking up from his book. "My first impression of this group... is that you're all a bunch of idiots. I'm your Jonin leader, the sensei for Team 7. You probably know my name already. It's Kakashi Hatake."
At that moment, Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata truly realized that the man before them was their new teacher. He had a head of messy silver hair and wore a mask that covered not only the lower half of his face but also his left eye. His entire demeanor conveyed a sense of laziness and indifference, as if nothing in the world could truly bother him. After learning his identity and witnessing his power, the three of them fell silent. Even Naruto didn't dare to jump up and provoke him again.
__________________________
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