This absolutely didn't count as a love-triangle showdown!
Naruto had never done anything out of line with Tenten. And besides, the way he'd interacted with her before could totally be written off as friendly teasing. He hadn't been flirting with Sakura either.
Friends talk sometimes. A little harmless physical contact is normal, okay?
And Sakura wasn't even Naruto's "close confidante" or anything. At most, they were comrades—revolutionary friendship.
Yep. Revolutionary friendship. Naruto felt he had the relationship pinned down perfectly.
So her being mad was totally unreasonable!
Still, considering that this girl—aside from being cracked at games—was basically a sensitive, fragile teenage girl at heart, Naruto instinctively tried to explain.
"I bought some ninja tools from her family a few days ago. I gave her shop some business, so seeing me puts her in a better mood."
Sakura didn't answer. She just stared as Tenten walked over with a bright smile.
"Naruto, when are you coming to see me again?"
Naruto had already promised her he'd drop by whenever he had time.
After all, most days Tenten was either running the shop or on missions with the taijutsu squad. Guy and Lee were visibly, catastrophically lacking in emotional intelligence, and only Neji ever talked to her much. Naruto's appearance had made her quiet routine suddenly feel fun.
"Hm?" Sakura's tone involuntarily rose as she looked at Naruto.
"Ah—about buying tools, right? I'll come over after I pass the first test." Naruto ignored the confusion in Tenten's eyes, then waved to the back. "Yo, Lee. Long time no see."
Lee stepped forward solemnly, eyes blazing as he looked at Sakura.
Finally… if you hadn't shown up, I was about to get another bump on my head, Naruto thought with relief.
According to canon, this was Lee's moment.
Lee stood confidently, flashed his big eight-toothed grin, and said, "You're Sakura, right? I've noticed you for a long time. There are always boys chasing after you—"
Before he could finish, Sakura lifted a hand. "Nope. Not happening. You and I are impossible. Also, Naruto—"
"Huh?" Lee felt like he'd fallen into an ice pit. He hadn't expected such a flat rejection.
And worse… her entire attention was on Naruto, who was still explaining himself nonstop.
"Naruto-kun…" Lee murmured under his breath, a fierce competitive fire igniting in his eyes.
Last time, their fight ended too quickly. This time, no matter what, he'd find a chance to probe Naruto's real limits!
Neji walked up behind him. "Let's go. Lee, Tenten."
As he spoke, he gave Naruto a long, deep look before turning to leave. Tenten and Lee hesitated, then followed.
After returning to Konoha, Neji had asked the elders in his family and learned the truth: the infamous Nine-Tails lived inside that boy.
In other words, Naruto had grown up under the village's contempt… and still handled Lee's taijutsu with ease.
Not simple at all.
Soon after, Team 7 also headed for the classroom. The mood was subtly awkward.
Sakura didn't buy Naruto's excuse at all, but after Lee distracted her, she couldn't find the thread to press him further—so Naruto machine-gunned his way through with soft evasion.
She felt a tightness in her chest. Not puberty. Just pure annoyance.
Sasuke, seeing every strong peer focus on Naruto, felt a suffocating irritation he couldn't vent.
Naruto, relieved that the storm had passed, let out a long breath and mentally went full "Buddha mode."
They arrived at the classroom. Just like canon, two disguised tokubetsu jōnin—Izumo and Kotetsu—blocked the door.
Okay… doesn't look like there are transmigrators around—huh?
Naruto was thinking that when Sakura, expressionless, strode forward. Blue chakra gathered visibly around her right fist.
"Listen. A chunin is basically a squad leader. If a mission fails or subordinates die, they're held accountable—wait, what are you doing?!"
Izumo didn't finish before Sakura lunged like a tiger, a sonic-boom punch smashing straight into the floor between them.
BOOM!!
BOOM!!
The nearby genin didn't even react in time. The shockwave knocked them over in a messy heap.
Before Izumo could respond, Kotetsu shot him a look to stay still.
A blue-clad black-haired boy had a kunai at Izumo's neck, while Kotetsu's long-handled kunai was pressed against Sasuke's chest.
Sakura held her fist on the cratered floor, eyes locked on them. "Drop the genjutsu stunt. Get lost."
Naruto blanked. Did these two eat explosives this morning? Why are they so reckless?!
He hurried to stop Sakura from actually beating them, and waved Sasuke down too, telling him he'd handle it.
Naruto pasted on a smile. "Ha-ha, sorry. My teammates are in a bad mood today. I apologize."
"Everyone's pressed for time. How about you two dispel the genjutsu? Honestly, everybody can tell."
Sasuke couldn't help giving Naruto a sidelong look. So you're playing peacemaker now?
Kotetsu's face twisted with anger. Were genin this arrogant now?
He was about to snap—when he suddenly felt his grip go light. He looked down.
The long-handled kunai in his hand had somehow been sliced clean in half.
He whipped around. The blond, blue-eyed boy was looking at him with a faintly amused expression.
"Same words once or twice is fine. Keep saying them and it's rude. Don't you agree?"
Kotetsu's chest tightened. His hair stood on end.
For a split second he could've sworn the kid's eyes were red… had he imagined it?
"…F-fine. You pass." Izumo dispelled the genjutsu and let everyone through, pulling Kotetsu away.
The genin stared at Naruto in disbelief.
Those moves were too far ahead for a genin. Was this really a rookie?
In the shadows, the two took several deep breaths.
"That pressure just now…" Izumo said softly.
"Something felt… there," Kotetsu muttered. "But it vanished instantly."
"It was that boy's method," Izumo said. Then, with a sigh: "This year's chunin exam is going to be interesting."
Since it came and went so quickly, neither of them spiraled into deeper speculation.
Meanwhile—
"What was that technique?" Sasuke couldn't help asking.
"Secret." Naruto just smiled.
Sasuke snorted and looked away, trying to digest the shock in silence.
Sakura lowered her voice. "Was that the Nine-Tails?"
"Yeah."
This was the result of Naruto's recent training. He'd compressed a sliver of Nine-Tails chakra into a thin filament, hardened it to the limit, and in one instant split Kotetsu's kunai.
He had plenty of similar tricks now. As a shinobi, his assassination capacity had jumped massively.
The three reached the classroom doorway. Kakashi was waiting there.
"All three of you made it. Not unexpected." Kakashi smiled. "Ready?"
"Of course." Naruto started to push open the door.
Then Sakura tapped his shoulder, dead serious.
Naruto followed her gaze.
July sunlight poured through the windows. Near one of them, in a corner no one would notice unless they looked closely, was a faint, tiny doodle.
Naruto stared.
It was a spiky-haired boy with whisker marks and a tongue sticking out.
Naruto felt ice shoot from his heels straight up to his scalp.
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