(A/N: I apologize for the delay. The Diwali festival kept me busy, but I'm back on track now. Also the updated Discord link is below.)
A few minutes later, the door to the classroom slid open, and Iruka stepped in. The lively chatter that had filled the room fell silent immediately. All eyes turned to him as he made his way to the front of the class, holding a clipboard in his hand.
Naruto, sitting beside Inoiki, looked worse for wear. His face was swollen and bruised, the result of a beating from the enraged girls who hadn't forgiven him for the accidental kiss with Sasuke. Inoiki shot Naruto a sideways glance but kept his thoughts to himself, suppressing a smirk.
Iruka noticed Naruto's battered appearance but chose to ignore it. He knew Naruto well enough to guess that the boy had likely brought it on himself. Instead, Iruka focused on the clipboard and addressed the class, "Today, I will be announcing the squads you will be assigned to."
The air in the room became electric with excitement. Every student sat up straight, their eyes fixed on Iruka, eager to learn which team they would be a part of. The moment had finally arrived, the first step toward their futures as ninjas.
Iruka began reading from the clipboard. "Squad 1…" He announced the names, then moved on to Squad 2. Finally, he reached the third group, "Squad 3: Inoiki, Ishida, and Rishu."
Inoiki listened calmly as his name was called. He glanced over at Ishida and Rishu, his new teammates, and gave a small nod. They exchanged brief, knowing looks. Meanwhile, Iruka continued announcing the remaining squads.
Then came the one everyone was waiting for—Squad 7. "Squad 7: Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke."
Sakura beamed, ecstatic to be on the same team as Sasuke. She barely contained her joy, her eyes glued to him with a smile. Naruto, on the other hand, had mixed feelings. He was thrilled to be on a team with Sakura, but his face fell at the thought of being stuck with Sasuke, the one person who seemed to overshadow him at every turn.
Finally, after finishing the announcements for all the squads, Iruka looked up at the class. "Your squad leaders will come to pick you up after lunch. Be sure to be back in the classroom by then. And remember, from today onward, your lives as ninjas truly begin. I hope you all do well."
After Iruka's final words, he exited the classroom, and the students quickly followed, eager to enjoy their lunch break before meeting their new squad leaders. The room emptied out, filled with chatter about team assignments and the excitement of their next steps as ninjas.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi, having observed the class through his Telescope Technique, decided it was time to move on. With a wave of his hand, he ended the technique and turned to the assembled Jonin and Chunin. "You're all dismissed," he said. "Go meet your squads."
One by one, the Jonin and Chunin bowed and left the office, making their way out of the Hokage building. Among them was Izumo, who had just been assigned as the leader of Squad 3, which included Inoiki.
As they walked down the steps, Izumo called out, "Wait, Kakashi-senpai!"
Kakashi stopped in his tracks and turned his head slightly, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "Hmm?" he responded, curious as to what Izumo wanted.
Izumo approached him, still processing Kakashi's earlier comment in the Hokage's office. "I wanted to ask you something about Inoiki. What exactly did you mean when you said he's too powerful to be in my team?"
Kakashi, with his usual relaxed demeanor, gave a small, understanding nod. "Ah, so that's what's on your mind. Well, I meant what I said. Inoiki's strength is... remarkable. What you've seen is just the surface. Maybe one day, you should ask him to fight you at full strength. He might show you something even I haven't seen yet."
Izumo's curiosity deepened. He had always believed that with enough information, even a weaker ninja could strategize and defeat a stronger one. But Kakashi's cryptic warning made him wonder what exactly set Inoiki apart. What could be so special about him?
He could sense that Kakashi wasn't going to reveal much more. Knowing Kakashi's reputation, Izumo didn't press further. "I see," he said, nodding thoughtfully. "Thanks for the advice, Kakashi-senpai."
Kakashi gave a casual wave before continuing on his way. Izumo stood there for a moment, his mind still churning with questions about the mysterious boy on his team. But time was short. He still had to meet his new squad, and answers would have to wait.
----
After leaving the classroom, Naruto hurried after Sakura, his usual hopeful grin on his face. "Sakura! Let's eat together!" he called out eagerly, catching up to her.
Sakura stopped but didn't even turn to face him. Her rejection was as swift as it was harsh. "You're so annoying, Naruto," she snapped, her voice cold and dismissive.
Naruto stood frozen, the sting of her words hitting harder than any blow. His hopeful expression faded, replaced with a mix of sadness and frustration. Speechless and dejected, he watched as Sakura walked away without a second glance.
Just as Naruto was about to leave, feeling utterly defeated, he heard a voice from behind. "Naruto," Inoiki said, walking up to him with a calm, yet serious look. "As your friend, I've given you a lot of advice over the years, and you've ignored just about all of it. But please, this time, listen to what I have to say."
Naruto turned to face him, confused but listening.
"Sakura doesn't love you," Inoiki continued, his voice steady but gentle. "She only has Sasuke in her heart. She doesn't care about you the way you want her to. But," he paused, making sure Naruto was paying attention, "there's a girl out there who does care about you—a lot. If you were in danger, she'd risk her life to protect you."
Naruto blinked, startled and more confused than ever. "W-What? Who is this girl?"
Inoiki smiled faintly but didn't give away the answer. "That's something you'll have to figure out on your own. She hasn't confessed to you yet, and I don't want to spoil it for her. But if you pay attention, you'll see the signs. Just observe carefully, and you'll know who she is."
Naruto stood there, wide-eyed, still processing what Inoiki had said.
Inoiki gave a friendly pat on Naruto's shoulder before turning to leave. "It's up to you, Naruto. You can keep chasing after someone who doesn't care about you, or you can open your eyes and see the person who truly does. Think about it."
With that, Inoiki walked away, leaving Naruto standing there in deep thought, wondering who this mysterious girl could be.
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