Satoru and Neji left the examination room after a brief exchange. Though Satoru couldn't quite decipher the meaning behind Neji's relieved smile, it didn't seem like a bad thing.
With a hand on his chin, Satoru pondered, What could that smile mean? Oh well, not my problem.
"Mr. Bandage, you were amazing!" Naruto exclaimed, his blue eyes shimmering with excitement.
"That's a given," Satoru replied smugly, lifting his chin. His bandaged face curved into what could only be described as a satisfied grin. Humility wasn't exactly his strong suit.
"By the way, Sasuke still hasn't shown up, has he?" Sakura interjected, her worry evident.
Naruto snapped out of his fanboy daze. "That's right! That guy hasn't shown his face yet. You don't think he's chickened out, do you?"
Despite his words, concern flickered in Naruto's eyes. The next match was Sasuke's, and if he didn't appear soon, he would forfeit.
"What's that idiot doing?" Naruto muttered. "If he misses his fight, it's game over."
Satoru, watching their growing concern, smiled slyly. "Relax. He'll show up. The heir of the Uchiha wouldn't just bail. Besides, the Hokage will cut him some slack."
"Cut him some slack?" Naruto questioned, scratching his head, his blonde hair now a mess. "Grandpa Hokage wouldn't do that, right?"
Satoru nodded confidently. "Trust me, Sasuke's too stubborn to miss his match. And if I had to bet, the third Hokage would definitely give him a pass."
Naruto's confusion deepened. "Wait, what? Sasuke's personality isn't exactly dependable…"
"Exactly why I used his name instead of mine," Satoru teased, his serious expression betraying his playful tone.
Sakura sighed, covering her face in frustration. How does Naruto even fall for this nonsense? she thought. Still, the banter eased their tension.
Meanwhile, on the Hokage's side, the conversation took a tense turn.
"If Uchiha Sasuke continues to delay, we'll have no choice but to cancel his match," the Third Hokage declared solemnly.
"Hokage-sama," interjected Orochimaru, disguised as the Kazekage, "I urge you to reconsider. Many have come specifically to witness his fight. He is the last surviving Uchiha, after all."
The Hokage hesitated before nodding. "Very well. Sasuke's match will be postponed."
Naruto practically leaped for joy when the announcement was made. "Mr. Bandage, you were right! Sasuke didn't get disqualified!"
"See? Told you so," Satoru said, grinning. "Looks like the Hokage did open the back door for him."
Sakura groaned. "Naruto, stop talking! Everyone's staring at us!"
As the next match between Temari and Shikamaru began, Satoru's attention wavered. His gaze landed on two familiar figures: Hozuki Hanaru and Shiro.
"Yo, long time no see," Satoru greeted them with a bright smile.
"Satoru-sama," Shiro responded calmly, bowing slightly.
Hanaru, on the other hand, was brimming with excitement. "You won't believe what we found!"
"Oh?" Satoru tilted his head curiously. "Do tell."
Hanaru leaned closer. "Shiro and I discovered a strange group of ninjas lurking around Konoha. They're preparing a summoning ritual."
Satoru's eyes narrowed slightly. "Interesting…"
"It seems like something big is about to go down," Hanaru added, shaking her head.
"Well, then," Satoru said with a smirk, "you two should head back."
Hanaru blinked in surprise. "Wait, what? Why?"
"Yeah," Shiro chimed in, his usually composed demeanor faltering. "What's going on?"
Satoru sighed, scratching his head. "It's not something you need to worry about. Trust me on this one."
Shiro studied Satoru's expression for a moment before nodding. "Understood."
Hanaru hesitated but eventually sighed. "Fine. We'll leave it to you."
The two quietly left, though concern lingered in their hearts. Whatever Satoru's planning, we'll just have to trust him, Shiro thought.
As they disappeared into the crowd, Satoru's smile faded, replaced by a rare moment of seriousness. "Konoha's about to get a lot more interesting," he murmured to himself.