Chapter 4: Classification
This scene was also seen by the Jonin in the Hokage's room.
Everyone looked at the Third Hokage's crystal ball with wide eyes.
Sarutobi Asuma commented, "That's Uchiha Sasuke, the top student in this class."
"Judging by his performance, he's quite impressive—not worse than Kakashi back in the day."
Kakashi, who was still watching the crystal ball, calmly said, "Maybe he's even stronger than I was back then."
He thought to himself, "After all, he's an Uchiha."
The Uchiha clan held a significant place in Kakashi's heart. His friends and former subordinates had come from that clan, and he had witnessed their immense power firsthand.
The Third Hokage couldn't help but sigh when he saw what unfolded. He thought to himself, "Naruto... this kid always manages to do the most unexpected things."
None of them noticed Adrian.
Adrian's grades had always been average, neither standing out nor falling behind. Even the Third Hokage had no real impression of him.
This was understandable—Adrian had always been just an ordinary student. He didn't come from a ninja family, so naturally, no one paid him much attention.
After a while, Iruka entered the classroom.
With the students' anxious eyes fixed on him, he pulled out the class assignment list.
Ino, sitting beside Adrian, prayed quietly, "Please let me be in the same class as Adrian."
But what she didn't know was that her fate, along with the rest of the students, had long been decided by the Third Hokage and their parents.
The Ino-Shika-Cho formation was a legacy, after all, and couldn't be broken.
Sure enough, as Iruka read through several groups of names, Adrian wasn't called.
When Iruka got to Class 10, he announced, "Class 10: Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji, and Yamanaka Ino."
As Adrian had expected, the trio was placed together.
Even though Adrian had forgotten many parts of the story, having lived in Konoha for over ten years, he understood the importance of each ninja clan.
It was impossible for the iconic Ino-Shika-Cho trio to be separated.
Ino, clearly disappointed, slumped over her desk. "This isn't fair! They didn't put me in the same class as Adrian."
Shikamaru, sitting nearby, sighed. "Hey, at least try not to say that in front of us. We're still teammates, you know."
Ino huffed in annoyance.
Looking at Adrian, who appeared unsurprised, she said with a pout, "Adrian, I'm not in your class."
Adrian smiled and said, "I'm sure the teachers have their reasons."
Iruka continued reading the class lists. "Class 11: Yamada Shuu, Motoya Tako, and Adrian."
Adrian chuckled to himself. "As expected, my teammates are two students no one really knows."
Class 11 consisted of three students from civilian backgrounds. Adrian was sure their instructor wouldn't be one of the famous Jonin. It was probably going to be an ordinary Jonin or even a Chunin.
Two classmates whom Adrian had never paid much attention to were now nervously looking around the classroom, trying to find their assigned teammates.
Yamada Shuu was an energetic boy with a personality similar to Naruto's—oddly enough, he even had a ponytail. Motoya Tako was a quiet but pretty girl, with long blonde hair that flowed down to her waist. She wore a plain white top and a black skirt, giving off a calm and peaceful aura.
Adrian usually hadn't noticed either of them, but they didn't seem bad.
Once the classes were divided, each Jonin came to the classroom to collect their students.
Asuma Sarutobi was the first to arrive. As soon as he entered, he looked at Shikamaru and his teammates and said, "Class 10, I'm your instructor. Follow me."
Before leaving, Ino turned to Adrian and called out, "Adrian, my family owns a flower shop on the commercial street. I usually help out there. You better come visit!"
Adrian nodded slightly, knowing that if he didn't agree, Ino wouldn't be satisfied enough to leave.
Shikamaru waved goodbye as well. "Adrian, see you later."
Adrian smiled and replied, "Yeah, see you."
After the trio left, Yamada Shuu and Motoya Tako came over and sat beside Adrian.
Yamada, full of energy, turned to Adrian and extended his hand with a grin. "Hey, Adrian, I'm Yamada Shuu. We're in the same class from now on. Let's get along!"
Adrian smiled back. "Nice to meet you, Shuu. I'm Adrian. Looking forward to working with you."
Motoya Tako, though quieter, also introduced herself, extending her hand as well. "I'm Motoya Tako. Please take care of me."
Adrian shook her hand briefly and said with a smile, "Nice to meet you too, Tako."
As they shook hands, Adrian took a moment to sense their chakra levels. Neither had an overwhelming amount of chakra; they were both typical Genin.
Thanks to his natural energy sensitivity, Adrian could easily gauge the chakra levels of others and sense incoming dangers. It was a useful trait that helped him size up his new teammates.
Although both Shuu and Tako had good personalities, they seemed like background characters in the grand scheme of things—supporting roles who wouldn't shine like the main cast.
But Adrian didn't mind. He was content with them for now.
Shuu, clearly curious about Adrian, couldn't help but ask, "Hey, Adrian, why don't I remember ever seeing you before? Were you a transfer student?"
Motoya, sitting quietly beside him, also seemed curious, her gaze lingering on Adrian.
Adrian chuckled softly. "No, I've been in the same class for six years."
Shuu's eyes widened in disbelief. "Six years? You're kidding! How come I have no memory of you at all?"
Motoya, covering her mouth in surprise, looked equally shocked.
Adrian sighed with a hint of amusement. "I guess it's because I didn't really interact with anyone."
Shuu nodded thoughtfully, though he still seemed puzzled. "It's so strange that I didn't notice you. But don't worry—we're teammates now. We won't let you be alone again."
He flashed Adrian a wide, cheerful grin.
Adrian smiled back, a little taken aback by how kind his new teammates were.
"It seems that even the supporting characters have their own moments," Adrian thought. "They're good people... just not strong enough to stand out."
As Adrian considered the path ahead for him and his new teammates, he hoped that their stories wouldn't end in tragedy.