Naruto withdrew his gaze from the Sound Ninja Trio and let it fall on Kurama. "Kurama, wake them up. I want to make friends with them first."
Kurama immediately jumped down from Naruto's arms, walked up to Zaku, and gave him a huge slap.
"Smack..."
Naruto:???
With an "Ow," Zaku immediately sat up and instinctively covered his face. Seeing a fox standing beside him with its paw raised, ready to slap him again, Zaku hurriedly said, "Don't hit me! I'm awake!"
Kurama glanced at Zaku, then went over to Dosu and Kin, waking them up in exactly the same way.
"Naruto, I woke them all up." Kurama happily ran back to Naruto, speaking as though claiming credit.
The awakened Sound Ninja Trio sat on the ground, looking at Naruto as if they wished they could huddle together and tremble.
"Zaku, Dosu, Kin, good morning!" Naruto greeted the three with a brilliant smile, as radiant as the morning sun, flashing a row of neat, white teeth.
Greeting people when you met them was the most basic courtesy.
"Naruto... hello." The Sound Ninja Trio gathered their courage and raised their heads to look at Naruto, their teeth chattering as they replied. Perhaps, in their eyes, Naruto's smile was no different from a devil's.
After the third round of the exam ended, they had planned to leave Konoha under cover of night, sparing themselves a beating.
After making their decision, they sneaked out of Konoha's temporary lodging late at night, when everything was quiet and everyone was asleep. They planned to leave Konoha and return to Otogakure.
Orochimaru's plan had been canceled, and they had naturally been informed. Without a plan, there was no need for them to remain in Konoha and help.
At the village entrance, they had been just one step