Game Over

Just as Naruto was feeling dejected, a figure came rushing toward him from the mission room entrance.

"Sakura!"

Sakura felt a fragrant breeze sweep past, and the next second, a beige-clad figure was in her arms.

Ino hugged Sakura, a bright smile spreading across her face as she asked:

"What have you been up to lately, Sakura?"

"You never come find me~~~"

Sakura gently patted Ino's back and chuckled:

"Ah, I've been pretty busy lately..."

On the other side, Asuma, who led Team 10, handed a mission report to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

It was a C-rank mission they'd just completed.

Seeing this, Naruto couldn't take another step and blurted out:

"A C-rank mission?"

Hearing this, Ino immediately pulled out of Sakura's arms and looked at Naruto smugly:

"That's right~~"

"It's a C-rank mission, you know."

"So? Jealous?"

Ino walked up to Naruto and poked his forehead smugly.

Naruto glared at the teasing Ino in front of him, wanting to retort but finding no words.

Suddenly, Naruto glanced at Sasuke standing nearby and then at Sakura beside him, a strange smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

Naruto's IQ spiked in that moment.

"Sasuke's on my team."

Ino's face stiffened, and she said indignantly:

"But I did a C-rank mission!"

"Sakura's on my team too."

???

Ino turned her gaze to Sakura in disbelief, seeking an answer.

Seeing Ino's look of betrayal, Sakura suppressed the laughter in her heart and said helplessly:

"Yeah, I really am on Naruto's team."

Pfft~~~

It was as if an arrow had pierced Ino's heart; she collapsed weakly to her knees, her whole figure turning a shade of gray.

"D-damn it."

"Don't get cocky. E-even if Sakura's on Team 7..."

"My squad leader is the famous Twelve Guardian Ninja!"

Ino knew Asuma's identity and tried to salvage her pride from that angle.

"My teammate is Sasuke."

Naruto's face was expressionless, but a creepy grin crept onto it (think Anya).

"I did a C-rank mission! C-rank!"

Ino, refusing to back down, leaned into Naruto's face and glared at him fiercely.

"My teammate is Sakura."

Naruto kept that same eerie grin fixed on Ino.

"Me, Shikamaru, and Choji are the village's most famous Ino-Shika-Cho combo!"

Ino was almost losing it—could this guy say something else for once!

"You're the pig~~~"

Naruto barely suppressed the smile tugging at his lips, struggling to keep that creepy grin.

Pfft!

Ino spat out a mouthful of blood.

D-damn bastard!

When had she, the proud heiress of the Yamanaka clan, ever suffered such humiliation!

"Our Ino-Shika-Cho combo all have secret techniques passed down through our families! Super powerful!"

Ino swallowed her pride, her chest heaving as she stared at Naruto.

"Sasuke and Sakura are both my teammates."

Naruto's intelligence exploded at this moment.

"D-Damn it!"

"Can you stop talking about your teammates?!"

Ino was about to blow her top!

"Oh, you're a pig~~"

Game over!

The Yamanaka clan heiress's HP hit zero!

The winner of this match was Uzumaki Naruto!

"Alright, Naruto, stop picking on Ino."

Sakura came over to Ino's side and comforted her, stroking her wheat-blonde hair.

Still, it was rare to see Ino getting suppressed by Naruto.

"Boo hoo, Sakura~~~"

Ino threw herself into Sakura's arms, looking pitiful and heartbroken.

Sakura watched Ino nuzzle against her, seeking comfort, and found it amusing.

"Alright, alright, you've had your fun. Time to go."

Kakashi watched the farce finally end and helplessly scratched his head.

As they were leaving, Ino reluctantly said goodbye to Sakura and Sasuke.

"Damn Naruto!"

"If Sakura gets even a scratch, I'll hold you responsible!"

Ino saw Naruto flash her a victorious grin before leaving and jumped up in anger.

"You don't need to tell me that."

Naruto waved a hand without looking back.

Watching Team 7 disappear around the corner, Ino pouted and said:

"Honestly, what's with him acting all cool?"

Shikamaru stared at the retreating pink figure, lost in thought.

Sakura had already graduated four years ago and become a genin.

Given Sakura's abilities, how could she still be a genin now...

--

"Wahaha!"

"That Ino really cracked me up!"

As soon as they left the mission assignment office, Naruto couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing.

"Naruto, really now."

"Ino's actually easy to get along with..."

Sakura looked at the blondie beside her with a headache.

His personality and Ino's were surprisingly similar at times—you could call it like repels like.

"Eh, Sakura, when you weren't at the Ninja Academy, Ino was always picking on me~~~"

Seeing Naruto's pitiful expression, Sakura wisely shut her mouth.

If anything, Ino was more teasing Naruto than bullying him.

Because Ino knew Sakura usually looked out for Naruto, she'd occasionally joke with him so he wouldn't feel so lonely.

And with the influence of the Yamanaka clan heiress, it also kept other clueless jerks in check, stopping them from bullying Naruto.

But with Naruto's way of thinking, he probably couldn't figure that out.

"Forget it, forget it. Let's hurry up."

"Finish this river channel mission, and Teacher will treat you all to a meal~~~"

Kakashi smiled at the three little ones before him.

This generation's Ino-Shika-Cho had an unexpectedly good relationship with Naruto...

"Awesome!"

"Teacher Kakashi is the best!"

Naruto cheered immediately upon hearing that.

Only Sasuke beside him walked along silently, step by step.

Executing missions like this—when would he ever gain enough strength?

To defeat that man...

Watching Naruto and Sasuke roll up their pant legs to pick trash out of the river one by one, Sakura walked up and stood before the two of them.

"Do you know why I chose this mission?"

Seeing the puzzled looks on the two boys, Sakura pointed at her own feet.

!

"Sakura!"

"You're standing on the water!"

Naruto couldn't help but exclaim at the sight.

"That's right. That's exactly why I chose this mission."

Sakura stopped Naruto's loud outburst, then turned her emerald eyes toward Sasuke, who was full of curiosity but too proud to ask.

"All you have to do is gather Chakra at the soles of your feet and release it steadily and continuously. Then you can walk on walls, trees, and even the surface of the water."

Sasuke looked at the pink-haired girl before him, hesitating slightly.

"You... why are you telling me this?"

This should have been something Kakashi taught them...

Hearing Sasuke's words, Sakura smiled as if it were only natural.

"Because we're teammates."

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