But Acting Tough Is So Exhausting

"Tch~" Ino confidently puffed out her slightly budding chest. "You? If you lose, you have to agree to my conditions too."

"Who's afraid of who?"

"Hmph, arrogant Broad Forehead."

"Ino Pig!"

Other than those two, everyone else was completely indifferent toward the written test.

After all, the ninja world relied entirely on strength.

What everyone truly cared about was always their actual combat results and rankings.

While teaching, Iruka wandered over to Naruto's side.

He deliberately lowered his voice and reminded him, "Naruto, this written test is important. It'll affect your final grades, so make sure you answer carefully~"

"I understand, Teacher Iruka." Naruto nodded obediently.

Seeing this, Iruka could not help reaching out to pat Naruto's head.

Naruto: "..."

Just then, the system's prompt sounded in Naruto's mind.

[Ding~ Mission issued: Obtain first place in the written test.

Reward: 1 Simulation Opportunity]

A mission had been issued?

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he subconsciously looked at the textbook on his desk.

The contents of the textbook were not complicated for Naruto.

After all, before transmigrating, Naruto had been an utterly ordinary college student.

And naturally, what Ninja Academy taught included literacy, ninja world history, mathematics, and the like.

Although Naruto had been a poor student before, he had memories from his previous life.

The Naruto from his previous life had at least been a college student.

Dealing with questions at this elementary-school level was easy.

And Naruto had transmigrated here as a child, so there was naturally no chance he would be unable to read the words.

Very soon~

The written test began.

The written test ended.

During the final self-study period, Iruka told the students to study on their own while he graded the papers and prepared to announce the results.

Below.

The two little girls, Sakura Haruno and Ino, rested their chins on their hands, their eyes fixed intently on the first test paper in Iruka's hand.

Iruka wore a strange expression at the podium. "Even I'm a little surprised. First place in today's written test goes to: Naruto Uzumaki."

[Ding~ System mission completed. Simulation Opportunity +1]

[Ding~ System mission issued: Obtain first place in the practical combat exercise.

Reward: Simulation Opportunity +1]

Hearing the system's prompt,

Naruto, sitting in his seat, was not surprised.

Using college-level knowledge to take elementary-school questions—

If he still could not get first place like that, then his education would have gone to the dogs.

Elsewhere.

Ino's shining eyes slowly widened as she turned to look at the calm-faced blond boy.

Sakura Haruno, meanwhile, furrowed her delicate brows and glanced upward.

Her expression was probably something like this. (￣△￣)

The little girl was frantically searching her memories for anything about Naruto Uzumaki.

As mentioned before, Naruto was basically invisible in class.

Aside from Hinata paying attention to him, the others merely knew that such a person existed at most.

At Ninja Academy, the only person who had ever interacted with Naruto

was Iruka.

So Sakura Haruno still had not remembered who Naruto was.

Snap, snap~

Ino raised her hand and snapped her fingers twice in front of Sakura Haruno.

Sakura Haruno came back to her senses, raised a hand to wipe the drool from the corner of her mouth, and asked in confusion, "Ino, what are you doing?"

"I thought you'd spaced out again," Ino said casually.

Who would have thought Sakura Haruno would not deny it? Instead, she agreed. "I did space out, but Ino, do you know who Naruto Uzumaki is?"

Ino: "?"

Can't find the book by searching its title? Try searching for the author instead—it might have just been renamed!

Soon, it was time for school to end.

Naruto was already impatient to get home and start simulating.

This time, he could draw four characters.

As long as his luck was not too terrible, the character he created would definitely have some strength.

After school.

Naruto packed his bag and walked out of Ninja Academy.

But after only a few steps, he was stopped by two people.

The pink-haired Sakura Haruno had both hands in her pockets as she leaned sideways against Ino's back.

Ino, meanwhile, had her arms crossed as she stood sideways, looking at Naruto with cold, merciless eyes.

Seeing Naruto stop not far away without saying anything,

Sakura Haruno was having a hard time holding on.

Her expression trembled slightly as she quietly asked Ino, "Ino, why isn't he saying anything yet? Do we have to keep acting cool forever?"

Ino kicked Sakura Haruno with her heel and reminded her, "Be patient. Only by making him understand how formidable we are can we make him obediently tell us the truth."

"But acting tough is so exhausting, Ino." Sakura Haruno's voice carried a faint trace of a sob.

Ino began to doubt herself too. "Could it be that we're not fierce enough?"

Just as Sakura Haruno was about to break character,

Naruto finally sighed and asked the two of them, "Tired?"

Sakura Haruno instantly could not hold it in anymore and replied pitifully, "It's really exhausting. If I'd known, I wouldn't have made a bet with Ino."

After saying that, Sakura Haruno relaxed all over and stretched her slightly stiff body.

Only the two of them knew about the bet between her and Ino.

Sakura Haruno had lost to Ino by one point, while Ino had been one point short of a perfect score and lost to Naruto.

Ino was very curious.

Why would Naruto, someone practically invisible who normally barely passed his classes,

suddenly get a perfect score?

So Ino wanted to come and find out the truth.

But when she thought of the rumors about Naruto being a monster, Ino felt a little afraid.

So Ino dragged Sakura Haruno along, since Sakura Haruno had lost to her, to bolster her courage.

In the end, to work up their nerve, the two had even deliberately struck what they thought were especially fierce and cool poses.

But they looked a little silly to Naruto.

Because Naruto had seen from afar that the two of them had been standing there for quite a while.

And when Naruto tried to go around them, the two little girls had even specifically shifted over to block him...

Ino gave a dry cough and asked Naruto, "Don't worry about whether we're tired! Just tell us, did you cheat or not?!"

As she spoke,

Ino pulled Sakura Haruno over to surround Naruto.

Anyone who had seen the original data knew

that Naruto had not even been as tall as Sakura Haruno when he was young.

So with Ino and Sakura Haruno surrounding Naruto like this, it looked exactly like a scene of school bullying.

Naruto's mouth twitched as he looked at the two girls.

One had pink hair, and the other had blond hair.

Both were forcing themselves to wear expressions that said, "I'm not scared."

Clearly, Naruto's reputation as a "monster" outside had frightened them a little.

But they could not resist their curiosity, so they had come to ask about his grades.

Naruto said seriously, "I didn't cheat."

Seeing that Naruto had not eaten her either, Sakura Haruno became bolder.

Sakura Haruno tugged on Ino's arm. "See, Ino? He already said he didn't cheat, so stop doubting him! Maybe he just didn't want to compete for first place before?"

Ino felt somewhat unwilling to accept it, so she threatened Naruto, "I won't lose to you next time! If you've got the ability, keep getting perfect scores!"

The competitive mindset of children...

Naruto looked at Ino with great interest.

"W-What are you looking at?"

Their eyes met.

Ino panicked and hurriedly looked away.

Sakura Haruno giggled and poked Ino's arm. "Maybe Naruto Uzumaki likes you."

Ino swung a slap back at her.