Team 7

"Starting today, you are ninja capable of standing on your own... but you are still rookie genin. The truly difficult part is only just beginning!" Iruka said, then could not help glancing at Naruto sitting beside Hinata. He sighed inwardly. This guy probably doesn't count as a 'rookie' anymore, does he?

He continued, "From now on, the village will assign missions to you, and you will act in teams of three... Each team will have a Jonin Instructor accompanying you. Under your teacher's guidance, you will complete the missions assigned by the village, receive payment, and gain experience."

Teams of three... Other than Naruto, the rest would only hold me back.

I absolutely have to be in the same group as Sasuke!

Ah... I'll probably still be grouped with Sasuke and Sakura. Though I'd really like to be with Hinata...

"I will now announce the group assignments." Iruka opened the roster and began reading.

"Team 7: Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, and..." Iruka paused here.

Sasuke remained expressionless, while Naruto still looked carefree. Sakura clenched her fists, waiting anxiously. Sitting beside Naruto, Hinata fidgeted nervously while eagerly awaiting Iruka's next name. Please let it be me...

"Hinata Hyuga."

Huh?! Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata all cried out inwardly at the same time.

Naruto was surprised that their third teammate was not Sakura, but Hinata.

Sakura was immensely disappointed. Since she had not been placed with Sasuke, her chances to see him would become pitifully few.

Hinata's mind had gone completely blank, leaving her temporarily unable to think...

Sasuke, on the other hand, was very calm. With his hands clasped before his mouth, he thought, The Hyuga Clan's Byakugan, huh? It perfectly fills the team's reconnaissance needs... Good.

For the most part, Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke were all satisfied with this team assignment.

But someone was bound to be dissatisfied. For instance, the dog-raising guy immediately jumped out. "Iruka-sensei, isn't this too unfair?! You put the strongest first- and second-ranked students in the same group?"

Iruka frowned. To be honest, he did not quite understand it either. According to the usual practice, each team's strength was supposed to be balanced... But as a teacher, how could he say that in front of his students? "This is the result of a joint discussion between the Third Hokage and all the jonin. There is naturally a reason for this arrangement."

Kiba was really just irritated. Still, this was actually better. If he led Sakura and Shino to surpass Team 7, he could prove that he was the strongest genin in this class.

Naruto turned his head toward Hinata, whose face was growing redder and redder even though she did not dare turn to look at him. Smiling, he said, "Please take care of me from now on, Hinata."

"P-please take care of me too, Naruto... kun." Hinata answered haltingly, her cheeks blazing as if on fire, her head nearly buried in her collar.

Afterward came free time, and most people went to eat lunch.

On the second floor, Sasuke and Naruto stood on the first-floor awning, leaning against the window and biting into rice balls as they chatted idly.

"I've always been curious, Naruto. Who taught you all your ninjutsu?" Sasuke brought it up casually as he gazed at the blue sky and white clouds in the distance. "If I remember correctly, it was during that Ninja Combat Practice when we were six. You suddenly became stronger..."

Naruto lowered his head and took a bite of his rice ball. Wrapped with seaweed, it tasted somewhat bitter. Chewing, he mumbled, "How should I put it... I do have a master now, but that was after the time you mentioned."

"Then how did you learn about the Uchiha Clan?" Sasuke took a hard bite of his rice ball and swallowed. "If you really know, then you should understand just how badly I want to kill that bastard."

Gulping down his mouthful, Naruto brushed the rice grains at the corner of his mouth into it. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Actually, Sasuke... The reason I'm stronger than you, and the reason I know about you and Itachi... is pretty simple."

After a pause, Naruto saw Sasuke unable to resist turning his gaze toward him. Naruto smiled. "What if I said I saw the future? Would you believe me?"

Sasuke was only slightly moved before quickly recovering his calm. "I see. Then... what did you see in the future?"

"The same things." Naruto had already finished eating. He patted his hands clean, spread his arms as if embracing the blue sky, and smiled. "Me, the dead last, and you, the top student, being assigned to Team 7. Teacher Kakashi becoming our Leading Jonin. The lonely you and the lonely me forming a deep bond..."

"Could you not make it sound so disgusting?" Sasuke's face darkened.

"Haha..." Naruto suddenly spotted something below, and his eyes lit up. He waved down and called out, "Hey! Hinata! Up here!"

Hinata had been looking for a place to eat her lunch when she heard someone call her name. She stopped and looked up, only to see Naruto smiling and waving at her. Startled, her face reflexively turned red as she answered softly, "Naruto..."

"Come up here, Hinata!"

Hinata hesitated for a moment, but still jumped onto a tree in the landscaped area, then leaped onto the awning where Naruto and Sasuke were.

Sasuke shifted aside to make room, finished the last bite of his rice ball, drank the last sip of purified water, and wiped his mouth.

"Sasuke-kun, Naruto-kun..." Hinata greeted them with her head lowered, carrying her lunch wrapped in orchid-patterned cloth.

"Ah, just call us Sasuke and Naruto." Naruto was brimming with enthusiasm. Sasuke shot him a contemptuous glance and said flatly, "I'm going back to the classroom." Naruto gave him a look that said, Get lost already, and Sasuke simply jumped onto a tree, disappearing after a few bounds.

"Sasuke..." Hinata looked a little hurt. Sasuke did not seem to welcome her.

Naruto waved it off carelessly. "Ah, don't mind him. He's just like that: cold on the outside, warm on the inside, and super tsundere." Then he noticed Hinata's lunch. "That's a huge lunchbox. Can I see what's inside? I'm actually not full yet, and rice balls aren't that tasty either. Hehe..."

Compared to the you in those memories, you have completely surpassed him in terms of shamelessness around girls... The Nine-Tails mocked him to its heart's content from inside Naruto.

Quit yapping!

"Mm, it's fine. Mom always makes more than I can finish..." Hinata agreed with her head lowered, her voice almost too soft to hear.

Sakura followed her teammates Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame out of the classroom with their Leading Jonin, Kurenai Yuhi. Before leaving, she reluctantly glanced at the only team still remaining in the classroom: Sasuke from Team 7.

Sakura sighed deeply inside.

"Sakura, hurry up and catch up." Kiba, who was walking the fastest, looked back and immediately urged her on. Teacher Kurenai had said there would be a test, and he was already itching to get started.

"I'm coming." Sakura cast one last look toward the classroom door, then quickly followed the two strange teammates in her eyes.

Without exception, Team 7 waited and waited, then waited some more. By the time even Sasuke had begun to grow impatient, the masked man with a head of silver-white hair finally entered the classroom.