Team Seven's Slight Surprise

Looking at the youthful, lively faces below.

Iruka wore what seemed to be a broad smile, but inwardly, he let out a quiet sigh. He could not see even the slightest hint of tension or urgency in these children. Even though he had emphasized more than once over the past six years the dangers they would face after becoming ninja, very few of them had truly taken it to heart.

After all, without experiencing it firsthand, it was truly difficult to relate.

As a Chunin, Iruka knew that all too well.

These children, now full of confidence and longing—how many of them would still be alive one or two years from now was an unknown.

But he had fulfilled his responsibilities as a teacher.

The rest could only depend on the children's own efforts.

"Next, I'll announce the team assignments. I'm sure you all know that, in order to complete missions more effectively, ninja usually carry them out in teams. A team generally consists of three to five people. Since you've only just graduated, the village will also assign an experienced senior to you. When I call your names, respond immediately. Afterward, your team leader will come and take you with them. Understood?"

"Yes!!"

This was the most anticipated part.

And also the most nerve-racking part.

It had been said before: no one wanted to be placed on a team with mediocre people. These Little Ones who had graduated from the Ninja Academy understood very well just how important teammates were!

Even that young Uchiha Sasuke, who had not cared at all in the Original Work, was somewhat different in this life.

If possible, he hoped to be assigned to the same team as Menma.

This was not merely because Menma had displayed overwhelming strength over the past six years. Though Sasuke did not say it aloud, he acknowledged it inwardly.

It was even more because of his repeated defeats.

They had given Uchiha Sasuke, at this stage, an obsession.

He had to defeat Menma!

And not merely defeat him in the ordinary sense—he had to surpass him in every aspect. Otherwise, if he could not even defeat someone his own age, what would he use to take revenge on that "genius brother" of his!?

Therefore, being placed on the same team as Menma would be the best possible outcome.

At that thought, Uchiha Sasuke could not help sneaking a glance at Menma. He thought his look was well concealed.

But Menma saw through it clearly.

He did not even need to meet his gaze.

With Menma's current perception, as long as someone paid him special attention, he could sense it the first time.

And he could more or less guess what Sasuke-kun was thinking.

If possible, Menma was actually quite willing to be on the same team as Sasuke.

After all, in his plans for the future, Uchiha Sasuke still occupied a very important position!

But whether that wish could come true

was not something Menma could control.

His very existence was already the greatest change to the plot. After all, the Fourth Hokage in the Original Work had not had two sons!

Thus, Menma was truly curious about how the Third Hokage would arrange the team assignments in this timeline. Of course, some team assignments were clearly destined.

For example, Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino.

The Ino-Shika-Cho clans might be exempt if there were no children of the same age, but if there were, and they graduated together, they would definitely be placed on the same team. This had been the custom for decades. The team formed by Shikamaru and the others' fathers had once enjoyed considerable fame in the Shinobi World.

Then there were those born into other ninja clans, who were also frequently assigned together.

The so-called "fair and impartial" team assignments

were a joke.

Mediocre people would never be assigned with geniuses. Even Sakura Haruno, who appeared quite ordinary in the Original Work, possessed unrivaled theoretical talent and exceptional Chakra control!

The fact that she could learn most of Tsunade's techniques in just three short years after studying under her was enough to prove Sakura Haruno's excellence!

Sakura Haruno being assigned to Naruto and Sasuke's team in the Original Work might indeed have involved a little luck and coincidence, but that absolutely did not mean just anyone could replace her and become teammates with Naruto and Sasuke!

One had to know that Jonin were the representatives of a ninja village's top Combat Power!

They would not casually be assigned to the Ninja Academy as class instructors, practically serving as nannies. Only the next generation of young talents valued by the village were qualified to receive such treatment. Even then, different young talents were assigned different Jonin as leaders. Kakashi led Team Seven because Kakashi had the Sharingan and had been the Fourth Hokage's direct subordinate. Asuma led Team Ten because the Ino-Shika-Cho clans had always been staunch supporters of the Hokage faction, while Asuma was Sarutobi Hiruzen's biological son!

None of these arrangements were made casually!

Everything had deep underlying reasons.

For ordinary graduates to want to team up with those born into famous ninja clans was almost impossible!

Unless they had truly displayed extraordinary talent during their time at the Ninja Academy and earned the village's regard, these people would, in the truest sense, all be randomly assigned to a team led by some ordinary Chunin.

Their future fates were the most common kind of experience in the Shinobi World.

In the Original Work, this was often shown only as the tip of the iceberg. What was shown more often was always the passion and struggle of the protagonists.

And that was the most absurd, most pitiable part.

"Team One: Nobita Nobi, Shizuka, Suneo Honekawa!"

"Yes!"

"Team Two: Makoto Furukawa, Mineko Fuji, Conan Edogawa!"

"Yes!"

"Team Three: Daigo Tiga, Saburo Shinoda, Rena Yanase!"

"Yes!"

The team assignments were announced in an orderly fashion.

Almost everything unfolded according to the predetermined script.

These utterly ordinary students could only form teams with equally ordinary classmates, then be randomly assigned under some Chunin.

For the rest of their lives, they would basically remain Genin!

Those who could advance to Chunin were absolutely in the minority. One had to know that Chunin were already considered the backbone of a ninja village!

Menma had no interest whatsoever in these most ordinary classmates and simply ignored them completely.

Not until the names for Team Six had been called.

"Team Seven: Uzumaki Menma—"

The moment Iruka, seated at the front, called out Team Seven and his own name, Menma's spirits immediately lifted, and his eyes narrowed instinctively.

The crucial moment had arrived.

Iruka did not pause in the slightest.

"Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, Namikaze Naruto!"

As the next three names were called out in succession, an uproar broke out across the classroom.

Even Menma was instinctively stunned for a moment.