Self-Introductions

"I already told you the new students' names. Now, let's have you introduce yourselves. Tell everyone what you like, and get to know each other."

"Let's start with Kushina."

Ueno Juri did not make things difficult for Uzumaki Tomoko and chose someone else to go first.

Uzumaki Kushina was not shy at all. She immediately stood up and spoke.

"My name is Uzumaki Kushina. There are lots of things I like to eat. I don't like cilantro, narrow-minded people, or that guy." Kushina pointed at Hyuga Matsuba.

Hyuga Matsuba was completely baffled. What had he done?

"When I grow up, I'm going to become Hokage. That's all." Kushina sat back down briskly.

"Wow, you want to be Hokage too? Looks like you've got plenty of competition, Nawaki!"

"Narrow-minded? Is she talking about Yamanaka Inoichi? He doesn't look very broad-minded."

"Hyuga Matsuba is pretty popular with girls. It's rare to see him run into such a nemesis."

As soon as Kushina finished speaking, everyone started chattering again, dragging plenty of the boys into it.

"Tch. A girl wants to become Hokage? She should take a good look at herself first." Uchiha Ken began sneering. He had never said it before, but he wanted to become Hokage too.

Not only that, he had a plan. He wanted to become the head of his clan first.

"The Hokage title is mine!" Nawaki clenched his fists. Whenever Hokage was mentioned, his blood began to boil.

"Why can't everyone improve together?" Yamanaka Inoichi, who had also been dragged into the discussion, promptly tried to smooth things over.

"Tch, narrow-minded." When Kushina heard Yamanaka Inoichi speak, she shot him a sideways glance. She truly hated narrow-minded people.

Yamanaka Inoichi did not know what to do and returned to his seat.

"She looks tough, but she's not strong at all inside. This girl is the complete opposite of Mikoto. They're different in every way," Hyuga Matsuba muttered.

His voice was not loud, but Kushina happened to hear him. She flared up at once and glared angrily at Hyuga Matsuba.

Kushina's round face was plump and soft, making it especially round. Combined with her red hair, she really did resemble an apple.

"Everyone's first impression was surprisingly accurate," Hyuga Matsuba quietly teased, then lowered his head and stopped talking.

Kushina shot Hyuga Matsuba a glare and angrily kicked her chair. She started considering blocking his path on the way home that afternoon and teaching him a lesson so he would watch himself in the future.

The current Kushina was indeed just as Hyuga Matsuba had guessed. She only appeared tough on the surface.

Her country had been destroyed not long ago, and she had only been in this new village for a short time. Tomoko was her only friend, so she was still very afraid.

Right now, Kushina only felt nervous.

Having been seen through by Hyuga Matsuba, Kushina was furious and began plotting what move she could use later to beat him so badly he could not get back up.

But Kushina had not noticed that although she said she disliked Hyuga Matsuba, that was not actually true. Somehow, he gave her an inexplicable sense of security.

"Tomoko, it's your turn now. Don't be shy," Ueno Juri kindly reminded her, then glared at the other students.

Those little brats really did not take her seriously. She had told them several times, yet none of them listened. Ueno Juri was so angry she wanted to beat them up and properly show them how formidable their teacher was.

Sensing their teacher's sternness, everyone hurriedly returned to their well-behaved mode, looking harmless as could be.

Uzumaki Tomoko slowly stood up and said softly, "My name is Uzumaki Tomoko. I like tidying up, and there's nothing I dislike. In the future, I just want to live a peaceful, stable life."

Her words were plain and unremarkable. Everyone listened obediently, and no one interrupted.

Tomoko looked far too embarrassed, and no one wanted to deliberately pick on her.

"If anyone dares pick on Tomoko, I'll be the first to beat them to death," Kushina added through gritted teeth.

But her cute, round little face made her look not intimidating at all.

"Wow." Some students thought the newcomer seemed rather formidable and felt a little unconvinced.

Ueno Juri did not know what to say. This class was definitely the hardest class in the entire school to manage.

They had started out with a group brawl, causing quite a stir, and later they had even injured Uchiha Fugaku. They had become notorious throughout the school.

But quite a few students in this class had powerful backing, making them difficult to manage, and Ueno Juri could do nothing about it.

"Straighten up your attitudes! Hyuga Matsuba and Shikaku Nara in the back, if you keep lying on your desks, get out and stand as punishment!" Ueno Juri put on her teacherly air.

Those two students were thorns in every teacher's side. They slept every day and never paid attention in class, yet they always got good grades.

Hyuga Matsuba stood up when he heard that. His memory was exceptional too; he could scan ten lines at a glance and remember them firmly. Everything they were learning now was basic, so he could grasp most of it just by listening casually.

"You're so lazy and relaxed. You'll never accomplish anything in the future. Hurry up and go back to farming," Kushina began sneering.

Bang!

Hyuga Matsuba reached out and slapped Kushina. Just from the sound, it was clear it hurt badly.

But Kushina endured it without saying a word, tears welling in her eyes.

"Still think you can keep acting up?" Hyuga Matsuba said.

"Just you wait!" Kushina's teeth ground together as she suddenly stood up.

"Teacher! He bullied a new student! He just hit my head with his hand!" Kushina grabbed her teacher's sleeve and began complaining.

Ueno Juri, who had been explaining things sternly, snapped the teaching pointer in half with a crack.

"Hyuga Matsuba, you've got some nerve. You don't respect your teacher at all? Get out, now." Ueno Juri then turned toward Choza Akimichi.

"You over there! How long have you been eating without stopping? Do you think I'm blind standing here?"

Hyuga Matsuba rolled his eyes at Kushina, then slowly walked past Nawaki and neatly snatched away his game console.

"It's mine now. Choza, grab your crispy noodles. Let's go out."

Under the gazes of the entire classroom, Hyuga Matsuba and Choza Akimichi walked out of the classroom with all kinds of supplies, looking perfectly at ease.

"You shameless Hyuga Matsuba! I just bought that game console! If you break it, I'll beat you to death!" Nawaki jumped up.

"Senju Nawaki, I'll give you a chance. Get the hell out too!"

It seemed Ueno Juri was so angry that she would not be able to sleep tonight.

"Choza, you're so stingy. You only gave me this much, and you still have the nerve to say we're brothers!" Nawaki reached out again to grab Choza Akimichi's crispy noodles.

Choza immediately shielded his snacks and glared at Nawaki defensively, roaring angrily, "Matsuba is so generous with everyone and treats us all the time. You're the stingy one! You're always taking advantage of us, so I'm not giving you any!"