The Eve of the Chunin Exams!

If he didn't give up, maybe I could have ended up on the same team as him!

Oh my~

If Sasuke were on my left and Bai Hao on my right...

Wow!

I'm so happy!"

"Get lost!"

While Sakura was letting her imagination run wild.

Sasuke gently squeezed the stone in his hand, crushing it into powder.

At the same time, he said with an indifferent expression,

"Tch~"

Before Kankuro could react, Naruto spoke up first with disdain.

"Eternal Number Two is showing off again!"

At the same time, he was roaring furiously inside.

"Damn you, Sasuke!

Why do you always have to come out and steal the spotlight!?"

"Eternal Number Two?"

Kankuro froze for a moment, then looked up at Sasuke.

"Hey!

Get down here, Eternal Number Two.

I hate brats like you who only know how to run their mouths."

As he spoke, he took the puppet off his back.

"..."

Sasuke's expression darkened.

Eternal Number Two—this nickname was his eternal nightmare.

Whenever he thought of it, he would think of that man who had always kept him down.

"Hmph~"

Sasuke snorted coldly. "Please don't compare me with that man who gave up on becoming a ninja."

"Kankuro, stop."

Just as the atmosphere between the two grew tense.

A cold voice suddenly rang out.

"You disgrace the village."

Then everyone saw a dark-eyed boy with a gourd on his back standing upside down on a branch beside Sasuke!

"I... Gaara..."

Kankuro glanced at Gaara nervously.

Gaara, however, paid him no attention.

He casually glanced at Sasuke.

Then he continued, "Why do you think we came all the way to Konoha?"

"L... Listen to me...

Gaara...

These guys were the ones who started causing trouble!"

"Shut up.

Say another word and I'll kill you."

"I... I understand...

Sorry...

I'm really sorry..."

Kankuro hurriedly apologized, cold sweat pouring down his face.

"I'm truly sorry."

Gaara did not look at him. Instead, he turned to Sasuke.

After saying that.

He stared at Sasuke for a while.

"This strong and he's only the Eternal Number Two?

I'm suddenly interested in the battles to come..."

Thinking this, Gaara jumped down directly.

"Let's go. We didn't come here to play."

"Wait!"

Sakura suddenly called out to the three of them.

"You're from Sunagakure, right?

What did you come here for?"

After some conversation.

Naruto's team finally learned that Konoha was about to hold the Chunin Ninja Exams.

Gaara's team, meanwhile, were Genin taking part in the exams.

After learning this news.

The three of them arrived at Bai Hao's bookstore together, their feelings complicated.

"Bai Hao!"

Naruto dashed in carelessly. "Um... um~

A bunch of weirdos came to the village!

They said they're here to take the Chunin Ninja Exams.

Do you want to participate too?"

"Naruto!"

Sakura smashed Naruto on the head with a loud thump, leaving a huge lump.

Then she instantly changed from rampaging mode into fangirl mode.

Blushing, she bashfully picked up a broom.

"Um...

Bai Hao-kun~~

We came to help you clean!"

"Thanks~"

Bai Hao glanced at Sakura.

He knew why she had reacted so strongly.

After graduating, he had given up on continuing to be a ninja under the pretext that he missed his parents and did not want to abandon the bookstore they had left behind.

The top student at the Ninja Academy had simply given up on becoming a ninja.

In Sakura's eyes, that must have been extremely painful.

That was why.

Sakura was afraid Naruto's mention of the "Chunin Ninja Exams" would upset him.

So she forcibly changed the subject.

But in reality.

The reason he had given up on becoming a ninja.

Was simply that he did not want to carry out those boring missions involving finding cats, locating dogs, and buying things.

"Um~ um~"

Naruto was as foolish as ever and quickly forgot about the huge lump on his head.

"Sakura, wait for me!"

When the entire village despised Naruto, Bai Hao was the only one who treated him kindly.

He even gave Naruto tasty food from time to time.

As a result, Naruto also considered Bai Hao a "good friend."

Whenever he came to help with the work, he put in his utmost effort.

"Hmph~"

Sasuke slipped both hands into his pockets and let out a soft, cold snort.

Then he slowly walked into the bookstore.

With one hand in his pocket and the other, he began arranging the bookshelves.

Bai Hao watched the three of them work without expression.

He had long since grown used to this scene.

The three of them had often come over to help ever since before they graduated.

"I wonder if Karin can complete my mission well."

Looking at Sasuke's neck, Bai Hao fell into thought.

Naruto's team soon finished their work.

Bai Hao brought out the instant noodles, snacks, and drinks he had obtained from the system and treated them to a meal.

After eating, they left.

Not long after they departed.

Hinata came running over alone.

"Bai Hao-kun!"

Hinata's face was flushed, and she was panting.

She had clearly run all the way there.

"Kurenai...

Kurenai-sensei...

signed us up...

to take the Chunin Ninja Exams...

I..."

"You don't have confidence?"

Seeing her stammering, Bai Hao took the initiative to finish her sentence. "Do you want to become stronger?"