In the blink of an eye, three days had passed since the Ninja Academy's graduation exam.
Early that morning, after three days of vacation, the graduating students returned to the Ninja Academy one after another, nervously awaiting the graduation team assignments that would likely affect the rest of their lives.
As a result, the entire classroom was buzzing with noise. Students who knew one another gathered in twos and threes, discussing the team assignments.
"I'm definitely going to be assigned with Sasuke!"
"No way! With that huge forehead of yours, how could you possibly end up in the same class as Sasuke?"
"You're talking nonsense!"
"You're the one talking nonsense!"
The rival pair Sakura and Ino argued as if no one else were around, completely ignoring the other students nearby.
Shikamaru muttered speechlessly from the side, "That idiot Ino... Didn't her family tell her anything?"
The Ino-Shika-Cho clans had always functioned as one, both in terms of relationships and tactical systems. There might still have been suspense over team assignments for others, but for him, Choji, and Ino, it had long been decided.
Naruto looked somewhat lost as he asked Sasuke, "Sasuke, who do you think I'll be assigned with?"
"How would I know?"
Sasuke answered coldly, his arms folded across his chest.
Ever since he had earned first place among their class in the graduation exam, he had grown increasingly fond of acting cool. And his classmates seemed to really fall for it. Not only the girls, but even some of the boys admired him greatly.
The admiration and respect of others only made him more pleased with himself.
Naruto asked curiously, "Then who do you want to be assigned with?"
Sasuke glanced at Naruto and said coolly, "It doesn't matter who."
Just then, the classroom door opened. Asuma