The Impending Chunin Exam

After days of preparation, the Chunin Exam was just around the corner.

Josuke had reviewed the plot over these past few days, and after confirming some details, he no longer had many concerns.

Finally, the day arrived.

This morning was like any other.

Team 7 gathered on a street, waiting for Kakashi's arrival.

Konohamaru arrived just like in the original story; his clumsy disguise was immediately seen through by Naruto.

So Konohamaru, along with Otsutsuki Moegi— no, Moegi (Rant: I'm a half-cloud person from Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. I've watched a lot of commentary, can anyone tell me what's going on with Moegi? Why does she have Wood Release?)

Another extra appeared, just like in the original story. The only difference was that in the same place and at the same time, Josuke was also present.

Josuke thought, "As expected of Konohamaru."

Just moments ago, Kakashi had arrived and told everyone to prepare for the Chunin Exam. Afterward, Naruto invited Sakura to practice Ninjutsu with him.

The result was a barrage of sarcastic remarks from Sakura.

Sakura herself went to fawn over Sasuke.

Sasuke said calmly, "Instead of wasting time here, it's better to practice more Ninjutsu."

This dealt a critical blow of 100,000 damage to Sakura's fragile heart. And Konohamaru, by sheer coincidence, pointed at Sakura and Naruto and said cheekily, "Is that woman your girlfriend?"

Testing

This directly shocked Naruto. However, after thinking about it, he ended up convincing himself. The result was Sakura beating him up, sending him flying with a single punch.

Konohamaru didn't fare any better; he also received a punch from Sakura.

He ran, she chased, he couldn't escape even with wings.

Naruto and Konohamaru, the three of them, were chased by Sakura into a small alley. Josuke knew they had arrived there, so he followed behind.

As expected, from the shadows, Josuke saw Konohamaru struggling with Kankuro grabbing him by the collar. Naruto rushed forward to rescue Konohamaru but was tripped by puppet strings.

Kankuro didn't forget to taunt, "What is this? Is this how Konoha ninjas are?"

Josuke, hiding in the shadows, just smiled. "Kid, you won't be smiling in a few episodes."

Just then, at the critical moment, the show-off Sasuke made his entrance, throwing a rock at Kankuro's arm, causing it to bleed.

Kankuro had to release Konohamaru in pain. Sasuke, perched on a branch, showed off, "What are you doing in another village?"

Josuke chuckled inwardly. "This bastard still doesn't forget to show off, even like this. You're something else." At the same time, this remark, coupled with his handsome appearance, made Temari blush (not necessarily love, just a normal reaction to seeing a handsome guy).

"Damn it."

Kankuro said fiercely, then prepared to take something out from behind him, but he was stopped.

"Kankuro, stop."

Upon hearing this voice, Kankuro broke out in a cold sweat. Sasuke was also startled.

Because he realized that the owner of this voice had silently crept up behind him!

If this were a battlefield, that move just now would have been enough to kill him.

Josuke also made his move at this time, activating his dual-tomoe Sharingan. He jumped down from a tree and stood in the middle of the confrontation. Without any explanation, he used Shadow Clone Jutsu, summoning three identical clones, completely maximizing his coolness.

Kankuro and Temari, seeing those alluring eyes under the sunlight, were shocked. "Sharingan?"

Josuke nodded.

"That's right, it's the Sharingan."

Then Josuke closed his eyes and complained inwardly, "This Sharingan really consumes Chakra. I've barely used it and my blue bar is already depleted."

"I hope you have no ill intentions,"

Josuke added.

Gaara descended from a tree nearby, coldly eyeing the members of Team 7, but he didn't do anything.

Then, Temari produced a pass.

"This is our pass. We're here to participate in this Chunin Exam."

"Chunin Exam?"

Naruto was surprised and then happily muttered to himself, "Isn't that the exam we're participating in too?"

Temari rolled her eyes at Naruto, who seemed to lack intelligence. Seeing this, Josuke recalled his Shadow Clones. The group from Sunagakure didn't linger and left.

As they departed, Sasuke, the show-off, coolly exchanged names with Gaara. Josuke inwardly scoffed, "Just you wait until Shukaku crushes you."

The four of them and Konohamaru's group didn't linger either and left. Josuke knew that everything they had done was being watched by the sixth Hokage.

After bidding farewell to everyone, Josuke accepted an invitation to Ino's flower shop.

As soon as he entered, he saw the small figure busy moving about. Josuke watched quietly. At this moment, the setting sun, the busy girl in the flower shop... formed a beautiful picture.

After being busy for a while, Ino vaguely sensed a pair of eyes watching her from behind. She seemed to have guessed who it was long ago.

Ino put down the watering can in her hand, tidied her beautiful hair, and then assumed the best posture to face the person who had been waiting for her for a long time.

"Josuke-kun, have you been waiting long?"

Ino's tone carried a girlish playfulness, seeming to be a scolding, yet also like happiness.

Josuke nodded.

"Ino-chan, where are you inviting me to today?"

Yes, a few days ago, Ino had come to Team 7 and told Josuke that she invited him to her flower shop this afternoon to hang out.

Naturally, Josuke agreed when a beautiful girl invited him. However, he didn't accept every invitation from a beautiful girl; in school, quite a few girls had confessed to Josuke.

In fact, his popularity was no less than Sasuke's, and he was even more sought after than Sasuke. After all, who could refuse a sunny and gentle boy?

Getting back to the main topic, in the eyes of outsiders, Josuke and Ino were already a done deal, you know? Even Choji, who only cared about snacks, approved, which showed the extent of their relationship.

As for Josuke, he just wanted to say: Heh, people really think too much. They haven't even held hands, but a done deal...? Pfft, what are you thinking? (Purely platonic friendship.) Really.

(I searched on Baidu a while ago for the normal age to date in Japan, and it popped up as fourteen or fifteen years old. I don't know if that's true or not.)

Whether in the past or present, Josuke has always been jealous of a certain punk named Sai, for no reason. Why, Kishimoto? He's clearly from the Cloud Village, the Hokage.

Alright, back to the topic. Under Josuke's confused gaze.

Ino finally spoke.

"Look, the Chunin exams are coming up soon~ Do you want to go out and eat something? We probably won't have time after the Chunin exams."

Ino looked at Josuke with expectant eyes, making Josuke's old face blush.