Hope We Can Be on the Same Squad (Please Keep Reading)

After seeing Obito off.

Uchiha Chi returned to the sofa and sat down.

Moonlight streamed through the window onto his feet, and the night breeze drifted through the courtyard, gently brushing his face. He slowly closed his eyes and savored the tranquility of the late night alone, with only the crisp cicada chirps of early summer ringing in his ears.

The silence lasted for a long time.

After who knew how long, Uchiha Chi finally opened his eyes again. Staring at the increasingly familiar ceiling, he gave a bitter smile and murmured to himself,

"Why does it feel like I'm busy every single day...?"

It had only been six days since he had first triggered the system and proposed to Nohara Rin by the river.

Yet in less than a week, so much had happened that it felt as though an entire month had passed.

Freeloading off Tsunade at an izakaya, kicking White Zetsu Afie around like a ball in an alley, giving Kakashi a family-ending kick at Naka River, turning Uchiha Yashiro against the clan in his own courtyard, and teaching Obito the ways of life... though that last one was debatable.

While grumbling to himself, Uchiha Chi shifted his gaze to the azure panel, ready to check today's gains.

[Based on the new talent: Sharingan Awakening Talent (Obito Version), your ocular power has greatly increased: 3000→4000]

Uchiha Chi was slightly stunned as he looked at the ocular power displayed on the System Panel.

Hadn't his ocular power only been 1000 before? How had it suddenly become 3000?

Then Uchiha Chi came to his senses.

He no longer had a Two-Tomoe Sharingan, but a Three-Tomoe Sharingan. Naturally, his ocular power was much greater than before.

And Obito's awakening talent had raised Uchiha Chi's ocular power by another third on top of the Three Tomoe foundation, from 3000 to 4000.

According to the system's standards.

An ordinary Jonin had roughly 3000 Chakra.

And now, just the ocular power of his Sharingan was nearly greater than a Jonin's Chakra reserves...

The corners of Uchiha Chi's mouth curled up unconsciously. An unprecedented sense of security welled up in his heart. He felt that after a little more time, he could go to Ichiraku Ramen Shop without ordering beef.

Ding-dong...

The sound of a bell rang in the distance.

Uchiha Chi looked up at the wall clock. It was already six in the morning.

He was slightly stunned, then chuckled. First Uchiha Yashiro, then Uchiha Obito—after all that back and forth, it was already morning.

Fortunately, he could still sleep for a while. After twelve, he needed to go to the Ninja Academy to collect his squad number. The official assembly would be in the afternoon.

In other words, he could sleep until twelve. If he rested now, he still had six hours of sleep left.

And he could catch up on sleep at the Ninja Academy too.

"Then I'll get some proper sleep."

Uchiha Chi returned to his bedroom and slowly closed the wooden door.

Noon.

Outside the Uchiha clan grounds.

After spending about half an hour, Uchiha Chi arrived at the Konoha Ninja Academy.

The instant he pulled open the classroom door, he saw that it was already full.

Uchiha Chi casually found a window seat and sat down, boredly observing the classmates who had theoretically studied alongside him for six years.

Of course, he had not come here to reminisce with them. He was here to get his squad number and assembly location.

Though it felt troublesome, reality was not a manga. He could not simply skip ahead to the appointed place.

This was a small mobilization ceremony.

On the day of assembly, all the students had to return to the Ninja Academy, while the Third Hokage would sit in the principal's office.

When a student's name was called, they would go to the office to receive their squad number. If they were lucky, they could even have a brief conversation with the great Hokage.

It felt somewhat like a graduation ceremony from his previous life.

That was why so many students wore such excited expressions.

After all, in Konoha, few people did not admire the Hokage known as the strongest in history.

Of course, there were also those who felt nothing about it.

Such as Kakashi. Although he had already graduated early, both of his previous teammates had run off, so he could only lower his standards and be assigned to a Ninja Squad with these students who had once been his classmates.

He stared out the window with dead-fish eyes, occasionally glancing at Uchiha Chi.

Then there was Sarutobi Asuma, who wore a disdainful expression as he kept looking toward Yūhi Kurenai.

Meanwhile, Yūhi Kurenai rested her chin on her hand, her gaze constantly shifting between Uchiha Chi and Nohara Rin.

As for Nohara Rin herself, she stared down at the desk, seemingly lost in thought.

Beside her stood a goggle-wearing youth, Uchiha Obito. Obito was racking his brains to throw out one topic after another, trying to catch Nohara Rin's interest.

But Nohara Rin did not really want to listen. She even found him a little noisy.

"Obito, shut up."

"Oh."

Obito obediently answered and returned to his seat.

At the same time, the teacher outside began calling names, and the students whose names were called left the classroom one by one.

"Morino Ibiki."

"Sarutobi Asuma."

"Aburame Shibi."

"Might Guy."

"..."

The teacher's voice droned on like chanting scripture. Uchiha Chi felt as if he had returned to class, and his eyelids gradually grew heavy.

"I'll catch up on some sleep first."

Uchiha Chi closed his eyes.

More than half an hour later.

Uchiha Chi, who had slept wonderfully, slowly opened his eyes.

He narrowed his eyes, stretched deeply, and looked around the classroom.

The classroom was now nearly empty, with only a few people remaining.

"Nohara Rin."

Nohara Rin stood up from her seat when her name was called.

But instead of heading for the classroom door, she turned around and walked toward the back in small steps.

"What is it, Rin?" Uchiha Chi softly asked as he looked at Nohara Rin, who had stopped before him.

She looked a little nervous. Both Hands lightly clutched the hem of her white clothes, and her small face was so red that it looked as though blood might drip from it.

"I..."

Nohara Rin took a deep breath.

After a few seconds, as if she had made up her mind, she raised her watery eyes to Uchiha Chi. "Chi, I hope we can be on the same squad."

Uchiha Chi was slightly stunned, then revealed a warm smile. "If possible, I'd like to be with you too."

"Mm!" Nohara Rin nodded rapidly, but she still did not leave.

Her little mouth remained slightly open, as though she still wanted to say something. "I..."

"Nohara Rin~"

Seeing that no one had come out, the teacher standing outside dragged out her name and called it again.

Nohara Rin opened and closed her mouth, seeming to grow anxious. A mist rose in her eyes.

How had she gotten so anxious that she froze up like a robot?

Uchiha Chi gave her an amused look and gently reassured her, "You wanted to ask when you should return the blanket, right? It's fine. Just return it whenever you have time."

"Oh..." Nohara Rin was slightly stunned. Then, like a deflated balloon, she lowered her head, turned around, and left.

After that, the teacher continued calling names one by one.

"Tobitake Mint."

"Mizuki."

"Yūhi Kurenai."

Yūhi Kurenai left as well.

Before leaving, she gave Uchiha Chi a rather strange look.

However, Uchiha Chi did not have time to ponder the meaning behind that look.

Because the teacher had already called his name.

"Uchiha Chi."

Uchiha Chi stood and left the classroom, while the teacher closed the door behind him.

He made his way to the office building.

Uchiha Chi stopped in front of the principal's office, took a light breath, and knocked on the door.

Knock, knock.

"Come in."

Uchiha Chi pushed the door open and entered.

An elderly man with a head full of white hair and a Hokage hat sat behind the desk, looking kindly toward the door.