Genin Assembly at Konoha

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke stepped into the examination classroom.

The room buzzed with noise, filled with genin gathered from all directions, each exuding an aura not to be underestimated.

Some stood, some sat cross-legged; a few closed their eyes to conserve energy, others whispered strategies, but all revealed a burning thirst for victory.

These ninjas wore everything from ornate clan garments that flaunted illustrious backgrounds to plain clothes that couldn't hide their tempered resilience.

Their stances varied—some were thick with muscle, clearly skilled in Taijutsu; others had sharp eyes that betrayed refined ninjutsu mastery; still others kept their presence subdued, making their true strength hard to gauge.

The moment Naruto stepped into the classroom, he drew everyone's gaze like a magnet. The ninjas who had been observing from the shadows had already marked Naruto and Sasuke as key targets, especially Naruto—his appearance put many foreign ninjas on guard.

Sakura followed close beside Naruto, and as she looked at the seemingly powerful ninjas around her, a flicker of fear and unease crept into her heart.

But when she turned her head to look at Naruto, that unease was instantly replaced by an inexplicable sense of safety. Naruto's confident demeanor reminded Sakura of what he'd said in the Land of Waves: "It's fine, Kakashi-sensei. I'm invincible."

Thinking of that, Sakura took a deep breath and mused to herself, "Yeah, no matter how strong someone is, can they be stronger than Naruto? He defeated Momochi Zabuza, an enemy even Kakashi-sensei had trouble with." With Naruto by her side, Sakura's fear gradually faded, and she straightened her back.

Sasuke, meanwhile, wore a calm, composed expression. He quickly scanned the surrounding ninjas, silently assessing their strength. Though he felt pressure from all sides, it acted more like fuel for his fighting spirit. He craved power, yearned to break through his limits in battle.

In the midst of this tense, expectant atmosphere, a crisp, pleasant voice suddenly broke the silence: "Sasuke, you're here too!" Before the words faded, a figure lightly bounded into view—it was Ino.

She wore a bright smile, clearly planning to surprise Sasuke, but when her gaze accidentally swept over Naruto, she froze as if time had stopped, unable to look away.

Ino was stunned at first, thinking to herself, "Is that... Naruto? When did he get so handsome?" Naruto's change made her almost not recognize him.

His golden hair gleamed brilliantly under the sunlight, the signature whisker marks on his face were gone, and his handsome features seemed meticulously carved, flawless, radiating an indescribable charm.

Especially those blue eyes behind his sunglasses—deep and bright, as if they could see straight into a person's soul.

Ino's heartbeat quickened, and a faint blush crept onto her cheeks.

As if drawn by some force, she walked toward Naruto involuntarily, her eyes sparkling with infatuation. Under the stunned gazes of everyone around, Ino actually threw her arms around Naruto's neck, the intimacy of the gesture turning heads.

Caught off guard by the sudden move, Naruto lowered his sunglasses and studied Ino with his blue eyes. In his memory, there was no scene of them being this close. He gave an awkward smile, trying to break free from her embrace, while wondering, "What's gotten into Ino? We're not that familiar, are we?"

Seeing Ino suddenly hug Naruto, Sakura's heart clenched, and a wave of inexplicable bitterness surged within her. She bit her lower lip hard, as if to suppress the gasp threatening to escape.

A flicker of complex emotion passed through Sakura's eyes—surprise, confusion, but mostly an unnameable jealousy. Her thoughts churned: "Why... does seeing Ino so close to Naruto make me uncomfortable? I clearly... clearly should like Sasuke, shouldn't I?"

Sakura clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms, using the pain to remind herself to stay calm. She took a deep breath, gathered her courage, stepped forward, and shouted at Ino, "Ino, let go of Naruto!"

Ino blinked at the shout, then lightly stuck out her tongue in a playful grimace, grinning with a hint of provocation at Sakura. "Sakura, didn't you used to hate Naruto? And aren't you supposed to like Sasuke? Just leave Naruto to me—it's not like you two are close."

Sakura was left speechless by Ino's words, her face cycling through shades of red and white. It was true she had hated Naruto before and never hid her crush on Sasuke, but now... she found her feelings toward Naruto had grown complicated, a change that left her confused and unsettled.

Just then, Shikamaru and Choji appeared, breaking the awkward atmosphere. Choji walked in munching on potato chips, while Shikamaru, with his droopy eyes, muttered listlessly, "What a drag... this troublesome exam is such a headache."