Asuma's Hostility

"Team 1, Shizune, Mizuki, Ibiki Morino..."

Inside the classroom, from the moment the teacher began reading the roster, the graduates sat in their seats, waiting for the team assignments with palpable tension.

Seigetsu Seigetsu was no exception.

The primary reason he had revealed his Mystical Palm Technique was for this very day.

Having an excellent jonin leader meant receiving superior guidance; the status and position of one's team leader could even influence a ninja's future development and standing within the village.

"Team 10, Asuma Sarutobi."

In his seat, the boy with a prematurely mature air clenched his fists nervously.

"Kurenai Yuhi."

"Yes!" Asuma Sarutobi waved his arms in excitement.

Sitting beside him was a stunning girl with an extraordinary aura and crimson eyes—none other than Kurenai Yuhi.

She had fluffy hair reaching past her shoulders and a delicate, fair face.

Her rose-red pupils reflected a light as clear as crystal.

Kurenai Yuhi.

In terms of looks, she was arguably the most beautiful girl in their graduating class, and with the added bonus of her temperament, she possessed even more charm than Muto Ayaka from the next class over.

At this moment, seeing Asuma Sarutobi's excitement beside her, Kurenai Yuhi pursed her lips and smiled lightly.

"Nebula Kotetsu."

"Huh?" Asuma Sarutobi's smile froze instantly on his face.

Immediately after, he stood up abruptly!

"Student Asuma?" The teacher on the podium adjusted his glasses. "Is there a problem?"

Asuma Sarutobi ignored the teacher.

He turned his head to look at Nebula Kotetsu in the distance, his gaze landing on the latter's face. His expression was rather unsightly.

Nebula Kotetsu.

As a student from the same year but a different class, Asuma Sarutobi was not like Might Guy; he had, of course, heard of Nebula Kotetsu's reputation.

Bewitching, handsome, dashing, charming...

A long list of complimentary adjectives from the girls.

Yet, among the male students, it usually boiled down to one sentence: a dead-last with nothing but an evil face!

Looking at Nebula Kotetsu's face now, which made him feel inferior, he realized the boys were right.

Truly evil!

As a member of the Sarutobi Clan, he rarely made enemies at school and had never really interacted with Nebula Kotetsu.

But that was only because the other guy hadn't provoked Kurenai Yuhi. As long as he didn't bother Kurenai Yuhi, he couldn't be bothered to pay him any mind.

However, deep down, he really disliked people like Nebula Kotetsu.

Promiscuous, lecherous, using his face to run wild and flirt with everyone.

If he were the principal, he would definitely expel such a student.

But now, this very person had been assigned as his teammate!?

He could not accept it!

"Student Asuma?" The male teacher's tone turned sour. "Do you have a problem? If not, please sit down."

"Teacher! Why do I have to be on a team with this dead-last?" Without regard for the teacher's feelings, and even less for Nebula Kotetsu's, Asuma Sarutobi asked the teacher in front of everyone.

The teacher in charge of assignments raised his eyes, looking somewhat impatient.

Generally speaking, team assignments were decided by the Hokage and the higher-ups; he was not obligated to explain them to students. But since the boy was the Hokage's son, he suppressed his anger and replied briefly.

"This is the Hokage's arrangement."

"Furthermore, Student Nebula is very talented; he is not a dead-last."

Sensing the teacher's displeasure, Asuma Sarutobi wanted to say more, but in the end, he opened his mouth and remained silent.

The Hokage's arrangement.

The image of the old man lecturing him flashed through his mind. He knew that getting angry at the teacher wouldn't change anything, so he could only sit back down in his seat, filled with dissatisfaction.

He knew, of course, that Nebula Kotetsu could no longer be called a "dead-last."

But he was just annoyed.

Out of everyone in the class, it just had to be Nebula Kotetsu!

Damn it!

Hearing that Nebula Kotetsu would not be on their team, several girls let out sighs of disappointment.

"What a pity."

"I know, right? I couldn't even sleep well last night, thinking that if I got grouped with my idol, wouldn't that be... sigh~"

"That Kurenai girl got lucky."

Of course, not everyone was unhappy.

Obito Uchiha was very happy.

The smile on his face was impossible to suppress.

"Hehe... hehehe..." He grinned so wide his gums were showing.

Not being placed in the same squad as Nebula Kotetsu made him feel that the Sage of Six Paths was actually looking out for him. Plus, there was now one more person who would have a headache: Asuma Sarutobi.

Just thinking about it put him in a great mood.

"Next squad: Might Guy, Ebisu, Shiranui Genma."

"Next squad..."

One squad after another was finalized.

Obito Uchiha grew increasingly nervous, yet his heart raced with excitement.

The fewer people left, the higher the probability that he would be teamed up with Rin Nohara.

Finally, the teacher called his name.

"Obito Uchiha..." Obito Uchiha clenched his fists tightly.

"Rin Nohara."

"Yes!" Obito Uchiha stood up in excitement!

"Awesome! Rin! We're together!"

And he could stay far away from that guy Seigetsu Seigetsu!

Obito Uchiha was already imagining his future happy days.

"You two, come out with me for a moment."

Obito Uchiha: "(｀・ω・´)??"

What's going on? No squad assignment?

Why are they being called out?

The teacher led a bewildered Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara out of the classroom, while the others, after their results were announced, waited for their respective jonin to collect them.

While waiting, Asuma Sarutobi gave Kurenai Yuhi some worried instructions.

"Kurenai, now that we're in the same squad, be careful of that playboy."

"If anything happens, just tell me!"

"When I get home tonight, I'll talk to the Old Man again and see..."

"Talk about what?" A voice suddenly sounded from behind him, giving him a start.

Asuma Sarutobi turned around, his expression turning sour once he saw who it was.

"What are you doing here?"

Seigetsu Seigetsu: "We're on the same team. I saw everyone else sitting together, so I came over."

He was right.

After the teacher announced the squads and left, the students in the classroom had automatically gathered in groups of three according to their assignments.

It was human nature to flock together.

Asuma Sarutobi glanced around, his face still displeased: "Don't you know it's rude to eavesdrop on people?"

Nebula Kotetsu frowned.

Looking at the clearly hostile Asuma, his expression lost its softness as he replied, "You were the one speaking too loudly. Besides, talking about people behind their backs seems even ruder."

"Bang!" Asuma Sarutobi slammed his hand on the desk, the sudden noise drawing everyone's attention.

He said coldly: "Nebula Kotetsu!"

"Let me tell you something!"

"While I still have patience, you'd better stay away from me. I do not accept you as a teammate!"

Nebula Kotetsu's expression turned completely cold.

He looked at Asuma Sarutobi, who was confronting him with harsh words in front of everyone.

He wondered, if it were the version of himself before the system activated, what could he have done when faced with Asuma Sarutobi publicly shaming him?

Swallow his pride?

Fight back recklessly only to be beaten without a chance to retaliate?

He hadn't done anything out of line, yet the other party was hurling insults at him in front of the entire class.

Was it reliance on his own strength, or reliance on his status?

Did he think that a "dead last" from the Kotetsu Clan, who had only just begun to show some promise, posed no threat?

[Ding!]

[Target available for binding: Kurenai Yuhi (Instance: Asuma Sarutobi)]

[Bind now?]