Class Assignments, Who Would Be in Ryusuke's Group?

By the time Ryusuke and the others finished taking their file photos, the school gates were already packed with people. They were all parents who had come to pick up their children.

Some students held ninja forehead protectors as they accepted their parents' praise. Others had failed the graduation exam and threw themselves into their parents' arms, crying as they were comforted or scolded. Just like in the original story, Naruto had failed the graduation exam. Sitting on a swing, he looked utterly dejected.

Quite a few people noticed Naruto. Some shot him hateful glares, while others looked at him with blatant disgust before turning away.

Whispers also began to spread among the parents.

Ryusuke saw the scene as well, but he did not go over to comfort Naruto.

Naruto might look miserable now, but Ryusuke alone knew that once this day was over, Naruto would begin his comeback.

In contrast, Sasuke Uchiha's hard life was just beginning.

After parting ways with Hinata and the other two girls, Ryusuke returned home.

After dinner and a bath, Ryusuke lay on the sofa on the balcony, admiring the star-filled sky and the moon hanging high overhead.

As he watched, black afterimages occasionally streaked through the night sky.

On ordinary days, patrolling ninja often flickered across the rooftops as well.

But tonight, there were several times more figures leaping across roofs and walls than usual.

And whenever those figures stopped, every one of them wore a green flak jacket. They were at least Chunin.

From the looks of it, they seemed to be searching for something.

Ryusuke knew they were looking for Naruto.

If nothing unexpected had happened, Naruto was either learning—or had already learned—the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

Like the Rasengan, this Rank A forbidden technique was one of Naruto's three signature moves in the future.

Shadow Clones, Rasengan, golden transformation... Naruto did not have as many techniques as Sasuke Uchiha, nor were his skills as flashy. But with the Sage Body and the Nine-Tails, those two "nuclear power plants," supporting him, not many people in the future would be able to withstand Naruto's three signature moves.

Ryusuke coveted the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique as well.

Ryusuke's Shadow Clone Technique could also create large numbers of Shadow Clones, but it required a great deal of time. He could not produce hundreds or even thousands of Shadow Clones at once.

The Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, however, used an enormous chakra reserve to create hundreds or thousands of Shadow Clones in one go.

This ninjutsu, developed by Tobirama Senju, was undoubtedly one of the techniques best suited for the Sage Body.

Though he coveted it greatly, Ryusuke did not interfere in this incident.

As the saying went, those involved could not see clearly, while onlookers could.

How could the Hokage Building, Konoha's most important location, possibly not have Anbu on duty?

And how could something as important as the Book of Sealing possibly be left lying around carelessly?

Naruto had only obtained the Book of Sealing so smoothly because Sarutobi Hiruzen had cooperated.

The Multiple Shadow Clone Technique was also Sarutobi Hiruzen's compensation to the son of a hero, and it was a technique exceptionally suited to Naruto.

Naruto could steal it and learn it without consequences, but if Ryusuke dared steal and learn it, then after the incident ended, he would probably be invited to have tea at the Interrogation Department.

So Ryusuke had no intention of getting involved at all.

After admiring the starry sky, Ryusuke returned to his room to rest.

The next morning, after washing up, Ryusuke tied his ninja forehead protector around his arm. After breakfast, he headed out.

Since the school was already on break and only sixth-year students who had passed the graduation exam would be coming in, the Ninja Academy was especially quiet today.

Still, Ryusuke encountered quite a few classmates wearing forehead protectors who greeted him along the way.

Some were from his own class, while others were from neighboring classes.

"Good morning, Ryusuke."

When he arrived at the classroom, Ino and the other two girls were already there, as usual.

No matter the occasion, the three girls were always together.

Their group had long become famous throughout the Ninja Academy.

Thanks to them blocking the Support Group for him, Ryusuke had not ended up like Sasuke Uchiha, constantly surrounded by a crowd of girls.

Because they had monopolized him, Ino and the other two girls had also been ostracized by all the girls in school. Many girls in their class isolated them as well.

Fortunately, all three of them ranked in the top ten of their year. Otherwise, some group of girls would surely have been unable to resist teaching them a lesson.

After greeting Ryusuke, Ino propped her chin up in both hands and said expectantly, "We're about to be assigned to groups. I wonder whether we'll be in the same group as Ryusuke."

Sakura and Hinata also looked expectant.

But before Ryusuke could speak, Nara Shikamaru, who had one hand supporting his head, yawned and said, "Sakura and Hinata might still have a chance. You should give up on that idea."

"Why?"

"It's simple. Our fathers are too famous."

Nara Shikamaru slowly said, "If any one of me, you, and Choji were missing, then perhaps you would still have a slight chance."

"Unfortunately, the three of us are the same age. That means that regardless of our entrance exam results, we would be assigned to the same class, and after graduation, we would be placed in the same group."

"Just wait and see. Our Jonin Instructor definitely won't be an ordinary Jonin. His task will be to train us into the new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho."

"How could this be?!"

Ino looked frantic. "Does that mean my path was already arranged the moment I entered school?"

"To be precise, it was arranged the moment we were born," Nara Shikamaru said, ruthlessly crushing her hopes.

Seeing this, Ryusuke asked with interest, "Then, Shikamaru, can you guess who will be in the same group as me?"

"You came to the right person. I actually have thought about it."

Nara Shikamaru grew interested as well and laid out his analysis. "One thing is certain: Ryusuke, there's a high chance you'll be in the same group as either Sakura or Hinata."

"Why?" Ino quickly asked.

Sakura and Hinata looked delighted.

"Because the four of you have been inseparable these past few years."

Nara Shikamaru said, "First, you already have better teamwork than the other girls. Second... your specialties."

"Ryusuke is an all-rounder, while the three of you are all support types. Considering the coordination you've developed with Ryusuke over the years, aside from Ino, both Hinata and Sakura have a strong chance of being assigned to the same group as Ryusuke."

Hearing this well-reasoned analysis, the delight on Sakura and Hinata's faces deepened.

Sakura could not help asking, "Then Shikamaru, who do you think has the better chance, Hinata or me?"

"You, Sakura."

Nara Shikamaru pointed at Sakura and continued, "Just like the Ino-Shika-Cho combination of me, Ino, and Choji, there are quite a few classmates from major ninja clans in our class. There's a high chance they'll also be assigned to the same group according to their specialties."

"That way, the village won't have to waste too many resources. It only needs to arrange for a powerful Jonin Instructor to lead them."

"Hinata's Kekkei Genkai is the Byakugan, a sensory eye famous throughout the Shinobi World. If I'm right, the people best suited to be on a team with Hinata would be Kiba from the Inuzuka Clan and Shino from the Aburame Clan. The three of you would form a new sensory squad."

At those words, Hinata's mood immediately plummeted.

Sakura, on the other hand, made no attempt to hide her joy. The radiant smile on her face stood in stark contrast to her two best friends beside her.

Fortunately, under Ryusuke's influence, they had all become best friends who could talk about anything.

If they had shared the same flimsy sisterhood as in the original story, they probably would have started fighting already.

"Amazing. Shikamaru, you really did inherit the Nara Clan's brilliant mind."

Ryusuke could not help applauding, his face filled with admiration.