Probing

"Uh... heh heh..."

Seeing that he was late for the first time.

Yet he was still greeted with enthusiasm by his students.

Kakashi scratched his head in embarrassment and said:

"My name is Kakashi, and I will be the instructor for Team 7."

Suppressing the disappointment in his heart, Sasuke looked toward the source of the voice.

He saw a tall, thin man with a head of silver hair who had appeared out of thin air in the middle of the field before anyone had noticed.

Although most of his face was covered by a mask.

Sasuke could still tell from the small portion that was visible that Kakashi was likely a handsome man on par with himself...

After a pause, as if sensing the atmosphere had grown a bit cold.

Kakashi smiled again and said:

"Since you will be my students from now on."

"Why don't you introduce yourselves so I can get to know you..."

Having said that, his only visible eye narrowed into a crescent, looking very easygoing.

"I'll go first!..."

Hearing this, Naruto volunteered himself!

His goddess Sakura had luckily been assigned to the same class as him.

How could he pass up such a good opportunity to show off his strengths?

"My name is Naruto!"

"My dream is to become the Hokage of Konoha in the future!"

"My favorite thing is Ichiraku Ramen!"

"Oh right! And Sakura!"

"Ahahaha..."

His tone was passionate and his expression confident.

But before he could even finish his sentence, he put his hands on his hips and laughed loudly, looking just like a total idiot...

Upon hearing this, Sakura unconsciously clenched her hands, lowered her head, and remained silent, instantly dying of embarrassment...

Sasuke's mouth twitched, and he barely managed to hold back his laughter, thinking:

Comparing Sakura to ramen, you really are something, Crown Prince...

Kakashi hadn't been studying Icha Icha Paradise for nothing in his spare time.

With a quick glance, he instantly understood the relationship between Naruto and Sakura.

Looking at this dynamic, it seems Naruto doesn't have much of a chance, does he?...

He pondered for a moment, then froze for a few seconds.

As if to cover up the awkward atmosphere, Kakashi suddenly laughed again and said:

"Hmm! That's the spirit. Young people should boldly speak their ambitions."

"You have a long road ahead of you, and even if there are obstacles, who knows? Perhaps they will come true in the future?..."

To Sasuke, these words sounded like empty, clichéd nonsense.

But to Naruto and Sakura, they were like a stimulant.

Their eyes lit up, and the next moment, their faces flushed as if they had been injected with adrenaline.

Seeing that his tactic had worked, Kakashi smiled and turned to look at the excited Sakura, asking:

"Sakura, how about you?..."

Hearing this, Sakura paused, then slowly began:

"Haruno Sakura. Everyone usually calls me Sakura."

"My dream is to become an excellent Medical Ninja, and when I grow up, I want to be with the person I like."

As she said this, Sakura's face turned even redder.

She looked just like a ripe cherry, incredibly alluring.

She even left the chuunibyou Naruto staring blankly at her...

After a pause, she continued:

"My favorite... my... my favorite... is... is..."

She stuttered for a long time without getting to the point, making Naruto, who was watching from the side, feel like he was going crazy with impatience...

"It's... it's Sasuke..."

After speaking, she kept her head lowered, her face flushed red as she cast a cautious, shy glance at Sasuke. She looked truly charming and lovely.

Snap!

The moment Sakura said those words, it was as if Sasuke and Kakashi both heard the sound of a heart shattering...

"No!... Sakura, how could you!..."

As soon as Sakura spoke, Naruto instantly fell apart.

He had thought that he only needed to wait for Sakura to describe her ideal type.

Then, he would work hard to become that kind of person.

Eventually, with enough persistence, one day, Sakura would surely fall for him.

But who could have known that Sakura didn't like a "type," but rather, she simply liked Sasuke himself...

Upon hearing this, Sasuke remained as calm as an ancient well, showing absolutely no emotional fluctuation.

However, hearing this, Kakashi immediately furrowed his brows, thinking to himself:

The relationships between these three students of mine seem a bit messy...

Perhaps I should go talk to the Third Hokage later and see if I can separate the three of them?...

After all, puppy love at this age might end up affecting their ninjutsu training...

After pondering for a moment.

As if nothing had just happened, Kakashi looked at Sasuke with an awkward laugh and asked:

"Sasuke! Haha, I've been wanting to meet you for a few days now."

"Iruka mentioned you to me a few days ago, saying that you are the most talented ninja he has ever seen!..."

Hearing this, Sasuke smiled, stepped forward, and replied in a humble and composed manner:

"You're too kind, Kakashi-sensei. I'm really not as outstanding as Iruka-sensei says; I'm just an ordinary graduate..."

Hearing this, Kakashi was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter:

"Hmm! Young, yet neither arrogant nor rash—truly a talent worth molding!"

"Introduce yourself. I believe that not only I, but Sakura and Naruto as well, would be interested in you..."

Without looking at the expressions on Naruto and Sakura's faces at that moment.

Su Jian replied respectfully:

"My name is Sasuke."

"I have no dreams."

"What do I like?..."

"As long as they are good-looking, I like them. Uh... that's about it..."

A few simple words.

They left Kakashi completely bewildered...

He asked tentatively:

"Uh... that's it?..."

"That's it."

Sasuke nodded firmly.

"No, with the talent you've displayed, don't you have any grand ambitions like Naruto's?..."

"For instance, aspiring to become the Hokage?..."

Upon hearing this, Naruto puffed out his chest instantly!

Having been suppressed by Sasuke all this time, he had finally managed to score a point!

Hearing Kakashi's words, Sasuke only found it amusing.

Only the son of a Hokage can become Hokage.

To date, Konoha has only had four Hokage in total.

Is this pattern really that hard to spot?

Could it be that Kakashi is acting under the Third Hokage's orders to secretly probe my intentions?...

At this thought, the corners of Sasuke's mouth curled into an imperceptible, cunning smirk.

He waved his hand and replied with an air of indifference:

"Hokage?"

"That is not something someone like me should be thinking about."

"Although I am still young and have a long future ahead, a person's life is, in truth, very short."

"I have always believed that if you are born with something, you will likely possess it for your entire life."

"Conversely, if you are born without it, then in all probability, no matter how deep your obsession, you will never possess it."

"As for me, Sasuke, I do not have such grand ambitions."

"I only wish to be an ordinary Genin of Konoha, to be with the person I like; that is enough."

"Kakashi, do you think I am spineless?..."

A flash of crimson light flickered, and his Sharingan had activated without him even realizing it.

A professional, fake smile tugged at the corners of Sasuke's mouth.

At the same time, he stared fixedly at Kakashi, his eyes not missing a single shift in the expression on the man's face after hearing those words...