Eighth Squad

"All right, go back to your seats. Team assignments are about to begin."

The Kiss of the Century was merely a brief interlude.

Iruka Umino soon appeared at the classroom door, bringing the farce to an end.

The girls, who still had not vented their anger even after beating someone up, reluctantly returned to their seats.

Naruto Uzumaki, beaten into a pig-headed mess, sat behind Izayoi.

Beside him sat Sakura Haruno, who had failed to become Sasuke Uchiha's desk mate and had instead claimed the seat behind him.

As Iruka Umino stepped up to the podium, the noisy classroom gradually fell silent.

Everyone looked at Iruka Umino expectantly.

He swept his gaze across the classroom. Seeing that not a single student he had taught for six years had been eliminated, Iruka Umino could not help but reveal a gratified smile.

Then, after composing himself, he said with a smile, "Congratulations on graduating successfully. From this moment on, you are true ninjas."

After speaking, Iruka Umino raised the clipboard in his hand and continued, "However, you are only newly certified trainees right now—still rookies among ninjas. Before you can stand on your own, you will be placed into three-person squads and train under experienced Guidance Jonin."

"Next, the team assignments. First Squad..."

Iruka Umino did not waste any words and began reading out names directly.

As name after name left his mouth—

Sighs immediately rang out throughout the classroom.

All those sighs came from the girls.

Although Hinata, one of the top three students, had already "claimed" Izayoi, quite a few girls still secretly liked him and hoped to be assigned to the same squad as him.

Now, not only had they failed to be placed with Sasuke Uchiha, they had not ended up in the same group as Izayoi either. Their luck was simply abysmal.

The remaining girls, however, grew nervous and excited.

Every squad consisted of two boys and one girl, and there were only ten girls in the class. With each girl assigned elsewhere, their chances of ending up with Izayoi or Sasuke Uchiha grew greater.

"Sixth Squad..."

It was soon the Sixth Squad's turn. Iruka Umino read out the group's names: "Minako, Sawano Genichi, and... Kiba Inuzuka."

The moment he heard that name, a sharp glint flashed through Izayoi's eyes, and the corners of his lips rose involuntarily.

The result was out!

Among Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, and Izayoi, the Top Student, Hiruzen Sarutobi had chosen to give up Kiba Inuzuka and invest in Izayoi.

Clearly, Izayoi's achievements in crushing the major Ninja Clans and retaining his position as Top Student had made Hiruzen Sarutobi see in him the potential to become both a pillar of the village and an ace combatant.

The Inuzuka Clan might possess astonishing connections, but their combat strength required cooperation with Ninja Dogs, making it difficult for them to produce Elite Jonin.

Unlike the Aburame Clan, whose various strange and highly destructive insects made them nearly invincible in one-on-one combat, much like the Uchiha Clan's Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

Between those two Ninja Clans, Hiruzen Sarutobi had chosen to abandon the Inuzuka Clan.

Only the Inuzuka Clan would not harbor any dissatisfaction over this.

After all, the Hidden Leaf Village did not lack sensory Ninja Clans. Not to mention the Hyuga Clan, which possessed the Byakugan, the Aburame Clan was equally adept at scent tracking. They also possessed a legacy insect that was on the verge of extinction and currently owned by no clan member, but could be revived if needed—the Scent Tracking Bug.

This insect had a sense of smell a thousand times stronger than a Ninja Dog's.

As long as it sniffed something carrying a person's scent, it could accurately locate them even from a hundred li away. It was utterly absurd.

As for offense, they also had nano-scale venomous insects, capable of cultivating Elite Jonin whom even Kage-level Experts greatly feared.

Though the Inuzuka Clan's status was relatively low, it was still one of the Ninja Clans.

Izayoi had not expected Hiruzen Sarutobi to be so decisive as to choose investing in him over avoiding offense to the Inuzuka Clan.

What he did not know was that Hyuga Hiashi had played a major role in this.

Back then, Hizashi Hyuga had sacrificed himself for the village, and Hiruzen Sarutobi had already felt deeply indebted to the Hyuga Clan.

Now that Hyuga Hiashi had come to visit, merely wishing for his daughter to be placed on the same squad as the Top Student, Hiruzen Sarutobi naturally could not refuse such a small request.

He had already intended to invest in Izayoi; he had merely been hesitating over how to arrange it.

Hyuga Hiashi's visit had only helped him make up his mind.

"Seventh Squad: Sakura Haruno, Naruto Uzumaki..."

"Yes!"

By then, Iruka Umino had reached the Seventh Squad.

Hearing that he was on the same squad as Sakura Haruno, Naruto Uzumaki immediately cheered. Sakura Haruno, meanwhile, wore a look of utter despair, feeling as though her future had turned completely bleak.

But the next name Iruka Umino read instantly reversed the atmosphere.

"Sasuke Uchiha."

"Yes!"

Sakura Haruno jumped to her feet, raised both hands, and cheered.

Then, like a victor, she turned back and shot Ino Yamanaka a smug look.

At the sight of this, Ino Yamanaka and the other girls immediately gritted their teeth.

"Eighth Squad: Hinata Hyuga, Shino Aburame, and... Izayoi."

Hearing that she and Izayoi had been assigned to the same squad, Hinata unusually grabbed Izayoi's arm and said excitedly, "That's great, Izayoi-kun! We're in the same squad."

"Yeah, looks like we're pretty lucky today."

Having already guessed the outcome, Izayoi smiled and nodded.

This squad assignment truly put him in a good mood.

Over the past six years, Izayoi had grown used to having Hinata by his side.

He did not want to be separated from Hinata either.

"Tenth Squad: Ino Yamanaka, Choji Akimichi, and... Shikamaru Nara."

After reading out the final name, Iruka Umino lowered the clipboard in his hand. He gave the students who had been with him for six years one last look and instructed, "Those whose names were called, remember your squad and teammates' names. Your Guidance Jonin will come for you shortly. Until then, do not leave the classroom without permission."

With that, Iruka Umino left the classroom.

None of the students said goodbye to him. Everyone was eagerly anticipating the ninja life ahead.

Little did they know that another trial awaited them.

"Third Squad, come out."

Only a few minutes after Iruka Umino left, a middle-aged man wearing a Green Vest appeared at the classroom door. His stern, imposing demeanor instantly silenced the room.

The members of Third Squad, who had been called, seemed to return to the time when they had first enrolled six years ago. They rose nervously and followed their Guidance Jonin out.

"Fifth Squad, come out. I'm your Guidance Jonin."

"First Squad, come out."

"Ninth Squad, come out."

One Jonin after another appeared at the classroom door, each taking away three students.

Before long, large sections of the classroom had emptied.

At that moment, a mature, curvaceous woman appeared at the classroom door. Unlike the others, she was not wearing a Green Vest, but ordinary clothes. She had long, wavy black hair.

Her red eyes swept over the remaining students before finally settling on Izayoi and Hinata. Then she smiled. "Eighth Squad, come out. I'm your Guidance Jonin."

After saying that, she turned and left.

"We'll be going first. See you."

Izayoi said goodbye to Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki, then left the classroom with Hinata.

As for Shino Aburame, that top student with an incredibly weak presence had already vanished.