After Naruto and the others left, the villagers who had run off earlier returned.
The area in front of the scratch-off ticket shop became lively once more.
The uncle whose wife had supposedly been having a difficult birth was the first to step forward. He stood right in front of the counter. "Boss, give me two scratch-off tickets."
Behind him, a bearded middle-aged man said disdainfully, "Akita, wasn't your wife having a difficult birth? Why are you still here?"
Akita turned around and snorted. "My wife isn't having a difficult birth anymore! Is that a problem?"
As they argued, he pulled out two hundred silver notes and smiled. "Boss, give me a two-hundred one!"
"Boss, give me a five-hundred one."
"Boss, I want three one-hundred ones!"
Voices echoed continuously through the cramped little shop.
Wu Di's face glowed with festive delight.
Naruto and the others hurried into the classroom, panting heavily.
Sakura took out a half-finished bottle of mineral water from her desk and poured the freshly scratched-off medicine powder into it.
The instant the powder entered the water, it dissolved without a trace, as if nothing had ever been added.
She lightly gripped her pen, her gaze drifting toward the window from time to time.
A handsome young man in a blue short-sleeved shirt sat there.
"U...chi...ha...Sa...su...ke!"
She carefully wrote Sasuke's name on the talisman paper, then looked at the water on her desk and swallowed.
"Sasuke is about to like me!"
Her heart trembled wildly with excitement.
Then she slowly raised her hand toward the water bottle.
Just then, Naruto, who was sitting not far from her, suddenly darted over.
"Sakura, I looked forever and finally found some water. I'm dying of thirst."
After saying that, he ignored Sakura's reaction and picked up the bottle, gulping it down.
The half bottle of water quickly vanished under his ravenous drinking.
As the water disappeared, Sakura's heart shattered into pieces!
After setting down the bottle, Naruto wiped his mouth. "Thanks, Sakura. I'll give you back a full bottle next time!"
"Uzu--maki--Naruto!" Sakura froze for a moment, then let out a hysterical roar. She grabbed her hair with both hands, nearly going mad.
Naruto forced himself to speak softly. "What's wrong? It was just half a bottle of water."
"That was... that was... Ah--I'll never forgive you!" Sakura slammed the desk and sprang to her feet.
However, just as she was about to make a move, a blue figure suddenly appeared between them.
That person was Second Pillar.
At that moment, Sasuke tightly gripped Sakura's slender wrist and said coldly, "I won't let you hurt him!"
Sakura's heart trembled, as if it were being cut by a thousand blades.
That kind of tenderness should have been for me. Mine!
She felt unbearably wronged, and two streams of clear tears slid down from the corners of her eyes.
Yet Sasuke seemed not to see any of it.
Then Sasuke slowly turned his head and gave Naruto a loving wink.
The sight left everyone dumbfounded...
Countless hearts could be heard shattering throughout the classroom.
"Sasuke, this is all a misunderstanding!"
Naruto wore a deathly smile as he backed away with difficulty.
He suddenly remembered what Sakura had gotten at the scratch-off ticket shop.
"Don't be afraid. I'm here for you!" Sasuke murmured softly.
In an instant, crying erupted throughout the classroom.
"Sasuke, I never thought you were this kind of person. I'll never love you again!"
"My beloved Sasuke, from today onward, you'll disappear from my heart forever!"
In truth, Sasuke's mind was perfectly clear at that moment.
Yet for some reason, he simply could not control his own body.
Even he found what he had just said to Naruto disgusting.
"Naruto, stop running away!" He took a step forward and blurted out involuntarily.
Seeing this, Naruto turned and ran. As he rushed out the door, he crashed right into Iruka, who was holding a folder.
Iruka staggered and nearly fell over, shouting at Naruto.
"Naruto, where are you going? We're about to be assigned to teams, you..."
Before he could finish, someone crashed into him from behind. He fell face-first onto the floor.
When he looked up, all he saw was the Uchiha clan crest chasing after Naruto.
"Sasuke, hurry back too..."
Seeing that neither of them had any intention of listening to him, Iruka could only sigh, gather the documents scattered on the floor, and enter the classroom.
"Students, today you will undergo the Genin assessment."
"Next, we will begin assigning teams."
All the students immediately fell silent, and even those wiping away tears stopped choking back sobs.
"Team Ten."
"Members: Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Choji!"
"Leader: Sarutobi Asuma."
As soon as the announcement ended, the three stood up without any surprise.
Their families had been close friends for generations, and they had fought together for many years.
"Knowing the teams would be like this and still going through the motions is such a drag!"
With his hands in his pockets and a toothpick in his mouth, Shikamaru left with Ino and Choji.
"Team Eight."
"Members: Hyuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino."
"Leader: Yūhi Kurenai."
The three who heard their names stood up in succession and followed them out.
"Next is Team Seven."
"Members: Sakura Haruno, Second Pillar..."
Just as he said this, Naruto's shout came from outside: "Sunflower - Acupoint Sealing Technique!"
Everyone looked outside and immediately dropped their jaws.
Naruto was sitting on the ground, panting and constantly wiping away sweat.
Sasuke, meanwhile, was bent halfway over as if he were about to embrace something, completely motionless.
Seeing this, Iruka gave a light cough.
The students' attention returned to the classroom.
Although they did not think much of Sasuke's earlier behavior,
when it came to team assignments, they still wanted to be with Sasuke.
After all, Sasuke had always ranked first among them in their regular assessments.
Being on the same team as him would guarantee passing the Genin assessment!
However, when Iruka announced the final person's name, everyone froze.
"Uzumaki Naruto!"
Who was Uzumaki Naruto? He was the notorious dead last of the ninja class, last in every subject.
A truly bizarre case who could not be hauled away even with a tow truck.
"How can he be put on the same team as Sasuke?"
"Yeah, yeah!"
"Did he use that kind of relationship with Sasuke to pull some strings?"
Discussion broke out all around them.
Iruka coughed lightly. "Team Seven's leader... Hatake Kakashi!"
Upon hearing the leader's name, the previously noisy classroom suddenly fell silent.
Hatake Kakashi was a legendary figure at the Konoha Ninja Academy.
Among those he had assessed, not a single person had ever successfully become a genin.
Sakura slapped her broad forehead and immediately felt as though life had lost all meaning.
Sasuke was still under the effects of the medicine, and no one knew when he would regain his senses.
She felt there was no point in sitting there any longer, so she lowered her head and walked out.
Before you continue