Chapter 98
Iruka-sensei couldn't help but smile and nod.
"Ino, you're really sharp!"
"That's right, the top three graduates this time are all in Team 7. Correspondingly, their Jonin leader is indeed the most excellent and powerful one…"
"Kakashi Hatake, the genius Ninja of Konoha Village, known as the Copy Ninja who has copied thousands of Ninjutsu!"
"In the entire Five Great Nations, and even the entire Ninja World, he is a renowned existence!"
Everyone was in an uproar, filled with envy.
After all, following such a powerful Jonin not only means an improvement in their own strength but also a full sense of security!
Iruka-sensei also noticed everyone's emotions.
He smiled and said, "You don't have to be like this. There isn't a single weak person who can become a Jonin leader; they are all absolute elites and outstanding individuals in the Village. The only thing you should be worried about is yourselves."
"Alright, next is Team 8. The Jonin leader is…"
"Kurenai Yuhi!"
"The members include…"
"Inuzuka Kiba!"
"Shino Aburame!"
"And…"
"Sakura Haruno!"
Inuzuka Kiba and Shino Aburame didn't mind.
Sakura Haruno, however, looked even worse.
"I'm on a team with Inuzuka Kiba and Shino Aburame?"
"These two guys don't seem very strong…"
"Sigh, what should I do? Should I ask Iruka-sensei to switch teams?!"
Iruka-sensei continued, "Team 9 is…"
"The Jonin leader of Team 10 is…"
"Asuma Sarutobi!"
Naruto's heart stirred: "Is… is Asuma-sensei?!"
"I wonder who will be assigned to his team…"
Asuma Sarutobi had helped Naruto a lot, and he was, of course, immensely grateful.
"Nara Shikamaru!"
"Akimichi Choji!"
"Ino Yamanaka!"
Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Choji didn't mind.
Ino, however, let out a wail.
"I'm with those two guys, Shikamaru and Choji!"
"My future is bleak!"
But in reality, Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji had known each other since they were very young. Their families, the Ino–Shika–Chō, were true generational friends.
Choji was munching on snacks, no longer needing to hide it since he had graduated.
"Munch, munch, munch, Ino, is there something you're not happy about?"
"Aren't Shikamaru and I good?"
Shikamaru, however, shook his head indifferently: "It's the same with anyone, what a drag…"
Ino retorted angrily: "Don't I know what you two are like?!"
But she had actually vaguely guessed this outcome.
The Ino–Shika–Chō was originally a combination formation, with the three families having been friends for generations, and the Sarutobi clan was responsible for witnessing this alliance.
The previous generation of Ino–Shika–Chō, their parents, was personally witnessed by Hokage-sama, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
This generation, the three of them, had his son, Asuma Sarutobi, as their Jonin leader.
This was not a coincidence, but a fully arranged outcome.
Ino could only sigh in resignation.
Naruto, however, pouted: "Asuma-sensei is so good, and he ends up teaching you three…"
Ino snapped: "Naruto, what are you saying?!"
Naruto said: "Ino, you're fine, but those two guys, one only knows how to eat, and the other only knows how to sleep. It's a complete waste of such a good Ninja like Asuma-sensei!"
Ino was momentarily stunned, then nodded with deep agreement.
"On that point, I completely agree with you!"
Choji: "…"
Shikamaru: "Hoo—"
…Soon, the various teams, after being assigned, arrived in their respective classrooms, waiting for the Jonin leader to appear.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata waited in silence.
The atmosphere was a bit awkward for a while.
Naruto and Sasuke sat far apart, as if the other had some contagious illness.
Occasionally, their eyes would meet by chance, and the two would immediately snort coldly and sharply turn their heads away.
Hinata scratched her head. Although she had expected it, the atmosphere was too icy.
She wanted to sit next to Naruto, but she was also a bit shy.
She could only sit at the desk adjacent to him.
"Na-Naruto-kun, please take care of me from now on."
Naruto's smile returned then.
"Ah, Hinata, you too!"
"Being on a team with that Sasuke guy makes me really unhappy, but hearing that you're also in the same class, I'm so happy!"
Hinata's heart sweetened, and her small face became even redder.
She knew Naruto was telling the truth because he had jumped up excitedly at the time, and everyone had seen it.
"I, I'm also very happy, Naruto-kun…"
Sasuke listened to the two of them flirting, and his displeasure intensified.
"Hmph, Loser, do you think I want to be on the same team as you?!"
Naruto was furious, sharply turning his head to glare at Sasuke.
"What Loser! I was the top student in the graduation exam!"
"Bastard Sasuke, you're still looking at me with old eyes!"
"I'm clearly your defeated opponent!"
Sasuke's blood pressure instantly skyrocketed: "What did you say?!"
"I'm stating facts!"
"Don't forget, in last year's Ninja sparring, I was the winner!"
Sasuke suddenly stood up.
"Hmph, that was last year. This year, you and I haven't truly fought yet."
Naruto also stood up, unwilling to be outdone, clenching his fists, which cracked and popped.
"Alright, then before Kakashi-sensei arrives…"
"Let's have a good fight!"
Sasuke said coldly: "My pleasure."
Hinata quickly tried to mediate: "Naruto-kun, Sasuke, don't, don't be impulsive…"
"If you fight before Kakashi-sensei arrives, it will leave a very bad impression on him…"
But Naruto and Sasuke instantly got heated whenever they saw each other.
This feeling was something no one else could understand.
In a fit of impulse, the two had already forcefully pulled their desks apart, both roared, and charged at each other!
"Naruto!"
"Sasuke!"
After the classic shouting match, Chakra burst forth, and the two figures turned into afterimages, sweeping towards each other in an instant, their fists and feet already striking before each other!
However, at that very moment.
Clap.
Clap.
With two soft sounds, a figure appeared abruptly from nowhere, grabbing Sasuke's arm with one hand and Naruto's right leg with the other, flinging both of them away!
Bang—
Bang!!!
The two crashed heavily against the wall, both screaming in pain, before their bodies plummeted to the ground.
Hinata was startled: "You, you are…"
The newcomer was now sitting lazily on a desk, as if strolling in a garden, holding a novel titled "make-out paradise," and reading it intently.
It was as if casually taking down Naruto and Sasuke earlier was an insignificant trifle, or had not even happened at all… Naruto was furious: "Bastard, who, who are you?!"
Sasuke, however, felt a chill in his heart.
Just now, he and Naruto had fought with all their might, but in this person's eyes, stopping them and throwing them both away was as easy as picking something out of a bag!
This person was probably… unfathomably strong!
One must know that even though Naruto and Sasuke had just graduated from the Ninja Academy, they already possessed the strength of a Chunin, or even surpassed ordinary Chunin!
But the man before them could still easily resolve the fight between the two of them… Even among the Jonin, this person was probably an absolute top-tier individual!
"Well, how should I put it…"
"I guess I'm your Jonin leader, which means I'm Team 7's teacher…"
"You should already know my name, right?"
"Kakashi Hatake."
At this moment, Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata finally confirmed that the man before them was indeed their teacher, Kakashi Hatake!
He had a messy head of silver hair, and his face was covered by a mask that not only concealed the lower half of his face but also his left eye.
His entire demeanor and expression exuded a lazy, nonchalant air, as if he disdained everything.
In fact, he hadn't even looked at the three of them the entire time, simply flipping through his book and reading.
Knowing his identity and witnessing his strength, the three of them fell silent for a while.
Even Naruto didn't jump out to provoke him again.