The arrival of Team 7 instantly drew everyone's attention in the classroom.
Especially Uzumaki Naruto—though he never actively sought attention, the way women naturally gravitated toward him sparked waves of envy among the other male ninjas.
"Damn it, Naruto is still so popular!" Inuzuka Kiba muttered bitterly, clenching his fists.
Logically speaking, Kiba felt he should at least be on equal footing with Naruto—both in looks and in strength. So why couldn't those girls notice him?
"Are they all blind or what, Akamaru?"
"Woof…" Akamaru whined softly, clearly unable to provide the reassurance Kiba needed.
As Kiba continued to grumble, Naruto unexpectedly walked over—heading straight in his direction.
"Long time no see!" Naruto greeted with a warm, genuine smile.
Though Kiba was a bit confused, he smiled back, already imagining that Naruto was probably trying to win favor with him—the future Hokage!
Clearing his throat, Kiba straightened his back and put on a smug expression. "Hey, Naruto, what brings you—?"
But before he could finish his sentence, Naruto walked right past him—completely ignoring his existence—and instead headed for Hinata.
Kiba stared, dumbfounded.
"Huh? What the…?"
He watched in disbelief as Naruto casually sat down—in his seat, right next to Hinata.
"That's my f***ing seat!" Kiba cursed internally.
It was outrageous!
But, as a disciplined ninja, Kiba clenched his fists and swallowed his frustration. He had to endure.
"Hinata! What a coincidence!" Naruto said cheerfully.
"N-Naruto… w-what a coincidence…" Hinata stammered, her face instantly turning bright red.
Nearby, Aburame Shino furrowed his brows as he overheard the exchange.
"Coincidence? What's so coincidental? We're all here for the Chūnin Exams, aren't we? Is there another exam hall?" he asked seriously.
Tiantian smirked off-screen. "Shino is such a straight man. No wonder no girls like him!"
Aburame Shino: "…"
He sighed inwardly.
He was simply speaking the truth. Was that really so wrong?
Women were too complicated. Bugs were more fun.
---
Yamanaka Ino watched the scene with narrowed eyes. "Naruto from that world… did he initiate a conversation with Hinata? Does that mean he… likes her?"
Haruno Sakura turned beet red. "N-no way… He and I have also… you know…"
Even though it wasn't her in that world, seeing a version of herself so intimately involved with Naruto stirred strange feelings inside her.
Just imagining the way the alternate Sakura interacted with Naruto made her flustered. Her breath quickened. Her heartbeat sped up.
And Hinata… watching the scene of Naruto sitting beside her—so close she could feel his warmth—was practically overheating.
Her imagination ran wild, picturing Naruto leaning in and kissing her suddenly and passionately!
Hinata's thoughts spiraled.
What should I do?
She clasped her cheeks, trying to cool down the flush on her face, but it was no use.
In her mind, her "CPU" had overheated and short-circuited from embarrassment!
---
"N-Naruto… I-I…" Hinata began to stammer, face burning red.
Naruto leaned forward, noticing her flustered expression.
"You okay, Hinata? Do you have a fever?" he asked, placing a hand gently on her forehead.
Her temperature was alarmingly high!
Just as Hinata looked ready to faint from pure emotional overload—
BOOM!
A cloud of white smoke erupted from the podium!
"You bunch of noisy brats! Sit your asses down!" a deep, gravelly voice roared.
A group of Chūnin-level examiners appeared at the front of the classroom. Leading them was a tall, intimidating man with a face full of scars.
This man was none other than Morino Ibiki, the terrifying examiner for the first round of the Chūnin Exams.
The room fell silent. Everyone rushed back to their seats—well, almost everyone.
Kiba stood frozen, glaring at the spot where Naruto sat beside Hinata—his seat.
And Naruto? He didn't budge an inch.
Kiba seethed silently.
Damn it, Naruto… Remember this! That seat is mine. And so is Hinata!
"Ya," Shino said quietly, "If you don't find a seat, you'll be eliminated before the test even starts."
Grumbling, Kiba turned away and found an empty seat at random—unfortunately, right next to Yakushi Kabuto.
Kabuto wrinkled his nose. The dog smell was unbearable!
He was already in a bad mood. His plan to sit near Naruto and gather intel on Team 7 had been completely disrupted.
First, Ino blocked him. Then, Naruto moved to sit with Hinata. And now, Kiba was next to him with his awful stench.
If he had known it would turn out this way, he would've sent Karin to take this mission instead!
---
Back at Hinata's desk, Naruto took her hand again.
Her palm was small, cool, and incredibly soft.
"Hinata, are you feeling better now?" he asked, voice gentle.
---
Watching from the outside, Uzumaki Kushina clapped proudly.
"That's the spirit, Naruto! Boys should be bold and take the initiative!"
Naruto scratched his head shyly. "But I'm proactive in this world too… So why does Sakura always ignore me?"
Minato chuckled. "It could be a test, Naruto. If you truly like someone, you'll work harder to become a better person."
Naruto's eyes lit up. "I get it now, Dad!"
Haruno Sakura: "…"
---
Meanwhile, Morino Ibiki began explaining the rules of the test.
"This exam uses a reverse scoring system. Everyone starts with 10 points. Each incorrect answer deducts one point."
"The score is based on the total from your three-person team—meaning the combined total is 30 points."
"Cheating will cost you two points each time you're caught. And if any one person on your team drops to zero, your entire team is disqualified!"
"If you understand the rules, turn over your test papers."
"There are 9 questions. The 10th will be announced in 45 minutes."
"Any questions?"
The classroom remained silent. Everyone flipped their papers over and began reading.
Ibiki nodded in satisfaction. "Begin!"
---
Outside the exam room…
Senju Tobirama nodded approvingly. "I didn't expect modern ninja exams to include theoretical assessments. Not bad, Monkey."
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled. "A well-rounded ninja is important. Without a solid understanding of the basics, you're not qualified for Chūnin."
Orochimaru smirked. "Trying to show off your 'Ninja Professor' title again, Hiruzen-sensei?"
Sarutobi glared. "What, Orochimaru? Scared you can't pass the test? Of course, someone like you—who lacks the Will of Fire—would fail."
Senju Hashirama: "⚆_⚆…"
Tobirama: "What's wrong, Brother?"
Hashirama: "Tobirama… why can't I answer the first question?"
Tobirama sighed. "Brother, can you not speak for once?"
He was trying to maintain the prestige of the Senju Clan in front of everyone, and now his brother was sabotaging everything.
You can't answer?
Of course you can't.
Who could calculate the trigonometric range of a giant Buddha's arm swing during combat?
Orochimaru laughed. "So even the First Hokage can't solve this? By your logic, Hiruzen-sensei, does that mean the creator of Konoha isn't even qualified to be Chūnin?"
Sarutobi growled. "Orochimaru, stop twisting my words!"
---
Back in the classroom, many of the Genin were sweating bullets.
The questions were difficult—clearly beyond standard Genin level.
Only a few like Sakura, who had studied diligently, managed to keep calm.
Seeing Naruto frozen with his pen still untouched, Hinata hesitated—then quietly slipped him a cheat sheet.
"Hinata… you're not trying to help me cheat, are you?" Naruto whispered, surprised.
---
To be continued...