Preliminary Plan
After Danzo stormed out in a fury, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado lingered for only a brief moment. Neither of them coveted the power of the Jinchūriki or the Nine-Tails. Their visit had been purely informational—they simply wanted to understand the current status of Naruto.
Seeing everyone depart, Hiruzen Sarutobi motioned for Asuma and Kurenai Yuhi to leave first.
"You two can head out," he said quietly, though his eyes betrayed the depth of his thoughts. "Kakashi, stay with me. There are things you need to know about Naruto—things that concern the safety of the village and the control of immense power."
Kakashi nodded, following Hiruzen as he left the office, his mind already racing through possible scenarios and contingencies.
---
Meanwhile, in the classroom, life had returned to its usual chaotic rhythm after the assignments were announced. Iruka placed the class list on his desk, clearing his throat.
"The teachers assigned to your groups will be arriving this afternoon. Please make sure you are punctual," he instructed, glancing at the eager students.
The word "disband" acted as a signal for freedom. Cheers erupted, chairs scraped against the floor, and students hurried to leave.
Sakura, blushing and nervous, turned toward Sasuke, her heart pounding as she tried to reach out.
"Sasuke-kun, we're going to be teammates from now on. Let's have a meal together and get to know each other!"
Sasuke didn't even glance at her. Without a word, he climbed out the window beside the classroom and disappeared.
Naruto, wearing a wide, eager smile, approached Sakura, trying to cover his disappointment with enthusiasm.
"If he's not going, I'll go with you! We're teammates now, so we should get to know each other better!"
Sakura's blush vanished in an instant, replaced with frustration.
"Sorry, I still need to find Sasuke. You should eat by yourself," she said sharply, leaving Naruto standing there, mouth agape, as she rushed out.
"Damn it… that annoying Sasuke again!" Naruto muttered, frowning as he rushed toward the door. But the crowd had swallowed Sakura's figure; she was gone.
"Even though I've surpassed him and I'm number one… why doesn't Sakura like me?!" Naruto's voice cracked with both exasperation and disbelief.
---
From the side, Kiba Inuzuka had witnessed the entire scene. Akamaru perched on his head, the boy trotted up to Naruto, grinning broadly.
"You're too clumsy, Naruto!" Kiba laughed. "But that's fine, I like clumsy idiots. Come with us for lunch!"
Although his bond with Naruto was not as strong as with Shikamaru or Choji, Kiba admired Naruto's resilience and determination—especially after his sudden rise in rank over the past few days.
Hinata, standing quietly behind Kiba, blushed furiously. If the nearby table weren't supporting her, she might have toppled over.
Shino Aburame, adjusting his dark sunglasses, muttered something quietly under his breath. Kagura, observing from within Naruto's consciousness, noted everything, though Feng Xu, controlling Naruto's body, chose to ignore his mutterings.
Feng Xu, thinking about Sakura's divided attention between Naruto and Sasuke, formulated a preliminary plan.
"Since Naruto likes Sakura so much… what if Sakura were to die at his hands later?" he mused internally. "No… Sakura alone might not be enough. Perhaps we can involve Iruka and even Hiruzen Sarutobi… create circumstances where Naruto's choices are critical."
The goal was subtle: Feng Xu would engineer situations where the dominant personality's trust and dependence on him would peak, without ever directly revealing his manipulations. Guilt, regret, and self-loathing would naturally arise in Naruto, breaking through any defenses.
Of course, this was only a preliminary strategy. Feng Xu needed to carefully plan each step, weighing consequences and timing.
---
Back in the classroom, Naruto's mental state shifted at Feng Xu's words.
"Reject them," Feng Xu instructed, his voice echoing in Naruto's mind. "I have a way for you and Sakura to interact intimately."
Naruto's face lit up instantly, his excitement palpable. Seeing him so joyous, Kiba assumed Naruto had accepted his lunch invitation and put an arm around his shoulder.
"Come on! Since Naruto's joining us, we're going for a barbecue feast!" Kiba announced, grinning. "Even if I spend too much money and my mom beats me when I get home, I'm not afraid!"
The Inuzuka family was prestigious in Konoha, earning wealth through the breeding and sale of elite ninja dogs. A barbecue feast from Kiba was far beyond Naruto's normal budget.
Naruto's excitement froze. On one side, a feast he had never experienced; on the other, his favorite character, Sakura. What should he choose?
He clenched his fists, decision made.
"Sorry! I suddenly remembered I have something to do! I'll treat you to ramen next time!"
With that, Naruto dashed out, leaving Kiba in stunned silence, missing the hint of deliberate planning behind Naruto's decision.
---
On a second-floor balcony of a nearby building, Sasuke sat eating bread, frowning deeply.
After inquiries the previous day, he had learned about the Scroll of Seals. Last night, he had attempted to infiltrate Naruto's residence to learn from him, but the ANBU had ejected him before he even entered the Sarutobi mansion.
Clenching his bread, Sasuke's thoughts darkened.
"The Leaf Village is biased… the Hokage is biased! They'd rather give powerful ninjutsu to a loser than to me! Is it because I'm Uchiha… because I'm the younger brother?"
Lost in thought, Sasuke didn't notice Naruto creeping behind him, rope in hand, grinning mischievously.
"Ughhhhh! You… stay still, you annoying guy!" Naruto's voice rang out.
Sasuke spun around, bewildered.
"Naruto? What… what do you want?"
"You've mistaken me for someone else. I'm Shikamaru, not Naruto!" Naruto called out, trying and failing to hide his amusement.
"You bastard! Don't try to fool me! I saw your orange clothes!"
Sasuke, realizing he had been tricked, smiled slyly, leaped out the window, and muttered under his breath:
"My dear Sakura… I'm coming for you!"
---
That afternoon, in the ninja classroom, Sasuke, still slightly dizzy from his earlier antics, walked in. Sakura, surprisingly, did not crowd him; she sat with her arms crossed, cheeks flushed with anger.
Naruto, sporting a huge bump on his head and a foolish grin, ignored the tension.
Sasuke, focusing entirely on Naruto, spoke first:
"Naruto… you won today. But there's a long road ahead. I'll catch up and take my revenge!"
Without waiting for a response, he turned and found a seat, leaving Naruto's laughter suspended in the air.
Before Naruto could react, a man resembling Shino Aburame stepped into the classroom.
"Seventh Class, follow me," he said, signaling the start of Naruto's next adventure.
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