On the rooftop of the Ninja Academy, Kakashi sat comfortably, one leg dangling over the edge as he flipped through the well-worn pages of Icha Icha Paradise. A faint giggle escaped him, his masked face barely concealing the perverse amusement dancing in his visible eye.
"Today marks the official establishment of Team Seven. Let's start by introducing ourselves," Kakashi announced.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura sat side by side on a staircase, exchanging glances, each waiting for the other to speak first.
Naruto had already anticipated this situation. The first meeting of every team followed the same routine—introducing themselves and getting acquainted. If his guess was correct, Kakashi would send them home after the introductions, telling them not to eat breakfast the next morning. Then, he'd conduct their first ninja survival test.
Haruno Sakura was the first to raise her hand. She looked a little excited, her cheeks flushed.
"My name is Haruno Sakura, and my favorite thing is—" She hesitated. "Well, actually, the person I like is—"
Her face reddened even more as she stole a glance at Sasuke.
"My interests are—"
"My future dream is—"
Kakashi sighed internally. This girl is completely love-struck. For someone her age, romance seems more important than ninjutsu.
"Next person," he prompted.
Sasuke slowly raised his gaze, his eyes holding an unmistakable coldness.
"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I hate many things, but I don't particularly like anything." His voice was steady, but his tone carried a chilling weight. "My dream is to revive the Uchiha clan. And to do that, I must kill a certain man with my own hands."
A flicker of sadness flashed across Kakashi's eyes. As expected... The sole survivor of the Uchiha massacre, left alone with nothing but hatred.
"Next person."
Naruto coughed twice, contemplating his words before speaking.
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto, and my favorite things are ramen from Ichiraku and all the delicious food in Konoha." A smirk spread across his face. "Oh, and also the Icha Icha Paradise in your hand, Sensei... and the money in your wallet, Sensei."
Kakashi blinked, caught off guard. "Nani?" How does this brat know about Icha Icha Paradise? That book wasn't sold to minors. Not to mention, it was in such high demand that even some adults struggled to get their hands on it.
But Kakashi was no amateur. Years of experience in the ninja world meant he wouldn't be easily shaken by a prankster like Naruto. Though a brief moment of embarrassment crossed his face, he quickly regained his composure.
"Really? Anything else?"
Naruto rested his chin on his hand, thinking. "What I hate is the cold indifference of Konoha's adults toward me."
His voice lowered slightly. "The rule I live by is simple: I don't start trouble, but if someone crosses me, I'll pay them back twice over."
Kakashi wasn't surprised. Sarutobi Hiruzen's reports about Naruto painted the same picture. A boy who answered back to villagers who insulted him, who fought when provoked. Unlike most children, he didn't play after school; he trained—alone, diligently. Even when his progress was slow, he never gave up. The signs were clear—Naruto was someone with a deeply determined and frighteningly mature mind.
A subtle smile formed beneath Kakashi's mask as he folded his arms across his chest. "My name is Hatake Kakashi. I don't feel like telling you what I like or dislike. My future dream? I have a variety of interests."
"Tch." Sakura and Sasuke scoffed in unison, unimpressed.
After all that, this guy only told us his name? They were speechless at his evasive response.
"Alright, that concludes our introductions. Starting tomorrow, we'll begin our missions."
Naruto, having read the original story, knew exactly what was coming and remained silent. However, Sakura and Sasuke bombarded Kakashi with questions about their tasks.
Kakashi explained the significance of the "survival training." Of the more than 30 students who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy, only nine would pass this test.
Before leaving, he added a warning. "Oh, and don't eat breakfast tomorrow morning. Or else… you'll just throw up."
On their way home, Naruto suddenly turned to Sasuke and gave him a friendly reminder. "Sasuke, don't listen to him. Make sure you eat a big breakfast tomorrow."
Sasuke frowned. "Oh? Why?"
He didn't understand, but Naruto's expression was serious. There was no hint of a joke in his eyes.
"Don't ask too many questions. Just do as I say." Naruto flashed a mysterious smile before turning away.
Left behind, Sakura continued pestering Sasuke, chattering non-stop.
Naruto's reminder to Sasuke was a small act of goodwill. Despite his aloof nature, Sasuke wasn't all that bad—just a little too proud.
Feeling hungry, Naruto made his way to Ichiraku Ramen and ordered ten bowls of char siu ramen. With his recently acquired funds, he could afford to indulge for a while.
Once his stomach was filled to the brim, Naruto left for his usual training spot—a secluded forest in the east, not far from the run-down building he called home.
As he entered the woods, he immediately got to work, striking the thick tree trunks with force.
This was his daily training ground. Anyone passing by would be stunned by the countless dents in the tree trunks—evidence of relentless punches and kicks. Some marks were fresh, with sawdust still littering the ground, while others had begun to heal, the bark slowly reclaiming the scars of past training.
Bang! Bang!
Naruto attacked the trees relentlessly, moving like a tireless beast. Only when his orange tracksuit was completely soaked in sweat did he finally stop.
He stripped off his shirt and draped it over a branch, then resumed his taijutsu training, his muscles burning with exhaustion.
This habit had been ingrained in him over the years. Whenever he had free time, he trained.
After a long session, his body would be too tired to dwell on the cold stares, the whispers, the loneliness of Konoha. The exhaustion numbed those thoughts, leaving only the simple pleasure of sleep.
Even now, with the system granting him new strength, Naruto had no intention of abandoning this routine.
(End of Chapter)