Registration

The air was slightly cool in the early morning.

Today is the day to submit the application form for the Chunin Exams.

When Sasuke and Sakura arrived, they found that Naruto had been waiting for a long time.

He leaned against the red railing, quietly reading a book in his hands.

He exuded an aura that was completely out of place for a ninja.

Good morning, Naruto! You're here early.

Sakura's energetic voice broke the silence.

Good morning, Sakura.

Good morning, Sasuke.

Naruto closed the book, looked up, and a signature gentle smile appeared on his face:

"After all, it's the Chunin Exams, and I don't want to keep you waiting too long."

Sasuke, with his hands in his pockets, looked at Naruto, who remained calm, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he always felt...

Naruto seems a little off today.

The feeling was like a clear stream suddenly turning into a deep pool.

Is it just my imagination? They don't look any different at all.

"Now that everyone's here, let's go."

Sasuke suppressed the strange feeling in his heart and took the lead in walking forward:

"Don't be late for registration."

"certainly."

Naruto followed with a smile, his pace neither hurried nor slow.

……

Inside the Ninja Academy building.

When they arrived at the second-floor corridor, it was already packed with genin from various countries.

At the entrance to classroom 301, which was under a genjutsu spell, two fierce-looking "genin" were blocking the doorway to prevent the examinees from entering.

They even knocked away several people who tried to force their way in, displaying an arrogant and overbearing attitude.

"You think you can participate in the Chunin Exams with your level of skill? Go home and drink your milk!"

Unaware of the situation, the test takers were pushing and arguing, and the scene became quite chaotic.

Sasuke stopped and gave the two examiners a cold look.

This level of illusion was full of flaws in his eyes, and he was just about to expose it.

"There's no need to stop, Sasuke."

Naruto beside him did not stop. He walked steadily through the crowd without glancing at the sign.

"Ignore the methods used to filter out the weaklings."

Sasuke paused for a moment, then smiled knowingly.

"Too."

He withdrew his hand, which was about to form hand seals to break the genjutsu, crossed his arms, and followed Naruto's footsteps.

"This kind of boring trick is really not worth wasting time on."

"Wait for me, Naruto, Sasuke!"

Sakura quickly followed.

Ignoring the noisy crowd and the examiners' shouts, the three of them walked straight through the illusion and headed towards the stairs leading to the third floor.

His composed demeanor drew slight glances from several astute test-takers.

……

Inside the spacious hall leading to the registration area.

"You black-haired boy over there, and you blond boy, please wait a moment."

A green figure suddenly descended from above, blocking the three people's path.

The newcomer had thick eyebrows and large eyes, wore a tight-fitting outfit, and struck a pose with a burning gaze.

"I'm Rock Lee, and you must be Naruto and Sasuke, right?"

Lee's gaze swept back and forth between Naruto and Sasuke.

Finally, his gaze settled on Sasuke, who was showing more brilliance, and then he glanced hesitantly at Naruto, who had a deep and reserved aura.

"I want to challenge you."

"I want to know if my physical skills are effective against geniuses."

"A challenge...?"

A fighting spirit flashed in Sasuke's eyes. He was about to step forward when he subconsciously glanced at Naruto.

Naruto pushed up his glasses, took a half step back and leaned against the wall, making a gesture of invitation.

"Go, Sasuke."

Naruto said calmly and casually, "It's perfect as a warm-up before the exam, to see different opponents."

This statement gave Sasuke a lot of face.

"Hmph, that's perfect, I also want to stretch my muscles."

Sasuke smiled confidently and stepped forward. "I'll take care of you in five minutes."

The battle erupted instantly.

Xiao Li's speed was astonishing, a testament to his physical prowess.

"Leaf Whirlwind!"

A sharp sweeping kick came with a gust of wind.

Sasuke, having underestimated his opponent, was caught off guard and stumbled back a few steps in a somewhat disheveled manner.

"So fast!" Sakura exclaimed.

But Sasuke is, after all, a genius of the Uchiha clan.

"Very interesting martial arts..."

Sasuke steadied himself, and the tomoe in his eyes began to spin.

He absolutely would not allow himself to lose to anyone other than Naruto.

As Lee launched his Shadow Dance attack again, Sasuke reacted.

The Sharingan instantly observes the movement trajectory of the muscles.

The moment Lee kicked out again, Sasuke executed an almost identical roundhouse kick.

Bang! Their legs collided.

Although slightly weaker, the technique was perfectly replicated.

Then, with the reaction force, Sasuke landed gracefully and dusted off his pants.

"Wh...what!"

Xiao Li was shocked. "That was...my movement?"

Neji and Tenten, who were watching from the sidelines, also changed their expressions.

"Did you copy it after only watching it once?"

Tenten exclaimed in surprise, "This is the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan..."

Sasuke looked at the shocked Rock Lee and a smile appeared on his lips.

Although physical combat was not his specialty, he was able to instantly analyze the principles of his opponent's movements thanks to the Sharingan's insightful vision and copying ability.

"Impressive physical skills, they're mine now."

Sasuke turned to look at Naruto, his eyes filled with a hint of provocation, as if to say:

See, this is the power of the Uchiha.

Naruto stood by the wall and gently closed the book in his hand.

He looked at the spirited Sasuke, smiled and nodded, like a gentle older brother affirming his younger brother's performance:

"Not bad observation skills, Sasuke."

The compliment made Sasuke feel inexplicably relieved.

Only after receiving Naruto's affirmation did his sense of superiority truly materialize.

"Alright, warm-up over."

Naruto straightened up and walked towards the door of classroom 301:

"The real stage is inside, let's go."

Sasuke watched Naruto's retreating figure.

The pleasure he had initially gained from suppressing Xiao Li had somehow dissipated.

They clearly won, and they clearly gained recognition.

But he always felt that he was showing Naruto his work, while Naruto was inspecting it.

This inexplicable class difference made him feel very uncomfortable.

"Next time... I'll definitely give this guy a big surprise."

Lee watched Sasuke leave quietly, his fists clenching tightly.

……

Classroom 301.

The moment I pushed open the door, a wave of noisy sounds from inside rushed out.

"Hey, boss!"

An excited shout rang out.

Kiba Inuzuka, carrying Akamaru, excitedly squeezed through the crowd and ran over.

Shino and Hinata followed behind him.

"Teeth."

Naruto smiled slightly and nodded.

"Haha, I knew you'd come, Naruto-nii-san!"

Kiba patted his chest proudly and said to Hinata beside him:

"See? I knew Naruto's strength was enough to ensure he wouldn't be absent."

Kiba is now completely convinced by Naruto.

It's not just because of the previous SMTH incident.

More importantly... he challenged Naruto again a few days ago.

As a result, he and Akamaru were completely overwhelmed by a shadow clone, not to mention Naruto himself.

He didn't even manage to touch the hem of Naruto's clothes.

At this point, he had no other thoughts and only wanted to protect Naruto's leg.

Because he was convinced that Naruto's future would be extraordinary.

So I willingly call him boss.

"Naruto-kun..."

Hinata hid behind, blushing as she greeted them softly.

"Hello, Hinata," Naruto replied gently.

"And... Shino."

Aburame Shino, who had been silent all along, pushed up his sunglasses and nodded to Naruto.

No one noticed that Shino's hands, hidden under his trench coat, were trembling slightly.

He gave Naruto a deep look and instinctively took a half step back.

"My bugs... are terrified of Naruto..."

That fear was as if they had encountered a more advanced predator.

boom!

Accompanied by a puff of white smoke, the examiners, led by Ibiki Morino, made their appearance, instantly creating a powerful sense of oppression that swept across the entire venue.

"Shut up, you bunch of useless trash!"

Ibixi, his face covered in scars, surveyed the crowd with the sharp gaze of a hawk.

The entire room fell silent instantly.

"I am the examiner for the first exam, Morino Ibiki."

He coldly announced:

"The first round of the Chunin Selection Exams... begins."