Chapter 10

[Naruto Uzumaki: So what if I've gone back in time?]

[Minato Namikaze: Son, is what you're saying true? Have you really come from the future?]

[Kushina Uzumaki: How exactly did you travel from the future to the past?]

[Naruto Uzumaki: I died.]

[Kushina Uzumaki: THAT DOESN'T EXPLAIN ANYTHING!!!!!!]

Seeing his mother's concern, Naruto felt a slight pang of guilt.

He felt sorry for her, but there was no turning back now.

[Naruto Uzumaki: That doesn't matter. What matters is that, thanks to the Chat Group, I have another chance to fix everything. To prevent the Fourth Ninja War and all the deaths it will bring. I'll also be able to stop future catastrophes.]

[Hashirama Senju: Are you saying there are threats worse than a Fourth Ninja War?]

[Naruto Uzumaki: I can't give you that information without a fair trade… And I assure you, I won't accept anything less than your Wood Release in exchange!]

After all, what Hashirama wanted to know was related to the Ōtsutsuki Clan.

That information was far too valuable to just give away.

[Hashirama Senju: That expensive? I don't think it's worth that much…]

[Naruto Uzumaki: Oh, I assure you it is. To answer you… I'd have to start from before the birth of the Sage of the Six Paths.]

[Hashirama Senju: …]

[Tobirama Senju: Hashirama, don't even think about it! It's better to observe the boy for a while before making a decision.]

Of course, Tobirama, like many others in the chat group, doubted Naruto.

How could they not? After all, he was someone capable of communicating with the dead in the Pure World through a strange "artifact" known as the Chat Group.

Naruto more or less understood Tobirama's thoughts.

[Hashirama Senju: Naruto, give me some time to think about it. I'll ask you the same question another time.]

[Naruto Uzumaki: Fine, but if you take too long, the price may go up.]

[Madara Uchiha: I'm also curious. Who was it that killed you?]

Madara, of course, assumed it would be himself when he was finally resurrected.

Naruto knew too much. Keeping him alive was dangerous.

And with everything the group members were constantly giving him…

Madara preferred not to imagine the level of power he would reach in the future.

[Naruto Uzumaki: You want to know who killed me? Just like how I know that you were killed by Hashirama?]

[Madara Uchiha: …]

[Hashirama Senju: HAHAHAHAHAHA]

The sound of the classroom door opening caught Naruto's attention.

Looking up, he saw Sakura and Ino, fighting to get in first.

They argued for a moment before their eyes landed on Sasuke.

The moment they saw him, they ran toward him and started fighting over who would sit next to him.

[Mikoto Uchiha: It seems my son doesn't have it too hard when it comes to romance.]

[Fugaku Uchiha: I never imagined Sasuke would be so popular. Besides, he's considered a genius… that is a surprise.]

[Mikoto Uchiha: You're surprised that our son is a genius?!]

[Fugaku Uchiha: N-no, that's not what I meant, Mikoto… It's just that, compared to Itachi…]

[Mikoto Uchiha: You're always comparing him to Itachi! You should be a better father! Learn from Minato!]

[Fugaku Uchiha: But Minato didn't even raise his son!]

[Minato Namikaze: Ouch, that hurts.]

As the argument continued, Sakura and Ino managed to sit on either side of Sasuke.

Iruka finally entered the classroom and began his explanation.

Naruto rested his head on Hinata's shoulder, and she didn't object, closing his eyes.

For some reason, Iruka's voice always made him sleepy.

Was this… the birth of a new Kekkei Genkai?!

Of course, he was just joking~

As for Hinata, her face was completely red.

She occasionally glanced at him from the corner of her eye, and her blush deepened.

She was far too shy…

But it didn't matter. One day, she would overcome her shyness.

Although, if you asked Naruto, he would prefer if she never did.

[Hizashi Hyūga: You're too close!]

Naruto decided to ignore Hizashi's messages.

Finally, Iruka's voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"We've formed the teams of three to be balanced."

"Next, I'll announce them…"

"Team…!"

"Team…!"

"Team…!"

"Team 7!"

Naruto opened his eyes, still leaning on Hinata's shoulder, paying attention.

His turn had finally come.

"Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno… Sasuke Uchiha!"

Sakura jumped for joy upon hearing she would be on Sasuke's team.

Naruto, on the other hand, let out a heavy sigh.

He had no problem with Sasuke, but… Sakura…

He didn't like her.

She was always yelling and resorting to violence whenever something upset her.

If she tried to hit him, he wouldn't hesitate to give her a beating.

It was for her own good. Yes. Only for her own good…

To everyone's surprise, Naruto stood up.

"Iruka-sensei, I don't like this team!"

Iruka sighed and rubbed his head.

"What is it now, Naruto…?" he asked, exasperated.

It had been a while since Naruto had made a fuss.

Suddenly, he pointed at Sakura.

"It's because of her!"

Sakura pointed at herself, surprised.

Everyone knew Naruto had a crush on her… why was he complaining?

"She's always screaming! I'm afraid my head will explode from her shrill voice!"

[Hashirama Senju: WHAT A FUNNY KID, HAHAHAHA!]

[Minato Namikaze: I can't believe what I'm hearing…]

[Might Duy: THAT'S IT! LET THE POWER OF YOUTH EXPLOOOOODE!!!]

[Madara Uchiha: Certainly, that girl is annoying. Her voice is sharper than a shuriken cutting through the air.]

[Izuna Uchiha: I agree with my brother.]

[Kushina Uzumaki: Oh, come on, she's just a girl… although a rather peculiar one…]

"Besides, working with her will be impossible! She'll only slow us down!"

Sakura was furious upon hearing that.

"I'll slow you down?! Naruto, you're the one who will hold Sasuke and me back! You're the dead last of the class!"

"I may be the last, but I take this seriously, unlike you, who only seeks male attention!"

Naruto glanced at Sasuke and saw a small amused smile on his face.

Sakura clutched her chest, pretending to be hurt.

"Naruto, I'm going to…!"

But Iruka interrupted them.

"That's enough, both of you! The teams can't be changed!"

Naruto plopped back into his seat, arms crossed and an annoyed expression on his face.

"I would've preferred if you were on my team, Hinata…"

"N-Naruto-kun…" Hinata lowered her gaze, nervously playing with her fingers. "…I-I would've liked that too."

She had also wanted to be with him. And to her surprise, she had managed to say it out loud.

Iruka continued announcing the teams.

Just as Naruto remembered, everything remained the same:

Team 8: Hinata Hyūga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame.

Team 10: Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Chōji Akimichi.

"I conclude the briefing. Return this afternoon to meet your instructors. Don't be late."

As Naruto left the classroom with Hinata at his side, a message from the chat group caught his attention.

It was his mother, Kushina.

[Kushina Uzumaki: Naruto, care to explain why you treated that girl, Sakura, like that?]

[Naruto Uzumaki: You have no idea how badly that bitch treated me my whole life. We became good friends in the end, but I can't stand her current attitude.]

[Minato Namikaze: You shouldn't speak about your teammate like that…]

[Naruto Uzumaki: Don't worry. She'll change over time. She'll become one of the strongest kunoichi in the village. She has great talent in medical ninjutsu, so much that Tsunade will end up taking her as her disciple.]

[Hashirama Senju: Oh? That big-foreheaded girl will be my granddaughter's disciple?]

[Mito Uzumaki: Hashirama…]

[Tobirama Senju: Leave him, Mito. My brother is a lost cause. He probably didn't even realize what he said.]

[Hashirama Senju: What's wrong with what I said? Was it because I called her big-foreheaded? I didn't say anything untrue! Look at her! Her forehead is as big as the mountain behind the Hokage Mansion!]

[Naruto Uzumaki: Pfff~]

[Madara Uchiha: Heh…]