Team Assignments!

"Uhhh… Sakura?"

A familiar voice. Loud. Hesitant.

Sakura didn't react immediately. She continued to spin the senbon, her movements slow, methodical. She let the pause sit. Let it settle.

Naruto shuffled beside her, fidgeting. "...Yo?"

Another pause.

Sakura moved.

A single nod.

Slow. Purposeful. Acknowledging.

Naruto blinked. He blinked again. Then he grinned, rubbing the back of his head. "Man, you're acting kinda cool today, huh?"

A soft exhale through the nose. Not quite a laugh. Not quite a scoff. Just enough to make Naruto pause again.

Another ding.

[Aura System]

+2 Aura Points gained.

(Farming Method: The Deliberate Nod – Less is more.)

Naruto scratched his cheek, now looking at her fully. "Wait, where'd you get that vest? And that hoodie? Ain't the flak jacket like… Jonin gear?"

A Jonin? No. But an aura farming genin?

She met his gaze, eyes steady. "It was time for an upgrade."

Silence.

Naruto processed.

Sakura could see it happening. His brain working overtime. The sheer effort of thought scraping against his skull.

And then it clicked.

His hands slammed down on the desk. "THAT'S SO COOL!"

[Aura System]

+10 Aura Points gained.

(Farming Method: Overwhelming a Simple Mind.)

Excellent.

The farming continued.

***

The classroom hummed with restless energy as students whispered among themselves, eager and anxious about their team placements.

Sakura remained still. Silent. Drip immaculate.

She sat perfectly composed, arms resting lightly on the desk, her senbon twirling effortlessly between her fingers. 

The flak jacket molded snugly against her frame, the black hooded shirt draped under it just enough to add to her mystique. Her pants were neatly tucked into her shinobi sandals, emphasizing a look that screamed professionalism with a hint of menace.

And as she sat, radiating unbothered shinobi efficiency, the system did its job.

The door slid open with a sharp clack.

Iruka stepped inside, clipboard in hand, his presence immediately silencing the classroom. Years of teaching Naruto had given him an almost supernatural ability to command attention.

"Alright, listen up," Iruka said, voice carrying authority. "From this day forward, you are no longer mere students of Ninjutsu, but full-fledged shinobi. But amongst the ranks of the shinobi, you are the lowest of the low…"

As Iruka's voice carried on, drilling them amongst the responsibilities they'd each have as Genin, Sakura almost droned off, too busy portraying the air of coolness.

His voice snapped her back into attention.

"...today, you'll be assigned to your teams. These teams will be your comrades, your partners in missions, and your support in battle. Learn to work together. Rely on each other. A true shinobi never fights alone."

Naruto was fidgeting beside her, practically vibrating with anticipation. 

Across the room, Sasuke sat with arms crossed, staring ahead with the intensity of a man planning seventeen different ways to commit homicide.

An aura farmer on her level. Sakura truly had much to learn.

The tension in the room was thick. And then—

Iruka glanced at his list, and started reading out the teams, much to the dismay or joy of the people around her. 

And then eventually…

"Team 7."

He looked up. "Sakura Haruno."

Another pause.

All eyes flicked to her.

Sakura didn't move at first. She simply exhaled, a slow, measured breath, before stabbing her senbon into her hair in one fluid motion. Her hood shifted slightly as she moved, the folds of fabric adjusting just right to emphasize her form. 

She looked more androgynous than female. An excellent trait for a ninja and masters of infiltration.

A simple nod.

The room felt it.

Ding!

[Aura System]

+5 Aura Points gained.

(Farming Method: Presence is Power – Move like you own the space.)

Iruka blinked, briefly thrown off by the sheer shinobi energy she exuded. He cleared his throat.

"…Right. Next… Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto immediately fist-pumped, grinning. "Yes! Believe it!"

A beat of silence.

The sheer contrast between his energy and Sakura's was palpable.

Ding!

[Aura System]

+2 Aura Points gained.

(Farming Method: Looking Cooler By Comparison.)

"And finally," Iruka continued, "Sasuke Uchiha."

A synchronized sigh rippled through the classroom as Sasuke's fangirls collectively mourned the loss of their chance to be on his team. Ino looked devastated.

Sasuke didn't react.

Of course he didn't.

But… he did glance at Sakura. Briefly.

It was subtle. Barely noticeable. But it happened.

And that was all she needed.

Ding!

[Aura System]

+2 Aura Points gained.

(Farming Method: Acknowledged By The Prodigy.)

Iruka wrapped up the rest of the teams before addressing the class one last time. "Your jōnin instructors will arrive shortly. Until then, wait here."

With that, he turned and exited.

Silence.

Sakura leaned back, her movements fluid. The senbon twirled again, perfectly balanced between her fingers.

Naruto squinted at her. Hard.

Like, really hard.

Sakura met his stare with the calm patience of a shinobi master indulging a particularly dense apprentice.

"…You're acting weird," Naruto finally concluded.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Am I?"

"Yes."

She twirled the senbon between her fingers, the sharp tip gleaming under the classroom lights. "Naruto," she said smoothly, "have you ever considered that maybe… you never actually knew me?"

Naruto blinked. His brain visibly struggled to process those words. "Huh?"

Sasuke, who had been pretending not to listen, subtly glanced in her direction.

Ding!

 [Aura System]

+3 Aura Points gained.

(Farming Method: Cryptic and Mysterious Statements.)

She exhaled, just a hint of theatricality in her breath. "I was practicing."

Naruto tilted his head. "Practicing what?"

"Infiltration."

"…Infiltration."

Sakura nodded, slipping into the perfect dead-serious shinobi tone. "For years, I needed a cover. A persona to blend in. To observe. To study my surroundings."

"…Okay?"

"So, I played a role." She leaned forward slightly, voice dropping into something low and intriguing. 

"I embedded myself within a social group, crafted a personality that would not raise suspicion. That role… was a Sasuke fangirl."

Naruto's face scrunched up. "WHAT?!"

Sasuke, still silent, slowly turned to face her, an expression somewhere between mild interest and what the actual hell.

Ding!

[Aura System]

+12 Aura Points gained.

(Farming Method: Saying Insane Things With Absolute Confidence.)

"It was all an act," Sakura continued, voice steady, professional. "A test of my ability to immerse myself in a persona so deeply that no one would question it. And it worked."

Naruto's mouth opened. Then closed. Then opened again. "…So you're telling me that ALL that time, all that—" He gestured vaguely, "—Sasuke this, Sasuke that, 'OH SASUKE-KUN, PLEASE LOOK AT ME'—that was acting?!"

Sakura nodded. "Of course. And now that I've graduated and become a proper shinobi, it's time to focus on my other skills."

Naruto just sat there, eyes wide with betrayal, confusion, and possibly even admiration.

Sasuke blinked. Once.

Ding!

[Aura System]

+5 Aura Points gained.

(Farming Method: Confusing Everyone Into Thinking You're A Genius.)

Naruto rubbed his head furiously, trying to process it all. "…I don't—this is—what—"

Sakura chose that exact moment to move.

Her hand flicked up… graceful, precise, effortless. The senbon slipped through her fingers and whipped through the air with a deadly hum.

*THWIP*

Naruto yelped as the needle embedded itself perfectly through two torn sections of his jumpsuit, pinning them together seamlessly. The precision. The accuracy. 

The sheer artistry.

Naruto looked down. Looked up. "Did you just… fix my jumpsuit?"

Sakura leaned back, folding her arms. "It was bothering me."

Silence.

Sasuke's eyes flicked between Naruto's jumpsuit and the perfectly pierced senbon.

Naruto gawked. "That was kinda… cool?"

Ding!

[Aura System]

+5 Aura Points gained.

(Farming Method: Showcasing Ridiculous Precision Casually.)

Sakura's expression didn't change. "I know."

Naruto continued staring at her, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "Okay. I take it back. You're, like… really different."

She just twirled another senbon between her fingers and smirked.

Current Aura Balance: 71 AP

Damn I'm so fucking cool.

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