181

**Chapter 181: Strength, Speed, and Body Attributes at SS Rank! 1

On a rocky mountain.

Sasuke continued unleashing Daytime Tiger without pause.

The sound of ringing echoed continuously in his ears.

*Ding!*

Another Daytime Tiger!

A consecutive Daytime Tiger!

*Ding, ding!*

Add more points!

...

Sasuke repeated the same actions over and over. His movements were incredibly fast, seizing every fleeting second.

Time passed, second by second.

Gradually...

The blazing sun set in the west.

Night fell.

Sasuke still hadn't stopped. Everything he was doing now was to ensure that his strength and speed attributes reached SS rank before the Chunin Exams arrived.

---

*Midnight.*

When Sasuke executed his final Daytime Tiger, three distinct dings echoed in his ears.

His entire body instantly fell into exhaustion.

"That should be enough, right?"

Sasuke hadn’t been paying close attention to his attribute panel, but now he prepared to allocate points to his body attribute. He glanced down briefly.

*499...*

The last digit wasn’t clear.

The fatigue caused by the Seventh Gate blurred his vision, so he hurriedly added a point to his body attribute.

*Strength: 4998, Speed: 4997.*

Three more rounds!

Sasuke immediately unleashed three more Daytime Tigers into the void. Afterward, the ringing sounded again.

*Ding!*

And again...

Sasuke repeated this process three more times before releasing the Eight Gates Technique.

*Ding, ding!*

*Ding, ding!*

*Ding, ding!*

...

In an instant, seven dings echoed consecutively. Adding the three from before, a total of ten dings resounded.

*Add points!*

Sasuke quickly allocated eight points to his body attribute and one to his mental attribute.

After finishing the allocation...

Sasuke's body trembled slightly as waves of cool and hot sensations surged through him, sweeping away all his exhaustion and restoring him to peak condition.

"Ah!"

Sasuke exhaled deeply. Days of relentless training had worn him out.

It wasn’t physical fatigue—it was mental exhaustion.

Even after increasing his mental attribute to restore his spirit, the monotonous training process was still frustrating.

"Finally..."

Sasuke felt like he was liberated. For the first time in a while, he wouldn’t need to train.

"Now it’s time to review my attributes!"

He refocused on the [Attributes] panel.

*Current System Points: 1048*

*[Attributes]*

- *Mental Attribute:* Rank S (118/5000)

- *Body Attribute:* Rank SS (5083/10000)

- *Illusion Attribute:* Rank S (0/5000)

- *Ninja Attribute:* Rank S (0/5000)

- *Strength Attribute:* Rank S (5001/5000)

- *Speed Attribute:* Rank S (5000/5000)

*Chakra Affinities:* Lightning (x5), Water (x1)

Sasuke's eyes focused on his Strength and Speed attributes—both had reached their maximum.

Based on past experience, Sasuke was very clear:

The Body, Strength, and Speed attributes could be enhanced through training, but...

These enhancements couldn’t break through their limits!

In other words, unless Sasuke actively allocated points to these attributes, they wouldn’t surpass their current ranks.

*Add points!*

Sasuke willed it, adding 1 point each to Strength and Speed.

*Buzz!*

In an instant, Sasuke felt his muscles transform, making him stronger and more powerful.

His strength increased!

His speed accelerated!

His overall impact improved significantly!

Adding points also restored his stamina, boosting his endurance to an almost unbelievable level.

Even veteran athletes wouldn’t compare!

Sasuke was very pleased with what the system had done for him.

He reexamined the attributes panel.

Strength and Speed had both reached *SS Rank*.

Looking at the hexagonal attribute chart, three dazzling SS ranks now stood out.

Satisfied!

Sasuke felt a deep sense of accomplishment.

"Finally, before the Chunin Exams, my Strength, Speed, and Body attributes are all SS rank!"

---

Reflecting on the past two months since arriving in the ninja world, Sasuke realized he had been balancing survival with showing off.

"Now, I don’t need to hide anymore!"

With his newfound strength, Sasuke brimmed with confidence.

Strength, Speed, and Body all at SS rank!

Even Guy-sensei wouldn’t be much better than this!

"Time to head back."

Having reached SS rank, Sasuke felt no need to remain there. The next step—reaching SSS rank—required 10,000 system points.

He wasn’t ready for that grind!

*Whoosh!*

Sasuke activated the Flying Thunder God technique, but instead of returning directly to the Uchiha Clan, he appeared atop the Second Hokage's head.

He decided to take a leisurely walk back.

Since arriving in this world, Sasuke hadn’t taken the time to enjoy the sights of Konoha.

Now, for once, he felt relaxed.

Under the moonlight, Sasuke descended the Hokage Rock stairs, pondering the upcoming Chunin Exams.

The one-year future guide clearly outlined the details of the exam.

He knew that showing off during the event would grant him additional system points.

These points were crucial.

"If I’m right, these points will start accumulating tomorrow when I submit my application form."

Lost in thought, Sasuke reached the ground.

Konoha was peaceful at midnight.

Hardly anyone was around.

As he strolled through the moonlit streets, heading toward the Uchiha district, he finally felt a rare moment of calm.

---

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Suddenly, the sound of rushing wind reached Sasuke's ears.

Ninjas were rapidly approaching, their speed suggesting they were at least Chunin level.

Within a few breaths...

Three figures appeared before Sasuke.

The leader was a long-haired ninja who seemed to blur the line between male and female.

The person wore a blue-gray robe and a wide-brimmed hat.

Behind the leader were two other ninjas in black attire, also wearing hats—one of them even had a mask.

They were completely covered, making their identities unclear.

Yet...

None of the three wore ninja headbands, leaving their village affiliation a mystery.

However, Sasuke's eyes locked onto the long-haired ninja in front.

He recognized this person.

*Orochimaru!*

No doubt about it.

This person’s style matched Orochimaru's perfectly.

As for the two behind him, Sasuke couldn’t recall their identities.

But this one—no mistake!

To see Orochimaru before the Chunin Exams was unexpected.

Interesting!

Sasuke looked at Orochimaru, deciding not to leave.

"You’ve come for me, haven’t you? Let’s see how many system points you can contribute."

"So late, and you’re not home yet?" Orochimaru said with a sly smile, his eyes fixed on Sasuke. They weren’t snake-like but still glimmered with intrigue.

"And how is that any of your business?" Sasuke retorted.

---

Sasuke shot Orochimaru a cold, disdainful glance, his eyes filled with unreserved contempt and scorn.

*+10*

The numbers in Sasuke's view flickered sharply, instantly reflecting the point increase.

“No problem, I’m just giving you a friendly reminder—the world out there isn’t safe, especially at night. Heh heh heh heh…”

Orochimaru let out a sinister laugh. Having just returned to Konoha Village and seeing Sasuke immediately had stirred his excitement.

“Foolish!”

Sasuke didn’t spare Orochimaru even a shred of respect. It wasn’t that he didn’t recognize Orochimaru’s identity; instead, he was deliberately mocking him, fully aware of who he was dealing with.

*+20*

The numbers in Sasuke's view jumped once again.

Swish! Swish!  

In an instant, the two people standing next to Orochimaru struck combat-ready poses.

“Stand down.”

Orochimaru immediately halted them. He gazed at Sasuke, not angry in the least but rather brimming with admiration.

This bloodline!  

This body!  

Those eyes!  

These were everything Orochimaru coveted. The sight of Sasuke filled him with thrilling anticipation.

He wasn’t a match for Itachi Uchiha.

But.

He believed he could handle Itachi’s younger brother.

“You made the right choice. If they’d attacked me just now, there would be no need for them to attend the Chunin Exams.”

Sasuke’s voice was icy, laced with sarcasm, as though deliberately provoking them.

*+30*

The numbers in Sasuke's view climbed once more.

“It seems you’re quite confident in yourself,” Orochimaru remarked without the slightest surprise. He had already studied Sasuke’s personality thoroughly.

This kid didn’t have overwhelming skills, but his arrogance was off the charts—a textbook show-off.

And that.

Was something Orochimaru could exploit.

“I’ll say it again: go home early. The world out there is full of bad people. If you run into them, you’ll be in danger.”

Orochimaru’s words carried a hidden warning, hinting both at his own threat and urging Sasuke not to overestimate himself and end up dead before his potential bloomed.

“If bad people run into me, the ones in danger will be them, not me.”

Sasuke shook his head lightly, his gaze sweeping over the three before settling back on Orochimaru.

“You should be careful.”

*+40*

The numbers in Sasuke's view surged upward again.

“Hahahahaha!”

Orochimaru tilted his head back and laughed, saying nothing further as he watched Sasuke.

Truth be told.

He rather liked this cocky version of Sasuke!

Sasuke gave Orochimaru one last, deep look.

They’d said enough.

There was no point in dragging this on.

Orochimaru wouldn’t expose his identity here—it was merely an unexpected encounter.

Without another word, Sasuke turned and continued his leisurely stroll back toward the Uchiha clan’s district.

It wasn’t yet time for the Chunin Exams.

There were no bonus points for unnecessary showboating here. He had to leave Orochimaru with some anticipation.

Orochimaru watched Sasuke’s retreating figure thoughtfully, his gaze lingering on the Uchiha crest emblazoned on Sasuke’s back.

“What an enviable bloodline…”

Orochimaru muttered with a sly grin before vanishing. His two subordinates followed suit.

---

*Half an hour later.*

Sasuke strolled back into the Uchiha district without encountering anyone else.

Back home.

He retrieved a form from his private storage space and filled out his name, ninja registration number, and other details at the table.

Once finished.

He returned the form to the storage space—a habit he had developed to ensure nothing was ever misplaced.

*Sleep.*

Sasuke only slept for a few hours. After all, it was already midnight when he got back.

Still.

Even those few hours felt great.

Before sleeping.

He had boosted his mental attributes, leaving him fully refreshed. He simply wanted to rest.

*Morning.*

Sasuke woke up right away.

After a quick wash and tidy-up.

He donned a white Uchiha outfit, glanced at himself in the mirror.

No need to put in extra effort.

He was already incredibly handsome.

Then.

Using the Flying Thunder God technique, he locked onto Naruto’s location.

---

*At the ninja academy entrance.*

Naruto and Sakura had both arrived, though their moods were polar opposites.

Naruto was brimming with excitement, practically vibrating with anticipation for the upcoming Chunin Exams.

Sakura, on the other hand, was visibly downcast.

She had no confidence whatsoever.

The thought of the Chunin Exams left her in a panic.

She knew her own abilities better than anyone.

And that.

Was the source of her anxiety.

“Where’s Sasuke?”

Sakura grew agitated. She had pinned all her hopes on Sasuke.

If he didn’t show up.

She had no intention of taking the exam.

“Don’t worry. Sasuke will be here!”

Naruto grinned confidently. He had complete faith in Sasuke, convinced he wouldn’t skip out.

Because he knew.

Sasuke would come.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be Sasuke.

*Whoosh!*

Suddenly.

A white figure flashed next to Naruto, patting him on the shoulder.

It was Sasuke!

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Sasuke said calmly, appearing effortlessly via the Flying Thunder God technique.

*+20 (10)*

The numbers in Sasuke's view jumped again.

The parentheses are here!  

Sasuke’s eyes brightened.

Now that they were officially at the Chunin Exam event node, bonus points for showboating were active.

“Sasuke!”

Sakura’s eyes lit up instantly. With him here, she felt she could finally relax.

“Apologies for being late.”

Sasuke glanced at Sakura, then Naruto, smiling faintly.

“Sasuke, you’ve been hanging out with Kakashi-sensei too much! You’ve picked up his tardiness!”

Naruto teased, feigning annoyance.

“Naruto, I need to talk to you,” Sasuke said seriously. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he produced a Flying Thunder God kunai and handed it to Sakura.

“Sakura, hold onto this and wait for us.”

Before she could respond.

Sasuke grabbed Naruto’s arm, and the two vanished with the Flying Thunder God technique.

The academy entrance was left empty.

“Hey…”

Sakura was left flustered.

“Don’t leave me here alone!”

Her voice quivered with frustration, nearly in tears. She felt abandoned.

Why can’t we face this together?  

Sakura glanced at the kunai in her hand, suppressing the urge to complain.

They could’ve just left this on the ground!  

Why make me the marker?!  

She knew exactly what the Flying Thunder God technique was capable of.

Looking at the kunai, she felt utterly exasperated.

“You two just wanted to sneak off for a private meeting!”

Sakura stomped her foot, grumbling in frustration. She was certain they had intentionally left her out.

*Whoosh!*

Sasuke and Naruto reappeared in Sasuke’s home in the Uchiha district.

“Where is this?”

Naruto looked around, taking in the spotless, meticulously organized surroundings. It was clear the homeowner valued cleanliness.

“This is my house,” Sasuke said nonchalantly, his eyes fixed on Naruto.

*+10 (5)*

The numbers in Sasuke's view flickered again.

This time.

It caught Sasuke by surprise.

I wasn’t even showing off!  

---

**Chapter 181: Strength, Speed, and Body Attributes at SS Rank! 2

*"Is this showing off?"*

*"You can add points to this?"*

*"Of course."*

Sasuke didn’t overthink it—being able to add points was obviously a good thing. Right now, he wished he could add even more system points.

*"Sasuke, why did you bring me to your house?"*

Naruto’s eyelid twitched violently. He really couldn’t figure out what Sasuke was thinking.

The Chunin Exams were just around the corner.

And yet, at this critical moment...

He actually brought him home!

*"There’s something urgent I need to do right now."*

Sasuke’s face showed no expression; he looked incredibly serious as he locked eyes with Naruto.

*"W-what is it?"*

Naruto swallowed nervously. He had no idea what Sasuke was about to say, let alone what he was planning to do. A strange sense of tension filled the air.

Whoosh!  

At that moment—

Sasuke's eyes transformed, the pitch-black pupils shifting into the crimson, three-tomoe Sharingan.

Buzz!  

Immediately—

Naruto felt a wave of dizziness as if the world was spinning.

The two of them suddenly found themselves in a dimly lit corridor.

There was standing water on the floor below them, and not far away was a grand golden door with a talisman marked "Seal" on it.

*"Sasuke, why are we here again?"*

Naruto was full of questions. He couldn’t understand what this trip to see the Nine-Tails had to do with the upcoming Chunin Exams.

*"Don’t worry about it."*

Sasuke waved a dismissive hand at Naruto and fixed his gaze on the cage ahead, striding toward it step by step.

*"I just need to have a little chat with the pet."*

+50  

The moment Sasuke spoke, a number flashed in front of him, increasing rapidly. This time, though, it appeared without parentheses.

*"You little brat!"*

The Nine-Tails was instantly furious.

This was outright disrespect for a tailed beast!

He hadn’t done anything recently, and yet Sasuke just came in to chat whenever he felt like it?

*"Done!"*

Sasuke waved his hand again and, in an instant, pulled Naruto out of the sealed Nine-Tails’ space.

*"..."*

The Nine-Tails stared at the spot where the two had disappeared, feeling a wave of frustration.

What was that about?

Did they seriously just come to look at him?

As if he were some kind of pet?

*"ARGHHHH!"*

The Nine-Tails let out a furious roar. He felt an endless surge of power within him but had no way to release it.

*"Uchiha brat, you’d better hope you don’t fall into my hands!"*

The Nine-Tails’ growls echoed throughout the sealed space, though no one was around to hear it.

---

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...  

After another dizzying spin, Sasuke and Naruto’s consciousnesses returned, and they found themselves back at Sasuke’s house.

*"What just happened?"*

Naruto was still full of questions, utterly confused about Sasuke’s strange behavior.

*"Don’t ask."*

Sasuke replied calmly.

Slap!  

The next moment—

Sasuke grabbed Naruto’s arm and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to instantly teleport them to the entrance of the ninja academy.

*"Ah?!"*

Sakura, startled by their sudden appearance, accidentally threw the Flying Thunder God kunai she was holding.

Sasuke casually caught the kunai, flicked his wrist, and made it disappear.

+20 (10)  

Numbers flashed before Sasuke’s eyes again, this time with parentheses.

*"So that’s how it works."*

Sasuke immediately understood.

The point multiplier only applied when he was participating in a specific event. Once outside of the event, the points stopped accumulating.

Earlier, bringing Naruto home had already placed him outside the "Chunin Exam" event.

The key was the event, not the time period.

So—

He had to visit the Nine-Tails during the Chunin Exams, not before.

There were too many eyes on them here.

He’d wait until they were in the Forest of Death.

Deciding to put off any further "showboating" with the Nine-Tails, Sasuke returned his focus to the Chunin Exams.

*"Naruto, Sakura, let’s go register for the exams!"*

Sasuke flipped his wrist and produced his registration form before heading into the academy.

*"..."*

*"..."*

Naruto and Sakura were speechless, their eyelids twitching as they watched Sasuke’s retreating figure.

He was the one who’d caused the delay!

And now he was the one in a rush!

But still—

While they were annoyed, they couldn’t help but forgive Sasuke.

---

---

The numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes increased again.

“Who are you?”

“What kind of person do you think you are?”

“Don’t think you’re hot stuff just because you saw through the illusion!”

“You dare talk to us like that? You’re dead meat!”

“We won’t hold back against you!”

“...”

In an instant, a barrage of voices rose against Sasuke, as if they had already declared him an enemy.

Sakura’s lips twitched slightly.

What’s going on?!

We haven’t even registered yet!

And he’s already made this many enemies?!

This is bad!

Sakura slapped her forehead hard, feeling more and more puzzled by Sasuke’s behavior.

He could’ve quietly gone up to the third floor earlier.

Why go out of his way to say those things?

Was it just to show off?

Sakura didn’t think it was necessary at all.

“Seeing through an illusion isn’t enough.”

But then—

At that moment, Tetsu Hagane’s voice rang out.

He rushed toward Sasuke with incredible speed, his sudden attack catching everyone off guard.

Whoosh!

Tetsu appeared beside Sasuke in an instant, unleashing a swift kick aimed straight at Sasuke’s chest.

“Whoo!”

The crowd collectively gasped, unable to react in time, their eyes wide as they watched the sudden turn of events.

In their subconscious thoughts, many felt a bit of schadenfreude.

Serves you right for sticking your neck out!

You had it coming!

But...

Sasuke stood there motionless, as if he didn’t even see Tetsu’s kick coming. His face remained expressionless, not betraying even a hint of panic.

+60 (30)

The numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes rose again—the system had counted it as a show-off moment.

Of course, the crowd didn’t think Sasuke was showing off; they thought he was paralyzed with fear.

However—

Just as Tetsu’s kick was about to land on Sasuke, Sasuke suddenly moved!

Under the stunned gaze of everyone, Sasuke raised his left hand, holding it out in front of him.

He caught Tetsu’s right leg mid-kick!

Thwack!  

A dull sound echoed as Sasuke gripped Tetsu’s leg firmly in his hand.

Sasuke stood as steady as a mountain, completely unfazed, making what looked like a powerful kick feel as light as a feather.

+70 (35)

The numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes ticked upward again, clearly gaining momentum.

“Interesting.”

A faintly meaningful smile appeared on Tetsu’s face. He jerked his leg back, trying to free it, but Sasuke’s grip was like a vice, completely immovable.

What’s going on?

How is this possible?!

Is this really the strength of a genin?

But—

Tetsu quickly adjusted, leveraging the momentum to send a flying kick with his left leg, aiming straight for Sasuke’s face.

“Tetsu, that’s enough. If I really wanted to fight you, your leg would already be broken.”

Sasuke’s voice was calm yet icy, every word cutting through the air with chilling clarity.

Then—

Sasuke gave a sudden push, using immense strength to send Tetsu flying.

Crash!  

Tetsu was thrown backward, slamming heavily into the door of Classroom 201, leaving him momentarily dazed.

+80 (40)

The points on Sasuke’s system jumped once again.

“Uchiha Sasuke, you’re impressive.”

The younger version of Izumo Kamizuki complimented Sasuke with a nod, no longer looking to cause trouble. Instead, he gestured toward the nearby staircase.

“You may proceed to Classroom 301.”

With that, the other ninja scrambled toward the staircase at the end of the hallway, eager to reach Classroom 301 before anyone else.

“Let’s go.”

Sasuke turned to Naruto and Sakura, his tone composed. Unlike the others, they didn’t rush, lagging behind the crowd instead.

“Yeah!”

Sakura nodded enthusiastically, watching Sasuke’s back with a newfound sense of safety and reassurance.

---

At the entrance to Classroom 201—

Thud! Thud!  

The younger versions of Izumo Kamizuki and Tetsu Hagane reverted to their original appearances.

The two of them fixed their sharp gazes in the direction Sasuke and his team had gone.

“So, these are Kakashi’s subordinates. They’re much stronger than I expected—especially Uchiha Sasuke. His strength is incredible; that throw really hurt,” Tetsu remarked while rubbing his sore waist. The recoil from that push had taken him by surprise.

“Honestly, I don’t think you’re a match for Sasuke,” Izumo teased with a knowing look before chuckling.

“You’re probably right. Sasuke’s strength has already surpassed that of a genin!” Tetsu admitted without hesitation, unfazed by the admission.

“Well, no matter what, they’ve cleared this hurdle. But how far they’ll go from here is anyone’s guess,” Izumo said with a playful grin.

“This year’s candidates are strong! This is shaping up to be an exciting exam!” Tetsu mused.

---

Sasuke led Naruto and Sakura to the end of the corridor.

Beyond the corner was a staircase.

Ascending the stairs, they reached the third floor of the academy.

The layout of the third floor was identical to the second. After climbing the stairs, they retraced their steps to the location directly above Classroom 201.

Classroom 301 stood there.

“Naruto, Sakura, this is the path to the Chunin Exams,” Sasuke said with a slight smirk as he looked at the classroom door, finding the situation increasingly interesting.

If you don’t have the strength,

you’ll only tremble in fear upon reaching this point.

But now—

For someone like me with plenty of strength, coming here is just an opportunity to show off.

What a thrill!

“Got it!”

Naruto and Sakura responded in unison, their spirits high as they followed Sasuke, feeling unstoppable.

The trio approached the door, and a ninja appeared before them.

He wore a jonin uniform, a mask, and a crooked ninja headband.

With silver hair glinting in the light, this was none other than their Team 7 leader, Kakashi Hatake.

“Kakashi-sensei, what are you doing here?”

Sakura asked, her surprise evident. She hadn’t expected to see Kakashi here.

“Sakura, you’ve come too?”

Kakashi gave her a deep look, his eyes filled with pride.

He had been certain Sasuke and Naruto would participate in the Chunin Exams, but Sakura had been uncertain.

Now that she was here, Kakashi was thoroughly pleased.

“What’s going on?”

Since arriving at the academy that morning, Sakura felt like her head had been filled with endless questions.

“You’re now eligible to formally apply for the Chunin Selection Exam,” Kakashi said, his tone warm as he regarded the three of them. His gaze lingered on Sasuke and Naruto before finally settling on Sakura.

“In fact,”

“There’s one more condition!”

“I didn’t tell you earlier!”

“To qualify for the Chunin Selection Exam, your team must undergo an assessment.”

Kakashi spoke slowly, his pride in them evident in his tone.

“What kind of assessment?”

Sakura was baffled, more and more question marks popping up in her mind.

“The Chunin Exam requires participation in teams of three, which serves as the qualification assessment.”

“In other words…”

“If any one of you doesn’t participate in the Chunin Selection Exam, all three of you will lose eligibility.”

Kakashi suddenly became serious, his entire aura changing.

"But..."

Sakura's lips twitched slightly.

"Kakashi-sensei, you said we could choose whether or not to take the exam. Were you lying to us?"

Sakura felt a wave of dizziness.

Kakashi-sensei's tricks run deep!

"That's right!"

"I was lying to you!"

Kakashi directly nodded in acknowledgment.

"This is a team-based exam."

"If I had said that from the beginning..."

"Sasuke and Naruto would definitely have insisted that you participate!"

"Even if you didn't want to, you would have reluctantly agreed because they asked you to, and that would mean you agreed for their sake!"

"Now you have all come here of your own free will!"

"I'm proud of you!"

Kakashi smiled slightly. Although his smile couldn't be seen, his eyes crinkled at the corners.

"Now you can enter!"

Kakashi immediately stepped aside, revealing the entrance to classroom 301 on the third floor of the Ninja Academy.

"Okay!"

Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura nodded in agreement, then walked over together and pushed open the door.

Whoosh!

In an instant, the door opened.

The room was filled with people, a full classroom, with not even a single seat left.

"So... many... people!" Sakura's eyes flashed with surprise.

"I knew a lot of people would participate in the Chunin Exams, but I didn't expect this many." Naruto's face was also filled with surprise.

"It's okay, don't mind the others, let's just focus on ourselves!"

Sasuke comforted Naruto and Sakura.

Of course, that's what he said.

But that's not what he was thinking.

Sasuke's gaze swept across the classroom, thinking about how to show off.

After all, he was at a critical juncture in the future timeline, and every minute, every second was precious.

Every time he showed off now...

...would earn him extra points!

However...

Just as Sasuke was thinking about how to show off next, a sudden sound rushed towards him.

The sound moved extremely fast.

Coupled with the noisy environment, Sasuke didn't notice it at first.

Whoosh!

Sasuke subconsciously sidestepped, dodging the attack.

Thud!

With the sound of a foot slapping the ground, a head of golden hair appeared before Sasuke's eyes.

It was a beautiful girl with golden hair.

None other than...

...Sakura's best friend, Ino Yamanaka!

"Ouch!"

Ino's face was filled with displeasure. She frowned at Sasuke, pouting and complaining,

"How did you dodge again!"

Ino felt like she had been failing lately. She had forgotten when it started, but every time she lunged at Sasuke, she would miss.

It wasn't like this before!

"Ino, stop messing around!"

Sakura clenched her fists and glared at Ino, her face full of annoyance. Her best friend had actually lunged at Sasuke in front of so many people without any hesitation.

"Blegh!"

Ino stuck her tongue out at Sakura and made a face. They didn't need to say anything more; they both understood.

Whenever Sasuke was involved...

...they were no longer best friends, but rivals!

(End of chapter)