Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Class 8
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"Alright, everyone, go back to your seats. The team assignments are about to begin."
The kiss of the century was just an interlude. Iruka Umino quickly appeared at the classroom door, bringing an end to the farce.
The girls, still seething after their little brawl, reluctantly returned to their seats.
Uzumaki Naruto, his face swollen like a pig's snout, slumped into the seat behind Juuyabiru. Next to him sat Sakura Haruno, who had failed to sit next to Uchiha Sasuke and had instead taken a seat in the back row.
As Iruka Umino walked up to the podium, the once noisy classroom quickly fell silent. Everyone looked at him with expectant eyes.
Scanning the room and seeing that none of his students had been eliminated, a gratified smile appeared on Iruka's face.
He took a deep breath, calmed his emotions, and said warmly, "Congratulations on graduating. From this moment on, you are all official Ninja."
He lifted a clipboard in his hand and continued, "However, for now, you're only probationary genin—rookies among Ninja. Before you can go on missions independently, you'll be placed in teams of three and assigned to train under experienced Jonin instructors."
Without wasting further words, he began reading from the list.
"Team One..."
As he started to call out names, the classroom filled with sighs—mostly from the girls. Despite Juuyabiru already being "claimed" by Hinata Hyuga, who was among the top three students in the grade, many girls still harbored crushes on him and had hoped to be placed on his team.
Now, having neither Uchiha Sasuke nor Juuyabiru in their group, their disappointment was palpable.
With every new name announced, the remaining girls grew increasingly nervous—but also hopeful. Each genin team included two boys and one girl, and there were only ten girls in the class. With every girl taken, the remaining ones had higher chances of being grouped with either Sasuke or Juuyabiru.
"Team Six..." Iruka called out, "Minako, Sawano Genichi, and... Inuzuka Kiba."
A subtle gleam flashed in Juuyabiru's eyes, and the corners of his mouth curved upward.
The decision had been made.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had chosen to invest in Juuyabiru—who consistently outperformed even the prominent Ninja clans—over Inuzuka Kiba or Shino Aburame. His years as the top student had clearly left a deep impression, prompting Sarutobi to consider him a future trump card in Konoha's combat forces.
While the Inuzuka Clan had their own merit, relying on coordinated combat with their Ninja dogs made them less likely to produce high-tier Elite Jonin. The Aburame Clan, by contrast, possessed bizarre yet deadly insects—some capable of turning the tide in one-on-one battles, much like the Uchiha Clan's Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
Ultimately, the decision to pass over the Inuzuka Clan wasn't a huge risk. Konoha already had plenty of Sensing Ninja clans. The Hyuga Clan's Byakugan and the Aburame Clan's insects made for a formidable detection network.
And should the need arise, there was always the option to revive the nearly extinct Micro-Scent Insect breed. Known for their incredibly sharp olfactory senses—thousands of times stronger than that of Ninja dogs—these insects could track someone's scent for hundreds of miles with pinpoint accuracy.
Not to mention their potential for poison-based attacks—nano-level toxic insects that could even threaten Shadow-level Ninja.
Despite their relatively low standing, the Inuzuka were still a respected Ninja clan.
Juuyabiru hadn't expected Hiruzen Sarutobi to make such a bold move—choosing him over clan politics and risking the wrath of the Inuzuka.
What he didn't know was that Hyuga Hiashi had played a key role in swaying the decision. Years ago, Hiashi's twin brother, Hizashi, had sacrificed himself for the village, something that Hiruzen still regretted deeply. So, when Hiashi approached him with a simple request—that his daughter be placed on the same team as the top student—Sarutobi didn't hesitate.
He had already been considering investing in Juuyabiru. Hiashi's visit merely tipped the scales.
"Team Seven: Sakura Haruno, Uzumaki Naruto…"
"Yes!" Naruto shouted, jumping up from his seat. He couldn't hide his excitement at being placed with Sakura.
Sakura, on the other hand, looked completely dismayed, feeling as though her life had taken a turn for the worse.
But the next name changed everything.
"Uchiha Sasuke."
"Yes!"
Sakura jumped to her feet, throwing her hands in the air as though she'd just won the lottery. She turned around with a smug expression and locked eyes with Ino Yamanaka, gloating.
Ino and several other girls gnashed their teeth in frustration.
"Team Eight: Hyuga Hinata, Shino Aburame, and... Juuyabiru."
The moment the names were read, Hinata's usual shyness gave way to visible joy. She grabbed Juuyabiru's arm and said excitedly, "That's great, Juuyabiru! We're on the same team!"
Juuyabiru smiled and nodded. "Yes. Looks like we're lucky today."
Truthfully, he had already anticipated this result. Over the past six years, he had grown used to Hinata's quiet presence beside him. He didn't want to be separated either.
"Team Ten: Ino Yamanaka, Akimichi Choji, and... Nara Shikamaru."
After finishing the last name, Iruka placed the clipboard down and glanced around the room at the students he had taught for the past six years. He offered one final instruction:
"Everyone whose name was called, remember your team members. Your Jonin instructors will be arriving shortly to collect you. Don't leave the classroom without permission."
With that, he turned and walked out.
None of the students said goodbye. They were too preoccupied with the new chapter of their lives—filled with excitement, nervousness, and anticipation.
Little did they know, a significant challenge awaited them before they could truly begin their journey.
"Team Three, come out," a voice called from the doorway.
Only minutes after Iruka left, a middle-aged man in a green flak vest appeared. His serious demeanor and commanding presence immediately silenced the room.
Team Three stood up nervously, as if they were back on their first day at the Academy, and followed their instructor out.
"Team Five, come out. I'm your Jonin instructor."
"Team One, come out."
"Team Nine, come out."
One by one, the teams were called out by Jonin instructors, each of whom arrived at the door and led away three students. Before long, the classroom was nearly empty.
Then, a woman appeared at the doorway—not wearing a Jonin vest but dressed in casual clothes. She had a voluptuous figure, long curly black hair, and striking red eyes. She scanned the remaining students, her gaze stopping at Juuyabiru and Hinata.
With a smile, she said, "Team Eight, come out. I'm your Jonin instructor."
With that, she turned and left.
"I'll go ahead first. See you later," Juuyabiru said, bidding farewell to Naruto and Sasuke as he stood up and followed the woman out, with Hinata by his side.
As for Shino Aburame, the ever-quiet top student had already vanished—just like always.
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