"Naruto, you're actually flirting with our teammate right in front of me!" Kiba stepped forward to block Hinata.
"Akamaru just said that he also thinks you're deliberately trying to look cool. Right, Akamaru?"
"Woof?"
Naruto looked at Kiba, who had been competing with him to be the Hokage since they were young, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly.
"You do your best in the Chunin Exams too, but I'm the one who will eventually become the Hokage."
"Naruto, I'm definitely the one who will become the Hokage!"
Upon hearing this, Kiba's voice rose sharply, and Akamaru barked twice in response.
Since becoming a ninja, Kiba had already been able to coordinate with Akamaru to use the Imitation Beast Ninjutsu and Beast Human Clone. This was the unique combat power of their Inuzuka clan, and Kiba was very confident that his current strength was far beyond the level of the Ninja Academy days, where he only knew how to fool around with shuriken with Naruto.
In his eyes, there was both the competitive spirit between friends and an unwavering confidence in his own strength.
Naruto smiled, not continuing the argument.
There was no need to continue the dispute. The battle for the Hokage wouldn't be decided by bickering in a hallway.
He took a step back, about to call Sasuke and Sakura to go find a place to sit.
"Hey, you guys."
Just then, a voice came over, attracting the attention of everyone present.
Naruto turned his head and saw a silver-haired ninja wearing glasses, leaning against the classroom window and smiling at them.
Yakushi Kabuto.
The name Yakushi Kabuto and the events related to him surfaced in Naruto's mind.
Later, he inherited all of Orochimaru's Ninjutsu and launched a large-scale Edo Tensei during the Fourth Great Ninja War, resurrecting countless deceased powerhouses, allowing Itachi and Sasuke to fight side by side, and letting Zabuza and Haku reunite on the battlefield.
"Who are you?" Ino looked Kabuto up and down, her tone carrying a hint of wariness.
She was clearly very guarded against this upperclassman who had suddenly interrupted them.
"My name is Yakushi Kabuto." Kabuto pushed up his glasses, his tone gentle.
He tilted his head slightly, signaling everyone to look around. "Although I know you are all acquaintances and can't help but want to chat when you meet, it's better to be a little quieter. After all, everyone is watching you. Chatting for too long will attract unnecessary attention."
Ino turned her head to look, and sure enough, the crowd in the classroom who had been chatting among themselves had already cast their gazes toward them.
The gazes of several Genin among them were particularly unfriendly, as if they were evaluating the combat power of prey, scanning them from head to toe.
Ino couldn't help but shrink her neck.
"Thanks for the reminder, Kabuto-senpai."
"Kabuto-senpai, are you also participating in the Chunin Exams this year?"
Kabuto shook his head. "No, this is my seventh time participating in the Chunin Exams."
Everyone was stunned.
Sakura took a step toward Kabuto, her tone carrying a bit of caution. "Kabuto-senpai, you said this is your seventh time participating in the Chunin Exams, so do you know a lot about the exams?"
"I know a little."
Kabuto took out a stack of cards from his ninja tool pouch and drew one out. The card was densely recorded with detailed information about a certain ninja, from the number of missions to Ninjutsu specialties and Chakra natures, everything was there.
"This is a Ninja Info Card. I used Chakra to record information on many candidates from various villages on them."
Yakushi Kabuto held the card at a suitable height for everyone to see clearly, then changed the subject, "However, it's more convenient to look them up if you have their names."
Upon hearing this, Sasuke stepped forward and asked, "Do you have information on Rock Lee and Gaara?"
"Rock Lee and Gaara? I have both names, so that's easy to find."
Kabuto drew two different Ninja Info Cards from the stack, and handed them to the group.
Seeing this, everyone gathered around, and they saw Rock Lee's mission records listed densely on them.
"Rock Lee, one year younger than me, 20 D-rank missions, 11 C-rank missions, specialized in Taijutsu, his mentor is Might Guy."
"Gaara, 8 C-rank missions, 1 B-rank mission. Note: It is already unusual for a Genin to perform a B-rank mission, but he returned from that B-rank mission completely unscathed."
"A Genin went to perform a B-rank mission and returned completely unscathed?" Kiba's voice was the first to break the silence.
The expressions of the others also became a bit more serious.
"Quiet down, all of you trash!"
Just then, a thunderous roar suddenly erupted from the front of the classroom, followed immediately by a dense cloud of white smoke exploding in front of the podium.
After the smoke cleared, a row of people stood in front of the podium.
The man standing at the very front had a burly physique, his face covered in crisscrossing scars.
Behind him stood a dozen or so Konoha Chunin examiners, all dressed in dark gray examiner uniforms, their expressions cold.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. I am the proctor for the first stage of the Chunin Selection Exams, Morino Ibiki."
Some Genin in the back rows couldn't help but swallow their saliva.