Chapter 53 - Ch-53 Let's show our cruelty.
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Inoiki's batchmates, standing around him, exchanged wide-eyed looks. The sheer scale of the feat seed unbelievable. A single Genin, fresh out of the academy, defeating an entire team with a Jonin? It sent ripples of unease and awe through the crowd.
Across the room, Lee, seated with his team, tightened his fists. "So that's why Guy-sensei warned
to be cautious of Inoiki," he murmured, his voice low but filled with respect.
Neji and Tenten, sitting beside Lee, both wore solemn expressions. Neji, in particular, fixed a sharp, calculating gaze on Inoiki, his Byakugan instinctively activating for a mont, as if to discern more about this remarkable ninja.
anwhile, Gaara's unreadable teal eyes shifted toward Inoiki, studying him with silent intensity. The air around Gaara seed to grow heavier, and his presence alone sent chills through those closest to him.
Feeling the weight of their gazes, Inoiki looked toward Neji first, then Gaara. His response was calm and composed—a simple, faint smile that seed to acknowledge their attention without betraying any emotion.
Kabuto, clearly enjoying the room's charged atmosphere, continued with a faint smirk. "And that's not all. Inoiki's mission record includes one A-Rank mission, three B-Rank missions, and seven D-Rank missions."
The room buzzed with whispers. Sasuke, standing near Kabuto, stared at Inoiki with a mixture of shock and intrigue. His usually cool deanour cracked as he realized the sheer magnitude of Inoiki's achievents.
For Sasuke, this was a revelation he hadn't anticipated. Inoiki's impressive record wasn't just a list of numbers—it was proof of imnse power and experience. Sasuke's fists clenched slightly as his competitive spirit flared, fuelling his determination to asure himself against this enigmatic ninja.
The tension in the room was palpable. Inoiki, however, remained as he always was—quiet, steady, and unshaken, as if the weight of these revelations didn't faze him in the slightest.
Kabuto stood up, brushing off his knees as he adjusted his glasses. "Wow, Inoiki, I have to say—you really surprise . You're far more powerful than I expected."
Inoiki, calm and composed as always, responded with a faint smile. "No, on the contrary, you surprise , Kabuto. You have access to information that even so Jonins don't. Yet, you're a re Genin who's failed the Chunin Exams six tis. How exactly do you co by such classified details?"
The words struck a chord with the surrounding Genins. Sakura, Shikamaru, Sasuke, and others turned their eyes toward Kabuto, their curiosity quickly giving way to doubt. Suspicion lingered in the air as the rookies exchanged uneasy glances.
Kabuto laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Haha, don't get the wrong idea! I didn't dig this up on my own. I've got a good relationship with a Jonin who shared so intel with . He ntioned your story, Inoiki—it ca up during a Jonin eting."
Inoiki studied Kabuto for a mont, his sharp eyes scanning him for any signs of deceit. Then, with a slight nod, he said, "That checks out. My information was revealed by my captain during a eting with the Hokage, where several Jonins were present. So, on that basis, I'll take your word for it—this ti."
Kabuto let out an audible sigh of relief, pushing his glasses up as he regained his composure. "Thanks for not doubting , Inoiki. I appreciate it."
The room remained tense, but Kabuto quickly transitioned into his usual confident deanor, addressing the rookies again. "Anyway, let's move on. There are participants from all the major villages. I've tallied the numbers for each."
As Kabuto continued his introduction, he added, almost offhandedly, "That said, there's not much information available on Otogakure. It's a newly established village, so details are scarce."
The statent seed innocent enough, but it sent a ripple through the room. The Otogakure ninjas stiffened visibly, their expressions darkening at the perceived slight.
Inoiki glanced at the Otogakure group, noting their reaction, but he remained silent, keeping a wary eye on the brewing hostility. anwhile, Kabuto continued, seemingly oblivious to the offense he had caused—or perhaps pretending not to notice.
After Kabuto concluded his introduction, the Rookie Nine—except for Inoiki—stood in varying states of tension. Nervousness gripped their hearts, but for so, it was mixed with a flicker of excitent. The enormity of the Chunin Exams hung over them like a storm, rendering the room silent for nearly a minute.
The silence was shattered by a familiar voice ringing out with unrestrained enthusiasm.
"My na is Naruto Uzumaki!" Naruto shouted, standing tall and puffing out his chest. "And I'm going to defeat every single one of you!"
The room froze, stunned by his audacity.
Ino groaned, smacking her forehead in frustration. "What an idiot!"
Sakura's face flushed with anger as she glared at Naruto. "Naruto, you idiot! Do you have any idea what you just did?!" she hissed. His words had effectively thrown down the gauntlet to every Genin in the room—a blatant challenge. More than 150 Genins now stared at him, so with irritation, others with scorn, and a few with outright murderous intent.
Naruto's reckless declaration had placed a target on the backs of the Rookies. Yet, strangely enough, his loud outburst had an unexpected effect. The tension among the Rookies began to dissipate, replaced by reluctant smiles and even a bit of admiration for Naruto's unshakable confidence.
While Sakura frantically apologized to the crowd, scolding Naruto for being so reckless, the three Genins from Otogakure—already offended by Kabuto's earlier remarks—saw their opportunity.
"Let's teach him a lesson," one of them hissed, his voice low but dripping with malice.
The other two nodded, their expressions darkening. "He needs to know how powerful Otogakure truly is," another said. "And how cruel we can be."
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