"Is this for real?"
Naruto stared at the bowl of snail noodles in his hands, his face full of confusion. Could this system even produce regional Chinese specialties?
The pungent smell of the dish wafted through the air, attracting strange looks from countless passersby.
But Naruto didn't care at all. His eyes welled up with tears of joy.
The system truly understood him.
For the past twelve years since he had arrived in this world, he had constantly longed for the flavors of his hometown.
Never in his wildest dreams did he expect to get a bowl of snail noodles today. Words couldn't express how he felt.
Grabbing the chopsticks, he couldn't wait any longer. He took a big slurp.
Spicy, tangy, fresh, and sour—all kinds of flavors mixed together in perfect harmony. It was simply divine.
The broth was rich yet light, numbing yet not overpowering, spicy but not intolerable, and fragrant without being greasy. A masterpiece of flavors.
"Mom, why is that big brother eating poop? Doesn't he have food at home?"
A five- or six-year-old girl passing by pointed at Naruto with innocent curiosity.
Naruto froze, his face turning red with embarrassment.
Annoyed, he deliberately put on a fierce expression and glared at her.
"If you keep talking nonsense, I'll kidnap you and sell you!"
The little girl's eyes widened in horror before she burst into tears.
Her mother hurriedly comforted her, shooting Naruto a disgusted look before dragging her daughter away.
Naruto sighed and continued his stroll towards the academy, pulling up the system interface for another lottery draw.
[Anger Points -100]
[Congratulations! You have drawn an A-rank non-elemental ninjutsu—Rasengan!]
As the system's voice echoed in his mind, a ray of light shot out from the virtual panel and into Naruto's body.
A rush of information flooded his mind, filling him with a deep understanding of the Rasengan and its various applications.
"Rasengan? Damn, that's another incredible jutsu!"
Naruto grinned widely, his excitement skyrocketing.
This system was completely broken.
In just two days, his strength had undergone a complete transformation.
[Anger Points -100]
[Thank you for your participation. No reward this time. Better luck next time!]
For the next three draws, he won nothing.
But he was already more than satisfied. Just obtaining the Rasengan was a huge win.
There was plenty of time to continue drawing in the future.
Navigating through the bustling streets, Naruto finally arrived at the academy's entrance.
"Naruto! Why are you so late?" A lazy voice greeted him. Naruto looked up to see Nara Shikamaru standing nearby.Beside him were Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Choji, and their instructor, Asuma Sarutobi. It looked like they had just finished meeting up. "Shikamaru, Choji, good morning."
Naruto smiled and waved.Throughout his years at the academy, the only ones who had ever sincerely spoken to him were these two. They could be considered his friends.
"Naruto, we're heading out first."
Choji mumbled through a mouthful of chips, his hands clutching a large snack bag."Yeah, see you guys later."
Naruto nodded as they passed by him. As he stepped into the school and approached his classroom, he spotted a familiar figure entering just ahead of him.
Short silver hair, a black mask covering half his face, and an unusually positioned headband obscuring his left eye.
There was no doubt about it—this was the infamous Copy Ninja, Kakashi Hatake.
As expected, Naruto was placed in Team 7 with Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno, under the guidance of the legendary Sharingan wielder, Hatake Kakashi.
This setup was no coincidence. Team 7 contained two major wild cards—Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and Sasuke, the last Uchiha survivor. It was only natural for the Hokage himself to personally arrange for them to be placed under Kakashi's supervision
"Tsk, Kakashi, that shameless guy. He really made them wait this long."
Naruto muttered to himself before hastening his steps.
Team 7's First Meeting
"Sensei! You're way too slow! Sasuke-kun and I have been waiting for you for three hours!"
As Naruto reached the classroom door, he heard Sakura Haruno's indignant voice.
"Ah, well… I got lost on the way, so I ended up being a little late."
Kakashi scratched his head awkwardly, offering a flimsy excuse.
"Liar!"
Sakura and Sasuke both scoffed, turning their heads away in irritation.
At that moment, Naruto stepped inside, rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish grin.
"Sorry, sensei, I had a bit of an upset stomach."
"I was stuck in the restroom for three hours, so I guess I'm technically not late, right?"
[Hatake Kakashi's Anger Points +56]
[Haruno Sakura's Anger Points +49]
[Uchiha Sasuke's Anger Points +50]
"Liar! Naruto! Why didn't you just stay in there?!"
Sakura's forehead twitched violently, her fists clenched as if she was about to explode.
Sasuke remained silent but shot Naruto an annoyed glare.
Both of them were beyond frustrated.
It was one thing for Kakashi, their instructor, to be late.
But Naruto? A fellow team member? And even later than Kakashi?
Kakashi's POV
'So, this is the sensei's brat?'
Kakashi glanced at Naruto, sizing him up carefully.
Last night, Hiruzen Sarutobi had summoned him to the Hokage's office with a special instruction—pay extra attention to Naruto and Sasuke.
These two were vital to Konoha's future.
As for Haruno Sakura, her placement in Team 7 was intentional. Hiruzen had hoped she would act as a balancing force, preventing Naruto and Sasuke from clashing too much.
But judging from their interactions so far, teamwork was still a distant goal.
"Alright, you three, come with me."
I motioned them to follow before turning to leave the classroom.
Third person POV
"Sasuke-kun, where is sensei taking us?"
Sakura moved closer to Sasuke, eager to use the moment to get near him.
"I don't know."
Sasuke's reply was curt, barely acknowledging her presence.
As he walked past Naruto, he suddenly stopped and turned toward him with a serious expression.
"Naruto, I'm challenging you again next time."
Naruto smirked. "Anytime."
There was a certain pride within Sasuke.
The Uchiha clan's talent and bloodline had always set them apart, but his abilities weren't just handed to him—he had trained relentlessly to hone them.
Yesterday's defeat against Naruto had shaken his confidence.
He couldn't accept that after all his hard work, he had lost to someone who had always been considered the academy's dead last.
But he couldn't deny the truth—Naruto was stronger than him.
And that was something Sasuke refused to accept.
From that moment on, he doubled his training.
No matter what, he would defeat Naruto and reclaim his pride.
(End of Chapter)