NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1: ch1
"The top scorer in this assessment is..."
Iruka Umino deliberately dragged out his announcement.
"Uchiha Sasuke!"
The response was Sasuke Uchiha's signature indifference.
His arms were crossed casually, and the corners of his lips lifted ever so slightly, as if victory was always expected.
"Hmph."
That dismissive hum nearly made Sakura Haruno, Sasuke's most devoted admirer, leap out of her seat in excitement.
"Ahhh! As expected of Sasuke—he's amazing!"
"Sasuke is so handsome!"
Her screams were filled with endless admiration, her face flushed with excitement.
"Ahhhh, Ino! Did you hear that? Sasuke came in first!"
Sakura eagerly grabbed the arm of Ino Yamanaka, who stood next to her.
"I know, I know! Stop bothering me, you're so childish."
Ino pried Sakura's hand off with a look of disdain.
She had once thought Sasuke was cool too, but as she grew older, her fascination waned.
Besides, there was someone far more interesting than Sasuke.
"Second place is…"
"Third place is…"
Iruka continued announcing the rankings, his tone calm and steady. Finally, he sighed helplessly as he revealed the last two names:
"Thirty-two: Yuzuki Shinomiya!"
"Thirty-three: Naruto Uzumaki!"
Naruto listened intently, his heart tightening with every name. When the rankings were finalized, his exaggerated reaction was instantaneous.
"Huh?! Youyue, your rank is higher than mine?!"
Before the assessment, Naruto had casually bet Yuzuki Shinomiya that the loser would treat the winner to a bowl of Ichiraku Ramen.
"Ah… I'm going to owe you another bowl of Ichiraku Ramen."
His eyes drifted to the small frog-shaped wallet near him, its contents pitifully sparse.
But Naruto, true to his word, would never break a promise, even if he was nearly broke.
"Let's get ramen after school," he said with optimism. Then he added, almost painfully:
"But I only have enough for one bowl. Save me some soup, okay?"
Naruto nudged Yuzuki Shinomiya lightly, trying to get his attention.
Shinomiya, ever aloof, barely reacted. His languid posture barely changed, and his distant gaze seemed lost in another world.
"You can eat it yourself. I'm not hungry," Shinomiya replied weakly, his head resting lazily on the desk.
"Hey, Youyue! That's not how it works—I made a promise!"
Naruto's persistence forced Shinomiya to reply:
"If it matters so much, then just protect me from now on."
Naruto immediately clenched his fists, determination gleaming in his eyes.
"You're my friend—I'll protect you no matter what!"
Naruto's curiosity then took over.
"But why do you always ask for that? Is someone after you or something?"
"Don't worry—I'll protect you from anyone who tries to hurt you!"
Shinomiya's heart stirred with complex emotions as he sighed softly.
"Not now, but maybe in the future."
Naruto scratched his head, confused.
"The future? How do you know what's going to happen in the future, Youyue?"
Shinomiya's thoughts churned.
"Of course I know. I'm a time traveler."
He recalled everything from the Fourth Great Ninja War sparked by Obito Uchiha to the Infinite Tsukuyomi. These events loomed far in the future, but the Konoha Crush plan orchestrated by Orochimaru was mere months away.
Each disaster threatened his fragile existence.
"Why is my luck so terrible?"
Shinomiya sighed. Twelve years had passed since he transmigrated into this world. He had no cheat-like abilities, and his natural talent was utterly mediocre.
Every assessment saw him competing with Naruto for the dubious honor of being dead last, with each taking turns at the bottom.
But in the world of Naruto, the "tail end of the crane" often turned out to be the most terrifying.
Obito had once been a nobody but ascended to godlike status as the Ten Tails Jinchūriki.
Might Guy, who was mocked for his lack of ninjutsu talent, had shattered his limits with the Eight Gates technique.
Naruto himself needed no introduction—the savior of the ninja world.
Shinomiya, however, had no such latent potential. Unlike Naruto, who struggled with ninjutsu due to the Nine Tails, Shinomiya's lack of talent was depressingly genuine.
Graduating as a ninja at all seemed uncertain.
So, sticking close to Naruto—Konoha's future hero—was undoubtedly his best bet.
If Naruto vowed to protect him…
With the power of the Six Paths, who in the ninja world would dare to harm him?
"I'm Naruto's best friend! No one can touch me!"
Iruka's stern voice shattered his thoughts.
"Hey! You two! Every time there's an assessment, you're both at the bottom of the class. Instead of daydreaming, why don't you reflect on yourselves?"
Naruto felt the weight of Iruka's disapproving gaze and forced a sheepish smile.
Quickly adjusting his posture, he pretended to listen attentively.
Shinomiya, however, remained slouched, giving off an air of total indifference.
Just as Shinomiya was about to drift back into his daydreams, a strange voice echoed in his mind:
[Ding!]
[Ninja Chat Group loaded successfully.]
[You have been automatically assigned as the group leader.]
The unexpected message jolted Shinomiya upright, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Naruto blinked at him in surprise.
"Youyue, what's wrong? Why are you so excited all of a sudden?"
Shinomiya's face lit up with unprecedented joy.
"Naruto, I've got good news—I'm about to turn my life around!"
He laughed triumphantly, his words brimming with confidence.
Naruto tilted his head, confused by words like "cheat," but he knew it must be something good.
"Congrats, Youyue! Looks like things are looking up for you."
Shinomiya grinned.
"Just watch, Naruto. With me around, no one will ever bully you again!"
He couldn't wait to explore the mysterious system that had just appeared.
"Group chat? Let's see what you can do."
A futuristic, translucent screen materialized before him, visible only to his eyes.
Within minutes, he figured out its functions and was awestruck.
The group chat could transcend time and space, connecting people from different timelines.
Shinomiya couldn't help but imagine the chaos: Obito reuniting with Rin Nohara, or Madara's versions across timelines debating their ideals.
But as the group leader, he had nothing to fear—special privileges made him invincible within the group.
"This is amazing!"
[Current Group Chat Level: Lv1]
[Members: 1]
[Group Leader: Yuzuki Shinomiya (Timeline: Konoha Year 60)]
[Remaining Invitations: 1]
"A group chat with just me? Time to invite someone!"
Excitement gleamed in Shinomiya's eyes as he prepared to start his recruitment campaign.