Naruto: Minato Namikaze, born evil

Chapter 62 Your Rival

After the graduation exams, graduates will return to their classes for placement.

Only after being assigned to a class and approved by the Jonin in charge can one truly be considered a Genin.

Strictly speaking, this is the last exam for graduates.

Because if you can't gain the approval of the team leader Jonin, you'll really be sent back to school to repeat your studies.

However, this situation is extremely rare, and it generally does not happen unless the person is of exceptionally bad character.

After breakfast, Minato left a clone at home while his real body went to school to secretly observe Nawaki's class assignments.

This was the first time he had seriously carried out an infiltration mission, and for the first time, Minato felt like he was acting like a proper ninja, instead of just flashing into the enemy camp alone and going on a rampage.

Inside the classroom, as the teacher finished reading the list, the class assignments were finalized.

As expected, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio of this generation—Nara Shikaku, Akimichi Choza, and Yamanaka Inoichi—are in the same class.

Rope Tree's companions were a man and a woman, a standard team of two men and one woman, but both teammates were extras he had never even heard of...

After the teacher left, the students remained in the classroom, full of anticipation, waiting for their class's Jonin leader to arrive.

Soon, a Jonin from the Sarutobi clan entered the classroom: "Team Six, come with me."

The three members of the group, Ino-Shika-Cho, stood up and followed the other person out of the classroom.

Nawaki and his team are Team 7, just like Naruto.

Sometimes Minato would lament that the two looked alike, had similar personalities, and similar backgrounds, but their fates were completely different.

The ninja world has never lacked hot-blooded idiots like Naruto, but apart from Naruto and Hashirama, who are both overpowered, most of the others don't have a good ending. This is just the reality for most people.

Just then, a tall, slender figure appeared at the classroom door.

"Seventh Class, follow me."

The newcomer had a gentle voice, handsome features, long light blue hair, and an approachable demeanor.

How could it be him?

Upon seeing who it was, Minato immediately frowned.

The newcomer was none other than Tsunade's first love from the original work, Dan Kato!

Are all short-lived people getting together?

Minato thought to himself.

He immediately thought the idea was too hellish and quickly put it out of his mind.

Minato has a hard time judging Kato Dan.

In the original work, the first thing Kato Dan said to Tsunade after they met was that it was too dark and he wanted to take her home.

Send Tsunade home?

Minato was deeply impressed by this plot because he really wanted to ask, if there was danger, who would protect whom?

Then, surprisingly, he turned to Tsunade, whose younger brother had just died, and brought up his own deceased sister.

Minato wasn't sure if he was being cynical, but the other party certainly gave him the feeling that they had ulterior motives.

If Minato hadn't rushed to the battlefield to help Tsunade immediately after dispelling the Edo Tensei, he might not have been indifferent, but rather resentful.

The most crucial question right now is... what exactly would cause someone to become the leader of Rope Tree?

Judging from their initial interactions in the original work, Tsunade was probably quite unfamiliar with Dan, at least not because her younger brother was leading a team of Jonin.

Is it the butterfly effect?

Or is there some ulterior motive?

"Huh? It's Brother Duan!"

Suddenly, the sound of Rope Tree in the classroom interrupted Minato's thoughts.

Brother Duan?

Do these two know each other?

Minato averted his gaze and focused his attention on Nawaki.

Jonin have very keen senses, and it is easy for the other party to notice if they stare at them for too long.

"It's been a long time, Nawaki."

Kato gave a gentle smile, then led the three of them out of the classroom.

The group arrived at a training ground, gave a brief self-introduction, and then Kato Dan began testing their strength.

jingle……

A pair of bells appeared in Kato Dan's hand, and Minato, who was hiding in the shadows, fell silent.

Snatching the bell is a Konoha tradition.

From this perspective, the other party's political background should be related to the three generations of the same faction.

"Your next target is these two bells in my hand."

Kato Dan smiled gently and said, "You only have one hour. Those who don't manage to grab a bell won't get lunch!"

"Hmph, just you wait and see!"

Nawaki gave a soft hum and instantly appeared in front of Kato Dan, his speed so fast that it caught Kato Dan's eye.

"Not bad teleportation, but the purpose is too obvious."

As he spoke, he reached out and pressed down, catching the fist that Rope Tree was throwing at him, and then threw it away.

However, in that instant, Nawaki's body seemed to flip uncontrollably to the side, and then with a sudden scorpion-like tail swing, his hind heel struck Kato Dan's face hard!

Snapped!

Kato Dan covered his face and took a step back, a look of astonishment flashing in his eyes.

He was just slapped on the back of the leg by a genin?

Although there was an element of holding back, wasn't that kick a bit too abrupt?

Minato's lips twitched, unsure of what to say.

"Brother Duan, you're so slow!"

Nawaki landed on his feet, speechless. "Even Minato's clones react faster. Can this guy be considered a Jonin?"

"Sorry, I underestimated you. That kick was really tricky."

Kato Dan wasn't angry; he just smiled apologetically: "You mean Minato's clone...?"

"Minato Namikaze, my sister's student, is the most talented guy I've ever seen!"

Nawaki's tone was a mix of helplessness and pride: "That guy is two years younger than me. I've challenged him many times, and I haven't even won against his shadow clones."

"Huh? Minato Namikaze? Is that the blond, blue-eyed handsome guy I know?"

Upon hearing this, the girl in the group's eyes lit up. "So you know Nawaki? Could you introduce us?"

"Forehead--"

Nawaki hesitated for two seconds, then, thinking of Kushina's terrifying red hair flying everywhere, his lips twitched: "Sorry, I can't."

"..."

Tsunade's disciple...

Kato Dan paused, then asked, "Is he the legendary genius who awakened Wood Release?"

"Ah, that's right!"

Rope Tree nodded emphatically.

Kato Dan remarked with a sigh, "I see. No wonder Tsunade took him as a disciple. Nawaki, you seem to hold him in high regard?"

"Um--"

Nawaki thought for a moment, then said seriously, "I have never seen anyone as perfect as him!"

In short, he felt embarrassed for Minato, who was secretly observing.

Upon hearing this, Kato Dan's expression became somewhat subtle.

Then he suddenly smiled gently, his tone carrying just the right amount of curiosity: "To be praised like this by Nawaki, it seems that Minato-kun is indeed extraordinary. I really want to experience his charm."

"Haha, that guy is usually very busy, either cultivating or cooking, he basically never goes out," Rope Tree said casually.

This guy definitely has something going on.

The wording was a bit too deliberate...

Minato squinted, leaving behind a wooden clone that merged into the tree trunk of the training ground.

He then traveled to the Root base and found Orochimaru conducting an experiment.

"Senior, please help me investigate someone." Minato got straight to the point.

"Who?" Orochimaru asked curiously, wondering who could possibly be the person Minato was paying special attention to.

"Kato Dan."

"oh--"

Upon hearing this name, Orochimaru nodded knowingly: "Your rival in love."

Minato: "???"