A good teammate could save your life.
A great teammate could help you exceed your limits.
But a teammate like Ren Akihara?
That was practically a guaranteed victory.
The moment the instructor finished explaining the Team Graduation Examination, the classroom exploded into chaos.
“Ren, do you still need teammates?”
“Pick me!”
“I specialize in Earth Release!”
“I can scout!”
“My chakra control is excellent!”
“Ren!”
“Over here!”
Students surged toward his desk from every direction.
Any semblance of order vanished instantly.
The instructor tried to intervene.
“Everyone, calm—”
Nobody listened.
At this point, the situation was obvious.
The graduation exam would be a direct combat assessment against Chunin examiners.
And Ren had already defeated Kakashi Hatake and Shisui Uchiha.
If he couldn’t pass, then nobody in the Academy stood a chance.
Joining his team was practically the same as securing a passing grade before the exam even began.
Even Asuma found himself tempted.
So did Obito.
Neither wanted to admit it.
Neither wanted to be seen begging.
But the thought lingered in the back of their minds.
A guaranteed top score.
A strong evaluation.
Better opportunities after graduation.
Stronger instructors.
More prestigious missions.
A brighter future.
The benefits were impossible to ignore.
Even Obito had temporarily forgotten about the Cat-Eared Maid Incident.
Temporarily being the key word.
“Sensei.”
Ren raised a hand.
The room gradually quieted.
The instructor looked over.
“Yes?”
“Do we absolutely need a team?”
The instructor blinked.
Then nodded.
“It’s a mandatory requirement.”
Ren glanced around at the crowd surrounding him.
Faces filled with anticipation stared back.
Hope.
Desperation.
Some students looked ready to sell their souls for a spot on his team.
After a moment of thought, Ren asked a simple question.
“What exactly can you do for me?”
The room fell silent.
Several students opened their mouths.
Then everyone started speaking at once.
“My chakra control is excellent!”
“I’m good at support techniques!”
“I can gather intelligence!”
“I know tracking!”
“I can set traps!”
“I’m fast!”
The classroom immediately descended into noise again.
Ren listened patiently.
Most of the answers weren’t bad.
Some were even useful.
But none stood out.
Then his gaze shifted toward two people who hadn’t been shouting.
Kurenai Yuhi.
Rin Nohara.
Unlike everyone else, they remained surprisingly calm.
Kurenai smiled.
“I specialize in genjutsu.”
Ren’s eyes brightened slightly.
That was useful.
Very useful.
Meanwhile, Rin gave a small nod.
“I know basic medical ninjutsu.”
Now that was useful too.
Ren immediately began evaluating them.
Genjutsu could disrupt opponents.
Create openings.
Control the battlefield.
Most importantly, it made escaping much harder.
And if there was one thing Ren disliked, it was enemies running away before the fight was over.
Medical ninjutsu was equally valuable.
Not because he expected to be injured.
But because strong opponents were hard to find.
If someone accidentally broke themselves too badly, a medic could keep them in fighting condition.
A sustainable farming strategy was important.
After careful consideration, Ren nodded.
“Alright.”
The room quieted.
“You two.”
For a moment, nobody reacted.
Then realization struck.
Rin’s face immediately lit up.
The rest of the class suffered collective emotional damage.
“Seriously?”
“That’s so unfair!”
“I was here first!”
“Why them?”
Several students looked as though their dreams had just been crushed.
Meanwhile, Kurenai and Rin moved with remarkable speed.
By the time everyone recovered from the shock, both girls were already standing beside Ren.
One on his left.
One on his right.
Establishing territory.
Securing territory.
Preparing to defend that territory if necessary.
The atmosphere between them subtly sharpened.
Neither spoke.
Neither moved.
Yet an invisible clash seemed to unfold between them.
Ren noticed none of it.
His attention was already focused on the upcoming examination.
Kurenai folded her arms.
“Since we’re teammates now…”
Rin immediately became alert.
Kurenai smiled.
“A proper team should prepare together.”
Rin hesitated for a moment before nodding.
“That makes sense.”
“Exactly.”
Kurenai turned toward Ren.
“The exam is the day after tomorrow.”
She paused briefly.
“So why don’t we meet tonight and discuss strategy?”
Ren immediately nodded.
“Good idea.”
Preparation was important.
Even he understood that.
A shinobi who entered battle without a plan was simply asking for trouble.
For the first time all day, the instructor felt a wave of relief wash over him.
At least someone in this classroom was taking the examination seriously.
Unfortunately…
If he could hear Ren’s internal thoughts, that relief would have disappeared instantly.
Because Ren’s understanding of strategy was remarkably straightforward.
Step One: Find the enemy.
Step Two: Hit the enemy.
Step Three: Continue hitting the enemy until victory is achieved.
Ren considered it carefully.
Then nodded to himself.
A flawless plan.