Just as Shikamaru and Ino were overcome with a strange, helpless bitterness—enough to visibly trigger a string of frustration-laced failures—Naruto, who stood nearby comforting Hinata, fully understood the complex emotions at play. Yet his face remained perfectly neutral, eyes forward, his expression full of innocence as if completely unaware of it all.
'So you didn't get the chance to speak, huh… No wonder you stayed silent from beginning to end, even though you already knew the truth. Just stood by and watched like it was all a show.'
Naruto whispered to himself under his breath, the corners of his mouth curling slightly in a barely noticeable smirk—playful, self-satisfied. With a subtle shift of posture, he adjusted Hinata in his arms so she could rest more comfortably against him. After a short pause, he began diverting more attention toward Shikamaru and Ino, who were slowly making their way closer.
'If I remember right, in the Ino–Shika–Chō formation, Ino's Yamanaka Clan represents the "Boar," right? So in a way… this must be that legendary… deadweight teammate you can't carry, huh?'
It wasn't that Shikamaru and Ino were speaking loudly enough for Naruto—focused as he was on Hinata—to hear them clearly. Rather, ever since Naruto had learned the Shadow Clone Technique, he'd made it a habit to accelerate training by having his clones amass experience on his behalf. Even now, with his main body attending the ninja school's entrance exam, hundreds of clones were still hidden and training diligently at his usual spot: Training Ground Three.
Thanks to this routine, multitasking had long become second nature to Naruto. Through the constant absorption of clone memories, he'd unknowingly developed the habit. So even while fending off Ino's teasing, Kurama's sarcasm, and the heartache of it all, while softly consoling Hinata, he still had enough mental space left over to heighten his sensory awareness and watch Shikamaru and Ino.
As a result of this "accidental" focus, Naruto caught every single word of their conversation—without missing a beat.
What Shikamaru didn't know was that Naruto, having heard his offhand remark to Ino, had mentally translated its true meaning with remarkable precision:
'I mean, what was I supposed to do? I was desperate too!'
At the same time, the distance between the Ino–Shika–Chō trio and Naruto-Hinata wasn't particularly wide to begin with. And although both Shikamaru and Ino were hesitant and full of apprehension, they unconsciously slowed their pace—yet still, their short exchange brought them directly in front of Naruto, who now wore a warm, cheerful smile.
"Hm? What's wrong?"
Noticing them approach, Naruto tilted his head slightly and blinked exaggeratedly, as if confused, doing his best to appear non-threatening. He shifted his gaze toward them and asked with curious innocence:
"Is there something I can help you with?"
But even now, the memory of Ino's merciless teasing earlier—when she'd fired off her jokes without knowing the truth, and Naruto was left speechless and wounded—was still fresh in both their minds. And despite the fact that Naruto's current smile showed no hint of anger or displeasure, it only made them feel more uneasy.
Especially Ino, whose sharp sensory perception—as a support-type member of the Ino–Shika–Chō and a gift she'd had since birth—was far beyond that of her peers. In her nervous state, she had unknowingly pushed that ability to its absolute limit. So even though Naruto was deliberately suppressing his chakra, Ino could still faintly sense a dangerous aura coming from him—enough to make her hair stand on end.
"H-Hey, Shikamaru… he's looking right at us! And… and… he's smiling! D-Does this mean we're totally done for?"
Overwhelmed by instinctual fear, Ino couldn't stop herself from trembling all over. She didn't even dare meet Naruto's gaze. Curling up like a startled rabbit, she ducked behind Shikamaru and tugged on his sleeve in silent, tearless panic.
"W-What do we do…?"
Compared to Ino, who had completely given up all hope, even the normally composed Shikamaru was feeling flustered and powerless. Seeing Naruto respond not with rage but with a radiant smile made his legs tremble involuntarily.
He had imagined Naruto yelling at them in anger after seeing them approach. Or perhaps sneering sarcastically. But what he had not expected was… such a warm and brilliant smile.
In that moment, both Shikamaru and Ino misread Naruto's behavior—not as a reassuring gesture meant to calm them, but as proof of how deeply calculating he must be.
[…Actually, now that I think about it, maybe they weren't wrong.]
Ironically, their reaction was the opposite of what Naruto had intended—leaving them even more tense and on edge.
"E-Even if you ask like that… there's nothing I can do…"
Mouth twitching, Shikamaru spoke with difficulty. Instinctively, he spread his arms in front of Ino, shielding her completely. Then, while forcing himself to keep his gaze locked on Naruto, he swallowed hard in an attempt to calm his pounding heart.
'Tch. This is bad. Not a trace of anger on his face… That's the worst possible scenario.'
Naruto finally realized, belatedly, that the way he had responded—so composed and gentle—might actually be scarier to them than if he had just exploded in anger. After all, people can brace themselves for expected outcomes… but the unknown? That shakes your sense of security more than anything.
'No reaction at all… Looks like being too nice ends up scaring these little guys even more. Interesting. That was a blind spot on my part.'
As he gently ran his fingers through Hinata's slightly tousled hair, Naruto's grin widened. Then, as Hinata flushed red and let out a surprised squeak, he carefully lifted her into his arms and began walking toward the visibly unsettled Shikamaru and Ino.
He spoke aloud—just loud enough to make sure they heard every word.
"Since you won't say anything… I guess I won't be holding back."
The vague tone of his voice, coupled with the deliberately slow, pressure-laden steps he took forward, made Ino clamp her hands over her mouth and nose—too scared to breathe. Even Shikamaru looked like he was facing a boss battle, his expression full of tension.
'…Here it comes! He's finally gonna snap!'
Shikamaru licked his lips, which had gone dry, and clenched his jaw to focus. He knew that trying to run would be pointless, so he kept his arms spread protectively in front of Ino.
'So this is the pressure of a proctor overseeing this year's exam, huh… No, at this level, it's probably still being held back…'
Despite standing firm in Naruto's path, Shikamaru felt a strange, growing sense of excitement and curiosity rise up inside him—something that even he found surprising.
'Fine then. I want to see for myself… In this kind of situation… what are you going to do?'