Chương 29: Team Building.

"Been awhile, eh?"

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It was a regular day at the Academy, with Shino Aburame standing at the front of the room, delivering his lesson on Ninja History. Or at least attempting to.

"Alright, and that's about it for Ninja History," Shino said, turning to face his class. He adjusted his glasses, noting the sea of glazed-over expressions. "Sheesh, you kids really hate history, huh?"

The groans that followed confirmed his suspicions.

"Well, luckily for all of you, since we had such an eventful Chunin Exam a while ago, we're going to be rehosting it for those who didn't pass because of… circumstances." Shino gestured vaguely, but everyone knew he was talking about the Momoshiki and Kinshiki invasion.

That announcement caught the class's attention. The dull atmosphere instantly brightened, and whispers filled the room.

"Now that I have your attention," Shino continued, "I should mention that you'll be given a few weeks off from classes to train and prepare for the Chunin Exam redo. But to make sure you use that time wisely, I'll be assigning training partners. Your job will be to get along with your partner and help each other improve."

At that, Shino sat down, his pen tapping thoughtfully against his clipboard. He began silently pairing students based on what he assumed would be the best combinations for teamwork—or, in some cases, opportunities for growth.

Across the classroom, Sarada Uchiha leaned over to Boruto Uzumaki, her curiosity piqued.

"Oh, I wasn't expecting that," she mused aloud.

Boruto, smirking, couldn't resist. "Really? Something the 'genius' couldn't predict?"

Sarada scowled, her fist shooting toward him, but Boruto narrowly dodged.

"Ahem!" Sarada cleared her throat, pretending the outburst hadn't happened. "As I was saying, Shino-sensei is finally giving us proper time to train. This is our chance to focus and get stronger."

Boruto rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, I don't need it."

"Funny," a voice chimed in from the row ahead of them. Inojin Yamanaka, grinning mischievously, turned to face them. "Aren't you failing Ninja History?"

Laughter rippled through the classroom as Boruto spluttered. "Hey! Everyone's failing that class!"

A mix of voices rose in agreement, and Boruto leaned back triumphantly, arms crossed. "See? It's not just me."

"Really?" Sarada asked, unimpressed. "Is it that hard?"

"It is when you don't have cheat eyes like yours!" Boruto retorted, gesturing at her.

Sarada smirked, patting her chest. "Don't be jealous of my natural gifts." She glanced over at Mitsuki, who sat serenely nearby. "Besides, Mitsuki's passing just fine."

Mitsuki, ever calm, gave a small wave. "It's not that difficult. My dad told me most of it."

Boruto sighed, gesturing at Mitsuki. "Well, of course, he's got full scores in everything." He paused, grinning. "Bet you don't even need a training partner, huh?"

Before Sarada could respond, Shino began moving around the room, dropping slips of paper with assigned names on each student's desk. Sarada glanced at hers, her confidence unshaken.

"Cho-Cho," she read aloud. She smiled, leaning back in her chair. "Easy. Me and Cho-Cho go way back."

Mitsuki checked his own slip, tilting his head slightly. "Unfortunately, I don't have Boruto," he noted, handing his slip to Sarada, who read it aloud: "Metal Lee?"

Mitsuki nodded. "He's not here, though."

Meanwhile, Boruto snatched up his slip of paper, brimming with confidence. "Alright, time for the main event! The star's turn!"

He turned the paper over, and his face immediately fell.

Sarada leaned over, curious. "What's wrong? You're being pretty dramatic. It can't be that bad."

"Well…" Mitsuki interjected, glancing at Boruto. "There is one person he'd detest being paired with."

Boruto groaned, his hand tightening around the slip of paper before flipping it for them to see. In bold, clear handwriting was a single name: "Arsene."

In the corner of the classroom, Arsene sat alone, his long black hair casting a shadow over his face. He was slouched in his seat, exuding an aura of apathy so heavy it was practically visible. His very presence seemed to drain the energy from the room.

"Of course," Boruto muttered, slamming his head against the desk. "Why him?"

Sarada stifled a laugh, a teasing smirk tugging at her lips. "Come on, Boruto. It's not like he's that bad."

"Not that bad?" Boruto whispered harshly. "You don't have to deal with him. He's creepy, he's smug, and he's always… brooding!"

Sarada shrugged, clearly amused by Boruto's misery. "Well, look on the bright side. Maybe you'll learn something."

"Yeah," Mitsuki added helpfully, his calm smile unwavering. "Like patience."

Boruto groaned louder, slumping even further into his chair. "This is the worst day of my life…"

Meanwhile, Arsene remained perfectly still, his expression unreadable behind his black eye mask. If he heard his name—or Boruto's complaints—he didn't acknowledge it. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, as though contemplating whether this partnership would be a waste of time… or just another challenge to overcome.

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