C148

"Knock it off, Naruto, you're making us look bad!"

Sakura couldn't help but inwardly curse as she watched Naruto gawk like a country bumpkin. She quickly turned her face away, feigning ignorance of his existence.

Sasuke remained silent, his expression icy and unapproachable—an extreme contrast to Naruto's. Even without actively distancing himself, no one would mistake them for being together.

Shikamaru and the rest were at a loss for words and opted to steer clear.

They knew Naruto all too well—the perennial dead-last of the Ninja School, notorious for his pranks to get attention.

Given his current behavior, it was hardly a surprise.

Yet, Naruto was blissfully unaware of their reactions, continuing to holler and make a scene.

The once solemn and serious atmosphere of the exam hall was now disrupted by his ruckus.

Many ninjas, hoping for some peace, shot hostile glares his way.

Three Sound Ninjas in particular seemed on the verge of taking action.

But Naruto went on, his mouth seemingly full of endless chatter.

Finally, at the end of their patience, a bespectacled man approached Naruto with a friendly demeanor.

It was none other than Kabuto!

"Naruto, could you please quiet down?"

His polite and gentle manner, coupled with his amiable appearance, immediately won Naruto over.

"Ah! Are you here for the Chunin Exam too?"

Naruto blurted out.

"Yes, I'm Kabuto. I've taken the exam several times, but passing the Chunin Exam is no easy feat. Still, I believe that with persistent effort, success is inevitable."

Kabuto explained.

"I'm with you there. Keep at it, never surrender, and victory is assured. I stick to my word—that's my ninja way. No matter the obstacle, I'll overcome it. My dream is to become Hokage."

Naruto declared with naive conviction.

Kabuto's eyes twinkled with intrigue at this display, not with disdain but with a newfound interest in Naruto.

He smiled and said, "You're absolutely right, Naruto. It's all about taking one step at a time. Like you, everyone here is aiming for the same thing. But with the exam about to start, you might want to calm down a bit. Making too much noise can upset a lot of people, and trust me, these are formidable opponents you don't want to provoke—and they're not exactly the friendly type."

"Hmm?"

Naruto froze, instinctively looking around. Indeed, he was met with a multitude of hostile stares, some of which were itching to take action.

"Oh no!"

Sensing trouble, Naruto's heart skipped a beat and he quickly reined himself in.

"Thanks for the heads-up. I almost stirred up some serious trouble without realizing it."

Naruto quickly expressed his gratitude, though he kept his voice much lower this time.

"You mentioned you've taken the Mid Level Ninja Test several times, so you must be pretty familiar with the folks around here, right?"

Sakura eyed the newcomer with a hint of suspicion.

Her intuition as a woman told her there was more to this person than met the eye.

"Familiar might be overstating it, but I do have information on every ninja here."

The newcomer, Tohka, responded with a warm smile and a modest demeanor that was quite endearing.

"You have information on every ninja? Wow, that's impressive. Do you have info on him too?"

Naruto exclaimed, impressed, as he casually pointed at Kankurō.

"Yes!"

Tohka's smile broadened with confidence, and she produced a card from her pocket.

"Kankurō, a Journeyman Ninja from the Sand, specializes in puppetry, and has completed numerous missions solo to date!"