❈—02:: Sasuke Uchiha 2.0 [II]

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I like sunsets. I dislike loud noises. And my dream for the future is to be really fucking strong."

The members of my new team stare at me; Sakura awestruck, Kakashi with that same aggravating smile, and Naruto... well, Naruto decides to take my words as some sort of challenge.

Because, why not?

"What d'you mean by that, you bastard?" the blonde screams.

To be fair, Naruto isn't really screaming. He simply has one of those obnoxiously loud voices that makes every word out of his mouth sound like a shout.

It's still irritating though.

Almost like she can read my mind, Sakura quickly jumps in. "Shut up, Naruto. Didn't you just hear Sasuke say that he dislikes loud noises?"

I almost fail to resist the very strong urge to sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose.

"But he's trying to challenge me for the Hokage hat?" Naruto says, pointing an accusatory finger at me, and Sakura observes him quietly for several seconds.

"What is wrong with you?" she asks finally, voice laden with genuine curiosity.

"But, he said—" Naruto begins.

"I know what he said," the girl cuts him off. "And what does it have to do with you? Besides, how haven't you realised by now that you're never going to be Hokage? They don't give the job to idiots who think setting off stink bombs in people's businesses is funny."

Naruto pouts petulantly at Sakura's tongue-lashing, but he says nothing.

"Aww, so nice to see you getting along so well," Kakashi says happily. "Unfortunately, I have to go, I promised my cute neighbour that I'll help her bury her rug. Her boyfriend isn't around to help her and it's starting to smell."

With those parting words and a soft gust of wind, our new sensei vanishes like he was never there, leaving three confused genin behind.

"He didn't even tell us where we should meet tomorrow," Sakura says.

I scowl.

I swear on everything I hold dear, if this man turns out to be even half as terrible a teacher as he was in the story, I'm reporting him to his superiors and demanding a transfer.

"Um, Sasuke," Sakura says after a few seconds, and the tone of her voice sends alarm bells ringing in my head, "since we're in a team together now, maybe we could go have lunch and get to know each other."

Naruto's eyes widen in near panic. "What? Hey, Sakura, don't go anywhere with that bastard; come with me. I'll take you to Ichiraku Ramen."

Sakura's eyes flash at Naruto's words, something hot and explosive obviously boiling in her chest.

Before it can come blasting out though, I get an idea.

"We need to pick a team leader," I say.

Now, I don't actually think we need to pick a leader, since, as far as I'm concerned, there is only one person on this team who is going to lead it, and it sure isn't the village idiot or sycophantic fangirl, regardless of what they may have the potential to be in the future.

Unfortunately, while (even without my extra memories) I know that I can count on Sakura's immediate and enthusiastic support, I also know that Naruto would fight me every step of the way.

Ergo, I need to shut him down.

Just yesterday, I wouldn't have bothered about something like this.

My plan then had been to tolerate whatever team I was put in, working around them if necessary, and, as soon as I was powerful enough, or found the opportunity to, go hunt down Itachi like the dog that he is.

Now though, as much as my hatred for that man I once called brother burns bright, I know that there's a lot more to worry about than him.

A lot worse to worry about than him.

In the story, Naruto and Sakura were two of the most powerful ninja in the world by the end, and while, yes, many of the abilities our counterparts had ranged from dubious (like the forehead seal Sakura got from The Slug Sannin, Tsunade) to completely nonsensical (like Naruto's Tailed-beast's chakra usage, and all the sharingan nonsense), they were still indisputably powerful.

And if I want to have a chance to solve the myriad problems arrayed before me, I'll need powerful people at my back, because, as much as it rankles to admit, I can't do this on my own.

Just yesterday, Naruto and Sakura would have been the last names to enter my mind while thinking of powerful people, but now, with the knowledge of what they could become, and also the realisation that they were the most available for my plans, well, these two just went up in value.

Not that they know that, of course. Or that I'll let them know it.

"Team leader? What do we need to pick a team leader for? You're the team leader," Sakura says, inadvertently exhibiting that 'immediate and enthusiastic support' I'd anticipated.

Right on cue, Naruto steps in with the opposition, also expected.

"What? No, he isn't. Who made him team leader?"

"Shut up, Naru—" Sakura begins to say, but I lift a finger and cut her off.

I stare at Naruto and the boy bristles, hackles raised. He's expecting a fight.

Honestly, with his sharpish canines and overall attitude, if you change his hair and eye colours black, Naruto could easily pass for an Inuzuka.

"Do you want to be team leader?" I ask calmly.

Naruto blinks. "What?"

"I said, 'do you want to be team leader?'"

Sakura begins to speak but I again lift a finger and she shuts up.

Huh. If I'd known that was all I needed to do to shut her up, my last year in The Academy would have been significantly more bearable.

Naruto still hasn't spoken, so I lift an eyebrow. "Well?"

It takes him a minute, but the blonde finds his stride again.

"Yeah," he says. "I should be team leader."

"Okay, you can be team leader."

"What!?" Naruto and Sakura ask, one voice significantly louder than the other.

"But on one condition," I continue before they can speak.

I look Naruto right in the eyes. "You have to beat Sakura."