ch1

"The first place in this assessment is..."

Iruka Umino deliberately elongated his announcement.

"Uchiha Sasuke!"

The announcement was met with Sasuke Uchiha's characteristic indifference.

His arms were casually folded across his chest, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, as if he had expected nothing less.

"Snort."

This sound made Sakura Haruno, a devoted fan of Sasuke, nearly jump with excitement:

"Ahhh! As expected of Sasuke, he's so awesome!"

"So handsome, Sasuke!"

Her screams were filled with boundless admiration, her face flushed with excitement.

"Ahhhh, Ino-pig, did you hear that? Sasuke took first place!"

Sakura excitedly pulled Ino Yamanaka, who stood beside her.

"I know, I know, stop bothering me. You're so childish," Ino replied, pulling away Sakura's hand with a look of distaste.

When she was younger, she also thought Sasuke was handsome, but as she grew up, she found herself less attracted to him. Besides, there was someone else far more interesting.

"Second place is..."

"Third place is..."

Iruka's voice continued, listing the next rankings.

Finally, with a hint of exasperation, he announced the results for the last two:

"Thirty-two, Yuyuki Shinomiya!"

"Thirty-three, Naruto Uzumaki!"

Naruto listened intently, his heart tightening with each announcement of the rankings. When the standings were finalized, his expression turned exaggerated.

"Ah? Yuyuki, your ranking is actually higher than mine!"

Before the assessment, he had casually bet with Yuyuki Shinomiya. The loser had to treat the winner to a meal at Ichiraku Ramen.

"Ah... I have to lose another meal of Ichiraku Ramen to you."

His eyes drifted to the small frog wallet full of coins beside him, which contained very little change. However, Naruto was a person of his word and wouldn't break a promise, even when short on money.

"Let's go eat ramen after school."

There was a touch of optimism in Naruto's words. Then he added something that was a bit sad:

"But I only have enough money for one bowl. Just leave some soup for me."

He gently nudged Yuyuki Shinomiya beside him.

Yuyuki Shinomiya always had a languid expression. It wasn't until Naruto gently pushed that Yuyuki seemed to snap back to reality from her distant thoughts, her body moving slightly.

"You can eat it yourself, I have no appetite."

Yuyuki's tone was slightly weak, and she lay on the table.

"Hey, Yuyuki, how is this possible? I promised you."

Faced with Naruto's insistence, Yuyuki said:

"If you really care about this, just protect me from now on."

When Naruto heard this, he immediately clenched his fists and looked resolutely:

"You are my friend, of course I will protect you!"

Naruto's curiosity was piqued:

"But having said that, Yuyuki, I remember you've said this many times. Is there someone who wants to harm you?"

"Don't worry, I will definitely help you."

Yuyuki's heart was filled with mixed emotions as she sighed softly:

"Not now, but maybe in the future."

When Naruto heard this, he scratched his head, looking puzzled:

"In the future? How do you know what happens in the future, Yuyuki?"

However, Yuyuki's heart was in turmoil:

Of course I know, because I am a time traveler. From the Fourth Ninja War triggered by Obito Uchiha to the later Infinite Tsukuyomi. Those are still in the distance, but the Konoha collapse plan orchestrated by Orochimaru during the Chūnin exams will happen in a few months. Each of these is a life-threatening crisis. Every disaster directly threatens my small existence.

"Why am I so unlucky?"

Yuyuki secretly lamented. It has been twelve years since she traversed time. Not only does she lack any special abilities, but her own talents are also exceedingly average. In every assessment, she competes with Naruto for the embarrassing title of "The Last One," and they take turns holding it.

But in the world of Hokage, the tail end of the crane is often the scariest one. Obito and Guy were also at the bottom of their classes in school, yet their lives were magnificent. Obito ascended to immortality and became the Six Paths. Guy, with the Eight Gates, achieved physical sanctification. Naruto's greatness needs no mention. What's more embarrassing is that Naruto is unable to use Ninjutsu properly due to the Nine Tails' influence, while Yuyuki's mediocrity is genuine.

Under these circumstances, aligning with Naruto seems to be the best choice. Thus, she started with a good impression from childhood, which has been maintained for nearly ten years.

If Naruto truly wants to protect her. With the power of Six Paths Naruto. Look at the entire ninja world. Who dares to kill me? Who can kill me? I am the third level... No, it's a conspiracy. I am Naruto's best friend!

"Hey! You two, pay attention. Every time you take an assessment, your results are at the bottom. If you don't reflect on yourselves, how do you still have the energy to daydream here?"

Iruka's voice was stern yet helpless.

Naruto felt the pressure of his gaze, forcing an awkward yet slightly playful smile onto his lips. He quickly adjusted his posture, pretending to listen attentively.

Yuyuki Shinomiya, beside him, was still lazily lying on the table, seemingly deaf to the external accusations. The whole demeanor suggested an "I've given up on therapy" vibe.

Just as Yuyuki was about to immerse herself in her own thoughts, happily dreaming of sleeping until the bell rang, a strange sound suddenly echoed deep in her consciousness:

**[Ding]**

**[Ninja chat group loading completed]**

**[You have been set as the group owner by default by the system]**

This sudden information was like a thunderbolt, instantly dispelling her drowsiness. Yuyuki Shinomiya suddenly sprang up from the table, her back straightened, and her eyes sparkled with disbelief.

This movement surprised Naruto, who was seated next to her.

"Eh? Yuyuki, what's up with you? Why are you suddenly so energetic?" Naruto asked curiously.

Yuyuki's face was filled with unprecedented excitement and joy.

"Naruto, I have good news for you, I'm taking off!"

"Hahaha, it's finally here, my savior, my cheat has arrived!"

She laughed excitedly, her words brimming with expectation and confidence.

Naruto listened, though he was confused by the word "cheat." But from Yuyuki's expression, he knew that this was a good thing for her.

"Congratulations, Yuyuki, it seems your fortune is about to turn around."

"Hey, Naruto, just wait and see from now on. With me here, no one will dare to bully you!"

After saying this, Yuyuki couldn't wait to lie down again, eager to explore this mysterious "cheat."

"Group chat? Let's see what you're capable of."

As she thought this silently, a transparent screen full of futuristic technology suddenly appeared in front of her eyes, visible only to her.

After a few minutes of exploring, Yuyuki roughly mastered the operation of the group chat, filled with amazement.

"Wow, can even global businesses penetrate other worlds these days?"

This group chat resembled modern social software, bringing people together to communicate. But its uniqueness was its ability to transcend time and space, bringing people from different timelines into the same chat room.

Scenes of hilarity played out in Yuyuki's mind: Obito Uchiha's shocked expression upon suddenly seeing his beloved Rin Nohara in the group, and whether encounters between Uchiha Madara from different timelines would lead to a virtual "war" due to differing ideologies.

But she wasn't worried. As the group leader, she enjoyed special privileges. For instance, group members couldn't harm the group leader, rendering her virtually invincible. She also had management rights, such as the ability to kick people out.

"Nice one!"

**[Group chat level Lv1]**

**[Current number of people in group chat: 1]**

**[Group leader: Yuyuki Shinomiya (timeline: Konoha 60 years)]**

**[Remaining number of pulls: 1]**

"Can a group with only one person still be called a group chat? You have to quickly bring people in to make it lively!"

With this thought, Yuyuki's eyes flashed with excitement, ready to start her "recruitment plan."