Naruto: The Chosen Undead

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Chapter no.45 Lessons in Socializing

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Kakashi paused, his single eye lazily sweeping over his team of fresh-faced genin. Despite their outward calm, each one seemed to be carrying their own brand of chaos. Sakura was deep in thought. Sasuke, on the other hand, looked like he'd been forced into something profoundly humiliating. His expression was one of barely-contained disdain, all because he was wearing the strange tattered cloth robes that Naruto had handed him earlier.

Naruto had insisted they were his "pyromancer clothes," a statement that confused everyone, including Kakashi.

Pyromancer clothes? Kakashi mused, watching Sasuke tug at the frayed fabric with a scowl. Were these related to how Naruto trained his fire jutsu? Or maybe… it's something else entirely.

The thought tugged at him, poking at the mystery that was Naruto Uzumaki. But he shook it off for now and addressed his team.

"Remember what I told you," Kakashi said, his voice slicing through the silence. "At noon, we're going to meet another team."

Sakura's face tightened slightly at the announcement. A flicker of worry crossed her features, and Kakashi didn't miss the way she bit her lip. Please don't let it be Ino's team, she thought, anxiety bubbling in her chest. The last thing she needed was for Ino to see her flustered and out of sorts—especially with Sasuke here.

"Why?"

"Well," Kakashi began, "I thought it'd be good for you three to learn from your senpais what being a genin really entails. Just a simple social gathering."

He left out his real intention: fostering a little healthy competition between Team 7 and Team 3. He hoped that rivalry would help them grow closer as a team instead of constantly being at odds with each other.

Kakashi pulled a pocket watch from his vest, flipping it open and eyeing the time. His gaze shifted back to his students as he started a countdown in his usual unhurried manner.

"Ten… nine… eight…"

Sakura exchanged a quick, bewildered glance with Naruto, who mirrored her confusion.

Sasuke discreetly tugged at the collar of the robe and caught a faint whiff. Instantly, his face twisted in barely-contained disgust. Of course, the dobe never washes his clothes, he thought bitterly. He made a mental note to throw the robe into the nearest fire pit the moment Kakashi stopped paying attention. Honestly, if Kakashi hadn't insisted he wear this ridiculous thing, he'd have incinerated it on the spot when Naruto first offered it to him.

As Kakashi reached "one," a loud, booming voice shattered the calm.

"Kakashi! My fire of youth has allowed me to be here on time!"

The voice was proud and impossibly loud, almost echoing through the clearing. Team 7 turned in unison, their eyes widening as they took in the man who had seemingly materialized behind Kakashi.

He stood tall, radiating confidence and energy. His fair skin and strong jawline were accentuated by a… unique sense of fashion. A green jumpsuit clung to his muscular frame like a second skin, orange-striped leg warmers covering his calves. His flak jacket was fashionably unzipped, and his gleaming red forehead protector was tied like a belt around his waist. But the real standout features were his impossibly shiny bowl cut and the thickest, boldest eyebrows Team 7 had ever seen.

"Is this… some kind of genjutsu?"

Sasuke didn't even glance at Naruto. "I've been trying to break out of this genjutsu ever since you handed me these ridiculous clothes."

"Shut up! Those are quality pyromancer robes!" Naruto shot back. "If you ask nicely, I'll even give you the matching hood and pants."

"If I ask nicely, can I set them on fire?"

"Fuck you, Sasuke."

As if on cue, another figure appeared beside the man, standing ramrod straight with military precision. The boy looked like a miniature version of the older man—the same polished bowl cut, the same bushy eyebrows, and the exact same green jumpsuit. The only noticeable differences were the boy's wide, round eyes with prominent lower lashes and the bandages wrapped tightly around his forearms.

"Guy-sensei!" the boy exclaimed loudly. "I'm sorry, but I was a second late!"

The older man let out a thunderous laugh, slapping the boy on the back so hard it made Team 7 flinch. "A second late, Lee? HAHAHA! Then give me a hundred sit-ups as punishment!"

"YES, GUY-SENSEI! THANK YOU, GUY-SENSEI!" the boy—Lee—shouted before dropping to the ground. He began his sit-ups immediately, his form perfect and precise, each count executed with an intensity that left Team 7 speechless.

"Are we… supposed to do that too?"

Sakura shook her head, wide-eyed, unable to form a coherent response to Naruto.

"Weirdos, am I right?" a confident, teasing voice cut through the tension, making Team 7 turn their heads toward the new arrival.

A girl with dark hair tied into two buns and sharp, observant gray eyes stood casually off to the side, a kunai balancing effortlessly on her fingertip. She had an easy confidence about her, a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. Her outfit was practical yet stylish—a sleeveless pink qipao-style blouse with red trimmings and yellow buttons, paired with dark green pants. A pouch strapped to her thigh swayed slightly as she shifted her weight.

She gave them an appraising look before throwing the kunai into the air and catching it with practiced ease.

"Am I right, Neji?"

"This is a waste of time," came a calm, almost dismissive voice from above.

A boy stepped out of the shadow of the branches, moving with a quiet grace. He had pale skin and long, dark hair that framed his sharp features, tied into a loose ponytail that flowed behind him. His white, featureless eyes, tinted faintly lavender in the sunlight, settled on Team 7 with a detached, almost bored expression.

"Why bother socializing? None of them are at our level."

"What'd you say, you smug—"

"Ah, Team 3 has arrived!" Guy's booming voice interrupted, his tone brimming with enthusiasm. "What do you think of my youthful team introduction, Kakashi?"

"Hmm? Did you say something, Guy?"

Guy's expression fell, his fist tightening dramatically as he muttered, "Curse you, Kakashi! Always pretending not to notice my brilliance!"

"Rival?" Sasuke's voice broke the moment, his brows furrowing as he glanced between Guy and Kakashi.

In a blur of green, Guy suddenly appeared behind Team 7.

Guy caught Naruto's reaction with a small, pleased smile. Interesting… He tracked my movement. And that strange armor of his… Guy's sharp eyes focused on their feet, his keen gaze assessing the weight distribution with meticulous precision. I wonder how it would respond to the Gentle Fist. Kakashi, my eternal rival, it seems you've gathered quite the youthful team.

"Yes!" Guy declared with theatrical pride, striking a pose that caused the sunlight to gleam dramatically off his forehead protector. "We are eternal rivals!"

Team 7 looked on in disbelief.

"In fact, my record against Kakashi is fifty wins to forty-nine losses! That's right—I am stronger than your sensei!"

Naruto's jaw dropped, and he let out a loud, incredulous, "What?! No way!" He spun toward Kakashi, waving his arms wildly. "Sensei, tell me this isn't true! Tell me you're stronger than… than Bushy Brows Senior over here!"

"Oh, yeah, sure. I only lost last time because I needed to buy the new Icha Icha release."

As soon as the words left Kakashi's mouth, Guy's face lit up, and he was in Kakashi's personal space, his eyes blazing with intensity. "So, that's how it is, Kakashi! You're saying you weren't giving it your all? Then let's settle it right here and now—a rematch! One thousand laps around Hokage Mountain!"

Kakashi sighed, his expression unchanging. "Guy, I'm busy."

"Busy?!" Guy repeated, aghast. "What could be more important than rekindling the flames of our rivalry?"

"Reading."

"Team 3! Socialize with Team 7 while I go secure my youthful victory!"

Before anyone could protest, Guy kicked up a cloud of dust and vanished in a blur of green, leaving the two teams standing awkwardly in his wake.

Kakashi let out another tired sigh, already walking away with his book in hand. "Yeah, socialize," he said over his shoulder, his tone completely indifferent.

"Wait, Sensei, where are you going?!"

Kakashi gave a half-hearted wave. "To find a quiet place to read. Don't cause too much trouble."

And with that, he was gone, leaving the two teams standing together in awkward silence.

Naruto turned to Sasuke and Sakura, looking completely bewildered. "What just happened?"

Sakura, still processing everything, could only shrug.

Tenten, however, grinned, breaking the silence. "Don't worry. You get used to it."

"I don't know if I want to get used to it."

Tenten giggled, her laughter ringing out clearly, and Naruto's face lit up with pride. It wasn't every day a girl laughed at his jokes, let alone an older female.

Neji, however, was less than amused. His pale eyes flicked over Sasuke's tattered robes, a faint sneer curling at the edges of his mouth. "Is this how the last of the Uchiha carries himself?"

Sasuke's Sharingan activated with a faint red glow, his expression calm but cold. "Maybe you'd like to test why this robe has so many marks of fire."

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise. Sasuke defending the clothes he gave him? Maybe Sasuke wasn't so bad after all—

"Hey, Naruto," Sasuke interrupted, tugging at the collar of the robe as if noticing something unpleasant. "Wash this with fire after we're done here."

"I take back every nice thing I ever thought about you!"

"I'll survive."

"This is a waste of time. I'm going back to training," Neji muttered coldly, turning to walk away. "You coming, Tenten?"

But Tenten didn't respond. Her eyes were locked onto Naruto, or more specifically, the armor he was wearing. She tilted her head, studying it intently—the craftsmanship, the weight, the metal plating—and the faintest hint of fascination crept into her expression.

Sakura noticed the look, her brow furrowing. "Is she… drooling?"

Neji noticed as well. "Fate plays strange tricks," he muttered. "Granting valuable things to the unworthy." With that cryptic remark, he turned and walked off, leaving the rest of them thoroughly confused.

Meanwhile, Rock Lee was still on the ground, hammering out sit-ups as if his life depended on it.

"Forty-seven! Forty-eight! Forty-nine!"

Tenten shook her head, clearly exasperated by her teammates, and then turned her full attention back to Team 7. "Well, on behalf of Team 3, I'm Tenten," she said. "The guy down there doing sit-ups is Rock Lee, and the one who just stormed off in a huff? That's Neji Hyuga."

Then, with a deliberate step forward, her gaze settled on Naruto. Her smirk deepened, and her tone shifted to something lighter, teasing, almost flirtatious. "And who are you, handsome?"

"Uh… I'm, uh… Naruto Uzumaki!"

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[ Personal Note: First off, thanks a ton to all of you for sticking with this story. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Now, if you're interested in supporting me on P treon, let me just say that over there, I post these massive 5k-word chapters. But heads up, if you're jumping to P treon, you'll need to start from Chapter 22, since that's where this chapter lines up with the content there.

To everyone here just reading along, please don't forget to leave a comment! Honestly, your comments make my day, and they let me know you're as invested in this story as I am. So yeah, thanks again, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day!