Under Chōji's increasingly enthusiastic snack preaching, Naruto gradually reached a conclusion—when it came to snacks... or rather, when it came to all the small eats and delicacies in the Hidden Leaf Village, Chōji could be considered a bona fide expert. If someone were to compile everything he said into a book, it would probably be a best-selling, down-to-earth gourmet guide to the Hidden Leaf.
Thankfully, the originally tireless Chōji—who could go on about food for three days and nights—was finally brought back to reality. After being silently stared at by his teammates' increasingly resentful gazes, he began to feel an itchy sense of discomfort and unease, which helped him recall the fact that he was still in the middle of the latest Ninja Academy Entrance Exam.
'Huh? Wait… I feel like I forgot something...'
Realizing just how much of the exam time he had wasted for everyone, Chōji's words came to a sudden halt. Under Naruto's unchanging, amused gaze, he sheepishly scratched his head, mumbling an apology like he'd just committed a terrible crime.
"Uh… we're… still in the middle of the exam, right? Sorry for taking up so much of your time."
But just as he finished speaking, two figures who had been huddling together for warmth in the face of neglect—Shikamaru and Ino, who were clearly on the verge of shedding their single-dog status—finally seized the moment to rejoin the conversation and reclaim their presence.
"You actually remembered we're in the middle of the exam, huh, Chōji..."
Each of them patted a shoulder of Chōji at the same time. Their synchronized, grievance-filled words were so full of passive aggression that even Chōji's rotund and sturdy body couldn't help but twitch violently. He slowly turned his head stiffly, and as his gaze shifted, he met the lifeless expressions of Shikamaru and Ino. As if their resentment had taken form, purplish flames seemed to flicker behind them.
"Uh… huh? What's with those looks on your faces...?"
Their looks of betrayal sent cold sweat dripping down Chōji's back. He responded with an awkward smile, waving his hands in panic while slowly trying to retreat.
"Looks? Uh... whose fault do you think that is?"
Ino locked eyes with Chōji, her expression icy as she casually raised her right hand into a fist and began pressing her left hand over the knuckles.
"I really thought you were planning to keep talking until the exam ended, Chōji..."
"Ack—sorry, sorry! I just got too excited. I finally met someone who loves snacks as much as I do, and... I guess I kinda forgot..."
Shrinking his neck like a turtle, Chōji guiltily avoided eye contact. He mumbled softly and dared not meet Ino's eyes for even a second. Instead, he subtly turned toward Shikamaru, hoping to get some backup.
"Right? You get it, right, Shikamaru? ...Shikamaru?"
To his surprise, Shikamaru—also exuding resentment—didn't reach out a helping hand like usual. Instead, he seemed possessed, muttering something nervously under his breath. This strange behavior piqued Chōji's curiosity. He cautiously leaned in closer to hear more clearly.
"Shikamaru, what are you muttering about over there?"
"Chips."
"...Huh?"
"Chips..."
The moment Chōji asked, Shikamaru responded without hesitation, blurting out the word that had been resting on the tip of his tongue. The answer was so familiar that Chōji thought he must've misheard. But as Shikamaru stared him dead in the eye and repeated the word "chips" over and over, Chōji finally became half-convinced he hadn't imagined it.
"You actually gave chips to him—a guy you just met not too long ago... Meanwhile, Ino and I? We've never gotten that treatment..."
Before Chōji could fully grasp what Shikamaru meant, he felt the pressure on his shoulder steadily increase. He instinctively turned toward Shikamaru, only to hear him continue in a dull, blank voice.
"We've known each other way longer… If, according to your logic, friends are more important than chips..."
"You gave him chips. But you've never once given any to us."
Before Shikamaru could finish, Ino picked up where he left off as if they had rehearsed it. Her eyes curved into a smile, and she gave Chōji an overly friendly grin.
"So are you saying… that Shikamaru and I aren't actually your friends?"
"Huuuh—?! Wait, wait, Shikamaru, Ino—I-I didn't mean it like that!"
"Hmm~? You didn't? Then what did you mean?"
"No, really! I never thought of it that way! You—you guys gotta believe me!"
"Hmph! Excuses are just lies in disguise! Since you've already revealed your true thoughts… don't blame us if we don't go easy on you!"
"Y-you… what are you going to do?"
Seeing his teammates closing in with increasingly grim expressions, Chōji was overwhelmed by a deep and tearless despair. He backed up step by step, swallowing nervously as he stammered.
"L-let's talk this out, okay? Let's be calm, just calm—don't come any closer! If you do, I'll scream!"
"Heh… Go ahead and scream. No one will come help you here..."
"What are we gonna do? You'll find out soon enough..."
"Wait—no! Calm down—calm—!"
No matter how hard Chōji tried to explain or struggle, it was clearly all in vain. With Ino and Shikamaru grinning darkly in perfect sync, they pounced. Even with a body bulkier than most kids his age, Chōji couldn't stay upright for more than a second. He toppled backward with a loud thud, and soon his desperate pleas echoed throughout the room.
...Though, those pleas didn't quite sound like the cries of someone in pain.
"HAHAHA—! That tickles! Stop—stop! I get it! I'm sorry, hahahahaha!"
"You're laughing way too hard for someone who's sorry! You're definitely messing with us!"
"Hahahaha! Ino, you—hahaha—you guys keep tickling me! How am I not supposed to laugh?!"
"Mmm, Ino's got a point. No sign of repentance. Looks like we haven't punished him enough… Heh, my turn."
"Shikamaru—hahahaha! Not you too?! HAHAHA! Help—someone help—hahahaha!"
"...What are they doing?"
Hinata, who had been worried the three would break out into a fight, now looked completely baffled by the scene playing out before her. Blinking in confusion, she instinctively tilted her head and glanced at Naruto, who was hugging her from behind with a gentle smile.
"These three... really are close friends, huh. It's just playful teasing between buddies. Nothing to worry about, Hinata."
Watching Chōji rolling on the ground pleading for mercy while Ino and Shikamaru playfully tickled him, Naruto couldn't help but smile even wider. He quietly opened the bag of chips in his hand and, ignoring Chōji's tearful glance for help, shared the chips with Hinata as they became the chillest spectators around.
"Looks like this won't be over anytime soon… Come on, this isn't something we should get involved in. Let's just enjoy some chips while we wait."
"I-is that so? O-okay… Mmm—! This 'chip' thing tastes amazing!"
"Hehe, glad you like it. I'll take you around the village to try all the other good food someday~"
Naruto tossed his gaze back at the playful chaos unfolding between the Ino-Shika-Chō Trio, while his hand kept reaching into the chip bag, feeding golden, crispy slices to the girl in his arms. But his mind began to drift into the clouds as he murmured to himself.
"Hm? Wait… I feel like I forgot something really important? What was it again…?"
Meanwhile, in a deserted alleyway somewhere in the Hidden Leaf Village, a small figure with spiky black hair paced back and forth anxiously. It was Sasuke, who had left first and was supposed to be way ahead of the group!
"So slow... Ugh! I can't take this anymore! How many ten-second intervals have passed already? Why aren't they here yet?!"
Muttering in frustration, the Little Uchiha Fan* kept scanning the area—but still saw no sign of anyone. His mood grew increasingly irritable. Suddenly, as if a thought struck him, he froze. The corners of his mouth began to twitch violently.
"No... wait... even if Naruto was walking Hinata here, he should've been here by now... Don't tell me…"
"I... I didn't get tricked by Naruto again, did I?!"
System Notification: Congratulations! Player Uchiha Sasuke has unlocked the achievement — Zero Presence.
Title acquired: The Forgotten One.