Naruto: The Medical God

As soon as Ayaka and Shin heard the name, their eyes both widened in surprise.

"Shin... isn't that guy... the one you defeated in the taijutsu tournament?" Ayaka asked, her voice filled with disbelief. She frowned slightly, her thoughts running wild. Of all people… why him? He's such an arrogant prick! He's even more arrogant than Sasuke! He kept insulting Shin even though he didn't do anything to him! Why did it have to be him in our team?

Shin, however, after a brief moment of initial shock, quickly composed himself. His expression remained neutral, but a faint glimmer of interest flickered in his emerald eyes.

"Yeah…" he responded calmly, his tone unreadable.

Ayaka let out a dramatic groan, crossing her arms. "Ugh… great. Just great. Of all people, he had to be on our team?"

Shin merely shrugged, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "Guess we'll just have to see how this plays out."

Ayaka puffed her cheeks slightly, pouting. "Don't tell me you actually want him on our team?"

Shin chuckled lightly. "Not really, but… it could be interesting."

Ayaka huffed. Why is he always like this? So calm, so composed… why doesn't anything ever seem to bother him? She stole a quick glance at him, only to find herself admiring how effortlessly cool he looked. Realizing what she was doing, she quickly looked away, her face heating up.

Before she could say anything else, a voice interrupted them from the back of the classroom.

"I have to work with those nobodies? Really?"

The arrogant voice rang out from the back of the classroom, drawing the attention of everyone present. Heads turned as they sought out the source, only to find Ryuuji casually leaning against the wall, arms crossed, his expression one of pure disinterest. It was as if this entire situation was nothing more than a nuisance to him.

Shin's smirk deepened. Without a word, he pushed himself up from his seat and began walking toward Ryuuji.

"Ohi, Ryuuji..." he called out, his tone relaxed, yet laced with something unreadable.

As soon as the other students realized what was about to happen, the entire class erupted in excitement.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" The chant grew louder as the students eagerly anticipated another showdown between the two rivals. Naruto, practically bouncing in place, couldn't contain his excitement.

"Shin, beat his ass!" he shouted, pumping his fist into the air.

The only ones who didn't join in were Sasuke and Ayaka.

Sasuke simply watched with narrowed eyes, intrigued by the situation but too proud to join the rowdy crowd. Ayaka, on the other hand, felt a pang of worry twist in her chest. Her hands clenched into fists as she stared at Shin, her mind racing.

"What is Shin doing?" she thought, concern flashing in her amber eyes. "He wouldn't really start a fight here, would he? That amused expression… No. He definitely has something planned!"

Meanwhile, Ryuuji, upon seeing Shin approaching, immediately pushed himself off the wall, standing up straight and assuming a combat stance. His sharp gaze locked onto Shin, his body tensed like a coiled spring.

"Hamada!" Ryuuji barked, his voice laced with frustration. "If you think I'll lose to you again, you're crazy!"

But Shin didn't respond.

He simply kept walking, his pace steady, his expression unreadable. The class grew even louder, their excitement reaching a fever pitch.

Ayaka swallowed hard. "Shin... what are you thinking?"

Shin came to a stop just a few steps away from Ryuuji, the air around them thick with anticipation. The entire class held its breath, waiting for the first strike, the first taunt—anything that would ignite the inevitable fight.

Then, to everyone's absolute disbelief, Shin casually raised his hand.

With a radiant smile, one that seemed completely out of place, he said, "Let's get along well."

Silence.

And then—

Thud.

Every single person in the classroom collapsed in shock.

Ayaka, who had been holding her breath in worry, nearly fell over herself. "What?!" Her mind was scrambling to make sense of what just happened.

Even Sasuke found himself momentarily stunned. His expression darkened as he recalled his own interactions with Shin. No. This can't be the same person. This can't be the Shin who insulted my entire dead family just because I made an 'innocent' joke.

Naruto, flat on the ground from shock, gawked. "What the hell is going on!?"

Even the normally indifferent Shikamaru sat up straighter, muttering, "Interesting..."

But the most stunned person of all was Ryuuji himself.

His jaw hung open as if his brain had momentarily shut down. His entire stance, which had been tense and battle-ready, crumbled into something resembling sheer disbelief.

"Hamada…" he finally managed, his voice quieter than before. "Are you... serious?"

His eyes flickered with something unreadable—anger? Confusion? Maybe even wariness.

For the first time, Ryuuji wasn't sure if he should be pissed off… or genuinely nervous.

Shin's smile only grew brighter, radiating an unsettling warmth. "Yeah, why shouldn't I be serious?" His tone was light, almost carefree, but there was an undeniable weight behind his words. "We're gonna be teammates from now on, so we should forget the past and focus on the future. Holding grudges will only hold us back."

His voice carried such sincerity that, for a moment, it almost seemed like he truly believed it.

And yet—

Thud.

The entire class, already struggling to comprehend what was happening, somehow managed to look even more shocked.

This was Shin. The same Shin who had always been a loner. The same Shin who rarely spoke to others unless he absolutely had to. The same Shin who, when faced with bullies, didn't get intimidated—instead, he humiliated them with sharp words that cut deeper than any kunai. He never acted like this. Never seemed like the type to forgive so easily.

Even Ayaka, who prided herself on knowing Shin better than anyone else, found herself speechless. Who... is this? She stared at him, heart pounding, her mind scrambling for an explanation. Is this really the same Shin I've always known? Or... is there a part of him I've never seen before?

Meanwhile, Ryuuji was still frozen in place, staring at Shin as if he had just grown a second head. His fists clenched, his mind screaming at him not to fall for whatever trick Shin was playing.

"Hamada..." he muttered, still incredulous. "I won't fall for your—"

Before he could finish, Shin moved faster than anyone expected.

In one smooth motion, he reached out and grabbed Ryuuji's hand, firmly locking their hands together in a handshake.

"Shut up, Ryuuji." Shin's voice was still light, still friendly—but there was an unmistakable firmness beneath it. His emerald eyes gleamed as he tilted his head slightly, the smile never leaving his face. "How can we become real companions if you can't even trust me enough to shake my hand?"

To be continued...

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How was this chapter? Liked it? Am I dragging this for too long?

I know that the answer is yes, but it's just that I get too immersed in the novel sometimes and I end up writing too much (not talking about the chapter's length, but about the pacing).

Be sure to check out my original novel Hyperborea!