Reincarnated in Naruto, I'll Use Shadow-Clone Jutsu to Build a Harem

The teams had been chosen. Each genin split off with their assigned jōnin.

Sabuko stepped into the classroom and immediately spotted Takos—alone. No sign of Koko beside him.

'Oh? They didn't come back together?' he thought, recalling how the two had wandered off to eat.

Takos raised his head just enough to see Sabuko… then promptly dropped it between his arms.

'Guess I'll sit over here,' Sabuko mused, settling at the far end of the room; away from Takos.

Silence.

'I wonder where she is… and our jōnin. Bolognese-sensei.'

He snorted quietly to himself.

Takos kept glancing at Sabuko's back. From his shoulders to his arms, then down again. His leg bounced. He scratched at his head.

"Ahhh…" he muttered. Then louder, "Ahhh...!!"

And then, "AHHHHHH—!"

"…You okay?" Sabuko turned around, brow raised.

"SHUT UP…!" Takos barked, coughing into his fist. "Just—why'd I even do all that crap for you if we weren't gonna end up with Yuhi-chan…"

Sabuko exhaled, a wry smile tugging at his lips.

'So this is his version of making up.'

He turned back around, propping one arm on the desk.

"Cheer up. It's not the end of the world," Sabuko said casually. "The girl we have in our team is cute, right? Could always shoot your shot. You even went to lunch together."

'Besides, I'm staying at his house. Least I can do is be a little understanding here.'

"I… I asked her out... She wasn't interested... But... I guess I could try again..." Takos peeked over.

"But, you sure? You're not gonna go for her yourself? Since she's so cute and all."

'SO FAST! WAS THE LOVE FOR YUHI-KYUN THAT SHALLOW, YOU BASTARD!?'

Sabuko blinked.

'Yep. That's kids for you. Girls aren't people to them yet—they're trophies. Naruto felt that way about Sakura. Sakura felt the same about Sasuke. And I bet he went after this Koko girl out of frustration we weren't under Kurenai-sensei.'

"Yeah. I told you. I'm a mommy lover through and through. No girl our age is right for me," Sabuko said without missing a beat.

"Oh… Okay. Fine. I mean, that's... Good, I guess." Takos scratched his head.

…A little longer than usual.

"Look, man… I'm, uh… about not sitting with you and Naruto earlier today..." he mumbled.

"H-he's just not my buddy, y'know?" Takos stammered. "I don't sit with just anyone. You get that, right? It just… didn't feel right. Especially not with Naruto. No one's his friend. So… it's weird you wanted to sit with him."

'Guilt. Happens between friends when one side doesn't push back in a fight. He really wants to apologize for shaming me in front of everyone… but he's too prideful to say the words.'

"It's alright. I get it," Sabuko said lightly, rising from his seat and walking over to Takos. He sat beside him.

"Friends?"

Takos blinked, caught off guard. His eyes widened.

"Oh… Uh… yeah. I mean—yeah," he stammered, clearly flustered.

Just then, Koko walked in—a short-haired girl with plain black hair. Not particularly striking, but not unattractive either.

'...Huh. There she is,' Sabuko noted, catching her glancing in their direction.

She quickly looked away and sat on the opposite side of the classroom; where Sabuko sat a few moments ago.

'...'

Sabuko glanced at Takos, who flinched under the silence.

'Guess it stung worse than just a casual "I don't like you that way." He really handled the girl like a mob character—no arc, no closure. Just fade to the background.'

Before long, their assigned Jonin stepped into the room.

Bolognese Spaghetti.

Or, as everyone called him—Bolo-sensei.

He looked like the human definition of average. Black hair, standard-issue Jonin vest, Konoha headband. No ominous scars. No cold glint in the eyes. Just... some guy.

"I at least expected a scar or two," Takos muttered quietly to Sabuko.

"I have one," Bolo said, not missing a beat. "Had my appendix removed."

Takos stiffened.

"Geehk—he heard that?"

"I did. Never underestimate a Jonin," Bolo replied flatly. "Anyway, the appendix is gone. Took my childhood with it."

Everyone shared a thought.

'Wow.'

Bolo took his spot at the front of the classroom.

"So this is my Genin team, huh?" he said, voice flat. "From the looks of it, none of you have resolve."

His gaze swept over them.

"I see a girl sulking instead of watching her new sensei. I see two boys too chicken to sit beside her or offer so much as a crumb of comfort. Real impressive start. I got the bottom of the barrel, huh?"

He folded his arms with a sigh.

'What's HIS problem!?' Takos fumed internally, his face souring.

"When I had my appendix removed—and my bullies were beating the crap out of me—I clawed my way to Chunin with my teeth. I paid attention. I comforted all the girls, even when they didn't want it."

'Ah. So you were a mob character as a child, too?'

Sabuko blinked slowly.

'And this man is really milking the appendicitis thing... Bro, it's not even on life support anymore—it's buried.'

"But enough talking about my struggles." He looked down for a second. "They... don't matter anymore."

'The appendicitis was really scarring for you, wasn't it, dude?'

"First—introductions. I'll say my name again. Bolognese Spaghetti. You'll call me Bolo-sensei. I'm a Jonin, and for now, you three are my team."

"For now?" Takos asked, raising a brow.

"Yes, the boy who speaks out of turn. For now. Every Genin team must pass their Jonin's individual test. We'll do one today. Another tomorrow."

'…Two?' Thought Sabuko.

"Two?" Koko echoed softly.

Bolo nodded.

"Two. First is a written exam—now. I need to see if your knowledge qualifies you to be a ninja. To make sure none of you passed graduation by a fluke… or by possessing a child right before the exam."

Takos and Koko tilted their heads at that. Sabuko shivered.

'SO SPECIFIC.'

"It was a joke," Bolo added flatly.

No one laughed.

"Either way, that's the first one. Passing grade is 75%."

Koko visibly relaxed. So did Takos.

"Oh, thank god," he muttered. "I was worried for a second."

Sabuko gulped. 'Fuck… Am I ready?'

"The reason I'm lenient is because a ninja's true merit is tested in the field," Bolo continued. "Which is what we'll cover in the second test—a physical trial of strength and wit."

He crossed his arms again.

"Now. Names. Introduce yourselves. Ladies first."

'Oh right. We were still doing that.'

"Uhm…" Koko stood. "My name is Koko Chocolate. I'm 12 years old! And, uh… I like—"

'…Are all Naruto mob characters named after food?'

"Good. Sit down. We don't have time for a life story," Bolo interrupted.

He pointed at Takos. "Boy who speaks out of turn. Go."

"Yessir. I'm Takos Bruger, from the Takos clan. I'm 12!"

"Good. Sit. I know the Brugers."

Finally, he looked at Sabuko. "You."

"I'm Sabuko Kanto. Twelve... Uhm... Yeah."

"Good." Bolo sighed, pulling out three sheets of paper. He handed one to each of them, personally.

"Here's your exam. Whether you pass or fail is entirely up to you."

Takos' eyes widened when he saw the questions.

He glanced toward Sabuko and whispered, "Sabuko..!"

'Right. He's amnesiac!' Takos thought.

"Will you be alright—"

"NO TALKING." Bolo-sensei's voice snapped. "First and final warning, Takos Bruger."

Takos winced and glanced at Sabuko, who stared at the paper—expression unreadable.

'Damn it… I can't do anything. You're on your own, man. Sorry.'

He looked back down and began his own test.

"….."

'So there's at least one rotten apple in this bunch,' Bolo thought, watching the two begin writing—while Sabuko remained frozen.

'…I can recognize the structure of these questions,' Sabuko thought, 'but I still haven't caught up completely.'

'Right now, 75% is impossible for me…'

Takos stole another glance at Sabuko; seeing a grin tugged at his mouth.

'Right now, that is. Hmph. Clone #2. Dispel.'

BACK AT TAKOS' HOUSE, SABUKO'S TEMPORARY ROOM

"Ho? I guess it's time," the clone muttered.

He looked up from the textbooks scattered across the floor, smirking.

'My head hurts like hell… I pulled an all-nighter. It's all yours now, Original.'

With a puff of smoke—POOF—the clone vanished.

BACK AT THE ACADEMY

"GEEHK…!!" Sabuko jerked forward, clutching his head as the knowledge surged in all at once—alongside the sleep-deprived fog of pulling an all-nighter.

His vision blurred. His stomach churned.

"Sabuko. You're warned. Final warning," Bolo said sharply. "And spare me the theatrics. I've seen every trick in the book. Either write, or walk yourself back to the Academy as a student."

'God… damn it... I never get used to this,' Sabuko winced, head wobbling from the aftershock.

But as he blinked past the nausea and focused, his eyes lit up.

'I... I know the answers now!'

He grabbed his pen and started writing furiously.

Takos peeked over, eyes wide.

Even Bolo paused, brow lifting slightly.

'That headache… sudden clarity... Could it be?'

His eyes narrowed.

'Kage Bunshin memory sync. To think a kid his age thought to use a Kage Bunshin like that... Wait—even using a Kage Bunshin at his age is no mean feat. Most adults can't handle the chakra load. Hmph...'

'Extraordinary.' 

Bolo thought.

'Once is an accident. Twice is coincidence. But the third time… that's when luck runs out—or turns into brilliance.'

'First was when you graduated. Second is making it through my test now.'

'Tomorrow is the third. Let's see, Sabuko Kanto... if you're brilliant—or just got lucky twice.'