Afternoon Before the Test
Naruto sat on the floor of his room, cross-legged, with Uzuhiko's interface hovering before him. His heart raced with anticipation. Tomorrow would mark the first real test of Team 7, and he was determined to succeed.
Suddenly, Uzuhiko's calm, familiar voice echoed in his mind.
"Naruto, I must inform you that for tomorrow's test, neither Minato, Kushina, nor I will assist you. You are on your own."
Naruto's eyes widened. "What? Why not?!"
Moments later, Minato's soul fragment materialized beside Uzuhiko's interface, followed by Kushina. Minato gave Naruto a reassuring smile.
"Because, Naruto, this test is designed to measure your ability to think, adapt, and work with your team. If we interfere, it won't be a fair assessment of your skills," Minato explained.
Kushina nodded, her arms crossed. "Besides, Kakashi is no pushover. You'll learn more by figuring this out on your own."
Naruto frowned but nodded reluctantly. "Alright, fine. I'll do it myself. But don't blame me if I blow it!"
Minato chuckled. "We won't. And we believe in you."
As their figures faded, Uzuhiko added, "Naruto, this is an opportunity to apply everything you've learned so far. Use your resources wisely."
Gathering Intelligence
Naruto didn't waste time. He created several shadow clones and instructed them to disguise themselves before heading into the village.
"Alright, guys," Naruto said, addressing his clones. "Your mission is to gather as much information as possible about Kakashi-sensei. I want to know everything—his personality, his test methods, even his history if you can find it. Be subtle, and don't get caught."
The clones saluted and dispersed, each transforming into inconspicuous villagers—an old man, a young shopkeeper, a child, and a traveling merchant.
Clone 1: The Old Man
The first clone shuffled into a small café where a group of chunin were chatting over tea. They were talking about missions and village gossip when one of them brought up Kakashi.
"Man, Kakashi's team has to do that bell test tomorrow," one chunin said.
The clone perked up, listening intently.
"Poor kids," another chuckled. "They have no idea what they're in for."
The first chunin nodded. "Kakashi's bell test is brutal. I heard he's failed every team he's ever had. His standard is teamwork, but he never tells them that outright."
The clone smirked to himself. So it's about teamwork, huh? Good to know.
Clone 2: The Young Shopkeeper
The second clone, disguised as a shopkeeper, overheard a pair of genin talking about Kakashi.
"Did you know Kakashi-sensei's nickname is the Copy Ninja?" one genin said.
"Yeah, he's copied over a thousand jutsu with his Sharingan. No wonder he's so famous!" the other replied.
The clone stored this information and made a note to inform Naruto about Kakashi's Sharingan and reputation.
Clone 3: The Child
The third clone approached Konohamaru, the Third Hokage's grandson, pretending to be another child.
"Hey, do you know anything about Kakashi Hatake?" the clone asked.
Konohamaru grinned. "Oh, yeah! My grandpa says he's one of the strongest jonin in the village. But he's super lazy! He's always late and reads those weird books."
The clone tilted his head. "Weird books?"
"Yeah, the Icha Icha series or something. He never puts them down!"
Clone 4: The Merchant
The fourth clone visited the archives, disguised as a traveling merchant. He couldn't access restricted files but managed to overhear a chunin talking about Kakashi's history.
"They say Kakashi-senpai's been through a lot. Lost his dad when he was a kid, and his teammates too."
The clone frowned. "So he's carrying a lot of pain…"
Compiling the Data
That evening, the clones returned, each dispelling themselves to transfer their findings to Naruto. He sat on his bed, processing the information.
"Kakashi's test is about teamwork," he muttered. "But he doesn't tell anyone that. He's got a Sharingan, so he can see through any tricks. And he's lazy but sharp. Hmm…"
Uzuhiko's voice broke his thoughts. "Naruto, based on the data, you'll need to outsmart Kakashi using a combination of strategy and deception. Focus on teamwork with Sasuke and Sakura. This is not a test of individual strength."
Naruto nodded. "Got it. But convincing those two to work together… that's gonna be tough."
The Next Day: The Bell Test
The morning sun bathed Training Ground 7 in a warm glow. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura stood before Kakashi, who held two silver bells in his hand.
"Your objective is simple," Kakashi said, his voice as lazy as ever. "Take these bells from me. But only two of you can pass."
Sakura gasped. "Wait! But there are three of us!"
Kakashi shrugged. "Exactly. So one of you will fail."
Naruto smirked inwardly, already aware that this was a ploy to test their teamwork.
As Kakashi began reading his book, Naruto whispered to his teammates. "Guys, listen. We can't do this alone. If we don't work together, we'll all fail."
Sasuke scoffed. "I don't need your help."
"Me neither!" Sakura added.
Naruto sighed. This is gonna be harder than I thought.
The Test Begins
Naruto immediately created a dozen shadow clones to distract Kakashi, but the jonin effortlessly dispatched them. Meanwhile, Sasuke and Sakura each attempted solo attacks, which Kakashi evaded with ease.
Naruto watched carefully, analyzing Kakashi's movements.
"Uzuhiko, any suggestions?"
"He's testing your ability to adapt. You've studied his personality—use it. Exploit his laziness and overconfidence."
Naruto grinned. "Got it."
The Turning Point
Using his clones, Naruto orchestrated a feint, pretending to launch a direct attack while secretly setting up a trap. Kakashi, distracted by Sasuke's fireball jutsu, failed to notice when Naruto lured him toward a concealed seal.
As Kakashi stepped into the trap, Naruto activated the seal, temporarily immobilizing him.
"Sakura! Sasuke! Now's our chance!" Naruto yelled.
Sasuke hesitated but finally joined forces with Naruto and Sakura. Together, they managed to grab the bells just as Kakashi broke free from the seal.
The Lesson
Kakashi looked at the three of them, a rare smile gracing his face. "You pass."
Sakura blinked. "Wait, what? But I didn't even get a bell!"
Kakashi pocketed the bells. "The real test was about teamwork. You figured that out, Naruto, and you convinced your teammates to work together. Well done."
Naruto grinned triumphantly. "Thanks, Uzuhiko."
"This is only the beginning, Naruto. Stay sharp."