The next morning, Sakura stood at the designated training ground, clutching a small bento box in her hands. The chilly wind whipped around her, causing her to shiver as it bit through her thin clothing. She hugged herself tightly, trying to ward off the cold, when suddenly, a warm coat was draped over her shoulders. The familiar scent of soap and sunshine filled her senses.
"The weather's been unpredictable lately. Don't catch a cold," Naruto said, his voice gentle and reassuring.
Sakura turned to see him smiling at her, his blue eyes filled with warmth. She nodded, her heart fluttering. "Thank you, Naruto."
But then she noticed that Naruto, now without his coat, was wearing only a thin shirt. Concerned, she quickly tried to return the coat. "Naruto, you shouldn't be out here without a jacket—"
Naruto gently stopped her, his hand resting lightly on hers. "It's not very gentlemanly to let a girl like you stand here in the cold while I do nothing."
A girl like me? Sakura's face turned bright red, her thoughts spiraling. Ahhh, Naruto, don't say things like that! I might just hug you!
But all she managed was a shy "Thank you."
Naruto smiled, his gaze soft. "How long have you been waiting here?"
"Not long," Sakura replied, though she'd actually been there for quite a while. She didn't want to seem too eager.
Just then, Sasuke appeared in the distance, his usual cool demeanor intact. With the trio now assembled, Naruto glanced around and chuckled. "Looks like Kakashi's reputation for being late is even worse than I thought."
When Kakashi finally arrived, his excuse was as predictable as ever. "Sorry, I got lost on the path of life."
Naruto, ever the diplomat, responded with a smile. "It's fine. We just got here ourselves."
Sasuke, meanwhile, was busy sampling the sushi from Sakura's bento. "This is… not bad," he admitted, his tone begrudging. "I didn't expect you to have cooking skills."
Sakura beamed, thrilled by the compliment. She eagerly picked up another piece of sushi and held it out to Naruto. "Naruto-kun, try this! I made it myself."
Naruto took the sushi with a polite nod. "Thank you, Sakura." He popped it into his mouth and smiled. "It's delicious!"
Sakura's heart soared. Yes! Naruto-kun ate my cooking! This is progress!
Kakashi, standing awkwardly to the side, felt like an outsider. No one seemed to care that he was late, and the camaraderie between the three was almost… unsettling. He cleared his throat, trying to regain control of the situation.
"Alright, let's get started. The bell test begins now," Kakashi announced, his tone serious. "I have two bells. Your goal is to take them from me before noon. Those who don't get a bell won't get lunch. And since there are only two bells, one of you will go hungry."
Sasuke scoffed. "Sounds boring."
Sakura, however, looked panicked. "What? Only two bells? But there are three of us!"
Naruto placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Sakura. We've already eaten your bento. We'll share lunch if we have to."
Kakashi blinked, thrown off by their nonchalance. This isn't how this is supposed to go, he thought, his carefully planned intimidation tactic crumbling before his eyes.
As the test began, Kakashi leaned against a tree, pulling out a well-worn copy of Icha Icha Paradise. He flipped through the pages lazily, his demeanor relaxed. But his sharp eye kept track of his students' movements.
Sasuke activated his Sharingan, his gaze narrowing as he observed Kakashi. "That book… it's Icha Icha Paradise?" he muttered, recognizing the infamous novel. "Is this guy even serious?"
Naruto, meanwhile, began forming hand seals, his expression calm but focused. "Don't underestimate him, Sasuke. He's stronger than he looks."
With a swift motion, Naruto unleashed a powerful Wind Release: Great Breakthrough. The gust of wind was far more intense than any genin-level technique, tearing through the training ground and sending debris flying.
Kakashi's eye widened in surprise. This level of chakra control… impressive. He quickly formed his own seals, slamming his hands on the ground. "Earth Release: Multiple Earth Wall!"
Massive earthen walls rose to block the wind, but Naruto wasn't finished. He began chanting, his voice steady and commanding. "King's Lander! The mask of flesh and blood, Vientiane, fluttering wings, and the name of human beings! Scorching heat and chaos, turning south across the sea, moving forward! Thirty-one red artillery that breaks the road!"
A fiery orb of energy erupted from Naruto's palm, merging with the wind to create a blazing inferno. The flames engulfed the earth walls, reducing them to ash in seconds. The explosion that followed was deafening, the heat intense enough to scorch the surrounding trees.
When the smoke cleared, the training ground was a smoldering ruin. Kakashi stood amidst the wreckage, his expression unreadable but his posture tense. He hadn't expected this level of power from a genin.
Naruto lowered his hands, his breathing steady despite the immense chakra expenditure. "Well, Kakashi-sensei? Are we worthy of your guidance?"
Kakashi stared at him for a long moment before finally speaking. "You've got potential," he admitted, his tone grudging. "But potential alone isn't enough. Let's see if you can keep up."
The bell test had only just begun, and already, Team 7 had proven they were anything but ordinary.