Kakashi stood leaning on his cane with one hand while scratching the back of his head with the other. About forty minutes remained until noon—plenty of time for the genin team to complete their task. Of course, the shinobi was nearly one hundred percent certain that none of his students would manage to take the bell, even if he were lying down reading a book.
But the true purpose of the test wasn't about that. It was about teamwork—and being willing to *sacrifice something* for others. In his imagination, Hatake was already mentally tying Naruto or Sakura to a post and walking away, then secretly observing them. The image was so vivid in his mind that he even chuckled out loud.
—Alright, no time for daydreaming,— Kakashi chided himself. With this attitude, they might actually take his bells. Never underestimate your opponents. —Need to focus. Hmm… All ninja must master stealth. For shinobi, this skill is vital. But…
—Not everyone understands that,— he muttered quietly.
Sasuke and Sakura had hidden themselves fairly well. Of course, he could still sense them. The fact that they hadn't attacked head-on spoke to their intelligence. But Naruto? He was still standing there, chest puffed out, arms crossed, chin held high.
Kakashi closed his eye and silently counted to ten, giving the genin time to regroup with his teammates and strategize. But the little blond showed no intention of joining them. Instead, he just shouted:
—Alright, let's settle this, Katame-sensei*! I'm gonna be Hokage, and before that, I need to fight as many strong opponents as possible! I'll beat you—not with strength, but with smarts!
(*Katame — "One-Eyed")
Kakashi's palm met his face.
—Thought he was smarter than this. Guess I was wrong… Didn't you just say the difference between us is like a kitten versus a tiger?—
—What, scared?!— Naruto yelled even louder. —Let's fight, dattebayo! Fight! Fight! Fight!—
The sheer volume of Naruto's voice made the Copy Ninja's ears ring. He winced.
—You're contradicting yourself, Naruto. You say you'll beat me with smarts, but then you want to fight me head-on. You're a weird guy,— Kakashi drawled.
—*You're* the weird one with that hair!— Naruto kept shouting. —Get ready, Katame-sensei! I'll use everything I've got to beat you! And I won't back down!
—Is this part of some plan? Or is he just an idiot?— Kakashi wondered. —I *told* them the main objective was to get the bells. Was he even listening?—
With a battle cry, the little jinchuriki charged. Kakashi's hand drifted toward his pouch—but Naruto skidded to a halt, dodged to the side, and pulled out a kunai.
—Not bad reflexes,— Kakashi commented. —But let me teach you a few lessons while testing your skills. First lesson: taijutsu.
—Taijutsu?— Naruto repeated. —So you won't use weapons?
—Oh no, no need for that,— the masked shinobi smiled, pulling out a book. He then sat on the ground, set aside his cane, and started reading intently.
—Huh?!— Naruto gaped. —You're just gonna *read*?! What about the test?!
—Relax, kid,— Kakashi waved him off without looking up. —Your yelling wore me out, so I'm taking a break. But feel free to attack. The book won't get in my way.
Naruto growled and hurled the kunai at the jonin's head. Kakashi lazily dodged, still reading.
—Hey! Don't underestimate me!— Naruto screamed, rushing into close combat.
The first punch, Kakashi blocked with his palm while still seated. The second—a spinning kick—followed immediately. It looked like it would land…
But the next moment, Naruto froze. His target had vanished.
—Quit hiding, dattebayo!
—A ninja should never leave his back exposed,— came Kakashi's voice from behind him.
—Naruto, run! He'll kill you!— Sakura's desperate shout echoed from somewhere.
The boy stiffened—but a second later, he tried to bolt. If Sakura was warning him, the jonin must have been preparing something deadly.
—Too late. Secret Finger Jutsu: One Thousand Years of Pain!
What followed was one of the most terrifying and brutal techniques in the Copy Ninja's arsenal. But just as his two fingers, formed into the Tiger seal, reached their target—
*Poof!*
The genin vanished in a puff of smoke.
—What?— Kakashi blinked. —A shadow clone?—
***
Uchiha Sasuke crouched in the bushes, watching their new sensei and the loudmouthed blond. The latter didn't seem interested in hiding. *Great team I got stuck with—an annoying weakling and an idiot.* For a second today, he'd thought Naruto might actually be sharp, that his usual behavior was just an act to lull enemies into carelessness.
But now, seeing the moron screaming about *"who's stronger"*, Sasuke doubted Naruto's sanity all over again. And when the blond started chanting *"Fight! Fight!"* like a toddler, he was *certain* of his teammate's stupidity.
—Psst… Sasuke-teme…— a quiet voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
Sasuke jerked back, kunai already in hand—but froze when he saw who had spoken. His gaze flicked between the clearing and the person in front of him several times.
—Relax, it's me. Naruto. The one with Kakashi is my shadow clone. Distracting him,— the blond whispered.
Recovering from his shock, Sasuke gave a curt nod.
Naruto leaned in closer, speaking quickly and barely audibly:
—Hatake Kakashi is one of the strongest shinobi in the Leaf. A genius. Became a chunin at six. A jonin by our age. They say he knows a thousand jutsu. Our chances of taking the bells head-on? Zero. Forget beating him—if he doesn't go easy, it's *impossible*.
Sasuke swallowed. If Naruto was telling the truth, their team—like all the others assigned to this monster—was doomed to fail. He slowly slid the kunai back into his pouch.
—How do you know this?— he asked darkly.
—I'll explain later,— Naruto said firmly. —Right now, we don't have time. We need to retreat deeper into the woods and plan. Move quietly.
—What about Sakura?— Sasuke asked.
—Heh,— Naruto scratched his head. —Don't worry, I sent a clone for her…
Sasuke immediately pictured the scene—a Naruto copy trying to convince Sakura to come along while she brushed him off. But he didn't argue. With a nod, he followed Uzumaki into the forest.
***
The pink-haired kunoichi lay motionless beneath a sprawling bush, barely daring to breathe. Soon, however, she realized her efforts were pointless—the noisy blond was shouting loud enough to rival a fishmonger at the market. She began suspecting he might be using some special voice-amplification technique, since no ordinary child could possibly be that loud.
— Sakura-chan,— a quiet voice whispered nearby. — It's me, Naruto. Come with us.
Startled, the girl let out a squeak, but the commotion on the training ground likely drowned it out. Slowly turning her head, she saw Uzumaki's grinning face.
— Naruto?— Sakura's gaze darted between the clearing and the blond beside her in disbelief.
— That's my clone. Distracting Kakashi,— the genin explained. — And, uh... I'm a clone too.
— Naruto-baka,— she hissed angrily. — What does that mean?
— Shhh...— Naruto pressed a finger to his lips. — No time to explain. This is all Sasuke's plan. He's waiting for us nearby. Let's go...
— S-Sasuke-kun's plan?— Sakura murmured dreamily, her cheeks flushing.
— Yeah, yeah,— Naruto grumbled darkly. — Hurry up.
Soon, another Naruto clone and Sakura were crawling deeper into the woods. After twenty meters, they stood and jogged toward their destination.
Haruno Sakura had no idea that at that very moment, another "Sakura"—complete with whisker marks—had taken her place, muttering under her breath:
— You're gonna get yours, Katame-sensei. Genius or not...
Watching the spectacle unfold from the sidelines, the transformed clone barely suppressed laughter. But amusement faded when the jonin suddenly appeared behind Clone #1, preparing some fiery technique.
— Tch,— Clone #2 clicked his tongue. — Too soon. Naruto-1 needs to keep him busy for a few more minutes.
Clearing his throat, Naruto-2 mimicked Sakura's voice perfectly:
— Naruto, run! He'll kill you!
But it was too late. Their plan was about to crash harder than an empty ramen bowl...
***
Uzumaki and Uchiha moved swiftly through the treetops. The training grounds weren't vast, but they provided enough space to temporarily evade a jonin preoccupied with lecturing one of Naruto's clones.
— Should be far enough,— Naruto said mid-leap before pushing off a trunk. Executing a flawless sideways flip, he landed softly on the grass. Sasuke touched down beside him instantly.
Now came the preparation. According to Anko's intel, Kakashi wanted teamwork from his students. Yet no genin team had ever passed his test. So where was the catch? Naruto had managed to pry some details about their new sensei from Mitarashi. What he'd learned didn't sit well with him. Setting aside tales of Kakashi's genius and strength, the "One-Eyed Sensei" was either impossibly strict or laughably irresponsible.
If the former, passing was feasible—they just needed to impress the former ANBU with unconventional tactics and willingness to sacrifice. In this context, "sacrifice" might mean volunteering to return to the Academy... or sharing food with a failed teammate while Kakashi secretly observed them. Frankly, the possibilities were endless.
But if the latter—if their sensei simply couldn't be bothered to train new genin...
Suddenly, the jinchuriki's face twisted in horror, his fists clenching involuntarily.
— What?— Sasuke asked.
— The humiliation...— Naruto shuddered. — Thank the Sage I left a clone there instead of going myself. Hmph...— His hand drifted toward his lower back.
Sasuke frowned, studying Naruto's unusually pale complexion despite his tan.
— Ugh, never mind. Don't wanna talk about it,— Naruto shook his head, scratching his scalp.
"You'll pay for that, Katame-sensei..."
— What about the plan?— Sasuke demanded darkly.
Naruto flashed a grin, forcing down his irritation:
— Heh, where's that famous Uchiha confidence, Sasuke-teme? Scared we'll all get sent back to the Academy?
— Pfht,— came the eloquent reply.
— Relax, I hate you too. Pretty sure it's mutual.— Sasuke merely snorted at the bluntness. — But we've got no choice. Either we work together, or we fail.
— How do you—
— Details later,— Naruto cut in. — Right now, here's the plan. If you don't like it, we brainstorm. But make it quick—two of my clones already poofed. Kakashi'll get bored soon and come looking. And Sakura's taking forever...
— Fine. Explain,— Sasuke grunted. — But first answer one question.
— Shoot.
— Why propose this now? Why not this morning?
— That's...— Naruto scratched his head, pausing. — Heh. Forgot!
Sasuke's palm met his forehead with a resounding *smack*.
***
— A clone, huh?— Kakashi muttered.
"Doubt Minato-sensei could've fathered an idiot..." The masked jonin smirked.
Perhaps this generation might produce worthy shinobi after all. But one question lingered: Why was Naruto considered the Academy's worst graduate? According to the Hokage, the boy had mastered the forbidden Multi-Shadow Clone Technique—the same one he'd used during that forest skirmish with ANBU, trying to aid that bald freak Saitama...
A mental image flashed—moonlight glinting off a bald head, that terrifying palm rushing toward his face.
"Damn it, now I'll have nightmares about that lousy cueball. Feel like a total failure..."
Shaking his head, Kakashi refocused. The genin deserved a fair chance. An open fight would be hopeless for them, but if they could lure him into a trap (one he'd *allow* himself to fall into), they might snag the bells. Not that it mattered for the test's true purpose...
Retrieving his cane, Kakashi called out:
— Hiding, are we?— Only wind and birdsong answered. — Well, if you're caught, don't blame me. You've had enough time. Now let's see what the Academy taught you.
Book in hand, he strolled leisurely toward Sakura's hiding spot—cane tapping rhythmically against the ground.
Suddenly, kunai shot from the bushes. Kakashi dodged one lazily, deflecting the rest with his cane. A shadow flickered to his left—then two shuriken hurtled toward his head. Without looking, he caught them between two fingers each, tucking the cane under his arm. The stars spun briefly on his fingertips before he flung them back toward Sasuke (likely the attacker) deliberately off-mark—just enough to keep the avenger on his toes.
*"Good. Attacked from the blind spot. Not that it matters against a seasoned shinobi."*
The shuriken missed, and Kakashi finally set his book aside to face the Uchiha.
— W-what?— escaped him.
Sasuke stood in perfect form, completing hand seals for a fire technique. Simultaneously, kunai whistled from behind. But the projectiles and a small fireball merely struck a log—Kakashi had substituted away.
— Lesson two,— his voice carried from the trees. — The Replacement Technique, or Kawarimi...
Emerging calmly, Kakashi surveyed the two genin. He meant to explain the technique's importance when words died in his throat.
Before him stood Sasuke and Sakura in identical combat stances, kunai ready. But that wasn't what stunned him.
Both bore a certain... *distinctive feature*.
— N-Naruto?— Kakashi ventured.
— Kakashi-sensei? What do you mean?— Sakura blinked innocently.
The jonin slowly tucked his book away, gripping his cane with both hands.
— Solid Henge,— he said finally. — But you forgot one detail.— He pointed to his own cheek.
The genin exchanged confused glances before realization struck.
— Tch!— they spat in unison. — The whiskers!
"Good attempt, Naruto. Without those marks and synchronized movements, you might've fooled me. Well... no. The Sharingan would've seen through it instantly. Clever using clones as decoys though. I wonder what the real team's planning—explosive tags? Traps?"
His gaze swept the forest. He'd promised not to go all out, meaning he'd deliberately limit his perception, speed, and strength. Still, the kids needed to understand the gap between a jonin and fresh graduates. He wouldn't make it *too* easy.
The clones sagged momentarily before rallying:
— Doesn't matter! We'll still kick your ass!
— Don't waste energy,— Kakashi raised a placating hand. — Disperse voluntarily. Conserve chakra for the woods—you'll need it.
— We don't need your pity!— the clones flared. — And we don't need the original! We're enough to take you down!
— Suit yourself.— The mask hid his smile.
"Now I know the real team's nowhere near."
An instant later, "Sakura" vanished under a cane strike—no time to react. "Sasuke" dropped the Henge, reverting to Naruto's orange jumpsuit. Hands flying through seals, he created several clones that scattered, likely hoping to divide Kakashi's attention. Meanwhile, Naruto-3 began forming fire-style seals.
— Too slow...— Kakashi materialized behind him, tapping his shoulder gently.
But Naruto grinned, abruptly aborting the jutsu to hurl a point-blank shuriken instead.
Kakashi dodged, visibly impressed:
— You canceled the technique mid-cast?
— Wasn't planning to use it,— the clone smirked. — Just faking.
Backflipping away, he yelled:
— Now!
A storm of metal rained from all directions. Even if they were shadow-cloned weapons, Kakashi wasn't taking chances—substituting away, he reappeared a hundred meters distant.
"Not bad. Maybe I should get serious..."
Forming a seal, he created a shadow clone to handle the Naruto copies while darting into the forest. The sounds of battle still echoed from the clearing.
"Plans rarely survive contact, Naruto. But this test just got interesting..."
***
— Sakura-chan, please hurry...— Naruto-4 pleaded.
The genin suggested taking the high road, but Sakura clearly didn't understand the rush. In fact, the moment they'd put some distance between themselves and Kakashi, she started questioning why she was even listening to Naruto in the first place.
— Shut up, baka,— Sakura snapped. — Why did *you* come for me instead of Sasuke-kun? And where is he, anyway?— She planted her hands on her hips and glared at the blond.
— Sakura-chan...— Naruto whined, eyes practically welling up with tears. — There's no time. Please, let's just go...
— No!— the kunoichi shot back sharply. — I'm not going anywhere.
Naruto was seriously getting on her nerves. At first, she'd believed they were heading to meet Sasuke and that he had some grand plan. But now doubts crept in. Why had Sasuke only shared his plan with Naruto? Why hadn't he said a word to her? And why couldn't they have discussed this earlier?
She fired all these questions at Naruto's clone, but he just brushed them off with a repeated "later, no time now." Her irritation grew with each evasion. And then there were those stupid bells...
*"They might separate me from Sasuke-kun. Naruto should be the one to fail, not me..."*
After a few more minutes of arguing, the pink-haired girl turned on her heel, ready to march back the way they'd come—
— Yo!— A cheerful voice rang out from above.
Sakura looked up to see their silver-haired sensei perched on a thick tree branch, staring down at them.
— Kakashi-sensei?— she began, meeting his single visible eye. — What are you—
The world around her suddenly swam. The rustling of countless leaves filled her ears. Her head spun...
— Huh? What's happening?— She whirled around, searching for her teacher and teammate, but they'd vanished into thin air.
— Sakura...— a quiet voice called from behind.
She recognized it instantly.
— Finally, Sasuke-kun,— she sighed in relief, turning—
— Sakura... help me...— The words came out in a ragged gasp.
Her breath caught.
Uchiha Sasuke stood before her—mangled. His left arm was *gone*. One leg bent at a grotesque angle. Kunai and shuriken protruded from his body like some macabre pincushion. Blood. So much blood. It pulsed from his ruined shoulder, dripped from his lips, oozed from a kunai embedded in his cheek, seeped from countless smaller wounds...
Sakura's entire body trembled violently. Cold sweat drenched her as tears spilled over.
— NO-O-O-O!— Her scream tore through the training grounds.
Then—blessed darkness.
The last thing she heard before unconsciousness claimed her was a faint *"Poof!"*
***
— This plan is ridiculous,— Sasuke declared after Naruto finished explaining. — It won't work. Too dependent on terrain. What if Kakashi doesn't even come here?
— Got a better idea, genius?— Naruto shot back.
— No,— the Uchiha admitted grimly, arms crossed.
— Then we're doing this!
Naruto formed the cross seal, and five shadow clones materialized in puffs of smoke. He promptly handed each a stack of explosive tags. With mock salutes, the clones scattered to plant the tags—under bushes, on thick branches, tree trunks, the ground itself. Kakashi was in for a surprise.
"Just gotta remember where I put 'em..." Naruto smirked to himself.
Anko had given him the tags yesterday. A whole twenty-five of them. He didn't know why she'd been so generous, but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. When he'd asked "Why?", she'd just said, "You'll need them. For the test..."
He'd pressed her for intel on Hatake Kakashi and what to expect from Team 7's initiation. Anko needed no convincing—she'd eagerly spilled everything she knew about the Copy Ninja, offering tips on fighting stronger opponents and emphasizing teamwork and clone tactics.
Two key takeaways stuck in Naruto's mind: clones and explosive tags.
"Clones and explosives. Clones... and explosives..."
— Boss!— A clone's voice snapped him from his thoughts. — All set!
— Yeah,— Naruto nodded absently, dispelling the clones. The influx of memories barely registered—he just mentally noted the twenty tag locations. Five remained in reserve.
"Clones and explosives..."
The idea hovered just out of reach. He was missing something obvious—some crucial tactic involving clones.
Then—
— Of course! It's so simple!— Naruto nearly jumped in excitement.
— What now?— Sasuke grumbled.
— Ha-ha-ha...— Naruto struck a pose. — Those bells are as good as ours, Sasuke. Can't guarantee sensei's safety though...
Sasuke merely snorted.
Then the clone's memories hit. Naruto's grin froze, morphing into something feral. The clone he'd sent for Sakura had seen her freeze in shock, tremble violently, then burst into tears. Her piercing scream still echoed in his mind.
Noticing Naruto's sudden mood shift, Sasuke swallowed hard but asked anyway:
— What happened?
Naruto's head dropped, fists clenching.
— Sakura's with Kakashi...
He tersely relayed the clone's memories.
— I won't forgive that one-eyed—
— Don't overreact,— Sasuke cut in. — He's our teacher. Sakura's fine—just scared by an illusion. She'll wake up in half an hour. No big deal.
— At least he didn't...— Sasuke added under his breath.
— Yeah,— Naruto forced a smile, missing the last part. — I get it. Just genjutsu. But... Sasuke, you didn't see her tears. She shook like she'd seen a ghost, then that scream...
— Forget Sakura,— Sasuke interrupted. — What about the test? You really think he'll walk into your trap?
Naruto just bared his teeth in response.
— Doesn't matter. No Plan A? Then Plan B. We go to *him*. Still got explosives left, and I've got another surprise for sensei.
The corner of Sasuke's mouth twitched in approval. Moments later, both were racing through the treetops toward the clone's last known location.
***
In the Hokage's office, all was as usual. The Third sat reviewing documents, pipe in hand. Tazuna stood nervously by the wall, fidgeting with his onion-shaped hat. He'd politely declined the offer to sit.
— How much longer?— the architect asked impatiently.
Sarutobi chuckled, about to reassure him, when the door burst open—
— Team Three reporting for duty!— A green whirlwind announced its arrival with a gleaming smile and thumbs-up. — The Power Of YOUTH, we stand ready for our next mission!
Tazuna gulped but forced himself to examine the newcomer.
The man wore a green jumpsuit, jonin vest, and orange leg warmers. His most striking features? Enormous, bushy eyebrows and a bowl-cut hairstyle.
Before Tazuna could recover, another—smaller—green whirlwind zipped in, striking an identical pose beside the first.
Upon closer inspection, the boy was a miniature replica of the man.
— Hic...— escaped Tazuna.
He desperately wanted to reach for the bottle in his bag but restrained himself—this was the Hokage's office after all. He kept glancing between the two, hoping his morning sake was causing hallucinations. No such luck.
Then two more genin entered calmly. One boy had strange pupil-less gray eyes, long chestnut hair, and bandages on his right arm and leg. His outfit consisted of an ochre shirt and brown shorts. The girl wore a pink vest over blue pants, her hair styled in twin buns resembling panda ears. Both wore Leaf forehead protectors.
The Third broke the silence:
— Team Three, meet your client: Tazuna-san, an architect from the Land of Waves. Your mission, Gai—
— Worry not, client-san!— Gai interrupted. — We'll deliver you safely!
— The Power Of YOUTH!— Lee proclaimed, still holding his pose. — And if we can't deliver you, we'll carry you!
— Well said, Lee!— Gai teared up. — We'll complete this mission at all costs!
— Hic...— Tazuna's glasses slid down his nose. His pleading eyes turned to the Hokage: "Do we have to?"
Sarutobi's lips quirked.
— No need for concern, Tazuna-san,— he puffed his pipe. — Gai's team has completed over twenty C-rank missions, including successful escort assignments. And as you said—time won't wait. The bridge won't build itself.
Tazuna adjusted his glasses with a resigned nod. He hadn't expected elite bodyguards, but if the Hokage vouched for them...
— When do we leave?— he asked bleakly.
— Immediately!— Gai declared.
— The Power Of YOUTH, we'll finish this mission in a week!— Lee added. — And if we fail, we'll run—no, hand-walk—twenty laps around Konoha!
— Lee!— Gai wept proudly.
— Gai-sensei!— Lee's own eyes brimmed with tears.
— Lee!..
— Gai-sensei!..
They embraced dramatically.
Tazuna decided he needed more sake. Much more.