Third Person's P.O.V.
Once Kakashi yelled start, both Sakura and Sasuke jumped away and hid. Sasuke in a tree and Sakura under a bush.
"Ninja must know how to conceal their movements and hide effectively," Kakashi said to no one in particular. "Well, they understand that much. They've hidden well." Wait... what's Naruto still standing here for? Jonin wondered. "Naruto. I said start. What are you still doing here?"
Naruto smirked. "I know what this test is really about."
"Oh, and what's that?" Kakashi wasn't surprised. He figured that was the case.
Naruto was silent for a moment."It's about TEAMWORK isn't it?"
"Yes, you're right," Kakashi conceded. "For curiosity sake. Would you mind telling me how you figured it out."
"A Few things. 1)," Naruto says, holding up his pointer finger. "Squads are always carried out with 3 Genin students, and 1 Jonin Sensei. So why would one of us go back, while the others continue. It wouldn't be a full team. 2)" He raises another finger. "You said, and I quote 'of the 27 graduates who just got here, only 9 will be chosen to actually become Genin.' If that's true. Then that means 3 of the teams will pass the test, with all 3 Genins on each of said passing teams passing as well. So once again, one going back didn't make sense. 3)" The blond raises one more finger. "There are 2 bells. This is meant to pit us against each other, ultimately sending one back to the academy for failing the mission. And as I said before, that doesn't make sense considering the fact that a squad has 3 genin and one Jonin. NOT 2 or 1 Genin and one Jonin. And 4)" He raises up one last finger. "You're a Jonin and were just Genin. Alone we don't have any chance at getting a bell. But if we work together, then we might have a chance." Even though he thought he might actually be able to get them himself.
Wow! He actually figured it out. Will his team work with him, however? "Well Naruto, you're a lot smarter than I gave you credit for." Kakashi paused for a moment. "Even though you know what the test is about. Why don't you try to get a bell?"
"Alright." He might as well. It's not like there was anything else for him to do.
With Sasuke
Sasuke jumped into the tree to hide. He noticed that Naruto and Kakashi were only talking. But he wasn't close enough to hear what they were saying. Naruto came up behind him. How!? He didn't even sense the blond approaching.
"Hey Sasuke," Naruto said. "I think we should work together to get the bells. We'll have a better chance if we help each other."
Sasuke understood the blonde's reasoning. His pride got in the way though. "I don't need your help, Dobe! I can do this on my own."
Naruto expected that answer. He knew pestering wasn't going to change anything. "Alright. I'll just go ask Sakura." He poofed away.
"Was that a shadow clone?" Sasuke asked out loud to himself.
With Sakura
Sakura was watching from under a bush. Naruto and Kakashi-Sensei appeared to be having a conversation. It didn't even look like they were gonna fight.
"Hey Sakura?" Naruto came out of nowhere.
"Ahhh! Don't scare me like that, Idiot!"
"Sorry," the blond apologized. "But I think we should work together to get the bells. I tried to ask Sasuke, but he just refused."
"Why would I work with you?" The pinkette questioned, angrily. "Seriously you're an idiot. You wouldn't be able to do anything useful!"
"Because we're a team," he reasoned. "And we have a better chance at getting the bells if we help each other. So are you in?" He decided to give her another opportunity, and ask just once more.
"No! Jeez Naruto you're so annoying!"
Naruto burst into smoke.
"Was that a shadow clone?" Sakura questioned.
Back to Naruto and Kakashi
Naruto got the memories from his clones. Just like he thought they would, both of them rejected his proposal. "Kakashi sensei? I tried to ask Sasuke and Sakura to team up with me using my clones, And just like I predicted. They said no. Now how am I supposed to pass."
"Hmm... I don't know," Kakashi replied. He also figured that would be the outcome. He wasn't exactly sure how to deal with it.
"I figured Sasuke wasn't going to, because he doesn't think he needs help from anybody, in anything. Then sakura wasn't gonna team up with me, unless I convinced Sasuke. Well at least I tried." The blond figured they were a hindrance to his Shinobi career. "Are you ready for our fight?"
Kakashi pulled out of his thoughts. "Sure! shinobi battle Techniques Part 1, Taijutsu."
Naruto began by running at Kakashi and throwing a weak punch to his face. Allowing the instructor to block. Then the blond tried a kick to the man's stomach, in which case Kakashi grabbed his foot. Naruto then turned to aim another kick to his head and Kakashi grabbed his other foot. With his hand near the bells, Naruto quickly grabbed, and replaced them with rocks that he henged (Transformed) to look like the bells. When Kakashi realized what he was doing, he pushed the boy away. Little did he know, he was already too late.
This kid is good, Kakashi realized. He actually touched them?! "Well Naruto you're better than I thought. Still, you haven't got the bells."
Naruto took out one of his sealing scrolls and unsealed his Father's Hiraishin Kunai. He threw it at Kakashi, to which the Jonin dodged, not yet realizing what it was. In an orange flash, Naruto disappeared and reappeared half a second later and kicked Kakashi in the back, sending him flying, using a jutsu Kakashi knew all too well. Naruto made sure to mark him with his formula, as his foot connected. Kakashi leaned forward, to where his hands could touch the ground. This allowed him to descend into a roll. Then the man turned himself around, and ran back towards the blond, even more surprised than before.
How does he know that technique? Kakashi wondered, amazed with the expanding prowess, the young Uzumaki was demonstrating. Also it looks like he's faster than his Father. "Hey Naruto? Where did you learn that Jutsu?"
Naruto knew Kakashi would ask this. "Old man Third gave it to me when I was 6, after I found out about my parents."
"How'd you find out?!"
"Kurama told me," Naruto answers plainly.
"Whose Kurama?" Kakashi asked, having never heard the name before now.
"The Nine Tailed Fox," Naruto supplies casually, without any hesitation.
Kakashi was beyond confused. How does Naruto know about that? "How'd you find out about that?"
Naruto hesitated. "I, I'd rather not say."
Why? what does he not want him to know. "How come?"
"Because, I don't want you to feel bad for me, or pity me!" Naruto was getting a little aggravated with all the questioning at this point. If he wanted people to know, he would tell them. They needed to stop pestering him all the time.
It was probably from the beatings he got from the villagers, the Jonin figured. Probably a bit of a touchy subject for him. So he'll leave it alone. For now anyway.
After that little confrontation, Kakashi knew how great Naruto was on offense. Now how about defense. He came at Naruto with half his speed and strength, and tried to punch him in the head, to which he blocked with his right arm. Next the silver haired Sensei tried to kick him in the head this time. The move caused Naruto to have to duck. Then Kakashi tried to leg swoop him, In an effort to throw the boy off balance. Naruto jumped up completely avoiding the attack. While in the air, Kakashi threw another kick to his side propelling Naruto into a tree.
Kakashi didn't think the blond would do that well. Granted, the man was only using half his speed and strength. Still, it was quite the impressive feat.
"Kakashi?" Naruto questioned, in a scolding manner. "Don't you know it's not good to let your enemy get behind you?"
What? After Kakashi got over the shock,he kicked the blond into the tree... wait. Kakashi looked and saw the Naruto that he kicked, vanished in a puff of smoke. It was another SHADOW CLONE! "Okay. I know you said, I wouldn't be able to see the hand sign, unless I was using my Sharingan. But when did you find the time to make a clone!?"
Naruto grinned. "Simple. You've been fighting one the entire time."
Was Naruto serious right now?
Naruto laughed. "Right before we fought, I used the Kawarimi (replacement Jutsu) to switch with one of my pre-made clones."
Well that explains it, but what is he doing? Wait! That's the hand sign for a wind Jutsu. He shouldn't even have started his elemental training. Not till he's a Chunin at least.
"Futon Daitoppa! ( Wind release: Great Breakthrough)" Naruto announced, generating loads of wind chakra.
A huge gust of wind started coming from all around Naruto, blasting Kakashi back 20 feet. Then he vanished, and kicked Kakashi in the back once again, sending the man back where he came from. Naruto threw the hiraishin kunai, and appeared above Kakashi's body. The boy slammed The Jonin into the ground with his foot, creating a Kakashi sized crater.
Kakashi climbed out of the hole, bruised and dirtied "Just what level are you at Naruto?" There's no way he is just a simple Genin. Someone else had to have trained him in order to get this strong.
Without any response, Naruto shot out the chakra chains, binding Kakashi around the legs and arms, restricting his movement completely.
"You know the chakra chains as well?!" Kakashi paled at the new found information.
Naruto smiled. "Yeah, but I'm having trouble maintaining them for longer periods of time," He says before he unbound Kakashi.
This action confused The Jonin. Why didn't Naruto take a bell, while he was unable to move?
Naruto sighed. "Kakashi-Sensei. I think I've shown you enough of my skill. So go test Sasuke and Sakura now."
Fair enough. "Alright I will." Let's hope they're not as strong as Naruto or Kakashi was going to die.
With Sasuke
Sasuke was watching Naruto and Kakashi fight, and he is surprised, angry and amazed all at the same time. Naruto is just beating on Kakashi like a punching bag. Where was he hiding all this power and skill? He's the rookie of the year here, and the dobe did better than he could, though he will never admit that aloud. Wait! They've stopped, now is his chance. Kakashi's guard is down. Sasuke took out 3 shuriken in each hand and hurled them at Kakashi. Right as they hit the man, he was about to jump out and take the bells, but then he saw a log in Kashi's place. He used a substitution jutsu. Now he knows where he is. Kakashi never let his guard down. it was a trick and he fell for it! The Uchiha ran to another location.
Kakashi was behind a bush. Huh, so that's where he is.
With Sakura
Sasuke, where did you go? Sakura didn't want to think that Kakashi-Sensei found him. No, he can't capture her Sasuke. She won't let him. She is walking through the trees when she notices Kakashi standing on the path, and ducks behind a bush.
Kakashi made no indication that he knew she was there.
Phew. He didn't hear her. She was safe.
"Sakura, behind you," Kakashi announced, crouching behind her.
Huh? Sakura looks to her right and there's Kakashi staring right at her. "Ahhhhhh!"
Numerous amounts of leaves start flying around, leaving Sakura in a dazed state.
"Oh, My. Huh?" Sakura starts freaking out. "Uh, someone there. Uh, ah. I think I felt something. What was it? Uh, Huh? What's going on?"
"Sakura," says a disembodied voice, struggling to even speak.
"Sasuke! Unh." She turns, and stops when she sees him
"Unh. Sa- Sakura, h-help me. Please help me," he begged, holding out his arm to her, while he was balancing himself on a tree.
"Unh." Sakura Whimpers "Ahhh!" She screams at the sight of Sasuke, with several Kunai stabbed into his body. Then she passes out.
Kakashi sighed. "I think I overdid it a bit. But, She's gotta learn to see through these things."
Sasuke turned when he heard the scream. "Hm? sounded like Sakura?"
"Shinobi battle skills part 2: Genjutsu, the illusion jutsu. Sakura studied it in class, But she still couldn't see it coming," Kakashi remarks, very disappointed at her lack of skill.
Sasuke grunted. "Genjutsu. It's just simple mind control. I'm not surprised he caught Sakura with it. But I'm not like Sakura and Naruto."
Kakashi got up from where he was leaning against a tree, behind the Uchiha. "Say that, AFTER you get one of these bells. My, Sasuke. Heh-heh-heh."
Kakashi walks toward Sasuke and they have an intense stare down. Sasuke quickly throws more shuriken right at Kakashi, causing him to jump to the side. The boy then throws one more shuriken at a rope, setting off a trap, launching some Kunai at the man. He jumps out of the way, and they imbed themselves into a tree. This time Sasuke surprises him, by appearing right behind him, trying a kick to his head. Kakashi grabs his leg, and then Sasuke rotates his body to punch Kakashi in the face to which he blocks. Finally Sasuke turns his body so his head is down while a kick swings toward Kakashi's head. which the man grabs. Once Kakashi realizes what Sasuke is doing, he pushes him away, right as he touches one of the fake bells.
This kid is fierce. I won't be able to read my book now, Kakashi thought, surprised as well at Sasuke's show of skill. Yet he's still not as strong as Naruto. He probably knows it too. Just doesn't want to admit it.
With Sakura
Sakura woke up, and began to freak-out from her memory of what happened before she fainted. "Sasuke, I saw him. He was on the verge of - No! Sasuke, no! You've got to survive, please! Where are you?"
Back with Kakashi and Sasuke
"Well you are different from the others, I'll grant you that."
Sasuke started doing hand signs for a fire jutsu.
"What?! Genin can't do fire jutsu, It takes too much chakra. There's no way!"
"Katon goukakyuu no jutsu. (Fire style: Fire Ball Jutsu.)" Sasuke blew a medium sized fireball from his mouth. He thought it hit Kakashi. He was mistaken, however, when the smoke cleared and there was nothing there. "Where'd he go? Behind me, above?" The boy was looking in all directions, except one.
"Where!?" Came Kakashi's apathetic voice. "I'm where you least expect me." Kakashi's hand comes out of the ground and grabs Sasuke's ankle pulling him under. All that could be heard was Sasuke Screaming. "Right under your feet." Kakashi bends his knees, crouching down in front of Sasuke. "Earth style headhunter jutsu. Can't move huh? That was Ninjutsu, the third Shinobi battle skill. You have talent, and you were right. You are different from the others. But different isn't always better. They say the nail that sticks up is the one that gets hammered down." Kakashi starts walking away.
Oh, great! He's stronger than Sasuke is. He can't get around that. "Huh?" The boy hears rustling coming from the bushes to his right.
Just then, Sakura comes running out and glances at Sasuke, her eyes go wide at what she sees. "Hm? Huh?"
Sasuke looks at her, from the whole he was stuck in. "Sakura?"
"Aah! Sasuke's just a head without a body, and he's talking! ugh!" She passes out for a second time.
"And that's my partner," Sasuke deadpans.
Time skip
When Sakura woke up again, she was overjoyed to see Sasuke perfectly fine. "Sasuke. Huh! You're okay!"
Sasuke tries shoving her off of him. "Hey, cut it out! Let go. Let go!" Once she releases him, he stands up, and starts walking away. "I've got to get a bell before lunch. That doesn't leave much time."
"Sasuke, you're still trying to get one of those bells?"
"A while ago, I touched one. Next time. I'll get one," Sasuke replies, turning back around.
"Huh. That is really great. I can't believe you did that, you're Amazing," Sakura says with the fakest happy tone ever. She couldn't believe it! He touched one of the bells! She'll never get her hands on one of those things. Which means Sasuke will pass and she won't And they'll be separated forever! No, no, no, no, no! "Uh, it's almost lunch. There's not really enough time left. So maybe we should just give up, and then try again next year," she said, trying to discourage him from trying anymore.
When she said that, Sasuke turned and glared at her, a memory of his brother popping into his head. "I'm the only one..., who can destroy that person."
Sakura had a quizzical look on her face "What? Who? You mean the Sensei?"
"That day, I was crying," he continued.
"When were you crying?"
"It was my-" He couldn't finish his sentence.
Sakura was worried for him. "What? What happened to you?"
"I am an avenger. That means I must be stronger than my prey. I need this training. There's no time for setbacks."
"Uh." Just then, the memory of what Sasuke said on the roof came back to her. The alarm sounded signaling the end of the test.
"Ugh. I've wasted too much time!" He growled.
"Sasuke." There was a tone of worry in her voice, and a look of sadness on her face.
In front of post
Kakashi was standing in front of the 3 kids. "Well, looks like none of you were able to get a bell?"
Naruto looked at him confused. "What are you talking about Sensei? I have the bells right here," He says, holding up the 2 bells.
Kakashi gaped. What!? But How? When? He looked down and what he thought were the bells. Instantly, they turned back into rocks, and fell to the ground.
"I took them the first time we spared," Naruto explained. "Then I replaced them with those rocks that I tied string to and henged to look like the bells. That way Sasuke would still think the test is going. I had hoped eventually... he'd figure out the meaning of the test, and he'd finally work with me. But that didn't really happen."
Naruto was able to get a bell!? And what did he mean by figuring out the point of the test? Weren't they just supposed to get a bell, and that was it?
Sakura was confused, as per usual. "Naruto!? So what was the meaning of the test?"
Naruto stared at her. "Aren't you supposed to be the smartest Kunoichi in the academy? How could you not figure it out?" He reprimands with anger and confusion both evident in his tone.
Sakura thought about it for a second, coming up with nothing. "I... I don't Know?" She doesn't know the answer, but Naruto does, isn't he supposed to be an idiot? Cha! He's just trying to make Sasuke look inferior, so she'll like him more! Nice try Naruto, but she's not falling for it. A smug look overtook her face, Which to Naruto, made her look even less attractive. If that was possible.
Naruto relented. "If you still don't know the answer. I'll tell you. The point of the TEST was to use teamwork!"
"Then why would there only be 2 bells? Naruto use your head. Even if we did that, one of us would still idiot!" Was he really trying to act like he was smarter than her.
Kakashi had enough of the girl's attitude. "No, Sakura! Naruto is completely right!"
"What?!" Sakura questioned incredulously.
"The point of the test was to use teamwork. Naruto had even asked you guys to work with him, and you shot him down." Kakashi leveled the other 2 genin with a hard stare. Sasuke, because he thinks you guys are beneath him, and you simply, because Sasuke wouldn't help! Both you and Sasuke are thinking like kids, Like brats! You're not thinking like a ninja. Naruto, will you please explain the test!"
"Sure thing, Sensei." Naruto turned to the girl. "Sakura."
She turned to him, deciding she may as well listen to his explanation.
"The reason, there are only 2 bells, is because he wanted to pit us against each other. He wanted to see if we would put the mission and the team above ourselves. Think about it. One genin can not hope to have a chance against a Jonin. But 3 would have a better chance. That was the point of the test. In a mission there may come a time where you need to put your team ahead of the success of a mission."
Kakashi elaborated on Naruto's explanation. "In the Ninja world. People who don't follow the rules are scum. But people who abandon their comrades, are WORSE than scum! See this rock here?" He asked, gesturing to a shining silver stone to the left of them. "The names of my closest comrades are engraved on it. They died fighting for the village to their last dying breath."
While Sasuke and Sakura were busy thinking about what Kakashi and Naruto said. Naruto walked up to Kakashi and put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "It's okay to cry Kakashi-Sensei. I know how you feel." He said, giving Kakashi a look of understanding.
"Thank you Naruto. But I'm not gonna cry." Even though he didn't want to do this. He was not gonna punish Naruto for his selfish and idiotic teammates!? "At least one of you figured it out and tried to get the others to see it. So I guess you pass." Even though he said this, he was seriously doubting it. He wasn't sure if he should've passed all 3 of them or just Naruto. Was he allowed to pass one student? He didn't know. Oh well, too late now. "Team 7 starts it's first mission tomorrow," he says, with some enthusiasm in his voice, and doing the nice guy pose.
Even though they passed, Sasuke was infuriated. He didn't pass on his own merits. He only passed so it wouldn't be unfair to Naruto. He had 2 things on his mind 1) When did Naruto get so strong and 2) How strong is he. He almost defeated Kakashi!? He knew Kakashi wasn't using his full strength, but still it was incredible how well he fought. He was right about what he said when he told them he was better than him at the academy. Damn it!
Sakura on the other hand was overjoyed. She passed and now gets to stay with her precious Sasuke. Note the Sarcasm. (A/N My sarcasm, not her's).
Naruto was both happy and worried. He was happy because now he was an official ninja, but he wasn't sure if Kakashi should've passed them. Given he didn't think Sasuke and Sakura were ready. But there's nothing he could do about it now.
[Alright there is the next chapter. The pairings for this story will be a Naruten friendship, and Naruino relationship. I have never written romance. But I will try. It won't be a huge part. Yet, it will be there.]
[See you all next time!]