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Sakura suddenly spoke, surprising Menma. He hadn't expected her to be so bold. It was one thing to see the situation clearly, but another to make a decisive choice in the heat of the moment.
At least this time, Menma was somewhat impressed.
A strange glint flashed across Kakashi's eyes for a brief moment.
"That's okay! I'll give you the bell, Sakura. Worst-case scenario, I can always ask the Third Hokage for another chance to graduate! I'm sure he'll give it to me!" Naruto chimed in after overhearing the exchange between Menma and Sakura. Without hesitation, he tossed his bell towards Menma, Sasuke, and Sakura, then patted his chest proudly, as if his words were proof enough.
"Hmph, I don't need this bell either. If I have to, I'll graduate next year," Sasuke said, taking a deep breath. Despite his desire to move forward, he wasn't willing to return to the Academy and waste another year. But his pride wouldn't let him accept the bell so easily.
"Why'd you throw it back, Sasuke? I gave it to you out of kindness! I told you, I can get another chance to graduate from the Third Hokage himself!" Naruto said, getting visibly frustrated as he watched Sasuke reject his offer.
"I don't need your charity," Sasuke replied coldly, crossing his arms. The pride of the Uchiha didn't allow him to accept help so freely.
"This guy..." Naruto grumbled, ready to continue the argument.
"Very good! All four of you have passed the test!" Kakashi's sudden clap and announcement interrupted them. His words were clear, leaving no room for misunderstanding.
Everyone except Menma froze in surprise.
"What?"
"Huh?"
"Eh?!"
They all stared at Kakashi, completely confused.
"What do you mean, Kakashi-sensei? Why did we pass all of a sudden?" Naruto asked, still dazed by the sudden turn of events.
"Haha, the test wasn't about the bells. It was to see how you would react in a situation where teamwork mattered most. And your responses were exactly what I was looking for. Menma probably figured it out early on, right? The real point of the exercise?" Kakashi said with a small smile, turning to look at Menma.
"Eh? Really, Menma!?" Naruto exclaimed, spinning to face him, as both Sakura and Sasuke also looked at him expectantly.
"I didn't realize right away, but I had a suspicion. This test wasn't just about passing individually. It was to see if we could prioritize teamwork, wasn't it, Kakashi-sensei?" Menma replied, keeping his tone calm.
"Teamwork?" Naruto repeated, confused. Sasuke's expression grew more serious, while Sakura felt a wave of relief wash over her. She had been so close to accepting failure and the embarrassment that would come with returning to the Academy.
"That's right," Kakashi said, his voice now serious. "In the ninja world, completing missions and following orders is important. But accomplishing those missions requires close cooperation within a team. No matter how strong you are, a single ninja can't do everything. That's why teamwork is so crucial. You've graduated from the Academy, but from now on, you'll need to learn to rely on your comrades and work together to survive. No one can succeed on their own."
"So we passed? Hahaha! You should've told us sooner, Kakashi-sensei! Team 7's teamwork is solid! Right, Menma, Sasuke, Sakura?" Naruto said cheerfully, thumping his chest with a broad grin.
Kakashi chuckled at Naruto's enthusiasm. "I seem to recall someone mentioning they were going to talk to the Third Hokage?"
"Ahaha, that was just a joke, Kakashi-sensei! You didn't take that seriously, did you?" Naruto replied, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.
"So, we've officially graduated, right, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto leaned in, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Yes. You're all officially genin," Kakashi confirmed with a smile.
As expected, all four of them passed, but Menma in particular had drawn the attention of the Third Hokage himself. Though Menma kept a certain cold distance from the others, he was recognized for his strong potential. His determination for recognition made him a shinobi worth developing and trusting.
And, of course, Naruto and Sasuke had their own unique roles to play in the village's future.
"Alright! Team 7 is officially formed! So, Kakashi-sensei, how about you treat us to a celebration?" Naruto asked, grinning mischievously.
"Hmm, I suppose we should celebrate. Today is the day our Team 7 truly comes together. How about I treat you all to some ramen? We'll take the rest of the day off, and tomorrow we'll start our missions," Kakashi suggested, smiling underneath his mask.
"Oh, yeah! Long live Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto cheered, throwing his hands up in triumph.
"Menma, Sasuke, you're coming too, right?" Naruto asked, looking at his teammates expectantly.
"Of course, no problem," Menma replied, already prepared. When Naruto's eyes turned to him, he nodded slightly.
For Menma, this was just a formality, something he could take or leave. But he knew it was necessary to keep up appearances. He couldn't let Sarutobi Hiruzen think he was too withdrawn; that might make the Third Hokage view him as unstable or uncontrollable.
"Hmph!" Sasuke's reaction was similar, his snort conveying a silent agreement without any further refusal.
"Alright! Then let's go. We've got to have a big meal today!" Naruto cheered, raising his right hand in excitement.
And so, Team 7 was officially formed.
Although things were unfolding differently from the original story, it seemed everything was still moving stubbornly along the same path. However, in this life, with different individuals and different wills, new developments were bound to occur.
The outcome would depend on the decisions made by Menma and others.
The first day of official graduation passed like this. For Naruto and Sakura, it was an exciting day. For Menma, it was just another ordinary day.
After the team's celebratory meal, Menma returned home to reflect on the day's events, particularly the battle with Kakashi. There was no doubt that in terms of pure personal strength, skills, and experience, Kakashi had completely outclassed them.
This realization made Menma more acutely aware of his current level, and it deepened the sense of urgency in his heart.
This world was one where power reigned supreme.
Which is more important: strength or truth? The answer was obvious. Truth was important, but without power, how could one uphold that truth?
Asura, Hashirama Senju, and Naruto Uzumaki hadn't influenced Indra, Uchiha Madara, or Uchiha Sasuke with just words.
That kind of influence was earned with fists.
Even Jiraiya, often seen as a kind and heroic figure, acted decisively when he discovered that Nagato and Konan were behind the Akatsuki in the Hidden Rain Village. That was the true nature of this world.
Perhaps to the ninja community, Jiraiya was indeed a "good man," but a ninja was synonymous with strength.
Without strength, one would be a joke.
Menma didn't waste time considering unrealistic ideals like justice or mutual understanding. His goals were clear: protect himself, defeat his enemies, and live a happy life.
This was Menma's consistent and firm objective.
He was not the idealistic Uzumaki Naruto from the original story; he was the pragmatic, self-centered Uzumaki Menma.
Weakness and naivety were a ninja's greatest enemies.
After Team 7's formation, Kakashi led Menma, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura to begin their missions the following day.
The level and content of these missions were similar to the original story.
Even though Kakashi acknowledged Menma and the others' potential, he couldn't immediately lead them on high-level missions. This wasn't just about the danger involved; it was about their progression as ninja.
With an elite jonin like Kakashi, there was no real threat in missions below A-rank. The issue was whether or not Kakashi was willing to take them on such tasks.
Menma's unique status also played a role.
High-level missions often required leaving the confines of Konohagakure, and while tailed beast jinchūriki could leave their villages, they were still crucial assets. Especially during wartime, they were powerful combatants who couldn't be risked lightly.
Jinchūriki needed to be at a stable stage before taking on higher-risk missions. As the leader of Team 7, Kakashi had to be cautious. Whether or not Team 7 could take on higher-level tasks and leave the village required the approval of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Thus, in the first month after Team 7's formation, they were primarily assigned the lowest-ranking D-level missions. These included searching for lost items or helping villagers with heavy labor. The riskiest tasks involved catching runaway livestock—a challenge for ordinary people, but trivial for ninja.
Menma had mentally prepared himself and knew not to be impatient. He didn't show any unusual emotions.
Besides, Menma knew someone would be more impatient than him.
Sure enough, one morning, more than a month later, after completing yet another routine lost pet search mission, Naruto finally lost his patience.
"Kakashi-sensei, are we going to keep doing this forever? They're all D-level tasks! One day we're pulling weeds, the next we're looking for lost objects. There's no challenge in this at all! Can't we take on something a little more difficult?" Naruto complained, holding the pet they'd found as they headed back to the mission office. His tone was filled with frustration.
After a month of doing D-level tasks, their count had reached double digits. At first, Naruto was patient, but now he couldn't stand these repetitive, low-level assignments anymore. He wanted a real challenge!
Sasuke, though more composed, also nodded slightly, agreeing with Naruto. These low-level tasks offered little value or training significance.
"No, you've just graduated. We're not ready for high-level missions yet. For now, we'll continue doing D-level missions. This is a necessary process for every genin," Kakashi replied casually, still focused on his "Icha Icha" book.
"How long will that take, Kakashi-sensei? It's already been a month!" Naruto whined, his face full of frustration.
"It's only been a month. Be patient and take it slow, Naruto," Kakashi responded calmly.
"Okay…" Naruto muttered, disappointment clear in his voice.
Mission selection was up to the team leader. If Kakashi wasn't willing to take them on higher-level missions, there was nothing Naruto could do about it.
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