Early the next morning, Sasuke awoke feeling refreshed. He went through his morning routine and slowly made his way out of his apartment, a luxurious residence situated in the heart of Konoha, close to Naruto's own home. Sasuke's living arrangement was somewhat unusual. Although he was a member of the Uchiha clan, he didn't reside in the clan's traditional grounds. Those areas had been sealed off as forbidden territory after the clan's tragic downfall, and the Third Hokage had arranged for Sasuke to stay in this upscale apartment. In addition to shelter, Sasuke received a stipend each month to cover his living expenses until he reached adulthood, at which point he would gain access to the Uchiha clan's vast estate and assets. For now, however, they were under strict surveillance by Konoha authorities.
Walking down the street, Sasuke's thoughts wandered. He had a lot on his mind, especially concerning his future in Konoha. Passing a small breakfast stand, he decided to grab something to eat. "Boss, I'll take some pancakes," he said to the shopkeeper.
The woman behind the counter recognized him instantly. "Sasuke-kun! Coming right up! Just a moment!" she replied, flustered at seeing him. In record time, she prepared his pancakes and handed them over, her face beaming with admiration. Sasuke thanked her, took a bite, and savored the mix of crispy and soft textures.
"This is delicious," he complimented, leaving her looking dazed and somewhat enchanted as he turned to walk toward the third training ground, where Team 7 would be meeting for practice.
As he made his way there, the familiar voice of his system chimed in: "Mission complete. Reward received: one hundred thousand taels." Sasuke couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction. Just as he finished his pancake, he felt a subtle weight on his shoulders as the hundred thousand taels appeared in his inventory, a reward for fulfilling his latest task.
Arriving at the training ground, he was greeted by a very irritated Naruto. "Damn it, Sasuke, you're late!" Naruto shouted. Apparently, he had arrived hours before sunrise, only to end up waiting around.
"Sorry, I overslept," Sasuke replied, barely paying attention as he brushed off Naruto's irritation. As he looked around, he noticed Sakura standing nearby, who quickly took his side, scolding Naruto for his impatience.
"Kakashi-sensei hasn't even shown up yet. It's not like Sasuke's late," Sakura pointed out. She then turned to Sasuke, offering to take his backpack with a smile, her admiration for him evident. Naruto watched this display with a mix of frustration and jealousy, his face falling as he crouched on the ground in defeat.
Sasuke's thoughts wandered once again, this time musing about Sakura. [Sakura, she'd make a good wife...] he thought to himself. In her own way, Sakura had qualities that would make her a supportive partner. From his point of view, she was reliable, nurturing, and determined. Naruto, however, never seemed to notice these things about her. To Sasuke, Sakura had all the qualities he admired, and he couldn't ignore that she seemed to care deeply for him.
Noticing Sasuke's gaze, Sakura blushed, growing more flustered under his attention. Naruto, meanwhile, sat nearby looking sullen and downtrodden.
After two hours of waiting, Kakashi finally arrived, waving at them nonchalantly as he greeted the team. Naruto and Sakura wasted no time in expressing their displeasure, both of them pointing fingers and raising their voices in unison.
"Sorry, I was… delayed by a black cat," Kakashi said with a carefree smile, tossing his backpack to the ground as he took out an alarm clock and placed it on a nearby wooden post.
"Alright, let's get started. Today's exercise is simple. You need to retrieve these two bells from me before noon. Those who fail to get a bell won't get lunch," Kakashi explained, causing Sakura and Naruto to scowl in disappointment—they hadn't had breakfast, and it was now clear that this had been intentional.
"Kakashi-sensei, is it true that those who don't get a bell won't be allowed to eat lunch? Is this some kind of survival training?" Sakura asked with a mix of concern and surprise. She couldn't fathom missing a meal for something like this.
Kakashi chuckled. "You're quite sharp, Sakura. Let me add one more rule: Only those who capture a bell will pass and move forward as genin. And as you can see, there are only two bells, which means only two of you can pass."
Sakura and Naruto were both stunned at the implications of this revelation. Naruto was the first to react, realizing that the team-based strategies they had discussed the previous night were now useless. The very idea of failing was unacceptable to him.
"No way! I don't want to get disqualified!" Naruto exclaimed, suddenly casting aside any thought of teamwork.
"I worked so hard to be on the same team as Sasuke-kun. I don't want to get separated!" Sakura added, reluctantly distancing herself from Naruto. Sasuke, witnessing this shift in priorities, smirked slightly, seeing just how easily Kakashi had managed to divide the team's loyalties.
"Alright, let's begin!" Kakashi announced, motioning for them to start. Without hesitation, Sasuke and Sakura sprinted off to hide and strategize, while Naruto remained standing openly on the field, ready to face Kakashi head-on.
"Idiot!" Kakashi scolded, frowning at Naruto. "Ninjas are supposed to conceal their presence and wait for the right moment. Are you stupid, or just careless?" His frustration was apparent as he noted Naruto's lack of subtlety.
Naruto crossed his arms defiantly. "I don't care about sneaking around! Kakashi-sensei, let's fight this out fair and square!" he declared, his gaze fixed on the two bells at Kakashi's waist.
Kakashi sighed, visibly unimpressed. He pulled out a small red book and began reading, ignoring Naruto completely. Enraged, Naruto rushed at him, determined to capture a bell. However, Kakashi swiftly countered Naruto's every move, making quick work of him.
"Don't turn your back on the enemy, Naruto," Kakashi said, crouching behind him and forming a seal. With a sudden move, he executed the famous technique, the "One Thousand Years of Death." Naruto let out a yelp of shock as he was launched into the air, the unexpected strike leaving him dazed and humiliated.
From his hiding spot near the riverbank, Sasuke observed the scene with a hint of amusement. [Now's my chance...] he thought, forming a hand seal as he prepared to make his own move. Sasuke was biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
In contrast, Naruto's strategy seemed nonexistent as he crashed into the river, yelling in frustration. Sakura, watching from a distance, looked away in embarrassment, while Sasuke couldn't help but chuckle at the scene.
Back on the training field, Kakashi kept his book open, fully aware of Sasuke's hidden presence and Sakura's cautious observations. He could see that the team dynamics had shifted, but Kakashi knew the lesson they needed to learn was far deeper than the simple capture of a bell.
The exercise continued, with each team member learning hard truths about teamwork, patience, and adaptability. Sakura and Naruto, though they tried to gain the upper hand, fell short of capturing a bell on their own. Sasuke, meanwhile, was still waiting for the opportune moment, his eyes locked on Kakashi, studying his every movement.
As noon approached, the team's energy waned, and it became clear that none of them would succeed individually. They finally began to understand the underlying purpose of the exercise: the value of cooperation and the importance of working together, even when facing seemingly insurmountable odds.
Reflecting on this lesson, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura came to a silent understanding. For all their differences, they were stronger together. With renewed resolve, they faced Kakashi as a united team, ready to embrace the spirit of teamwork and pass the trial together.
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