"Alright then! Since you're so good at hiding information about yourself, it shows you have the vigilance of a qualified ninja," Kakashi thought to himself.
If Sasuke could be this cautious even in minor matters, then it made sense why his powerful Lightning Release techniques had never been exposed all these years.
"Alright, you three, let's change locations," Kakashi said.
"Where to?" Naruto asked, still feeling irritated. Why was Sasuke being so secretive?
"Next, I'm going to test you."
"Did you think passing the graduation exam automatically made you a full-fledged ninja? If you fail this test, you'll be sent back to the academy to continue your studies."
Kakashi glanced at Naruto, who looked shocked, then at Sasuke, who remained calm as ever.
Sakura, meanwhile, wasn't paying attention at all. Her gaze was fixed on Sasuke's face, as if glued there.
The three of them were completely different personalities, and Kakashi wasn't optimistic about their chances in the upcoming test.
They arrived at a secluded clearing on the outskirts of the Hidden Leaf Village.
Behind them was a dense forest, while ahead lay a crystal-clear stream.
Kakashi took out two bells and tied them to his belt.
The test was simple: a bell-stealing contest to evaluate their teamwork.
Usually, newly graduated Genin lacked familiarity with one another, making cooperation almost unthinkable.
But the real purpose of this exercise wasn't about actually stealing the bells.
It was a way for the Jonin instructor to establish authority and earn the respect of the rookies, who often underestimated their mentor's strength.
Additionally, it served as the first lesson for the fresh graduates: the importance of teamwork.
Missions often demanded collaboration, as the strength of one individual was rarely enough.
"Whoever gets a bell passes the test. If you fail to get one, you'll all return to the academy," Kakashi explained.
"But here's the catch: there are only two bells."
"This means at least one of you will fail."
"I'll count down from three. You have one minute to hide before we begin."
Three!Two!
One!
The moment the countdown ended, Sasuke and Sakura vanished instantly, leaving Naruto alone in the clearing.
Naruto, however, stood his ground and boldly challenged Kakashi to a duel.
Kakashi's mouth twitched slightly.
"My teacher's son… might be a little clueless."
Did this fresh Genin actually believe he could take on a Jonin in direct combat?
Still, Naruto's Shadow Clone Jutsu was impressive enough to momentarily surprise Sakura, who was hiding in the nearby bushes.
"Even Naruto, the dead last, has mastered such an advanced technique?" she thought.
But the outcome was as predictable as in the original story.
A devastatingly unforgettable move The Thousand Years of Death left Naruto with a lifelong psychological scar.
Even Sasuke, observing from a distance, felt a twinge of fear.
"That move is just too ruthless!"
As Sasuke was processing what he had just witnessed
Whoosh!
A flash of light streaked past, grazing Sasuke's face before embedding itself with a sharp clang into the tree behind him.
Sasuke snapped back to reality just in time to see three kunai flying straight toward him at incredible speed.
In the blink of an eye, the kunai were less than three meters away.
The next moment
Sasuke vanished from his spot, leaping out from the bushes where he had been hiding.
Dangling helplessly in midair, Naruto saw Sasuke suddenly appear and immediately yelled, "Sasuke, help me! Get me down from here!"
Sasuke ignored him, his attention fixed entirely on Kakashi.
Those kunai from a moment ago weren't thrown casually they had been aimed to kill. The speed and force behind them were terrifying.
Was Hatake Kakashi actually trying to kill him?
"Not bad. An average Genin would've been dead already," Kakashi said calmly, as if completely unconcerned about the lethal intensity of his earlier attack.
Sasuke's expression darkened.
Originally, he had planned to play along with the storyline, but Kakashi seemed to have gone off the rails. Was he really trying to kill him?
"You've been forced out of hiding, but you're not planning to attack yet?" Kakashi teased. "Then I'll keep going!"
This time, Kakashi wasn't engrossed in his Icha Icha Paradise, which confused Sasuke.
What had he done to cause the plot to shift so unexpectedly? What was wrong with Kakashi?
As Sasuke pondered, Kakashi reached into his ninja pouch and swiftly hurled six kunai and three shuriken.
The projectiles connected midair, forming a deadly barrage that flew toward Sasuke with blinding speed.
Even Naruto and Sakura, watching from their respective positions, could barely follow the motion.
Then
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The projectiles were all deflected, falling to the ground with a metallic cacophony.
There were a total of 18 weapons on the ground.
Lowering his right hand, Sasuke stared at Kakashi with a cold, unyielding gaze.
Naruto, still hanging from the tree, was stunned.
"Just now… Did Sasuke use his own projectiles to block Kakashi's?"
He wasn't sure, thinking his eyes must have deceived him.
How could that be possible?
He hadn't even seen when Kakashi had thrown the weapons, so how could Sasuke react in time?
Hidden in the bushes, Sakura was frozen in awe.
"Sasuke-kun… Such incredible kunai-throwing technique…"
Even Kakashi was taken aback.
He had intended to use the kunai to pressure Sasuke into revealing his speed, gradually forcing him to use that Lightning Release.
But to his surprise, Sasuke had matched his kunai-throwing skill, intercepting every projectile midair.
"This kid… Even his kunai skills are on par with mine?" Kakashi thought.
Kakashi hesitated, but Sasuke didn't. He drew a kunai from his pouch, spinning it deftly in his hand before locking eyes with Kakashi.
Then, with a burst of speed, Sasuke charged straight at him.
Whatever was causing Kakashi to act like he wanted to kill him didn't matter now there was no option but to fight.
If Kakashi truly intended to kill him, Sasuke needed to figure out a way to escape!
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