---
The morning sun bathed Training Ground 7 in a golden haze. Dew still clung to the grass, sparkling like scattered stars, and the wind was calm. It would've been peaceful—if not for the nervous energy buzzing through Naruto's body.
He crouched under a tree, arms resting over his knees, eyes locked on the clearing ahead.
"Still not here..." he muttered.
Their new squad sensei was over an hour late.
Again.
Across from him, Sasuke stood with his arms crossed, leaning silently against a post like a lone wolf on a schedule. Sakura sat on a bench, quietly adjusting her gloves and pretending not to sneak glances at Sasuke.
Naruto sighed. He wasn't good at waiting.
But at least this time… he wasn't starving.
—Flash:
"Kakashi always tells the kids not to eat before the test," Anko had said, tossing him a small wrapped pill. "Half of them faint before lunch."
"Isn't that kinda cruel?" Naruto had blinked.
"Welcome to the ninja world, kid. Eat it or lose."
He had taken her advice.
Now, with the soldier pill quietly fueling his chakra, Naruto felt sharp. Clear.
Focused.
Okay, maybe not completely. But sharper than usual.
He stretched his arms and pointed dramatically at the horizon.
"All right, Kakashi! You better bring your A-game!"
Sakura frowned. "He's not even here yet."
"Doesn't matter," Naruto said. "Gotta establish dominance early."
Sasuke sighed loudly through his nose.
And then—poof.
A cloud of smoke popped into the air.
Their silver-haired sensei materialized like a magician, book already open.
"You're late!" Naruto and Sakura yelled in unison.
"Ah, sorry," Kakashi said, not looking up from his book. "I got lost on the path of life."
Naruto's eyebrow twitched. Seriously?
---
The Test Begins
Kakashi stepped forward and held up two silver bells.
"Your task is simple," he said. "Take one of these bells from me."
Sakura blinked. "But... there are only two bells."
"Exactly."
A chill ran down Naruto's spine.
Kakashi's single visible eye curved upward. "Only those with a bell pass. The one left out fails—and goes back to the Academy."
Wait. WHAT?!
Naruto's mind spun. The three of them against a veteran Jonin? With only two bells?
—Flash:
"You won't win," Anko had said, arms crossed. "Kakashi's the Copy Ninja. Thousand techniques. He could pass out drunk and still beat you blindfolded."
"Gee, thanks."
"I'm helping."
Naruto gulped. So much for a fair test...
Kakashi continued, flipping a page.
"You can use any tools, tactics, or tricks. You have until noon. Try to take a bell."
Then his tone dropped just slightly.
"Come at me with the intent to kill. Anything less... you'll fail."
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Naruto swallowed.
Okay. Serious mode it is.
---
Bell Test: Round One
The second Kakashi said "Begin!", Naruto shot into the forest.
He didn't charge headfirst.
He didn't scream a battle cry.
He hid.
He wasn't dumb enough to fall for the trap twice.
In the trees, he moved carefully, watching. Listening.
Kakashi didn't move. Not at first. He just kept reading.
He's baiting us. Gotta be smarter.
A flicker of movement—Sasuke disappeared into the opposite tree line. Sakura vanished into the bushes.
Naruto grinned and whispered, "Shadow Clone Jutsu."
Two clones popped into place and took off in different directions.
Naruto circled wide. This time, he'd try something new.
He reached into his pouch, feeling the chill of his chakra.
He pressed his palm to the earth.
Cold chakra flowed from his hand, frosting the grass in a thin trail.
It curved quietly, slicking a section of the field.
Still messy, but the layer held.
He gave a quick signal to one clone, who bolted ahead.
A second later, Kakashi blurred into motion—appearing behind the clone and knocking it away.
But the ice was already under his feet.
Krrk—!
Kakashi's foot slid for just a moment.
Enough for Naruto to leap from behind with a kunai.
"Got you!"
Thunk.
A puff of smoke.
A log.
"Substitution?!" Naruto landed, eyes wide.
He turned just in time to see a hand rise from the earth.
"Oh no—!"
Grab. Slam.
Naruto was yanked underground, up to his chin in dirt.
"Classic," Kakashi said, now standing on top of him with his book still open. "You're strong."
Naruto groaned. "Not improving fast enough…"
---
When the Test Ended
By the time noon rolled around, none of them had a bell.
Naruto was tied to a post, dirt still in his hair, arms drooping. Sasuke and Sakura sat nearby, equally battered and frustrated.
Kakashi stood before them, unreadable.
"You didn't work together," he said flatly. "You treated this like a solo mission."
Naruto gritted his teeth. "But there were only two bells!"
"And?"
Sakura looked down. Sasuke said nothing.
Naruto huffed. "You said to take the bells. You didn't say how."
Kakashi closed his book and slipped it into his pouch.
"Exactly."
He pulled out three bento boxes.
"You disobeyed my instructions."
Sakura blinked. "Wait... wasn't that the problem?"
"No." Kakashi looked at her. "You fed Naruto when he was tied up."
She blushed. "W-Well... he looked hungry…"
"And that," Kakashi said, "was the right choice."
Naruto blinked.
"Wait... you tricked us?!"
Kakashi smiled behind his mask. "This was never about the bells."
He stepped back and gestured toward the food.
"In the ninja world... those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash."
Naruto stared at him.
And something about those words—about the way Kakashi said them—sank deep.
"Eat up," Kakashi said, waving a hand as he turned. "Team 7 passes."
Naruto's jaw dropped. "Wait, what?! We passed?!"
Kakashi raised a hand lazily without turning back.
"Mission starts tomorrow."
---
Naruto looked at Sasuke.
Then at Sakura.
Then at the bento in front of him.
His stomach growled again.
He laughed.
A warm, relieved laugh.
"We're a team, huh?"
No one said anything.
But they didn't need to.
The breeze answered for them.
---