Long after everyone had reached the limits of their patience, Kakashi finally arrived, and he did so with the most casual attitude possible, like he wasn't at all late.
"Yo," he said with a lazy wave. "Sorry I'm late, a black cat crossed my path, so I had to take the long way around."
Naruto's face turned red with anger. "That's the worst excuse I've ever heard!" he shouted.
Sakura just sighed. "You're four hours late, sensei."
"Am I? My bad," Kakashi said, not sounding sorry at all.
Sasuke just watched him, his expression unreadable. He knew Kakashi was lying, but he also knew that getting angry about it would do no good.
Though the only reason he was able to keep his own temper in check was in part because he had eaten, so he hadn't had to wait around while hungry, and because he had already planned his revenge.
"Alright, now that we're all here, let's get started," Kakashi said, as he took out a small alarm clock from his pouch. "Today's assignment is to take these bells away from me by noon."
He then held up two small silver bells attached to a string. "Those who can't do it won't get lunch," he said, clearly expecting his little students to be quite hungry by then.
"They will also be tied to that." He pointed towards three wooden stakes in the ground. "And I'll eat my lunch before your very eyes."
All three of them instantly realized that this was indeed the reason he had told them not to eat, and both Naruto and Sakura gave Sasuke a grateful look.
Naruto in particular was grateful. He was already starting to get hungry again with all this talk of lunch, so if he hadn't had breakfast, he would no doubt be starving!
"Wait a minute," Sakura asked. "Why are there only two bells?"
"Ah, yes," Kakashi said, as if he had just remembered. "Well, the reason for that is that at least one of you will be tied to the stumps. The one who fails to get a bell will be disqualified."
"So, in the end," Sasuke said, "at least one of us will fail, and the one who fails is automatically sent back to the Academy?"
That was the problem. With three people and only two bells, one of them was bound to fail, even if they all worked together, because they would have to fight each other for the bells.
"Impressive, you are quick to understand," Kakashi said. "Now, this test will be different from the one at the Academy. You will use any means to get the bells from me. Weapons are allowed."
Sasuke did his best to hide his smirk. Everything was going just as he had expected, using the lack of breakfast and the promise of food, as well as only having two bells to split them up.
It was no wonder no team had ever passed his test before. If he hadn't been warned about this beforehand, he would never have seen through all the tricks.
After all, even if he had some hope of getting his hands on a bell due to Kakashi not knowing his true strength, that would still fail him, because the bells were a trap as well. The true goal was to work together as a team.
"You have until noon," Kakashi said, as he set the alarm clock. "Get ready... and... start!"
With that, all three of them instantly vanished, hiding in the surrounding trees and bushes, but it was Naruto who made the first move, jumping out from his hiding spot and shouting, "I'm gonna fight you for real this time, and I'm going to get that bell!"
"Too loud," Kakashi sighed as he pulled a book out of his pouch, the famous Icha Icha Paradise. "And also, you're the weakest."
This caused Naruto to get even angrier as he threw a few kunai and shuriken at Kakashi, who easily dodged them, only for Naruto to appear behind him with a kunai in his hand.
Only for Kakashi to appear behind him. "A shinobi shouldn't let his guard down," he said, before performing the sign of the tiger.
"Hidden Leaf Secret Finger Jutsu: A Thousand Years of Death!" Kakashi shouted, as he shoved his fingers up Naruto's rear end, sending him flying into the nearby river with a loud splash.
Or, that was what he had expected. In reality, the moment his attack landed, Naruto exploded into a cloud of smoke, revealing it had been a shadow clone all along.
"So you can make at least one decent jutsu," Kakashi said, impressed that the dead last had managed to trick him.
"Heh, gotcha!" Naruto shouted, as he jumped out from a nearby bush, ready to attack.
Kakashi just sighed, clearly unimpressed. "Really? Announcing your ambush? Not very smart, are you?" he said, as he caught Naruto's leg. Only to widen his one visible eye the next moment.
Naruto acted as if he had expected it, and with skills that far surpassed what Kakashi expected Naruto to have, the blond Genin used Kakashi's grip on his leg to pull himself in close.
It happened in an instant, but before even Kakashi could react, Naruto slapped his palm onto his arm, and even Kakashi felt a wave of danger as he did.
Because that wasn't an empty hand. Instead, it was filled with a sticky explosive tag. Kakashi instantly realized what had happened.
But he had little time to admire the trick, as that explosive tag was very real.
Thankfully, he was an elite Jōnin, so when he got serious, it was still within his means to remove the tag before it went off.
"Cough, cough," he coughed lightly as he barely escaped the explosion, though not so cleanly that he was spared having his clothes ruffled and his sleeve singed.
"I did tell them to come at me with the intent to kill... but to think they could pull off something like this," he muttered with a hint of interest in his voice.
-----
Deeper inside the forest, far from the clearing, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura were gathered.
"Damn... that was really scary," Naruto cursed as he rubbed his bum, feeling the phantom pain of his clone's fate.
"Did it work?" Sakura whispered as they heard an explosion.
"No," Sasuke shook his head. "But it was close. Clearly, this tactic has a chance of working."
"That's right, Sasuke-kun is amazing for coming up with something like this!" Sakura said, praising him as always.
"It might allow us to get revenge, but what about the bells? There are only two of them," Naruto said, not forgetting about that little detail.
"Forget the bells," Sasuke said. "If we don't work together, we won't even have a chance, and as long as we all impress him enough, he will be begging to take us as his students."
"So we have to take him seriously," Naruto nodded.
Sasuke was glad that he was getting through to him, but Sakura was a different story. She might be a fangirl, but she wasn't entirely as stupid as Naruto.
Naruto had blind optimism, but Sakura was a bit more realistic.
This plan relied on the Shadow Clone Jutsu, one she didn't know at all, and even that loser Naruto knew it, making her feel worthless.
Something that was completely visible on her face.
'Good, maybe this will make you put in some real work for once,' Sasuke thought as he saw the look on her face.
"Alright, Naruto, you should send some more clones to keep him busy. I will have my clones mix into it, and if you can, transform some of them into Sakura and me. That will add to the chaos," Sasuke said, taking charge of the situation.
"You got it!" Naruto cheered, already getting excited about the plan, not even noticing how Sasuke was taking charge.
He was never one for thinking and planning much, so he didn't mind following Sasuke's lead.
As for Sakura, she just nodded, though she was a bit hesitant.
Sasuke's plan was smart, but she couldn't help but feel a bit left out.
She couldn't make shadow clones, and she wasn't as fast or as strong as Sasuke or Naruto, so what could she do?
Sensing her hesitation, Sasuke turned to her. "And you, Sakura, your job is the most important of all."
"Really?" she asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Yes," he said. "You will be the one to get the bells."
"Me? But... I'm not strong enough," she said, looking down at her hands.
"And that's why you are perfect for it," Sasuke said. "Kakashi will underestimate you, so all you have to do is wait for the right moment, and then grab the bells. Naruto and I will create the opening for you, but you have to be the one to take it."
His words sent a jolt of excitement through Sakura.
He wasn't just relying on her; he was giving her the most important role.
This was a chance to prove herself, to show him that she wasn't any worse than Naruto.
"I won't let you down, Sasuke-kun!" she said, her determination shining in her eyes.
Sasuke just nodded. He didn't need to say anything else. He had given her the motivation she needed.
"Alright, let's do this," Naruto said, as he got into position.
"Wait," Sasuke said, stopping him.
"What is it?"
"One of my clones just got popped. He is coming towards us. We need to relocate. Naruto, make more clones to buy us an opening." He couldn't help but curse. He didn't know if it was luck or skill that made Kakashi come towards them, and not one of the many dummy teams of clones spread through the forest.
While he had once doubted whether Naruto was really as special as Aiko made him out to be, he wasn't doubtful any longer.
After all, to make this many shadow clones, that wasn't something he could do, not even close.
Even if his clones weren't as strong as the few Sasuke had scattered through their ranks, the number alone was impressive.
As long as Naruto learned a few ninjutsu and got better at taijutsu, he would indeed be terrifyingly strong.
(End of chapter)
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