The next morning, at Konoha's Third Training Ground, Kakashi watched the three youngsters arrive, seemingly right on time, and his lips twitched.
Judging by their energetic appearances, it was clear the trio had completely ignored his warning about skipping breakfast.
Kakashi glanced at Sasuke with a hint of exasperation, but Sasuke shook his head slightly, indicating he hadn't been the one to spill the beans.
'Fine then.'
Kakashi plastered on a wide, narrowed-eye smile, pulled out two jangling bells, and announced, "I have two bells here. Your mission is to take them from me before noon."
"Only those who obtain a bell will graduate. Those who fail will..."
"Kakashi-sensei, stop acting coy!" Naruto suddenly jumped forward, his expression one of smug insight. "Based on the intel I've gathered, Teacher Kakashi values teamwork. So this examination is really about teamwork, right?"
Sakura's forehead veins bulged. She delivered a sharp thwack to Naruto's head, the sound echoing through the training ground, and roared, "Naruto, you idiot! Why would you just blurt that out? And what business do you have gathering intel in the first place?!"
"I'm sorry, Sakura," Naruto mumbled, rubbing his forehead apologetically.
"Hmph!"
"..."
Kakashi inwardly rolled his eyes, glancing at the crestfallen Naruto and the seemingly composed Sakura, whose eyes betrayed a hint of "I knew it."
He said impassively, "It seems you've gathered quite a bit of intel about me in a single day. While it's true that I value teamwork and my comrades, the most fundamental rule for a ninja is to complete the mission. Before that goal, regardless of—"
"That's not right!" Sakura interrupted, pulling out her notebook.
After a quick glance, she countered smoothly, "While it's true that a ninja's primary duty is to complete missions, Teacher Kakashi has already admitted to valuing his comrades. If he truly values his comrades, why would he set a mission that requires abandoning them to succeed?"
"I get it now!"
Kakashi froze, about to respond, when Sakura snapped her notebook shut, nodded, and raised a finger, launching into a mock-serious analysis:
"Teacher Kakashi must have faced a dilemma before: choosing between completing the mission and saving his comrades' lives, right?"
Since Naruto had already spilled the beans, Sakura's gossipy spirit had fully ignited.
Haruno Sakura trailed off, leaving her next words unspoken. Considering Kakashi's current evaluation objectives, it seemed likely that...
Back then, Kakashi had chosen the mission, leading to the death of his teammate.
That's why he wanted his students to prioritize their comrades, not just be ninjas focused solely on completing missions.
'He's definitely a man with a story,' Sakura thought inwardly with a sigh.
Over the past few years, her interactions with Sasuke had helped Sakura grow considerably, not just in her training.
Sasuke liked strong girls, so Sakura trained relentlessly.
He also loved reading, so Sakura, in addition to her Ninja Academy studies, became a regular at the library.
Still just a young girl, Sakura's mind was not yet mature, and her thoughts were simple.
Sasuke was her idol, and her affection for him was reckless and unconditional.
'Sasuke works so hard—I have to work hard too!'
'Sasuke is so amazing—I have to catch up to him!'
'Sasuke is so pitiful—he only has me!'
This girlish infatuation, mixed with fan worship, made Sakura unconsciously influenced by Sasuke in her daily life.
Sasuke's way of thinking, his every word and action—perhaps even things he himself didn't pay much attention to—were deeply ingrained in Sakura's heart.
In such circumstances, Sakura only showed her infatuation to Sasuke and her cheerful side to a few close friends.
To most people, she appeared as a mature, calm, and analytical young girl.
'This girl is remarkably perceptive,' Kakashi thought, his eyes flashing with complex emotions.
The reason he had designed this particular test was deeply rooted in his past.
Although he wasn't directly responsible for the deaths of Nohara Rin and Obito, he still felt that his single-minded dedication to completing missions, at the cost of abandoning his teammates, had led to the tragedy.
"Well done, Sakura," Kakashi praised after a moment of silence, clapping his hands. "I never expected you to gather so much information about me in just one day and deduce so much from it. Your information gathering and analysis skills are truly remarkable!"
'Heh heh!' Sakura grinned inwardly, but maintained a composed demeanor on the surface.
"You flatter me, Teacher Kakashi," she replied modestly. "Compared to Sasuke, I still have much to learn. I simply picked up these skills from him."
'From me?' Sasuke wondered, a question mark forming in his mind. 'When did I ever teach you this?'
"Alright! Let's put aside the discussion about comrades and missions for now," Hatake Kakashi said, lowering his head to glance at the three eager youngsters.
He added coolly, "Whether you choose to protect your comrades during a mission or prioritize completing the mission, you need sufficient strength to accomplish either. Without it, not only will you fail the mission, but you'll also become a burden to your comrades—potentially even getting them killed.
"Therefore, we'll now begin a wilderness survival assessment. This test will evaluate your fundamental ninja skills. If you fail to meet the standard, you'd better return to the Ninja Academy for a few more years of training. My class has no room for those who can't complete missions or protect their comrades!"
As soon as his words left his lips, the trio's expressions turned solemn.
Kakashi smiled faintly and continued, "However, I've slightly modified the assessment method."
With that, Kakashi drew another bell from his waist.
"This time, there are three bells, so you don't have to worry about eliminating your comrades to complete the mission. All you need to do is snatch a bell from me!"
"Come at me with the resolve to kill me! Use any Ninjutsu you have without restraint—otherwise, you'll never get past this trial!"
Kakashi shook the three bells in his hand, a smile playing on his lips.
Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura exchanged uneasy glances. Sasuke, his expression peculiar, asked, "Teacher Kakashi, are you sure about this?"
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. Though he sensed something amiss, he replied calmly, "Of course."
'If you really do that, you might get killed,' Sasuke mentally grumbled.
"Alright then! The wilderness survival training begins now!"
As soon as the words left his lips, the trio vanished in streaks of afterimages, disappearing into the dense surrounding forest.
___
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