All of Naruto's clones were spread across the training ground, gathering information about the terrain while also keeping track of Kakashi's movements. By now, they had a rough idea of where Kakashi was currently located.
The clone Naruto who was with Sasuke and Sakura gathered the remaining clones. At the same time, the real Naruto moved to a tall tree far away from Kakashi's position and hid himself above its branches.
From there, he could watch everything from a long distance.
Below, one clone Naruto stood with Sasuke and Sakura.
"Now, the plan is," Naruto said, looking at both of them. "I will attack Kakashi head-on. You both will support me. Sasuke, you support me from mid-range. Sakura, you will stay here and support me from long range. Throw kunai at Kakashi with precision."
Sakura looked doubtful.
"I'll try my best."
Naruto's eyes turned toward her.
"I want you to do it perfectly. No try. No fail. You got it? If you can't even do that much, just sit here. We both will do it ourselves."
Sakura's face turned beet red with frustration. For a moment, she looked like she wanted to shout at him, but she held it back and nodded.
"I'll do it. But I swear, if this plan fails..."
Naruto waved his hand casually.
"Say that after the test."
Then he looked at Sasuke.
"Sasuke, I'm going to perform a wide-range attack. Before I do it, I'll give you a signal. When that happens, escape to long range. If you stay nearby, you'll get caught in it."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes slightly, but he did not refuse.
With the discussion finished, the three of them moved into position and faced Kakashi.
Kakashi watched them with a small smile beneath his mask.
"So, you want to face me as a team, huh?" he said calmly. "Even though you still won't get the bells."
Naruto did not respond to the provocation.
"Now!"
At his command, Sakura immediately moved far away from the front line and took her place at long range. Sasuke stayed in the middle, ready to attack or retreat depending on the situation. Naruto stood at the front.
Kakashi's visible eye curved with interest.
"So, you want to face me head-on now, Naruto. Well, let's see what you've got."
The clone Naruto stepped forward, a smirk on his face.
"We'll see about that, Sensei."
The next moment, Naruto's clones rushed toward Kakashi from different directions.
Kakashi moved smoothly, dodging their attacks without much trouble. Sasuke supported from mid-range, throwing kunai whenever he saw an opening, while Sakura stayed farther away and launched kunai with careful aim.
At first, Kakashi handled everything easily.
Then Naruto changed his footwork.
His steps became strange.
Unfamiliar.
He moved with the basic footwork used by demonic cultivators in his previous life. In that world, it was nothing special, only a basic movement technique. But in this ninja world, where movements followed a different system, it was enough to create a small opening.
Kakashi's eye narrowed.
"What kind of foot movement is that?" he muttered.
For a split second, his attention shifted.
He had seen many fighting styles in Konoha and outside the village, but this one felt different. Without using his Sharingan, he couldn't read the pattern immediately.
That small distraction was enough.
The clones pressed harder, attacking without pause. Kunai came from long range and mid-range at the same time, forcing Kakashi to adjust his movements again and again.
As Kakashi dodged another attack, one Naruto clone slipped behind him and grabbed him tightly.
The real Naruto, hidden high above the tall tree, saw the moment clearly.
His eyes sharpened.
He began preparing his wide-range attack.
But before he could release it, Kakashi's body dissolved into smoke.
A wooden log appeared in his place.
Substitution.
Both the clone Naruto and the real Naruto paused for a brief moment.
'He escaped at the last second.'
Then, from beneath the ground where the clone Naruto stood, Kakashi's hands suddenly reached out.
He was going to use the same trick he had used against Sasuke.
But this time, the clone Naruto smiled.
It was not a normal smile.
It was cold.
Eerie.
His eyes glowed faintly.
"N-Now!" another Naruto clone near Sasuke shouted.
Sasuke reacted instantly.
He moved back toward long range without hesitation.
Above the tall tree, the real Naruto was already prepared.
His attack was ready.
Just as Kakashi was about to grab the clone Naruto, his instincts screamed inside him.
'Danger!'
For the first time in the test, Kakashi felt a real warning from his body.
Something was coming.
Something he should not take lightly.
What happens now...
(To Be Continued...)
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