The next day, Sora had an important conversation with Kakashi about the upcoming bell test.
"Let's go, we'll be late," Sora said to Kakashi, urging him to hurry.
Kakashi just sighed deeply. He had spent time preparing a grand plot that he had carefully planned out, but he guessed it wouldn't be used after all.
Following Sora to the training ground where team seven was waiting for their arrival, he thought to himself about something that had been on his mind. Would Sora be generous enough to give him a free meal today, or would he have to pay for it himself.
Some days Sora was generous and would give both him and Hiruzen a free meal without asking for anything in return, and sometimes he wouldn't be so generous.
As he follows along behind Sora, he suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked up from the book he had been reading.
"Don't read that book in front of Naruto," Sora said coldly, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Kakashi froze in place, then reluctantly did as he was told. He knew that anything that mattered when it came to Naruto was something he couldn't afford to take lightly, especially since it had Sora involved in the situation.
He was quite scared and worried that he might not get to enjoy Sora's home cooked meal. He had gotten used to eating at his house regularly and would feel uncomfortable eating somewhere else, especially since Sora's cooking was so incredibly good.
He sighed to himself and hoped that the food he would receive later would be worth all the trouble. After finally arriving at the training ground, the three members of team seven turned their attention to the new arrivals.
They all had their eyebrows raised in surprise when they saw Sora accompanying Kakashi, but they were quickly shocked after coming to a conclusion about what this meant.
Sora would be their new teammate on the squad. Naruto jumped up in excitement and ran to him enthusiastically and hugged him tightly.
"Why didn't you tell me about this?" She asked, quite disappointed that he had kept this secret from her.
Sora smiled warmly at her.
"I wanted it to be a surprise," he smiled, clearly pleased with her reaction.
She smiled in return, happy to have him on the team. Kakashi clapped his hands together to get everyone's attention and focus.
"Ok, the test is this," he said and took out two bells from his pouch. "You must get these two bells from me to pass. Only you three will participate in this test. Sora has already proven his ability and doesn't need to be tested."
Sakura immediately noticed something amiss with the setup.
"But sensei, there's only two bells and there's three of us." She said, voicing her concern.
Kakashi nodded at her keen observation and awareness.
"You're right, only two of you will pass this test. The one that doesn't manage to get a bell has to return to the academy."
Sasuke and Naruto's eyes narrowed as they processed their new predicament, while Sakura felt like she just swallowed a lump of dirt. She knew she couldn't possibly get the bell when competing with these two who were better than her in almost every way imaginable.
She pursed her lips in frustration and disappointment. She thought that she had finally beaten Ino by being placed in the same team as Sasuke, but now she might have to return to the academy in shame.
"You have until noon," he said, taking out an incense stick and lit it to mark the time.
Immediately Sakura began to run toward the forest to hide, but paused when she noticed that Naruto and Sasuke stood their ground, staring intently at Kakashi.
"Guys, what are you doing-"
But before she could finish her sentence, the two rushed in without hesitation and began fighting Kakashi directly.
They had been taught and trained by Sora for years, and their combat level was exceptionally high. Though one on one they were no match for Kakashi's experience and skill, together they could put up a decent fight, at least with his unserious attitude right now.
As they fought intensely, Sakura gritted her teeth and took out her kunai and joined them in the battle. Sasuke and Naruto's fighting rhythm were almost flawless and synchronized from having to fight Sora over the past 6 years, while Sakura fidgeted around awkwardly and tried to be helpful in any way she could.
Sora watched from the side, disappointed at what Sakura was doing and how she was performing. He thought that she would at least be able to fight competently, but she couldn't even do that basic task.
What had they taught her in the academy during all those years? He sat down and watched as everything went on, observing carefully until they finally pulled out their weapons for real.
Sasuke launched multiple chakra slashes in rapid succession while Naruto released powerful beams from her gauntlets. While Sakura had to stay back and watch from a distance.
He turned his attention to Sakura who was not doing anything productive. Didn't she know the basic academy jutsu that all students learned? Why wasn't she using them in this fight?
Naruto had already summoned over a hundred clones that were attacking from all angles, while Sasuke summoned a few clones that were attacking from a distance with precision.
Though Kakashi still defeated them easily without breaking a sweat. But then Sasuke used the new jutsu that Sora had taught him and managed to grab one of the bells. Kakashi stood in shock and surprise. He didn't think that Sora would teach him that particular technique.
But he remained calm and composed. Sasuke's next decision would determine and decide whether he would pass them or not.
Sasuke threw one of the bells to Naruto and turned to face Kakashi. Sakura pursed her lips, already knowing his decision but still feeling hurt by it. Kakashi nodded in acknowledgment.
"Great job, but you fail." He eye smiled in his characteristic way.
All their eyes widened in shock and disbelief.
"What!!! Why!?" Sasuke asked in anger and confusion.
"That was not the premise of the test." He simply said without elaboration.
"Not the premise? You told us to get the bells and only two would pass. That itself is the premise." He shouted in frustration.
Kakashi shook his head slowly.
"That was just to assess your combat ability and fighting skills." He explained calmly.
Sasuke grew even more angered when suddenly he paused, new understanding arising in his mind.
He looked around carefully at his two teammates. And he knew the answer.
"It was about teamwork, but we already worked together during the fight. So it must be about what happened after I got the bells." He said quietly, realization dawning.
Kakashi smiled at Sasuke's deduction and nodded in confirmation.
"Those that abandon their missions are scum, and those that abandon their team are worse than scum," he said, quoting an old saying.
Sasuke grit his teeth in anger and frustration.
"I'm not abandoning her. She was a nuisance during the entire fight. While others were training hard and improving their skills, she decided to waste her time on looking pretty and fangirling over me. She can't fight properly, and the whole time we were fighting she didn't even perform a single jutsu to help us," he roared passionately. "She's a liability to the team. I'm just sending her back to the academy where she will either get stronger and improve, or she would just waste our time and hold us back." He said angrily, his frustration evident.
Kakashi blinked a few times as he processed the harsh words. He understood clearly from Sasuke's point of view and perspective.
Sakura just stayed silent and ashamed from the cutting words. She knew deep down that what he said was true and accurate. While he and Naruto trained like madmen every single day, she just tried to get his attention and affection. She never physically trained or improved herself.
"He's right, as of now she's incompetent." A familiar voice sounded from the side.
Everyone turned to look at him. Sakura pursed her lips tightly. Even Sora had said so, confirming her worst fears. She just sighed in acceptance of the truth.
"But she does have some use," he added, not finished with his assessment.
Sakura's eyes lit up with hope and she looked at him expectantly.
"She has a small chakra amount and because of that her chakra control is naturally good. With that precise control, she could be useful in other fields beyond direct combat. Including genjutsu techniques and most importantly medical ninjutsu." He said thoughtfully.
Kakashi nodded in response, agreeing with the assessment. Sasuke and Naruto just stayed silent, listening.
"I will personally oversee your training from now on. If you still do not take it seriously then-" he ended his sentence there, though the implications were clear and ominous.
A smile appeared on her lips. She knew Sora was giving her a chance to prove herself.
"Well, since Sora said so and vouched for her, you all pass for now." He said finally.
Sora clapped his hands together to get everyone's attention and focus.
"For this grand and special occasion, I have taken the time to prepare a wonderful dinner for everyone here," he said with a warm smile as he reached into his pouch and took out a storage scroll.
Both Naruto and Kakashi's eyes lit up with excitement and anticipation at the mention of Sora's cooking. He carefully unrolled the scroll and placed it flat onto the ground in front of them before channeling his chakra to activate the sealing formula, causing multiple beautifully wrapped bentos to appear in a small puff of smoke.
He began to pass the bentos around to each person present, making sure everyone received one, and then grabbed one for himself as well. There was still one more bento remaining on the ground. He picked it up and turned around, extending it toward Hiruzen who had silently appeared behind them at some point during the conversation.
Sasuke and Sakura's eyes widened in complete surprise and shock. They hadn't even noticed or sensed the Hokage's presence or arrival at all.
"Hokage sama," they both greeted respectfully, bowing their heads slightly in acknowledgment of his presence.
He casually waved his hands in a dismissive gesture to ease their formality.
"You don't have to be so courteous and formal with me," he said warmly with a kind and grandfatherly smile spreading across his weathered face.
He sat down comfortably on the ground next to the others and opened his bento box carefully. He took a deep breath and gulped audibly as the incredible aroma from the food wafted up to his nose. Everyone present could smell the fresh, appetizing, and absolutely delicious aroma emanating from the carefully prepared meals.
Sasuke and Sakura found themselves gulping involuntarily from the mouthwatering aroma filling the air around them. Meanwhile, Kakashi and Naruto, who were already quite familiar with Sora's exceptional cooking skills, had wasted no time and had already eagerly started eating their meals with obvious enjoyment.
They looked down at their own bentos with growing curiosity and anticipation, then carefully opened them to reveal the contents inside. They picked up their chopsticks with slightly trembling hands and took their first bite of the food.
The instant the food entered their mouths, they completely stopped all movement and motion, their eyes closing as they simply savored and enjoyed the incredible explosion of flavors dancing across their taste buds.
It was without question the best and most delicious food they had ever had the pleasure of tasting in their entire lives. Even Sasuke, who was normally quite reserved and stoic about such things, couldn't help but immediately take more eager bites, though as he continued eating he found himself thinking that Sora really should have added some fresh tomatoes to make it absolutely perfect.
The following day arrived, bringing with it a new chapter in the team's training and development under Sora's careful guidance and instruction.
"Sakura, you have demonstrated truly excellent and precise chakra control during your exercises. You have already successfully learned and mastered the technique of surface walking, which is quite impressive for someone at your level." He nodded slowly in satisfaction and approval of her progress.
Sakura smiled brightly, feeling genuinely proud and accomplished regarding her skills and achievements so far.
"But, that level of accomplishment is not nearly enough for what lies ahead of you. I will begin the process of teaching you the fundamentals and principles of medical ninjutsu, but before we can start with that advanced training, you absolutely need to learn extensively about the human anatomy and how the body functions. With your natural studiousness and dedication to learning, this initial step should be no problem whatsoever for you to grasp," he said thoughtfully and handed her a thick, detailed book containing the necessary information.
She grabbed the book carefully with both hands and nodded in understanding before heading over to find a comfortable shade under a nearby tree where she could study without distraction.
Sora then turned his full attention to Sasuke, ready to address his training needs.
"As for you, I must say that I'm quite impressed with your recent progress and development. You can already perform and execute the jutsu I taught you, though admittedly only for a few brief seconds at a time before it dissipates." Sora said with an analytical tone.
Sasuke smirked slightly, his confidence and pride rising within him at the acknowledgment of his abilities.
"But, we'll definitely have to do something substantial about your brashness and impulsive tendencies in combat situations," he said with concern. Sasuke froze completely in place at his sudden and unexpected words.
"In the bell test earlier, I observed and noticed that you recklessly attacked a spot where Kakashi had deliberately left himself wide open as a trap. You need to start meditating regularly to develop better awareness-"
"What!?" He shouted in disbelief and frustration. "Meditation? That's completely a waste of valuable time that could be spent training," he said while gritting his teeth in annoyance.
"This reaction proves my exact point perfectly. You're not a truly calm and collected person deep down. Though you may appear to be calm and composed on the surface, your mind is not in the right place or state for optimal decision-making. You'll need to work on clearing your mind of distractions and emotional turmoil," he added with emphasis.
Sasuke knew exactly what he was talking about and understood the truth in his words. But how could he just simply clear his mind of everything? Every single moment he tried to clear his mind and find peace, that terrible night would repeat itself over and over again in vivid detail.
"This is fundamentally a battle of the mind and willpower. I cannot directly help you with this particular struggle. You must find a way to overcome it yourself through your own inner strength," he said solemnly.
Sasuke finally nodded in reluctant acceptance of the task ahead and sat down on the ground, beginning to meditate despite the fact that his face was scrunched into a deep, troubled frown.
Finally, he turned his attention to Naruto, the last member of the team. He honestly didn't know exactly what to teach her at this point. Anything and everything he thought of as a potential lesson, he had already previously taught to her over the years.
The only thing he could realistically do for her at this stage was continue with combat training and sparring, but that alone wasn't nearly enough for her continued growth and development.
But it seemed that she had the exact same underlying problem as Sasuke did. Her mind was constantly and restlessly thinking about something or other. Whether it was thoughts about Sora himself or perhaps the nine-tailed fox sealed inside her, no one really knows for certain.
But not only that troubling issue. She was also quite brash and impulsive in her approach, even more brash and reckless than Sasuke tended to be.
"You'll have to practice meditation as well, just like Sasuke," Sora said calmly but firmly.
Naruto paused in place for a moment, processing his words, then sighed in resignation. She knew and understood that Sora had always wanted the absolute best for her development and growth, so she sat down on the ground and began meditating, trying her best to quiet her turbulent thoughts.
Off to the side, both Kakashi and Hiruzen stood together, observing the training session unfold before them. Hiruzen took a long, contemplative deep breath from his pipe as he processed and reflected upon what he had just witnessed and seen. What he had observed was truly something remarkable and exceptional. He knew with absolute certainty that he wanted Sora to eventually become a jonin instructor in the future.
Though he initially wanted to assign him to that position immediately and without delay, he ultimately decided against taking such hasty action. Right now, at this present moment, Sora was still too young and inexperienced for such a responsibility, and he doesn't yet have a sufficiently diverse range of techniques and skills in his arsenal to properly handle all situations. The people and students that might potentially be placed on his team in the future wouldn't always have the same chakra nature as him, and he would need to be able to guide and instruct them effectively regardless of their individual abilities and affinities.
Kakashi just stood there silently and stared intently at Sora as he worked with the team members. He knew beyond any shadow of doubt that Sora was a completely natural and gifted teacher with an innate ability to instruct others. Though he typically had a rather cold and distant personality when dealing with most people he encountered, he still somehow manages to bring people together and unite them as a cohesive unit, even though he frequently sounds quite harsh and critical most of the time when speaking to them.
He's just deeply glad and relieved that Sora was the one teaching and training them in his place, since he himself was admittedly quite lazy and unmotivated when it came to such intensive instructional responsibilities.
"Do you honestly think they'll be adequately ready and prepared when the chunin exam starts?" Hiruzen asked thoughtfully, though he already had his own answer and expectations firmly in mind.
"Certainly, without a doubt," Kakashi gave a quick and confident answer without any hesitation whatsoever.
There was absolutely no way that team seven wouldn't be fully ready and prepared by that time. Right now, at this very moment, they were already essentially ready and capable except for one single person, and that person was Sakura who still had significant room for improvement. But by the time the chunin exams actually start and commence, Sora would have already made her thoroughly prepared, trained, and ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead of them all.