Kakashi Hatake flipped another page of his book, barely sparing a glance at the three nervous Genin standing before him. His single visible eye curved lazily as he spoke, voice light and detached.
"My first impression of you was… how should I put it?"
He paused for effect.
"It was pretty annoying."
Naruto nearly exploded on the spot. His whole body trembled with indignation, fists clenched.
"What was that supposed to mean?!"
Hinata, flustered, immediately grabbed his sleeve.
"N-Naruto-kun… it's true. We… we shouldn't have ignored Kakashi-sensei's instructions earlier…"
Naruto wanted to argue, but Hinata's timid sincerity disarmed him. He grumbled under his breath.
"Tch… still doesn't change that he's rude…"
Kakashi snapped his orange book shut and yawned, finally giving the three his full—well, half-lidded—attention.
"If you three want to be my students, let's start with introductions. Tell me what you like, what you dislike, and your future goals."
Naruto puffed out his chest immediately.
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto! What I like is ramen! And what I like even more is Ichiraku Ramen! Iruka-sensei treats me to it sometimes!"
"What I hate the most is waiting three whole minutes for ramen to cook!"
He raised a fist triumphantly.
"And my dream—no, my destined path—is to become Hokage and surpass every Hokage before me! I'll make everyone in the village acknowledge me!"
For a brief moment, something stirred in Kakashi's expression.
Hokage, huh…
A beautiful but heavy dream.
"You're quite motivated," Kakashi murmured.
"Of course!" Naruto grinned proudly.
Kakashi turned to the next person.
"And you?"
Sasuke lifted his eyes slowly, his voice cold and steady.
"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I don't have anything I particularly like, but there are many things I dislike."
"I don't have dreams… only ambition."
"I will revive my clan… and kill that man."
The air temperature seemed to drop. Naruto and Hinata felt chills crawl up their spines.
What kind of hatred can make someone speak like that…?
Kakashi, however, didn't flinch.
"I see."
He shifted his gaze to the last member.
Hinata straightened, flustered but determined.
"M-My name is Hyuga Hinata. My favorite hobby is… crushing flowers."
She shrank a little after saying it, cheeks pink.
"I-I don't really like anything in particular…"
Naruto blinked. Crushing flowers? But she continued earnestly:
"My dream is to become an independent ninja… someone who can fight beside Naruto-kun and beside my comrades."
Kakashi gave a small approving nod.
"Very good. Now that we know each other a little, the real beginning starts here."
He stood and dusted off his clothes.
"Follow me. We're heading to the training grounds. It's time for the Genin evaluation trial."
Naruto froze.
"Genin evaluation trial? What's that?!"
"It's simple," Kakashi explained. "If you pass, you officially become members of Team 7."
His voice turned ominous.
"If you fail… you all go back to the Academy for retraining."
Hinata's eyes widened. Even Sasuke looked shocked.
"Back to the Academy?!" Naruto shouted. "Wait—WAIT! You can't be serious!"
A memory burst into his mind.
Bushy-Browed Sensei's warning.
"Kakashi has never passed a single student group! Every year, he sends all of them back to the Academy!"
Naruto's face turned pale.
"I just remembered! That bushy-browed guy said you send ALL your students back EVERY YEAR!"
Even Hinata and Sasuke's expressions changed drastically.
Kakashi touched his chin.
"Bushy-browed Sensei? Could it be… a man? Hm. He talks too much."
Then he added casually:
"But he's right. No one has ever surpassed me."
All three gasped.
But Naruto refused to back down.
"Then I'll be your first! I'm Uzumaki Naruto! I don't fail—especially not before becoming Hokage!"
"Na-Naruto-kun… you said it wonderfully…" Hinata whispered, eyes sparkling.
Kakashi smiled underneath his mask.
"Energetic. I like it. Then let's begin…"
He held up two small bells.
"The test is simple: Ring the bells."
---
Training Ground Seven
A cool autumn breeze rustled the leaves. Kakashi stood on a wooden stump, the picture of laziness, while his three students lined up anxiously.
"As I said, your mission is to take these bells from me."
He shook them; they chimed clearly in the quiet field.
"You have until sunset. That's one full day."
Naruto scratched his head.
"That's it? Just grab the bells?"
Sasuke and Hinata didn't speak, but their expressions agreed with Naruto:
This seems too easy…
Kakashi gave a knowing smile.
"Yes, it is that simple."
"But don't underestimate it."
He lifted a finger.
"I am an Elite Jonin of Konoha."
He looked at their faces.
"And even though all three of you graduated with excellent results—top of the entire Academy…"
"Taking the bells from me won't be easy."
Naruto rolled his shoulders, cracking his knuckles with determination.
"Kakashi-sensei! You're the one underestimating US!"
"I'm Uzumaki Naruto, the genius who graduated FIRST!"
"Hinata finished THIRD!"
"And that jerk Sasuke… he's not bad either!"
Hinata blushed.
Sasuke twitched violently.
"Jerk? LOSER, who are you calling 'not bad'?!"
"I was complimenting you!" Naruto snapped back.
"Do you know how rare that is?! Don't be ungrateful!"
"THAT was NOT a compliment!"
The two were inches away from starting a fistfight.
Kakashi rubbed his forehead.
"Hey. You two."
"If you keep this up, all your precious 'prodigy' titles will be sent straight back to the Academy."
He sighed.
"We don't have all day."
Naruto and Sasuke clicked their tongues and turned away from each other.
Hinata hurried to mediate.
"N-Naruto-kun, Sasuke… Kakashi-sensei is right. We have to cooperate… or we'll all fail."
Naruto growled.
"I don't need to team up with Sasuke! I'll get the bells myself!"
Sasuke responded coldly.
"Spare me. The one who doesn't need help here is me, loser."
Kakashi's eye curved into a crescent.
"Then… let's see."
He hadn't even finished speaking when—
"RAAAAHHH!"
Naruto charged forward, yelling at the top of his lungs as he sprinted toward Kakashi.
Kakashi blinked.
"...He's rushing straight in?"
Without even putting away his book properly, he braced.
Naruto's voice roared across the training ground:
"LEAF TORNADO!"
His right leg whipped through the air with astonishing power, creating a shockwave of wind and force. The grass flattened beneath the pressure.
Kakashi's eye widened.
This… this is Might Guy's taijutsu!
He barely had time to shut his book and block.
Arms crossed, he absorbed the impact—
THUD!
The blow forced Kakashi back a full step.
This kid… his taijutsu is far stronger than I expected…
Before the surprise could fade, Naruto pushed forward, roaring again.
Kakashi reacted instantly, pushing Naruto's leg aside and countering with a swift kick of his own—
And the battle ignited.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)