Hinata and Sasuke stared in shock.
"An afterimage… Naruto-kun… has he really mastered such an advanced Ninjutsu?!" Hinata whispered, her eyes wide.
Sasuke's expression was a mixture of disbelief and frustration. "Damn… why has that loser become so powerful?"
Even Kakashi, who had seen countless skilled ninjas, was genuinely stunned. This new technique—the Wind Body Tremor—was something even Asuma hadn't mastered. In fact, Kakashi had never even heard of it before. Could this young boy before him have created it himself? Was he truly the legendary genius ninja that everyone whispered about?
Naruto laughed triumphantly, his energy brimming. "What do you think, Kakashi-sensei? You've never seen this Ninjutsu before, have you?"
Kakashi's single eye beneath his mask flickered with surprise.
"This… this is the Wind Body Vibration Technique you created yourself?"
Naruto nodded, pride evident in his grin. "Yep! Isn't it amazing? I came up with it myself!"
Kakashi's heart skipped a beat. He nodded honestly. "Yes… it's truly remarkable. Especially at your age, to create your own Ninjutsu… that makes you a genius ninja, almost on par with me."
Naruto blinked and tilted his head, half embarrassed, half teasing. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei… are you complimenting me or yourself?"
Kakashi allowed himself a faint smile. "I suppose I underestimated all three of you. I'll have to take you seriously from now on."
With that, Kakashi solemnly lifted the "kissing paradise" from his hand—an odd phrase Naruto didn't question—and placed it carefully into his pouch at his waist.
But before anyone could react further, shurikens suddenly rained down from above, flying directly toward Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata.
Sasuke reacted instinctively, his Sharingan flashing. With a fluid motion, he deployed his signature Shuriken Technique, knocking every projectile out of the sky without missing a single one.
Kakashi furrowed his brow, impressed despite himself.
On the other side, Hinata's stance suddenly shifted. Her hands spread out in all directions—left, right, up, down—each movement precise, almost like a dance.
She had activated the Soft Fist Eight Triangle Palm Defense, a technique she had modified herself. Her movements resembled the thousand-armed Guanyin, her palms constantly striking in perfect harmony. The sensitive flow of chakra radiating from her hands intercepted and destroyed every shuriken Kakashi had thrown.
Naruto's eyes shone with admiration. "W-wow… that's amazing…"
Kakashi's heart ached with a mixture of pride and disbelief. "I've never seen such a move in the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist… Did she really create this herself?"
Naruto's mind raced. Watching the flurry of shurikens, a daring idea formed—his ultimate trump card. He merged with his last remaining Shadow Clone, releasing his chakra fully.
"Kakashi-sensei, let me show you my trump card!" Naruto declared.
"Wind Swing: Fierce Wind Palm!"
With a mighty clap of his hands, a gale-force wind erupted, sweeping across the battlefield. The wind, infused with Naruto's chakra, carried the intercepted shurikens along with it, accelerating them into a devastating torrent directed at Kakashi.
Kakashi's single visible eye widened. "This… Wind Swing: Storm Palm… combined with the Shuriken attack… his chakra, his speed, his power… all of it is frightening."
Sasuke wasn't going to let Naruto steal all the glory. His Sharingan flared, and flames erupted from his hands. "Fire Throw: Magnificent Dragon Fire Technique!"
A massive dragon of fire roared to life, hurtling toward Kakashi with terrifying intensity.
Kakashi's mind raced. The combined effect of Naruto's wind-based attack and Sasuke's dragon fire, though unplanned, had merged. The wind helped the flames travel faster, while the fire amplified the wind's destructive power. Shurikens, fire, and wind swirled together in a maelstrom of devastation—an attack powerful enough to challenge even a seasoned Jonin.
"This is no longer ordinary Ninjutsu," Kakashi muttered. "It's a composite Ninjutsu… born of collaboration."
Kakashi hastily activated his defensive technique. "Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
Pat, pat, pat—the shurikens struck. Some were deflected, some pierced the wall. But Naruto's Wind Swing manipulated the projectiles, sending many past the defense, while the combined wind-fire assault pressed relentlessly.
Gritting his teeth, Kakashi summoned another defense. "Water Release: Water Wall!"
A torrent of water surged from the ground, forming a barrier against the flames. The wall held for a moment, but the violent wind made the defense nearly impossible. Water splashed, drenching Kakashi as he extended his hands to maintain the barrier. Despite no real injuries, he looked disheveled, struggling to withstand the force.
At the perfect moment, Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata advanced rapidly, reaching for the bells on their belts.
Ding-a-ling!
The clear, ringing sound echoed across the training field.
Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise. When he looked up, he saw Naruto holding a bell, grinning victoriously. Sasuke also had a bell in hand, his expression cold yet composed. Hinata hadn't struck a bell yet, but her face glowed with satisfaction.
Kakashi exhaled deeply, shaking his head. "I didn't expect you three to be this incredible…"
He paused, adjusting his headband with a small, reflective smile. "I wanted to take this test seriously, but now… it seems I've lost. You three have passed the evaluation."
Naruto leaped into the air with excitement. "Perfect! No need to return to the Ninja Academy for makeup lessons!"
Sasuke simply grumbled, as if the result was inevitable, while Hinata's heart swelled with joy. Passing meant she was officially a member of Team 7—and she could spend every day alongside Naruto, fighting by his side.
Kakashi's expression softened as he watched them. "The three best students of the Ninja Academy… truly remarkable. Your skills and power cannot be measured by simple rankings."
He turned to Naruto, his voice calm but firm. "Naruto, your chakra reserves are enormous. The explosive power you unleash, combined with your mastery of the Shadow Clone Technique and multi-shadow clone variants, makes your Taijutsu incredibly potent. Training with Might Guy and Asuma has honed your Wind Swing techniques to a formidable level. Honestly, your current strength as a Genin surpasses that of an ordinary Chunin."
Naruto laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Kakashi-sensei… why do you have to tell me all this?"
Kakashi rubbed his forehead. "Sasuke, your Sharingan has already reached the two-tomoe level. Your keen vision, combined with natural talent and mastery of both Taijutsu and Ninjutsu, makes your techniques flawless. Even high-level Ninjutsu, like your Great Dragon Fire Technique, is executed perfectly."
Sasuke grunted softly, half pleased, half stubborn.
Turning to Hinata, Kakashi continued. "Hinata, your Byakugan perception is exceptional. Your Soft Fist Eight Triangle Palm is skillfully executed, and the fact that you created your defensive technique—albeit with Naruto-kun's guidance—is remarkable."
Hinata blushed, nodding modestly. "Th-that's true, but I only created it because Naruto-kun reminded me…"
Kakashi's visible eye formed a crescent as he smiled. "Even so, this is close to perfection. You three truly deserve to be called the strongest. I recognize your talent, strength, and potential. But there is one lesson you must remember…"
He spoke slowly, his tone serious. "No matter how strong an individual may be, the support and cooperation of comrades are essential. The move I struggled to defend against just now wasn't the power of one—it was the power of all three of you together."
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a glance. Their rivalry remained strong, but the memory of the combined Wind Swing: Storm Palm and Great Dragon Fire Technique flashed through their minds. The synergy between them, the way their powers amplified one another, was undeniable.
The realization settled in: working together doubled their effectiveness, and their battle strength surged beyond what either could achieve alone.
Despite their grudging acknowledgment, both still turned away, their pride intact. Kakashi could only sigh, shaking his head with a mixture of amusement and admiration.
"This is what true teamwork looks like," he said quietly. "You three have not only passed the test, but you've also proven that even the most powerful techniques are nothing without the bonds of trust and collaboration."
Naruto's grin widened, Sasuke's eyes softened just slightly, and Hinata's heart soared. In this moment, they weren't just classmates—they were comrades, growing stronger together.
And Kakashi… he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. The future of the Leaf Village looked brighter than ever, in the hands of these three extraordinary young ninjas.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)