After tossing and turning all night, Naruto stepped out of his house the next morning with two dark panda-like circles under his eyes.
"Damn it… I actually had insomnia last night. That never happens."
He yawned, clearly exhausted. "Ugh… better hurry, or I'll be late."
Dragging his feet all the way to the training ground, Naruto wearily waved at Sasuke and Sakura, who had already arrived.
"Hey… morning."
"Uh, m-morning," Sakura replied awkwardly, tugging at the corner of her mouth as her expression twisted. Her voice trembled oddly.
"Idiot," Sasuke muttered coldly, barely sparing Naruto a glance before turning away. But his slightly shaking shoulders betrayed his struggle to hold something back.
"Sakura? Sasuke? What's going on with you two?"
Naruto looked at their weird behavior, a huge question mark forming in his mind.
Did I scare them with my joke yesterday or something?
He thought, completely clueless.
"N-Naruto…" Sakura's shoulders quivered as if she were fighting a losing battle. "Why… why are you outside in your pajamas? Hahaha! I can't, I can't hold it in anymore… I'm dying!"
Clutching her belly, Sakura doubled over with laughter, completely unladylike.
Pfft!
Even Sasuke couldn't take it anymore. Despite his usual stoicism, a snort escaped him as his shoulders trembled violently.
"Huh?"
Naruto blinked, finally snapping out of his daze. He looked down at his white pajama top and touched the nightcap still on his head. His face slowly contorted in embarrassment.
"Hahaha! Naruto, were you sleepwalking?"
Sakura was practically on the ground, weak from laughing.
"I… I…."
Naruto was mortified. This is beyond embarrassing. I've lost all dignity…
"Ah, good morning everyone! Sorry I'm late. Today, on this journey called life, "
Kakashi's usual lazy greeting came to an abrupt halt the moment he saw Naruto's outfit. Beneath his mask, the corner of his mouth twitched upward.
"Is it really that funny…?" Naruto grumbled, completely dejected.
"Ahaha… well… not that it's funny exactly," Kakashi replied evasively. "It's just… your look is quite… unique."
Naruto tugged at his pajama shirt in frustration, silently cursing them all. Go ahead and laugh. Laugh yourselves to death…
"All right, enough fun. It's time for today's exercise."
Having enjoyed the show, Kakashi's expression suddenly turned serious as he looked at the three soon-to-be Genin.
"So… what kind of exercise?" Sasuke asked, back to his usual cool demeanor.
"It's simple," Kakashi replied after a pause. "Out of the three of you… only two will become genin."
"What?!" Sakura gasped, and even Sasuke frowned.
"The three of you will fight. Only those who remain standing will pass. The one who loses… loses the right to become a ninja."
"That's not fair! Kakashi-sensei, we've already graduated from the Academy, "
Sakura's protest was cut off by Kakashi's cold voice.
"I am your sensei now. My word is law. Anyone who defies the rules… is unworthy of being a ninja."
"But… hurting our comrades just because of some rule? That's!"
Sakura's voice trembled with outrage.
"She's right!" Naruto shouted, his spirit igniting. "If a rule tells us to hurt our friends, then anyone who follows it doesn't deserve to be called a ninja!"
"And what about you, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked, turning to the one who hadn't spoken.
"My thoughts?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes, a dangerous light flickering within. "They're simple…"
He suddenly formed a hand seal. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
"What?! That's an enormous amount of chakra!" Kakashi was taken aback.
BOOM!
The fireball exploded on the ground, leaving a blackened crater over five meters wide, smoke still rising from the scorched earth.
"He's gone?!" Sasuke's eyes darted around. Behind? Above?,
"Sasuke! Beneath you!" Naruto shouted, having realized it first.
But it was too late.
A black hand shot up from the ground and yanked Sasuke under.
"Earth Style: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!"
Kakashi clapped the dust off his hands, casually walking over.
"Sasuke, I think I've gotten your answer."
"Since Sasuke attacked me first," Kakashi said calmly, "let's say he failed the test. Do either of you have any objections?"
Naruto paused. "Of course I do!"
"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
With a sharp cry, Naruto made a hand seal, and in a flash, dozens of shadow clones surrounded Kakashi.
"Shadow clones, huh?" Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "But still not fully mastered."
"Hyaah!"
Each clone pulled out a shuriken. Naruto launched a barrage, the blades flying at Kakashi in a neat triangle formation.
"Hmm… decent throwing technique," Kakashi noted silently, dodging with ease. "But this level of attack can't hurt me."
"Is that so?" Naruto's grin turned sly.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
The shuriken suddenly twisted midair, forming a strange arc. In their shadows, more shuriken appeared, duplicating themselves!
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Surrounded from all sides, Kakashi's expression turned grave.
"I didn't think Naruto had already mastered such refined jutsu…"
"Take this! Omnidirectional Shadow Shuriken Barrage!"
Naruto clapped his hands, and the shuriken shot toward Kakashi from every angle.
SLASH!
Each one struck true, only for Kakashi's body to disperse into crackling lightning.
"A Lightning Clone, huh?" Naruto narrowed his eyes.
"Whew… Naruto, you really forced me to use a lightning clone," Kakashi said lightly, but his heart was anything but calm. His timing, his accuracy, that seamless execution… is this really Naruto?
"Oh dear, Sasuke, looks like you're dragging Naruto down," Kakashi teased.
"Dragging him down?" Sasuke froze, visibly shaken. "I'm not someone who holds others back! I'm not this weak! I still have to kill that man! How can I let myself fall behind?!"
With a roar, Sasuke burst out of the ground, his face twisted in rage. In his eyes, two black tomoe spun ominously.
"In that case," Kakashi said coldly, "since both you and Naruto attacked, one of you must leave. Don't ask why. That's the rule."
SWISH!
A silver gleam flashed through the air. Kakashi tilted his head just in time, glancing toward Sakura, who stood with her brows furrowed in defiance.
"Kakashi-sensei," she said, her face calm but resolute, "if that's how it is… then this is my decision too."
Three more shuriken flew from her hands.
"Sakura… you too?" Kakashi dodged again, half-smiling. "You're angry? But why?"
"Because the three of us… we're teammates! We're comrades who live and die together!" Naruto shouted.
"Exactly!" Sakura agreed, pulling a kunai from her pouch and holding it tight.
Sasuke didn't say anything, but his eyes told the same story. He stood beside them, unwavering.
"You three…" Kakashi started to yell, but then his tone softened.
"…You've all passed!"
"What?" Sakura's kunai hand dropped in disbelief.
"Heh… You did well. A ninja who breaks the rules is trash. But a ninja who abandons their comrades… is worse than trash."
Kakashi's eyes clouded with memories and pain, but he quickly buried it.
"From today on, the three of you are officially Team 7."
⚔────────
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