Boom!" With a roar, the slightly smaller fireball spat out by Uchiha Sasuke suddenly expanded under the boost of a Wind Release jutsu from Naruto. After growing to the same size as the fireball spat out by Kakashi Hatake, they collided in mid-air.
"Clang! Cling!" x2
Because Naruto wasn't carrying the ninja sword of Uchiha Hōtai, the one in his hand was just a very ordinary one. Not to mention Chakra conductivity, even its durability was pitiful.
Although the Kunai in Kakashi Hatake's hand was a standard, high-quality Konoha weapon, it was also not a Chakra metal weapon with good Chakraconductivity.
After Naruto's ninja sword was severed by Kakashi Hatake's Chakra-infused Kunai, that Kunai, having completed its mission, also met its end under the ravages of the Chakra, shattering into pieces from the handle down before falling to the ground.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" The sounds of fists and feet colliding began to dominate the battle. Although Naruto had an absurd amount of Chakra, he kept repeating the same few Wind Release jutsu, and hand seals took time; Naruto didn't know how to perform one-handed seals or seal-less jutsu.
Naruto, who had hidden most of his strength, was happy to go along with this, feigning that he had been dragged into close-quarters combat by Kakashi Hatake and was unable to use Ninjutsu. Aside from Taijutsu and the Three Basic Jutsu, Naruto's offensive had effectively stalled.
As for Uchiha Sasuke, the young master of the Uchiha clan who was wealthy and whose ninja sword was still in good condition, he had equipped himself with a quite luxurious ninja sword, which not only contained Chakra metal but was also of superior quality.
Relying on this advantage, Uchiha Sasuke, now acting as the main attacker, naturally caused a lot of trouble for Kakashi Hatake.
Even more so, a sudden strike from the 0 version of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, utilizing visible blade marks formed by Chakra, managed to wound Kakashi Hatake.
This made Kakashi Hatake momentarily wonder just how much of his own Hatake sword style was present in the swordsmanship Uchiha Sasuke was displaying!
However, although Uchiha Sasuke had successfully caused substantial damage to Kakashi Hatake, his Chakra reserves still prevented him from releasing many Ninjutsu, and he couldn't use the 0 version of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū for more than a few moves.
As time passed, this seemingly evenly matched battle between the three slowly tipped in favor of Kakashi Hatake, but this kind of victory was undoubtedly a humiliation for him.
Yes, a humiliation!
Once upon a time, Kakashi Hatake had complained more than once that his insufficient Chakra caused him to be unable to unleash even half, or even less than a third, of his full combat power.
But now... apart from not using his Sharingan, he had almost used his full Jonin strength, and his attacks were becoming increasingly ruthless, to the point where he was almost unable to hold back by the end...
But now, besides Naruto being specifically targeted and unable to break free to use his massive Chakra reserves for a counterattack, Uchiha Sasuke had actually fallen into a disadvantage because he was constrained by his own Chakra reserves.
Such a victory, not won through his own punches and kicks, naturally left a bitter taste in Kakashi Hatake's mouth. Don't forget that the two were just newly graduated Genin!
Although Kakashi Hatake himself had headed to the battlefield at the age of twelve, and he didn't know how many lives of Chunin from various villages he had taken, and he had even killed Joninwith his Chidori.
But he was now an Elite Jonin, while Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke were flowers grown in a greenhouse, and their Ninja rank was that of unassigned Konoha Genin!
But the outcome of victory or defeat did not care about these external factors. In the world of Ninjas, victory is everything, and when facing defeat, no matter how many excuses one finds, it is of no use. After all, you only have one life!
"Is that all you've got?!" Although Kakashi Hatakewas somewhat unwilling and felt humiliated, he didn't show it in his words. He still tirelessly took the time to taunt the two, wanting to use this to make them lose their composure.
"Then please go back to the Ninja Academy for another two years before graduating!"
Kakashi Hatake suddenly raised his voice. After temporarily abandoning his attack on Naruto, he turned around and spotted the opening Uchiha Sasuke revealed due to fatigue. His right hand shot out like lightning, and he slammed a punch into Uchiha Sasuke's chest.
"Ugh!" Uchiha Sasuke coughed up blood and flew backward, the ninja sword and sheath in his hands flying out of his grasp, landing to the left and right, stabbing into the ground not far behind Kakashi Hatake.
Seeing this, Naruto's eyes lit up. Taking advantage of the moment before Kakashi Hatake could turn back to defend, he took a heavy step forward with his left foot. Using his waist as an axis and exerting force with his right foot, the power was transmitted through his entire body's muscles, maximizing the strength in his shoulder before he violently slammed into Kakashi Hatake's chest!
This was the result of Naruto holding back fifty percent of his strength, yet it still sent Kakashi Hatake stumbling when his old momentum was spent and his new momentum had yet to arise.
Kakashi Hatake covered his stifled chest with one hand and retreated several steps. But just as he swallowed the metallic taste of blood in his throat and prepared to launch an attack, the sword sheath Uchiha Sasuke had left behind near him suddenly transformed into the appearance of Sakura Haruno!
Quick-eyed and fast-handed, fast and accurate! Sakura Haruno's timing was perfect. Amidst Kakashi Hatake's shocked expression, she grabbed the two bells at his waist and yanked them downward with force!
When Kakashi Hatake realized what was happening and tried to stop her, Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke naturally wouldn't give him the chance. Under their obstruction, Sakura Haruno completed the task Naruto had assigned to her!
"Yeah!" Sakura Haruno ignored the bruises on her body. After snatching the bells, she jumped three feet high on the spot, seemingly forgetting that when she had transformed into a sword sheath, Uchiha Sasuke had no thoughts of being gentle with her while using her.
"I announce that two of you have passed!" Kakashi Hatake's expression quickly returned to normal, his lazy, unmotivated aura returning. He slumped slightly and spread his hands towards the three, "This is the rule of the test; you decide the rest yourselves..."
"This..." Sakura Haruno's face, which had just been cheering, instantly fell. Looking at the bells in her hand, she suddenly felt that this thing weighed a thousand catties. Her palms trembled, and it even made her feel breathless.
"Sasuke, Naruto..." After a moment of silence, Sakura Haruno opened her hand, displaying the two bells that lay quietly in her palm to the two. "This time I only did some insignificant things... I think... you are more suitable!"
After saying this, Sakura Haruno picked up the bells, preparing to stuff them into the hands of the two, one on the left and one on the right.
"Ha! You know I usually talk a lot and have a sharp tongue, but today I won't say too much." Narutosmiled and shook his head, "You saw it just now; compared to us, you need these two bells more."
"Mm!" Uchiha Sasuke nodded coldly. After bending down to pick up the ninja sword that was stuck in the ground, he took the bells handed over by Sakura Haruno and used the Uchiha Style Throwing technique to throw them toward Kakashi Hatake, who was leaning against a tree far away from them.
"Let's go, Sasuke!" But just as Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke were about to leave, the bell that Uchiha Sasuke had thrown toward Kakashi Hatakesuddenly turned into a pebble, and the one in Sakura Haruno's hand was no exception.
"Ah... although I really don't want to announce this result, but..." "I still have to congratulate you, you have successfully passed my assessment!"
Kakashi Hatake turned his head and winked at the three; the smile under his mask could not be hidden at all.
"However, in principle, you still failed this time." Kakashi Hatake shook the bells in his hand, "But in view of the fact that you are relatively outstanding, I will count it as a temporary pass for now!"
"Tch!" That was Uchiha Sasuke. "Stubborn, and doesn't know how to be gentle with ladies!" That was Sakura Haruno. "Hehe, what a nasty personality!" That was Naruto.
In any case, the first impression and subsequent impressions Kakashi Hatake left on the three, no matter how you looked at it, did not make him seem like a very reliable person...