"You know nothing of me, so don't judge me".
-My Own Quote
Chapter 3
Naruto after a few minutes woke up from his snoring as he heard Kakashi's pitter patter footsteps on the grass. Jerking up on a standing position, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes as Kakashi began to give his lame excuses before starting to instruct about the test. Taking the two bells from inside his pockets, he held it up at the three.
"Here are two bells. Your task is to take these bells from me before time's up. Those who don't have a bell by noon gets no lunch. I'll not only tie you to one of those stumps", Kakashi says pointing to the direction of the stumps. He then continued. "I'll also eat lunch in front of you."
Two of Naruto's teammates growled in hunger and Sasuke thought, 'So that's why he told us not to eat'
Meanwhile, Naruto just yawned in relaxation.
"I take it you're not worried at all Naruto", Kakashi says as he puts the bells back at his pocket. "You did eat breakfast".
"Yeah, Kakashi-sensei", the blonde smiled sheepishly scratching his head. "Not all rules are meant to be followed though".
'Hooo. Contrary to the reports I received back at the Academy, Naruto is quite observant', Kakashi thought amused.
'Naruto ate breakfast. He saw this test as a trap', Sakura glanced at Naruto just absentmindedly kicking the dirt in front of him.
Naruto's behavior has also been a mystery at Sasuke but chose to not pay mind in this. He wanted to pass, be a full-fledged genin and then eventually kill Itachi, the clan killer.
"You only have to get one bell". The bells making sounds as Kakashi picked it up once again from his pocket. "Only two will pass and one will eventually be tied to the stump." Kakashi then neared the bells at his face.
"Not only that, the person who is tied to the stump is also the one that fails in the exam. And that person will be the one to be sent back at the Academy".
Sasuke's eyes narrowed at this while Sakura felt nervousness creeping down the features of her face. The atmosphere turned grim despite the warm weather when they heard Kakashi said those words.
"If you want, you can use shurikens and kunai. Come at me with the intent to kill. That way you'll be able to pass the Academy", deadpanned Kakashi.
"But…you'll be in danger!", Sakura cried.
"In the real world, aiming weapons at the enemy is the obvious choice when defending yourself. In that way, victory will come to you in an easy way", Kakashi explained. "Now, begin!"
Both jumped, with the exception of Naruto, looking at him with an unreadable expression on his face.
"The most important skill for a shinobi is to remain hidden", the silver haired ninja said aloud for the three to hear. 'Good they've hid themselves well'
'Remembering' the bell test, the blonde taunted Kakashi, "Come at me, Kakashi-sensei".
"And you're a little bit off", Kakashi responded.
'What an idiot', thought Sasuke behind the bushes looking at the two.
"Shinobi taijutsu no. 1", Kakashi put his hand behind his pockets and then came out Icha Icha Paradise. This caused Naruto to laugh.
"You already know this is a serious situation, Naruto. Laughing will do you no good". Kakashi said while reading the book.
"Hey hey Sensei…", Naruto grinned mischievously. "Do you wanna know the ending?"
"There's no way I'll fall into a trap like that", deadpanned Kakashi.
"Oh my bride, thou art mine and mine alone, the gods have decreed our union, so wherefore this hesitation…", Naruto said dramatically.
'NO!' "STOOOOPPPPP!", Kakashi covered his ears. Glancing at Naruto, his eyes widened. 'I can read his lips. There's no way he reads those…'
He stopped seeing Naruto making the hand signs for the Shadow Clone Jutsu.
'Shadow Clones… Where did he learn that?', Kakashi was surprised at this sudden downturn of events.
Three Narutos poured into existence grinning. "Get him boys", Naruto called.
"Illusions? No! Those aren't illusions. They have physical bodies", Sakura muttered.
'What kind of jutsu is that', Sasuke watched on in amazement.
"No matter how many physical clones you create, that won't be enough to stop me", said Kakashi as he continued to read. A clone emerged from the sides attempting to kick him, only for Kakashi to just jump. The other clone attacked above, again evading it by rolling to the side still clutching his book.
'Where's Naruto?', Naruto wasn't in Kakashi's field of vision. Crouching on the ground he heard a voice.
'That's the tiger seal', Sasuke was surprised seeing the hand seal that Naruto has.
'He's at my back'. Kakashi glanced at his back, seeing Naruto grinning.
"Konoha's Secret Taijutsu Technique: A Thousand Years of Death". Naruto didn't succeed poking at Kakashi's butt as the latter turned into a log.
"NO WAY! THAT'S MY PERFECT REVENGE".
'Substitution Jutsu, normally done by substituting a plant or animal in the shinobi's place, in which Kakashi replaced himself with a nearby log. This caused Naruto's 'jutsu' to fail', Sasuke analyzed the situation.
Still behind the bushes, he saw Kakashi walking paying no mind to his surroundings.
'NOW'! Sasuke leapt from behind the bushes seeing an opening at Kakashi. Throwing kunai and shuriken at Kakashi, it was replaced again by a log.
'Another substitution. He's shown an opening on purpose and I obviously fell into his trap', Sasuke glanced at the nearby bushes seeing Kakashi leaping at him.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Sakura jumped out of her hiding spot wanting to find Sasuke. And then, she saw a bloodied Sasuke in her wake.
"Sakura…Help me…". 'Sasuke's' voice caused her to scream and fall down into unconsciousness.
At the treetops, still reading his book, Kakashi muttered, "I did it a bit too much".
'That scream…Sakura'. The wind blew harshly at Sasuke's face as he glanced at the direction to where he heard the girl's scream coming from.
Interrupted by Kakashi's voice, he was caught off guard. "Shinobi fighting no. 2. Genjutsu, Sakura easily fell for it'.
"Genjutsu…I'm not the same as them", Sasuke replied confidently.
"Not until after you get a bell, Sasuke-kun", Kakashi's voice within his range as the shinobi is behind him reading the book underneath a tree.
Sasuke widened his legs into fighting stance, picking up kunai from inside his pocket and threw it at Kakash, only for the man to easily dodge.
"Such obvious attack is pointless". Kakashi replied. "A trap?"
Kakashi jumped at all the kunai aiming at him, only for it to hit the tree. Sasuke fought toe to toe with Kakashi while Naruto just observing at the sidelines.
'This is the perfect time to do this. How do you do this again, Shikamaru?', Naruto smirked evilly.
"You're obviously different from the other two, Sasuke-kun. Might quite as well acknowledge your worth", Kakashi applauded which earned a smirk from the Uchiha.
A flurry of hand seals, Sasuke said, "Katon: Goukakyu no Jutsu".
'A genin shouldn't have enough chakra to perform the jutsu', Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise.
Fire erupted from Sasuke's mouth consuming his surroundings.
'He's gone. In the air, by my side, behind me'
"Below you", a voice cut in into Sasuke's musings as Kakashi pulled Sasuke from underneath.
"Shinobi fighting lesson no. 3, ninjutsu. Well you're already way further than the other", Sasuke just looked at Kakashi with a scowl on his face.
At the other side, Naruto began to laugh at himself as held the ringing bells at his hand.
'That was a lucky shot. I'm obviously drained by now. Didn't know I can even manipulate it. Practicing it later on then'. Keeping the bells in his pocket, he leapt off, running around trying to hide from Kakashi.
The alarm rang and three were called out.
"Not only that you didn't get the bell from me but I'm willing to give you a second chance after lunch", Kakashi explained.
"Do you mean this?", Naruto asked innocently holding up the two jiggling bells.
'How?', the three thought in resonance.
"When you were distracted with the Icha Icha spoiler, I had one of my clones grab the bells from behind you. And then when you retaliated with the attack, I let the clones hid the bells under the water for you not to find it. Simple as that", Naruto explained.
"But, I'll be the only one to obviously hold back these two. Sakura-chan's had very high grades, while Sasuke is a prodigy. I don't have the strength to keep up with them when it comes to a real fight. What I really want in this life is just simple, just watching clouds, marry a girl not too ugly or too pretty, have two children, the other a boy and the other a girl, and then live the rest of my life watching the clouds".
Somewhere, Nara Shikamaru sneezed.
"So yeah, that's it", Naruto stopped. "Pass them Kakashi-sensei. I'm weak and I'll hold them back as I don't have the strength to aid them with their goals and aspirations. I'm going back to the Academy. I passed this third graduation exam but hey, I can still enter into a fourth time into the Academy right?"
'Naruto…', Sakura watched at Naruto smiling.
"Why do this for us?", Sasuke interrupted. "You're the one who successfully got the bells and you're just giving it to both of us? It seems unfair giving you're the one who got the bells and then you'll be sent back at the Academy while I didn't even get it".
"I should be the one to go back at the Academy", this was Sakura's turn to explain. "I didn't do anything and I just watched at the sidelines. I fell for a simple genjutsu while the both of you did the hard work of fighting Kakashi-sensei and you, Naruto…you got it successfully by yourself. I'll be the one who should be sent back to the Academy, not you".
Kakashi stared at the three bickering at each other.
"No Sakura-chan…I'm a born failure. Fate has decided it on me", Naruto explained while inwardly he was laughing. 'I'm sounding like Neji'.
Team Guy currently have a practice and Neji sneezed.
"Fate has declared that both of you should be splendid shinobi. You have the innermost potential, Sakura-chan. As for Sasuke, I hate to admit it but he's better than me. He deserves to pass so I'd be giving these bells to you and Sasuke".
"Are you sure of that Naruto?", Kakashi asked in a serious tone.
With determination, Naruto replied. "Yes. No turnarounds, I'll be giving it. Like I said earlier, a fourth time in the Academy isn't so bad. Who knows? I'll be lucky again this time". Putting on his plastered grin, he tossed the bells to Sasuke and Sakura to which both easily caught.
"Hmmm….I don't know what to say of this but all of you pass". This caused massive shock at the both while Naruto feigned confusion.
"What? Why?", Sakura asked.
"The bells were a test to pit you against each other. Naruto attacked alone along with his clones. Sasuke fought toe to toe with me and you, despite the potential you have was easily defeated by a simple genjutsu", explains Kakashi.
"But how does this turn of events make us pass?", Sasuke looked at Kakashi with an unreadable expression on his face.
"The answer is teamwork. At the test, you didn't work with each other. Naruto and Sasuke are focused at getting a bell at me. Sakura, you're only thinking of Sasuke and not Naruto. Despite those shortcomings, Naruto chose to sacrifice his self so that the two of you could pass. The duties are done by the team. While superior ability for a shinobi is needed for victory, there's the underlying circumstance of teamwork. No matter how strong someone is, if there's no teamwork within the group, defeat will only plunge you. Individual plays that disrupt the team can put someone in danger. For example, Sakura kill Naruto or Sasuke dies"
"What?!", earning a shout from Sakura.
"You see. If a hostage is taken you will have two choices in this scenario. You can't save both", Kakashi explained at the three.
"But there's still always the third choice", Naruto interrupted earning a surprise from the team.
"Haven't you been listening, Naruto? In a life or death battle, only two choices are there. Scenario number one is saving the victim and doing the condition of the hostage taker. Or, you do the other one of sacrificing your teammates for the sake of the mission", Kakashi said.
"While it is the common scenario, I'd rather kill myself", Naruto replied. Another gasp was in the crowd.
"If I'm in this scenario you give me a choice to kill Sakura or Sasuke dies, or just abandoning them, I'd kill myself. Killing a comrade in cold blood is heinous if that comrade is someone who you truly care about. I'd rather die with honor than live with the blood of a friend staining my hands for eternity. Those who sacrificed their comrades for the sake of the mission are trash and the one who did the job of killing a particular comrade so the other lives are trash. The greatest honor is self-sacrifice. While it's natural to be a little selfish sometimes, too much selfishness will cause you to erode your judgment. Choosing your own self for the sake of others is no honor, it's mere foolishness", Naruto replied with conviction.
'You're interesting, Naruto', Kakashi thought.
"Do you see these names at the memorial stone?", Kakashi glanced at the landmark behind him. "The names of the shinobi carved in here are no ordinary heroes. They're the ones who died sacrificing themselves for the sake of the village. A great man once told me, those who don't follow the rules are trash but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash".
'Uchiha Obito…I hope you see the error of your ways. But I do have a plan to thwart Black Zetsu and Madara. I just don't have the strength yet. But first of all', Naruto glanced at the sky, knowing that anytime sooner or later, they'll arrive.
A pale skinned man trained endlessly along with his foster father who has the same skin color as him.
"I won't come at that planet seeing I just had my own demise at that cretin's hands". Incorporating each ninjutsu with every taijutsu is so valuable that he's ensured of his own victory this time.
"But the collision of the strongest attacks caused a tear in the void. Apparently, the meeting of your strongest attacks caused the souls of those involved at the other dimension to merge with the soul of this reality. That reality became chaotic but eventually, those remnants merged with the you in here". He explained perfectly while dodging each attack of his foster son.
Momoshiki eventually stopped and asked, "Is he aware, too?"
"That I'm not sure. Though I believe Urashiki imprisoned him in a time freeze".
Momoshiki smiled. "No interference then. The only thing that will interfere are those vulgar creatures".
"Momoshiki-sempai, you're still here". A familiar voice echoed at the barren planet.
"How's the situation with Toneri?", Kinshiki asked.
"Yes, yes. I took care of that. Now, how about those jinchuuriki?", Urashiki said excitedly.
"We have a lot of time in the world to enact our plans", Momoshiki grinned.