Chapter 10

"There's not much time until lunch. I'm going again." Sasuke stood up.

"Sasuke-kun, you're still going after a bell?" Sakura stood up.

"I already touched it. Next time I'll get 1."

"What?!" Sakura tried to play off her shock. "Ah I see, your so incredible Sasuke-kun." 'This is bad. There's no way I can get a bell! At this rate I'll be separated from Sasuke-kun…' "You know there isn't much time left so, there's no need to push ourselves that hard. There's always next time." Sasuke looked back at Sakura and glared at her. Sakura scowled and looked down.

"There's a man that only I can kill." Sakura looked up at Sasuke with shock.

"Ah, who do you mean?" Sasuke stared ahead.

"That time… crying…"

"Crying?"

"My…."

Sakura got more anxious. She wanted to learn more about what Sasuke was talking about. "What, what do you mean?"

"I'm an avenger. I have to become stronger than him. So, I just can't stay here and do nothing." Sakura remembered what Sasuke said yesterday. "To kill a certain man." The clock rang, time was up. "Pfft. Damn, I wasted too much time."

'Sasuke-kun….'

10 minutes later, Naruto was tied to the stump with the clock on top of it. The others sat around him, Shiroibara sat on top of a stump next to Naruto's. Their stomachs grumbled. Kakashi stood in front of them. "You guys look really hungry, oh and about the training. Well, there's no need for you guys to go back to the Academy.

The news shocked everyone. "Hey!" Naruto smiled wide, he believed he proved himself to Kakashi. Sakura was surprised, 'All I did was pass out…was that enough?' Her inner Sakura cheered. Love wins!! Hell yeah!!!! Shiroibara only smirked. 'I guess they're not as weak and useless as I thought.'

"Bah." Sasuke was a bit relieved but, had figured that he would pass all along. Naruto and Sakura cheered like idiots.

"THEN!! THEN!! ALL FOUR OF US….!!" Kakashi grinned.

"Yup, all of you should quit as Shinobi!" Naruto and Sakura quickly stopped cheering and their jaws dropped to the floor. Shiroibara cocked an eyebrow in surprise and curiosity.

"Quit as ninjas!!?? What does that mean!!? OK! OK! We couldn't get the bells but, why do we have to quit!?" Shiroibara snorted.

"Speak for yourself blondie." She showed Naruto her bell and smiled sweetly at him. His jaw dropped. 'How did-!?'

"Yes, Shiroibara got a bell. But you should quit because your all punks who don't deserve to be ninja." Sasuke scowled harshly and lunged at Kakashi in anger.

"Ah!!"

"Sasuke-kun!!"

Shiroibara looked up to see what the commotion was about. 'What does this guy think he's doing? Trying to show off? Pfft, typical…'

Kakashi easily dodged Sasuke's attack and held him down. Kakashi sat on Sasuke with his foot on Sasuke's head. "That's why you're a punk." Sasuke clenched his teeth in anger.

"NO!! Don't step on Sasuke-kun!!" Sakura cried. Shiroibara just watched nonchalantly. Kakashi glared.

"Are you underestimating Ninjas? Huh? Why do you think that you were divided into teams and are doing this training?"

"Huh? What does that mean?" Sakura asked.

"Basically it means you guys aren't understanding the answer to this test."

"Huh? Answer?" Naruto asked.

"So, when are you going to tell us?" Kakashi sighed.

"Geez…" Naruto was getting very impatient with Kakashi. Plus, the stump was very uncomfortable and Naruto was sure something was moving in his pants.

"AH! Damnit!! What's the answer already!?" Naruto squirmed, trying to get whatever what was in his pants out.

"It's teamwork." Everyone froze and went wide eyed. Shiroibara had a smug look. 'Told ya…..' "The 4 of you working to together may have gotten the bells."

Sakura remembered that there were only 2 bells. 'Hey wait a second!!' "What do you mean by teamwork!? There are only 2 bells! Even if we work together and get the bells, 2 of us would still fail! What teamwork? That just makes us fight each other!"

"Of course! This test is purposely set up to make you fight amongst yourselves."

"Huh!?"

"The purpose is to see whether you can forget about your own interests and successfully work together under these designed circumstances. Yet you guys…. Sakura!" Sakura looked up in surprise. "Instead of Naruto who was right next to you, you were only thinking about Sasuke who was far away. You didn't even accept Shiroibara's offering to work with you." Sakura looked down in shame.

"Naruto!! You were just running around by yourself!" Naruto scowled.

"Sasuke!! You just assumed that the others would get in your way and you tried to do everything by yourself! You also, refused Shiroibara's offering." Sasuke glared at Kakashi and clenched his teeth.

"Shiroibara you may have offered to work with Sasuke and Sakura but, you never offered Naruto!" Shiroibara frowned.

"Hey, I believe he was tied up and hanging from a tree at the time. Besides, they're lucky I even bothered to help. I already have a bell and I tried to work with them." Shiroibara glanced up at Kakashi.

"Well, trying to work with them isn't good enough. You may have gotten a bell Shiroibara, but the point of this is teamwork. You may have offered to work with some of the others but, you got the bell on your own. Therefore, you also fail." Shiroibara shrugged.

"Oh well, I still did better than others." Shiroibara smiled at them. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke glared at her.

"HEY! You failed also! Your not better than us!" Naruto yelled. Shiroibara looked at Naruto.

"And this is coming from the boy who is tied to the stump? At least I got a bell, you just went through all the trouble just to end up on the stump." Naruto growled at her. Shiroibara smirked at Naruto.

"The duties are done by the team. Of course superior individual ability is important to a ninja. But, what's even more important is teamwork." Naruto and Shiroibara looked at Kakashi. 'Fine, I'll work with these weak humans but, don't expect me to get along with them.'

"Individual play that disrupts the team can put your comrades in danger and even get you killed. For example," Kakashi pulled out a kunai and put it against Sasuke's throat. "Sakura kill Naruto or Sasuke dies."

"WHAT!!!?" Naruto panicked.

"You see if a hostage is taken, you will have tough choices and then die. You will be risking your lives in these duties. Kakashi released the kunai and got off of Sasuke.

Naruto and Sakura sighed in relief. 'Oh, you surprised me.' Kakashi walked over to the stone. "Look at this. The numerous names carved on this stone. These are ninjas who are recognized as hero's of the village." Naruto's ear twitched at the word hero.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey!! I've decided to get my name carved on that stone too! Hero! Hero! That's what I'll become!"

Sakura glared at Naruto. "Bah." Sasuke walked back to his spot. Shiroibara just stared at Naruto and wondered if he was dropped on his head as a baby.

"But, they aren't just normal ninjas…"

"Oh yeah?!! What kind of Ninja are they?!"

"………" Kakashi was silent as he stared forward.

"What?!! What?!!"

"They are all Ninja who died while on duty." Shiroibara said. She sighed. Naruto's smile quickly faded away.

"This is a memorial. My best friend's name is also, carved here." They stared at Kakashi in awe. He looked back at them with a serious face.

"You guys, I'll give you one more chance. But after lunch I'll make it even harder to get the last bell. Those who still wish to challenge can eat lunch. But don't give any to Naruto."

"Huh?"

"It's punishment for trying to eat lunch all by yourself. If anyone gives any food, they will fail immediately. I am the rules here!! Got it?" Kakashi quickly disappeared.

"Heh, I don't need food. I'm fine!!" Naruto's stomach growled very loud.

The others got their lunch and began eating. Shiroibara was now sitting on top of Naruto's stump. Naruto's stomach continued growling and he frowned. Finally she sighed. "Here." Naruto looked up to see a chocolate dipped strawberry. He stared at it with wide eyes and looked up at Shiroibara.

"But….?"

"Look, your stomach growling is annoying. Don't be so surprised, after all you barely know me blondie." Shiroibara Smirked slyly at Naruto and Naruto smiled at her. The others watched, with shock. Sasuke debated in his mind if he should share his food with Naruto.

"Here." Naruto looked over at Sasuke. He held out his bento box to Naruto. Naruto looked at Sasuke with shock and Sakura's eyes were wide.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun Sensei just said-"

"Don't worry, I don't sense him anywhere near here. After lunch we'll work together to get the bell. Without food, he'll just be in the way and that will hurt us." Sakura stared at Sasuke and then her food. She then held out her food towards Naruto. He stared at her with shock and smiled. A blush crept onto Naruto's face. 'Sakura-Chan.'

"Thanks."

"Alright, eat Mr. Whiskers. Before lunch is over." Naruto scowled but, ate the food they fed him. Suddenly a cloud of smoke appeared.

"What's this?!! YOU GUYS…!!!" They were startled and afraid when Kakashi appeared. They were all sure they failed.

"AAAWWWW!!!" Sakura screamed. Shiroibara stared at Kakashi with wide eyes.

"Pass." They stared at Kakashi, dumbstruck. Kakashi smiled at them. "Heh."

"What…..the…..hell!?" Shiroibara said.

"Pass but why?"

"You guys are the first. Everyone else would just do I told them. They were just all morons. A Ninja must see underneath the underneath. Those who break the rules and codes of the Ninja world are called trash. But you know what? Those who don't take care of their comrades are lower than trash. Sakura smiled and giggled to herself. Sasuke smiled and Shiroibara smiled also. Naruto stared at Kakashi in awe. 'He's so cool…'

"That ends the training. All of you pass!! Ok!!! Starting tomorrow team 7 will begin it's duties!!" Naruto cheered in excitement.

"Yay!!! I did it! I did it!! Ninja! Ninja! Ninja!"

"Let's go." The others grabbed their bags and followed Kakashi.

"Hell yeah!"

"What's for dinner Kakashi?"

"HEY! God damn it!! I knew this would happen!!! UNTIE ME!!!!!!"

So long.....so tired DX. I tried, nuff said. RATE & REVIEW & RECOMMEND!