Chapter 17

Naruto comes crawling out from the water. He's breathing heavily and coughing.

"You might want to step it up" said Niseo. "You won't win unless you take my mask."

"I know, I know, you told us already" said Naruto. "You just caught me off guard, that's all."

"If you say so." Niseo turns as if he was thinking. "Maybe this is too much as well. You guys are pretty weak." Naruto grunts loudly. "How about this," Niseo lifts his right arm. "I'll only defend myself with just my right arm. Yeah, that's fair right?"

"Don't mock me!"

"It's not mocking; I'm simply adjusting my strategy to make the best possible outcome. If I only use my right arm, you can easily take the mask." He turns to his left arm. "And to make sure I honor that rule," Chakra starts to emit from his right hand. Niseo stretches his left arm out. With one single motion, he severs his left arm completely. Everyone looks at him in shock.

"HEY, ARE YOU CRAZY, YOU JUST CUT OFF YOUR OWN ARM!?" yelled Naruto.

"This guy must be insane" said Sasuke to himself.

"Why did we get stuck with a sensei like this?" said Sakura to herself.

"Like I said" said Niseo. "I want to make sure I make this a fair test. I am a Jonin, my skills are quite high. I already can't see plus I regressed to the age of a child limiting my chakra and skills. Now with a missing arm, things should be fair for you."

Sasuke starts grunting. "What's his ploy, does he seriously think that handicapping himself is fair?" Sasuke's grip tightens. "He'll regret underestimating me."

"I'm not going to lose" said Naruto. He slowly stands up "Weaking yourself all you want, I'm going to smash that stupid mask off your face. I'll pass this test no matter what!" At that moment, clones of Naruto come out of the water.

"Ha ha" said one of Naruto's clones. "You're overconfident sensei, that's why you weren't ready for a shadow clone attack, my best jutsu."

"Best jutsu huh?" said Niseo. Niseo does a handsign with his right hand. "You won't be able to beat me with this jutsu, Naruto. Suddenly, a clone takes Niseo from behind.

"Wasn't expecting that were you?" said the Naruto clone. The other clones grab Niseo's feet. The real Naruto jumps up high in the air.

"That mask is mine" said Naruto. He goes in for a punch. Niseo slips through Naruto's grip ducking under the punch. Naruto ends up punching the clone that was holding Niseo from behind causing him to disappear. Niseo then strikes backhands the clones on his right foot causing them to disappear. He delivers a strong roundhouse kick to the clones on his left foot causing them to disappear. He then places his hand on the ground standing on it. He delivers a devastating kick to naruto and his last clone as the clone disappears and Naruto's sent flying into a tree. He gets the wind knocked out of him from the impact falling to the ground. Niseo then stands up walking towards Naruto.

"Quite naïve Naruto" said Niseo. "Your overconfidence is your biggest detriment. You underestimate your opponents and they can ultimately get the drop on you with ease." Naruto looks up and charges at Niseo. His foot then gets caught in a rope as he dangles from the branch of the tree. "And your temper gets the best of you as well. You get easily frustrated when things don't go your way and act on impulse. Easiest way to get manipulated." Naruto grunts as he struggles to try to get free. "A ninja must be calm and see things through. He must be able to figure out ways to take down and opponent and not get taken down himself.

"I…get…it" said Naruto as he continues to struggle.

"No, you don't get it. You think you get it but you constantly keep making the same mistakes. You're like a child, always trying to one up people stronger then you without any plan or opportunity. You really should consider this."

Now's my chance though Sasuke. He takes out a bunch of shuriken and throws them at Niseo. They hit Niseo directly. Got him

"You thought" said Niseo who suddenly turns into a piece of wood. Sasuke starts moving quickly through the trees.

Substitution jutsu thought Sasuke. I fell right into his trap and now he knows where I'm hiding. Got to move fast.

Sakura quickly runs after Sasuke. Sasuke thought Sakura. Don't tell me Niseo-sensei found you, No, he won't get him. Sakura suddenly loses her footing tumbling out the bushes into the open.

"Ow" said Sakura.

"Lost your footing?" said Niseo who appears right behind Sakura. Sakura screams in shock. Niseo does a hand sign as leaves flow all around her and Niseo. Niseo disappears and Sakura is left alone.

"Huh" said Sakura. "What just happened?"

"Sakura" said Sasuke's voice.

"Sasuke" Sakura turns around seeing a dying Sasuke covered in blood and kunai.

"Help Sakura" Sakura starts to freak out letting out a huge scream before passing out on the ground.

"Didn't even have to lift a finger against her, such a shame, she should learn to see though these things."

Sasuke comes out in the open looking around. He then hears Sakura's scream.

"That was Sakura's voice" said Sasuke. "What happened?"

"Genjutsu" said Niseo. "She studied it in class but couldn't see it coming though I doubt such tactics would work on you, right Sasuke?" Niseo comes from behind a tree.

"Of course not" said Sasuke. "I'm different from them."

"Of course, but none of that is really matters if you don't get the mask right Sasuke?" Sasuke slowly turns around facing Niseo. "If you want, I could make this more fair by removing a leg."

"You shouldn't underestimate me."

"Very well, let's see what you got"

The two face each other with Sasuke staring intensely at Niseo.

A large explosion erupts from the field. Kakashi emerges from the explosion covered in dirt.

Menma comes running through the smoke. He does some hand signs. 'Fire Style: Giant Fireball Jutsu' Menma shoots a large fireball from his mouth. It travels towards Kakashi. Kakashi jumps over the large fireball. As soon as he jumps, kunai starts flying towards him. Kakashi manages to dodge them. And lands on the ground. The ground under him then starts to give way caving in on itself. Kakashi flips away just before it does. Menma is starting to breath hard. Kakashi notices this.

"Ah, so that's your weakness" said Kakashi. "You tend to over exert yourself when performing jutsu. It's tires you out fairly quickly."

"No, I'm fine" said Menma.

"You won't be able to hold out much longer" said Kurama.

"We still got 10 minutes" said Menma. "I've just got to last till then." Menma then drops to his knee.

"Menma's reached his limit" said Zunia. "Guess I should get ready to move now.

"Just a bit more" said Yokubo. Kakashi runs towards Menma.

'Earth style: Rock Wave" Yokubo slams his and on the ground causing the ground to shoot up in front of him. It formed what appeared to be a large wave made of rock. This wave traveled towards Kakashi. Kakashi does some hand signs. 'Lighting Style' Piercing Current' Lightning forms in both of Kakashi's hands. It shots out towards the wave creating a hole in the rock that Kakashi passes through. The wave continues towards Menma as he's directly it by it being crushed under the rock. Kakashi glances back as he sees the Menma was knocked unconscious from the jutsu. 'Fire Style: Fire Spear jutsu' Fire emits from Yokubo's hands. They form two spears. Yokubo throws the fire spears towards Kakashi.

Those spears, it would be problematic if I get hit by that though Kakashi. But if I dodge, Menma will get hit. I've got to—

'Water Style: Wild Water Wave' Zunia appears from the trees shooting water from her mouth canceling out the fire spears.

"Zunia, what are you doing?" said Yokubo. "I could have gotten him."

"Can't you see that Menma's right behind him?" said Zunia. "If he dodge it, you would have hit him."

"So, Menma can dodge it"

"He got knocked out by your Earth Jutsu."

"Huh?" Yokubo looks behind and sees the unconscious Menma. "Wow, I thought he was more durable than that."

"Seriously Yokubo, this is supposed to be a teamwork test, you can't just knock our teammate unconscious like that."

"Teamwork?" said Yokubo. "Only two of us will pass right, so the two strongest will pass this test. Isn't it obvious that that's why there's only two bells?"

Zunia places her hand on her face. "You idiot, that's the point, to trick us into going against ourselves when in reality we need to work together. If all three of us are holding the bell when we take it we pass, don't you see that?"

"What, Kakashi never said that."

This girl figured it out thought Kakashi. She must have suspected that after hearing my explanation. Clearly she's the smart one.

"Remember what you said earlier, 'So only two of us can pass huh? Seems kind of pointless to have three men to a squad if only two of us can pass' I think that's the point. He said that to purposely mislead us. A ninja must see through deception after all."

Menma suddenly starts to wake up. "Ow" said Menma. He glares at Yokubo. "You tried to kill me!" Menma's eyes turn red as his pupils become slit. He releases a large amount of Chakra making the air quite dense. Zunia steps in front of him.

"Menma, don't. You already have blood on your hands. Don't make an enemy of a teammate."

"Move or I'll take you down as well."

The chakra intensifies.

Not good thought Kakashi. I got to stop him.

Zunia grabs Menma by the collar and stares directly into his eyes. The chakra dissipates as the environment goes back to normal. Zunia pushes Menma away. Menma stares at his hand

"Kurama?" said Menma. "Kurama!" he glares at Zunia. "What did you do?

"Cut you off temporarily. I can't have you messing up this test cause of your temper tantrum. Naruto's been through enough of that." Menma clenches his fist. "Now listen, this is a test for our teamwork. We need to work together to get the bells. If not, we all fail got it?"

Menma glares at Zunia intensely though without access to the nine tails he just stands there.

"Now you two, we don't have much time before noon. Let's settle down and work together to get this bell or we fail and go back to the academy. GOT IT!?" Zunia glares at the two of them. Menma reluctantly nods his head.

"Fine" said Yokubo.

The three of them take a ready stance.

Well they got the lesson I'll be it in a more aggressive way at least thought Kakashi. The clock suddenly rings. It's Noon. Menma, Yokubo and Zunia all look on in shock then disappointment.

"I guess this means we failed" said Zunia.

"Looks that way" said Kakashi.

Back with Sasuke and Niseo they stare each other down. Sasuke stares him down Niseo's arm twitches and Sasukes throws shuriken. Niseo dodges with ease Sasuke then cuts a rope sending a bunch of kunai and shuriken at Niseo. He dodges out the way as Sasuke appear behind him. He does a spinning back heel kick which Niseo catches. He then throws a punch that Niseo blocks with his forearm. Sasuke then tries to kick with his other leg that Nieso blocks with his elbow and finally with his free hand reaches for the mask but Niseo dodges backwards avoiding Sasuke though Sasuke was able to at least touch the mask. Sasuke lands grunting in frustration.

"Not bad kid" said Niseo. "Couple years and you might pose a challenge.

Sasuke grunts as he does a fury of hand signs. 'Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu' He sends a large fireball from his mouth towards Niseo. Niseo looks at it and smiles. He braces himself taking the attack head on. When the fire dissipates, Niseo stands before Sasuke completely fine. Sasuke is shocked.

"What?" said Sasuke. "How?"

"You have much to learn Sasuke." He rushes Sasuke and stops gently placing his hand on his chest. "Hah" a large surge of Chakra is released from Niseo's palm causing Sasuke to fly backward crashing into a tree trunk. He's knocked unconscious. Niseo looks on at Sasuke than back at Sakura who's still unconscious then back at Naruto still hanging from the tree.

"Got to say, this was quite the experience." The clock rings. It's Noon. "Test over. And from the way things are, YOU ALL FAIL."