Chapter Twelve - The Test

The morning of our test, I stand in front of the mirror looking myself over. I realize for the first time that I like what I see.. Gone is the average looking adult from my past life. My new body is a little over five feet tall at age twelve. Straight, bright red hair, falls around the headband covering my forehead, hovering about an inch above my shoulders. My facial features are still pretty average save for my pupil-less eyes, the same shade of flame as my hair.

I wear my normal attire; a long sleeved, grey, armored-mesh undershirt, under a simple black t-shirt, black pants, and a pair of traditional black ninja sandals.

I then gathered up Naruto and Kayana and set out to the assigned training ground early. Arriving and confirming that Kakashi isn't watching us, we begin learning the terrain while placing several explosive tags and other traps.

After about half an hour, Kakashi appears within my sensory range and takes up a distant post where he can watch the entrance to the training grounds. We then decide to double around and come back in through the entrance and wait out the remaining time as if we just arrived.

Five minutes after the appointed time, I turn to Naruto and Kayana, my back to Kakashi, and ask, "How big do we want to go on this? He's watching us from about a mile and a half behind me."

Kayana just puts on a big grin as Naruto replies, "Do you even have to ask?"

Breaking out into a grin that would make the Cheshire Cat proud, I vanish in a flash of red light, using an upgraded version of the Flying Thunder God, to teleport within the range of my spatial senses.

As I appear behind Kakashi I reach out and touch his shoulder while saying, "Hi Sensei!" Then I teleport back to my original location bringing Kakashi along.

Unfazed, Kakashi speaks, "Well… That was unexpected. I guess the Hokage was right when he said this team would be extraordinary. How large is your sensory range?"

Putting my hands behind my head, I respond, "Ehhhhhh, about a two and a half mile radius passive."

Seeing Kakashi's blank stare and lack of response I ask, "What? Did the Hokage not tell you that we think I have a new bloodline ability?"

He blinks slowly and responds, "No… He didn't…" He then proceeds to stare at me for a long moment before continuing. "Well. After that revelation, let's get started." He then glances at the rest of the team before asking, "Why are none of you carrying any supplies?"

Smirking, we roll up our sleeves and show bands of tattoos around our wrists. "Carrying your belongings is so last year. We've got storage seals."

Kakashi nails me with a blank stare again and says, "Kid, you're showing me a lot of shit that shouldn't be possible. First, the Flying Thunder God, which you used without any seals or hand signs. Then you show me that you're advanced enough with sealing to place a seal on your bodies, one that's incredibly compact and that presumably contains a lot of space."

Smiling, I respond, "We're just getting started, Sensei. What's our test going to be?"

He stares at me for another moment before shaking his head and says, "Well, usually I'd do the bell test. Which tests for teamwork and companionship. From what I can see and your files, there's no point in the traditional bell test with you guys. So we're going to do a modified version." He then pulls out a single bell and ties it to his belt. "You have an hour to take this bell from me. Come at me with the intent to kill or you won't stand a chance. I'll start fighting back in thirty seconds."

I grin, turning to Naruto and Kayana as I say, "Let's go with Plan Ass-whooping then!"

Naruto cheers, "Wooo! I love Plan A!" Then disappears in a flash of orange light.

Kayana just nods with a serious expression and disappears in a flash of blue light.

Kakashi sighs in exasperation and says, "They know the Flying Thunder God too? Of course they do. Why wouldn't all three of you know a technique that was thought to be lost. On top of being incredibly difficult to master."

Shrugging, I begin surging my chakra as I respond, "They can't use it fully, or my version at all. They're just using a modified version of the technique I made and integrated with their seals."

He glances around while asking, "You're not going to run off with them? You're going to fight head-on?"

Pulling out my Cheshire grin again, I respond, "We decided to show off. We've spent a lot of time working our asses off to gain the strength that we have. If we failed because we held back, we'd never forgive ourselves." I roll my shoulders before continuing, "I'm the strongest by a wide margin, so this job falls to me."

As my mental timer reaches thirty seconds, Kakashi suddenly lashes out with a punch aimed for my face. Using strength and speed equivalent to a peak strength Genin.

Rolling my eyes, I dodge by leaning backward onto my hands and follow up by pushing my body off the ground, kicking towards his center of mass. Once my hands leave the ground, I retrieve two shuriken from my seals.

Kakashi expectedly dodges my flying kick and catches the shuriken that I throw as I pass by. He then throws them back at me as I land, forcing me to roll to evade.

Launching several more probing attacks, he finally speaks. "Well, I guess if you wanted to show off, you're off to a decent start. Mid-Chunin level physical abilities at a minimum. Hmm… Let's kick it up a notch."

He then casually whips out his hand, aiming a backhand slap to the side of my face. This time he's using speed beyond what I can dodge or block. Before the strike lands, all I can manage to do is shift my body weight and concentrate my chakra as an attempt to lessen the damage.

The slap connects and a minor shockwave billows out as I'm launched off of my feet and collide with a nearby tree.

Wheezing as my breath is knocked out of me I think, 'Holy shit! I knew Kakashi was one of the strongest Jonin in the village, but this is a little much. He managed to get an accurate gauge of my abilities with just a few exchanges, then fucking pimp slapped me into a tree! He's not even using his Sharingan!'

I come out of my thoughts to the sound of my own laughter, not even knowing when it started. Standing I say, "That. Was. Awesome! We're just getting started, though! I should have bought enough time by now."

After I finish speaking, a loud boom is heard from a distance. Kakashi almost blurs, even to my enhanced senses, as he explodes into action, using one hand to uncover his Sharingan and drawing a kunai to attempt to deflect an arrow speeding towards him with the other.

The keyword there being "attempt." The arrow's path remained unchanged and Kakashi is forced to use a Substitution, replacing himself with a log. A log that's promptly blown to pieces by the impact of the arrow.

Following this, I hear an explosion as Naruto activates the tags that we hid earlier. I take off towards Kakashi's new location at my full speed.

As I reach the newly created clearing in the woods, I see an unharmed Kakashi surrounded by dozens of Naruto's clones. Several of the clones move at once trying to land a hit with everything that they've got. Only to be dispelled when Kakashi effortlessly stabs them between the eyes. Taking advantage of the distraction Naruto is providing, I launch off a nearby tree and into the air above the battle. Going through the hand seals for a Konoha favorite I yell out, "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" and breathe out several balls of controllable fire, throwing shuriken into half of them before guiding the jutsu to attack from every angle.

Hearing me, Kakashi looks up and starts making the seals for a counter before his eyes widen. An arrow, this time not accompanied by the loud boom from earlier, pierces clean through his left hand, causing his jutsu to be interrupted an instant before my Phoenix Flowers reach him.

A series of small explosions go off, directly hitting Kakashi as defends.

Using the explosions as cover, I direct one of the fireballs containing a hidden shuriken to his waist. The shuriken succeeds in cutting the bell loose.

Kakashi somehow notices and reaches out to grab the bell, but ultimately fails as an orange clad arm bursts from the ground and catches it.

"YES! WE DID IT. WOOHOO!" Naruto yells, emerging fully, only to receive a chop to the head from a slightly singed Kakashi as he chides, "Don't celebrate until you're sure that your enemy is defeated. I could have easily killed you just now."

Grumbling and rubbing his head he mumbles, "You're not an enemy! And we passed!"

Covering his Sharingan, Kakashi speaks as Kayana appears in another flash of blue, "The first group that I've ever passed, actually. All three of you have capabilities much higher than any normal rookie Genin." He pauses and looks over us one by one, finishing with me. "I thought you were actually going to try to defeat me and take the bell afterward."

Blushing, I scratch the back of my head and respond, "Well, I've been wanting to test my strength for a while, and may have gotten a little bit too excited."

Smiling with his eyes Kakashi says, "Well, you managed to complete the objective and even passed my hidden test."

Cocking his head, Naruto asks, "What hidden test? I thought we just had to get the bell?"

Eyes widening as I catch on I answer for Kakashi, "He never expected us to be able to defeat him. He wanted to see how we would respond to an unbeatable opponent that we didn't need to take out to complete our mission."

Holding up a finger Kakashi speaks, "Correct. The Hokage said this team should be pretty well rounded, so I wanted to test and see how you would respond when the clear path isn't something you're capable of taking. And well… You did a pretty good job." Looking at the hole in his hand before turning to Kayana and continuing, "Kayana, your archery and judgment are exceptional, to be able to accurately shoot me through the hand and at just the right time to ensure that I couldn't counter Ayo's jutsu. I don't know of anyone that could do that… Though that may just be because I don't know of many archers…" Ending his assessment with a questionable compliment, he turns to Naruto. "Naruto, your mastery over shadow clones is surprising. As is your ability to wait patiently to spring a trap, which is something your file would indicate as a weakness. I'm assuming you used knowledge gained from a dispelled clone to know when and where to strike?" Receiving a nod, he then turns to me. "Then there's you. Other than your initial arrogance of thinking you could take me by yourself, you did manage to play a major role in retrieving the bell. Why didn't you use the Flying Thunder God?"

Wincing a little at his remarks, I respond, "Ehhh, you already knew about it and would have been watching for it. Not to mention it was a test. None of us really went all out."

Kakashi seems to ponder for a bit before nodding and saying, "Well. That's all for today, be back here at the same time tomorrow to begin training and missions. Dismissed!" Then vanishing in a Body Flicker, presumably heading to get his hand fixed.

Once he's gone I immediately fall to the ground rolling around and screaming, holding the side of my face, "FUCK THAT HURT! WHY DID THAT BASTARD PIMP SMACK ME SO HARD? IF I DIDN'T MANAGE TO MOVE MY CHAKRA THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED PERMANENT DAMAGE IF IT DIDN'T JUST OUTRIGHT KILL ME! ARGHHHHHHH!"

This continues for several moments as Naruto laughs and Kayana frets over me with a first aid kit. Eventually, I get myself back under control as Kayana looks for any obvious damage. Not finding anything major, she lets out a breath and passes me some pain killers saying, "It's starting to swell badly, but that looks to be all the damage. We should still go get it checked out and healed at the hospital."

Nodding, I set off while grumbling, "Stupid Sensei. Hitting hard enough to kill a regular Genin. How would he have explained that to the Hokage if I died? ' Oh sorry. I forgot my cane today. I'm not used to smacking my hoes without it, so I misjudged my strength. Oops'"

Kayana and Naruto fall in line, snickering at my misery the whole way.