New and Improved
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters in it. I just own the plot and please don't send any flames, I know I can't write. TT
A/NAuthor's Note
"blah" talking
time lapse
blah action
Chapter 3: The Test
The next morning, Naruto woke up to the sounds of birds. Looking at his clock, he saw that it was 8:00.
This is the latest I've ever slept. Usually one of the others wakes me up at the crack of dawn, he thought, yawning loudly.
After finishing his morning toiletries, he changed into a blue shirt and black pants. Walking down to the second floor, he knocked on Tsunade's door, but no one answered.
Opening it, he couldn't find her anywhere. It was the same with Jiraiya.
I wonder where they are, he thought, walking into the kitchen.
When he was opening the cupboard, he noticed a piece of paper. Momentarily forgetting about the ramen, he picked it up. It said:
Naruto,
Jiraiya and I were called to a meeting with the Hokage today. Eat breakfast/lunch and I don't mean ramen.
Love,
Tsunade
Throwing the note away, he proceeded to make ramen. Finishing the cup, he threw that too into the garbage and went to train.
In the gym, he created a clone and practiced taijutsu. The point of this exercise was to see if his defense had any openings. If he found one, he'd fix it.
Satisfied with his defense, he worked on his speed. Deciding that he could handle more weights, he added 4 more pounds.
While putting his weights on, he glanced at his watch.
"Oh damn! I'm late!" he exclaimed.
It was already 12 o'clock.
Training Area 2- an hour and a half later
"Hey guys, good morning!!" Kakashi said as he walked into the training area.
"You're late!!!" Naruto yelled. Sasuke and Shikamaru merely glared at him.
"Sorry, I was helping an old lady across the street," he replied.
"When did it take 2 hours for someone to cross the street," Naruto asked.
Kakashi shrugged and placed a clock on a stump. Pressing the alarm button, he announced,
"OK. It's set for 3."
Confused, the genins were about to question him when he held out two bells.
"Here are 2 bells. Your task is to take these from me before 3 o'clock. Those who cannot get a bell before 3 get no lunch. I'll not only tie you to a stump, but I'll eat in front of you.," Kakashi explained.
That's why he told us not to eat... Sasuke thought. He was the only one out of the 3 that hadn't eaten.
"Only 2 of you can pass the test since there are only two bells. The one who doesn't get the bell fails and goes back to the academy," Kakashi announced.
"But you'll be in danger," Shikamaru stated, "You can't even dodge a blackboard eraser."
Silently, Sasuke agreed. He can't be that good of a jounin if he fell for that trick.
However, Naruto had a different idea. He knew Kakashi wasn't to be underestimated. He wasn't famous for nothing. He had let the eraser hit him on purpose so that the others would think he was weak.
"START!!!!!!"
At that one word, all three genins leapt away.
The basics of a shinobi is to hide yourself well, Kakashi thought as he scanned the area with his chakra.
He felt Sasuke and Shikamaru's chakra, but...he couldn't find Naruto's.
Under a bush, Naruto was watching Kakashi. He giggled inwardly when he saw Kakashi's confused look.
Then it was wiped off his face and he reached into his bag and...took out Icha Icha Paradise.
Naruto and the others nearly face-faulted but caught themselves before they made any noise.
5 Minutes Later
Time to put my plan into action, Naruto thought as he took out a kunai.
He was about to throw it when Sasuke charged in. Deciding to see how the Uchiha would do, he put the kunai away.
They fought hand to hand mostly and the only good technique was Sasuke's fireball technique. The fight ended up with Sasuke in the ground.
And I thought he would do better than that, he thought.
Naruto threw the kunai at Kakashi who dodged it. It hit the tree behind him and exploded because of the explosive note attached to it.
He jumped and landed a few feet away but was swept up by a net.
Cutting it expertly, he jumped away, only to be hit by a shuriken. It didn't hit a vital part but it did make him fall.
When Kakashi hit the ground, he exploded in smoke. He had been a bunshin.
Surprised, Naruto found a kunai at his neck, held from behind. He twisted Kakashi's arm quickly and disappeared into the forest, throwing a smoke bomb before him.
He stopped in front of Shikamaru and sat down next to him.
"I've figured out the point of this test. We have to work as a team to get those bells," said Shikamaru, crouching down next to the blonde.
"Yea, I figured that out, I was just waiting for you two," Naruto replied, "Now we just have to get Sasuke. Got a plan?"
"Wait," Shikamaru closed his eyes and formed a kind of triangle with his hands, deep in thought.
"I'll get him while you think, I can't just stand around and do nothing," Naruto whispered, disappearing into the folaige.
He made sure that Kakashi was busy with a bunshin before running over to where Sasuke was stuck in the ground.
"Need any help?" Naruto asked.
"No," the other boy growled.
"But me and Shikamaru have a plan. You're smart, you should've figured out by now that this is a test of teamwork," said the blonde.
"Yea, but I can get out of this hole myself," After saying that, the earth around him crumbled and he jumped up and landed next to Naruto. "So where is he?"
Grinning, Naruto told him to follow him.
They walked back to the area Shikamaru was at. The boy was sprawled on his back, looking at the clouds.
"So what's the plan?" Naruto asked.
"What took you so long? I thought you'd never get back!" Shikamaru complained, "The plan's really easy, you guys just have to distract him. Try to make him get closer to me, at least 15 feet between us. I can use my shadow binding no jutsu (kage mane) and make him hand over the bells to you."
"That's all?" Sasuke asked.
"Yeah, why? Didja expect something really long and hard?" Shikamaru asked.
"We have the advantage because he doesn't know what we know. Let's go!" Naruto exclaimed.
Both he and Sasuke burst into the clearing and started to fight with Kakashi. When one was in trouble, the other would help him out and vice-versa.
Kakashi was enjoying the fight when he suddenly stopped for no reason. The two boys also stopped, both had grins on their faces.
"What did you do to me?" he demanded.
"We didn't do nothing," Naruto replied.
"It's Shikamaru who's got you trapped," Sasuke added.
His hands moved on their own and reached for the bells hanging on his waist. Taking them, he handed them over to Naruto.
"We pass, sensei," Naruto stated.
Suddenly, he was able to control his body parts again when Shikamaru appeared behind the boys.
"You guys are the first team I've ever pass but you all have great potential. Your teamwork isn't that good but it's great for your first time. If you work well enough together, even genins can beat a jounin as you can see today. That ends the training, you all passed. Starting tomorrow, Team 7 will begin its duties!!!" Kakashi announced.
"Yay! I did it! I'm a genin!" Naruto shouted happily.
Grinning under his mask, Kakashi said, "Let's go, I'm treating you all for ramen."
End of Chapter 3: The Test
Chapter Preview
They were talking when Naruto spotted a puddle of water. It hadn't rain for many days now, there couldn't be any water.
Keeping his guard up, he looked at Kakashi. They locked eyes for a moment before looking away. Both knew the other noticed.
Soon enough, two chains surrounded Kakashi and cut him into pieces. Two masked shinobi weild the chains and rushed towards the others.
Sasuke and Naruto met their attacks while Shikamaru stayed back to protect Tazuna.
Naruto used a roundhouse kick, followed by a left jab that sent his enemy flying. He appeared behind the man and kicked him into the ground. The chuunin fainted from the blow.
Turning around, he spotted Sasuke next to Shikamaru, both of them guarding Tazuna. The other enemy ninja's chain was just centimeters away from beheading them.
Damn! I'm too far away!
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