Minato finishes his book with 20 minutes left on the alarm clock. The candidates are searching high and low for him. Their teamwork and communication leave a bit to be desired, but at least they are working together.
Now, the four candidates are sitting in a circle nearby discussing what to do next.
"If we don't find him soon, no one will get the bell," says Yellow. "He's too good for us. If only we had trained harder."
"Don't beat yourself up," says Green. "We've all barely been training for two years. We never expected to be called on this soon." He sighs. "If this was the normal test, we'd all fail."
"Then I am glad it is not the normal test," says Purple. "However, I am the one with the most training, so it would be best if, on the off chance we do get that bell, I take it and join the Guards."
"No way!" says Yellow, jumping up. "You know how seldom a chance to join the Guards comes around! I am not passing up this opportunity because you think you're better."
"Well then you'd best come and get the bell," says Minato.
The candidates look around.
"Where are you?" calls Blue. "How long have you been watching us?"
"Oh, I've been here the whole time," says Minato, standing and jumping down from his tree. "We only have about 20 minutes left, so let's do this."
Purple starts making his ninshu hand signs again.
Blue throws a paper bomb at Minato.
Yellow charges in and throws a punch.
Green hurls a volley of shuriken.
Minato hirashins away and the attacks all collide with each other. Yellow ducks under the other three attacks and turns to dive at Minato, who did not move very far. For the next few minutes, all four candidates aim attack after attack at Minato, barely pausing to take a breath. Minato evades them easily, taking note of their skill, potential and teamwork. Minato thinks he knows who will pass, but he is not sure. Time for one last test. With five minutes left, Minato allows Yellow to grab the bell off his belt.
"I got it!" Yellow shouts joyfully.
"So give it to me," says Purple, as Minato predicted he would. Now comes the real test for these four.
Minato steps back to watch.
"No," says Yellow, holding the bell close to his chest. "I got the bell, I'm not letting you have it!"
"Just give him the bell," says Green. "You wouldn't make a very good guard anyway. It's better if the most experienced one of us passes."
"Leave him be!" says Blue. "He got the bell fair and square. Besides, Minato is going to try and reclaim it, and we need to focus on keeping it in the hands of one of us. We can train and try again soon. After all, we began our training in preparation to replace the oldest Guards. It's not like it will be another 20 years before the next selection."
"Then stay out of this," says Purple. "You can fail and try again later if you want, but I will pass now!" He throws a kunai at Yellow. Blue jumps in the way. The kunai hits his arm.
"Woah!" says Green, rushing over to Blue. "There's no need to be so violent!"
Blue reaches up and pulls out the kunai. The wound is only shallow. "What kind of test do you think this is?" he demands. "We were never told we had to fight each other."
"We were never told we weren't either," says Green, standing. "Hand over the bell. I won't be throwing any kunai, but I'm not going to shy away from giving you a beating."
"Are you trying to get the bell for yourself now?" demands Purple.
"It's mine!" says Yellow, backing away. "I'm not giving it to any of you!"
Minato checks the alarm clock. He chose this spot because the clock is nearby. 30 seconds left. Minato hiraishins over to Yellow and plucks the bell out of his hands. Then he hiraishins away.
"The bell!" Yellow cries in despair.
The other three turn to Minato in despair as the alarm goes off.
"I told you!" says Blue. "I told you he would take it back!"
"Oopsie!" says Minato grinning. "Looks like time's up. I guess I'll have to chose one of you. It's a good thing one of you met all the other requirements of the test."
"What requirements?" asks Purple, looking hopeful.
"The Bell Test tests for the ability to put aside your own personal interests for the good of the group," explains Minato. "By working together one of you can get the bell, and by working together you might have kept it. One of you showed concern for the rest, realized that you will need to work together and put aside his own personal desires to ensure one of you would pass. Unfortunately, that one did not get the bell. Why? Because I let Yellow shirt get it to test how you would react. I wanted to see if Yellow would put aside his personal interests and give up the bell thinking it the right thing to do. I wanted to see who, if anyone, would turn on him. I wanted to see who, if anyone, would stand up for him. But only one of you passed my final test, and it was not Yellow, so I took the bell back."
"Have you been referring to us by the colour of our shirts instead of our names?" says Green, crossing his arms.
"Yes I have, Green. You also failed."
"Then who passed?" asks Blue.
"You did, Blue," says Minato, smiling. "You showed concern for your comrades, you were the first to suggest co operation and you stood up for Yellow when Purple turned on him. You passed the Bell Test. However, since I have the bell, none of you get dinner."
The candidates all groan. "But I'm hungry!"
"Tough." Minato grins and tucks the bell into his pocket. "Let's go see how the girls did. They will be done now too."
After collecting Naruto, Minato leads his hungry test-takers to the training hall where the girls took their test. They are all standing in the middle of the room looking very down. Kushina is sitting on the balcony, angrily brushing her hair while the Naruto who watched Kushina's test sits off to one side nervously. Minato's Naruto dispels in a puff of smoke. An instant later, relief floods Naruto's face.
"What happened here?" asks Minato, sensing something is wrong.
"I hate all of them," says Kushina, her angry brushing intensifying. "They all fail."
"Dad passed the guy in blue," says Naruto. "Kurama approves of the selection and he wants to say to the rest of you guys, 'Get over yourselves. Train hard and maybe you'll make it at the next selection'."
"What does Kurama think of Kushina failing all the girls?" asks Minato, putting on his serious face.
"He decided who should pass himself," says Naruto.
Kushina's face darkens. "And why didn't you mention this sooner?" she demands, turning her death glare on Naruto.
Naruto yelps and hides behind Minato. "Because we wanted to wait for you to calm down a bit…"
"And they wanted to use me as a human shield, evidently," says Minato, with a laugh. "Who did Kurama chose and why?"
"Kurama chose the girl with the backpack," says Naruto. "Because all the others have bad attitudes, are too concerned about their looks and got in a big catfight."
"What?!" demands one of the girls. This one has the remains of some brightly coloured ribbons in her messed up hair. "She didn't even do anything! And she's only been training a month!"
"Kurama says that just makes it even more impressive that she managed to get the bell for a few seconds while you lot were clawing each other's eyes out, dattebayo!" Naruto shouts. "He also says that the rest of you need to pull up your big-girl pants, grow up and train harder. He wants to see if you'll amount to anything, but he doubts it, the way you're going now."
"No," says Kushina, standing. "I cannot accept this. Aren't there any other candidates left over from previous tests that we can call on 'tebane?"
"Kurama says they will be his Guards, so his word is final," says Naruto.
"Minato, what does your half say?" asks Kushina.
"Dad's half of what?" asks Naruto.
"You don't know?" says Minato, tipping his head to one side. "I sealed half of the Nine Tails into myself-"
"I have it," interrupts Naruto. "I thought you would've noticed by now. But we've been so busy...and the subject never came up...and I kinda forgot...but I asked Steve to join your half back to mine when he gave you back. You still have the seal, but it's empty. And you'll go and hang out with Steve when you die again."
"...It's empty?" says Minato. He hadn't really thought about the fact he had half of the Nine Tails since he was brought back. The topic never came up, and he was too busy to check on him...but come to think of it, he hadn't heard anything from the fox...Minato checks the seal.
Just as Naruto says, it is empty.