Chapter 29 – Team Test I

"Talk"

'Think'

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto sensei. So…yeah.

A/N: Thank you AbyssalStorm, leafstone and Outerjay for your supports.

Kakashi was looking at his team petulantly. He had prepared a grand entrance (3 hours late), a nice welcoming speech (about two-third will be sent back the academy for failing the final test) and a friendly advise (don't eat your breakfast!); now all of it went down the drain.

From the look of it, they'll overnight at the hospital in case of concussion (most likely not) and will be released around 8 in the morning. He has to report to Shisui latest by 5 in the afternoon. That means, he cannot do his normal bell test.

With Shizuka checking up on them now, he cannot do the normal introduction. The setting was not right.

'Oh well, setbacks come often in a mission. I just had to improvised it' he thought, then cackled madly in mind 'Ohhhh' he thought gleefully 'This will be fun and I can still test their teamwork'

"Ummm…sensei?" asked Noriko, tentatively. Their sensei had stood there for a while. First, he looked at them as if he was pouting (not that she can see, but it was indicated from his posture) , then he put his fingers on his chin as if he was thinking, then he pointed upwards as if he got a good idea. All in all, it freaked them all out.

Kakashi eye-smiled at them "Well, I'll see you tomorrow at 8 am" then he went off.

Noriko stared at Naruto and Tenzō. Naruto stared at Noriko and Tenzō. Tenzō stared at Naruto and Noriko.

"Told you he's weird" said Noriko with finality.

Uchiha District

"So, who's your new sensei?" asked Itachi over dinner.

"Mimura Hamaki" said Sasuke "You knew him?"

"Hamaki-san eh. Godaime must be thinking highly of your team" said Itachi with a smile.

"R-really?" asked Sasuke hopefully.

"Hamaki-san went to war with Yondaime and lived. He also happened to be a master in Kenjutsu. Two of his students became Tokubetsu Jōnin with one specializing in Kenjutsu who also taught an ANBU about Kenjutsu" explained Itachi

Sasuke looked awestruck.

"He must be bored" mused Itachi as shinobi with Hamaki's years of service are allowed to retire if they wished.

"You seem to have a very good sensei. Learn from your him well, Sasuke"

"I will!" replied Sasuke enthusiastically.

Training Ground 44

Naruto, Noriko and Tenzō looked at the forest with a mixture of awed, feared and curiosity.

Once they are cleared to go, Kakashi greeted them with his cheery eye-smiled and asked/ordered them to follow him. Running.

"Well, I had to say, good job for being able to follow me here" said Kakashi to a winded Naruto, Noriko and Tenzō.

"How about we introduced ourselves?" said Kakashi.

"How about (pant) you (pant) introduce (pant) yourself first" said Noriko.

"My name is Hatake Kakashi. I have few likes and few dislikes. As for my hobbies…" he trailed off and had a faraway look on his face then abruptly gone "Now it's your turn"

"Oh me! Me!" said a recovered Naruto "My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I like ramen ('well duh' thought Noriko) and I dislike it when Shisui-ojisan punished me by eating ramen in front of me when I'm all tied up (Noriko giggled at that memory and Naruto shot a glare at her). My hobby is to train so I can be strong to protect people that are important to me and to become a Hokage"

'Shisui? Isn't that the name of Godaime Hokage' pondered Tenzō before began to introduce himself "My name is Tenzō. I like walnut and my hobby is reading architecture books ('That's weird. Book I get but architecture book?' questioned Noriko to herself). My goal is to be as good as Shodai"

Kakashi nodded understandingly while Naruto and Noriko looked puzzled 'Why Shodai?'

"My name is Noriko. I think (she put on thinking pose) I like a lot of stuffs and I'm not sure what I don't like. And I'm not sure what I want to be when I grow up".

"Well, now that we know about each other" looking at Noriko "more or less, I had to tell you that you are not a genin…yet" said Kakashi.

"What do you mean" asked Noriko while Tenzō looked at him questioningly and Naruto looked nonplussed.

"Meaning, as a jōnin-sensei, I have the final say whether you are ready to be genin or not" explained Kakashi.

"Then why the Academy test?" asked Tenzō.

"To see whether you are ready for the final test or not"

"How come we were not informed about this earlier?" asked Noriko indignantly.

"Where's the fun?" said Kakashi with an eye-smiled. Noriko just glared.

"So what's the test sensei?" asked Naruto excitedly.

Kakashi laughed maniacally "I'm glad you asked" He performed three kage bunshin, each one grabbed each kid and shunshin to three separate locations inside the training ground.

Once arrived, each kage bunshin said "You have three hours to reach the original location. The first two to arrive will be accepted as my team"

"What happened to the third?"

The kage bunshin just laughed and went off.

Noriko

Noriko just sighed and activated her byakugan. Unfortunately, she cannot see Naruto and Tenzō 'I guess they are out of my range" she thought while resolving to increase her range.

She looked around and saw a pouch on the ground. Suspicious (although they are without tools at the moment since they were just discharged from the hospital but Kakashi did not strike to her as a generous type), she formed a kage bunshin (she learnt from her spar with Naruto via Sharingan) and ordered it to approach the pouch.

The moment her kage bunshin picked the pouch, rope appeared and pulled its feet up to the tree. Her bunshin threw her the pouch before released itself.

Noriko caught the pouch. Still suspicious, she scanned the pouch using her byakugan. Noticed nothing dangerous, she opened it and inspect its content; few kunais, shurikens, exploding tags and wires.

Fastening the pouch on her thigh, holding on to a kunai, now Noriko felt more assured than before.

She looked around and decided to climb tree to determine her location and direction to go. Once decided, she took off, activating her byakugan every now and then to check her surroundings.

After half an hour of walking, Naruto came into her byakugan's range so she went to his direction.

End Chapter 29

A/N: Mimura Hamaki is a character from Naruto. The war with Yondaime and Kenjutsu skill is true. The rest is my embellishment.

Kage Bunshin – Shadow Clone

Kenjutsu – Sword Technique

Shunshin no Jutsu – Body Flicker Technique