Hey everybody, long time no see! Sorry it took a while, but you know how it is with college finals. Or maybe you don't. Anyway, two B's and two C's later, here we are with Chapter 4! I hope it was worth the wait, so enjoy!
Chapter 4: Ring: Kakashi's Test
Morning: Third Training Ground
Having woken up early for the test, Sakura rubbed her eyes as she entered the clearing of the Third Training Ground. In the center of the clearing, three large logs were stood vertically, greatly contrasting the otherwise empty field. She looked around, and saw that Robin was already there, sitting on top of one of the logs with a book in her hand. The dark-haired girl caught a glimpse of pink, and gave Sakura a polite nod in greeting. "Good morning, Sakura." She said, smiling slightly. Sakura let out a quiet grunt in return as she approached, yawning. "Morning…" She managed drearily. Robin giggled. "Not a morning person, I take it?" She asked, receiving another grunt in response.
"Have any of the boys shown up yet?" Sakura asked, scanning the field. Robin shook her head. "No, not yet. Usopp told me yesterday that he would go to Luffy's this morning to make sure that he was awake. They should be here before too long." She explained. Sakura nodded, and knelt down to feel the grass. Feeling that it was decently dry around the logs, she took a seat at the base of one, closing her eyes as she waited. Within ten minutes, she heard the crunching of fallen leaves being stepped on, and both girls turned to see Sasuke, eyes slightly drooping from his early rise but otherwise looking as he normally did. "Good morning, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura called out to the boy, who showed no response. He looked around for the other boys, and when he saw none, leaned against the third log.
Perhaps five minutes passed, and the three saw Usopp and Naruto approaching, looking a bit more alert than they had been when they arrived, and talking about something. Seeing the pink-haired kunoichi, Naruto grinned and greeted her enthusiastically. "Oh, hey! Good morning Sakura-chan! Hey Robin!" He shouted. Sakura gave him a small wave, while Robin looked at Usopp as they walked over. "Good morning, Usopp. I thought that you were going to get Luffy?" She asked him. The long-nosed boy shrugged. "I did." He confirmed. "He's awake. But he told me that he had to do something before he came over, and that I should go on ahead." Naruto looked over at the two as the spoke. "I wonder what he needed to grab." He thought out loud. After a moment of consideration, he turned to Sakura and Sasuke. "Do you think he stayed home to get something to eat?" He offered a theory.
Sakura frowned. "He'd better not have!" She growled, the very thought enraging her. "I'm starving! I already don't eat that much because of my diet!" Sasuke rolled his eyes in annoyance at her loudness, and spotted a familiar figure running toward them. "Oi, hey everyone!" They shouted. The group turned, and saw Luffy, looking as wide awake and excited as ever. Usopp waved. "Hey, what took you so long?" He asked his friend. Luffy snickered. "Ah, I just had to grab something, like I said!" He responded mischievously. Sasuke and Sakura both eyed him suspiciously, but decided not to comment. "Ah, so is Kakashi-sensei here yet?" He asked curiously. Usopp shook his head. "Doesn't look like it."
Still waiting for their Jonin to arrive, the young ninja all began finding stuff to do. Sakura and Usopp had both fallen asleep, while Robin continued to read. Naruto was lying on the ground, attempting to balance a leaf above him with a steady breath. Meanwhile, Sasuke and Luffy were both training, punching and kicking a large tree on either side of it. Occasionally, one would take a few steps back to throw kunai or shuriken at it, though Sasuke much more frequently. Eventually, after what seemed to be a few hours, even they grew tired, Sasuke leaning against the tree while Luffy nodded off on the ground. Robin, having actually managed to finish her book, pocketed it and simply looked around, watching the birds up above.
The sound of crunching leaves once again attracted the attention of the students, all of them becoming alert and turning to the source. Sure enough it was Kakashi, wearing the same lack of expression he had most of the day before. He lifted a hand in greeting, eye closing in what they recognized as a smile from the day before. "Yo!" He said casually. Sakura, Luffy, Usopp, and Naruto all hopped to their feet and shouted. "You're late!" Kakashi blinked, and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yes, well, I apologize. You see, I was on my way here when a black cat crossed my path. I'm afraid I had to take a detour. Bad luck, you know. Sorry about that."
The Genin all looked at each other as they gathered. "That's a terrible excuse." Usopp noted, earning a nod of agreement from the rest. Hearing this, the Jonin cleared his throat, and took position in front of the six. "Well, now that we're all here, I can explain why I wanted you here." He told them, wanting to change topics. He reached into his pocket, and pulled out five bells that chimed lightly. The students all looked at them with interest. "The exercise is simple, in concept at least. There are five bells. In order to pass the test, you simply have to take them from me. Easy as that."
Sakura looked at the five bells curiously, as did Robin. "But Kakashi-sensei, there are only five bells, and six of us." Sakura observed. Kakashi smiled again and nodded. "That is correct. You see, there's a bit more to it than that." He continued, glad that they had noticed. "Seeing as this is a bit unorthodox, what with there being two teams, I decided to make this test into a bit of a competition. Whoever's team manages to successfully grab more bells from me will be the winner."
Naruto nodded, understanding. "Alright, cool! But what do the winners get?" He asked. Kakashi walked over to a small statue, and placed three box lunches down onto it. Usopp had a bad feeling about this, and was beginning to figure out why they had been told to skip breakfast that morning. "The winners," Kakashi explained. "Will get to eat these lunches I prepared this morning before I left home." He then pointed to the logs in the clearing, and pulled out a thin but sturdy length of rope. "The losers will be tied to the logs over there, and forced to watch. And-"
All at once, the six Genin's stomachs rumbled thunderously, and they felt nauseas.
"So that's why he wanted us to skip breakfast…" Sakura muttered quietly, Usopp groaning as his suspicions were confirmed. Luffy looked positively terrified at the idea of having to watch someone eat while he went without food, and Naruto began to shout in protest. Only Sasuke and Robin didn't verbally complain, though they both looked rather unenthusiastic at the idea of having to go up against a Jonin on empty stomachs.
Kakashi chuckled. "I can see you all took my advice." He observed, and Luffy could swear he heard a sadistic edge to his voice. "Of course, it was just that; advice. Not an order." The shinobi added, drawing a collective groan of annoyance from his students. Something struck Sakura, however, as she remembered that the Jonin had been cut off by their stomachs. "Wait. Kakashi-sensei, is there something else for the losers?" She asked, dreading the answer.
Kakashi nodded. "Ah, yes. It's quite simple, really. As I said, it isn't very common for an instructor to be put in charge of two separate teams. To be perfectly honest, the idea doesn't really sit well with me. Ergo, I decided on this; whoever wins, will continue to learn under me. The losing team will be sent back to the academy immediately. Now, are there any questions?" He concluded, still smiling pleasantly.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then, there was not.
"WHAAAAAT?!" Shouted Naruto, Luffy, and Usopp at the same time, eyes blank and jaws dropped from shock. Sakura gasped and covered her mouth, while Sasuke and Robin both looked unsettled. "Sent back to the academy?!" Luffy repeated. Naruto shook his head. "No way, we passed the Genin exam! That's not fair!" He protested. Sakura and Usopp nodded in agreement. "He's right!" Usopp shouted.
Kakashi sighed. "Those aren't questions." He informed them, attaching the bells to his hip. Sasuke frowned. "How the heck am I supposed to stay a Genin if I have to work with the dobe and Sakura?" He thought, glancing over at the two. His eyes turned to the other three. Luffy had managed to calm down, but he still looked uneasy for some reason. Robin's composure was back as well, while Usopp was shaking nervously. He sighed. "Guess I'll just have to grab enough for all three of us." Sasuke decided, nodding to himself as he came to the conclusion.
Usopp looked at his own teammates, wondering what they were thinking. "A-are you guys ready?" He asked the two, who turned to face him. Luffy nodded. "Yeah!" He said, confident grin returning as he punched his open palm. Robin smiled slightly. "Yes, I am as well." She agreed. "Though if we fail, we may have to repeat our training at the academy." Usopp wailed in terror. "Don't say things like that, Robin!" He pleaded desperately, not needing his confidence further assassinated.
Luffy laughed at his friend's reaction. "Don't worry, Usopp!" He assured the boy. "We'll do great! Like you and Naruto said, we all passed the Genin exam. It'll be fine." Robin nodded, having the same feeling.
Kakashi looked at the six students as they finished speaking to each other. "Well then… Are you all ready to begin?" He asked, receiving nods and grunts of confirmation. Kakashi placed a small clock on the statue where he had put the lunch boxes. "This timer is set to go off in a couple of hours. That alarm will signal the end of the exer-"
"HAAARGH!" Naruto suddenly roared as he ran toward the Jonin, swinging his leg towards the man's head. Or at least, that was what he attempted; what happened instead was that he was tripped once his first leg left the ground, and found himself on his back with Kakashi's foot keeping him there. Luffy and the others silently gaped at their mentor's speed. "I didn't even see him move." Sasuke thought to himself, gritting his teeth.
"I didn't say 'Go', Naruto." He said coolly, removing his foot from the boy's chest so that he could jump away and stand. Kakashi shook his head, but chuckled. "But I admire your spirit. You're going to need that kind of drive to win this thing. If you want to get the bells, you have to come at me with the intent to kill. Any and all ninja tools are allowed. Shurikens, kunai, and any jutsu you can manage are all acceptable."
The Genin all nodded and took a few steps back, crouching slightly in preparation to scatter. Kakashi moved his hand to the timer. "The test will begin…" He trailed, finger hovering over the start button.
His finger pressed the button down. "Now!" He announced, signaling the others to move. Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto all dashed in different directions, while Luffy, Usopp, and Robin leapt into the same section of the forest. Kakashi scanned the area, as the sound of rustling leaves dulled into nonexistence. "And now, for the hunt." He muttered to himself.
Robin, Luffy, and Usopp were all crouched in a large group of bushes a fair distance away, Usopp and Robin on the ground while Luffy hid behind a tree. Elsewhere, Sasuke was peering through the branches of a tree he was hiding in, and Sakura was lying prone beneath a bush.
Kakashi looked around, attempting to spot the kids. "Well, they've got stealth down well enough, it seems." He mused. Leaves shook behind him, and he turned to see Naruto standing up in a tree with his arms crossed confidently. He sweatdropped, as did Sasuke, Sakura, and Usopp. Robin rolled her eyes slightly in amusement, while Luffy stared blankly at the boy. "He's… kind of stupid." The straw-hat boy observed, receiving a light slap from Usopp in response. "Like you're one to talk!" His friend hissed.
Kakashi, however, seemed to agree with what Luffy had said. "You're not very bright, are you?" He asked rhetorically, earning a glare from the boy. "Hey, don't get cocky!" Naruto warned the ninja below him. "You just caught me by surprise before, that's all! Now I'm getting serious!" He leapt down, and drew a kunai in preparation. Kakashi reached behind his back, unbuttoning one of the pouches at his waist. Naruto tensed, ready to dodge to either side if Kakashi threw something at him.
Instead, however, he pulled out a small, orange book. This caught the boy off guard, and he began to glare at the man again. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" He demanded furiously. Kakashi shrugged and opened the book, raising it up to read from a marked page. "Why, reading, of course. How else am I going to find out what happens next?" The Jonin said casually, turning a page after a moment. Naruto growled, and Robin watched closely. "Kakashi-sensei is just attempting to aggravate Naruto into attacking without a plan." She deduced, Usopp nodding in agreement.
Luffy, however, seemed more interested in the book he was holding. "What is he reading, anyway?" He wondered. "It looks familiar." Robin tried to see, but she couldn't make it out from the distance. "I can't tell. Perhaps it is some sort of booklet on shinobi tactics?" She suggested, though it didn't look familiar to her. Usopp reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of miniature binoculars, taking a closer look. He suddenly choked up, cheeks burning red. "What? What is it?" Luffy asked, wondering what was wrong. Usopp looked at him and handed the binoculars to Robin, who also looked. "Oh my." She said simply, covering her mouth. Luffy snagged the binoculars from Robin while she was surprised, and took a look for himself.
Kakashi himself snickered perversely as he read something from the novel, further enraging the hyperactive Genin in front of him. "Argh, I'll show you not to ignore me!" He shouted, charging at the man in a blind fury. He jumped up and swung his fist towards the man's head from the left, only for the Jonin to catch it without even bothering to look up from his book. The boy grunted in surprise as his opponent tossed him back. Naruto wiped his mouth and smirked. "Not bad, but let's see how you can handle six Narutos!" He challenged, forming a seal with his hands. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
A thick cloud of dust surrounded the blonde boy, and when it cleared, there were five more Narutos standing in the same pose as the original, surprising Kakashi. The other students were just as surprised as their instructor, if not moreso. As they began to surround Kakashi, Sakura's eyes widened when she noticed that the clones had shadows. "Those aren't just illusions!" She thought, legitimately impressed. "Those are real, solid clones!"
The Jonin lowered his book slightly, and the six clones suddenly charged at him all at once. They dogpiled the man, kicking up a shroud of dust that enveloped the conflict, hiding them all from view. "Wait, wait!" One of the Narutos shouted. "Something's not right!" The sound of fighting dulled, and when the dust subsided they found that Kakashi was no longer there. "Hey, where'd he go?!" One demanded, two of the others shrugging. "I'll bet he transformed into one of us!" Another suggested, three of the others nodding to the theory.
"Or maybe he's right behind you." Someone else offered helpfully. The real Naruto turned his head, only to spot Kakashi squatting behind him with his book shut between his hands, two fingers on each extended. Sasuke, spotting this from his perch in a tree, silently gasped. "That's the seal for a fire jutsu!" He observed, recognizing it. Naruto let out a cry of terror as Kakashi called out his attack. "Secret Leaf Village Technique!" Naruto's face suddenly paled, as a terrible pain coursed throughout his body. He was launched skyward, flying into the nearby river.
"One Thousand Years of Death!" The Jonin concluded as he pulled his fingers back, standing up. The students watching all stared at him in disbelief. "He just… poked him." Sakura thought, unable to comprehend their sensei using such a ridiculous technique. Usopp scratched his head. "I had no idea there was a Kancho jutsu." He mused sarcastically, turning to his friend. "Did you see that Luffy?"
He received no response. In fact, Luffy wasn't there to give one. Usopp looked around. "Luffy?" Robin blinked, and tapped the boy on the shoulder. She directed his attention to Luffy, who was now standing in the clearing with a massive grin on his face. "Yosh! Now it's my turn!" He declared excitedly, cracking his knuckles. The long-nosed boy remained silent for a moment, but let out a loud sigh of exasperation. "I should have seen this coming…" He acknowledged, not knowing why he hadn't.
Kakashi turned to his student and remained silent for a moment, not really knowing what to say. He had expected one of the Genin to charge him, but the fact that two had done so, and so close together, wasn't what he'd thought would happen. Luffy squatted slightly, exercising his legs in preparation for the fight. "Do you wanna start, Kakashi-sensei?" He asked, surprising the man. "No, that's fine. Why don't you start us off?" Kakashi responded, curious to see what the boy would do.
Luffy grinned, and slowly scanned the area around them. He eyed the water behind the Jonin wearily, wondering for a moment what had happened to Naruto. Still, he couldn't let that distract him from his opponent. He rolled his wrist for a moment, and then gently planted his fist on the ground. Kakashi arched his visible eyebrow at this. "I'm not familiar with this stance." He thought, wondering what the boy was up to. He wouldn't have to wait long, however.
Luffy suddenly stood back up, and pulled his fist back. "That's quite the warning." Kakashi figured, able to see the punch coming a mile away. "Gum Gum…" Luffy began, further confusing his teacher. "Gum?"
"Pistol!" He shouted, throwing his punch from where he stood. Just like that, his entire arm stretched far away from his body, speeding toward a very surprised Jonin. "What the?!" He muttered, jumping out of the way. Luffy's fist hit a tree behind the man, causing its bark to explode into shards. The students' eyes all widened at the sight of the stretching limb, having never seen anything like it. "What kind of jutsu is that?!" Sasuke hissed, slapping his hand over his mouth when he realized he'd said that out loud in his surprise. He hadn't seen the boy perform any sort of hand seals, just put his fist to the ground. Sakura was likewise baffled, as were Luffy's friends.
"Did you know he could do that, Robin?" Usopp asked, still wrapping his head around it as Luffy's arm snapped back to its original size. The girl shook her head. "No, I don't recall him ever doing this before when we sparred." She said. Usopp looked back at his friend. "Was he hiding this, or did he think it up recently?" He wondered, not able to decide which one was more likely. Luffy was horrible at keeping secrets, but then again, he hadn't exactly asked the boy if he'd developed any new techniques recently.
Kakashi looked at Luffy with new-found interest, not having expected to be surprised in such a way by one of the Genin. "That's an interesting technique." He complimented, curious as to how it worked. Luffy grinned, pushing his hat off of his head so that it hung from the string sewn into it. "Thanks." He said with a laugh. "I was hoping it would hit you, though!"
The grey-haired man glanced down at his book, and slowly put it away with a sigh of disappointment before returning his attention to the Genin. "Perhaps some sort of clan Jutsu?" He theorized privately, not certain. Luffy put his fists up in preparation to continue, then got an idea. Suddenly he ducked down and swung his leg, stretching it just as his arm had in an attempt to slam Kakashi from the side. Now knowing more of what to expect, he had an easier time evading but was still confounded by what he was seeing. Luffy's leg continued swinging, and began to return to normal size. The snap once it did so caused him to spin slightly from the recoil. Kakashi saw the opportunity and ran forward, aiming a kick for the boy's own side.
Luffy gritted his teeth in preparation for the attack. "Damnit, I still recover too slowly!" He cursed mentally, closing his eyes. Before the attack could connect, however, a barrage of shuriken flew out of the trees. Kakashi spotted them and leapt back to avoid, turning his gaze to where the attack had come from. A branch in a nearby tree slowly stopped shaking, a few leaves falling from it. "And there goes Sasuke." He determined, having figured it was the Uchiha boy who was hidden in the tree. He looked back at Luffy, who had taken a defensive stance, and gave the boy his odd mouthless smile. "Sorry, I want to see what Sasuke's up to." He apologized before setting off in the direction of the other Genin.
Once Kakashi had left, Luffy glanced around cautiously before sliding to the ground, sighing. After a moment, Usopp and Robin both stepped into the clearing to check on their friend. "Luffy, are you okay?!" Usopp asked, kneeling beside him. Luffy rolled his shoulder and nodded, feeling fine now that he was calming down. Robin turned in the direction that Kakashi and Sasuke had taken. A quiet rustling indicated that Sakura had also left, likely following the two. "Kakashi-sensei is quite impressive." She observed, crossing her arms and shifting her weight to one side.
Usopp nodded in agreement, and turned to Luffy. He was about to ask about what he had been doing, only to be interrupted by a loud gasp for air. The three turned and saw Naruto emerging from the river. Having forgotten he had been sent flying into the water by the Jonin, they approached him. "Hey, you alright?" Luffy asked, squatting in front of the boy. Naruto coughed and nodded as he roughly patted his own chest. "Y-yeah." He spat. "I was waiting for a chance to ambush Kakashi, but then you stepped in and he went after Sasuke. Which way did they go, anyway?"
Robin pointed where she had been looking before. "They headed off in that direction." She explained. "I believe that Sakura also went after them. Perhaps to try and support Sasuke." Naruto growled at the mention of the Uchiha boy and leapt to his feet in an instant. "Oh, no!" He vented irritably. "There's NO way I'm letting Duck-Butt get one of those bells before me!" With that, he too gave chase to the others, leaving Team 6 to themselves. They looked at each other.
"Do you think any of them have a chance?" Usopp asked, not really caring which of the others responded. After a moment, Luffy shook his head. "No." He said bluntly. "Kakashi-sensei's really strong. And even though my moves surprised him, it didn't take him that long to get close to me." Robin nodded in agreement. "He does seem very adaptable." She noted. Usopp groaned and scratched at his head with both hands. "Man, how are we supposed to get ahold of any of those bells like this?!" He asked, at a loss.
Luffy thought for a moment, looking at his two friends. Something occurred to him, and he turned to face Robin. "Hey," He asked. "What was it that he said we had to do, exactly?" Usopp glared at him. "Did you seriously already forget?!" He demanded. Luffy ignored him, and Robin explained. "He told us that we had to acquire as many of the bells as we could. Whichever team gets more bells will move on to become his official Genin squad, and the other will be sent back to the Academy." Usopp shivered at her repeating of their instructions, still unable to believe that all of their hard work so far could be undone by something so simple.
Luffy nodded, and then grinned. "I think I have an idea." He said, snickering. The other two looked at him curiously. "This can't be good…" Usopp lamented, to which Robin only giggled. Luffy made sure they were still alone, and then beckoned the others closer. "Alright, so here's what I was thinking. Robin, I need you to keep an eye on Kakashi-sensei…"
Sakura panted tiredly as she continued to run, frantically scanning the surrounding forest in hopes of spotting Sasuke. "Oh, please be okay!" She thought to herself worriedly. "If anyone can handle Kakashi-sensei it'll be Sasuke, but if anything happens to him, I'll-" She cut off her own thoughts, not needing the deterrent of doubt weighing her down. She had to find Sasuke and help him out. Between her brains and his skill, they could definitely get at least one of the bells!
"Sakura…" A weak-sounding voice called out, slowing the kunoichi to a stop. She recognized the voice immediately. "Sasuke!" She called back happily, turning to the direction it had come from with an excited smile. What she saw, however, quickly changed that. Sasuke staggered out from behind a tree, using it to keep himself standing. Numerous kunai, shuriken, and even senbon were stuck in his body like the spikes of a porcupine, blood pouring from each wound and the boy's mouth. He moaned in pain, wincing heavily. "H-help… meee!" He whispered, taking a step towards her. Sakura's face went pale, eyes blank, as she took in his appearance.
The pink-haired girl let out a shriek of pure terror, and promptly fell unconscious at the shock of what she had just seen.
Elsewhere, having heard the scream, Kakashi shook his head as he turned a page in his book. "Maybe I went a little overboard…" He mused thoughtfully. "Then again, if she wants to be a ninja, she needs to at least learn the difference between reality and an illusion. Mistakes like that are dangerous."
As he said this, another barrage of kunai and shuriken flew toward the Jonin, who dodged out of the way with a quick duck. He turned, spotting Sasuke with his teeth gritted in frustration. The boy kept his hand near his shuriken pouch, ready to throw more if the opportunity arose. "I won't be making any mistakes like that." He informed his sensei, who responded by sighing irritably before putting his book away. "Is that so?" He asked, standing there looking disinterested. Sasuke's hands suddenly flew to his front, and he formed the Tiger seal. "Fire Style..." Kakashi's eye widened slightly. "A fire Jutsu? Does he have enough chakra to use such a technique?"
"Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke called out. He inhaled deeply and curled the index finger of his left hand, which he blew through, launching a large blast of fire at his opponent. Kakashi raised his arms in defense, and took the attack in a large explosion of flames and smoke. Sasuke panted heavily, the technique taking more out of him than he'd hoped due to the adrenaline rush. Still, he managed a smirk, and scanned the charred ground where his attack had hit, only to lose it immediately when he saw no one there. "W-where'd he go?!" He demanded, looking around frantically. "Into the woods? Behind me? Above?!"
"How 'bout below?" A voice offered helpfully. Sasuke's head swiftly turned down, just in time to see a hand burst from the ground and grab his leg, pulling him down and burying him up to his neck in it. Kakashi emerged from the ground in front of him. "Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu." He elaborated. "Remember, when your opponent's a shinobi, attacks can come from any angle at all." Sasuke glared up at him. If he'd been just a little closer, he didn't know if he could resist the urge to bite the smug Jonin's ankle.
"Or from EVERY ANGLE!" Called out a familiar voice. Kakashi looked up from his recent victim to see a swarm of Naruto's Shadow Clones surrounding him, all leaping at him at once. Kakashi easily dodged the majority of them, dispatching them with individual kicks or tossing them into each other. "Numbers don't mean anything if they can't distract me, Naruto." He informed the boy, tossing a kunai in the direction of one who had thrown a shuriken. The thrower, the real Naruto, glared in irritation. Due to the commotion, neither the fighters nor Sasuke noticed that a brown eye had somehow found its way onto the Uchiha boy's headband, watching the other two.
In the forest, Robin stood with her arms crossed and raised in front of her, eyes closed. She suddenly opened her eyes and turned to Usopp and Luffy. "Naruto is fighting Kakashi again." She told them, receiving a nod from the two. Luffy smiled. "Alright Usopp, line me up!" He instructed his friend, who looked out at the fight through his binoculars as Luffy took hold of a pair of arms that had sprouted from a fallen log, slowly backing away and stretching his arms. "A little to the left." Usopp told them, Luffy adjusting his position thusly. He stopped moving backward, a pair of hands holding him in place. "A little lower… There!" Usopp finished, giving the other boy a thumbs up. He looked over at Robin. "When I give the signal, you know what to do." He said, Robin nodding in confirmation.
Luffy's grin grew even wider as he braced himself. "Alright, ready!" He told the two, itching to be let go. Usopp waited for a few seconds, and then swung his arm down. "Now, Luffy!" He hissed. Robin closed her eyes to concentrate, and the hands holding Luffy's ankles disappeared, launching the boy into the battlefield as he was pulled toward the arms he grabbed before releasing them.
Sasuke, hearing something, jerked his head to the side in time to see the straw-hat wearing boy flying towards Naruto's last few clones and the Jonin. "What the?!" Was all he managed before Naruto and Kakashi also noticed. Naruto yelped in surprised and dove to the side, the last of his clones disappearing. Kakashi attempted to do so as well, only to find that he couldn't. He looked down and saw two hands holding on to his ankles tightly, just as he had done to Sasuke's earlier. "What?!" He exclaimed. Luffy laughed as he flew at the white-haired man, extending an arm as if to strike. Unable to move otherwise, Kakashi instinctively leaned backwards.
A quiet ring chimed at his waist as Luffy sailed over him, hand brushing the Jonin for a mere instant.
Luffy rolled as he hit the ground roughly, skidding to a stop. Naruto and Sasuke both stared at him. "What the heck was that about?!" Naruto asked, utterly confused. Sakura emerged from the tree line, having woken up from her scare and followed the sounds of fighting. Kakashi stood up, the hands at his feet disappearing.
Luffy slowly stood up, back to the others, and brushed the dirt off of his shorts as he did so, hat hiding his eyes from sight. He turned around, smile as wide as they've ever seen, and he snickered mischievously. "One down!" He shouted, holding something up. The object let out a quiet, gentle chime, and the eyes of everyone present expanded. Kakashi looked down at his hip.
One of his bells was missing.
He looked back at the boy, who was cheering excitedly. "How did you…?" He wondered out loud, only to be interrupted by another excited voice. "Yeah, way to go, Luffy!" Usopp called, emerging from the tree line with Robin behind him, smiling happily. "The plan went perfectly." She observed gladly. Naruto frowned. "What plan?!" He shouted, tired of not knowing what was going on. Robin giggled.
"Luffy had an idea to get one of the bells from Kakashi." She explained as said boy calmed down, though he was still looking at the bell proudly. "I was keeping an eye out for an opening while you all fought Kakashi-sensei, while he and Usopp prepared to surprise him with an ambush. When the time came, I used my Jutsu to keep him in place."
Kakashi looked at her, Usopp, and Luffy, considering what all she had said. Sakura, meanwhile, had gone over to help Sasuke get out of his hole, while Naruto scratched his head as he thought about their plan. Just then, a loud buzzing noise could be heard. "What's that?" The Uzumaki child asked. Kakashi smiled. "That would be the timer." He said simply. The faces of Team 7 all paled at this, as they realized what it meant. "Y-you mean…?" Sakura stuttered nervously.
Kakashi nodded. "Yes. Team Six, congratulations. You're the first team I've ever had that has passed. Team Seven, you failed to acquire any of my bells. You have failed." He stated, watching as the faces of the group fell. Though Luffy and his friends were excited to have passed, they couldn't really express it, given that the other team was going to be sent back to the Academy. "Wait!" Luffy exclaimed, the others turning to look at him. "Are you sure there's no way they can pass? Can't you just give them a little more time?"
Kakashi blinked, not having expected one of the Genin who had passed to ask the question, but shook his head. "No." He said bluntly. "I'm afraid they just don't have what it takes to make it as ninjas. Perhaps next year, they can try again."
The three's heads lowered, and all sighed in tandem. Kakashi cleared his throat. "Now, if you'll please come with me to the clearing. Seeing as Team 7 lost, they will be tied to the posts there and forced to watch as Team 6 enjoys their lunch. Afterwards, I will personally escort them to the Hokage to explain why you are going back to the Academy." With that, he once again pulled out the rope he had showed them before, and Naruto and Sakura gulped, not eager for any of what was about to start. Sasuke grumbled quietly to himself as they all fell into step behind Kakashi, eventually making it back to the spot where the exercise had started. The three members of Team 7 sat down in front of the poles, while Kakashi had three clones tie them up.
Team 6, meanwhile, sat down on the ground, while Kakashi handed them the lunches that he had prepared that morning. He dusted his hands off and smiled. "Now then, if you'll excuse me, I have to go talk to Iruka. I'm sure he'll be happy to hear that some of his favorite students are coming back! Remember, you three; don't feed them even a single bite. They lost, they have to face the consequences." He said, Naruto paling at the mention of their instructor. Ignoring this, the Jonin vanished in a blur of movement, leaving the Genin to themselves.
"I can't believe it…" Sakura muttered, lowering her head in despair. "All our hard work, and now we're getting sent back. It's like we never even passed the exam!" Sasuke said nothing, but one could tell by his glare that he agreed. How could he have possibly failed to get even one bell, when Luffy of all people had managed to get one?!
Naruto growled and thrashed about, struggling to escape the ropes. He sighed and looked at the other three as they opened their bentos slowly, obviously feeling guilty about eating in front of them but too hungry to let it stop them. His stomach growled loudly, which caused the others' to follow. "So hungry…" He groaned. Luffy looked in his lunch box and gave it a gentle sniff, and grimaced slightly. Usopp gave him an odd look as he took a bite of some rice. "What's up?" He asked. Luffy shook his head. The boy turned to the tree tied to the posts, and stood up. "Luffy?" Robin asked as he walked over to Naruto.
Luffy held the box in front of the blond-haired boy. "Here." He said simply, much to Naruto's surprise. "Huh?" He asked. Luffy grinned. "Take it! You're hungry, right?" Everyone stared at him, stunned into shock. "WHAT?!" Usopp shouted, slapping a hand over his mouth. "You're going to give him your food?!" Luffy gave him an odd look. "Why would I eat this? The snack is cherry-flavored." The others looked at him at confusion, and then further shock as he reached into his pocket with his free hand, only to pull out… a piece of meat?
"You… you hid meat in your pocket?!" Sakura asked, completely dumbfounded. Even Sasuke looked lost. Luffy laughed as he chewed, and swallowed. "What? He said not to eat this morning, he didn't say anything about bringing food to the exercise!" He noted. Robin smiled. "That was very clever, Luffy." She complimented, the boy only laughing happily again. She looked at her own food, and then held hers out to Sasuke. He looked at her with surprise, but after a moment nodded his head in a silent thank you, too hungry to care about his pride. Usopp looked around, making sure Kakashi wasn't anywhere nearby, and offered some food to Sakura. She smiled, sighing thankfully. "Thanks, you guys." She said, glad they were doing this for them.
After eating with the assistance of Team 6, Naruto and the others looked at each other and stopped. "You guys can eat the rest." Sakura said, Naruto nodding in agreement. Usopp frowned. "You guys sure?" He asked. Another nod. "Yeah!" Naruto told him. "Kakashi-sensei was right; you DID earn those lunches." Sasuke shrugged, or at least attempted to in the ropes. "Besides," He muttered. "We can just get something to eat once we go home…" Sakura and Naruto looked at him, and both sighed in depression.
Suddenly, a blast of wind seemed to blow across the clearing, blowing the bentos out of their hands. "W-what's that?!" Usopp shrieked frantically, ducking down low to the ground and covering his head. Robin maintained a stoic expression, while Naruto and Sakura were trying to speak to the others over the wind. Sasuke and Luffy both gritted their teeth, Luffy standing up against the wind as a blur ran towards them.
"YOOOOOOOU!" Roared Kakashi, stopping dead in front of the others with a furious glare. "I gave you an order not to give them A SINGLE BITE!" Luffy growled, not liking that he was yelling at them for sharing their food. "Hey, we won it! We should be able to give it to whoever we want!" He shouted back, clenching his fists. Team 7 looked at him in surprise. Kakashi wasn't having it, though, and stepped closer. "A shinobi who can't follow orders is nothing but scum!" He continued. It was Naruto's turn to growl now, and after a moment, he too joined in the shouting.
"Hey, it's all my fault!" He insisted, everyone turning to look at him. "What?" Usopp muttered quietly. Naruto spat on the ground. "Y-yeah!" He managed, fighting back the fear he currently had for their enraged sensei. "I was hungry, so I begged them to feed us!" Sakura's eyes widened at this, and even Sasuke seemed surprised. "Wait, it was me!" Sakura interjected, earning everyone's attention. "Naruto's just covering for me. I was the one who was begging!"
Kakashi turned to her, his gaze sending shivers down her spine. "So it was YOU, Sakura?" He asked, reaching into one of the pouches at his hip. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for whatever he had planned, only to hear something instead of feel it. "It was me." Sasuke said, stunning everyone. "I was hungry, so I asked them. It was nobody else's fault."
Luffy, Usopp, and Robin all looked at Team 7, impressed by their defense of them. They glanced at Kakashi, who had lowered his head to the point where they couldn't see his eyes. "YOOOOOOOOOUUUU…!" He slowly rumbled, arms shaking in fury. Team 7 steeled themselves, and Team 6 stood up in front of their friends (even if Usopp was hiding a bit behind Luffy). Kakashi raised his head, revealing surprisingly pleasant expression on what part of his face was visible.
"You passed."
There was a long pause after those words, as the six students all processed them.
"EEEEHHHHHHHH?!" Shouted Usopp, Sakura, and Naruto. Sasuke still looked dumbstruck, while Luffy just seemed confused. Even Robin appeared perplexed.
"You passed." Kakashi repeated, his friendly tone persisting. "Congratulations, Team 7."
The three Genin continued to stare at him, clearly lost as to how they had passed. Kakashi sighed, having hoped that he wouldn't have to explain things, but relented without much fuss; after all, he was honestly impressed. "I can see that you're all a bit stunned, so let me explain." He said, walking over to the statue were he had placed the lunches when they first arrived. "This is a memorial, dedicated to great heroes of the Hidden Leaf village. There are several like it scattered throughout Konoha. This one in particular is dedicated to those declared KIA."
Naruto's eyes widened, and he grinned excitedly. "Wow, that's so cool!" He said, clearly in admiration. "That's what I want to be! One of those kinds of ninja!" The others, even Luffy, all gave him odd looks. His smile faded. "What?" He asked, not understanding what he had said. Sakura shook her head. "Naruto, KIA stands for 'Killed in Action'. Those are all ninja who died in the middle of their missions."
Naruto's face paled at this revelation, and Kakashi nodded. "That is correct." He confirmed. "There are dozens, perhaps a couple hundred Konoha shinobi who were all killed in the line of duty. Some died of torture, refusing to divulge secrets that would endanger their friends and family. Others sacrificed themselves so that the rest of their team could escape."
He paused, and then turned back to the students, who had all fallen silent. "But still others died because they were abandoned by their team, in hopes that the mission could still be completed." He finished, sending a chill up the spine of all but Sasuke, though even he looked uneasy. Luffy, in particular, looked positively livid at the very idea of leaving a comrade behind. Kakashi noticed this, but said nothing of it. "You see, it is always important to follow one's orders when on a mission. Those who do not are scum."
He then crossed his arms, looking up at the sky. "But… those who abandon their friends are worse than scum." Once more his gaze turned to his Genin. "Team Six, I gave you an order not to feed Team Seven, but you did anyway despite knowing what you risked for doing so." Usopp, Robin, and Luffy all smiled at this, getting an idea of where this was going. "And Team Seven, you spoke up and insisted that it was your begging that led them to disobey their orders."
Kakashi smiled. "By doing so, you have proven to me that you have a level of loyalty that no other squads I've ever been assigned have shown. Your willingness to sacrifice for the sake of your friends and team mates tells me that you are all ready. Ready to become official shinobi of the Hidden Leaf."
Luffy hopped to his feet in excitement, while Naruto squirmed in his rope binds. "So does this mean-?!" The two asked at once, their team mates also growing eager. Kakashi nodded, and shot the six students a victorious thumbs up. "That's right! Team Six and Team Seven will take on their first official mission tomorrow!"
Naruto, Luffy, and Usopp all let out cheers of enthusiasm, Naruto in particular practically singing in celebration. "We made it, we made it!" He shouted, earning an amused smile from Sakura, Robin laughing quietly as her own team mates began a dance of victory. Sasuke rolled his eyes, but let out an almost inaudible chuckle. Kakashi looked at the six and laughed, then looked back at the memorial. "I hope you're watching this, sensei." He thought. "I know that you would be proud of him."
And with that, we have four chapters done with. I may go back and edit the past chapters to fit better with the Jutsu format I used here (italicized and underlined). I'm hoping to be able to get Chapter 5 written up and posted before Christmas Break is over. That being said, I hope you all enjoy the holiday season, and I wish you all a happy new year!