Hello everybody, here is Tc with a new chapter.
Hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Civilian Sensei: Chapter 07
Legacy shop.
Two people sat in the garden behind the shop.
One sipped tea while the other...
"I've asked you to quit smoking in my garden," scolded a woman's voice.
Hiruzen chuckled at the rebuke and extinguished his tobacco pipe.
"My apologies, Braith-san," the old man said. "It's just a habit."
Braith narrowed her eyes.
"Just don't do it again," she said, pouring more tea. "So," she added, eyeing the crystal ball on the table. "Looks like they've begun," she remarked, taking a sip of her tea.
Hiruzen also took a sip before replying.
"Yes," he confirmed, setting his cup down and placing his hands on the crystal ball. "You know how Kakashi is. The only day he'll be on time is the day of his funeral," he said as images began to materialize in the sphere.
She glanced toward the forest surrounding her garden.
"Do you really think it was wise to place Naruto on the same team as those two?" she asked with doubt. "According to Naruto, he didn't exactly get along with them," Braith remarked, studying the crystal ball.
Hiruzen sighed before responding.
"Kakashi requested to be his Sensei, and I saw no reason to refuse. Plus, he's the only one who can train Sasuke to use his eyes once he awakens his Sharingan," he said, causing Braith to raise an eyebrow at his words.
"And the girl?" she inquired.
"While she's one of the brightest in her class, her combat skills are average. I was hoping that with the dynamic of the year and your protege..." Braith smiled at the term used for Naruto. "...it might balance out the team," Hiruzen explained.
"That's all well and good," Braith said, arms crossed. "But you know teamwork is one of the skills Kakashi expects from his students, and that'll be quite challenging for those three," she pointed out.
"I know," Hiruzen conceded, placing the sphere in the center of the table. "But that's one more reason why I've grouped them together," Braith tilted her head in confusion. "I'll explain later. Look, they're starting," he said, gesturing to the crystal ball.
Kakashi stood alone in the middle of the field.
"The essence of being a ninja is adept concealment," he stated, surveying his surroundings.
'Good, they've all concealed themselves nicely,' he thought, flipping open his book.
Naruto observed their target from his concealed spot, searching for a weakness. He could also sense his two teammates, one near the river and the other atop a tree. But his focus remained on their target.
As a Jōnin, he was faster, stronger, and more experienced than them. He'd likely hold back against three students, but he was still an unknown entity in terms of combat skills. Engaging him directly would be foolish.
He assessed his surroundings. Kakashi stood in a clearing with a river and trees nearby. If he could lure him into the forest, he could set up traps to catch him off guard. The challenge was figuring out how.
'How am I supposed to defeat him?' he pondered. He only had minimal information about Kakashi; his chakra affinity was lightning, thanks to his sensory ability, and he had questionable taste in books.
He considered waiting for his teammates to initiate the attack to find an opening, but he had no idea when they would act. He could be waiting indefinitely. And Kakashi had what the three would-be Genin desired; they didn't have the leverage.
After observing his sensei for a few more minutes, he sighed.
There was only one thing left to do. Fortune favors the brave or bold or something like that.
A smile crept onto his face. Besides, Naruto didn't know the extent of Kakashi's abilities, but Kakashi was equally ignorant of his.
A few minutes passed without any movement, and Kakashi entertained the thought of seeking out his would-be students.
Suddenly, shurikens flew toward him from the forest. He easily evaded them when he sensed someone approaching from behind.
He swiftly dodged the blonde's kick aimed at his back.
Naruto landed a few feet away.
"You know," Kakashi addressed him with a lazy gaze, "I think you're underestimating me a bit," he remarked.
Naruto assumed a combat stance.
"We'll see about that when I get a bell!" he declared as he charged at his Sensei.
Naruto unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks that Kakashi effortlessly blocked or dodged, much to the blonde's frustration.
Naruto retreated before attempting another assault with a high kick, which Kakashi dodged by ducking and then leaping back, putting some distance between them.
'His Taijutsu isn't half bad,' Kakashi noted. Naruto's strikes were swift and precise, and he possessed quick reflexes.
He pondered this as he was caught off guard by more shurikens from the woods.
'Smart,' Kakashi thought, stowing away his book. 'The Naruto in front of me engages in close combat while hidden clones attack from a distance.' It required good aim to hit from afar without endangering allies nearby. 'But...'
He retrieved a couple of kunai from his pouches and hurled them at the woods.
'...not smart enough,' he concluded.
He simultaneously defended against or dodged Naruto's attacks while dispatching the hidden clones.
Hiruzen and Braith observed the test from the comfort of her garden.
"Nice tactics," Hiruzen complimented Naruto. "But it won't suffice."
Braith nodded.
"No, it won't," she agreed. "Not if his efforts stopped there," she added, smiling.
Hiruzen glanced at her.
"What do you mean?" he inquired.
Braith simply smiled.
Kakashi had dispelled all the clones attacking him from the woods.
He regarded his student and remarked, "Seems there are no more clones," with a lopsided grin.
"Hah, you wish!" Naruto retorted, conjuring more clones.
Kakashi regarded them with an indifferent expression.
The clones advanced toward the silver-haired man in groups of three, attacking with coordinated precision.
He observed their teamwork; they covered each other effectively.
However, it wasn't enough.
He swiftly closed the gap between them, decimating the wave of clones.
He struck one in the face and swiftly pivoted to backhand another attempting a surprise attack from behind.
He threw shuriken, dispatching several more.
This continued for several moments. Every move Kakashi made resulted in multiple clones being destroyed.
Suddenly, the clones increased their pace, catching Kakashi off guard. He barely managed to evade a strike to his face, surprised by their sudden acceleration.
'Interesting,' he thought as he matched and exceeded their speed. 'Naruto's using chakra to enhance his speed and strength.'
Typically, Genins learned such techniques after mastering Tree Climbing. Naruto must have advanced quickly.
But it still wasn't enough.
Weary of the game, Kakashi leaped above the clones, grasping several shuriken as he finished off the remaining clones, leaving only the original.
Kakashi scrutinized him and noticed something peculiar.
The Genin didn't appear tense or nervous; instead, he seemed almost eager.
Kakashi landed a few steps in front of him.
"Any more tricks up your sleeve?" he taunted, hoping to provoke a response.
"I'll show you!" Naruto declared, charging at Kakashi once more.
Kakashi rolled his eyes, raising his hand to block his student's fist. Naruto needed to learn to stop attacking head-on. It was pointless against a superior opponent.
He lazily positioned his hand in front of him, infusing it with a bit of chakra, when his instincts screamed at him that something was amiss.
He swiftly used both hands to block the incoming fist.
'What the...?' he thought, struggling to maintain his ground.
The force behind the strike was immense!
He glimpsed Naruto's smug expression.
He resisted the assault for a moment before being propelled several meters away, leaving horizontal grooves in the earth from where he'd been dragged.
He inspected his palm, noting it was reddened and bruised from the impact.
It wasn't just the force behind the strike; it was the hardness of Naruto's fist. It felt like he'd been struck with a metal object, not flesh and blood.
"What was that?" he inquired of his grinning student.
He examined his fist, noticing something peculiar—the veins beneath the skin were visible and a bright green hue.
Naruto spoke with a smirk.
"See that, Kakashi-Sensei? Next time, it's your face!" Naruto proclaimed, thumping his palm with his fist. He held the pose for a moment before shaking that hand.
"Ouch, I need to stop doing that," he remarked, prompting Kakashi to sweatdrop.
This kid was certainly interesting.
In Braith's garden, two individuals watched the test with contrasting reactions.
Hiruzen's eyes widened at the display of strength behind Naruto's attack, while Braith pinched the bridge of her nose at her student's stupidity.
"I've told him countless times to refrain from doing that," she sighed looking at his wounded hand.
Hiruzen regained his composure, posing a question.
"What was that?" he asked. "Those veins in his arm—was that the Kyuubi's power?" he inquired cautiously.
Braith shook her head.
"No, just a bit of internal elemental chakra manipulation," she clarified.
'Internal elemental chakra manipulation?' Hiruzen pondered. He was the Professor, he had mastered most jutsus in the village, yet that term was unfamiliar to him.
"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that," the Hokage admitted.
Placing her cup on the table, Braith explained.
"As you're aware, one basic method of enhancing physical capabilities involves channeling chakra to the arms or legs for speed or strength," she began, and he nodded. "Well, the chakra used in those instances is neutral—it lacks any elemental affinity," Hiruzen's eyes widened as he grasped her explanation. "What Naruto is doing is enhancing his abilities with earth chakra," she elaborated.
Hiruzen couldn't believe his ears. "Is—Is that even possible?" he asked incredulously, having never encountered such a technique before.
"Yes, it is," she affirmed, raising her hand, where the veins became a bright blue hue, widening his eyes further. "As you can see, my veins turn blue, indicating the use of water chakra. Different elemental natures result in different colors and effects," she elucidated, demonstrating as her veins shifted from blue to green, red, white, and yellow.
Hiruzen was dumbfounded. It was incredible—a concept with boundless potential.
But before he could pose further questions, Braith interjected.
"I know what you're thinking, and I wouldn't recommend it," she cautioned. "For most shinobi, replicating this technique would be near impossible," Braith stated, dashing his hopes of emulating such a skill.
"Why's that?" he inquired.
"Attempting to manipulate elemental chakra within one's body is not only highly chakra-intensive but also exceedingly perilous," she cautioned. "As you're aware, the chakra pathway system is delicate and challenging to repair if damaged, even for someone like the little princess. Misdirecting elemental chakra through it could cause irreparable harm," she explained, shaking her head. "I only taught Naruto because of his regenerative abilities. Not to mention that mastering the flow of chakra through veins, rather than just the chakra pathways, is exceedingly difficult," she concluded.
Hiruzen shook his head in disappointment. What a missed opportunity.
"So," he redirected, masking his disappointment, "what does earth chakra do?" he inquired.
"It enhances muscles and toughens skin and flesh, making him physically stronger and as resilient as rock," she detailed. "Kakashi must have felt like he was struck by a mace," she remarked, smiling at her disciple's performance.
Hiruzen hummed at her words before turning his attention back to the crystal ball.
"As impressive as that was," he remarked, "it may not suffice to pass the test," he said, prompting her expression to turn grave.
"No, it may not," she concurred, also fixating on the crystal ball.
Kakashi, unsure of what had just transpired, decided it was best to avoid it. Besides, he'd spent enough time with Naruto. It was time to evaluate the other teens.
Surveying his surroundings, he noticed the river and formulated a plan.
Thinking that he was about to run, Naruto ran toward him with his fist raised.
"You would not be running away!" He said as Kakashi jumped and landed in the river.
'Ha, he thinks I can walk on water? I'll show him!' Naruto thought, charging across the water's surface.
But before he could react, Kakashi grinned.
"You're quite skilled for a would-be Genin, Naruto, but I think you need to cool off," he said, performing hand seals.
'Water Release: Waterfall Technique,' he silently invoked as the river's current formed a vortex, dragging Naruto downstream.
"Eh, what the he-!" He tried to say before the whirlpool hit and dragged him downstream.
He tried to fight the current, but it was futile.
"I will -cough- remember this sensei!" he managed to shout as the water carried him away.
Kakashi watched his disappearing form with a relaxed demeanor.
"Well, that's that," he remarked before examining his injured hand. 'Still,' he mused, 'what was that last technique he used?'
It had caught him off guard.
If Kakashi had reinforced his hand with more chakra, it wouldn't have affected him. Nevertheless, it was highly impressive.
"Now," he stated aloud, "where are my other students?" he asked, flashing a one-eyed grin before being bombarded by several shurikens.
A minute before.
Sasuke was stunned by the display from the dobe. He had no idea he was that strong.
The blonde had been the class clown for five years. Sure, this year he managed to climb up to the middle of the ranking, but still. Sasuke thought it was some sort of fluke, that he was as useless as ever. But after witnessing his fighting skills...
Sasuke scoffed. Didn't matter. If the dobe could hold his own against a Jōnin like that, then it would be a piece of cake for him.
He waited for Kakashi to let his guard down and then struck, hurling several shurikens and kunai at him, only for Kakashi to use the Body Replacement Technique and leave behind a wooden log instead.
"Damn, now he knows where I am thanks to those shuriken!" Sasuke thought, gritting his teeth.
"He let his guard down on purpose. Pathetic, it was a trap all along!" Sasuke quickly abandoned his hiding spot, knowing it was pointless.
Sakura was leaping between the trees, keeping an eye for Sasuke, her mind filled with thoughts about her blonde teammate.
She hated to admit it, but that had been impressive. His tactic at the beginning, using his clone to engage from a distance while he fought up close, was smart. She didn't even know he could create solid clones. And the rest of the fight...
She shook her head.
'Don't fall for it. It was probably a trick! Yeah, a trick to make you fall for him!' Her inner voice warned.
Yeah, that's it. Probably some scheme to ask her out. Although, now that she thought about it, he hadn't asked her out in a while.
She shook her head once more. Didn't matter, why was she wasting her time thinking about that idiot when she should be finding Sasuke?
Speaking of him, where was he? She should have found him by now.
A thought crept into her mind.
'Could it be that sensei...?' Fear started to creep in. 'No, no way. That wouldn't happen to Sasuke.'
Suddenly, she spotted Kakashi-sensei among some bushes, reading a book.
She cautiously approached him.
"Hey, Sakura," a voice behind her said. "Look out behind you," it warned.
"Huh?" She thought, quickly turning around, only to see Kakashi's eye.
A scream broke the silence of the forest, startling Sasuke.
He turned towards the source of the sound, a frown on his face.
"That scream, Sakura!" He exclaimed, only to hear a voice behind him.
"Rule number two, Genjutsu," the voice said, accompanied by a tinkling bell. Sasuke could guess who it belonged to.
"Sakura fell for it easily," Kakashi continued.
Sasuke closed his eyes and grimaced.
'A type of illusion. She might have fallen for it but...'
For a moment, the rustling of the wind through the leaves was the only sound in the forest.
Until Sasuke spoke.
"I'm not like them," he said without turning around.
Leaning against a tree, eyes on his book, Kakashi replied.
"Say that after you get a bell," he responded. "Sasuke-kun."
Naruto clawed at the earth as he dragged himself out of the river.
"Damn scarecrow, was he trying to kill me? I almost drowned!" He grumbled.
He managed to stand up. His body was sore and tired.
He surveyed his surroundings.
"Now, where are the others?" He muttered, before using his sensory skills to locate them.
They weren't far, he thought, as he started heading towards them.
As he ran, he focused on their emotions.
Sakura seemed disoriented, as if she had just woken up, while Sasuke was seething. Not unusual for Mr. Sunshine, but Naruto could sense a hint of disappointment and shame.
Huh, he must have failed too.
Well, no matter. He should focus on getting the bell. There couldn't be much time left.
He located Kakashi easily, near the same river where he almost drowned him. Now, the question was, how could he get the bell?
Trying to confront him head-on didn't work last time, so what could he do?
He pondered for a moment when an idea struck him.
He could use... that jutsu. But it was risky, and he'd have to get close to Kakashi-sensei. And if he failed, Naruto doubted he'd get another chance as Kakashi would know what to expect.
He'd need a distraction.
While observing his target, he noticed what Kakashi was doing, and an idea formed in his mind.
He smirked slyly. He knew what he had to do now.
Kakashi was engrossed in his book before letting out a sigh.
'Looks like this batch of Genin is going to fail too,' he thought. Shame, they had potential.
Suddenly, his blonde student emerged from the forest.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
"Back for more, Naruto?" he said lazily.
Naruto grinned.
"Yeah, but this time's gonna be different, sensei," he said, still smiling.
Kakashi closed his book and regarded him.
"Hope you've got something new. Otherwise, it'll end up like your last attempt," he said.
Naruto scoffed.
"We'll see about that!" he said as he created some clones, and they dashed toward him.
Kakashi sighed inwardly. Another frontal assault. Predictable.
He was about to dispatch the clones once more and neutralize the real one when they did something unexpected.
Naruto used the Ram hand seal, and suddenly, he and the clones transformed into...
Kakashi's heart rate quickened. Is this...?
"Kakashi-Sensei," a group of beautiful naked ladies teased. "Could you spare us a bell?" they purred, posing provocatively.
'Is this heaven?' he thought. It was like a scene from Icha Icha Paradise.
His dreams seemed to be coming true at last!
But reality intruded when he heard someone behind him.
He whirled around and caught his blonde student's hand trying to sneak up on him.
Suppressing his tears at his shattered dreams, he said, "Gotcha," as the rest of his students emerged from the forest.
Naruto returned the smile.
"Nope, got you!" he said, grabbing Kakashi's arm with his free hand.
Alarmed, Kakashi tried to break free, but then it happened.
A surge of chakra flooded his body, and...
He attempted to release Naruto, but found himself unable to move. It was like his body was frozen.
'What's happening?' he tried to say, but even his mouth was paralyzed. He couldn't even move his eyes!
'Is this Genjutsu?' he puzzled. Naruto shouldn't be able to use Genjutsu. He had too much chakra.
He tried to dispel it by channeling chakra through his body, only to find he couldn't. Something was blocking him.
"Ha, gotcha, Sensei!" Naruto said as, unbeknownst to Kakashi, one of his clones dashed toward the bells at his waist.
Startled, Kakashi tried once more to dispel the Genjutsu, channeling even more chakra through his pathways, this time freeing himself.
But it was too late.
Just as he broke free, Naruto's clone managed to snatch the bells.
"Yes!" Naruto cheered, jumping around as the clone handed him the bells.
Sakura and Sasuke stared in disbelief.
'The dobe did it while I failed?!' Sasuke seethed, furious. Sakura just watched, stunned.
"Well done, Naruto," said Kakashi, smiling. He was still surprised by the last jutsu Naruto used, but he'd think about that later. Now it was time to see what Naruto would do next. "Now, who gets the other bell, and who's going back to the academy?" he asked.
Naruto paused in his celebration to glance at his two teammates. Something troubled him about all this.
For one, Kakashi's emotions didn't match the situation. He wasn't happy or upset that Naruto got the bells; he seemed nervous, almost... anxious.
Plus, the test was all wrong. Kakashi couldn't expect three fresh Genin to beat a Jōnin. Naruto's only success came from catching him off guard.
For them to succeed, they'd need to...
Suddenly, a light bulb went off in Naruto's head.
"Look underneath the underneath," he murmured, catching Kakashi's attention. That's what Braith-Ne-san had said. Naruto analyzed the test for a moment before widening his eyes.
He turned to Kakashi with a surprised expression.
"Is that it?" he asked incredulously. "The test was all about..." He trailed off, shocked.
Kakashi's smile widened. Finally, someone understood the test correctly after all those failed attempts.
This blonde teenager kept surprising him. Not just with his skills, but also his attitude. Sometimes he acted like his mother, other times he showed the same kind of insight as his father. It was unexpected.
But it didn't matter now. Naruto just had to give the bells to his teammates, and the test would be over.
Yet, surprisingly, he didn't. He just stood there, looking at the bells with a pensive expression.
"Um, Kakashi-Sensei," he said with hesitation. "Could I talk with you along for a minute?" He said, and Kakashi could have sworn that Naruto sounded almost... conflict.
With a confused look, he responded.
"Sure," he said, as they walked away from the other two Genin.
A couple of meters away, the ninjas stood, one confused and the other, morose.
After a brief moment of silence, Naruto said.
"Kakashi-Sensei," he said looking him in the eye. "This test is supposed to be some kind of simulacrum about sacrifice, right? Sacrifice for the mission and the team." He clarified.
Kakashi looked at him for a moment before nodding.
"So, the person who gets the bells -the objective of the mission- is supposed to give them to his teammates while keeping himself with nothing, essentially losing his chances to pass the test so his teammates could pass," Kakashi thought that so far, Naruto had understood the test pretty well. "Or, if we transfer it to the real world, the person who gets the bell dies for the sake of the team and the good of the village," he said.
Kakashi wondered where he was going with this.
"So, what are you telling me is that I am supposed to die for two people who don't give a crap about me?" He asked, looking down.
Kakashi's eye widened at his words. He hadn't thought of that.
"Now, now, Naruto, I am sure that is not true," he said, trying to cheer him up.
But it looked like it was the wrong thing to say.
"Yes, it is!" Naruto said, waving his arms angrily. "Now I understand that, for reasons that nobody has explained to me yet, most of the village hates my guts. I know that and I am willing to work to prove them otherwise. But those two are the worst!" he said pointing at the two other Genin in the distance.
Kakashi didn't say anything and let him speak.
"Sakura thinks that I am an annoying brat that should just disappear just so she could enjoy her romantic delusions, and Sasuke doesn't give a shit about... pretty much anyone. Now, I know that I annoyed Sakura before and that some pretty awful stuff happened to Sakuke, but that doesn't justify their behavior. If I were to die today, tomorrow they would probably forget that I ever existed! I am supposed to die for people like them!?" He said, with strained breathing, clearly agitated.
As Naruto panted, Kakashi thought of his words. He had read the files of the three Genin and while he thought that Naruto was exaggerating a bit, his words were not exactly wrong.
Sasuke had an unhealthy obsession with vengeance and Sakura had an unhealthy obsession with Sasuke.
Still, to pass the test, the three are supposed to work together. And from what Naruto told him, the other two members of the team were not willing to do it.
Kakashi signed. And neither was Naruto. He said that he was willing to work with others but he hadn't demonstrated it.
Kakashi shock his head in disipointment. Well, it looked like this team also failed.
But before he could say anything, Naruto did something unexpected.
He sighed in resignation.
He looked at the bells in his hand.
"Oh well," he said, toying with the bells. "I guess I'll be the sacrificial lamb so the others can pass," his words stunned Kakashi. "I know it's just a test, but still, it's a pretty crappy situation," he laughed bitterly. "That is life, I suppose," he said as he walked toward the other two Genin.
Kakashi watched him go, speechless. He did it! Naruto showed the willingness to sacrifice himself for the team's success!
He put his hand under his chin, pondering. Maybe...
An eye-smile formed on his face. 'That could work,' he thought.
"Hey, Sensei?" Naruto called. "Are you coming or what?" he asked, puzzled.
Instead of following, Kakashi said, "How about we test your theory?"
"Huh?" Naruto asked, confused.
"Don't worry, you'll like what I have planned," he eye-smiled. "And if you're right, I'll make it up to you," he said, leaving Naruto perplexed.
Sakura and Sasuke watched the exchange of words with curiosity.
"What do you think they're talking about, Sasuke-Kun?" she asked.
Without turning his gaze from the discussion, he responded, "I don't know."
They remained silent for a few more minutes before it happened.
Kakashi, moving faster than either of them had seen him move before, quickly snatched the bells from Naruto's hand and struck him in the chest, causing him to fall to the ground.
Without giving him time to recover, he tied him up with ninja wire and began to drag him towards them.
The two genin watched the spectacle with widened eyes just as the alarm clock rang, startling both.
"Oh, it looks like time is up," said Kakashi as he walked towards the post and tied a stunned Naruto to it.
Sakura and Sasuke looked at Kakashi with clear confusion on their faces.
"But - but Naruto had already gotten the bells!" she said. Sasuke simply nodded in agreement.
"Yes, he did," Kakashi said, smiling. "But I didn't say I couldn't take them back, did I?" he asked, surprising them.
"But - but then that means that-" Sakura tried to say.
"Well, it doesn't matter," Kakashi interrupted her. "The test is over, but don't worry, none of you guys need to go back to the academy," he said, still smiling.
'Huh? But the only thing I did was pass out. Was that enough?' Sakura wondered, while another part of her thought. 'Hell yeah, true love wins!'
Sasuke simply smiled in contentment.
Naruto didn't say anything.
"Yep," Kakashi said, still smiling. "All three of you should just quit as shinobi!" he said, his smile disappearing from his face.
The two teenagers were shocked by his words.
"What do you mean by that?!" Sakura asked, alarmed.
"All of you are just punks who don't deserve to become shinobi," said Kakashi coldly.
Furious at his words, Sasuke charged at his sensei, rage apparently erasing his previous defeat from his memory.
Kakashi simply grabbed the fist aimed at his face, twisted it behind Sasuke, pinned him to the ground, and put a boot over his head.
"That's why you don't deserve to be a ninja," Kakashi said, looking down at Sasuke.
Sasuke gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Hey," yelled Sakura, "Don't step on Sasuke-Kun!" she said, indignant.
"Are you guys underestimating shinobis? Huh?" Kakashi glared at them. "Why do you think you're put into teams and undergo this training?" he asked them seriously.
"Huh?" Sakura looked at him with confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Basically, you guys don't understand the answer to this test," he explained.
The teenagers looked at him with puzzled expressions.
Kakashi simply sighed at this.
"It's simple. It's teamwork!" he said, making them widen their eyes in realization.
"The three of you working together might have gotten and kept the bells from me."
'Hey, wait a second!' Sakura thought.
"What do you mean by that?! There are only two bells!" Sakura pointed to the silver-haired man. "Even if we work together and get the bells, one of us would still fail. What teamwork? That just makes us fight each other!" she yelled at him.
Kakashi looked at her.
"Of course! This test is purposely set up to make you fight among yourselves," Kakashi explained.
Sakura looked at him in realization.
"The test is to see if you can put your own interests aside and successfully work together under these designed circumstances," he explained. "Yet you guys..."
He looked at the pink-haired girl.
"Sakura, instead of worrying about Naruto, whom you saw being carried downstream near you, you were only thinking about Sasuke, who was far away from you," Sakura looked down in shame at his words.
He looked down at the Uchiha.
"Sasuke, you assumed that the others would get in your way and tried to do everything yourself."
Sasuke gritted his teeth in frustration.
"And Naruto," he looked at the boy tied to the post. "You did manage to get the bells," he recognized. "But you assumed the test was over and you ended up losing the bells, instead of trusting your partners and trying to discuss the situation. Perhaps, the three of you could have realized that the test was not over, and defended the bells from me," he said.
Naruto sweatdropped at his words.
"Missions are carried out by a team." He released Sasuke and started to get up. "Of course, superior individual ability is important, but what's even more important is teamwork."
The three teenagers remained silent, deeply considering what Kakashi had said.
Kakashi started to walk away from them.
"You guys," he said, turning his head to them. "I'll give you one more chance. But after lunch, I'll make it even tougher to get the bells."
The genin looked at him.
"Those of you who still wish to challenge me can eat lunch. But don't give anything to Naruto," he ordered them.
"Huh?" he asked.
"It's his punishment for losing the bells," he said as he walked away from them. "If anyone gives him any food, you will all fail immediately."
He looked at them with a cold expression.
"I am the rules here! Got it?" He said before disappearing.
The three genin just stood there in silence.
Legacy Shop.
"What an interesting test Kakashi executed. Just like you did, and Tobirama before you," Braith said.
Hiruzen nodded to her words.
"Do you think they will pass?" Hiruzen asked.
Braith just shrugged.
"Who knows? It all depends on those two," she said, pointing at the girl and the Uchiha. "Besides, Naruto's future is assured either way, and that is my only concern," she said with a satisfied smile.
Hiruzen gave her a calculated look.
"Not even for Sasuke?" He asked, making her flinch. "After all, he is Mikoto's son. And you and her were-" He tried to say when he felt a chill in the air. It was like the temperature in the garden had suddenly dropped.
He looked at his companion and saw the cold look he was receiving.
"Saru, drop it," she said, with a neutral voice.
The two of them looked at each other for a brief moment before Hiruzen averted his gaze.
"As you wish," he backed off. "By the way," he said, changing the subject. "What was that jutsu that Naruto used to immobilize Kakashi? Was it a Genjutsu?" He asked with a curious tone.
With a more relaxed voice, Braith responded.
"No, he doesn't have the necessary chakra control to use Genjutsu," she said. "But..." she gave him a sly smirk. "It uses a similar principle," she said.
Hiruzen gave her an inquisitive look.
"A Genjutsu is created when a ninja controls the chakra flow of a target's cerebral nervous system by inserting their own Chakra into his target's body," she explained. "What Naruto did was insert his chakra into Kakashi, though he didn't put a small amount of chakra but a significant volume of it. Enough to make the chakra flow start circulating backward," she said.
Hiruzen pondered her words. The chakra flow of one's body always circulates in the same direction. It was what allowed the organs and other motor functions to work. So if Naruto used his prodigious quantity of chakra to make the flow reverse itself...
His eyes widened.
"I see that you get it," Braith nodded to him. "Yes, at reversing his chakra flow, Naruto immobilized all the conscious movements of his target's body, in this case, Kakashi," she said. "Of course, it could be easily countered by people with great chakra control, as most Jōnin have, but still, it would take more chakra than they are accustomed to using when dispelling Genjutsu, and even then, it will take them at least a second, which in this case was all that Naruto needed to steal the bells," she finished saying.
Hiruzen was impressed. While that technique could only be used by people who have extraordinary amounts of chakra like Naruto, and although it didn't give him much time to act if his opponents were Jōnin, it was still very impressive. And as Naruto's chakra control improves, so will be the time that his target would be needed to dispel such a technique.
But there was a problem.
"Won't the targets of this technique be capable of absorbing Naruto's chakra for themselves?" He asked. If Naruto's enemies could replenish their chakra reserves using the blonde's chakra, it could leave him in a dangerous situation.
Braith shook her head.
"It would be like trying to absorb the chakra from a Genjutsu. Possibly, yes, but extremely difficult. Most people just dispel the chakra along with the illusion," she said.
Hiruzen relaxed at her words. One in a thousand ninjas would be capable of that, but the rest would either dispel it or endure the illusion.
"Does this jutsu have a name?" He asked her.
Braith smiled.
"Reverse-Flow Control," she responded.
After that, they stayed in silence and watched the conclusion of the bell test.
Two of the Genin were eating in silence while the other one remained tied to the post.
Naruto was looking at the sky as time passed.
'Looks like I was right, Kakashi-Sensei,' he thought with a bitter smile.
Seeing that smile, Sasuke gave him a pensive look before looking down at his lunch.
He remained that way for a few seconds before extending his lunch to the blonde boy.
"Here," he said, surprising Naruto.
"Eh?" Naruto looked at the lunch with a confused look. What is Mr. Sunshine doing?
"Hey, Sasuke-Kun," intervened Sakura. "Sensei just said-"
"Don't worry. I don't sense him near here. After lunch, we will work together and get the bells," he said without looking at them.
Naruto could point out that their sensei was not, in fact, very far away, but Sasuke's gesture had left him speechless.
"Without food, he will just get in the way," Sasuke continued. "And that will only hurt us," he said with a neutral voice.
Naruto looked at him in wonder.
'Sasuke-kun,' thought Sakura.
She looked at her lunchbox, and a second later, she offered it to Naruto.
Naruto looked at them and felt a little bit of guilt.
'What do you know, Kakashi-Sensei was right after all,' he thought before he started laughing.
The two other Genin looked at him with confusion when a smoke curtain appeared just before them.
"You guys!" Said Kakashi as he emerged from the smoke.
"AHH!" Yelled Sakura while Sasuke prepared for combat.
But before any of them could do anything...
"Pass!" Said Kakashi while giving them a one-eye smile.
Naruto smiled at his sensei.
"Huh?" Said Sakura and Sasuke at the same time.
"Hehehe!" laughed Kakashi with pride.
"Pass, but why?" Exclaimed Sakura.
"You guys are the first Genin that I ever pass."
"Huh?" Sakura was still confused.
"Everyone else would just do whatever I told them. They were all just morons."
Kakashi threw a shuriken at Naruto's ropes to untie him.
"A ninja must see underneath the underneath. Those who break the rules in the ninja world are called scum, that is true," he said with a solemn voice. "But those who abandoned their comrades are worse than scum," he declared.
The three ninjas looked at him in awe before they relaxed.
"Haaa," Sakura sighed in relief while Sasuke just smirked.
Naruto put his hands behind his head and smiled slyly at his Sensei, and Kakashi returned the smile.
Seeing this, Sasuke realized something.
"You already knew about this, don't you Dobe?" He asked with suspicion.
"Eh? Naruto did?" Asked Sakura.
"Yes, Naruto figured out the answer to the test when he took the bells," confirmed.
Kakashi surprised the other two students. "But it would have been pointless if only he deduced it, so he assisted me in testing you two," the two Genin looked at Naruto with new eyes at his words.
'Maybe he is not just an annoying idiot after all,' Sasuke thought, although a part of him was angry at himself for not having discovered the answer before the dobe.
What Kakashi didn't say was that he had offered Naruto an apprenticeship if the other two failed. After all, Naruto shouldn't have to be punished for having guessed right while the other two didn't.
Although he didn't vocalize this. Kakashi didn't think those words would be well reciprocated.
"That is the end of the training. All of you pass!" He said, giving them a thumbs up. "Starting tomorrow, Team Seven will begin its duties!" He said.
"Hell yeah!" celebrated Naruto happily.
The other two members were also joyful but demonstrated more subtlety.
Naruto looked at them, thinking of how they offered him his lunchbox. He smiled at the thought.
'Maybe being in this team won't be so bad,' he thought as the three Genin and the Jōnin left the field.
Hope you liked it.