The Tale of the Cursed Namikaze

by Datura7

Jinchuuriki, scapegoats of the village and society. And the jinchuriki of Konoha, a dumb blonde with an optimistic view on life. But what if, that boy was not dumb? What if he was our normal average intellect guy, with some curses or rather gifts? What if his parents were alive? What if he was still alone? How would he proceed? PS: The story will be a bit slower than average.

7. Chapter 7 - Teams & Bells

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any other characters, Masashi Kishimoto and studio pierrot does.

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Chapter 7:Teams & Bells

A week had passed. Naruto woke up at his usual time, at five-thirty. He woke up with a large yawn. Lazily he made his way to the kitchen. He did his morning routine exercise. Then he made himself some rice and miso soup. He finished his breakfast. He was now getting ready to reach the academy for his team allotment. Naruto now didn't have any reason or will go hide what he was capable of. He would now for the first time let his classmates see him in his full shinobi get up, with his tanto and its strapping vest on him. It was a pain to accept that his outfit would cause a ruckus, which again could ruin Shikamaru's nap.

Looking back at his week. He couldn't deny that he didn't enjoy it. He studied more about the Gojo Kibaku Fuda (Tandam Paper bombs) seal and the ones he was thinking of. He would also keep up with his training in his favorite training ground. During evenings Konohamaru, after his academy hours, would join him and train or just have fun.

After watering his plant, closing his apartment. He climbed on the roof. Released his seals. And then took off, jumping from roof to roof towards the academy. He spotted both Shikamaru and Choji walking towards the academy on the streets. Naruto landed beside them. Neither of them were particularly surprised at the sudden drop made by the blonde, and all continued to walk together.

Shikamaru just said, "Can't you just walk like a normal human once?"

"No can do." Replied Naruto.

"Yo Naruto! How are you doing?" asked Choji.

"I am doing great. Hope so you too are." Said Naruto with a smile.

"As good as ever." Said Choji.

Shikamaru then took a look at the change in Naruto's attire. Well, all had at least one change, their Hitai-ate. Naruto had it around his forehead. Choji had it in a bandana, which had two spaces from where his orange hair spiked out. He, himself had stitched his Hitai-ate around the right sleeve of his over jacket. Though Naruto had much more changes.

The most prominent being the tanto and its strapping vest. 'Well, kenjutsu isn't taught to anyone in academy days in Konoha… Naruto is not a person to decorate himself with weapons just to look cool or strong…You really know how to use it, don't you? You troublesome blonde! And how much do you train? It seems you just like to reveal things one by one…Just finish it all at once. Why ruin my sleep every day!'

Shikamaru in an annoyed tone only said, "What enmity do you have with my sleep? You blonde bastard."

Naruto knew why Shikamaru said this, so he decided to tease his friend by saying. "Hymn let's see…It just makes me feel good, seeing you in pain when you don't get your precious sleep."

Shikamaru just grumbled in annoyance. On the other hand, Choji wasn't paying much attention as he was trying to find a particular bag of chips in a storage scroll, he always had with him. At the success of finding the bag, he displayed a smile and opened it. He then noticed Shikamaru grumbling and Naruto having a smirk on. He knew the two must have some random teasing. He just offered some chips to both his friends while asking, "What do you two think? Who will be on your teams?...I think best case scenario we three are in the same teams."

They just entered the gates of the academy while this question was asked. It was the standard of any shinobi system that a team had four members. Naruto thought for a moment and said, "Yeah that would be the best case any day…let's see how our luck fares."

The trio entered the room they were supposed to report. Shikamaru just looked at the people already there and thought of the one who would be arriving. He just said, "Look boys our luck has started to fade already…There are exactly twenty-seven graduates, eighteen boys, and nine girls…A perfect two is to one ratio. I think every team will have their jonin leader with two boys and a girl…Oh man this is such a drag."

Both Naruto and Choji counted mentally and in a depressed mood both slumped and agreed with Shikamaru. Naruto again looked at the room they were in. It had three, two-seater benches on the left. Three, three-seater benches in the middle and again, three, two-seater benches on the right.

Exact number of seats. He then saw the unoccupied seats. There are seats available on the right, two seated sets. The last bench is completely free. And the second one is with a person seated at the window seat, looking outside. Then there were two seats in the middle, a three-seater bench. Which had the last Uchiha seated on the middle seat of it.

Naruto had at the start had no idea why only Sasuke had the nickname of the last Uchiha when there were two more also. Naruto looked at the said person. And found Sasuke glaring at him back. The Uchiha had an extra set of white arm warmers with blue bindings on them, with his usual get-up. 'Jeez still bitter of humiliation, aren't you?' said Naruto in his mind to the glare he was receiving. It was a no-brainer where he would be sitting. He headed towards the intended seat. He reached there and to the person who had occupied the window seat, said, "Hey Hinata…how are you?"

The said girl was just looking out of the window, swaying her legs and humming in her tune. At the voice, she turned her head to look at her crush. Her heartbeat started to pace up and she had already a small blush decorating her face. Naruto had been her crush since the day, the blonde had saved her from some bullies years ago. She in a stuttering voice said, "I...I am fine…How are you?"

"I am fine." Said Naruto while sitting down on the seat, and his friends at the bench behind him. Outwardly Hinata had only become a bit more red. But her internal storm was quite huge, with her mind thinking, 'He…he…he is sitting next to me! Calm down Hinata, calm down…Don't faint. don't faint' These words were said to encourage herself.

To continue the chat Hinata asked, "Naruto-kun…You know how to use a tanto?"

"Not an expert but I do have a good hand for it...Say Hinata what are your expectations from today's allotments." Said Naruto curious about Hinata's thoughts.

"I…I...I...don't know." Said Hinata very timidly. While internally she raged, 'How the hell am I supposed to say I want you in my team?!'

"Hymn ok…As it seems there will be one girl and two boys. So, for me, the best scenario is one of these two behind us and me. And from girls, I would like you to be on my team." Said Naruto truthfully while also added, 'I actually mean Shikamaru , you and me. Choji is a nice guy, but I feel I and Shika can collaborate far better.'. He then turned to see Hinata had a completely red face. She was completely flustered as Naruto said he wanted her in his team. Naruto was absolutely confused due to Hinata's red face and thought, 'Here comes her sporadic fever.'

Naruto with a bit of concern in his voice asked, "Hinata you are red again. Are you feeling all right?" With that Naruto started to extend a hand to touch her forehead and check her temperature.

"Ugg-ghh." Was the only Hinata was able to say before her crush touched her forehead. And then she slumped unconscious on the desk.

"Wh-what just happened?...Guys she is not well...Again!" said Naruto with a sigh.

"Naruto…take this water and sprinkle it on her face." Said Shikamaru while handling a bottle. He also thought, 'This troublesome blonde is such a big mess. He is an intellect when it comes to logical, practical shinobi warfare. But when it is emotions…it's like he doesn't understand the more complex forms of it…like the one Hinata has for him…He is such a drag.'

"Are you sure?" asked Naruto.

"Just sprinkle the damn water." Replied Shikamaru. Choji just chuckled at the display happening in front of him, as he too knew explaining would be a drag.

Naruto did as he was told, and saw the girl opening her eyes. He was glad that Shikamaru was right and displayed a gentle smile. Hinata was opening her eyes. The first thing she saw was Naruto looking intently at her with a gentle smile. She blushed again. She took a moment and realized what had happened. She now had a blush due to slight embarrassment.

"You almost scared me Hinata. Glad that woke up…But I am really curious…why do you faint all of a sudden sometimes?" Asked Naruto.

"Sorry for scaring…I...I don't know." Said Hinata, while feeling ecstatic, due to the thought, 'He cares!'

Before Naruto could say anything more, all of the class heard a loud commotion, made by the two loudest girls in the class. It was Ino and Sakura fighting over who would sit next to Sasuke. All of the class looked at the duo in disbelief. 'There are literally two seats!' all thought. Even Sasuke had his hands covered his face and was mentally cursing Naruto for not sitting next to him. It would mean he had to bear one of these girls and Naruto rather than both of them.

Having enough of his sleep being disturbed, Shikamaru in an irritated voice said, "You two banshee! For god's sake, there are two seats adjacent to that emo Uchiha. Sit on them."

Both of them heard Shikamaru and saw the other seat. With an embarrassed blush on them and took a seat each. While Sasuke glared at Shikamaru for calling him emo. Naruto to put Sasuke in trouble said, "Look how much your Uchiha cares for you. He kept seats for both of you."

At hearing this both the girls had hearts in their eyes and started saying. 'Oh Sasuke-kun, I knew you cared for me and loved me back', 'Oh Sasuke-kun, thank you so much!'. And blabbering started again. Sasuke was not hearing all this. He was just glaring daggers at the Uzumaki. He knew the blonde did this to trouble him, as it was not a secret that Sasuke didn't like or care about this fangirl stuff. Shikamaru just shook his head with a hand on the bridge of his nose. He just thought, 'When it comes to manipulation, he can perfectly use any emotion…even the ones he can't comprehend. Quite illogically when you think of it.'

Shikamaru just said, "Fuck you Naruto. They were quiet. And you had to make those two to open their mouths again! At least just once have mercy on my sleep."

"Hey come on, don't deny you are also enjoying that emo being troubled." Said Naruto between chuckling.

"Ahhh…Can't deny that." Shikamaru too chuckle along.

"Don't you think it's a bit cruel on Sasuke?" Asked Chouji, though he too was laughing a bit.

"Ne Naruto-kun you shouldn't trouble Sasuke-kun like that." Said Hinata in her opinion.

"It's fine." Said Naruto brushing it off.

---

After a while Iruka entered with a board. Well, the class was still making noise so he yelled, "SETTLE DOWN ALL OF YOU!"

Everyone stopped their chatting. Iruka then started and completed the roll call. Iruka then said, "It is good to see all of you are present and in good health. So, as I said today, we will be announcing your teams. The teams will consist of three genin and a jonin leader, who will act as your sensei from now…So now team 1…"

Iruka then proceeded to say the teams. Naruto was paying half attention to the names going on. Which is why he was heavily leaning against the desk with one arm supporting his head and swaying a bit. He then heard a name which caught his attention.

Iruka had said, "Team 7 consists of Uchiha Sasuke…"

It had actually caught everyone's attention as all wanted to know who all would be with the rookie of the year. The fangirls were desperate to hear their name, while some not wanting to hear their name.

Iruka continued, "…Haruno Sakura…"

At this, the said girl jumped up from her seat and cheered on being on the same team as Sasuke. Sasuke visibly wasn't happy. Naruto noticed this and chuckled, until…he heard Iruka said, "…and Uzumaki Naruto…"

Naruto lost his balance upon hearing his name, and his head slammed into the wooden desk. It did create a satisfactory thud sound. Naruto got up and immediately started saying, "No, no, no, you are not putting me with these two."

Iruka just sighed he had kind of guessed this would happen. But the teams were formed by the Hokage himself. They were final. Iruka just asked, "Naruto you have any problem with the team?"

Sakura was also unhappy with Naruto being on her team. It was due to her belief that the blonde being close to Sasuke was the cause of her failure in not being able to convince the Uchiha to a date. Yes, closeness to Sasuke. She thought this as the Uchiha would only interact with the Uzumaki to somewhat extent, even if it was very little. He interacted only with Naruto.

Sasuke too was not one percent on agreeable terms with his team. First, he gets an annoying fangirl, and now the boy he literally fought on almost everything. And there was Hinata who too had a small purple depression cloud on her. She just thought, 'Both I and Naruto wanted to be in each other's team…Why did they have to set the team like they have now?'

It was clear how opposite Naruto was to the idea. Because of the team, he was the only one who vocally opposed it. Naruto to the question replied with a sarcastic tone, "Oh, no, no, the team is all right that is why I am being so vocal and repulsive to the idea. I love the idea of being with a banshee bimbo and an anti-social emo. All is perfect. It is splendid."

Iruka got a bit angry at the sarcastic comment, and in an irate tone said, "You disrespectful brat, sit down."

"Not until you change my team." said a stubborn blonde.

Iruka in a stern voice said, "Naruto SIT DOWN…The teams have been formed by the Hokage himself…so if you have any problem go to him…And now let me continue."

Naruto grumbled and sat down while thinking, 'Jiji, just you wait…I will be coming with my new arsenal after you.' He also asked, "Shikamaru please kill me, that's a better outcome."

"I would gladly do it…But thinking of it, first killing you is a lot of work. Then going through trial and then proven guilty and then going to jail…It's quite a big drag…so no thank you. I like you said, I am loving it seeing you in deep shit." Said Shikamaru with a big smirk.

Naruto just turned around and glared daggers at his friend who was having fun of his problem. Hinata, trying to encourage Naruto said, "Ano…Naruto-kun all will be right. No need to react such a way now." Naruto just sighed and nodded.

Iruka then continued, "Team 8 consists of Hyuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino led by Yuhi Kurenai."

Naruto raised his hand. Iruka sighed and said, "Yes, Naruto?"

"Sensei can I and Kiba exchange teams?" Asked Naruto

"You are such a crybaby Naruto." Taunted Kiba and laughed with the rest of the class joining him, except for Naruto's friends and a few others. While Hinata had a slight blush at the fact that Naruto was trying to get into her team.

Iruka just said, "SILENCE! And no Naruto we won't be doing this exchange. Sit quietly now."

Iruka continued by saying, "Team 9 is still in circulation. So, Team 10 consists of Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Choji, and Nara Shikamaru led by Sarutobi Asuma."

Naruto again raised his hand. While he also thought, 'So Asuma is also leading a team now. Haven't seen the man literally for ages.' Sarutobi Asuma was the Hokage's son and Konohamaru's uncle. Asuma and Naruto have had an interaction or two. The interactions happened as many times Naruto would spend whole days with his Jiji when he was very young.

The reason for no more interactions was due to Asuma left when he had been given the offer to become one of the twelve guardian ninjas of the daimyo. And since the daimyo was the political leader of the country, only highly skilled and renowned ninjas were offered the position. This told about the skill set of the members of the Sarutobi clan.

Iruka painfully pressed the bridge of his nose, when he saw Naruto raise his hand, "What is it now Naruto? It better be important!"

"Ahhh…Can I and Ino exchange teams?" Asked Naruto.

Ino on hearing this too desperately said, "Yes sensei, please…Can we?" She too wanted to be on Sasuke's team. It had already been a blow to her that her rival was in Sasuke's team but not her. She was presented with this exchange and now wanted it. Sasuke on the other hand showed a big cross with his hands. He didn't want to deal with two fangirls.

"Shut it both of you!"

"Oh, come on sensei now even Ino wants to do the exchange." Whined Naruto. He felt it was unfair that Choji and Shikamaru were together while he had to rot with those two.

"Naruto no means no…And stop trying for an exchange it is not gonna happen." Said Iruka in a stern tone.

Naruto grumbled further and just asked, "At least tell us the name of our jonin leader, you forgot to mention it."

"Oh, I didn't? Sorry, my bad…So listen Naruto, this is your team, there won't be any changes…Team 7 consists of Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto led by Hatake Kakashi."

Naruto just grinned at who he got as his jonin sensei. The man was feared across all of the elemental nations. That was a deal saver for Naruto and accepted the team.

"I will be taking my leave now. Your jonin leaders will arrive and direct you all what to do ahead from now…Bye all." Said Iruka and left the room.

---

One-by-one jonins were arriving and taking their teams. It had been some time now and only team 7, team 8, and team 10 were left. Then the sliding door opened to a tall man with brown eyes, olive skin, short spiky black hair, and a beard standing. He wore a standard Konoha flank jacket worn by all jonin, with standard shinobi clothing, Hitai-ate around his forehead, and an extra piece of cloth that was tucked to his waist and had the kanji for fire. Indicating his status of being a former member of the twelve-guardian ninja. The said man was Sarutobi Asuma.

Naruto just smiled and lifted his arm to say hi. Asuma reciprocated the action and just said, "Team 10 follow me."

With that team 10 left with saying their byes to the others. After this time Naruto was absolutely annoyed as Kiba constantly tried to tease him or say some nonsense. The door slid open again. He was glad for the intervention. He did want to counter Kiba's sentences but refrained from doing so. Naruto did this as he knew there was no point in it, as Kiba wouldn't even try to comprehend.

Now at the door stood a slender and fair-skinned woman, having long black untamed hair going till her upper back and very unique red eyes. Her outfit consisted of a red mesh armor blouse with only the right sleeve visible. The cloth seemed to be made of a very broad material and was like bandages with a pattern on it similar to those of rose thorns. Her hands and upper thighs were also wrapped in bandages and she wore the Konoha Hitai-ate around her forehead and regular shinobi sandals.

The women then said, "I am Yuhi Kurenai. Team 8, follow me."

Naruto waved bye to Hinata while she went to follow her sensei. Kiba before he left the room, while laughing, smugly said, "Haha looks like the loser squad gets the loser sensei."

After Kiba had left. Naruto burst out into laughter. Both Sasuke and Sakura looked at the blonde and wondered why all of a sudden was he laughing.

"Lo-loser Sensei! Hahahahahahaha" Naruto couldn't control his laughter.

A bit irritated at the laugh Sakura said, "What are you laughing at Naruto?"

"He is calling Hatake Kakashi a loser! Obviously, I will laugh." Explained Naruto.

"I mean he is not totally wrong. That person had still not arrived." Said Sakura a bit unhappy at being the last to still be in the rooms.

"Don't tell me you don't know about him!" Naruto said in slight disbelief. Sakura shook her head in no. Naruto sighed and then asked, "What about you teme?"

Sasuke gritted his teeth a bit and said, "I don't know anything about him. Dobe…if you know anything and want to share then say or else shut up."

Following Sasuke-kun, Sakura said, "Yeah say what you know and how dare you insult Sasuke-kun?"

Naruto just grumbled a bit. This was the exact reason he did want the two. One shuck-up brat and another fangirl who most of the time didn't use her mind. Naruto just said, "It is a shame you all don't know about the best jonin Konoha has."

"Best jonin?!" Sakura asked in surprise.

Naruto as if only wanting to say this to Sasuke said, "So listen teme…Hatake Kakashi of the Hatake clan. It is a clan that has been in Konoha since its start...He graduated from the academy when he was five years old. Yes, only five. And what are we, twelve years old. A chunin when he was six years old. A jonin by the age of twelve…He is the son of the White fang of Konoha, Hatake Sukumo, yet another legendary figure…Student of the Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato, Yellow flash of the leaf. Even as a kid he was a jonin and played vital roles in the third shinobi war...He has many nicknames but the most famous being, The Copy Ninja Hatake Kakashi. He received this name as he knows over a thousand jutsus. He is one of the only few shinobi who have mastered all five elemental affinities like our Sandaime Hokage. An S-rank Shinobi with a run-on sight order from few nations and feared by all. He is in a class of his own…"

---

It had been three hours since he was supposed to report. But still, he stood in front of the memorial stone. The memorial stone was a kunai-shaped lustrous monument. It had all the names of the shinobi that died in action for Konoha, engraved on it.

The man had spiky silver hair. And a lone black right eye, visible to the world. He had his Hitai-ate around his forehead with its black cloth extending to cover the left eye and the region near it. He also wore a black mask that covered all of the portion beneath his nose. He wore a standard Konoha jonin flak jacket, dark blue pants, and a long-sleeve dark blue shirt. He also wears fingerless gloves with metal plates.

The man for one last time, before he would possibly be having a life-turning encounter said, "Sensei, Obito, Rin…it looks like I am again gonna be part of a team…Sensei, as always I promise that I will look after your son, Rin I will try to hope that I can bind the team like you used to…And Obito, I won't forget what you taught me and I will try to preach and adapt it…Bye for now."

With that, the man with the nickname of The Copy Ninja headed towards the academy to fetch his students.

---

It would be three hours in some moments and all the three were still in the room. Sakura was getting very annoyed at the delay made by their sensei. She was only making annoying comments now and then or asking Sasuke out for a date. Which she was always rejected. Sasuke on the other hand was trying his best to be patient but his female teammate was increasing the difficulty to stay calm with each passing second. Naruto too tried to ignore Sakura to the best of his ability. He just took out his book in which he had all the notes and drawings of his seal, and yet again he indulged in the swirling world of fuinjutsu.

Naruto too feeling he had spent a lot of time in seals got up from his place and went to the blackboard of the room. When Naruto was near the board, both of his teammates took notice of the tanto he had. They noticed it now due to the blonde's back facing them for the first time. Naruto had taken the duster and already made a storage seal on the dusting side. Now Naruto was rubbing the chalk against the board.

"What are you doing Naruto?!" Asked Sakura in an authoritative tone.

"None of your business." Said Naruto, without even shifting much attention from collecting the chalk dust in the storage seal.

Sakura getting angry at the disrespect got up from her seat and also raised her voice. "Don't try to act smart, you FOOL! And What's with that tanto's of yours?! Don't try to act cool by decorating yourself with weapons you can't use."

"…" Naruto still paid no attention and didn't even reply this time. He still had his back turned to them. The ignorance had made the already ill-tempered girl lose her last threads of constraints. She ran toward the boy who had his back faced towards her. She intended to punch some sense to the blonde, while also yelling, "How dare you not answer me?!"

Naruto could hear the steps loud and clear. He just sighed and thought, 'This is what happens when a lady-in-waiting thinks she is the queen.' Naruto then in lightning movements, kept the duster, unsheathed his tanto, and turned. He held out his tanto at a level height and a specific point.

Sakura seeing the tanto suddenly held out at the path of her way, and made an immediate stop. The tip of the tanto touched her neck. She had a bead of sweat rolling down her forehead. But anger filled in her again. "What the hell Naruto?! Are you trying to kill me?"

"Keep your voice down. My tanto is touching your neck and can pierce it any second…So move back and stop shouting or talking like you are the boss around…Then I might answer." said Naruto in a voice with screamed danger.

Sakura moved back, not taking the full warning, and said, "You Idiot! If you kill me then you would go to jail and get executed!"

"Who will prove me guilty?" Asked Naruto.

Surprised at the 'stupidity' of the blonde, Sakura in an angry tone said, "Your dumbness never seems to end does it? Your tanto slicing through my neck killing me…blood on your tanto, my dead body, and Sasuke-kun as a witness. What else is needed to have you executed for killing me, you moron?"

"Have either of you ever seen me with a tanto before?" Asked Naruto all of a sudden. Both of them shook their head. Naruto sheathed back his tanto showcased a cunning smirk and said, "Splendid…Doesn't that mean this is a new tanto? That I am learning how to use it as I am untalented at it and don't know anything about it?"

Sakura just nodded at what Naruto was saying. It was also what she wanted to hear. That the blonde knew nothing, was untalented, and just kept the weapon to look cool.

On the other hand, Sasuke nodded to play along but internally was thinking, 'You may fool her and others now, but no longer me…You held the tanto exactly where her jugular vein was. That precision is no luck. You are very talented at kenjutsu, if you are new to it. Or you are quite experienced…Before I too thought of you as an idiot, I thought I knew who you were completely…'

Sasuke had a couple of interactions with his nee-san, in the past week, where he had just said how Naruto had good skills and beat him in a bitter tone to hide that he wanted to know something. He indirectly wanted to see if the blonde was really lucky on graduation day or not. His elder sister just teased him and said she had expected this. He knew his sister and Naruto were very close. This left no doubt in Sasuke's mind that Naruto was hiding his true self. He didn't know why but he knew the blonde was. His thoughts continued, '…But now the more I get to know, the more jumbled the puzzle of knowing who you are gets...Just who are you Uzumaki Naruto?'

"Doesn't that mean that I was just doing some random time pass on the blackboard, then you all of a sudden come to attack me, a fellow leaf nin? Then I for my self-defence lifted the tanto. That accidentally sliced your neck instead of the uplifted arm, which are at the same level height…That means if your death had occurred then it would be an accidental one and I wouldn't be getting any punishments…But as things stand, unfortunately for you, you aren't dead."

"Unfortunately?!" Yelled Sakura in surprise.

In a gleeful tone and with a happy smile, Naruto said, "Yeah…Cause as things stand, you are alive, and attacked me and aimed at the back part of my head. An area with even some damage there can kill you. So, you tried to kill a fellow leaf shinobi. Which is a punishable law…And your Sasuke-kun being an honest person so also being an honest witness, won't lie…So that means you should be in jail now…Am I not right, Uchiha?"

Sasuke just hummed and nodded agreeing with Naruto when asked for his opinion. While also thought, 'He has one hell of skill in bending the truth…It would be nice if this banshee is behind bars. But I know he won't do it.'

Sakura was now fearing for her own safety as two people, one of them being her Sasuke-kun, who say that she should end up in jail. She was frightened to the core and could only whimper, "Na-na-na-Naru-to…you...you wo…won't pu-put me to jai-jail, would you?...Plea-please come on you wouldn't right…Plea-please I don't want to go to jail." She cried out the last part.

Naruto internally was laughing to no limit at seeing and hearing the current state of the pink-haired girl. Naruto externally just said, "Okay since I am so nice and kind, I won't complain about this."

Sakura sighed in relief as if she had really escaped a trail and said, "Thank you Naruto."

Naruto then saw Sasuke intently looking at him. Neither of them said a word. Naruto just thought, 'He must have looked through. That's why he is looking at me with a calculative gaze…He is arrogant but also more intelligent than most of the people around him. I shouldn't forget that.'

Naruto then proceeded to open the sliding door slightly. Jumping a bit and also sliding the door close so the duster gets stuck at the top. Sasuke realizing what Naruto was doing just said, "Are you sure it will work? I mean you did say he was the best jonin around."

"Let him find out…I have a surprise for him." Said Naruto confidently and he went back to his seat. After a few moments, they saw the door opening.

---

Kakashi had arrived in the hallway a few moments ago. He reached outside of the room he was supposed to report three hours ago. He heard conversations coming from the room. He stayed outside, keeping his chakra hidden and listen what was going on. He wanted to know how the three interacted with one another.

After the whole errand, Kakashi in a depressed state, internally cried, 'They don't have a single thread binding them together. This will be a lot more work than I had imagined.'

He also saw Naruto set up the chalk-filled duster to the top so it would fall on him. He was kind of offended that Naruto thought he would fall for this easy prank. Then he heard about some surprise. Kakashi knowing how to fail the prank went ahead. So, while he was opening the door he in his mind said, 'You should always expect the unexpected.'

---

The next moment when the door slid open. And Kakashi just stood there. He let the duster fall on his head. This actually caught all three occupants off-guard. Both Sasuke and Sakura were thinking, 'Is this man really a jonin?'

Naruto had the most visible shock expression. He had been ready for when Kakashi would catch and see the duster, then he would have activated the seal and the immense amount of chalk dust, which he had stored would be released on the face of the man. He was half ready to release the seal. 'What the hell is happening?' was the only thing he could think.

Kakashi lazily took the duster off his head and at the same time said, "Hymn…My first impression of you three is…that I don't like you."

Sakura thinking that the reason for the statement was the duster prank immediately in a frantic voice said, "Sorry sensei, it was Naruto's fault…I will look after that this doesn't happen again. Naruto, apologize."

Kakashi just thought, 'Well that was pretty quick to point fingers out.'

Naruto was not paying attention to what Sakura was saying. He was waiting for a particular moment. He was the prank master of Konoha he wouldn't let his prank fail so easily. Kakashi had started examining the duster. He turned it and immediately and with a similar swift motion turned it to the corner of the room. He had seen the storage seal and having an idea he immediately took action.

Naruto seeing his chance, activated the seal to release all the chalk dust it had inside. To his disappointment, Kakashi had turned the duster, and all his work was thrown to waste at the corner. Naruto just grumbled when Kakashi, with his iconic eye smile, said, "Nice try Naruto…Better luck next time."

Internally Kakashi was thinking, 'Hymn fuinjutsu from now…Quite a thing I must say. Hokage-sama did tell me you were trained for half a decade. Though neither did he specify on what all and by whom, nor did I pry for it…Now let's see how strong is the boy who I used to cradle when he wasn't able to walk or run around.'

Sakura seeing this internally panicked and said, "Naruto! Apologi…"

She was interrupted by Kakashi himself. To end all said, "All of you at the terrace within five minutes." And with that Kakashi disappeared with a puff, shunshining to the terrace.

Naruto was pouting at his failure. While thinking, 'Man this sucks…Only one man was able to stop my prank when I was little…Wait a minute!' When he was little, he was often babysitted by the Anbu Inu on many occasions, who even little Naruto was never able to prank. 'Coming to think of it Inu did have similar hair!...I think the voice too was quite similar. Just need one more word so can clearly hear and identify.'

Sakura immediately started her way to the terrace, as it was a six-story-tall building with twelve flights of stairs to climb. In her opinion, it would take around five minutes. Sasuke before leaving the room asked Naruto, "How did you pack so much dust in the duster and then release it on will?"

Naruto didn't know why but he felt like giving a hint. Maybe it was due to the excitement of finding the identity of the Anbu who had taken care of and protected him a lot of times. Naruto just said, "You can find the answer in my name."

Sasuke just snarled at the incomplete answer and left as he knew arguing now would be a waste of time. And he had to reach the roof in under five minutes. Naruto saw the Uchiha also go out of the room. He was barely able to hide his excitement. He needed to reach out first and have a chat. So Naruto also shunshined to the terrace.

At the roof, Kakashi was on the roof and leaning against the railings. He was just lazily looking around the concrete terrace, with a garden on it having many variety of plants. He then notices the blonde who had just shunshined on the terrace.

---

Naruto reached the terrace in an eye blink. He immediately said, "Yo sensei!"

Kakashi replied with a lazy, "Yo!", but he was impressed by the soundless shunshin.

"Sensei could you say something?" Asked Naruto tried to recall Inu's voice and check it.

Kakashi was having a bored expression and just said, "…Something…"

Naruto had deadpan eyes at the reply. But at least it was enough for Naruto. Naruto showed a genuine bright smile and said, "It is nice to finally meet you, Inu."

Kakashi blandly said, "It's not very nice to call your sensei as dog, Naruto."

Naruto too blandly replied, "You know what I mean, no need to act otherwise."

Kakashi to had a gentle eye smile and not trying to deny the fact said, "Well I guess it had to happen someday…And you know right you are to keep this identity in the lip zip-locked category."

"Yeah, I know that…However I have a question. Where were you the last two years? I mean you could have told me that you were Inu and we could have spent time together." Asked Naruto, really curious about the fact.

"I was busy with missions and other stuff." Lied Kakashi. The truth is that he considers whoever he got close to the person named Kakashi had died, and that might still continue. That was one of his fears. That's why he interacted with the boy when he was the Anbu, with his identity hidden. He was totally not sure even now if getting close and becoming a teacher, was a good idea. But his leader kept insisting on trying.

Naruto kind of accepted the reasoning. He then said, "Why do you always wear a mask? In Anbu you had the dog mask covering your full face and now this one covering your lower half of the face."

"Ahhh…cause I like it and have always worn it." Said Kakashi casually.

"So, what's behind your mask?" Asked Naruto.

"So wanna look what's behind my mask?" asked Kakashi.

"Well yeah." Said Naruto being a bit impatient.

Kakashi knew Naruto was in for a shock. Kakashi with his eye smile pulled down his mask. Only to reveal the silver-haired joinin to be wearing another mask inside. In a gleeful tone now Kakashi said, "Under my first mask, there is another mask. Pretty cool, huh?"

Naruto at seeing this had lost his balance and in comical fashion fallen on the floor. While on the floor Naruto was only able to think, 'Is he for real?'

Naruto got up and said, "You are impossible."

"I already know that." Replied Kakashi.

They now noticed the door opening and the other two teammates entering the terrace area. Both Sakura and Sasuke were kind of shocked to see Naruto on the terrace. They hadn't seen the boy in the corridors or staircase. They had thought that the blonde was far behind.

Kakashi and Naruto had got a hold of what the two were thinking. As Kakashi had figured there was no trust and an argument was going to come. Before even commotion could start, he said, "Good, all of you are here. Now sit here in front of me and let's have introductions."

There was a step-like pedestal in front of Kakashi. The three sat there with Sasuke sitting in the middle. Kakashi seeing all of them had settled, said, "So we will be introducing ourselves. Say your name, hobbies, likes, dislikes, and dreams…Pinky! Why don't you start?"

Sakura pouted a little at being called 'pinky'. She then said, "Why don't you start sensei? To show how it is done."

Kakashi hummed and said, "Well fine…My name is Hatake Kakashi. My hobby is…reading. My likes and dislikes…You don't need to know. My dream…I don't have one."

All three had their faces faulted. Sasuke and Sakura thought, 'Naruto gave more description about him'. While Naruto was thinking, 'You don't call it only reading…Your hobby is reading the Icha-Icha series…That's the only thing you read.'

Naruto had seen the man when he was in the Anbu and taking care of him reading a book most of the time. The little blonde would ask for or try to snatch the book to read. But the Anbu would never give it to him. It would always result in the little blonde whining and throwing an angry fist at the Anbu, as all toddlers did. Years after when Naruto got his 'study material', he understood why he was never allowed to read the book.

Sakura after being indicated to start said, "My name is Haruno Sakura. My likes…", looked at Sasuke and blushed, "…my hobby is to make myself more pretty for someone. And my dream is…", she again looked at Sasuke and blushes harder.

Kakashi in a deadpan expression just heard what the pinky had to say and mentally took a note, 'She will most likely be the first one to die in a mission.' Kakashi nonchalantly asked, "Dislikes?"

Sakura screeched, "Naruto and Ino-pig."

Kakashi just sighed and then said, "Emo?"

Sasuke just said, "My name is Uchiha Sasuke…I have many dislikes…And apart of my mother and sister I don't like any other person or thing…My hobby…is training for my dream…And my dream, actually no its rather better suited to call it my aim. My aim is to kill a certain somebody."

Sakura had hearts in her eyes, she somehow had ignored the 'likes' sentence, and the last dark sentence. In her mind, she screamed, 'You are so awesome and cool Sasuke-kun!' Kakashi just hummed and thought, 'Can we really blame him?'

Naruto in the last sentence mused, 'The person who stated this is so brilliant. His words are, diamonds are to be found in the darkness of the earth…And truth in the darkness of mind…Similarly, the darkness of my mind harbors one of such many truths. One which you should know Sasuke...Usually lies are sweet, but here it isn't and truth as always, is bitter. But here is the truth more bitter or the lie? Even if I want to, I won't say it. I have been trusted to keep it hidden. I am forever loyal to that man, and will do as told so by him.'

Kakashi moving forward asked, "Blondie?"

Naruto in a calm tone said, "My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I like ramen…My dislikes are…Well, let's not get into that…My hobby, there isn't a particular one. And for my dream, I want to become the Hokage, stop this unnecessary fighting, and live with honor."

Kakashi at first at his lone eye widened as if he had seen a ghost. He then with an eye-smile took the intro of the blonde while also thinking. 'So Shisui trained you. It is good to see his heart still burning in you…It's also gonna be interesting to see what all he taught you.'

Kakashi had heard the last phrase quite a few times before, from a certain Uchiha. He then noticed the unique shape of the tanto strapping vest Naruto wore. Kakashi had seen the vest on Naruto since their meeting today. But he hadn't put much thought into it until now. The reason for his initial widening of his lone eye was due to his vision of a faint, ghost-like image of Shisui standing behind Naruto. The faint image then extended his arm and made a motion as if ruffling Naruto's hair while showcasing a gentle smile which the Uchiha often had. This had caused the jonin to eye-smile.

Kakashi's mind again wandered to other thoughts, 'Hymn that's why almost all the time when I had mission you were in village and vice-versa.' Now in a bit more puzzled state, he thought, 'What actually happened? Why did you leave Naruto and commit suicide? And then the next night Itachi…doing the massacre? I think there are more things that I don't know, and it is not what it seems…'

Kakashi didn't let his thoughts dance in his head for a long time and said, "Well great now we maybe know each other better than before. So, I would like to ask…Who is ready for a test?"

"TEST?!" All the three yelled in unison.

"Well, yeah of course you didn't think that you were already genin, did you? The academy test is only in the first stage. And now each jonin leader is to take a test and check if you all are really ready for the ninja world…So yeah ready or not come to training ground 7 by seven a.m. tomorrow…Also if you don't want to throw up, then skip breakfast." With that, the silver-haired jonin shunshined out of the place.

"He didn't even stay back for any query!" Whined Sakura.

"Well, tough luck. We will only get to know what he had in store for us tomorrow." Said Naruto.

Sasuke just got up and headed out of the place. He immediately cringed when he heard, "Sasuke-kun, where are you going?"

"Training." That was all the Uchiha said.

Sakura with a blush then asked, "Since we have our evening free and are in the same team…Would you like to go on a date with me?"

Sasuke without another thought immediately said, "No."

Before Sakura could ask why, Sasuke had left. As usual, she got irritated and to make her feel better, she yelled, "Naruto this all you fau…" She then noticed Naruto was also not there, and left before either of them. For now, she just had to swallow her unjustified anger towards the blonde.

---

Naruto was in front of the Hokage tower. He had come to take his revenge for the team allotments. He was gonna enter the tower when he heard, "Nii-chan how was your team allotment?"

Naruto smiled and asked, "Kono don't you have a written test tomorrow? Why are you roaming around?"

Konohamaru in a distasteful tone said, "I don't want to read…" The boy had stopped wearing his grey helmet and had a similar pair of goggles that Naruto used to wear years ago. The brown-haired boy too had his goggles around his forehead like a Hitai-ate.

Naruto while in his mind gladly thinking, 'It is good that he came. Now I have another set of hands to help me.'

"Well anyways on the topic of the team allotment…let's say it is an unfavorable outcome…Since Jiji set the team I have come here to trouble him. Do you wanna help?" Asked Naruto

"Do you even need to ask!" Said Konohamaru in a mischievous tone.

"So, here is the plan…"

---

Hiruzen was peaceful doing his paperwork when suddenly the door opened. And suddenly he had to keep dodging a barrage of pebble-like things, which on impact started to burst like firecrackers. Hiruzen saw at the two culprits and grumbled. None of his Anbu came to rescue him. The only thing they could do was laugh from their hidden places. Hiruzen in an irritated manner thought, 'These two little bastards.'

Both Naruto and Konohamaru had easily walked past the secretary without notice. They then slammed open the door and started throwing pebble-like structures. This was one of Naruto's new inventions. He had made a seal which, when written on paper would turn into pebble-like structures, having properties like crumbled paper. But the main difference is that on impact the pebbles burst like a small firecracker. Naruto had made quite a big arsenal of these pebbles and now he gave one storage seal to Konohamaru and one was used by him. Both were throwing handfuls of those pebbles at their grandfather.

"This is what I get for pampering both of you?" Yelled Hiruzen.

"This is payback for the team you selected." Said Naruto.

"What kind of reason is that?" Yelled back Hiruzen, who still was skillfully dodging all the little pebbles thrown at him.

"Did you have to put those two on my team?…You know I don't get along with them…Kono increase your speed." Said Naruto.

"Copy that." Said a laughing Konohamaru.

"Naruto you have to see the reason…you and Sasuke are best from the upcoming batch. Both have a high potential to be best in almost all shinobi arts, mainly ninjutsu. You two can run havoc as the main assault team. And the girl, Sakura has good chakra control, due to her small reserve, she can be a good medic." said Hiruzen still dodging.

At hearing the explanation Naruto did stop his assault. He just muttered, "How did I miss that?"

Hiruzen now had his hands behind his back still dodging the pebbles thrown by Konohamaru. He did this to infuriate the boy, and he was successful, as Konohamaru took Naruto's stash too, and was using both hands to throw the pebbles now. Hiruzen simply said, "Cause you didn't want to think of the positive points…See thinking from all perspectives is important. It is not easy I understand. But here you didn't even try to think about the positive…There is another thing about thinking…We become what we think about. Most of the time this is the case. This is one of man's strangest secret. This is why thinking is so vital. This is why a goal is so important...Because we become that."

Naruto hummed and acknowledged his mistake and took the knowledge given to him. He just said, "You are right."

Hiruzen then plainly said, "Now tell him to stop. He is just tiring himself."

Naruto shook his head and said, "Not until you give me information about Hatake Kakashi's test tomorrow and about whether he always comes late for things."

Hiruzen in a dead-pan expression, still dodging said, "Do you think this is troubling me anymore? At the start, I needed the momentum to start my movements. Now it is built up...How many of those pebbles do you have? I can dodge all of them."

Naruto sighed, knowing he wouldn't get the information he wanted. He just said, "Kono stop."

Konohamaru was panting heavily. Due to his continuous throwing motion and also because of how the old man infuriated him.

Hiruzen then said, "You know Naruto I am impressed. Seals that activate on impact."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head and said, "Thank you."

Hiruzen going back to his desk and removing a scroll said, "I too myself made a new seal. Would you like to see it?"

"How can I say no to that?" Said Naruto

Hiruzen went near the brothers and handed Naruto the scroll. Naruto opened the scroll and instantly regrated it. The reason was that Hiruzen had made a light-detecting seal, which he had added to a storage seal. And he had stored water in it. So when Naruto opened the scroll a jet of water was blasted on his face.

As he closed the scroll, he could hear his Jiji and Konohamaru laughing. His hair and face were completely wet. He just grumbled and said "Well the light sensing is a brilliant thing. But was it necessary to execute it like this?"

Hiruzen stopping his laughter said, "Consider this as payback for every one of your older pranks. And also, as compensation yes Kakashi always comes late except for missions and really important things."

Naruto nodded at this and then saw Konohamaru was still laughing. He just opened the scroll again and dumped the remaining water on the boy. Now this time Naruto and Hiruzen laughed. After getting drenched, Konohamaru said, "Hey no fair!"

---

The night sky had taken over Konoha now. Naruto was in his apartment and had just freshened up after training. He nowadays usually makes a kage bunshin and spars with it, in training ground 31. He thought this was the best way to improve, fighting yourself.

He had a pretty rough day according to him, as neither of his pranks worked to his expectation today, and moreover he was pranked. A total bummer. And after his training, he got a lot of bruises and a cut to his right cheek. He knew that kyuubi's chakra would heal it so he didn't tend any of those wounds. Now he dressed up back to his usual outfit and wanted to go to Ickiraku's and at least have a good ending to the day.

He opened his door while looking down at his sandals as he felt a rock between the sole and his foot. He took a step forward and felt two light-fisted pats on his head. He looked up and said, "You know right that I am not a door."

"Ahhh…sorry for that…Was not paying attention." Said Kiyomi while having an embarrassed blush. She was looking around at the empty corridor due to a vacant adjacent apartment. She had come to Naruto's house once or twice with her mother and knew it was quite big, enough for three to four people. The location was also not that far from the central area and the main buildings nor near the busy sector of the village. According to her, this should have been one of the most sorted-out locations for a property. And these apartments being empty always confused her.

She then with her attention on the other door, went to knock on Naruto's door. But instead, she knocked at Naruto's head. Bit embarrassed she apologized. Naruto then asked, "So what happened that you came here at this time?"

She had a smirk and asked, "Wanted to know how you feel about your team?"

"So, you came to irritate me, didn't you?" Said Naruto in a deadpan expression.

"Yeah, that's ri…Wait a second why do you have an open cut on your cheek?!"

"Training, duh." Said Naruto nonchalantly.

"So, who the heck will treat it?" Said Kiyomi.

"It is fine…It will get healed on its own." Said Naruto.

Kiyomi gets irritated at the careless behavior of the boy. She grabbed his hand and pulled him inside the apartment, while in an angry tone, saying, "If you don't take care of such stuff immediately it may cause bigger problems…Now tell me where is the first-aid box."

"But-but I want to go to Ichira…" Naruto stopped when he was subjected to the girl's glare, with her two tomed sharingan. He just showed the direction of the drawer where he keeps the first-aid box. He knew that talking at the moment could be painful. Kiyomi went to the drawer and took the unused first-aid kit. She turned her head to the blonde, who had sat on the couch. She just intensified her glare due to the old yet brand-new medical box. Naruto just looked away from the glare and thought, 'Since when did she learn to be this scary?…Like mother, like daughter.'

Before she could start Naruto said, "Kiyomi you don't have to."

She had deactivated her sharingan. She replied in a harsh tone saying, "If I don't then you will run off to that ramen place and let this get infected. There is a limit Naruto…Now sit silent it might sting." Kiyomi went and sat near Naruto and started tending his cut with ointment and then applied a bandage on it.

Naruto with a smile now said, "Thank you my kitty cat."

Kiyomi blushed and scowled at the same time, while also thinking, 'How the hell he can make me feel both irritated and flustered at the same time?'

"Now come on let's go to Ichiraku's. Treat from me as thanks for the care." Said Naruto and signalled for the girls to follow.

Kiyomi just said, "Yeah fine but next time at least make an attempt to use the first-aid box Whiskers."

The walk to the ramen stall was uneventful, as both only admired the starry night sky with a crescent moon multiplying the sky's charm. They reached the place and Naruto said, "Old man two bowls of miso ramen and one of tonkatsu ramen please."

"Oh, hey Naruto. Couldn't last a week without my ramen?" Said Teuchi with a grin.

"If it was possible, I would only be eating your ramen." Said Naruto as if it was a fact. It was actually a fact.

"And ruin your health." Said Kiyomi in a deadpan voice.

"Hey Kiyomi, hadn't noticed you there…And my ramen or not that unhealthy." Said Teuchi with some offense taken. Teuchi knew the girl as Naruto's friend as they sometimes ate there.

"I mean yeah but the amount he eats and then every time. That won't be good." Explained Kiyomi.

"Hymnnn…I guess you are right. By the way, what would you like to eat." asked Teuchi.

"Just make me a plate of gyoza please." Said Kiyomi.

Both Naruto and Kiyomi sat, while Teuchi started his art. Naruto just said, "You can order more…Are you sure a plate of gyoza will be enough?"

"I have already eaten dinner…Your carelessness pissed me off that's why I am eating or else I wouldn't be." Said Kiyomi.

"Oh ok. So just you and Sasuke at home, because I think Oba-chan got a new mission. You never go on missions it seems." said Naruto.

"Yeah, she is on a mission. And for your information, I will be leaving on a month or longer mission at dawn itself. Don't get the idea that I slack around...So what do you think of the team you got? I know who all are there, Sasuke already told me during dinner." Asked Kiyomi.

"Hymn I won't deny that I was upset at first…But then Jiji made me understand his logic. And yeah, I guess if worked well we maybe can be a very good unit." Said Naruto.

"You sound like having some doubts." Stated Kiyomi.

Their food arrived and both said, "Thanks for the food." Naruto after slurping a few noodles said, "Yes, I have one. My only doubt is the girl in our group…She is crazy after your brother and can't think anything straight most of the time as she tries connecting almost everything to Sasuke or herself. She is book-smart I give that to her. In the field currently, she will practically be useless."

She didn't pay much attention to the characteristics of the girls. She just surprisingly asked, "You don't have any problem with Sasuke being on your team?!" She knew almost everything the two did together ended in fights.

Naruto chuckled a bit knowing the source of her surprise. He just said, "It is existent, but I don't think Sasuke's presence in the team troubles me much. In truth, he too is a hard-working shinobi, and a good one…We fought a lot in the past, and present but never hated each other. I have no doubt we will continue to fight in the future too. It is kind of strange, but that is the way we get along, via punches and disputes...I consider him equal to me in many aspects and better in some and lower in others…Don't tell him that I have even some respect for him, it's kind of odd."

The second-last sentence was said as his recent chat with his Jiji had made him realize some things. In his mind, he told it again, 'As Jiji said goals are necessary. And dreams without goals are just dreams…In today's introduction, it was only him saying he had a goal, while we stuck with the word dream. Though his goal is dark…In the aspect of speed, he is ahead of me, and in physical power a bit ahead…We both have been taught by Itachi-nii, the only difference other than our academy training in the past year is that the rest of the time I was taught by Shisui-nii, while he did things on his own…He also has a strong mind.'

Kiyomi was just openly gawking when Naruto said this. It was also because Sasuke had said very similar things to her while they had dinner. He also only had a problem with the girl. And out of a sudden, her brother too had shown some respect, not much but some towards the blonde during a conversation.

She could only say, "You both are impossible. Both, respect and disrespect each other."

"He respects me?...Sorry but a bit hard to believe."

"He does! Ok, I guess it is more apt to say he doesn't disrespect as much as he used to...Once within this week, he approached me and, in a bit, bitter tone said about his loss by your hands. Naturally, I teased him and said that I expected this…And after that, he kind of accepts that you are good when I go to tease him. In today's talk too he only mentioned this girl as the problem…Both of you train harder than most, even if you both are better than most and have many more similarities…You both are so similar yet so different." Said Kiyomi.

Naruto just hummed in response, while slurping noodles from his second ramen bowl. He was also thinking, 'For whatever strength and brain you have Kiyomi, you are a simple and straight-minded person, like most people in the world…This world is spun around by us, the twisted ones...Now I know Sasuke, why you were always having a calculative gaze and running mind today. You used my and Kiyomi's closeness to figure things out…This is why I guess it is said…Be a game changer because the world is full of players…You played well.'

"Understanding either of you is such a pain!" Exclaimed Kiyomi.

Naruto just chuckled finished his second bowl and moved on to his last tonkatsu ramen. Kiyomi too was nearing the end of her dumplings. She just asked, "So who would you have wanted instead that girl? Sasuke wasn't able to name anyone he would want…I am sure you would have wanted your Nara friend."

"Yeah, any day. Shikamaru is someone you can only realize the depth of his thinking when you spend time or work with him…I would have also liked it if Hinata was in my team. The cute Hyuga could have been strategically a great fit." Said Naruto.

Kiyomi had choked her food when she heard the word cute from her crush's mouth being used on another person. She had seen the girl as due to both being clan heiress, they had met in some political party organized by the Hyugas. With massive jealousy, she thought, 'Cu-cu-cute?!...She is not cute!...Ok who am I kidding, I accept that girl is cute like a bunny but this guy never uses this word! Why the hell did he use it on her and not me?!'

To the world, she didn't show her actually reaction, and asked, "How?"

Naruto replied, "With her byakugan she could scan the area for traps, enemies, and other such things. After that Sasuke and I could take those things down. She too could have helped as the gentle fist used by Hyugas is also formidable."

They completed their meals so Naruto paid for the food. Both of them now walking to the direction of their houses. They had a common path which diverges in the latter part of the journey.

She wanted to know more about this cute Hyuga so asked, "She must be a great shinobi and proper book perfect one, right? That's why you want her right?!" The jealousy in the last line would be clear to anyone in the world, except our blonde.

"Quite the opposite…She is a good shinobi, not the best or book-perfect one. She is a shy girl. And is respectful to all. I just know that she has a pure and great heart. She has this strange habit of stuttering sometimes and somehow it intensifies when I am around. And also, when I go near her somehow her face becomes red, like she suddenly gets fever…in a synopsis she is a true, good and a strange person." Said Naruto in admiration of his classmate.

'With what should I hit this blonde?! And for which reason? Either because of being so dense and not being able to see her love. Or telling a girl that loves you, about another girl that loves you, while you are oblivious to both of their feelings…YOU BLONDE BASTARD!' she yelled with jealousy in her mind.

But another feeling of threat overtook her soon. She now thought, 'What if he…loves her and not me…But as much I know he isn't in any such relation now…but it can change. He calls her cute while calling me a cat…Her love is more visible than mine.' She then with a heavy blush adoring her cheeks, thought, '…If I don't confess…I will lose him….AHHH! Why does saying those three words is so hard!' She looked at the moon and smiled at getting an idea.

Naruto took a look at Kiyomi as he didn't hear any reply or hum. He instantly blushed at what he saw. Kiyomi's smiling and blushing face, shined by the eternal silver light of the moon was something he couldn't ignore. In a daze due to her, Naruto in a whisper loud voice, mutters, "…Beautiful…"

He instantly covered his mouth at the realization that he said his thoughts aloud. His blush intensified. Kiyomi thought she heard something, but she didn't know what cause she was lost in her thoughts. She just calmly asked, "Uh? You said something?"

Naruto removed his hand immediately removed his hand. He just said, "N-no-nothing much. Just was saying that the night sky looks beautiful."

Kiyomi too nodded and hummed in agreement with that that statement. Neither of them were able to remove their blushes. There was silence for a few moments. Until they reached the bisection of the street which it divided into two new ones.

Kiyomi with a heavy blush said, "Isn't the moon lovely?"

Naruto just looked at the beautiful crescent moon and muttered, "Yeah."

Kiyomi couldn't contain the storm of feelings and took off to her home, with the heaviest blush she ever had, while saying, "Bye." In her mind cursing herself, 'Baka-baka-baka how did I become so bold that time and now running like a coward?...He just casually said yeah. There is no way he could have interpreted the poetic reference that these were the three magical words…Why the heck can't I muster up to say this thing straight.'

Naruto just said bye, and thought of the question. He just nonchalantly repeated it, "Isn't the moon lo…Wait what?!" Naruto too now had one of his heaviest blushes. He knew the poetic reference of that sentence. It just didn't click him right away. Now his mind was troubled with the thought of, 'Was it a general statement or a referral sentence? Does she really…'

Naruto didn't complete his thoughts and could only blush harder. He didn't run after the girl to clear his doubts, as she had to report at dawn for a mission. He thought it wouldn't be good to trouble her if it was only a general statement. And with the confusion he walks to his home.

---

Naruto got up at his usual waking time and did all his chores very slowly. He had to kill time. He made himself breakfast while justifying himself, 'He said don't eat breakfast if you don't want to throw up. I would rather eat and throw up than go for the test without energy.'

He started to grill two fish and prepare miso soup. He was working in peace but his mind was always circling back to one question, and he just couldn't help but lightly blush. He just thought, 'She must have already left the village…'

With breakfast done. He indulged himself with his seals. When he saw the clock hit nine-fifteen, he started to dress into his shinobi wear and pack his shuriken and kunai. He did his last checks of his stock and left for the training ground. He was in no hurry so he reached the place by nine-thirty. He just looked around at the ground with appreciative eyes.

The ground was in between a vast extent of tree lining. It had lust green grasses with some patches of brown ground visible, indicating the constant usage of the place. There was a river, with clear blue water flowing down one of the sides. The place also had three thick wooden stumps in the middle of it. Not far away you could see the memorial stone of the village. His admiration was cut short when he heard, "YOU ARE LATE!"

Sakura was on her nerves after waiting for two and a half hours, and hunger also made her more irate. And now she was seeing her blonde teammate just walking like he was early and looking around.

Naruto just nonchalantly said, "Oh hi guys. You both are already here."

Sasuke too was at the destination, but stayed quiet and did nothing, so that he could hide his irritation…and hunger. Sakura got angrier at the casual behavior of Naruto and yelled, "The hell with your hi. Why are you late? And how can you be so calm after skipping breakfast."

Naruto showcased that he gave little attention. He only looked at the river, while the other two were to his right. Naruto in a calm tone said, "Does it really matter that I am late?"

"You are late means you are late. AND I asked you a question. Don't question me. Now tell me why are you late." Said Sakura in an irate tone.

Naruto sighed and said, "What I mean is Kakashi-sensei isn't here yet. So, it doesn't matter if I am late?"

Sakura had a big scowl on her face at the non-arguable statement. Sasuke too had a frown, as he too didn't like the past two and half hours of ideally standing there and listening to the pink-haired girl. He too should have come late in his opinion. Both of their stomachs growled in hunger signalling the need for food. Both saw Naruto wasn't showing any sign of hunger or irritation.

Sakura as usual bickered, "Naruto, why the hell did you eat breakfast?"

"Why shouldn't I? Who would stop me?" Said Naruto still looking at some fish that swam near the surface of the water.

"I swear you need to get that head checked. We were yesterday told not to eat breakfast by sensei." Shrieked Sakura.

"I am not a fool to come here without energy. You are only a fool to skip breakfast and yet wasting your energy in shouting and anger." Said Naruto putting his blunt opinion in front of them.

Sasuke scowled at being called a fool but didn't let his anger take control of him. On the other hand, Sakura started to fume with anger, due to being called a fool by the person she considered to be the dumbest in the world. She again as a repeat of yesterday ran towards Naruto in an intent to punch him. She also yelled, "How Dare You Call Me A Fool!"

Naruto just sighed, brought up his right hand, and easily stopped the punch. Sakura was shocked at how easily her punch was stopped by, in her opinion the weakest person. She just muttered, "What?...How di…?"

She couldn't even complete her surprised sentence and she started to shiver. The reason that caused her to shiver was the killing intent Naruto released towards her and the two frosty cold blue eyes that looked at her. Naruto in a normal tone, though the tone was normal, it promised danger, said, "Didn't I explain to you what consequences I can cause yesterday?...I think you need to get your head checked for short-term memory loss…And I get it you passed with the highest marks in the female category. You must be feeling you are on the top. Maybe with the scenario created by the academy and governance policies, you are not wrong in thinking in that manner as they have unofficially deemed you so. But you shouldn't just look at yourself and treat others harshly. We all have been kind toward you…Be careful while playing with someone's kindness. Cause if they lose it…" Naruto started to squeeze the fisted hand of the girl which he held.

Sakura started to whimper in pain. Sasuke also saw the eyes Naruto showcased. He too was shocked by the intensity of danger those eyes promised. Hearing the girl's whimper he said, "Naruto…if you go any longer her fist will break."

With that, Naruto left Sakura's fist and again set his focus on the river and its fish. Sakura took a step back and whined in pain a bit. She was smart enough not to retaliate immediately. There was not much going on after that.

Kakashi entered the ground when there were some minutes to spare for a clock to strike ten. Sakura out of habit of complaining said, "You are late!"

"Ahh…Sorry, a black cat crossed my path so I had to take the long cut." Excused Kakashi. All three looked at the jonin in dead-pan faces. But it was only Sakura who said their thoughts out, "Liar."

Kakashi like yesterday also had arrived some time before and started observing the three. He just thought, 'As I noted yesterday. There is not even a single strand of thread binding them together. All they do is fight…All of them are different. Sakura is a girl who is obsessed with a boy. She may be smart but the self-created fog has blurred her vision and she is failing to see what is more important…Sasuke, he seems very self-centered too. He knows how to control himself. He also acknowledges things but also carries some amount of arrogance…Naruto seems to have lost the childish charm he had, just as I had suspected. Those eyes a few moments ago, it shouldn't have been shown to a comrade. He too has become self-centered.'

"Well nevertheless…", Kakashi took out a clock and set its timer to 12 o'clock, and took out two bells. He then said, "So your test is that you have to take these bells from me before the clock strikes 12. The ones who take a bell pass while the other fails, and go back to the academy. Is there any query?"

Sakura only seeing two bells asked, "But sensei there are only two bells."

"Yeah, that is right. I have decided that the weakest one will go to the academy no matter what. So yeah, try not to be the weakest…And also come with the intent to kill. Or else you won't have any hope to pass." said Kakashi in a lazy yet serious tone.

"But sensei that is dangerous you might get hurt!" Said Sakura. Naruto and Sasuke just had twitching annoyed eyes. Naruto in his mind said, 'Yeah, yeah, why not, we will totally kill him...For heaven's sake girl!…He is a jonin.' Sasuke too had similar thoughts.

Looking at the ticking clock, Kakashi said, "The test starts…Now!"

All three jumped out of the jonin's sight. Kakashi lazily took out his favorite Icha-Icha book and started reading it. He knew the three wouldn't cause him much trouble, so why not have some reading done?

---

All three had taken hiding spots and trying to contemplate a plan. Sasuke had gone to a tree that was relatively dense and tried to look from the small gaps that were offered to him. Sakura hid under the bushes lying on the ground and similarly looking from the small gaps offered to her. Naruto had selected a spot on a tall tree, which surprisingly wasn't very dense. So why did he go there? Wasn't he intending to hide?

The reason why he selected the less dense tall tree as the spot where he will be is because of the position of the sun. The sun was now high up in the sky. So, for anyone to look up would have their eyes sting and turn around their head immediately. That would prevent anyone from having a long or clear view. While he from above could observe everything clearly, not many branches or leaves obstructed his view like the others. So, he didn't need to move the branches unlike the other who needed to. Which in turn would create audible sound. He had also hidden his chakra as much as he could, further enhancing his hiding. He didn't consider himself one of the best in the art of spying and espionage for nothing.

Even after an hour none of them had attempted much to take the bells. A few shuriken or kunai were thrown by Sasuke or Sakura. All were waiting for one another to make a move. Naruto from his unchanged spot thought, 'I can't take a bell on alone. I can use kage bushins to aid me as a team but once he sees them. Those bunshin's are nothing but objects for him to execute kamiwari…Sensei doesn't seem to be wanting to make the first move. I somehow need to convince them to work for me or force them to work for me. But how shall I make them do that?' He sighed at the difficult task of convincing either of the two to work for him, mostly he wanted Sasuke to work with him. But before he could go and speak things out with his teammates, he heard a scream. He then saw what happened and grinned. Cheerfully he thought, 'I am glad you started taking some action. Sensei you made my work easier. Thanks a lot for that.'

Kakashi had kept his guard up for the incoming thrown weapons, while still reading his book. He constantly kept a check on the hiding spots. He was always able to locate Sasuke and Sakura, also when they were running from one place to another. He was only unable to find the blonde student, even when the jonin had started to try finding him via detection of chakra. With an internal grumble, he just muttered to himself, 'As always, finding this blonde is tiring as hell.'

As an hour past Kakashi thought, 'Hymn Sasuke and Sakura are trying to get an opening by throwing long-range weapons. But what are you waiting for Naruto, and where the hell are you?...It has been an hour now. If they don't come in front, I guess I will have to go in front of them.'

Kakashi had gone first to the least hidden member. Shunshining in front of Sakura he just said, "Hi there." Sakura was startled and shrieked a bit. She blinked a bit and the figure of Kakashi vanished. She then muttered to herself, "I must have hallucinated it." She then heard her name being called.

She turned her head behind and saw Sasuke kneeling down and taking support against a tree trunk. But what shocked her was the blood-filled body of the boy. Kunai, shuriken, and senbon pierced his body, letting blood gush out, and most significantly, the boy's right arm was missing halfway and his leg snapped and twisted. In a heavy and barely able-to-speak voice, the bloody figure said, "Sakura run…run or else he will do the same to you. Run." Sakura couldn't handle seeing her crush in such a state screamed and fainted.

Kakashi was standing beside the girl all the time. He had just put her in a weak genjutsu. He looked at the fainted form of the girl and said, "Did I go overboard?..."

He then dodged the immediate barrage of shurikens thrown at him. He just said, "Yo…Sasuke will you only be hiding or make an actual attempt…I thought the Uchihas were brave but I think I heard wrong."

Sasuke had thought Kakashi lowered his guard while checking on Sakura. But he was wrong. Moreover, the taunt on his clan which was his pride, and his identity had gotten him annoyed. He jumped out of his hiding spot and stood in front of Kakashi. Kakashi still reading his book gave a lazy glance at the angry person in front of him.

Sasuke ran towards the jonin. Both of them engaged in taijutsu. Kakashi admitted that the boy had good taijutsu skills for a fresh academy graduate. Sasuke after some kicks and punches, again went for a high kick. Kakashi easily caught the feet. Sasuke, still one foot in an unfavorable position, went for a punch that was blocked by the forearm of the jonin. Somehow turning his body, now the boy inverted, in mid-air sent a kick towards the jonin head, while his hand trying to reach out for the bells tied to the jonin's waist.

Kakashi seeing this jumped back, but Sasuke was able to touch the bell. Kakashi gave an appreciative hum. Sasuke, not waiting for a moment went through hand seals and internally yelled, 'Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu (Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique)'

Kakashi had an even more appreciative hum while thinking, 'So he already knows the fire element. It is impressive.' He immediately went through a set of hand seals.

Sasuke when his fireball died looked at the impact area, but couldn't find where the jonin was. He while moving his head around thought, 'Where could he be?...Right, no. Left, no. Up, no…'

He heard Kakashi's voice giving the answer, which said, "Down." Suddenly Kakashi's hand emerged from the ground and pulled the Uchiha into it like it was water. Kakashi was now fully out. While Sasuke was dug down, only the neck and above portions were out of the ground.

Neither of them were able to exchange any words as Kakashi had to escape a large dragon head made of fire. Kakashi after he had dodged looked at the direction from where the jutsu had come. He in a lazy tone said, "Finally decided to join the party, ne Naruto?"

Naruto had seen all and had come up with a plan to convince the Uchiha. If the emo didn't agree he knew which spots to hit. Naruto before execution thought, 'So here is the circumstance. Sasuke must be feeling humiliated. I will show him that I also can't get the bell. And then will ask for help, which we both need. If he accepts then good for him…Or else I will have to force him to…though not to work with me, but rather work for me.' Seeing a chance Naruto went through hand seals and in his mind yelled, 'Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu (Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique)'

Now a stream of fire was released from Naruto's mouth which formed a dragon head and raced towards the jonin. He saw that he had got Kakashi's attention. He jumped from his spot and while being in mid-air, with a smile he said, "Tajū kage bunshin no Jutsu (Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu)."

Kakashi looked at the bombardment of ten blonde Uzumaki on him. He then with a calculative gaze guessed the hiding spot. On realizing where the blonde was, he just thought, 'You cheeky blonde bastard…Using the sun as an ally and hiding from where there is no doubt you can see everything from that less dense tree…But why do you have that smile and a glint in your eyes? What else have you planned?...Or did you figure out the meaning of this test?'

Kakashi soon went into a taijutsu battle with the ten Naruto. Kakashi had to pay a bit more attention due to the numbers. But the jonin still kept a hold of his book. Naruto or his solid clones would leap at the jonin with basic punches or kicks, which the jonin dodged easily. Kakashi after a while went on to think, 'He is not trying…It's like he is trying to set up something.' He for a split moment glanced in one direction and hummed when he got an idea what was happening, and played along as he wanted to see how things would go.

Naruto had made a clone while he was engaged with Kakashi. And that clone headed towards the buried Uchiha. Sasuke had been seeing how Naruto was fighting. He had just dubbed the usage of clones as useless, as they were nothing but an illusion. He then saw a clone, with his hands in his pockets, heading towards him. The clone reached and said, "Yo! How is the Uchiha plant growing?"

Sasuke just snarled and said, "Fuck off!...And way better than you. I as one was able to touch the bell, while ten of you aren't going any closer. And what's the point of making illusions?"

Naruto just lightly smiled. He wanted the boy to think he was below the emo. But to increase the amount by which Sasuke was undermining him Naruto had to show something. He just said, "Oh you think these or I am an illusion."

"Well, all clones are illusions or have you forgotten what clones are?...Dob…" Sasuke wasn't able to finish his insult. This was due to the blonde who still had his hand in his pockets, kicked the Uchiha in his face, and making it turn due to the force applied. While Sasuke's face was turning, he thought, 'He admitted this to be a clone…How is this solid?!' After he spat out some blood, he turned his head back to glare at the clone that was now sitting on his toes.

The Uchiha said, "How did you make solid clones?"

"Even if I say you don't have the chakra capacity to do it. I am not saying you have less chakra. It is just me, the one with an abnormally large chakra reserve." Replied Naruto calmly.

Sasuke as always snarled but didn't retaliate. He just thought, 'I overestimated him during this week. He has solid clones and still can't reach Kakashi. The display of taijutsu is nothing but basic. He is mediocre.'

Naruto then as if reading the Uchiha's mind said, "As you can see there, even with ten of me I am nowhere near the bell…So that's why I am here. Help me in getting a bell. If we work together there is a chance. Both of us can get a bell. I know you too wouldn't want Sakura over me as a sole teammate."

Sasuke giving only a moment of thought said, "No chance in hell…The last time I touched the bells. Next time I will get it. I don't need someone mediocre like you. I am a person strong enough to stand alone. I am a Uchiha, the strongest of all."

Naruto internally said to himself, 'There goes your chance of me trying to get two bells. If you had shown that you are ready to work with me, I would try to get both of them. But now you will be my decoy.' Naruto dropped down and just started to continuously slap the Uchiha, with both the front and back of his hand. While doing this he said, "So what, are you planning to remain as a plant now? Ahhh it must be nice, the last Uchiha failing a mere genin test and being pitifully stuck underground waiting for a dog to piss on him."

Naruto, within the week, thought about his teammates. One such thought led him to the conclusion that only Sasuke was eligible to be called the last Uchiha. Mikoto, though the clan head, differed from most Uchiha in her ideology. There was a similar case with Kiyomi. Once Naruto had asked how she felt about Itachi. She just said she didn't like what happened and it was now something she was trying to forget. But the boy kept the events in mind. Even though fallen, the clan was his pride. An emotion missing in the mother and daughter. It was the affection the boy had for his fallen clan that made the nickname apt.

Sasuke now growled at the physical and verbal disrespect. In between slaps, he said, "How dare you!"

Not stopping his actions, Naruto said, "How are you planning to get out of this situation? Time is running low. And here the last member of the strongest clan is dug to the ground doing nothing. Ahhh the shame your ancestors must be feeling. You are making them laughing stock even in heaven. Maybe your clan isn't the strongest. It is nothing but a…"

"Shut up!" said Sasuke with a bit higher voice. Anger is visible in his eyes and voice. Naruto stopped his slaps. In his mind with a big smile, which he didn't showcase to the outer world, he thought, 'Good…Now he will be blinded by anger. Even if he attacks, he won't see an opening with as much clarity as I can.'

Sasuke in a very angry tone said, "Say whatever you want to say about me. But now you are crossing a line, by saying rubbish about my clan."

"Prove me wrong. Come out. And show me the power of a Uchiha." Said Naruto.

"Just you wait. Once I come out. I will wipe both you and Kakashi to the ground." Said Sasuke. With that, he tried, but couldn't even move a finger. With the passing moments, his anger only increased.

Naruto just said, "What happened?...Can't move."

Sasuke just snapped and said, "Get me out of here and I will show you."

Naruto gave a blank look and said, "Only if you give me your word that you will work with me in getting both the bells…Agree?"

"Like hell!" snarled out Sasuke.

Naruto slapped him once more, he now had a serious face and in stern voice said, "See Sasuke it is either this or all of us go back to the academy. What do you want?...The choice is yours."

Sasuke gave out an angry grumble and said, "Fine, get me out and tell me your plan. I am sure you must have one."

"Now that's a good Uchiha." Said Naruto while he rubbed the emo's head like he was treating a dog.

"You Bastard! I am not a dog. Just get me out of here." Said Sasuke also getting irritated at the antiques of the Uzumaki.

Naruto took hold of Sasuke's neck and with a lot of force pulled Sasuke out. Sasuke was holding his neck due to pain but asked, "So what's the plan?"

"See we will go along with the first formation that was taught to us in the academy. Continuous attacks opening or not. One of us is bound to get a chance to take both the bells…Now go and say this to Sakura also." Said Naruto.

"Seriously you think this will work? And why Sakura? We have two bells and are two people." asked Sasuke.

"See this is better than doing nothing. And yeah, she will undoubtedly give us an opening or two. So why not use it…Also, tell her this is your idea. Then only she will give her full heart. Say to her that the attempt for two bells is for you and her. When both of you come to just say 'Naruto go in first formation' so she won't question my involvement, also tell her what I may provide either of you an opening or two, so she won't be annoyed and run back on helping. Now go ten meters into the after the bush lining. She is lying there after falling for a genjutsu…Just remember making openings is necessary." Said Naruto in an authoritative manner.

Sasuke scowled at the manner in which Naruto spoke. But nodded as the time wasn't on their side and also, he didn't have any better idea or argument. Sasuke then left for his part. The clone Naruto now puffed out of existence.

Naruto and Kakashi have been going in a similar manner for quite a while now. When he received the clone's memory he grinned. He dispersed his other clones and now was looking at the jonin. Naruto unsheathed his tanto. Kakashi seeing this took out a kunai and kept his book back in his shuriken holder.

Naruto seeing this asked, "Why are you keeping it back? Did you complete it?"

Kakashi lazily said, "I just don't want your sloppy kenjutsu skills slicing my book."

Naruto just smiled and re-engaged with Kakashi. Kakashi was analyzing Naruto's kenjutsu style and after a while was able to identify it. After a few moments of metal blades clashing Naruto was a bit away from Kakashi when he heard, "Naruto go in first formation."

Naruto sheathed his tanto. He just wanted to have a try with his tanto, so there was no need for it now. Similarly, Kakashi kept his kunai back and turned back to see the two other members. He just plainly said, "So you two also want to join. And it seems our Uchiha has come up with a plan."

Sasuke had gone to the pink-haired girl, and woken her out of the genjutsu. For some reason, she had tried to hug him, but Sasuke just pushed her back. She was also thanking god for him being safe. Sasuke then explained to Sakura the things Naruto had said. Sakura immediately agreed and had hearts in her eyes fantasizing how much her Sasuke-kun thought about her. Now when she heard Kakashi's voice, the pumped-up girl said, "That is right sensei. With Sasuke-kun and I now joining forces, we both will take those bells from you and pass."

Kakashi just hummed. Kakashi just kept his hands in his pockets and said, "Well then, what are you waiting for?" With that, all three started to run in a circle around Kakashi and then leaping towards the jonin, with the aim of capturing both of the bells. Well at least two of them. Naruto went into leaps way fewer times than the other two, who attacked and attacked the jonin. Naruto was waiting for a last moment chance.

Kakashi noticed this and while easily dodging the attacks of Sasuke and Sakura, hands still in his pocket. He just mentally said, 'Naruto prove me wrong! Don't show me too much of my younger self in you.'

After a few more moments Sasuke and Sakura both leaped and Kakashi jumped up dodging both. While both touched the ground, they heard the sound of a bell a bit longer than they expected. The reason being, while Kakashi was in mid-air Naruto seeing a good enough opportunity, jumped and in swift movements snatched one bell out of the jonin's waist. He landed and looked at the bell with a big smile.

All the other three noticed the bell in Naruto's hand, who had turned to show it to Kakashi, saying he passed. Kakashi just glared back, while thinking, 'You are too much like my younger self for my liking. You could have easily grabbed both the bell and completed the agreement you made with Sasuke. But you choose to betray him and to use him and his anger. I too used his anger but I was the opponent here.'

On the other hand, both Sasuke and Sakura had surprise and shock written on their face. Sasuke thought, 'Why does he have only one bell in his hand?! Did he forget or couldn't get it?' While Sakura muttered in disbelief, "This was not how it was supposed to end…You were meant to be the sacrificial bait, while I and Sasuke-kun get the bells."

Naruto just gave out a sly smirk while thinking, 'Oh this is how it was exactly supposed to turn out. You two were my sacrifice. I don't want to walk my journey with either of you. So bye bye, hope your extra year of academy is fun!'

As on cue, the timer buzzed indicating time up. Naruto just said, "Yo sensei…It seems I only passed." He just looked at the Uchiha who looked like he didn't know how to react. He knew that he could have easily snatched both the bells as they were tied to the same point of the jonin's pants. But he didn't, the Uchiha had shown he had no will to work together, so it was better to cut the person out of his path as soon as possible.

And Naruto could only do that by sending Sasuke back to the academy. Naruto could see the anger, disappointment, and many more emotions running inside the Uchiha. But he didn't have a drop of sympathy or empathy. Naruto held no emotional concern for people he didn't consider precious and worth laying your life for.

Kakashi took a moment before he answered. He wanted to see if Naruto would have an understanding that his playing of emotions was not right. Kakashi when the fire dragon head had hit the ground made a kage bunshin himself, at the split second when he was in everyone's blind spot. He had made the clone with an intention of just keeping an eye on the other two while he was focused on Naruto. But what that clone had witnessed didn't please the jonin. As he saw no remorse on Naruto's face Kakashi just said, "NO!"

Naruto was only able to say, "Wha…"

Before he was able to complete his word, the boy was punched in his guts but the jonin. Kakashi had packed a good amount of strength in the punch. The blonde had his eyes bulging out, all air leaving his lungs and losing his hold of the bell. Naruto flew back due to the force. The boy tumbled and skidded across the ground and painfully collided with the middle wooden stump. Naruto grunted in pain and slumped a bit. But before he could sit and regain a bit of composure, he was tied to the stump with ropes in such a manner he couldn't move at all.

Naruto due to a bit of pain incoherently asked the jonin, who had shunshined and tied him, "What's the meaning of this?"

"It is your punishment." Said Kakashi in a stern voice.

"For what?" Asked Naruto.

"You will get to know." Was all the jonin gave in reply.

Sasuke and Sakura had only seen the events that unfold with shock and surprise written on their faces. Wasn't the one who got the bell supposed to pass? Why was the one with the bell getting such harsh treatment? They were forced to move their stunned muscles when they heard.

"You two…Come here fast and sit on either side of Naruto." Said the jonin sharply.

Both went and sat beside the bounded boy. All of them looked at the usually lazy jonin, now being dead-serious. None of the three spoke a word. They knew it wouldn't be a good move at the moment. Kakashi standing in front of the three, said, "As I said no one passes. All of you fail but won't go back to the academy…That is because I will make sure that all of you are removed from the ninja program."

"What?! You can't do that!" Said Sakura.

"Oh yes, I can."

"On what context? You may send us back saying we failed, but what can you say for removing from the ninja program." Asked Sakura.

"First, none of you understand what was the meaning of this test. Why is it that a team is set up? If you would have asked this to yourself then you maybe could have answered it…The answer is teamwork…Before any of you ask the purpose of only two bells was to create contention in the team. Which did happen…And also because none of you are fit to be a shinobi…You all should quit." Said Kakashi.

Hearing this the already agitated Sasuke got very angry and raced towards the jonin to strike him. Kakashi easily dodged and pinned Sasuke to the ground, using one of his feet to press the boy's head to the ground and the other knee to keep pressure on the remaining body.

Sakura got angry seeing this and yelled, "Hey you can't do that to Sasuke-kun. He is not a bug."

She was silenced by a glare. A single cold eye now made her shiver. Kakashi again in a stern tone said, "This is the exact reason I said you should quit being a ninja."

The jonin continued, "Sakura, you are nothing but a girl who is book smart and obsessed after a boy…Sasuke, you are just arrogant and think you can do it all by yourself. You just think everyone is below you and won't work with them…And do you know both of you were excellently exploited for these traits of yours?"

"Exploited?" Asked Sakura, while Sasuke had a shocked face as he realized what the blonde had done. The discovery did nothing but fuelled Uchiha's anger, as he snared and struggled more wanting to get out of the hold and hit Naruto.

Kakashi in a nonchalant manner said, "Yes…Naruto here used Sasuke's anger and pride to accept to work together. And he used your obsession to follow what this Uchiha would say. What Sasuke told you was not his plan. It was Naruto's…In a way you all worked together but you both were nothing but puppets to Naruto. He used both by letting both do blind attacks and create an easy opening for him. Am I wrong Naruto?"

Sakura in a disbelief manner just looked at Naruto, while thinking, 'He must be wrong. I mean Naruto can barely think, how can he plot something like this? Nahh Kakashi-sensei is wrong he doesn't know how dumb Naruto is.'

Naruto in a cold voice just asks, "How did you guess it, so perfectly?"

Sakura just had a stunned face when Naruto accepted what Kakashi said. But she still didn't completely believe it. Sasuke's struggle only increased he shouted, "You fucking bastard! How dare you!" Kakashi hummed as he was half concerned Naruto wouldn't accept it.

"It is not only you who is good at hiding. I had made a kage bunshin myself to keep a check and see how these two would get out of their traps. But I witnessed something I didn't expect." Said Kakashi.

"Okay…but I still don't understand why I am receiving this punishment of being bound by ropes?" Asked Naruto in a calm tone.

"It is because I didn't like what you did. You should not play with your comrade's emotion and use it to manipulate them."

"Didn't you also play with them by telling them to skip breakfast and keep them hungry? You made it easier for them to make mistakes." Countered Naruto.

"Yes, I did. I never said that this kind of tactic isn't used in the shinobi world. I was the opponent today to all of you. It was commendable that you were able to see it. But what I mean by pointing out your actions is that you are never supposed to play with your own teammate's emotions in a mission…Due to your lack of concern for your own comrades, you are not ready to be a Konoha shinobi…I am disappointed." Said Kakashi.

Naruto felt a bit hurt. It was not due to his actions. It was because of Kakashi's last few words. He always considered the Anbu Inu as a father who protected him. Hearing your father figure say that he was disappointed made his face fault and had a frown, with now empty eyes and looking down.

Kakashi never liked the sad face on Naruto, but needed to get a few things straight in his opinion. He got up and released Sasuke from his hold. Before Sasuke could run and have his anger vented out. Kakashi kicked the boy who was getting up. The emo halted exactly where he was seated before.

Kakashi then said, "Sasuke don't dare to hit him."

Sasuke just scowled as he was being forced to gulp down his anger. Kakashi then took two bento boxes out and gave one each to Sasuke and Sakura. Kakashi then said, "I will give you three a last chance to pass this test. Both of you have your lunch in half an hour and then I will again give you an hour to capture at least one bell to pass, but all of you need to work as a team and show me you can work as a unit. And yeah you aren't supposed to feed Naruto or else you fail."

Kakashi left the area with a shunshin. All the three were now left unsupervised. Both Sasuke and Sakura silently started eating. Naruto was lost in his own thoughts. He didn't mind what was going around. He was brought out of his train of thought when he heard.

"Eat." That was all Sasuke said while clumping some rice and directing the chopstick to Naruto.

"Sasuke-kun! What are you doing? Sensei forbid us from feeding him." Said Sakura.

"I know but I can't sense Kakashi…and it is better that he is in hundred percent, while us around sixty to seventy. He has shown that he can make a plan and also force it to work. With even the slightest hunger the functioning of the mind can differ drastically. What he did to us was kind of necessary I will accept that…Oi, Naruto remember that I won't forget what you said and you also remember it, because I don't intend to change myself. No one does. And I will make you eat those words and show you the power of the Uchiha." Said Sasuke.

Naruto just looked at Sasuke and said, "I don't need it. I have had breakfast, you two can eat."

Sasuke now grumbled at the stubbornness of the blonde. Sasuke stood up and pressed Naruto's cheek while asking Sakura to hold the bento box. Naruto in an odd voice was only able to say, "Oi temeee!"

"Shut it. Kakashi did say we need to work as a team…And also if Kaa-san gets to know I left you hungry and ate in front of you. It will be me getting all the scolding for torturing her blonde brat…Now stop struggling and eat. Baka yaro." said Sasuke. And with that, he started to forcefully feed Naruto.

Sakura after a while said, "Sasuke-kun now take from my box I don't need as much as you would require."

Sasuke nodded. While Naruto just thought, 'Why are these two so adamant about feeding me? Sensei could be right here hiding his chakra. I don't doubt he will spring out anytime now…And also after being used by me, they felt nothing? Or is it because one always gets angry and the other obsessed they didn't feel that much played around?...I am truly confused about what is happening and for what reason.'

The next instant with a puff of smoke Kakashi arrived and he had a very angry demeanor. Both Sasuke and Sakura were startled, while Naruto had a blank face on him. Kakashi then in an angry tone said, "You fed him even when I said not to! YOU ALL…"

"Sen-sensei please for-forgi…" Sakura's blabbering was cut short. It was due to Kakashi in a calm tone saying, "Pass!...Congratulations!"

"Ugh?" Was said by all in unison. All three were surprised by what they heard.

It was Naruto who asked, "But why? We broke the rule you set."

"Yes, that may be true. And those who break the laws are indeed regarded as scum in this ninja world. But the ones who leave their friends or comrades behind are worse than scum…Always remember that…If you are wondering, then yes the second test was to see if the team could struggle together or fall apart." Said Kakashi.

Kakashi had been watching the tree from behind of a tree while hiding his chakra. While seeing how Sasuke forced Naruto to eat, he thought, 'Such a strange bond it is that these two share.'

Sasuke just showed a slight smile, similar was the case with Naruto. While on the other hand, Sakura jumped with joy. Kakashi then cut the ropes that tied Naruto. And the jonin playfully slapped the hind part of the blonde's head. Naruto grumbled at this. It was something the jonin would always do when he had caught the boy when he did some mischief when he was a little boy.

Kakashi then in a cheerful tone, with an eye-smile and thumbs up said, "So it is official now. Team 7 passes and will start missions from tomorrow…And go enjoy rest your day now."

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AN: Well, one thing that didn't used to like about other fanfic was that Naruto was able to guess the motive is teamwork and all he would be able to convince the other two. Well in my AU Naruto won't be a saint and neither a absolute genius who can decipher everything. He will be as bad as any of us. That is making wrong and irrational decisions, for reasons that seem feasible and just in his eyes. Which in actuality is the wrong way. So hold tight for the journey of this irrational and confused being.

And as always, thanks for spending time reading this and criticism is welcomed.