The Bell Test

Sasuke arrived at the designated training ground at 4:30 AM, well before the appointed time for their survival test. To his surprise, both of his teammates were already there. Sakura was sitting cross-legged, her head bobbing as she fought off sleep. His other teammate, 'Naruto,' was standing by the pond, gazing at her reflection as if seeing it for the first time.

Sasuke entertained the idea of pushing her into the pond just to see how she would react. He imagined her blank expression transforming into something resembling surprise. The thought amused him for a moment, but he quickly dismissed it. Such childish acts were beneath him.

He walked over to a tree and sat down against it, closing his eyes to relax. No sooner had he settled than Sakura was beside him, her presence immediately overwhelming. "Sasuke-kun! You're here early! Are you excited for the test? Do you think Kakashi-sensei is going to be tough on us? Did you get enough sleep?" Her questions came rapid-fire, her voice tinged with nervous excitement.

Sasuke opened one eye and gave her a measured look. "Hn."

Undeterred, Sakura continued. "I stayed up all night thinking about what kind of test it might be. Maybe it'll be a sparring match? Or maybe we'll have to solve puzzles? What do you think, Sasuke-kun?"

He gave a noncommittal grunt, trying to tune her out. "Hn."

Sakura, mistaking his nonchalance for interest, leaned closer. "I bet you're going to do great. You're so talented, Sasuke-kun. I just hope I can keep up."

Before Sasuke could respond, Naruto approached. Despite the oddity of the situation, Sasuke couldn't help but notice how striking Naruto looked in her black, frilly dress. The outfit clung to her new form in a way that was both elegant and out of place for a training ground. Her white hair and blue eyes only added to the surreal image.

Naruto stopped in front of him and began to stare at him with her emotionless eyes. Sasuke shifted uncomfortably, trying to ignore the unsettling gaze. Minutes ticked by, and Naruto's stare didn't waver. The silence stretched until Sakura, unable to take it any longer, snapped.

"Naruto, why are you staring at Sasuke-kun like that? It's creepy!"

Naruto blinked slowly and then replied in her flat, monotone voice. "I am trying to understand what girls find interesting about him."

Sasuke felt a flicker of irritation but remained silent, curious to see where this was going.

Naruto continued, unperturbed. "So far, I have not found anything special other than his skin. It is flawless, like a woman's."

Sakura's jaw dropped. "Naruto! How can you say something like that? Sasuke-kun is amazing! He's strong, he's cool, he's—"

Naruto cut her off. "His skin is smooth and without blemishes. It is rare for a boy his age. That is all I have observed."

Sasuke clenched his fists, feeling a strange mix of embarrassment and annoyance. "Hn. You don't need to stare to figure that out."

Naruto nodded thoughtfully. "Understood. I will cease the staring."

Sakura fumed, her face turning red. "Naruto, you really are clueless sometimes! Sasuke-kun is more than just his skin!"

Naruto tilted her head. "I see. I will need to gather more data to understand fully."

Sasuke sighed, closing his eyes again. "Just don't be weird about it."

Naruto nodded once more. "Acknowledged. I will observe from a distance."

It was 7:00 a.m. in the morning and their teacher was yet to come. Sakura had fallen asleep while Sasuke was sharpening his kunai, thinking about his brother who had slaughtered his entire Clan.

Naruto was… wait, why is she slapping her belly like that?

"Shut up," she said, looking at her belly. "You are insufferable."

Saskue shook his head. Both of his teammates were Idiots. He hoped their teacher would be at least acceptable and good.

o—O—o

It was 10 AM when Kakashi Hatake turned off his alarm. He took his time getting out of bed, heading to the bathroom to wash up and change into his uniform. After a leisurely breakfast, he found himself reflecting on the conversation he'd had with the Hokage the previous day.

The Hokage had asked him, "Kakashi, do you believe your new team has potential?"

Kakashi replied confidently, "I'll determine if they have potential during the survival test. If they don't meet my expectations, I'll fail them, no exception."

The Sandaime nodded, then leaned forward with a more serious expression. "However, I have a question regarding Naruto Uzumaki. Why is the Fourth's son now a girl? Why does she act like a machine from storybooks? And why does she smell... strange? What happened to Naruto?"

Hiruzen sighed, rubbing his temples. "In order to protect her academy teacher Iruka, Naruto accidentally used a technique created by the Second Hokage. In the process, she destroyed her own body and acquired a new one created by the Second. This body, named 2B, is made of Hashirama's wood. It lacks human essence, which means Naruto now has a mind but not the physical properties like hormones. She cannot act like a normal person anymore. Expressing emotions is a greater challenge for her. She does not need to eat and cannot sleep."

Kakashi leaned back, processing the information. "So, she's not human anymore in the physical sense."

"Correct," the Hokage confirmed. "Her body is more durable, and without human limitations, her potential is boundless. However, she's desperately trying to stay close to her past self. You may notice her pranking or saying 'Dattebayo' more often."

Kakashi chuckled nervously. "Actually, she pranked me just the other day. And yes, she does say 'Dattebayo' quite a bit."

Hiruzen smiled faintly. "She's doing that to convince herself that she's still human. It's her way of coping with the drastic change."

As Kakashi prepared to leave, the old man called him back one last time. "Kakashi, even when Naruto was human, she had immense potential. Now that her human body's limitations are gone, her potential is truly boundless. Don't underestimate her."

In the present, Kakashi chuckled, thinking about the fun and entertainment he was going to get from his new team. He looked at the clock; it read 10:00 AM.

"Time to have some fun with these brats!" he said to himself, grabbing his gear and heading out.

o—O—o

It was 11 a.m. when Kakashi arrived at the training ground. Sakura immediately jumped up and yelled, "You're late by seven hours!"

Kakashi raised his hand nonchalantly. "Ah, well, you see, I got lost on the path of life."

Sakura's face twisted in frustration. "That's the dumbest excuse I've ever heard!"

Naruto, staring blankly at Kakashi, said, "That explanation is illogical. If one were truly lost on the path of life, it would not take precisely seven hours to arrive at a specific destination. A more plausible reason would be a detour due to unforeseen obstacles."

Kakashi's visible eye crinkled into a smile. "Thanks for the correction, Naruto. Now, let's get started with the test."

Sasuke sighed, clearly irritated but resigned. "Let's just get this over with."

Kakashi pulled out two bells and an alarm clock, setting it for 12:00 p.m. "You see these bells? You need to get them from me before the alarm rings. Whoever doesn't get a bell will be sent back to the Academy."

The three genin exchanged nervous glances. Naruto's eyes narrowed as she calculated the odds. Sakura's determination hardened, while Sasuke's competitive spirit flared.

Kakashi continued, "Of course, since there are only two bells, one of you will definitely be sent back to the Academy. Begin!"

As if on cue, all three scattered in different directions. Kakashi sighed inwardly. 'Just like every other team I've failed,' he thought. 'If they don't work together, they have no chance to pass.'

Naruto approached first.

"You're going down, dattebayo," Naruto declared, her voice echoing across the clearing.

Kakashi, ever the laid-back ninja, merely flipped a page in his orange book and chuckled to himself. He seemed completely unfazed by Naruto's aggressive stance. This nonchalant attitude fueled Naruto's fire even more. Though it was unseen, she summoned several shadow clones in a swift, fluid motion, surrounding Kakashi from all sides, and unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks.

To her frustration, Kakashi effortlessly dodged each attack with precise movements, his attention still seemingly fixated on his book.

"Observation: Kakashi-sensei, is the book more valuable than engaging in combat with me? Conclusion: You must be afraid of my superior ninja skills," Naruto taunted in a monotone voice, attempting to provoke him.

Kakashi finally looked up from his book, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Did you say something?" he replied with a smirk.

Naruto's eyes twitched for a moment before she conjured two dozen shadow clones and attacked him again, each clone mirroring her robotic expressions. "Hypothesis: Engaging you with numerical superiority will increase my chances of success. Initiating multi-clone assault."

Kakashi snapped his book shut and sighed. "Guess I can't read for now." He then quickly dispelled all the clones with precise movements, stunning her.

Naruto's frustration was mounting. "Statement: I am not losing," she stated in a mechanical tone as she pulled out a kunai from her thigh pouch and lunged at him. He grabbed her wrist and twisted it, but she freed herself.

"Lesson Number One: Taijutsu," Kakashi said, engaging her in hand-to-hand combat.

Despite her agile and precise movements, Naruto was struggling to keep up with Kakashi's superior skill and experience. She threw a punch, only for Kakashi to sidestep it effortlessly. She followed with a kick, which Kakashi blocked with ease.

"Is that all you've got?" Kakashi asked, sounding almost bored. "I was expecting more from the future Hokage."

Naruto's response was monotone. "Statement: This is merely a preliminary assessment of your abilities. Prepare for my ultimate move."

Kakashi chuckled. "I'll try to hold back the tears."

As Naruto continued her relentless assault, a thought struck her: why couldn't she fight like she did against Mizuki? In her mind, a voice boomed:

The village is not in danger nor any Leaf ninja is in need of superior skills, thus, only 5% of this body's potential is being used," the voice intoned, startling Naruto.

'Identify yourself.'

-I am designed by Mito Uzumaki as an artificial intelligence to assist the user. I am made with level 10 seals.

'Just let me use a cool move like the Reaper Death Seal to defeat this... man.'

-Denied.

'Flying Thunder God?'

-Denied.

'I humbly request, you... I was not told your name.'

-The user may call me anything. Also—denied.

'Uninstall yourself... Bitch.'

-Denied. Name accepted. New name: Bitch.

Naruto's mind raced. Could this be real? A part of her was skeptical.

Lost in her internal questioning, Naruto failed to notice Kakashi sneaking up behind her. In a split second, Kakashi brought his two fingers together and shouted loudly, "This is my Ultimate Technique: Leaf Village Secret Taijutsu Technique—"

Naruto braced herself for what she thought would be a devastating attack. But to her surprise, Kakashi's move was unexpected and rather embarrassing.

"A Thousand Years Of Death!" Kakashi exclaimed as he poked Naruto squarely on her rear.

"Ouch," Naruto deadpanned, feeling the unexpected strike send her flying through the air and into a nearby pond. Water splashed everywhere as she landed with an undignified splash.

"Observation: That was... humiliating," Naruto muttered as she struggled to regain her composure, soaked.

Kakashi, ever the composed ninja, calmly walked over to her with a small jar of medical cream. "That was definitely wood," he remarked casually, applying the cream to his fingers.

Sakura, who had been observing the entire spectacle from the sidelines, couldn't hold back any longer. Her eyes widened in shock and anger. "Even if she's weird and creepy... how dare he poke a girl's... behind like that?!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of disbelief and indignation.

The training ground fell silent for a moment, the tension palpable as everyone processed what had just happened. Naruto slowly climbed out of the pond, dripping wet but determined not to let this setback dampen her spirit. She shot a defiant glare at Kakashi, who simply shrugged with a playful twinkle in his eye.

Sakura was fuming only to see a hurt, bruised Sasuke Uchiha asking for her help behind her. She hurriedly went to him, concern etched on her face. "Sasuke! Are you okay?" she exclaimed, her anger momentarily forgotten.

Sasuke groaned, holding his side. "Sakura, I... I need your help..."

Without hesitation, Sakura rushed to his side, only to meet with her sensei, who smiled at her. "You fell for the trap," Kakashi said, his voice calm and slightly amused.

Before she could react, Kakashi's hand moved swiftly, and with a gentle tap on her neck, he knocked her out. Sakura crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Kakashi straightened up and sighed. "Two down, one to go."

From his hiding spot, Sasuke watched the scene unfold. His eyes narrowed with determination. He stepped out of the shadows, his hands forming seals rapidly. "Kakashi-sensei, I won't be as easy to defeat," he declared, his voice cold and resolute.

Kakashi turned to face him, his visible eye showing a hint of interest. "Oh? Show me what you've got, Sasuke."

Sasuke took a deep breath and launched into action. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" he shouted, expelling a massive fireball towards Kakashi. The flames roared, engulfing the space between them.

Kakashi didn't flinch. With a series of hand seals, he countered effortlessly. "Water Style: Water Wall!" A towering wall of water rose up, dousing the fireball and sending steam hissing into the air.

Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't back down. He leaped into the air, throwing shuriken with precise aim. Kakashi easily deflected them with his kunai, his movements fluid and almost lazy.

"Is that all?" Kakashi taunted, his voice calm.

Sasuke landed and quickly charged at Kakashi, engaging in close combat. Their fists and kicks clashed in a flurry of motion, but Kakashi's experience and skill were evident. He dodged and blocked Sasuke's attacks with ease, his movements smooth and controlled.

"You're strong, Sasuke, but you lack experience," Kakashi commented, sidestepping a punch and delivering a swift counterstrike to Sasuke's stomach.

Sasuke gasped, doubling over in pain. "Damn it," he muttered, struggling to stay on his feet.

Kakashi shook his head. "You have potential, but you need to learn to work with your team."

With a final swift movement, Kakashi delivered a precise chop to Sasuke's neck, knocking him out cold. Sasuke crumpled to the ground, joining his unconscious teammates.

o—O—o

When Sasuke and Sakura woke up, they found themselves tied to a training log. Their groggy eyes slowly focused on Naruto, who stood nearby, still as a statue.

"Naruto, why are we tied up?" Sakura groaned, trying to shake off the last remnants of sleep.

Naruto's eyes blinked mechanically. "You have failed to retrieve the bells. As a result, you are being punished. Dattebayo."

Sasuke sighed, testing the ropes binding him. "Great. This is just perfect."

Kakashi arrived, hands in his pockets, and an air of calm authority about him. "Well, none of you managed to get a bell," he began, his tone disappointed but not harsh. "So now, you will have to starve."

Sakura's face fell. "Starve?"

"However," Kakashi continued, looking at Sasuke with a hint of approval, "Sasuke managed to impress me, so he gets a reward." He untied Sasuke and handed him a large lunchbox. "But remember, Sasuke, do not share this with the girls. If you do, you will fail. Understood?"

Sasuke nodded, taking the lunchbox. Kakashi gave one last look to the tied-up Sakura and Naruto before vanishing into thin air, likely to watch from a hidden spot.

Sasuke opened the lunchbox and began to eat, savoring each bite. A few minutes later, Sakura's stomach growled loudly, breaking the silence. She blushed, looking embarrassed and miserable.

Sasuke glanced around to make sure Kakashi wasn't watching, then sighed. "Alright, Sakura. Open your mouth. I'll feed you. We can't face our sensei on empty stomachs."

Sakura tried to protest weakly, "No, I can't—"

But she couldn't resist the smell of food and finally obliged. Sasuke extended his hand toward her mouth, feeding her carefully.

Naruto watched the interaction with her stoic face, but beneath her expressionless exterior, she felt an unfamiliar pang of jealousy. Even though she didn't need to eat, the sight of her teammates sharing food stirred something within her.

Then, in an unexpected move, Sasuke extended his hand towards Naruto. She blinked, her robotic mind not processing his intentions fast enough. Sasuke grabbed a handful of rice and shoved it toward her mouth. "You need food," he said, but the smirk on his face suggested he was enjoying this a bit too much.

Naruto's eyes widened, and she attempted to speak. "Yawo bus-terd r—" Her words were muffled as Sasuke continued to stuff rice into her mouth.

"Sasuke!" Sakura protested, half-laughing, half-annoyed. "Don't choke her!"

Naruto, her mouth full of rice, could only manage a muffled glare. Her typically expressionless face contorted in a mixture of confusion and discomfort.

Sasuke, undeterred, continued to feed her. "Naruto, you require sustenance to maintain operational efficiency," he said in a mock-serious tone. "Please consume the nutrient-rich rice."

Naruto's robotic mind tried to process this situation. "My body does not require food intake. However, I appreciate the gesture, Sasuke. Dattebayo."

Sasuke smirked, grabbing another handful of rice. "Well, consider it a comrade gesture. Open wide."

Naruto's mouth opened mechanically, and Sasuke stuffed more rice in, causing Naruto to make a strange noise somewhere between a choke and a beep.

"Swallow, Naruto," Sasuke instructed, his tone almost teasing. "That's how you do it."

Sakura couldn't help but giggle at the absurdity of the situation. "Sasuke, you're enjoying this too much."

Sasuke shrugged, a playful glint in his eyes.

Naruto, still chewing, gave a robotic nod. "Energy is essential for mission success. I will consume the rice. Dattebayo."

Just at that moment, their teacher reappeared, his presence marked by a sudden drop in temperature. A murderous aura surrounded him, as if he was about to unleash punishment on Sasuke for breaking the rule.

Sasuke froze, the rice still in his hand. Sakura and Naruto braced themselves for the worst.

But then, in a surprising twist, Kakashi's demeanor shifted entirely. He cheerfully declared, "Congratulations, you all pass!"

The three Genin stared at him in disbelief, still processing the abrupt change in tone. Kakashi smiled, his eye curving up with genuine approval. "You showed teamwork, even when the rules said otherwise. That's the true test."

Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto exchanged bewildered glances before finally relaxing, relieved and happy to have passed despite the unexpected challenges

TBC