Hokage's Office – The Evening of the Bell Test

The warm glow of lanterns flickered across the Hokage's office as several jonin stood in a line before Hiruzen Sarutobi. The tension in the room was palpable, the air heavy with anticipation. One by one, the jonin stepped forward, each delivering the same disappointing news.

"Team 3… fail."

"Team 5… fail."

"Team 6… fail."

The cycle repeated, failure after failure, until only a few jonin remained. It was an unspoken reality that most fresh genin weren't suited for the shinobi world, a reality that many jonin had to reinforce after their students failed to grasp the fundamental rule of teamwork.

Then, Kakashi Hatake stepped forward, his ever-present laziness not betraying an ounce of what was to come. He adjusted his forehead protector slightly before delivering his report with his usual nonchalance.

"Kakashi Hatake, Jonin Sensei of Team 7—pass."

Silence.

Dead silence.

A couple of jonin actually stumbled at the unexpected statement, their heads snapping toward Kakashi like he had just declared the sky was green. Even Hiruzen's pipe nearly fell from his lips.

"Wait, what?" one jonin muttered, his disbelief mirrored by the others.

Kakashi gave them all his signature eye-smile, stuffing his hands into his pockets as if this were the most natural thing in the world. "Team 7 passed."

Before the others could react, Kurenai Yuhi stepped forward, regaining her composure quicker than most.

"Kurenai Yuhi, Jonin Sensei of Team 8—pass."

A murmur spread through the room. Team 8's lineup was no secret, consisting of the Hyuga heiress, the Aburame heir, and Kiba Inuzuka. They had been expected to pass, given their individual strengths.

Hiruzen stroked his beard, pleased with the results. "Team 9 is still active," he informed them, before turning toward Asuma.

The bearded jonin took a slow drag from his cigarette before stepping forward.

"Asuma Sarutobi, Jonin Sensei of Team 10—pass."

This time, the room didn't react as strongly. The new generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio was a formidable team with impeccable clan coordination. Their passing was expected.

After a long pause, Hiruzen waved his hand, dismissing the other jonin. Once the office was nearly empty, he leaned back in his chair and exhaled slowly. His gaze settled on the three remaining jonin before him.

"I must say, I'm quite pleased that all the clan heirs have passed. Konoha's future rests on their shoulders."

Kurenai nodded, her crimson eyes flickering with thought. "They have a lot of potential. If properly trained, I believe they will become exceptional shinobi."

She then turned to Kakashi, crossing her arms. "But what I really want to know is… how did you, of all people, pass a team? This is the first time you've ever done so."

Asuma leaned forward slightly, intrigued. "Yeah, I've been wondering the same thing. You've been at this for years, Kakashi, and every team before them was a fail. What changed?"

Kakashi chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. He looked completely relaxed despite the attention on him.

"They're just that talented," he admitted. Then, after a short pause, he added, "And… they were the first team to take the bells from me."

This time, Kurenai and Asuma stiffened, their disbelief mirrored in their wide eyes. Even Hiruzen's brows rose in mild surprise before a smirk settled onto his lips.

"So they managed to outmaneuver you?" the Hokage mused.

Kakashi nodded, his gaze distant for a moment before his eye crinkled in amusement. "It was… unexpected, but impressive. They worked together from the start. I didn't even have to hammer in the lesson."

Kurenai sighed, shaking her head. "Now I really want to see them in action."

"You'll get your chance soon enough," Hiruzen said, leaning forward. His eyes gleamed with something unreadable. "We'll see how they handle real missions."

The Next Morning – Training Ground 7

It was barely past sunrise when Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata arrived at Training Ground 7. They stood under the same three wooden training posts where they had taken the bell test just yesterday.

Naruto yawned, rubbing his eyes. "Man, I could've slept for a few more hours…"

Sasuke gave him a side glance, shaking his head slightly. Hinata remained quiet but seemed amused by their antics.

They waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

Minutes stretched into hours until—finally—after three hours, Kakashi appeared in a puff of smoke, a lazy eye-smile greeting them.

"Yo."

Naruto's face fell, and he immediately pointed at their chronically late sensei. "Kakashi-sensei! You're late!"

Kakashi scratched the back of his head, completely unfazed. "Ah, well, you see… a black cat crossed my path, so I had to take the long way around."

Sasuke sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This is going to be a common thing, isn't it?"

Hinata, standing slightly behind them, gave a soft sigh before shaking her head in quiet agreement.

Kakashi, as always, remained unbothered. "Now, now, let's not get too worked up. We have important things to do today. I want to work on your weaknesses."

That got their attention.

The humor drained from Naruto's face as he blinked in surprise. Sasuke straightened slightly, his usual aloofness faltering just a bit. Even Hinata perked up, her lavender eyes widening at the unexpected statement.

Kakashi's posture remained casual, but his voice turned uncharacteristically serious.

"All three of you are strong," he said, his tone even. "You've impressed me, and that's no easy feat. But just because you're strong doesn't mean you don't have weaknesses. And a shinobi who ignores their weaknesses is a dead shinobi."

Silence.

Naruto swallowed. Sasuke's eyes darkened. Hinata's hands clenched at her sides.

"Which is why," Kakashi continued, "we're going to train properly. Here's how things will work—every morning, we start with physical exercises. Then we'll move on to teamwork drills until noon. After that, we'll complete three D-rank missions. Once those are done, we'll spend the rest of the day working on individual weaknesses."

He paused, letting his words sink in before adding, "And to understand your strengths, I need to see how you fight. So today, we spar."

The air in the training ground grew heavy.

Sasuke's fingers twitched in anticipation. Hinata swallowed, but her eyes gleamed with quiet resolve. Naruto, ever the energetic one, grinned as his excitement built.

"Don't hold back," Kakashi warned, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Because I won't."

A sharp gulp escaped Naruto before he quickly covered it with a determined grin.

Kakashi clapped his hands together, his usual lazy demeanour betraying nothing of what was to come. "Alright, we'll go one at a time. Naruto, Sasuke, you two wait over there while I spar with Hinata first."

Naruto pouted. "Aw, c'mon, Kakashi-sensei! Why can't we watch?"

Kakashi eye-smiled. "Because I said so."

Sasuke clicked his tongue but didn't argue. Hinata, on the other hand, nodded and stepped forward, her lavender eyes filled with determination.

"Alright, Hinata, show me what you've got," Kakashi said as he led her deeper into the training grounds.

Naruto and Sasuke waited for what felt like an eternity. The occasional sounds of combat—swift movements, sharp impacts, the rustling of leaves—echoed through the trees. Naruto fidgeted, resisting the urge to sneak a peek. Sasuke, arms crossed, simply observed the training ground, trying to gauge how long the fight would last.

When Kakashi finally returned, he looked barely affected—his uniform had a few drops of sweat, but there were no visible scratches or rips in his clothing. Hinata, however, had small cuts along her arms and legs, her breathing slightly ragged. Her clothes were a bit dirty from dodging and rolling across the terrain.

Kakashi gave her an approving nod. "Your Taijutsu is very good, Hinata. It's different from the Gentle Fist, but it suits you well. Your ability to read an opponent's movements and adjust mid-fight is impressive."

Hinata wiped her forehead, trying to steady her breathing. "Th-thank you, Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi crossed his arms. "I'll help you refine it further. You need to work on different stances to improve your counters and adaptability to various fighting styles."

Hinata nodded, absorbing the information.

"As for your ninjutsu, it's impressive for a genin. Water manipulation is no easy feat at your age, and you've already learned a few jutsu," Kakashi continued, his tone carrying a hint of approval. "For now, we'll focus on strengthening your chakra reserves, improving your durability, and refining your Taijutsu."

Naruto grinned. "See, Hinata-chan? You're awesome!"

Hinata's cheeks dusted pink, and she looked down shyly.

"Alright, Sasuke, your turn," Kakashi said, glancing toward the Uchiha.

Sasuke simply nodded and followed him into the training area.

This time, Naruto and Hinata waited longer. The sounds of combat were sharper—clashes, bursts of fire, and the occasional crackle of lightning. Naruto clenched his fists, feeling the familiar rush of adrenaline from just listening.

When the two finally returned, Kakashi looked a bit worse for wear. His clothes had dirt stains, and there were a few visible cuts along his arms. Sasuke, however, looked ragged. His breath was heavy, his uniform covered in small tears, and his arms and legs bore multiple bruises. His knuckles were scraped, and sweat dripped down his face.

Kakashi glanced at him before turning toward the rest of the team. "Sasuke's Taijutsu is very good. Right now, it's a step ahead of Hinata's, but…" his visible eye twinkled, "give her some time, and she'll surpass you."

Sasuke scowled slightly, but he didn't argue.

"Your Ninjutsu, on the other hand, is amazing. Your combination of Fire and Lightning techniques is solid. The way you incorporated both elements mid-fight is something even some jonin struggle with."

Sasuke merely grunted, wiping some sweat off his forehead.

"Your mastery over your two-tomoe Sharingan is exceptional," Kakashi continued, "and your Bojutsu with Hakutora is something to be feared. You have an interesting fighting style."

Sasuke's breath evened out as he listened. He was strong, but he knew he wasn't strong enough yet.

Kakashi shrugged. "Unfortunately, I don't know Bojutsu well enough to train you in it. But I can train you in Genjutsu and help refine your Sharingan's potential."

Sasuke gave a small nod. He had already been considering working on his Genjutsu to complement his growing skill set.

"Alright, Naruto, you're up," Kakashi announced, stretching slightly.

Naruto's grin widened. "Finally!" He practically bolted toward the training ground.

Naruto's Sparring Session

Hinata and Sasuke waited for what felt like ages. Unlike the previous fights, Naruto and Kakashi's spar was loud. The sounds of clashing kunai, exploding clones, and the unmistakable crash of a tree collapsing filled the air. Even from a distance, Sasuke could see shockwaves from some of Naruto's attacks disturbing the ground.

When the two finally returned, both of them looked like they had gone through war.

Naruto was covered in dirt, bruises lining his arms and legs, a noticeable black eye forming on his left side. His uniform was torn in multiple places, and he looked exhausted but grinning from ear to ear.

Kakashi, for the first time, looked battered. His usually pristine uniform was coated in dirt, his sleeves had multiple rips, and there was a thin trail of blood on his cheek. His breathing was slightly heavier, and his usual lazy stance carried a bit more weight. Even though Naruto was in much worse condition than Kakashi sensei, it was surprising to say the least.

Hinata gasped softly. Naruto had pushed Kakashi-sensei that far?

Sasuke frowned.Damn it, Naruto… how strong are you?

Kakashi dusted himself off and gave a slow nod of approval. "Naruto… you are insanely strong for a genin."

Naruto wiped some sweat off his brow, still grinning despite the clear exhaustion. "Told ya, Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi continued, his tone more serious. "Your speed and strength are unheard of for not just a genin, but even most chunin. If you keep this up, it won't be long before you reach the level of a jonin in physical combat."

Naruto beamed at the praise.

"Your Taijutsu is about equal to Sasuke's, but only because of his Sharingan. Without it, you'd have the upper hand. Your Kenjutsu is good, but it could be improved."

Naruto pouted slightly at that, but he knew it was true.

"Your Ninjutsu is absolutely unheard of for a shinobi your age. Most don't even begin elemental manipulation this early, yet you've already incorporated multiple advanced techniques. And finally…" Kakashi paused, glancing at Naruto with a thoughtful expression.

"Your Fuinjutsu… it's ridiculous," he admitted, shaking his head. "Your ability to use battle-oriented Fuinjutsu far surpasses my own."

Naruto's jaw nearly dropped. "Wait… you mean I'm better than you at something, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi eye-smiled. "For once, yeah. And that's rare."

Naruto puffed out his chest proudly.

"Because of that, I'll be training you in Ninjutsu, Kenjutsu, and improving your Sensory abilities. I can't teach you Fuinjutsu, but I'll help you apply it better in battle."

Naruto grinned. "Sounds good to me!"

Kakashi nodded, stretching his arms before finally clapping his hands together. "Alright, training's done for today. Time to start our D-Rank Missions."

Naruto's grin widened. "Are we *taking out bandits? Saving a princess? Defeating an evil overlord?!"

Kakashi's eye crinkled in amusement. "Nope. Something even better."

Naruto practically vibrated in excitement. "Even better than bandits?!"

Kakashi chuckled, keeping the horrifying truth to himself.

Civilian House – The Joy of Painting Walls

Naruto scowled as he dipped the paintbrush into the dull beige-colored paint, aggressively slapping it onto the wooden walls of the civilian house they were assigned to paint. With every stroke, his irritation grew.

"This is ridiculous!" Naruto grumbled, shooting an annoyed glance at their lazy sensei, who was lounging on a nearby rock with his infamous orange book. "Kakashi-sensei, we're ninja now! We should be doing real missions that test our skills!"

Kakashi barely glanced up from Icha Icha Paradise, his visible eye crinkling in amusement. "Hmm? Oh, you mean like saving a princess? Or maybe overthrowing an evil warlord on your first day?" He chuckled to himself, turning a page. "That's cute, Naruto."

Naruto's face twitched in irritation. "Tch. One-eyed bastard…" he muttered under his breath, only for Kakashi's ear to twitch.

"Oh? Did you say something, Naruto?" Kakashi asked lazily.

Naruto quickly turned back to the wall, suddenly very interested in his painting. "N-nothing!"

Sasuke and Hinata, on either side of him, remained silent. Sasuke had long since accepted that complaining wouldn't change anything, while Hinata simply worked diligently, her focus unshaken.

"I still don't get it," Naruto huffed. "We're out here painting walls when we could be out training to be strong shinobi! Why do we have to do these stupid missions first?"

Kakashi sighed dramatically, flipping another page in his book. "Because, my dear students, every genin team has to start with D-rank missions before moving on to higher-ranked ones. Consider it a rite of passage."

Naruto made a face. "Some rite of passage…"

Kakashi eye-smiled, clearly enjoying himself. "Besides, these missions build character."

Sasuke scoffed. "I don't need my character built, I need to get stronger."

Kakashi chuckled again, fully expecting that response. "Patience, Sasuke, patience. All in due time."

Naruto muttered something under his breath about Kakashi being a lazy bastard who was definitely just making them suffer for his amusement.

After finishing half of the wall, the team took a short break. Naruto flopped onto the ground, arms stretched behind his head, staring at the sky. Hinata quietly sipped some water while Sasuke hesitated, clearly debating something in his mind.

Then, to everyone's surprise, Sasuke walked up to Kakashi.

Kakashi blinked as Sasuke stood there, clearly a little hesitant. "Something on your mind, Sasuke?"

Sasuke cleared his throat and crossed his arms, not meeting Kakashi's gaze. "That book you're reading…"

Kakashi's lone eye twinkled in amusement. "Hmm? What about it?"

Sasuke took a deep breath before speaking, as if admitting this would kill him. "I… was looking for that volume to complete my collection, but it was sold out everywhere."

Dead silence.

Then, before anyone could react, Kakashi was on Sasuke faster than any of them could comprehend.

One second, he was sitting comfortably. The next?

He was hugging Sasuke.

Naruto's jaw dropped. Hinata stared, eyes blinking in shock.

"Oh, this is a beautiful moment," Kakashi said dramatically, clutching Sasuke like he had just found his long-lost sibling. "Finally, a student who appreciates true literature!"

Sasuke, despite being Uchiha-level composed, had a very faint blush on his cheeks. "Sensei… let go."

Kakashi pumped his fist into the air, his dramatic energy in full force. "This is the best day of my life!"

Naruto twitched. "You can't be serious. That book is just smut! It should be burned!"

And suddenly…

The air shifted.

Naruto felt something cold crawl up his spine. The temperature in the training ground seemed to drop, the sun dimming behind dark clouds.

A bolt of lightning flashed behind Kakashi. Kakashi's entire posture changed. His book was gone. His eye was no longer smiling. Killing intent filled the air. Naruto, for the first time in his life, felt like he might actually die.

The sheer weight of Kakashi's silent glare made it difficult to breathe. This was the gaze of a man who had walked through battlefields drenched in blood.

"What did you say, Naruto?" Kakashi's voice was low, his tone dripping with something Naruto had never heard before.

Naruto gulped. "N-nothing, Kakashi-sensei!"

Sasuke, completely ignoring Naruto's suffering, cleared his throat. "So, can I borrow the book?"

Kakashi's deadly aura vanished instantly. He blinked, turning back to Sasuke like nothing happened. "Oh? Right. Sure, Sasuke, you can borrow it after I finish re-reading it."

Naruto wheezed, finally able to breathe again. Hinata looked at him in mild concern, but she was also struggling to process what had just happened.

Sasuke spent the rest of their break discussing Icha Icha Paradise with Kakashi while Naruto and Hinata kept their distance. Naruto swore he saw lightning still crackling in the sky.

After their break, Naruto stretched, pumped up. "Alright, finally! Time to train!"

Kakashi tilted his head, feigning confusion. "Hmm? Train? Who said anything about training?"

Naruto blinked. "…What?"

Kakashi smirked. "We agreed to do three D-rank missions a day, remember?"

Naruto's entire body froze.

"No. No, no, no. Kakashi-sensei, please tell me you're joking."

Kakashi chuckled. "Oh, I'm not joking, Naruto. In fact, I've already picked out the next mission for us."

Naruto felt dread creeping up his spine. "What is it?"

Kakashi took out the mission scroll, opening it way too dramatically. "Today, we'll be heading over to the Inuzuka Compound."

Naruto tilted his head. "Huh? What for?"

Kakashi's smirk widened. "We'll be cleaning the Inuzuka dogs after their mud bath."

Naruto's eyes widened in pure horror. "…You're joking."

Kakashi closed the scroll. "Not at all. The mission's already been accepted."

Naruto's scream of "AW MAN!" echoed through the entire village, sending flocks of birds flying from their trees.