Chapter 34: 34. Kakashi vs team 7 - 3
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Kakashi ignored Naruto and Sasuke then raced to Sakura, who was standing behind him.
Naruto saw this and turned Sasuke around, throwing him at Kakashi. "Secret Technique: Sasuke Toss!"
Sasuke adjusted his posture midair and kicked Kakashi in the lower back.
Kakashi effortlessly grabbed Sasuke's leg and pushed him to the ground, just in time for Naruto's attack. "Leaf Whirlwind!"
But Kakashi was too familiar with this manoeuvre. He easily caught Naruto's leg and slammed him against Sasuke. The two lay neatly together on the ground.
It all happened so quickly that Sakura was still in a defensive stance when Kakashi appeared behind her, his hand gently but firmly gripping her neck.
As Naruto and Sasuke struggled to get up, Kakashi suddenly chuckled.
He noticed Sakura's hand discreetly reaching for the bell tied around his waist. "So, you remembered the mission was to get the bell after all," he said with a smirk.
Before Naruto and Sasuke could react, Kakashi released Sakura and swiftly threw a kunai behind him, dispelling a sneaky shadow clone.
When Kakashi earlier said Naruto lacked chakra, Naruto had dispersed several clones in front of him while secretly keeping one in reserve.
"That's enough," Kakashi said, raising a hand to signal a stop. He adjusted his headband to cover his Sharingan.
The purpose of this test has been achieved. He had seen the teamwork of the three genin and their unyielding determination to complete the mission.
"Though none of you got the bell, you made me take this seriously," Kakashi admitted. He removed the bells and handed them to Sakura, continuing, "Now that you've achieved your goal, tell me how you plan to distribute these two bells."
Sakura took the bells in a daze. At first, she was ecstatic, imagining herself on missions with Sasuke.
But then she looked at Naruto, realizing that from strategy to combat, he has been the driving force. Her contribution felt small in comparison.
Sasuke frowned.
Naruto, on the other hand, was puzzled. Kakashi's test seemed complete, with their teamwork shining through. So why was there still an issue with the bells?
Everyone was silent for a moment. Then, Sakura walked over to Naruto and Sasuke, holding out the bells with both hands. "These... these should belong to you."
Biting her lip, she added, "I... I'm the weakest, and I didn't help much in the fight. But even if it was just for two days, I was really happy to be part of this team with you guys. Next time..."
Naruto smiled at Sakura's gesture and didn't take the bell. "I'm happy to be on this team with you too. What do you think, Sasuke?"
Sasuke looked up at Kakashi. "So, as long as we get the bell, we pass, right?"
Kakashi nodded. "Yes. What are you planning?"
Sasuke took the bells from Sakura, tossed one to Naruto, and then sliced the remaining bell in half with his kunai.
He handed one half to Sakura, saying casually, "This is enough."
Sakura was so moved that she almost burst into tears. "Sasuke~!"
She hugged a small doll with Sasuke's name on it and mentally screamed, "I have to make him mine!"
"You clever little bastard," Naruto said with a grin. He also cut his bell in half and tossed one half to Kakashi. "Indeed, this is enough."
Kakashi held the half-bell, smiling even more brightly than Naruto. "All of you pass!"
"Awesome!" Sakura cheered.
Sasuke gave a small smile.
"Kakashi-sensei, please take care of us!" x3
"Ah, please take care of me."
"To celebrate the official formation of Team 7, Kakashi-sensei will treat us!" Naruto said with a mischievous grin, remembering how Kakashi had thrown him earlier.
Kakashi sighed, "I can't say no to you guys. Let's go."
As the three genin laughed behind him, Kakashi looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle and muttered, "I've become a teacher..." With a sigh, he pulled out his favourite book with a yellow cover from his ninja pouch.
…
At the barbecue restaurant, Naruto, who rarely managed to outwit Kakashi, rubbed his full stomach and hiccupped contentedly. He wasn't the best at fighting on an empty stomach.
Next time, I'll bring Chōji along, Naruto thought, glancing at Kakashi, who looked like he was holding back tears.
The wealth Kakashi has accumulated over the years, bringing Hinata along wouldn't be too much, would it? Chōji and Hinata will decrease Kakashi's wealth significantly.
Sakura and Sasuke sat side by side, their faces glowing with happiness. Sasuke seemed a bit unsure of what to do, placing his chopsticks down after his last bite.
Noticing that everyone had finished eating, Kakashi snapped his book shut and waited for the three of them to look at him before he said, "Team 7's first mission starts tomorrow. I've got something to take care of, so you're dismissed!"
Kakashi bolted out of the restaurant, leaving the three genin staring at each other. Thankfully, he had at least paid the bill before leaving.
Naruto asked, "Got any plans for the afternoon, Sasuke?"
"Training."
"Let's train together, then."
"Alright."
Sakura looked back and forth between them, asking, "Is your usual communication always this... brief?"
Is this how close friends talk? She couldn't help but think of Ino and quickly shook her head. Why am I thinking of that loudmouth pig?
"Pretty much," Naruto replied. "When you're familiar with someone, conversations are casual. If there's more to say, you say it, if not, you keep it short."
"Sakura, want to join us?"
"Sure!" Sakura agreed eagerly, excited at the prospect of training with Sasuke.
The three of them headed for the training ground, where they had set traps earlier.
It was a large field with three wooden posts on one side and a little river on the other, both surrounded by trees—an ideal training location.
Naruto invited Sakura along for more than just company.
Since they were going to be a team, it made sense to assist her in developing her skills sooner rather than later.
Sakura will likely follow Tsunade's route in the future, therefore, having a qualified medical ninja on the team was essential.
"I'll learn the Rasengan next. My father left me the training approach. You can participate if you're interested, but it's difficult for individuals with little chakra."
Considering Minato's nature, he'd probably be eager to teach anyone with potential, even passing down techniques like the Rasengan and Flying Thunder God.
After all, he did teach the Flying Thunder God to Genma's team for their Flying Thunder Formation.
Sasuke and Sakura considered Naruto's impressive chakra reserves and compared them to their own.
They both shook their heads, realizing they couldn't afford to learn such a technique.
"Alright," Naruto said, understanding their decision. "So, what are you planning to practice next?"
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