"We still haven't gotten the bells," Naruto whispered.
The three of them hid deep in the forest, using tall bushes for cover. The clearing was silent—Kakashi still seemed to be waiting leisurely in the grassland.
"Kakashi-sensei is way too strong. We're no match for him," Sakura sighed, the image of his hand seals still haunting her mind.
So fast—his seals left afterimages, almost three or four per second. It wasn't humanly possible.
Hearing this, Sasuke's face grew solemn, while Naruto remained calm. Of course Kakashi's seals were fast—he was called the "Copy Ninja" for a reason.
The first after the Third Hokage to master all chakra natures, a man rumored to have copied over a thousand jutsu.He might not be as powerful as the Third, but his title of genius was well deserved.
"We have no chance unless we work together," Sasuke said coldly. "I'll go in hard, Sakura provides distraction, and Naruto, you grab the bells."
"W-wait, I…" Sakura panicked. "I can't… my genjutsu won't work on Kakashi-sensei…"
"This is the only chance," Sasuke pressed.
"I…" Sakura lowered her head, hesitating.
At that moment, Naruto patted her shoulder with a reassuring grin."Sakura, we'll buy you time. You just focus on casting genjutsu on Kakashi-sensei. Our backs will be in your hands—so believe in yourself."
Sakura bit her lip, then finally nodded. "...Okay."
The world of shinobi was cruel—either you could do it, or you couldn't. Naruto noticed how different his teammates were compared to how the manga had portrayed them.
Sakura wasn't just some silly fangirl, and Sasuke wasn't that arrogantly cold. They were simply talented youths with their own strengths—and, overall, good people.
Perhaps it was partly due to the strength Naruto had shown so far, but among the three of them a healthy sense of pressure had formed. With shared intel and their earlier teamwork, they already had the beginnings of true synergy.
No jealousy, no arrogance—only the will to cooperate.
The blazing sun hung overhead.
In the clearing, Kakashi leaned lazily against a wooden post, eyes moving leisurely over the pages of Icha Icha Paradise. He seemed utterly defenseless.
A whisper of wind slipped through the trees. Kakashi paused, lowering his book. The silence broke with the sharp whistle of projectiles.
Shuriken!
Two glints of steel flashed under the sunlight, slicing toward him.
Thunk, thunk! They missed, embedding into the post. Kakashi had already leapt clear—but before his feet could touch the ground, Sasuke burst from the side.
"Wasn't it Sasuke who just threw the shuriken?" Kakashi thought with mild surprise.
Of course, the Third Hokage's file had said that Sasuke's shuriken skills were the best among the three, so he naturally assumed those throws were his.
"But the force behind them was too great. Not Sakura… meaning it was Naruto?" Kakashi murmured. "Impressive."
Still in midair, Kakashi spotted Sasuke's forming seals. His Sharingan-like instincts read the pattern instantly.
"Snake sign? Fire Release?"
Snake – Ram – Monkey – Boar – Horse – Tiger!Five rapid seals, then—Great Fireball Technique!
A massive wave of flames roared upward, swallowing Kakashi's line of retreat. Forced to dodge again, Kakashi suddenly felt something off—his movements slowed, his senses dulled.
Genjutsu?
He didn't break it immediately. Turning his head, he spotted Sakura straining to maintain her hand signs, sweat dripping from her forehead.
Kakashi almost smiled—he understood. But before he could react further—
Cling! Cling!
The sound of bells.
Poof! Smoke burst in his vision, and in that fleeting blur of wind, Kakashi felt his waist lighten. By the time the smoke cleared—both bells were already clenched in Naruto's hand.
Sasuke and Sakura exhaled in relief and approached.
Kakashi sighed and straightened up. Even though he had been holding back an ocean's worth of strength, the fact remained—their teamwork had succeeded.
"Congratulations," Kakashi said with a smile. "You managed to snatch the bells. By the way, you three are the most coordinated team of fresh genin I've ever seen."
The three of them broke into smiles. Sakura especially looked relieved, her worried face finally easing.
But then Kakashi's tone hardened, his expression turning serious.
"You only have two bells. That means only two of you pass. Or perhaps only one."
At once, Sasuke and Sakura's eyes locked on Naruto, who held both bells.
"You can give one to a teammate, or you can keep them both. If I train only one student, that person will learn far more from me." Kakashi's voice was calm, but tempting."After all, I don't have unlimited time. Teaching two is less efficient. Teaching one would be easier on me as well."
Sasuke and Sakura stiffened, nerves tightening. The temptation was real—Naruto was the strongest among them. If he chose to keep the bells, they couldn't complain.
Sakura's heart sank like ice. Even if Naruto decided to share, why would he give one to her? What use was a weak teammate?
"Well?" Kakashi asked, arms crossed, a smile playing on his lips. "Have you decided?"
"There's nothing to decide," Naruto said lightly, raising the bells.
Sasuke and Sakura froze. So it was true—he would take the solo path, the fast track to power.
Kakashi's smile widened, his arms uncrossing. He opened his mouth to continue—
But Naruto cut him off.
"I'm already strong enough. I don't need your guidance at all!"
"What?" Sasuke blinked.
Sakura held her breath, staring in disbelief.
With a grin, Naruto tossed both bells backward. They arced gracefully through the sunlight, landing neatly in Sasuke and Sakura's hands.
"Who needs a jōnin's tutoring?" Naruto dug in his ear, laughing brilliantly under the sun. "I, Uzumaki Naruto, don't need it one bit!"