After leaving the rooftop, Kakashi arrived at the woods behind the academy.
"System, open the panel."
[Problem Student Management System]
[Host: Kakashi Hatake]
[Current Level: Elite Jōnin]
[Problem Students:
Uzumaki Naruto (D-rank, activated)
Uchiha Sasuke (not activated)
Haruno Sakura (not activated)]
[Character Cards Owned: D-rank Uzumaki Naruto ×1]
[System Points: 100]
[Character Card Slots: 0/3 (Up to three Character Cards may be equipped simultaneously)]
Kakashi thought for a moment. "View details of the D-rank Uzumaki Naruto card."
[D-rank · Uzumaki Naruto]
[Quality: D-rank]
[Effects:
Stamina +200
Chakra +10%
Grants Skill: Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu]
[Description: Uzumaki Naruto at the time of graduating from the Ninja Academy. Though his grades ranked last, he possesses astonishing chakra reserves and an indomitable will.]
"Equip."
[D-rank · Uzumaki Naruto Card equipped!]
A warm current surged through Kakashi's body.
He clenched his fist and could clearly feel the increase in chakra.
The boost wasn't large—but this was only a D-rank card.
When Naruto grew to C-rank, B-rank, A-rank… and eventually reached the SSS-rank Six Paths Naruto, just how terrifying would his own strength become?
Kakashi returned to the interface.
[Problem Students]
[Uzumaki Naruto (D-rank, activated) Favorability: 20]
[Uchiha Sasuke (not activated) Favorability: 5]
[Haruno Sakura (not activated) Favorability: 3]
[Character Cards Owned: D-rank Uzumaki Naruto ×1 (equipped)]
[System Points: 100]
[Character Card Slots: 1/3]
Kakashi studied the panel carefully.
"Sasuke and Sakura still haven't been activated. Looks like a few words won't be enough."
[System Prompt:
Activation requires resolving a problem student's core issue or triggering a significant personal change.]
[Uchiha Sasuke: Must be guided to confront his revenge directly and not be blinded by hatred.]
[Haruno Sakura: Must build self-confidence and discover her own value.]
"Tomorrow's bell test is the perfect opportunity," Kakashi thought.
In the original story, the bell test existed to teach Team 7 the importance of teamwork.
But now, Kakashi had more in mind.
He wanted Naruto to display his potential.
He wanted Sasuke to realize his own shortcomings.
And he wanted Sakura to discover her value.
If it went well, maybe he could activate them all at once.
"But before that…"
Kakashi took two bells from his ninja tool pouch and weighed them in his hand.
"I need to prepare properly."
His figure flickered—and vanished into the forest.
---
Meanwhile, back on the rooftop.
The three genin were still standing there.
"Hey, Sasuke, what did you think about what Kakashi-sensei said?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke shot him a cold glance.
"None of your business."
With that, he turned and walked away.
"Wait, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura hurried after him.
"Should we prepare for tomorrow's test together?"
"No need."
Sasuke didn't even turn around.
Sakura stopped, staring at his back, biting her lip.
Relying on others for your own life is the most foolish behavior…
Kakashi's words echoed in her mind.
Naruto walked over to her.
"Don't worry about it. That guy's just like that."
"You don't understand!" Sakura snapped suddenly, eyes red.
"You don't understand anything!"
She turned and ran off as well.
Naruto scratched his head, completely confused.
"Did I mess up again…?"
He looked in the direction they left and sighed.
"Whatever. I'd better think about tomorrow's test…"
Naruto clenched his fists.
"I have to pass. I'll prove it to everyone!"
He turned and ran toward Ichiraku Ramen.
Night slowly fell over Konoha.
The story of Team 7 had only just begun.
---
The Next Day — 5:00 A.M.
Training Ground Three
Naruto yawned as he stood in the clearing, half-dead from exhaustion.
"So sleepy… Why do we have to gather this early…"
"Shut up. You're noisy."
Sasuke leaned against a tree, arms crossed, eyes closed.
Sakura stood off to the side, occasionally sneaking glances at Sasuke while also looking toward the entrance.
"Why hasn't Kakashi-sensei arrived yet…?"
5:10 A.M.
5:20 A.M.
5:30 A.M.
"Damn it! Kakashi-sensei is late again!"
Naruto grabbed his hair and started pacing.
"He was an hour late yesterday—he's doing it again today?!"
Sakura frowned slightly.
"We agreed on five o'clock…"
Sasuke opened his eyes coldly.
"A boring trick."
"Huh? What trick?" Naruto asked.
"Testing our patience," Sasuke replied flatly.
"Arriving late on purpose to see if we'll leave."
"Oh! Is that so?" Naruto suddenly realized.
"Then we'll wait! I won't fall for it!"
6:00 A.M.
6:30 A.M.
7:00 A.M.
The sun rose high, sunlight spilling across the training ground.
Naruto went from standing… to sitting… to lying flat on his back.
"I'm starving… I really should've eaten breakfast…"
His stomach growled loudly.
Sakura sat down as well, her face a little pale.
She had actually followed the rules and skipped breakfast.
Sasuke remained leaning against the tree, calm on the surface—but tiny beads of sweat were forming on his forehead.
He had trained late into the night and burned through a lot of stamina.
7:30 A.M.
"I can't take this anymore!"
Naruto suddenly jumped up.
"Is this teacher even coming?!"
Just as he finished shouting—
"Yo."
A lazy voice sounded from the side.
All three snapped their heads toward the sound.
Kakashi was standing on a wooden post at the edge of the training ground, holding a bento box and eating leisurely.
"Morning."
"How dare you say 'morning'?!"
Naruto exploded.
"What time do you think it is?! We said five!"
"Ah, sorry, sorry."
Kakashi swallowed a rice ball.
"I woke up early to make lunch and accidentally got held up."
He shook the bento box. Inside were still a few rice balls and fried eggs.
Grrr—
Naruto's stomach growled loudly.
"Damn it! You're eating in front of us?!"
Naruto's eyes turned red.
"That's cruel!"
Sakura swallowed unconsciously, her eyes glued to the bento.
Sasuke looked away—but his Adam's apple clearly bobbed.
"Hm? Didn't I say yesterday not to eat breakfast?"
Kakashi finished the last rice ball and clapped his hands.
"I never said I wouldn't eat."
"That's cheating!" Naruto yelled.
"In the shinobi world, there's no such thing as fairness."
Kakashi jumped down from the post and pulled out two bells.
"Alright. Let's go over the rules."
He shook the bells, producing a crisp sound.
"Before noon, take these bells from me—and you pass."
"Take the bells?"
Naruto rubbed his stomach.
"That sounds easy…"
"But—"
Kakashi raised one finger.
"There are only two bells."
The three froze.
"That means at most two of you can pass," Kakashi said with a smile.
"At least one of you will be eliminated and sent back to the academy."
"What?!" Naruto screamed.
Sakura's face turned pale.
Sasuke's brows furrowed.
"And if none of you manage to take a bell," Kakashi added casually,
"then all three of you repeat the year."
He tied the bells to his waist.
"Oh, right. You can use any means necessary—ninjutsu, taijutsu, even ninja tools."
His tone turned serious.
"If you don't have the resolve to risk your life, you won't get the bells."
The atmosphere instantly grew heavy.
Naruto swallowed hard.
Sasuke's eyes sharpened, fighting spirit rising.
Sakura's palms were soaked with sweat.
"It's 7:30 now," Kakashi glanced at the sky.
"You have four and a half hours. Ready?"
"Wait!" Naruto raised his hand.
"At least let us eat something first!"
"Fighting on an empty stomach is also part of training," Kakashi shrugged.
"Enough talk."
He slipped his hands into his pockets, eyes suddenly sharp.
"Begin."
The moment he finished speaking—
All three vanished.
Naruto hid in the forest to the west.
Sakura concealed herself in bushes to the south.
Sasuke leapt into a tree on the eastern edge.
Kakashi stood in the center, calmly surveying the area.
"Not bad. At least they know to hide and observe."
He sat down on a clean stone and closed his eyes.
But his perception had already spread out.
"Naruto in the west. Sasuke in the east. Sakura in the south…"
In the original timeline, they would fight separately and only learn teamwork later.
"But now…"
Kakashi recalled his words from yesterday.
"The seeds are already planted. Let's see if they understand."
---
In the tree.
Sasuke watched Kakashi closely, mind racing.
The gap between a jōnin and a genin is massive… No chance head-on…
And only two bells… which means we're also competitors…
His fingers brushed the shuriken in his pouch.
Find an opening. Decide it in one strike.
---
In the bushes.
Sakura stared nervously at Kakashi.
What do I do… I can't fight a jōnin at all…
Even if I get a bell, only two people pass…
She bit her lip.
Find the meaning of Haruno Sakura's existence…
What can I do?
Theory was useless here.
Taijutsu—she was the weakest.
Ninjutsu—only the basics.
Am I… really useless?
---
In the forest.
Naruto crouched behind a tree.
"He's just sitting there! Too arrogant!"
"But… that means it's a chance!"
He pulled out several shuriken.
Surprise him, rush in, grab the bells!
Just then—
Whoosh!
A shuriken flew from Sasuke's direction.
"That jerk made the first move?!" Naruto gasped.
Kakashi tilted his head slightly.
The shuriken grazed his cheek and embedded itself in a tree.
"Too obvious, Sasuke."
More shuriken flew.
Kakashi vanished.
The next instant, he appeared on Sasuke's branch.
"Found you."
Sasuke's pupils shrank as he leapt back, hands flashing through seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A massive fireball roared toward Kakashi.
Kakashi formed seals with one hand.
"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
A wall of water rose, snuffing out the flames.
"Your chakra control isn't bad," Kakashi said calmly,
"but the power's lacking."
He stepped forward—
Bang!
Sasuke was kicked away, slamming into the ground.
"So fast…"
This was the strength of a jōnin.
"Sasuke!"
Naruto burst from the trees.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Dozens of Narutos swarmed in.
"Numbers mean nothing without quality."
Kakashi moved like a ghost.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The clones vanished one by one.
In under ten seconds, they were gone.
Kakashi struck—
Only for Naruto to vanish in smoke.
"A clone?"
"Heh! Fooled you!"
The real Naruto burst from underground, lunging for the bells.
"Transformation Jutsu… disguised as a rock."
Kakashi reacted instantly.
Just before Naruto could grab them—
Bang!
Naruto was kicked away.
"Tactics are good," Kakashi said, clapping his hands,
"but the strength gap is too big."
"Kakashi-sensei, look out!"
Sakura's voice rang out.
Shuriken flew—
And exploded into blinding light.
"A flash bomb?" Kakashi narrowed his eyes.
"Sasuke! Naruto! Now!" Sakura shouted.
Kakashi smiled.
"Interesting."
They attacked together—
Bang! Bang!
Both were sent flying.
"Cooperation's decent," Kakashi said,
"but still meaningless against absolute strength."
He glanced at the sky.
"8:10 A.M. Three hours and fifty minutes left."
"Continue."
Sasuke struggled to his feet.
Naruto wiped blood from his mouth.
Sakura collapsed to the ground, despair in her eyes.
"Can we… really win…?"