Teamwork

Seeing that Kakashi was still watching her calmly, waiting for her to make a mistake, Sakura bit her lip and decided to give it another shot!

"Water Release: Super Water Gun!"

The water jets continued to shoot out with fierce momentum and immense power. Kakashi dared not be careless and moved at high speed before Sakura could lock onto him. The water jets were indestructible wherever they moved, but the caster could not lock onto the fast-moving target and could only waste Chakra in vain. This feeling of being caught in a dilemma was extremely uncomfortable for Sakura, and what was even more uncomfortable was that her Chakra was gradually running out!

After holding out for a few seconds, Sakura, whose stamina was nearing its limit, finally had no choice but to stop this futile attempt and switch from offense to defense! However, it was in this instant of switching between offense and defense that Kakashi seized the opening in the change of rhythm and rushed to Sakura's side at high speed to begin close-quarters combat!

On one side are Ninja Academy graduates whose mental and physical strength has greatly declined, and on the other side are experienced elite Elite Jonin. The two, from completely different backgrounds, begin a brutal battle! On the surface, the battle should be one-sided, but with her Nintaijutsu, Sakura once again demonstrates her resilience. Although she is at a disadvantage, she is like grass struggling in Hayate, refusing to fall!

Even though she knows that resistance is futile, Sakura refuses to admit defeat no matter what! Beneath her amiable exterior lies a deep-seated pride!

I will fight to the very end!

Although she was internally screaming this, Sakura found that her body was gradually losing its rhythm. "Bang!" Summoning all her remaining strength and Chakra, she clashed with Kakashi, forcing Kakashi back. Suddenly, Sakura's legs gave way, and she almost stumbled and fell to her knees! Sweat poured down her face, her hair sticking to her face in strands, flowing down her cheeks and into her panting mouth, making Sakura feel incredibly bitter!

Sakura's stamina had reached its limit! Kakashi charged again, and Sakura raised her hand to block, but found that her hands were limp and she couldn't muster any strength. Kakashi kicked her down!

Sakura's vision went black, and she struggled to prop herself up with her hands on the ground, trying to leap up, but Kakashi punched her down again!

Utter defeat!

Sakura, struggling to the very last moment, was struck on the back of the neck by Kakashi's final blow. A strong sense of dizziness surged up, and she felt the world before her eyes gradually darken...

Waaah, I'm so so upset! In the original story, Sasuke at least encountered the bell...

Well, I guess I did my best. It was a really fun game...

Sakura was plunged into darkness.

When Sakura woke up, she found herself lying in the open space in front of the Memorial Stone. Her whole body ached and she felt weak and powerless. She knew this was a side effect of exhaustion. Then she heard Kakashi's voice.

"Very good, Sakura has woken up too. Now, it's time to tell you the final results of this assessment..."

Kakashi drawled out his words, staring at the three of them with deadpan eyes. Even Naruto tensed up and sat up straight at this crucial moment.

"... So, you didn't manage to grab a single bell, which means you failed completely!"

"W-What? Then we're doomed! Kakashi-sensei, you're going too far! How could we possibly pass such a difficult test?! And, and there are only two bells, and even though we're all fighting so hard for them, one of us is destined to fail and have to go back and retake the test!" Naruto exclaimed in a frenzy!

Even Sasuke was gritting his teeth and controlling his emotions, while only Sakura, who knew the inside story, remained calm and composed as she looked at Kakashi.

"However..." Kakashi drawled, looking at Naruto with satisfaction after he calmed down, and said with a smile, "It's a pipe dream to have three newly graduated Genin snatch something from Jonin! The real purpose of the assessment isn't for you to grab the bells, but to test your ability to fight as a team!"

"I'll emphasize again, this assessment is about teamwork!"

Kakashi said solemnly, taking out two bells from his pocket and shaking them.

"Although none of the three of you managed to get the bell, I'm very pleased to see the spirit of teamwork in you! Your Ninjutsu coordination was excellent! And by having Sakura hold me back in the main battle, creating opportunities for Sasuke and Naruto to launch a sneak attack, I can see that you've already developed a basic sense of camaraderie!"

"Ninja missions are conducted in teams! Admittedly, exceptional individual skills are very important to ninjas, but they are far less important than [teamwork]! Working alone without teamwork will endanger your comrades, even costing them their lives. From the moment you formed a Genin squad, you have been a closely connected and interdependent unit! This is my first lesson for you."

"In conclusion, I believe that the three of you have demonstrated excellent qualities; therefore, the bell can be given to you."

After Kakashi finished speaking, he placed the two bells in Naruto's hands.

"Yay! That's awesome!" Naruto shouted excitedly, but after a while he didn't hear anyone else respond. He turned around and saw Sasuke staring at the bell in his hand with a gloomy expression!

Naruto was taken aback.

"Only those who obtain the bell can pass the test; those who fail will be eliminated and sent back to school to repeat their studies!" Naruto suddenly remembered Kakashi's words before the test, and in an instant, he felt the bell in his hand weigh as heavy as a thousand pounds!

Sakura was looking at the remaining two with a meaningful gaze. The moment Kakashi handed the bell to Naruto, Sakura understood—this was the "Two Peaches Kill Three Warriors" tactic. The tactic was very straightforward and simple, but if one was blinded by deception, one would never see through it!

This was Kakashi's final, covert test of team spirit! A true team player won't easily abandon their teammates; conversely, if they fight amongst themselves over two bells, they'll definitely fail the test!

Sakura understood this perfectly, but she couldn't just give them the answer or remind them directly. She could only wait for Naruto and Sasuke figure it out themselves, because Kakashi needed their true thoughts!

Sakura wasn't in a hurry; she had confidence in both of them.

"Two bells mean only two people can pass, and the remaining person will have to be eliminated!" Naruto said heavily. The usually carefree Naruto became serious after seeing the cruel reality.

"So, who will be eliminated?" Kakashi maliciously fueled the fire.

Whoever is eliminated is betrayed by the newly formed Team 7.

Naruto looked at Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke one by one. Kakashi's smile was fake, as if it carried a hint of mockery; Sakura was as calm and composed as ever; Sasuke's eyes were serious and sharp.

Who should be eliminated? Sakura, Sasuke, or... himself? The thought of returning to school and waiting alone for a year sent a pang of pain through Naruto's heart. He had truly had enough of this loneliness!

"No matter who you choose, I'll support you, Naruto." Sakura said calmly, looking at Naruto's ever-changing expression.

"I choose..." Naruto hesitated for a long time, but finally calmed down and looked at Sakura and Sasuke firmly, "I choose myself!"

Sasuke and Kakashi were both startled, and Sakura gave a slight smile.

However, neither Sakura nor Sasuke accepted the bells Naruto offered them. Naruto had already given a satisfactory answer, and Sakura certainly wouldn't hold him back. Sakura looked at Sasuke, Sasuke stared intently at the bells in Naruto's hand, his mind in turmoil.

"I won't accept it!" Sasuke finally raised his head and stared coldly at Kakashi.

"Since you, Kakashi-sensei, have repeatedly emphasized teamwork, why did you only give us two bells? The three of us are already comrades, how can we abandon Naruto so easily! Kakashi-sensei, you must have a third bell, bring it out!"

"Well done, Naruto and Sasuke!" Sakura silently gave them a thumbs up in her heart. With that, the test would be fine; Naruto and Sasuke's answers were both passing!

"That's right. If we easily abandon our comrades, then what makes us a team? Even if it means rebelling against Kakashi-sensei, I will never agree to abandon my comrades!" Sakura solemnly said to Kakashi.

"The third bell... I don't have one," Kakashi smiled, his eyes narrowing in a sinister way. "But I can give you another chance. If you succeed, all three of you will pass the test; if you fail, you'll all be eliminated! Sasuke, Sakura, you could have already passed the test. Even so, are you willing to accept this?"

Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto exchanged a glance and said together, "I agree!"

"Very good..." Kakashi suddenly stood up! Sakura and the other two quickly assumed defensive stances!

I declare!

"You've all passed!"

"Exercise over! Starting tomorrow, the Team 7 will begin its mission!"