The Test, Part 1

"But then again, why hadn't Kakashi-sensei arrived yet?"

Ye Lan chuckled. "He's famous for being late. He's probably reading Make-Out Paradise right now."

Sasuke, who had been silent the whole time, spoke up. "Didn't you say you'd just arrived in Konoha? How do you know Kakashi-sensei so well?"

Ye Lan froze. He really had said too much.

"Heh, when I arrived yesterday, Kakashi-sensei was the one who took me to get my forehead protector."

As he spoke, Ye Lan pointed at the forehead protector on his head.

Sasuke glanced at Ye Lan and said nothing else.

Sakura had not said anything from beginning to end, because her gaze had remained fixed on Sasuke.

Naruto then asked, "Was Kakashi-sensei the one who told you to come here for the test?"

"Uh... yes."

Ye Lan casually brushed it off. Kakashi had never actually told him this was the location of today's test; he had come here entirely from memory.

Before long, Kakashi's voice drifted over from the distance. "Sorry, everyone. I'm late."

Kakashi stood there with a copy of Make-Out Paradise in his right hand, smiling at Ye Lan and the others.

The moment Naruto saw Kakashi, he ran over to him. "Kakashi-sensei, you finally came! Hurry up and tell us, what's today's test about?"

"Heh, no rush."

Kakashi looked at Ye Lan. "So, have you gotten acquainted with them?"

Ye Lan nodded. "More or less."

Kakashi walked to the middle of the four of them and said casually, "Today's test is very simple."

Kakashi touched the small Bells tied around his waist. "All you have to do is take these three Bells from me. Whoever gets one passes."

Sasuke was the first to speak. "There are only three Bells?"

"That's right."

Sakura continued, "But there are four of us taking the test. Even if we get all three Bells, one person will definitely be left without one. Doesn't that mean the last person will be eliminated?"

Kakashi nodded. "Those are my rules. Originally, there were only two Bells and three candidates. Since Ye Lan was temporarily added to Team 7, there are now three. And in my tests, regardless of the outcome, the best-case scenario is that one person gets eliminated."

Kakashi paused before adding, "Because I won't let anyone who holds the team back pass."

Sasuke said nothing. He crossed his arms and looked at Kakashi. He was almost certain that he was not the weakest one on the team. If even he could not get a Bell, then the others had no chance.

Naruto, on the other hand, looked thrilled. He had always been confident in his own strength, even though he had never truly assessed himself.

Though Sakura found the rules somewhat strange, she believed that if three people passed in the end, she and Sasuke would definitely be among them. As for who the remaining person was, that had nothing to do with her.

Ye Lan smiled inwardly. Just as he had expected, it was still the same old rules.

He looked at Kakashi with complete confidence. He was almost certain that all four students present would pass in the end, because Kakashi's test was never meant to assess their strength.