Kakashi took off.
Kakashi jumped into the Dragon Fire Technique.
Kakashi exploded.
Shadow Clone.
"Yo, what a despicable tactic. Good thing I used a Shadow Clone beforehand."
Kakashi, hiding behind the big tree, sucked in a sharp breath.
The memories sent back by the Shadow Clone made his spine go cold.
"But the Shadow Clone mixed among the Phantom Clones... was that Sasuke's?"
"It really was..."
Whoosh—
Just then, a Kunai with an Explosive Tag tied to it came flying over.
Kakashi used the Body Flicker Technique to leave.
Rumble—
The Explosive Tag detonated with tremendous force.
Kakashi returned to the open field, deliberately landing back within Naruto's encirclement of Phantom Clones.
"Congratulations. You've successfully made me get serious."
Kakashi put away his dead-fish eyes and gave Naruto's Phantom Clones an approving glance.
"Then let me see how your Phantom Body Flicker differs from Body Flicker Shisui's."
"Perhaps Konoha will produce another Body Flicker Naruto... no, perhaps even another Yellow Flash."
Uchiha Sasuke sneered.
He silently stepped back.
Kakashi noticed something was off. Why hadn't Naruto attacked him?
Only then did he realize that he had fallen under a Genjutsu.
"Release!"
This Genjutsu was the simplest and most basic kind.
It interfered with the target's vision and hearing.
Moreover, there was very little interference, so Kakashi had failed to notice it right away.
Once he noticed it, he released it instantly.
Just as he wondered why they had used such a useless Genjutsu—
He heard the pattering sound of countless things burning beside his ears.
So Pink Hair had not been useless either.
Her talent for Chakra control was excellent. She was the best choice for casting a subtle, low-level Genjutsu.
All of Naruto's Phantom Clones smiled.
"Kakashi-sensei, you should be able to stomach this grand gift, right?"
Explosive Tags!
They were all Explosive Tags!
Several burning Explosive Tags lay beneath the feet of every Phantom Clone.
"So that Ninja Tool Bag was full of Explosive Tags... How... extravagantly inhuman!"
Kakashi did not struggle. He simply raised his hands in surrender.
"You win."
"Yay! (＾-＾)V"
Pink Hair, who had been hiding in the shadows, was the first to jump up.
Her little pink face was flushed red, and her eyes remained fixed on Naruto beside her.
She seemed to be asking for praise.
Uchiha Sasuke gave a faint smile and jumped down from the tree as well.
"Well, that was truly unexpected."
"I couldn't tell that you brats were actually so rich. You use Explosive Tags as if they cost nothing."
"Kakashi-sensei, don't be surprised just yet. I can't stop that many Explosive Tags from exploding."
As soon as Naruto finished speaking, Kakashi's smile froze.
"You..."
Rumble—!!!
"Kakashi-sensei... he didn't die, did he?"
Frightened by the unending explosions, Pink Hair hid behind Naruto.
Even her voice trembled as she spoke.
Even Uchiha Sasuke felt his scalp go numb.
"Hmph. If he died, then that was all he was worth. Besides, he was the one who said we should fight with the determination to kill him. It's not our fault."
"Yes, you did very well."
Kakashi appeared behind Uchiha Sasuke like a ghost.
One hand rested on Uchiha Sasuke's shoulder.
Uchiha Sasuke's face instantly turned pale.
The three turned around and saw Kakashi in an utterly miserable state.
His White Hair had been blown upright and was still smoking.
If that had not been a Shadow Clone just now... he might be clutching his butt right now.
"What a thoroughly satisfying team battle."
"Congratulations. You've passed."
"But then again..."
Kakashi narrowed his eyes and let out a strange laugh.
His laughter made Pink Hair and Uchiha Sasuke feel uneasy.
"There are only two bells, but there are three of us. You want us to make a choice and eliminate one person, right?"
Kakashi froze. Wasn't that my line?
"Then, have you already decided who you're going to eliminate?"
"It's simple. I'll become the Lead Jonin... wouldn't that solve it?"
Not following the usual script again, huh?
Kakashi looked up at the sky.
"Can you just follow the process normally?"
"I know you all know the purpose of this test, but at least pretend. At least act it out once."
"Otherwise, I'll lose a lot of face."
"None of the three of us will be eliminated."
"Because we're a team!"
Pink Hair suddenly stepped forward and looked at Kakashi with utter seriousness.
She stretched out her little hands, determined to hold Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke's hands.
It seemed that would better prove they were a united team.
Unfortunately, her little scheme failed.
Naruto immediately pulled back his hand, leaving Pink Hair's grab empty.
Uchiha Sasuke did the same.
For a moment, the atmosphere became strangely quiet.
"Congratulations, you've passed again!"
Kakashi narrowed his eyes, smiling with a hint of amusement.
He immediately congratulated them again, breaking the awkward silence.
Pink Hair lowered her head, blushing furiously.
She had caught athlete's foot from one person and passed it to two more, and now she was digging out a three-bedroom apartment with her toes.
"You truly did well."
"Ninjas must remain composed and calm, responding cautiously to every situation while carrying out missions."
"In the Ninja World, those who break the rules and iron laws are called trash."
"But those who disregard their comrades are the most useless trash of all."
The Sharingan could not only copy ninjutsu; it could even copy words that had been spoken.
Well then, saying a murderer's words right in front of the victim's son.
"Since we passed, there should be a reward, right?"
Naruto brought it up.
Pink Hair and Uchiha Sasuke also stared directly at Kakashi.
Kakashi was not surprised. This child truly did not waste even the slightest opportunity to improve his strength.
"Of course. What do you want?"
"Ninjutsu. The Shadow Clone Technique."
Kakashi frowned. "Don't you know the Shadow Clone Technique?"
"Of course. Those were Sasuke's Shadow Clones just now, weren't they?"
Kakashi nodded. "That will depend on your performance from now on."
Then he said with a smile, "All right, today's mission ends here. I'll be leaving first."
He vanished with the Body Flicker Technique. After putting some distance between them—
"Sasuke doesn't have enough Chakra to create that many Shadow Clones."
"Then it could only have been Naruto creating Shadow Clones himself and using the Transformation Technique to turn them into Sasuke."
"But... his mastery of the Transformation Technique is far too high. I actually couldn't see through it."
"He wants the Multiple Shadow Clone... How did he know about that?"
After thinking for a long while, Kakashi realized he was completely in the dark and could not make sense of it at all.
"Forget it. That child clearly meant for me to hide some things when I report to the Third Hokage."
"This really is... too surprising."
At some point, Kakashi had worn a relieved smile.
"All right, we passed the test. I'm leaving first."
Shikamaru and the others would be coming over today, so he needed to go back and prepare first.
"Wait, Naruto, can I come too?"
"I... I heard from Ino that everyone would be preparing ingredients... I want to come too."
"Please. We're all on the same team."
Pink Hair, savoring the taste, swallowed hard and shamelessly asked.
Uchiha Sasuke, who had been about to leave and continue training, also stopped.
"I'm going too. There are some things I happen to want to ask you."
Naruto did not refuse.
"Sure. Let's go, then."
Before long, they arrived at another training ground.
"Congratulations. You passed the test."
"Mm." x3
"Then shall we celebrate with some barbecue?"
"No, Asuma-sensei. We have something to do, so we'll be leaving first."
Shikamaru said with a shrug. Ino casually said goodbye and headed out.
Choji, meanwhile, was brimming with energy.
"Barbecue~!"
Hearing that, Asuma thought Choji would follow him to get some barbecue and build their rapport.
Unexpectedly, Choji turned around and ran off, moving incredibly fast.
"What a pain... Asuma-sensei, see you tomorrow."
After calmly saying goodbye, Shikamaru chased after him as well.
"Naruto, let's have barbecue today!"
Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke widened their eyes.
They watched a huge meatball charge toward Naruto. Seeing it about to crash into him, they even shouted for him to be careful.
Unexpectedly, it was their classmate Akimichi Choji who stopped!
"Sure. We just need to take out the grill when we get back."
"Great! I'll go get the ingredients!"
With that, Choji turned into a meatball again and sped away in a flash.
"Darling~"
When Ino saw Naruto coming to pick her up, she immediately threw herself at him happily.
She had completely failed to notice that Uchiha Sasuke and Pink Hair were beside Naruto.
"Honestly, watch your image, Ino."
Shikamaru walked out somewhat helplessly.
Huh?
Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura?
Right, they were on the same team as Naruto now.
"Are there newcomers?"
"I'll head home first. A batch of fresh medicinal plants arrived today, so I'll take some extra."
After giving Sasuke and Pink Hair a friendly smile, he quickened his pace to catch up with Choji.
Uchiha Sasuke nodded slightly, while Pink Hair also smiled.
"Don't be in such a hurry, Choji. It'd be troublesome if you ran into someone."
With that lazy running posture, he was destined never to catch up to Choji.
After the four of them chatted for a while, they headed toward the training ground where Hinata was today.
Along the way, Ino teased Pink Hair a few times.
Pink Hair could only respond with guilty smiles, a heavy sense of guilt rising in her heart.
I'm done for. I barely paid any attention to Sasuke today. I kept looking at Naruto-kun instead.
At this moment, inside the Hokage's Office.
"You're saying Naruto wants to learn ninjutsu?"
"Yes. His Clone Technique is highly refined, and he also has great combat talent. Hiding Shadow Clones within Phantom Clones has proven extremely effective. But what surprised me was that Naruto still hasn't mastered the Shadow Clone Technique."
Sarutobi Hiruzen was not surprised by this. He took a puff from his pipe.
"I understand. You did well not agreeing to him directly."
"Let me look over your detailed records first."
After carefully reviewing them, Sarutobi Hiruzen tapped his fingers lightly against the desk and fell into thought.
Body Flicker Shisui... It had been nearly seven years, hadn't it?
Perhaps he could learn the Flying Thunder God as well.
Had Body Flicker evolved into Flying Thunder God...?
He truly was Minato's child. Not only was his talent exceptional, he was also more obedient. It was worth considering.
Before you continue