Namikaze Minato led the two of them to Training Ground Twelve in Konoha.
Namikaze Minato cleared his throat and put on a stern expression.
"Although you passed the academy's exams, you still need to pass one more test before you can receive Genin missions.
"If you fail, you'll have to go back and repeat another year."
This was a trick Konoha instructors often used. They would frighten newly promoted Genin beforehand and put a little pressure on them.
But Namikaze Minato clearly had yet to master the essence of it. Mainly because his kind face simply wasn't intimidating; instead, it made him seem like he was trying too hard to look profound.
"Okay," Kakashi replied flatly.
Uchiha Tunan, on the other hand, said earnestly, "Kakashi and I will do our best to complete the test."
Namikaze Minato nodded, took two bells from his waist, and jingled them in front of the pair as he explained.
"I have two bells here. Each bell represents one qualification to become a Genin. You must snatch them within an hour."
After saying that, he hung the bells back at his waist and flashed a bright smile.
"If you're ready, we can begin now."
Whoosh—
Kakashi vanished in an instant, disappearing somewhere into hiding.
Uchiha Tunan adjusted his glasses and bowed to Namikaze Minato. "Teacher Minato, excuse me."
The next moment, the soil beneath Namikaze Minato's feet exploded as Kakashi burst out from underground and reached for the bells at his waist.
Just as Kakashi's fingers touched the bells—
Poof.
Namikaze Minato vanished, leaving behind a substitution log.
On a large tree nearby, Namikaze Minato stood with his arms crossed and a faint smile on his face as he spoke to Uchiha Tunan, who was still standing in place.
"Tunan, you should join in too. Kakashi alone won't be able to take the bells."
Jingle—
As soon as he finished speaking, Namikaze Minato spun around sharply, only to find that Uchiha Tunan had somehow appeared behind him. One of the bells at his waist was already in Tunan's hand.
Uchiha Tunan shook the bell in his hand and smiled with narrowed eyes.
"Teacher, is the test over?"
The surprise on Namikaze Minato's face flashed past before turning into a smile.
"A very good genjutsu."
The next instant, the genjutsu was released. Namikaze Minato leaped from the ground onto a tree, dodging Kakashi's attack.
Only then did Uchiha Tunan lower the hand he had used to adjust his glasses.
Everything just now had been fake. The test was only beginning now.
Standing atop the tree, Namikaze Minato smiled slightly. "Don't worry about hurting me."
"Teacher Minato, be careful."
Uchiha Tunan gave him a warning and rapidly formed hand seals.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique."
A massive fireball hurtled toward Namikaze Minato. At the same time, Uchiha Tunan quickly threw several kunai.
The kunai collided with one another in midair, changing their trajectories.
Clink, clink...
Namikaze Minato lightly jumped aside, evading both the Great Fireball and the kunai shooting out from within it.
Step.
The instant Namikaze Minato landed, he discovered that the soil beneath his feet had turned into a swamp. His body began sinking uncontrollably.
"Earth Style: Yellow Spring Swamp Technique."
Having finished casting his ninjutsu, Kakashi saw that Namikaze Minato was trapped and slowly walked over, saying coolly.
"Hand over the bells."
Poof.
A Clone Technique? When?
Kakashi's eyes narrowed as he quickly turned around.
Namikaze Minato was standing behind him, gently patting his shoulder with one hand.
Poof.
Kakashi instantly turned into smoke. He had been a clone as well.
"Looks like the two of you work together quite well," Namikaze Minato said in the otherwise empty clearing, his gaze casually sweeping over two patches of grass.
Whoosh—
Suddenly, four Fuma Shuriken shot out from the forest, coming from four different directions.
They had specialized ninja tools too.
Namikaze Minato's expression did not change. As the Fuma Shuriken neared him, he gave a light jump and stepped off them in midair, each foot landing precisely on the center of a shuriken.
He perfectly evaded all four Fuma Shuriken.
Namikaze Minato began falling under gravity after leaping into the air. Yet when he fell level with the Fuma Shuriken—
He discovered in surprise that the Fuma Shuriken were all connected by Chakra Wire.
And the Chakra Wire was retracting. If he landed like this, he would immediately be entangled by it.
What an impressive tactic.
With that thought, Namikaze Minato casually drew a kunai and slashed at the Chakra Wire.
Though he could not cut through it, he was able to use the momentum to accelerate his descent.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi was using the Telescope Technique to observe Minato's Squad's test.
"As expected, both Kakashi and Tunan already possess Chunin-level strength.
"It would be somewhat wasteful to assign only D-rank missions to a squad like this."
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff of his pipe, then suddenly raised his brows slightly.
"Oh? He's even learned Lightning Style. It seems this boy's talent for ninjutsu is even greater than I imagined."
Elsewhere, Namikaze Minato continuously slashed at the Chakra Wire, preventing himself from being bound.
Just as Namikaze Minato was about to hit the ground—
Kakashi burst out from the soil below, his face cold and stern.
He thrust a short blade at Namikaze Minato's arm with his right hand while reaching for the bells at Namikaze Minato's waist with his left.
A slight smile appeared at the corner of Namikaze Minato's mouth as he slashed downward with his kunai.
Clang—
Kakashi blocked the kunai with his short blade, then pushed hard.
Namikaze Minato was sent flying back into the air.
"Lightning Style: Earth Run."
Crackle, crackle—
Only then did Namikaze Minato realize that the Fuma Shuriken had not fallen to the ground. They had embedded themselves in the surrounding tree trunks.
Several kunai, connected by Chakra Wire, hung from the Chakra Wire that had been set up earlier from every direction, forming a net.
Now, a net of lightning hung directly above Namikaze Minato's head.
Seeing Namikaze Minato about to walk right into the trap, Kakashi's mouth curved slightly beneath his mask.
Uchiha Tunan pushed his Sharingan to its limit, observing the flow of Chakra within Namikaze Minato's body.
This was the real body. Even now, there was no sign that he was about to use the Substitution Technique.
Namikaze Minato should not have been this weak.
Throughout the entire process, Uchiha Tunan had only supported Kakashi and had not revealed much of his own strength.
Though Namikaze Minato was still young, he definitely had more skill than this.
Suddenly, Uchiha Tunan's pupils contracted slightly.
"The test is over. You've passed."
Namikaze Minato appeared atop one of the Fuma Shuriken, looking down at the two of them with admiration.
"This test was mainly meant to assess your teamwork. Your performance far exceeded my expectations.
"If it weren't for your lack of mission records, your strength alone would be enough for you to become Chunin."
He had learned the Flying Thunder God this early?
Uchiha Tunan narrowed his eyes slightly, then smiled and bowed to Namikaze Minato.
"You flatter us, Teacher Minato. In a real battle, Kakashi and I would have lost long ago."
Namikaze Minato scratched the back of his head.
"I'm a Jonin, after all. By the time you reach my age, you might even be stronger than me.
"All right, to celebrate the formation of Team Nine, I'll treat you to ramen."
Kakashi expressionlessly sheathed his short blade and glanced at Uchiha Tunan.
To be honest, Kakashi did not want to go eat ramen. Having failed to snatch a bell this time, he desperately wanted to return and train to improve his strength.
However, Uchiha Tunan said happily, "Then Kakashi and I won't stand on ceremony."
Seeing that Uchiha Tunan had agreed, Kakashi merely shrugged indifferently.
"There's still half an hour until lunch. Go to the newly opened Ichiraku Ramen on the shopping street first. I'm going to pick someone up."
As soon as he finished speaking, Namikaze Minato vanished from before them.
Before you continue