Do You... Trust Me?

At the edge of Konoha, beside a clear stream.

Four people sat facing one another.

The three Genin of the newly formed Team 1, along with their Jonin Instructor, Yamato.

The atmosphere was somewhat stiff.

Tejima Shinichi, Kobayashi Ken, and Sato Yu all had their eyes fixed on the man across from them, dressed in a Jonin vest and looking rather honest and dependable.

Yamato was likewise looking at his three students, yet for a moment, he did not know how to begin.

He subconsciously raised a hand to scratch the back of his head, making him seem even less like a Jonin.

The air was so quiet that only the gentle murmur of the stream could be heard.

This is bad... My first time being a Jonin Instructor...

Yamato felt somewhat embarrassed.

Why did the Third Hokage suddenly assign me to be a Jonin Instructor... I'm completely unprepared.

Yamato's head was spinning. Last night, he had even sought Kakashi Hatake's advice overnight.

But Kakashi had lazily tossed him a line—"Do whatever you want. Just don't get them killed"—then handed him a notebook, claiming it was some kind of "Crash Course Guide for Instructors"!!?

Crash course...

Yamato's mind was a complete mess when inspiration suddenly struck!

Right, the notebook!

As if grasping at a lifeline, Yamato hurriedly rummaged through his ninja tool pouch and pulled out the wrinkled little notebook. He flipped it open with a rustle and quickly scanned the messy handwriting inside.

"Uh... well..." Yamato cleared his throat, trying to make his voice sound more composed as he read from the notebook. "According to the procedure... next, let's introduce ourselves."

He raised his head and tried to put on a serious expression, but the inexperience in his eyes was impossible to hide.

"Getting to know each other is the first step toward team cooperation. Um... that's all."

Watching Yamato need to consult his notes for this, Kobayashi Ken's mouth twitched. Unable to hold back, he muttered to Sato Yu beside him:

"Hey, Yu... why do I feel like our instructor is kind of... not very reliable?"

Sato Yu said nothing, but her faintly furrowed brows and the slight helplessness in her gaze clearly showed that she felt the same way.

But Tejima Shinichi saw more than that.

He knew what the name "Yamato" represented—

Root's dark experiments, the recipient of the First Hokage's Cells, the inheritor of Wood Release, and... in the end, a ninja who had struggled to escape the shadows and find his own path under Kakashi Hatake's guidance.

A former tool was trying his best to become a "teacher."

Yamato had clearly heard Kobayashi Ken's muttering. A trace of embarrassment flashed over his face, but he still stuck to the process and pointed to himself.

"Since I'm the Teacher, I'll start. My name is Yamato. Things I like... are... uh, tidy environments and... um... architecture?"

He tried hard to recall what Kakashi had written in the notebook:

Show an approachable side. Mention some unimportant likes. But saying it aloud still felt awkward.

"Things I dislike... are breaking rules and... waste? My dream is..." He got stuck. A dream? He did not seem to have given that much thought. After holding it in for a long while, he finally said vaguely, "...I hope for world peace?"

This perfunctory answer made the speechlessness on Kobayashi Ken and Sato Yu's faces even more obvious.

Yamato seemed to realize that his self-introduction had been an utter disaster. He hurriedly changed the subject and looked at the three of them.

"All right, that's it for my introduction. Your turn now. Um... you can go first."

Yamato casually pointed at Kobayashi Ken.

Seeing this, Kobayashi Ken sighed but stood up anyway, hands on his hips and brimming with energy.

"My name is Kobayashi Ken! I'm good at Taijutsu and Shurikenjutsu. I like training and eating ramen, and I hate complicated things. My dream is to become a reliable ninja who can protect his companions!"

"Very good, full of spirit," Yamato said with a nod, jotting down a few notes in his notebook. "Taijutsu and shuriken, huh... next."

Yamato looked toward Sato Yu.

Sato Yu stood and gently brushed aside the loose strands of hair hanging over her forehead. Her voice was gentle but clear.

"I'm Sato Yu. I'm fairly skilled at tactical analysis and trap placement. I like quietly studying tactics, and I dislike acting without a plan. My dream is to become an outstanding tactical ninja."

As civilian ninjas, the two of them had not yet come into contact with any Ninjutsu beyond the Three Basic Techniques. They only knew some Taijutsu and throwing techniques.

Yamato nodded again and made another note in his notebook. At last, his gaze fell upon Tejima Shinichi, who had been the quietest from beginning to end.

"Then, the last one."

The other three sets of eyes unconsciously focused on Tejima Shinichi.

Kobayashi Ken could not help leaning forward slightly, while Sato Yu also looked at him intently. Even Yamato put down his pen. As the undisputed Top Student of their class, who had led everyone else by an overwhelming margin, his abilities and ambitions were undoubtedly what intrigued them the most.

Tejima Shinichi slowly rose to his feet.

"My name is Tejima Shinichi. At present, I mainly specialize in Wind Style, Water Release, and Earth Release. I've mastered several techniques, including Water Dragon Jutsu, Earth Style: Earth Wall, and Shadow Clone. I can also use Medical Ninjutsu.

I like efficient training and thinking alone. I dislike trouble and pointless passion. My dream is to gain enough power to freely choose the life I want to live."

As Yamato listened to Tejima Shinichi's introduction, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. He nodded and praised him.

"Wind Style, Water Release, Earth Release, and Medical Ninjutsu... To have mastered so many different techniques at this age, and even dabbled in Medical Ninjutsu, is truly impressive."

A massive Chakra reserve, mastery of three elemental Ninjutsu, and medical ability.

Was this the boy the Hokage had specifically told him to keep an eye on?

He truly was extraordinarily gifted, not inferior to Kakashi-senpai at all!

The moment Yamato finished speaking, Kobayashi Ken stared at Tejima Shinichi with eyes as wide as bells, his face filled with shock.

"Really, Shinichi? You're already so strong, and you can even use Medical Ninjutsu?! That's amazing! That's great! Our team won't have to worry about getting hurt on missions from now on!"

Sato Yu also looked full of admiration.

"I didn't expect you to be skilled in Medical Ninjutsu too... No wonder you were the Top Student of our class. With you here, the team's survivability will improve greatly."

Tejima Shinichi merely nodded in response to his teammates' praise. Displaying his medical ability was partly an honest introduction and partly preparation for using it during future missions.

Yamato took in the three of their reactions, closed his notebook, and stood up.

"Now that everyone understands each other's abilities, next..."

Yamato's voice suddenly turned serious, and the pressure belonging to a Jonin naturally radiated from him.

"We'll begin the test."

"A test?" Kobayashi Ken blurted out in confusion. "Didn't we already pass the graduation exam?"

Sato Yu also furrowed her brows slightly, clearly puzzled by this sudden test.

She asked, "Yes, why do we still need to be tested?"

Yamato's gaze swept over the three of them. His tone did not change; if anything, it grew even colder.

"The graduation exam only proves that you possess the basic ability to become ninjas. This test will determine whether you are qualified to become my subordinates."

Kobayashi Ken and Sato Yu both froze, a strong sense of unease rising in their hearts.

Yamato took two old bells tied with strings from his ninja tool pouch and lightly shook them at his fingertips, producing a clear chime.

"The test will take place at Training Ground 3. The rules are simple: the three of you will work together and take these two bells from me before noon."

He deliberately paused, allowing the bells' chime to echo through the silence.

"There are only two bells." Yamato's tone abruptly turned cold. "That means at most two people can pass the test and officially become my subordinates. As for the one who fails..."

His gaze passed over each of their faces as he spoke, word by word.

"...will be deemed unqualified and immediately sent back to the Ninja Academy for retraining."

"What?!" Kobayashi Ken sprang to his feet, his face filled with disbelief. "Sent back to school for retraining? This... this is completely unreasonable!"

"Exactly... And there are only two bells. Doesn't that mean that no matter what, one of the three of us has to go back for retraining!?"

Sato Yu protested, her face instantly turning pale as her hands clenched unconsciously on her knees.

This sudden, cruel rule caught her completely off guard. Just moments ago, she had still been immersed in the joy of becoming teammates.

Yamato watched their protests expressionlessly, his gaze not wavering in the slightest, as though he had expected these questions all along.

Tejima Shinichi frowned slightly. Looking at the bells in Yamato's hand, then glancing at his two teammates beside him, each wearing a different expression, he understood.

This routine again.

The classic test of teamwork.

And judging by the look of it, Yamato had learned it from Kakashi.

He had not even learned it all, only the general idea. Otherwise, they might have been made to go hungry and only begin the test at noon the next day!

Tejima Shinichi could almost guess what would happen next—create tension, then observe their choices and interactions under pressure.

Sure enough, Yamato completely ignored the two's unwilling questions and merely continued in a cold voice.

"Remember, do not treat this like a drill. If you do not want to be eliminated, take the bells with the resolve to kill me. Otherwise..."

He did not finish the sentence, but the sudden increase in pressure, along with the increasingly grim expressions on Kobayashi Ken and Sato Yu's faces, said it all.

"The test begins at Training Ground 3 in ten minutes. Anyone late will be deemed unqualified immediately."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yamato's figure vanished in a puff of white smoke with a bang. Only the crisp chime of the bells seemed to linger by their ears, along with the three Genin staring at one another with heavy hearts.

Kobayashi Ken looked at Tejima Shinichi and Sato Yu. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but did not know what to say.

They had happily become teammates just moments ago, only to become competitors in the next instant...!

The previously harmonious atmosphere instantly became subtle and tense because of those two bells.

Tejima Shinichi was the first to stand. He brushed the grass clippings from his pants, swept his gaze over his two differently conflicted teammates, and finally stopped at Kobayashi Ken's face, which was filled with struggle. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

"Do you... trust me?"