Kakashi's Test

Naruto stood his ground, gazing calmly at Kakashi, his voice steady, "First, you deliberately used rules and intimidation tactics to try and push us to our physical and psychological extremes."

"Then, you forced the three of us Genin into the harshest jungle law, yet expected us three teenagers who just graduated from the Ninja Academy to understand teamwork under extreme circumstances, a result akin to a fairy tale."

"This in itself is extremely difficult and unreasonable."

Kakashi was slightly taken aback. Were these words really coming from a Genin who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy?

Naruto continued without waiting for Kakashi's reply, "Second, even if the three of us 'luckily' passed."

"There are so many Genin squads graduating each year. Do all other Jonin Instructors deliberately make their students guess the hidden meaning of 'teamwork' in the most difficult situations?"

"Or do they just test basic proficiency? If multiple, or even a large number of newly graduated squads pass based solely on testing basic Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu, then according to your standards, shouldn't they have been disqualified from the start?"

Sakura and Sasuke held their breath simultaneously.

They had never considered these questions; their initial thought was just to snatch the bells.

They hadn't even thought carefully about how the two bells should be divided among the three of them.

"Third," Naruto's tone remained even, "those students you failed in previous years, if they graduate the following year and encounter teachers who don't test teamwork, and happen to graduate due to their solid foundation?"

"Then, please tell me, did they grasp teamwork in their subsequent graduation exams? Most likely not!"

"Your test might not be filtering out those who don't understand cooperation, but rather those who were unlucky enough to be assigned to you, a Jonin Instructor."

"Those candidates you disqualified will still go to the battlefield, carry out missions, and still die because they don't understand teamwork."

"In fact, I've also asked the Genin you disqualified; some graduated normally, while others became ordinary villagers, and they still don't understand why they were disqualified."

"If you truly want to 'save' more people, you should report this assessment system to the Hokage and promote it throughout Konoha, not just stand here indulging in self-感动."

Kakashi's eyes moved slightly. Even his teacher Minato and Kushina's wife weren't this harsh, were they?

It was truly terrifying.

However, Naruto's words were not finished.

"Fourth, even taking a step back, while teamwork might indeed increase survival rates, is it really necessary to elevate it to a level that must be mastered or understood from the very beginning?"

"Newly graduated Genin can completely realize this issue in D and C-rank missions under the guidance of a Jonin, rather than having raw Genin realize it in an exam filled with various extreme conditions."

Naruto paused slightly here, his gaze briefly sweeping over Sasuke and Sakura, then he continued with a steady, resonant voice, "Therefore, Teacher Kakashi, the test you designed is neither fair, nor necessary, nor effective. Its only purpose might be to satisfy your personal sense of atonement for 'something'."

Having experienced multiple survival exercises, Naruto naturally knew why Kakashi had set such conditions.

Because of Obito.

Naruto deeply respected Teacher Kakashi, but after the Mizuki incident, he had thoroughly re-examined things from a different perspective using countless experiences and knowledge.

This included this survival exercise.

At the same time, Naruto understood what he truly needed to do in this Reincarnation, and thus continued, "True 'teamwork' should not be a hypocritical answer born from deliberately designed predicaments."

Actually, in the first life, did Team 7, including Naruto, truly develop the idea of teamwork at that time?

Naruto could confidently answer, "A little, but not much."

In reality, Naruto only realized the true meaning of teamwork after a long time.

It wasn't something that could be grasped instantly.

Thinking of this, Naruto said, "The idea of teamwork should grow naturally, like a tree under the sun."

"Teacher Kakashi, if you use jungle law to force its growth, what you get might just be something that looks like it."

When his voice fell, the training ground fell silent.

Sasuke and Sakura were completely stunned.

They had never imagined that behind a simple survival exercise lay such complex logic and contradictions.

Kakashi stood still, his expression hidden beneath his mask.

But his slightly narrowed eye suddenly widened, filled with shock and contemplation.

Every word Naruto spoke struck directly at the flaws in his survival exercise.

It also brought a semblance of clarity to Kakashi, who had been in a daze.

He had to admit, he was indeed the teacher's child.

There was a sense of surpassing the master.

Let me test your true thoughts then.

"Clap clap clap!"

As a genius who became a Jonin at twelve years old.

Whether it was the books he had read or knowledge outside of ninja combat.

Kakashi believed he far surpassed Naruto, so he calmly raised his hands and began to clap.

Kakashi's applause echoed in the silent training ground, seeming somewhat abrupt.

Naruto's expression remained unchanged, but he knew in his heart.

Based on his experience from so many reincarnations, Teacher Kakashi wasn't the type to just give up after a few words.

This applause felt less like admitting defeat and more like... a prelude to a counterattack?

Sasuke and Sakura, standing to the side, clearly hadn't thought that far ahead.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at Kakashi, then at Naruto's calm expression, and muttered to himself, "Did Naruto really leave Teacher Kakashi speechless?"

Sakura, even more relieved, even showed a hint of smugness, as if thinking, "I won!"

Her perception of Naruto had completely changed.

She thought Naruto wasn't just good at fighting, but had even managed to convince Teacher Kakashi with his reasoning.

But in the next second, Kakashi stopped clapping.

The eye that was always half-lidded opened completely, and his entire aura shifted.

The lazy, half-asleep, unreliable feeling from before vanished.

It was replaced by a serious, elite ninja's... intensity?

"A very brilliant argument, Naruto."

Kakashi's tone, carrying a solemnity he'd never shown before and a fleeting hint of admiration, said calmly, "Your sharpness of thought is far beyond my imagination. You're almost entirely correct, but..."

"That's only if this were a normal exam, meant for fair selection."

Then, Kakashi's tone shifted, and his sharp gaze swept over Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura in turn.

"But you made one mistake. You treated me as an examiner who pursues absolute fairness and tries to implement a perfect system. I am not."

Kakashi said, slowly shaking his head, "I am a Jonin Instructor. My primary responsibility is not to fairly grade all students, but to be responsible for my own team, responsible for each of their lives, and responsible for the success of our missions."

"The Jonin Instructors for other teams might use different standards. Perhaps they are willing to take the risk of misjudging someone. That is their choice."

"But I, Kakashi Hatake, am unwilling to take that risk."

"I am unwilling to lead subordinates whom I do not understand, whom I cannot trust with my back, on various dangerous missions."

"Perhaps, as you said, I am merely trying to compensate for some regret, to select subordinates whom I, Kakashi Hatake, can approve of, whom I can trust with my back, so they won't die on the battlefield again. That is my personal standard, nothing more."

Throughout the process, Kakashi's tone was calm, yet carried an unshakeable resolve.

As he spoke, Kakashi's gaze towards Naruto became even more complex, laced with a hint of scrutiny. "My test is to see if you can still have a shred of instinct to consider your comrades, even in the most desperate and unfair circumstances."

"If you had teamed up with Sasuke and Sakura to grab the bells, then I would have passed you."

"But you took the bell alone and then gave it to them. So, I only saw another 'genius' who is indulging in his own power and ignoring the rules. This kind of tendency must be extinguished before you cause another tragedy."

Kakashi's voice held disappointment.

It was unclear if he was disappointed by the fall of a genius, or by his student's child taking a different path, or perhaps he wasn't disappointed at all, just feigning a sigh?

"Naruto, the ninja world has never been a fair world. Today, you can refute me with fairness, but tomorrow you cannot refute a ninja who wants your life with logic, nor can you persuade an enemy who intends to destroy the village with reason. At those times, only the most brutal rules will work."

Finally, Kakashi's gaze became firm again. He looked at Naruto and made his final judgment. "Therefore, I still stand by my assessment."

"Naruto Uzumaki, you are not qualified."

"This is not to deny your strength, but it stems from your refusal to accept the rules of operation in this real, cruel, and never-perfect ninja world. And that attitude often determines how far a person can ultimately go."

Naruto listened quietly as Kakashi finished speaking, and it seemed he vaguely understood the intent behind Kakashi's words.

In any case, no matter what, Teacher Kakashi couldn't out-argue him.

The reason was simple: if he couldn't win this time, he would definitely review it multiple times.

Could Teacher Kakashi still win in the next reincarnation, or the one after that?

Therefore, Teacher Kakashi was destined to lose.

Moreover, Naruto wasn't trying to debate Kakashi or argue right from wrong.

That was completely meaningless.

Kakashi probably didn't have that intention either.

So, Naruto spoke softly, "Teacher Kakashi, you... lost."