Kage-level, Jonin, Chunin, Genin

When Kaguya merged with nature, she could manipulate natural matter—earth, rivers, icebergs, trees, and so on—with the finesse of using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds. That was how she had ambushed Tsunade.

Although Wu Yu could also use Jade Rabbit Power to merge with nature, he could not command nature as effortlessly as Kaguya did.

Perhaps that was the gap between their realms.

When he merged with nature and saw Kaguya's figure, seemingly one with heaven and earth, an urge to "throw himself into her arms" arose within him... as if he had been born to be her hand, her hair, her sleeve...

Fortunately, Wu Yu was not truly Kaguya's creation, the Jade Rabbit.

He would not actually acknowledge her as his mother like the Jade Rabbit or Black Zetsu did.

He was supposed to be her original body!

When Wu Yu awoke from that illusion, he felt as though his entire being had been elevated.

Wu Yu followed the barely-standing Kakashi Hatake back to the three wooden posts where the exercise had begun.

The timed alarm had long since rung.

Sasuke Uchiha was tied to the middle post, with the uneasy Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno standing on either side.

Holding Kakashi's forehead protector, Naruto shouted before Kakashi could speak, "Hey, hey! Wu Yu got this and gave it to Sasuke, so that means all three of us passed, right, Kakashi-sensei?!"

Kakashi said flatly, "Did I ever agree that my forehead protector could substitute for the third bell?"

He said coldly, "To a ninja, following the rules takes precedence over everything! Since I stated beforehand that three people would compete for two bells, then one person must fail—"

Before Kakashi could finish, Naruto had already raised his hand and declared firmly, "Then I'll give my bell back to Sasuke! It's not like I won it myself anyway. Who needs your pity, you smug bastard, Sasuke!"

"I... I will too..." Sakura lowered her head and reluctantly placed her bell on Sasuke Uchiha's lap.

It was not that failing to become a ninja would be such a terrible shame, but... what were the chances of being assigned to the same team as Sasuke? If she missed this opportunity, there would not be another! Sigh...

Watching this, Kakashi Hatake suddenly broke into a smile. "You pass!"

"Huh?"

The three members of Team Seven, Sasuke included, were all stunned.

"Indeed, those who violate ninja rules are trash unworthy of being ninja."

As he spoke, Kakashi turned and glanced at the memorial stone opposite them, etched with the names of those who had died in war. "But those who do not know how to cherish their comrades are trash unworthy even of being human—trash among trash!"

Though Team Seven's three members were only twelve this year, Kakashi's calm yet deeply heartfelt words shook them profoundly.

Naruto thought Kakashi was incredibly cool.

Sakura was delighted that she had passed the test and would be on the same team as Sasuke.

Sasuke clenched his fists, determined to become stronger. He refused to be content as a student who needed protecting. He wanted to become a strong fighter capable of battling alongside a Jonin. Only then would he live up to the Uchiha name...

"That was so moving, Kakashi!"

Wu Yu clapped, thoroughly ruining the mood. "Sounds like there's quite a story behind that. Could you tell us about it?"

"About that... another time."

Kakashi Hatake thought of his former teammates from Team Minato, Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara.

But what Wu Yu actually wanted to know about was Kakashi's father, Konoha's White Fang, Hatake Sakumo... In his previous life, he had seen all sorts of speculation and explanations in fanfiction and discussions about why White Fang had committed suicide. He truly wanted to hear the version told by Kakashi, who had lived through it.

"You must all be hungry. I brought boxed lunches..."

Smiling, Kakashi took out a kunai and intended to step forward to untie Sasuke. Yet the instant he took a step, he pitched straight forward. Only Naruto and Sakura's frantic intervention kept the kunai in his hand from directly stabbing Sasuke in front of him to death...

Sasuke's face turned green. Were Jonin really this unreliable?

Wu Yu took Kakashi's kunai and cut the rope binding Sasuke. "The Sharingan is like a hereditary 'high-quality Yin Release Chakra fully automated extraction device.'"

Sasuke rubbed his sore, numb arms and stared at Wu Yu in surprise.

"Only Uchiha blood is compatible with it. If an outsider like Kakashi uses it, the Sharingan cannot detect Uchiha genes, so it brutally squeezes out excessive amounts of Chakra, forcibly breaking through the Sharingan's 'password' to convert and refine the Sharingan's ocular power...

"And that's the result." Wu Yu pointed at Kakashi, who was lying there like a corpse.

Sasuke barely understood, but he was deeply shaken.

He had thought it was merely common sense that could be explained with a simple line like, "Outsiders are unworthy of using Uchiha eyes." Yet there was actually a principle behind it.

And that principle had nothing to do with Uchiha pride. It was only about Chakra.

Everything about ninja came from Chakra itself.

Not from the clan, reputation, or all those other meanings imposed by people.

Sasuke did not fully grasp this, but from Wu Yu's tone, he vaguely sensed a similar feeling...

"Can Sage Mode perceive things to such a minute degree?"

Kakashi Hatake suddenly spoke from the ground, startling Naruto Uzumaki. "Kakashi-sensei, you're not dead?!" Sakura Haruno then called him an idiot and punched him.

Wu Yu smiled. "It's only because Sasuke, a genuine Uchiha, is right here as a comparison."

"What are they talking about?" Naruto scratched his cheek in confusion.

"Let's eat first." Sakura went through the bag Kakashi had brought and discovered that Kakashi-sensei had actually prepared enough boxed lunches for five people. She could not help smiling.

Sakura handed out the boxed lunches one by one, then crouched in front of Kakashi and asked, "Kakashi-sensei, do you need me to feed you?"

"..." Kakashi was utterly mortified. Luckily, his mask hid his expression. Forcing himself to stay calm, he said, "I'm actually fine. I'm not that hungry..."

Watching Kakashi's awkward appearance from the side, Wu Yu found it hilarious. Suppressing his laughter, he started eating his own bento.

This exercise had given Wu Yu a rough idea of the combat power of his Jade Rabbit Mode.

After entering Sage Transformation, his physical attributes were enhanced. Combined with his ability to integrate with nature, and the Jade Rabbit within him theoretically providing support, he should be immune to genjutsu... His survivability was through the roof. Even an elite Jonin like Kakashi could not threaten him.

However, his combat experience was still far too lacking. Even with Taijutsu stats surpassing Kakashi's, he still could not defeat him in close combat... That could be addressed by using the Right Mysterious Clone more often in the future—choosing different real combat opponents to build up battle experience.

His ninjutsu reserves were also insufficient. He could not even put together a full set of skills... Still, the scrolls Mysterious Tsunade had left behind should be enough for him to study for now. If he encountered Mysterious Clones with extensive ninjutsu reserves in the future, he could continue filling in the gaps.

He also lacked sufficiently destructive ninjutsu, leaving him weak when it came to breaking through tough defenses... Why the hell didn't he have a Wind nature? One Rasenshuriken would be enough to coast all the way to the ending!

So, all things considered, he could be considered...

Kage-level survival ability, Jonin-level strength, Chunin-level technique, and Genin-level experience.

"There are still so, so many shortcomings I can make up for and improve like crazy. Just thinking about it feels amazing!"

Wu Yu even found himself eating with more enthusiasm.