Team 7

Looking at Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade as they slowly approached, Kagura glanced at the note in his hand listing the meeting location in confusion.

"Why are you here?"

Both sides asked at the same time.

Their reaction was understandable.

Teams of three had been the rule since Konohagakure was founded.

After learning last night that the three had been placed on the same team, just as in the original history, neither side had asked about the others' meeting location.

After all, everyone had subconsciously assumed they had been assigned to different teams.

"Heh heh, your meeting location is correct.

Because of the number of students this year, Kagura has been specially added to our Team 7."

While everyone was still confused, a voice came from above them.

Following the voice, they looked up and saw a figure standing in a tree, looking down at them.

"Teacher Sarutobi?"

The four spoke in unison.

"Heh heh."

Smiling slightly, Hiruzen Sarutobi leaped down from the tree and continued:

"So, Team 7 this year will have four members.

And I will be your Jonin instructor."

"But Teacher, aren't you about to take over the Hokage position?

Will you still be able to lead us on missions afterward?"

Tsunade asked in confusion.

Sarutobi scratched his head and explained:

"Well, I haven't taken office yet, have I? I still need to finish the work on my hands.

My current assignment is to lead your Team 7. Once I become Hokage, another Jonin will naturally become your teacher."

"All right."

After clapping his hands, he took three bells from his waist and continued with a smile:

"Back to the point. All Ninja who have just become Genin must undergo a test.

Do you see the three bells in my hand?

No matter what method you use, as long as you can take a bell from me, you pass.

If none of you can take one, I'll rank you according to your performance.

In the end, whoever fails to get a bell will be tied to a wooden dummy and punished."

After saying that, he drew his hand inward, and the three bells vanished into his palm.

He pulled out a stick of incense from his jacket, lit it, and planted it in the wooden dummy. Looking at everyone before him, he announced:

"The test officially begins. You have one stick of incense's time."

The moment his words fell, everyone's gaze sharpened. Several black shadows flashed past, and everyone vanished from where they stood.

Watching their reactions, Sarutobi crossed one arm over his chest, supported his right hand, and rubbed his chin with a chuckle.

"Come on, the game officially begins."

Before his words had even finished, his figure had vanished from the spot.

Jiraiya was currently crouched on a tree branch, his eyes locked tightly on Hiruzen Sarutobi not far ahead.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had his right hand resting over his brow as he looked around, seemingly searching for them.

Jiraiya's gaze was drawn to the bells hanging at his waist, and he grinned triumphantly.

"Heh heh, Teacher, you're far too careless."

As Sarutobi turned around, completely exposing his back to him.

"Opportunity!"

He kicked off hard and suddenly shot down from the tree, charging toward Sarutobi's back.

"Haha!

The bells are mine!

Ah~~~~~~~~~~"

Before he could finish speaking, a rope snare suddenly caught his foot.

His entire being was abruptly hoisted into the air, hanging upside down.

Sarutobi turned around and walked toward him with a chuckle.

"Kid, you have two problems.

First, if you're going to ambush an enemy.

Please don't shout while charging in.

Otherwise, your ambush has no meaning whatsoever."

"Second, when you're about to ambush an enemy.

Use that pig brain of yours to properly judge whether there might be a trap.

Don't fall for such a crude snare."

By the time he finished speaking, he had reached Jiraiya and rudely poked his head with his index finger.

"I'm not convinced! Let me down!"

Hanging in midair, Jiraiya struggled fiercely and continued to shout.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was about to say something else when a Shuriken suddenly flew toward him from the depths of the forest.

He jumped back and easily dodged the sneak attack.

But the moment he landed, several more Shuriken shot out from the forest toward his landing spot.

Hiruzen Sarutobi remained unhurried as he drew a Kunai from his waist, intending to knock aside the attacks in front of him.

Just as the Shuriken reached him, a voice rang out from the Deep Forest.

"Shadow Shuriken!"

As That Voice rang out, the Shuriken suddenly split into dozens of black shadows rushing toward him.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression froze for a moment before he revealed a satisfied smile.

He still made no unnecessary movements. His right hand simply transformed into a blur of black shadows, and with one hand alone, he knocked down all the Shuriken.

At that moment, a figure appeared in midair.

"Heavenly Foot Kick!"

The approcher was Tsunade.

But Sarutobi, who had already sensed her, kicked off hard and instantly vanished from where he stood.

Tsunade plummeted from the sky with unstoppable momentum.

"Bang!"

With a deafening boom, the ground collapsed in a spiderweb pattern around her right foot as she landed.

She really is the Monster Strength Woman...

Looking at the scene before him, Hiruzen Sarutobi could not help but have that thought.

After landing, Tsunade did not stop. Instead, she gathered Chakra in both hands and charged at him again.

This time, Sarutobi advanced rather than retreating, charging directly at Tsunade as well.

As their figures crossed, he made a slight sidestep and perfectly dodged Tsunade's straight punch.

He even had reserve strength to lean close to Tsunade and instruct her:

"Good power, but it only matters if you can hit the enemy."

Before Tsunade could show any surprise, Sarutobi had already grabbed her arm.

With a sudden stop, Tsunade was like a toy in his grip. Hiruzen Sarutobi spun her in place twice before hurling her toward a large tree.

Another loud crash rang out as Tsunade snapped the tree in half and fell to the ground, kicking up a huge cloud of dust.

"An opening!"

Before the dust and mist on that side could disperse, Orochimaru, who had been hiding in the forest, finally made his move.

Taking advantage of Hiruzen Sarutobi having just thrown Tsunade, Orochimaru charged out from behind him.

Gripping a Kunai tightly, he resolutely threw it at that back view.

A black shadow flashed past, and the Kunai accurately embedded itself in that person's back.

"I got him!"

"Poof~~~"

Before Orochimaru could react to the joy of landing his hit, gray mist rose up, and that back view suddenly turned into a wooden dummy.

This is bad! The Substitution Technique.

Just as that thought flashed through his mind, a voice sounded from behind him:

"Hey, hey~~

Didn't I just tell you? When ambushing an enemy, you need to first consider whether there might be a trap."

As soon as his words fell, Hiruzen Sarutobi swung a Hand Blade.

With a muffled groan, Orochimaru fell.

Only two minutes had passed since the battle began.

Thus, the "Sannin" had been completely wiped out.