Team 7 Was Formed

When Kakashi reached the riverbank, all he found was an empty lunchbox left behind. This wasn't how the scene was supposed to go. He'd let his guard down!

"Kakashi-sensei, you're here!" Just as Kakashi was wondering where the little brats had gone, a gentle voice came from nearby.

Kakashi turned and saw Sakura sitting beneath a tree, calmly watching him. Naruto was hanging from a branch above, grinning at him just as smugly.

As for Sasuke, he had appeared on a treetop, watching Kakashi with an expressionless face.

"Hey, you stole my lunch. You know that means you'll be sent back to the Ninja Academy, right? Come clean about who made the first move, and maybe the other two can stay!" Though surprised at Sasuke's precise Chakra control, Kakashi hadn't forgotten his original purpose. He didn't want Obito's tragedy to happen again.

At Kakashi's words, Sakura and Naruto both looked awkward. After all, the two of them had split the two lunches between them, while Sasuke hadn't touched anything.

"Let's go! Back to class!" Faced with Kakashi's final test, Sasuke jumped down from the treetop and said this to Sakura and Naruto, who still looked a little bewildered.

Sakura and Naruto were both confused by Sasuke's words. What was going on? It wasn't as if he was the one who'd have to go back to class!

After thinking it over for a moment, Sakura finally caught on. She stood up and moved to Sasuke's side.

Seeing that Sakura had understood, Sasuke slowly headed toward the edge of the training ground, and Sakura hurried after him.

"Still haven't figured it out? What an utter idiot. How did I end up with teammates like this..."

As he walked, Sasuke silently cursed Naruto, that fool. Wasn't it obvious? Anyone with a brain could see this was a test of teamwork! He couldn't understand how Asura, who loved unity so much, could have such a stupid reincarnation.

"Hey, wait for me!" Just as Sasuke was still thinking, Naruto suddenly called out from behind.

Hearing him, Sasuke turned around and saw their prince hanging from a tree by a branch. Sasuke's opinion of Naruto's stupidity deepened another notch.

Even Kakashi, who had thought the three of them had already passed the test, could only cover his forehead in exasperation at Naruto. How did I end up with such a stupid student?

Watching Naruto struggle, Sasuke reluctantly took out a kunai and threw it at the branch holding him up.

The branch snapped, and Naruto fell straight to the ground.

"Ah... that hurts!"

As soon as he hit the ground, Naruto jumped up and started hopping around. He'd already been hit by One Thousand Years of Death, and now he'd landed right on his butt. It couldn't have been more painful.

"Maybe this isn't the best time, but I still have to tell you: you've passed!" Watching Naruto hop around, Sakura look at him with disdain, and Sasuke look exasperated, Kakashi finally covered his forehead and announced the result.

"Woohoo!" As soon as she heard that they'd passed, Sakura shouted with delight. Naruto stopped his baffling antics, perhaps so happy that he'd forgotten the pain for a moment.

As for Sasuke, he remained expressionless throughout. Passing was only to be expected, after all.

"From this moment on, Team 7 is officially formed. I look forward to working with you."

Seeing their different expressions, Kakashi announced that Team 7 had been formed. As he looked at them, he remembered his own team. Back then, he'd been a little like Sasuke was now—no, Sasuke was probably a little better than he'd been.

After joining Naruto and Sakura in bowing to Kakashi, Sasuke prepared to leave. In the original story, Team 7 had started doing those pointless missions the next day.

"As your teacher, I need to understand your abilities. I've already gotten a sense of Naruto and Sakura's strengths. Now I'd like to see what you can do, Sasuke!"

His gaze passed over Naruto and Sakura before settling on Sasuke, who still looked nonchalant. Kakashi still didn't know how strong the boy was, and that was a failure on his part as a teacher.

"Huh????"

Sasuke had been planning to spend some time improving his Impure World Reincarnation proficiency, but Kakashi's words left him utterly bewildered. Why aren't you following the script?

"Is something wrong?" Kakashi asked curiously when he saw Sasuke's startled expression. There shouldn't have been a problem, should there? He was Sasuke's teacher, after all.

"No. I was just planning to go train."

At Kakashi's question, Sasuke gave an exasperated shrug and took out a kunai, ready to fight.

"I may not measure up to Lord Hokage, but I can certainly guide your training from here on. You two, go watch. Take a good look at the strength of the top student in your class!"

Seeing that Sasuke was ready to fight, Kakashi also took out a kunai and told Naruto and Sakura to pay close attention to the difference between Sasuke and them.

"Right!"

Though they didn't want to admit that Sasuke had left them far behind, Naruto and Sakura obediently cleared the area when Kakashi told them to.

"Sorry, Kakashi-sensei!" Sasuke coated his kunai with Lightning Release Chakra and charged at Kakashi. His reason for revealing his Lightning Release was clear: Kakashi's Chidori and Lightning Blade.

Seeing the lightning kunai in Sasuke's hand, Kakashi looked surprised. Had he already mastered Lightning Release Chakra so well? He really was the top student in the class.

Facing Sasuke, Kakashi immediately coated his own kunai with Lightning Release. He knew how destructive a lightning kunai could be.

The two clashed, with Sasuke clearly at a disadvantage. Kakashi had far more combat experience.

As they fought with their lightning kunai, Kakashi wondered whether Sasuke could learn his Chidori. After all, teaching one's own jutsu to a student seemed perfectly natural.

After several exchanges, the lightning kunai in both Kakashi and Sasuke's hands broke. The two watching nearby, who had been stunned since the fight began, were even more shocked.

Was this really the Sasuke they knew? He could actually go toe-to-toe with Kakashi-sensei! Kakashi could take the two of them down effortlessly!

Team 7's four members gathered, as Sasuke plotted to learn Chidori and Lightning Blade.

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