Not One Can Be Left Behind

After the dust settled, another Jimo stood where Jimo had just been standing.

"What?"

Kakashi stared at Jimo in shock.

"Why does he know the forbidden Shadow Clone technique too?"

"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

The combined wind and fire ninjutsu surged forward, its power dozens of times greater than before. The scorching flames swept across the river's surface, and even Naruto, holding his breath underwater, felt a wave of heat.

"This guy's chakra reserves... are they this massive? He's launching a C-rank jutsu at this scale and still hasn't run dry."

Kakashi formed hand seals at lightning speed, extinguishing the flames with Water Dragon Jutsu.

"He actually... actually forced sensei to use ninjutsu..." Sasuke and Sakura watched in shock as the two exchanged jutsu blasts.

Of course, Kakashi wasn't going all out.

The water dragon and flames collided and exploded, showering the training ground with artificial rain.

Jimo panted heavily and dispelled his Shadow Clone.

"As expected, it's still too much of a strain... but... at least I can make a jonin take me a little seriously."

Kakashi noticed Jimo's fatigue and gained some insight into his chakra capacity.

"I'm not done yet!"

With that, Jimo stood perfectly still, as if suddenly frozen, silent.

A few breaths later, Jimo's figure flickered slightly, then slowly faded away.

"What kind of jutsu is this!"

Everyone was stunned by the unfamiliar technique.

"Not good!"

By the time Kakashi reacted, Jimo had already appeared behind him, fist clenched and swinging toward him.

"Afterimage Fist!"

The moment Jimo attacked, his motion stalled again.

Kakashi's arm passed straight through his body.

"What? Another one of those techniques!"

Several more phantoms appeared around Kakashi, but this time, it was a combination of Shadow Clone and Afterimage Fist.

Kakashi immediately blocked and grabbed hold of Jimo's arm. He knew this kid's strength—he was an absolute monster among monsters.

But the corner of Jimo's mouth curled upward.

"Chakra Sphere: Instant Burst!" With a furious shout, Jimo suddenly opened his palm. In an instant, a dazzling chakra sphere, like the brightest star in the night sky, materialized in his hand and began expanding at an alarming rate.

"Isn't... isn't that the same move Naruto just used? Is he seriously planning to detonate that Chakra Sphere at this close range?" Sasuke and Sakura's faces twisted in shock as they cried out.

Just then, Kakashi, who had been gripping Jimo's wrist, made a split-second decision and let go. He followed up with a swift kick, slamming into Jimo's body. With a dull thump, Jimo was sent flying backward like he'd been hit by a cannonball.

But to everyone's surprise, the chakra sphere that should have caused a massive explosion simply burst like a deflated balloon, releasing nothing more than a puff of air that stirred up the dust on the ground. Beyond that, it caused no real damage.

"Hahaha, you got played, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto, having climbed onto the riverbank, clutched his stomach with laughter.

"Good combat instincts... but he can't manage his chakra distribution well." That was Kakashi's final assessment of Jimo. He believed Jimo was now at his last gasp.

"It's over!" Kakashi punched Jimo in the stomach.

To his surprise, Jimo grabbed his arm tightly, locking him in place.

"Ka! Me! Ha! Me! Ha!"

A voice rang out from the sky. Everyone searched but couldn't find where Jimo was.

"He's in the sun!" Kakashi, seasoned and experienced, squinted and caught a clue. Jimo had positioned himself directly in line with the sun—at noon, when its light was strongest.

A long beam of light streaked down from the heavens, trailing behind it as it slammed into Kakashi's position.

"Go! This is my last burst of energy!"

The Kamehameha's explosion engulfed both Kakashi and his own clone. Jimo didn't think this attack could seriously injure Kakashi, but making him look a little disheveled was enough to achieve his goal.

When the dust cleared, a crater even larger than the one Naruto had made with his Chakra Sphere explosion lay on the ground.

Jimo lay in the pit, his right hand raised high.

"I got it!"

The bell jingled in the breeze.

"Someone actually managed to complete this task..." Third Hokage and Iruka sat before the crystal ball, sighing in amazement.

"In all the years Kakashi has run this test, the elimination rate has never been below sixty-six percent... it's been one hundred percent... I never thought a student could actually take the bell." The Third Hokage's voice was full of relief. He could see a new star rising.

"So that means all four of them pass?" Iruka asked, both surprised and delighted.

"No... not yet... none of the genin he's been in charge of have ever passed the exam so far."

"Then this..."

"Just keep watching and you'll see."

On the training ground, Kakashi was tattered all over. His jonin vest was gone, revealing the dark blue tight-fitting shirt underneath.

"Ara ara... why are this year's new students so fond of self-destructing..."

Kakashi lifted Jimo out of the crater.

"You can come out now. The mission is over." Kakashi called out to Sakura and Sasuke, who were hiding off to the side.

"So we were found out all along..." Sasuke muttered.

"But now the problem is, there are only two bells, and there are three of you. That means two people are destined to be sent back to the Ninja Academy."

Kakashi spoke seriously.

The next second, Sasuke and Sakura were tied to wooden stakes.

"Jimo, you're the one who grabbed the bells, so you decide how to split these two spots." Kakashi's tone turned formal, shedding the lazy and amiable demeanor from before.

"How can I be eliminated here..." Sasuke's eyes were full of disappointment and resentment. To be honest, he had just been scared—seeing Jimo's techniques had actually frightened him...

On the other side, Sakura's mood sank even lower, tears threatening to spill over.

She suddenly felt so useless. What good were top grades at the Academy? If she couldn't even make a move, what kind of ninja was she?

"I refuse!" Jimo tossed the bells back to Kakashi.

"If my promotion has to use my comrades as stepping stones, then I'd rather not have the title of genin." A flash of anger appeared in Jimo's eyes.

Even the usually rowdy Naruto stood on Jimo's side.

"Iruka-sensei said that from the moment we graduated and formed our squad, we became one whole. And one whole means not a single person missing!"

"Then you can all go back to the drawing board together..." Kakashi said in a cold tone. "But before you're sent back, your mission isn't over yet. You have to eat the prepared bento in front of these two. Remember, don't give them any! Otherwise, you'll lose your chance to become ninjas outright!"