So Small Before This Person

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura all stared at the field in a daze. Ling Xuan stood there, holding a silver bell in each hand.

Kakashi stood opposite him, brushing the dust off his clothes, his single eye filled with complex emotions.

"The exercise is over," Kakashi said, his voice betraying neither anger nor joy. "Ling Xuan, you have obtained all three bells. According to the rules, you pass."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the other three.

"However, there are only three bells. Your teammates, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, did not obtain any. This means they fail and must be sent back to the Ninja Academy. Is this your plan?"

This question caused the expressions of Naruto and Sasuke, who had just recovered from their shock, to change. Sakura also looked at Ling Xuan nervously, unsure of how he would answer.

Ling Xuan did not answer immediately. He weighed the bells in his hands, producing a crisp, rhythmic sound.

Then, he performed an action that no one expected: he tossed the bell in his right hand casually toward Sasuke Uchiha.

Sasuke instinctively reached out and caught it, the cold touch of the bell sending a jolt through his body. He looked at Ling Xuan, his eyes filled with confusion and inquiry.

Next, Ling Xuan tossed the bell in his left hand to Naruto Uzumaki on the other side.

"Here."

"Eh? For... for me?" Naruto scrambled to catch the bell, looking completely bewildered.

The remaining one was naturally tossed to Sakura.

Only after doing all this did Ling Xuan lift his eyes to look at Kakashi, speaking calmly: "Kakashi-sensei, you are mistaken about one thing."

"Oh?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"My plan was never to snatch the bells from the very beginning," Ling Xuan's voice was clear and composed. "It was to prove that we possess the teamwork required to take the bells from you. Now, we have proven that. That goal has been achieved."

He continued, "The bells are merely a symbol. As for who ends up holding them, it is unimportant. If the intent of the rules is to have three of us pass while sacrificing the fourth, then the rules themselves are flawed and not worth following."

"We are a team. Either we all pass, or we all fail."

These words struck like a heavy hammer against the hearts of everyone present.

"Ling Xuan..." Naruto muttered to himself. He looked at the bell in his hand, then at the one in Sasuke's, a surge of indescribable excitement welling up within him.

Sasuke gripped the bell tightly. He looked at Ling Xuan's back, and for the first time, he felt that the pride he held so dear seemed so insignificant in front of this person.

What he pursued was the power to kill that man. Yet, what Ling Xuan contemplated seemed to be something that transcended power itself.

Kakashi fell silent. He looked at the four youths before him, at the entire test that had been subverted by Ling Xuan. After a long while, a smile appeared in his dead-fish eye, and finally, he couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Heh... hehehe... ahahahaha!"

Covering his face, Kakashi laughed until his shoulders shook.

"Remarkable... truly a remarkable answer." Kakashi lowered his hand, his gaze more serious than ever before.

"For many years, I have led many groups of students. Some only cared for themselves, others attempted to cooperate but ultimately failed, yet never has anyone, like you, seen through the essence of the rules and even rejected the rules themselves."

He walked to the Memorial Stone in the center of the field, turning his back to the group.

"In the world of ninjas, those who break the rules and discipline are called trash."

His voice turned low.

"However..."

"Those who do not know how to cherish their companions are even worse than trash."

Kakashi turned around, his single eye curving into the shape of a crescent moon.

"I am very satisfied with your answer."

"Team 7—everyone passes!"

"Yeah!!!" Naruto was the first to jump up, cheering like a madman. Sakura was so moved that she shed tears. A faint, almost imperceptible curve appeared at the corner of Sasuke's mouth.

Ling Xuan's expression remained calm, as if everything were as it should be.

[Mission: Pass the survival exercise. Status: Completed. Evaluation: Perfect. Team core status established. Preliminary combat data and behavioral patterns of Hatake Kakashi acquired.]

"Alright, since everyone passed, let's have some lunch." Kakashi took four bento boxes out of his ninja pouch.

However, when Naruto excitedly opened one, he found it completely empty. The other three were the same.

"Sensei! The bentos are empty!" Naruto protested.

Kakashi spread his hands: "Ah, I didn't expect you all to pass, so I only prepared props for the exercise. As for lunch, I'll have to punish you by making you treat me to Ichiraku Ramen to celebrate you officially becoming genin."

Although they had been played, the joy of passing washed everything else away.

In the afternoon, at the Ichiraku Ramen shop.

The four genin sat in a circle with their jounin instructor. The steaming hot ramen dispelled the exhaustion of the exercise.

Naruto wolfed down his food, Sasuke ate quietly, and Sakura stole glances at Sasuke from time to time, while occasionally casting curious looks at Ling Xuan.

Ling Xuan, meanwhile, was reviewing the entire battle in his mind.

[Hatake Kakashi, combat data recording completion: 7.3%. His combat IQ, experience, and grasp of timing are all top-tier. His use of Earth Style ninjutsu is proficient, and his taijutsu skills are far from bottomed out. The ability of his left eye is his core, but also his weakness. Comprehensive evaluation: At this stage, unbeatable. However, his behavioral patterns are predictable.]

"So, starting tomorrow," Kakashi set down his chopsticks and said, "our Team 7 will officially begin accepting missions. We usually start with D-rank missions, such as weeding, finding cats, or babysitting..."

"No way, I want to do cooler missions!" Naruto shouted immediately. "Like fighting against powerful ninjas!"

"Idiot, we only just became genin," Sasuke said coldly.

"What did you say?!"

Watching the two of them about to start arguing again, Kakashi sighed helplessly, then glanced at Ling Xuan, who had remained silent the entire time.

In this squad, there was an over-energetic problem child, a cold-hearted genius consumed by revenge, an ordinary girl with nothing but romance on her mind, and another... a monster, unfathomable and seemingly capable of seeing through everything.

My days ahead certainly won't be boring, Kakashi thought to himself.

The days following the official formation of Team 7 were not filled with the passion and adventure Naruto had imagined.

On the contrary, their daily routine was packed with a series of D-rank missions so trivial they were infuriating.

"Team 7, your mission this time is to weed Mrs. Yamada's vegetable garden."

Inside the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, read the mission request slowly, and Naruto's face fell on the spot.

"Weeding again? Old man! Can't you give us something more impressive?!"

"Naruto!" Iruka shouted sharply from the side to stop him, but the Third Hokage merely smiled and waved his hand, signaling that they could head out.