Survival Exercise

Kakashi led the three of them to the school balcony and said, "All right, let's start with a simple introduction."

The three of them silently looked at one another. No one said a word. Finally, Sakura broke the silence. "What are we supposed to say, sensei?"

Kakashi thought for a moment. "Well, you could talk about what you like and dislike, your dreams for the future, your ideals, that sort of thing."

Sakura said, "Why don't you demonstrate first, sensei?"

"Me? My name is Kakashi Hatake. I don't want to tell you what I like or dislike. As for my ideals and dreams, I seem to have quite a few."

Sakura thought to herself, So we still don't know anything about him.

Kakashi looked at Naruto and thought, He really is a lot like his teacher. Aside from all that long hair, they're alike in every other way.

Pointing at Naruto, Kakashi said, "You can go first."

"Me? My name is Naruto Uzumaki. The people I like most are Hinata and Sasuke. They're the person I love most and my best friend. As for what I hate, it's hatred, sadness, and loneliness. My dream for the future is to bring true peace to this world."

Hearing Naruto's introduction, Kakashi was deeply moved. Sensei, I never thought Naruto would already have inherited your will. You must be very happy.

Kakashi said, "That's a wonderful dream, but it'll be a difficult one to achieve. Keep at it."

"I will," Naruto replied firmly.

Kakashi turned to Sakura. "You're next."

"My name is Sakura Haruno. What I like most is... my hobbies and dreams..." She kept glancing at Sasuke, then blushed again.

Kakashi thought helplessly, As expected, romance is the most important thing to a girl this age.

"Then what do you dislike the most?" Kakashi asked, resigned.

Sakura's expression darkened. "Ino."

Kakashi continued, "And the last one?"

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. There's nothing I particularly like or dislike. My only goal is to help Naruto achieve his dream, because it's my dream too. And I'm going to punch that conceited guy into the ground with my own hands." Naruto smiled at Sasuke.

Kakashi was slightly surprised by Sasuke's answer, but quickly composed himself. "All right. Meet at Training Ground 7 tomorrow morning at five for a survival exercise. Anyone who fails will have to go back to school and keep studying."

Sakura asked in confusion, "But, Kakashi-sensei, haven't we already graduated?"

"Anyway, anyone who doesn't pass will have to go back to school and study again. Oh, and remember not to eat breakfast, or you'll throw up." With that, Kakashi used the Body Flicker Technique and disappeared.

Naruto turned to Sasuke and said, "I'm going to see Hinata, then." With that, he left too.

Sakura was just about to speak to Sasuke, but he left without even saying goodbye. Sakura immediately lost her pep.

Early the next morning, Naruto sat on his bed, sensing the natural energy around him. He slowly absorbed a little Natural Chakra and circulated it through all the cells in his body, tempering his physique. He'd developed this habit when he was little; tempering his body with Natural Chakra every morning had become part of his daily routine.

It was worth mentioning that Naruto had also gotten Sasuke and Hinata to do the same.

Although Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata had kept it up for many years, Naruto had insisted that they not use Natural Chakra in battle like in the original story. They used it only to temper their bodies.

Naruto believed that using Natural Chakra to temper the body was far better than using it purely for combat. In his understanding, Natural Chakra was the same as the natural spiritual energy described by Taoists, and tempering the body with spiritual energy could lead to immortality.

So, at Naruto's insistence, they avoided using Natural Chakra in battle unless they had no other choice, and used it to temper their bodies instead. By the time Naruto finished, it was past eight and almost nine.

Naruto hurriedly ate breakfast and arrived at Training Ground 7. Seeing that Sasuke and Sakura had already been there for a while, he smiled. "Morning, Sakura. Sasuke."

When Sakura saw Naruto, she snapped, "You're late, Naruto."

Naruto gave an awkward smile. "Sorry. I got lost while pondering the meaning of life, so I'm late. Hehe." Kakashi arrived soon afterward.

Sakura questioned him again. Kakashi, just like Naruto, offered a lame excuse. Unable to take it anymore, Sakura said, "Kakashi-sensei, Naruto just used that excuse."

Kakashi coughed to hide his embarrassment, then took out a stopwatch and two bells. "Your mission is to take these two bells from me. Anyone who fails will be tied to a post and won't get lunch."

Hearing Kakashi's words, Sasuke and Sakura rubbed their empty stomachs and glared at him mournfully. So that was why they hadn't been allowed to eat breakfast.

Kakashi smiled. "All right, let's begin. Remember, you have to be ready to kill me."

As soon as Kakashi finished speaking, Sasuke and Sakura darted away and hid in the trees. Naruto alone stayed right where he was, boldly saying, "Then let's settle this, Kakashi!"

Kakashi immediately began doubting the accuracy of the Third Hokage's briefing. But the instant his attention wandered, he sensed danger. Kakashi immediately escaped with the Substitution Technique.

Just as Kakashi disappeared, several chains burst out of the ground where he had been standing and wrapped around his substitute.

When Naruto realized he'd attacked a substitute, he immediately looked behind him. Kakashi rapidly formed Hand Seals and said, "Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet Technique!" A fire dragon spat out several fireballs that shot toward Naruto.

Naruto charged toward the fireballs instead of retreating, thrusting both hands forward. "Sealing Technique: Seal Fire Method!" A sealing array appeared in front of him and absorbed every fireball.

Seeing that Naruto had sealed his Fire Dragon Flame Bullet Technique, Kakashi closed in and engaged him in taijutsu. Naruto was quickly driven onto the defensive.

After forcing Naruto back, Kakashi rapidly formed Hand Seals. "Earth Style: Earth Stone Dragon Technique!" A dragon made of earth suddenly burst out from beneath Naruto's feet.

Naruto swiftly threw several Kunai at Kakashi. Kakashi quickly retreated to dodge them. His sharp eyes noticed a fox emblem on one of the Kunai as it flew past him, and he was startled into using the Substitution Technique.

Sure enough, Naruto appeared behind him, following the Kunai Kakashi had dodged, with a Rasengan in his hand. Naruto slammed it into Kakashi, who instantly turned into a log.

Naruto frowned. "The Substitution Technique? Strange. Kakashi-sensei seems to know my techniques."

Kakashi appeared atop a large tree, still shaken. "Good thing the Third Hokage showed me Naruto's file beforehand, or I'd have been done for. He really is his teacher's son. Terrifying. Looks like I'll have to get serious."

Kakashi lifted his Forehead Protector, revealing his Sharingan. But the instant he activated it, he sensed danger and darted aside. The moment he moved, several chains smashed the tree he'd just been standing on to pieces.

Naruto grinned, his Byakugan and Sharingan open on his forehead. "Kakashi-sensei, I've found you."

Looking at the Byakugan on Naruto's forehead, Kakashi said helplessly, "Your bloodline has reverted to its original form. You really are a monster."

Naruto smiled. "Looks like you've read my file, Kakashi-sensei. Otherwise, my Flying Thunder God Technique would have beaten you just now." Kakashi didn't deny it.

Seeing that Kakashi didn't deny it, Naruto smiled. "Hehe, so you really do know about my abilities. But even if you know what I can do, that doesn't mean you can beat me."

Naruto formed Hand Seals. "Shadow Clone Technique!" More than fifty Narutos appeared. All fifty-plus of them used Adamantine Sealing Chains at once, sending hundreds of chains surging toward Kakashi. Kakashi relied on the Sharingan's keen perception to dodge attack after attack.

But what Naruto found strange was that Kakashi hadn't counterattacked even once. After thinking it over for a long time without reaching an answer, Naruto looked up at the sky and muttered, "That doesn't make sense. With Kakashi-sensei's abilities, there's no way he wouldn't fight back." Just then, he looked at the sun overhead and suddenly realized something.

Seeing Kakashi occupied by his clones and unable to pay attention to him, Naruto used the Body Flicker Technique to appear beside Sasuke. "Sasuke, I need you and Sakura to help me."

Sasuke had been waiting for a chance to ambush Kakashi, but Naruto had suddenly appeared beside him asking for help. Sasuke asked, "With what?"

"I think Kakashi-sensei is stalling for time," Naruto said.

Sasuke asked suspiciously, "Oh? Why do you think that?"

"It's simple. Kakashi must have gotten our files beforehand and knows a lot about our abilities. He knows he can't beat me, because I have the Flying Thunder God Technique and he can't catch me. But he still wants us to take the bells. Remember, we only have three hours."

Sasuke understood. "So you want us to team up against him."

Naruto nodded. "Exactly. It's the only way we can finish the mission within the time limit."

Sasuke asked, puzzled, "Then why do we need Sakura? You know she's weak and will only hold us back."

Naruto smiled. "Hehe, this plan really does need Sakura to work. Neither of us can do it without her. Besides, we're teammates."

Sasuke nodded. "Fine. Tell me the plan, and I'll go find Sakura."

After Naruto told Sasuke the plan, Sasuke went to find Sakura. Naruto waited until Sasuke and Sakura were ready.

Naruto threw a Kunai at Kakashi, then used the Flying Thunder God Technique to appear behind him and swung his Rasengan at him. Just as Kakashi was about to dodge, Sasuke and Sakura appeared too, forming a pincer attack with Naruto and his clones.

Seeing this, Kakashi immediately charged toward Sakura without a word. Sakura threw two Kunai to stop him. Kakashi dodged them and was about to keep going when the Kunai Sakura had thrown suddenly turned into Naruto.

It turned out Sakura's Kunai had been transformed clones of Naruto. Kakashi quickly threw lightning-infused Kunai, destroying the clones, but one of them still managed to throw a Kunai at him.

Naruto's clone used the Flying Thunder God Technique to appear in front of Kakashi with Sasuke. Sasuke fired a Great Fireball at Kakashi. With no choice, Kakashi jumped up to dodge Sasuke's technique. Sasuke swiftly hurled a Kunai. Kakashi tilted his head and dodged it,

but the Kunai transformed into Naruto again. This time, it was the real Naruto. Naruto shot out several Adamantine Sealing Chains, binding Kakashi in midair, then grinned. "Kakashi-sensei, we win."