Survival Exercise

Kakashi brought the three of them to the balcony of the academy and said, "Well then, let's start with some simple introductions."

The three of them looked at each other in silence, none of them speaking. Sakura was the one to break the dull atmosphere, saying, "Teacher, what should we say if we want to introduce ourselves?"

Kakashi thought for a moment and said, "Hmm, for example, what you like, what you dislike, your future dreams, your ideals, anything is fine."

Sakura said, "Why don't you give us a demonstration first, Teacher?"

Kakashi said, "Me? I am Kakashi Hatake. I don't feel like telling you what I like or dislike, and as for my ideals and dreams, I suppose I have quite a few."

Sakura muttered to herself, "In the end, we still don't know anything."

Kakashi looked at Naruto and thought, He really is a lot like the teacher. Aside from the long hair, everything else is so similar.

Kakashi pointed at Naruto and said, "Let's start with you."

Naruto said, "Me? I am Naruto Uzumaki. What I like most are Hinata and Sasuke; they are my best lover and friend. As for what I dislike, it is hatred, sadness, and loneliness. As for my future dream, I hope to bring true peace to this world."

Upon hearing Naruto's introduction, Kakashi felt a wave of relief and thought to himself, Teacher, I never expected Naruto to have already inherited your will. You must be very happy, too.

Kakashi said, "That is a very noble ideal, but it will also be very difficult. Do your best."

Naruto replied firmly, "I will."

Kakashi then turned to Sakura and said, "You're next."

Sakura said coyly, "I am Sakura Haruno. What I like most is... my interests are... my dreams are..." Her eyes kept darting toward Sasuke, and she immediately became shy.

Kakashi thought speechlessly, For a girl of this age, love really is the most important thing.

Kakashi asked helplessly, "Then what do you dislike most?"

Sakura immediately darkened and said, "Ino."

Kakashi continued, "And the last one?"

Sasuke said coldly, "I am Sasuke Uchiha. I don't have anything I like, nor anything I dislike. My only ideal is to help Naruto realize his dream, because that is my dream as well. Also, I intend to personally beat that self-righteous guy into the ground." Naruto looked at Sasuke with a smile.

Kakashi was slightly surprised by Sasuke's answer, but he quickly composed himself. Kakashi said, "Alright, tomorrow morning at 5:00, gather at Training Ground 7 for a survival exercise. Anyone who fails will be sent back to the academy to continue their studies."

Sakura asked in confusion, "Teacher Kakashi, haven't we already graduated?"

Kakashi said, "In short, those who don't pass will have to return to the academy. Oh, and remember not to eat breakfast, or you'll throw up." After saying this, Kakashi used the Body Flicker Technique and left.

Naruto also said to Sasuke, "I'm going to go find Hinata first." After saying this, he left as well.

Sakura wanted to talk to Sasuke, but he had already left without even saying goodbye, and Sakura immediately lost her spirit.

Early the next morning, Naruto sat on his bed sensing the power of nature. After slowly inhaling a bit of Natural Chakra, he integrated it into the cells throughout his body to temper himself. This was a habit he had cultivated since childhood; tempering himself with Natural Chakra every morning had become a part of his life.

It is worth mentioning that Naruto had also asked Sasuke and Hinata to do the same.

However, although Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata had persisted for many years, due to Naruto's strong insistence, they did not use Natural Chakra for combat like in the original story, but purely for physical tempering.

Because Naruto believed that using Natural Chakra for tempering was far better than using it for combat. In Naruto's understanding, Natural Chakra was what the Taoists called natural spiritual energy, and using spiritual energy to temper the body could lead to immortality.

Therefore, at Naruto's request, they were not to use Natural Chakra in battle unless absolutely necessary, but only for tempering. By the time Naruto finished, it was already past 8:00, nearing 9:00.

After hurriedly finishing his breakfast, Naruto arrived at Training Ground 7. Seeing that Sasuke and Sakura had already arrived, he smiled and said, "Morning, Sakura, Sasuke."

Seeing Naruto, Sakura said angrily, "Naruto, you're late."

Naruto laughed awkwardly, "Sorry, I got lost on the path of life while contemplating its meaning, so I arrived late, haha." Not long after, Kakashi arrived as well.

Sakura questioned him again. Kakashi used the same lame excuse as Naruto. Sakura couldn't take it anymore and said, "Teacher Kakashi, Naruto already used that excuse just now."

Kakashi coughed to hide his embarrassment, then took out an alarm clock and two bells, saying, "Your task is to take these two bells from me. Those who fail will be tied to the wooden posts and will not be allowed to have lunch."

Hearing Kakashi's words, Sasuke and Sakura touched their stomachs, which they hadn't fed breakfast, and looked at Kakashi with resentment. So that was the reason they weren't allowed to eat breakfast.

Kakashi smiled and said, "Alright, let's begin. Remember, you must come at me with the intent to kill."

As soon as Kakashi finished speaking, Sasuke and Sakura flashed away from their spots and hid in the trees. Only Naruto stood there brazenly and said, "Then let's settle this, Kakashi."

Kakashi immediately began to doubt the accuracy of the information the Third Hokage had given him. But the moment he was distracted, he suddenly sensed danger. Kakashi immediately used the Substitution Technique to escape.

Just as Kakashi left, several chains emerged from the ground where he had been standing and bound his substitute.

Seeing that the target of the attack was a substitute, Naruto immediately looked behind him. He saw Kakashi quickly forming hand seals and saying, "Earth Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet Technique." Suddenly, a fire dragon spat out several fireballs, shooting toward Naruto.

Instead of retreating, Naruto charged toward the incoming fireballs, pushing his hands forward and saying, "Seal: Seal Fire Method." Instantly, a sealing formation appeared in front of Naruto, sucking in all the fireballs.

Seeing Naruto seal his Fire Dragon Flame Bullet Technique, Kakashi closed the distance and began to engage Naruto in taijutsu. Naruto was immediately suppressed.

After forcing Naruto back, Kakashi quickly formed hand seals and said, "Earth Style: Earth Stone Dragon Technique." A stone dragon suddenly emerged from beneath Naruto's feet.

Naruto quickly threw several kunai at Kakashi. Kakashi quickly retreated to dodge them. Kakashi's sharp eyes caught a fox pattern on the kunai that flew past him, and he was so shocked that he immediately used the Substitution Technique.

Sure enough, Naruto appeared behind him, following the kunai he had dodged, with a Rasengan in his hand. Naruto slammed the Rasengan at Kakashi, but Kakashi turned into a log.

Naruto frowned and said, "Substitution Technique? Strange, Teacher Kakashi seems to know my ninjutsu."

Kakashi appeared on a large tree, still shaken, and thought, It's a good thing the Third Hokage showed me Naruto's file beforehand, or I would have been done for. He really is worthy of being the teacher's child. How terrifying. It looks like I have to get serious.

Kakashi pulled up his headband, revealing his Sharingan. But the moment Kakashi activated his Sharingan, he felt a sense of crisis and immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to dodge to the side. Just as Kakashi dodged, the tree he had been on was smashed to pieces by several chains.

Naruto, with his White Eye and Sharingan activated, smiled and said, "Teacher Kakashi, I've found you."

Kakashi looked at the White Eye on Naruto's forehead and said helplessly, "Ancestral bloodline awakening, that really is monstrous."

Naruto laughed, "It seems you've read my file, Kakashi-sensei, otherwise that Flying Thunder God just now should have defeated you." Kakashi did not refute this.

Seeing Kakashi remain silent, Naruto chuckled, "Heh, it seems you really do know my intel, Kakashi-sensei, but even if you do, it doesn't mean I can't win."

Naruto formed hand seals and shouted, "Shadow Clone!" Suddenly, over 50 Narutos appeared. All 50-plus Narutos simultaneously unleashed Adamantine Sealing Chains, and hundreds of chains surged toward Kakashi. Relying on the insight of his Sharingan, Kakashi dodged Naruto's countless attacks.

However, what Naruto found strange was that Kakashi had not launched a single counterattack from start to finish. After thinking about it for a long time to no avail, Naruto felt puzzled.

Naruto looked up at the sky and muttered, "There's no reason for this. With Kakashi-sensei's strength, it's impossible for him not to counterattack." Just then, Naruto looked at the sun overhead and realized something with a start.

Seeing that Kakashi was entangled by his clones and had no time to spare for him, Naruto used a Body Flicker technique to appear beside Sasuke and said, "Sasuke, I need your and Sakura's help."

Sasuke had been waiting for an opportunity to ambush Kakashi, but Naruto suddenly appeared beside him asking for help. Sasuke asked, "What is it?"

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

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

Naruto replied, "It's simple. Kakashi should have obtained our intel beforehand and should have a good understanding of our strength. He knows he can't defeat me because I have the Flying Thunder God, and he can't catch me at all. Yet, he still insists we try to take the Bell. Have you forgotten? We only have three hours."

Sasuke realized, "So you want to team up against him."

Naruto nodded, "That's right. Only then can we complete the mission within the allotted time."

Sasuke asked doubtfully, "Then why call Sakura? You know her strength is weak; she'll only hold us back."

Naruto laughed, "Heh, this matter actually requires Sakura to succeed; neither you nor I can do it. Besides, we are 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, and Naruto waited until Sasuke and Sakura were ready.

He launched a Kunai at Kakashi, then used the Flying Thunder God to appear behind him, striking toward Kakashi with a Rasengan in his hand. Just as Kakashi tried to dodge, Sasuke and Sakura appeared, forming a pincer attack with Naruto and his clones.

Seeing this, Kakashi charged toward Sakura without a word. Sakura saw this and threw two Kunai to stop Kakashi. After Kakashi dodged the two Kunai and was about to continue forward, the Kunai Sakura had thrown suddenly transformed into Naruto.

It turned out that Sakura's Kunai had been a Shadow Clone of Naruto. Kakashi quickly threw a Kunai imbued with lightning-style chakra to blast the clone, but the clone still managed to launch a Kunai at Kakashi.

Naruto's clone carried Sasuke and used the Flying Thunder God to appear in front of Kakashi. Sasuke unleashed a Great Fireball at Kakashi, forcing him to jump upward to dodge the ninjutsu. Sasuke quickly threw a Kunai, which Kakashi dodged by tilting his head.

However, the Kunai transformed into Naruto again, but this time it was Naruto's real body. Naruto unleashed several Adamantine Sealing Chains to bind the airborne Kakashi and laughed, "Kakashi-sensei, we win."