The Scroll of Seals

Forbidden jutsu were techniques that were prohibited.

They usually harmed the user.

"While Orochimaru was still in Konoha, he secretly studied the Scroll of Seals. He was especially interested in the Impure World Reincarnation, a jutsu invented by the Second Hokage. Basically, it uses the dead person's body and a living person as a sacrifice to summon the dead back from hell and make them serve you." Sasuke opened the Scroll of Seals.

Hinata looked at the first page. "Multi-Shadow Clone Technique. It requires a huge amount of chakra. You use chakra to create solid clones, each with an independent consciousness. When the technique is released, the clones' memories are transferred to the original."

"What a simple Clone Technique. You only need to form one hand seal." Hinata continued.

Sasuke had his own opinion. "It's useless for ordinary ninja. One clone would use up all their chakra. It sounds stupid."

Naruto could only look on. He couldn't use clones, either.

Before long, the three of them had finished reading the Scroll of Seals. The forbidden jutsu recorded in it had broadened their knowledge.

Naruto walked with Sasuke for a while. "Sasuke-chan, do more good deeds. Don't let Orochimaru lead you astray. I don't want to run into you again in a few days and have to call you Orochimaru Sasuke."

"Naruto, thank you." Sasuke bid Naruto farewell. "I've learned a lot of valuable things from you. And I've also learned something else: I was actually born before you. Goodbye, Naruto-nii, who tried to fool me."

Naruto waved.

Sasuke's figure quickly receded, soon blending into the night.

Konoha and Sasuke had no future together.

The night before the team assignments passed.

A breeze parted the clouds, and the sun slowly rose.

The Ninja Academy posted the team assignments.

"I'm not surprised at all. Fate has landed me in Kakashi-sensei's hands." Naruto resigned himself to the assignment.

Hinata was delighted. Great, she'd be on the same team as Naruto and could go on missions with him.

Sakura Haruno was dispirited. She still hadn't recovered from what had happened the previous night, and she didn't much care who ended up on her team.

Team 7's teacher: Jonin Kakashi.

The team was to meet at a clearing in the woods north of Konoha.

They were to meet before three in the afternoon.

At the Hyuga Clan compound.

Hyuga Hiashi's face was stern as he said, "Hinata, show Kakashi-sensei respect and learn as much as you can from him. Don't bring shame on the Hyuga Clan."

Hinata stood stiffly as she listened to his lecture. The shuriken tied around her waist fell to the ground when its cord snapped.

Hyuga Hiashi sighed and turned to leave. "Carefulness can save your life. Remember that!"

Hinata took his words to heart, checked that she had all her gear, and headed for the meeting place.

The clearing in the woods was a hundred meters across.

Naruto wore his usual light, breathable clothes.

He was the first to arrive. With nothing else to do, he did push-ups alone, keeping time with his breathing.

Before long, Hinata and Sakura Haruno arrived together.

"Naruto, has Kakashi-sensei not arrived yet?"

"That's strange. This is the time Kakashi-sensei told us to meet. How can he be late?"

The two girls asked.

Naruto stood up. "Kakashi-sensei is always late. He might give us a hard time, too, so we should warm up first. At least we won't be caught off guard."

"Really?" Sakura Haruno looked doubtful. The team members had already been assigned. How could Kakashi-sensei give them a hard time?

Kakashi showed up half an hour after the agreed time.

With his hands in his pockets, Kakashi gave Naruto a provocative glance. "To become an excellent ninja, you need to be punctual. I was watching you from nearby well before the appointed time. You all made it to the meeting place, but I wasn't satisfied with what you did afterward."

"Not one of you wondered why I was late or whether something had happened to me. You didn't even discuss looking for me. Am I not your teammate?"

Sakura Haruno hurried to explain, but Kakashi stopped her.

"So you'll have to pass a survival test before you can truly become members of my team. The test is simple." Kakashi dangled two bells in his hand. "I have two bells. Anyone who gets one before sunset passes. Anyone who doesn't will go back to the Ninja Academy and keep studying."

"The test begins!" Kakashi tossed out a smoke bomb, blocking their vision.

Naruto walked out of the smoke, coughed, and rubbed his nose. "Kakashi-sensei, even Guy-sensei isn't this boring. You just want to teach us a lesson, don't you? An elite jonin picking on genin? You'd lose face if word got out!"

Kakashi used the Body Flicker Technique to appear behind Naruto, his voice low. "Even though Minato-sensei assigned you to my team, I can still refuse. Naruto, do you think I don't have the nerve?"

Naruto, Guy says you're strong. Let's see if that's true.

"Earth Release: Headhunter Decapitation Technique!" Kakashi pressed both hands toward Naruto's shoulders, intending to bury him in the ground at once.

Naruto pushed off with his right foot and flipped backward. "Hook kick!"

With his jutsu missing its target, Kakashi raised an arm to block Naruto's leg and retreated.

That was fast. He was every bit as quick as Guy, if not quicker.

Kakashi grew more cautious.

"Byakugan! Eight Trigrams Palms!" Hinata rushed in from the left and struck toward Kakashi's back.

Thud! Kakashi used the Substitution Technique.

Naruto knew Kakashi was testing their abilities. Not wanting to crush his confidence, Naruto didn't use his system ability to restrict him.

Kakashi kept retreating. "I didn't expect you to work together. But that alone won't get you my bells."

Naruto didn't intend to use a jutsu against Kakashi. He charged straight at him. "Konoha Great Whirlwind!"

Kakashi sensed the force behind Naruto's lightning-fast kick. "Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

A two-meter-high earthen wall blocked the kick.

Naruto vaulted over the obstacle and continued after Kakashi.

System notification.

Host: Uzumaki Naruto.

Ninjutsu: Talk no Jutsu; Rasengan; Fire Release; Water Release.

Taijutsu: Eight Inner Gates (Shared Version); Super Self-Healing.

Sealing Jutsu: None.

Summoning Jutsu: Liu Er.

Chakra Nature: Wind, Fire, Lightning, Earth, Water, Yang.

Chakra remaining: 95%.

Chakra control: 95%

Chakra Nature Transformation: Wind (100%), Fire (100%), Water (100%).

Mission: Gently pull down Kakashi's mask.

Mission reward: Chakra control +0.1%.

Over the past four years, Naruto had completed hundreds of all sorts of strange little missions for the system. Every reward had been a 0.1% increase in chakra control.

But that had also taught Naruto that training on his own wouldn't improve his chakra control. The system was probably the reason.

Perhaps once his chakra control reached 100%, the power of the Eight Inner Gates would rise to another level.

As he chased Kakashi, Naruto kept an eye on his mask.

It seemed he could only pull it down, Naruto decided.