"Wait, our Team 7 clearly has three people, so why did you only prepare two bells for us?"
Naruto asked, puffing his cheeks in annoyance.
Kakashi's expression immediately turned serious. "Good question. The fact that I only prepared two bells means that at least one of you—and possibly more—will fail and be sent back to the Ninja Academy."
"One last warning: come at me with the resolve to kill me and take the bells. Otherwise, every one of you will fail this test!"
As soon as Kakashi finished speaking, Lin Fan received a new quest from the system.
[ Ding! Guidance quest issued: Successfully use genjutsu once and defeat Kakashi. Reward: Chidori Lv1 ]
Use genjutsu?
Lin Fan couldn't help smiling.
It seemed his Sharingan would finally come in handy.
The test began.
The three of them immediately scattered, preparing to find an opening and launch a surprise attack.
Sasuke was already hidden in a dense grove, watching Kakashi's every move through a narrow gap between the trees.
Lin Fan, meanwhile, quickly leaped onto a tree branch, sat down, and relaxed in the shade.
Naruto simply stood by the river and shouted at Kakashi, "Kakashi-sensei, let's settle this once and for all!"
Kakashi didn't respond. Instead, he took out My Neighbor's Aunt again and continued reading it carefully.
Clearly irritated at being ignored, Naruto lost his patience and charged at Kakashi with a straight punch.
"Now I'll show you the true essence of taijutsu!"
Kakashi finished speaking in an unhurried tone, then vanished from Naruto's sight in an instant.
Naruto was still momentarily stunned when Kakashi appeared behind him with a Body Flicker Technique and crouched down.
He formed the Tiger Seal with both hands and shouted, "Konoha Style Taijutsu's ultimate technique: One Thousand Years of Death!"
Kakashi joined his index and middle fingers together and thrust them hard toward Naruto's backside.
"Yow!"
From his perch in the tree, Lin Fan watched Naruto's face twist into an expression of both bliss and agony.
With a cry, Naruto plunged straight into the river.
By the time he climbed out, soaked from head to toe, Kakashi had already disappeared.
Naruto immediately noticed a bell lying beneath the nearest tree.
"Nice! I got lucky and found a bell just lying around. At least I can avoid getting kicked out!"
Without giving it another thought, Naruto walked straight toward the shade beneath the tree.
Just as he reached down to pick up the bell, a snare hidden in the grass yanked him up into the branches.
Kakashi appeared at last and picked up the bell. "Don't fall for such an obvious trap, idiot. You're still a long way from passing."
Then he took out My Neighbor's Aunt again and resumed reading.
Now.
Sasuke saw that Kakashi was engrossed in his manga.
Deciding the moment was right, he revealed himself.
He shot forward with a lightning-fast flying kick aimed straight at Kakashi's head.
Kakashi immediately raised his right arm to block and was forced half a step backward.
"Not bad. Looks like I can't afford to get distracted by reading when I'm dealing with a Uchiha Clan prodigy."
He closed his beloved manga and spoke with a smile.
Sasuke gave a cold snort. "Kakashi, do you really think you'll have another chance to relax once I start using my full strength?"
He quickly brought his hands together and began forming Hand Seals.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
After finishing the Hand Seals, Sasuke puffed out his cheeks, and a massive fireball surged toward Kakashi.
"Did it work?"
As Sasuke murmured to himself, the fireball dissipated. There was no one in front of him.
"Looking for me? I'm under your feet."
"A shinobi shouldn't leave his back wide open like that."
Kakashi burst out of the ground beside Sasuke.
"Earth Style: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!"
With a shout, Kakashi dragged Sasuke underground, leaving only his head sticking out above the surface.
Kakashi dusted off his clothes and said calmly, "I've taken care of the other two. It's your turn to make a move, Lin Fan."
"Once I beat you, I should be able to go straight to the banquet."
Lin Fan had already activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan from his perch on the tree and copied Earth Style: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique.
[ Ding! Congratulations, host! Earth Style: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique upgraded to LvMAX. Bonus effect: Earth Style ninjutsu affinity increased by 10% (total increase: 20%) ]
After maxing out the technique, Lin Fan deactivated his Sharingan and jumped down from the tree.
"As expected of you, Kakashi-sensei. I'm honored to receive your guidance," Lin Fan said with a smile.
"Lin Fan, if you can't even defeat me, then your goal of unifying the Shinobi World may have to wait," Kakashi replied with the same smile.
Two days earlier, he had seen Lin Fan's abilities through the Third Hokage's Crystal Ball.
To be honest, he wasn't confident he could beat Lin Fan.
"Konoha Strong Whirlwind!"
Without wasting words, Lin Fan strode forward and swept a powerful kick toward Kakashi.
So fast!
Kakashi's heart tightened. He immediately raised his arm to block.
The powerful kick sent him staggering backward several steps.
"Looks like I really can't afford to underestimate you."
Without hesitation, Kakashi raised his right hand and pushed up his Konoha Forehead Protector.
A scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan appeared.
"How is that possible? How does Kakashi have one? Even among the Uchiha Clan, only a few members awaken the Sharingan!" Sasuke exclaimed from underground.
"Your taijutsu movements will all be seen through by my Sharingan," Kakashi said confidently.
But Lin Fan suddenly laughed.
Everything was going according to plan.
Lin Fan quickly closed in again, but didn't use any taijutsu moves.
Just as Kakashi began to wonder what he was up to, Lin Fan started speaking.
"Kakashi, the ending of My Neighbor's Aunt is..."
What?!
A spoiler?!
Lin Fan had given Kakashi the manga, and he couldn't put it down. In just one day, he'd read more than half of it. He'd planned to finish his mission, then go home that evening, soak in the bath, and read the ending.
Kakashi wanted to find out what happened for himself, so he quickly covered his ears with both hands.
But his Sharingan was already active. He could still read Lin Fan's lips and learn the ending.
Kakashi hurriedly shut off his Sharingan.
Seeing his chance, Lin Fan opened his scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and its pupils began to spin.
"What?! You have one too—"
Kakashi was so shocked he couldn't finish his sentence before Lin Fan dragged him into a genjutsu.
It was a stormy night, with lightning flashing across the sky.
A middle-aged man with a head of white hair knelt on the ground, clutching a chakra short sword and endlessly repenting.
Kakashi, caught in the genjutsu, was horrified by the scene.
The man kneeling in repentance was none other than his dead father, Hatake Sakumo, known as the White Fang of the Leaf.
(Thank you all for the gifts and kind reviews!)