Yeyu smiled and accepted the lunchbox Kakashi handed him. "I've never seen how a ninja team is tested."
The Third Hokage nodded. "Since Kakashi invited you, go and have a look."
"But don't casually let your aura loose. Sasuke and Naruto couldn't withstand it."
The Third Hokage was worried Yeyu might unleash his aura on Naruto and Sasuke without thinking.
Even Kakashi had nearly passed out. How could Naruto and Sasuke, at their age, possibly withstand Yeyu's Conqueror's Haki?
With the Third Hokage's permission, Yeyu nodded. "I won't. It's just that I became a Chunin as soon as I graduated. Wouldn't it seem a little arrogant if I went to watch their test?"
The Third Hokage paused, then looked at Kakashi and laughed. "Hahaha, that's true. Still, I hope they can turn those feelings into motivation to grow stronger."
"Making you their goal to surpass would actually be a good thing."
The Third Hokage looked at Yeyu and spoke earnestly.
Looking at Yeyu, the Third Hokage thought, Once Sasuke and Naruto grow up, they can become your right-hand men.
"Yeyu, you'll understand in a few years."
In fact, Sasuke faced far fewer restrictions in Konoha than Naruto did.
Although Sasuke was a member of the Uchiha Clan and might even awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, no ninja in Konoha thought he would pose a threat.
Not even the Third Hokage.
Why be wary of the orphan of a clan that had already been wiped out?
What did they take the Third Hokage for?
The Third Hokage had to protect Sasuke and make sure Danzo didn't pluck out his eyes.
The Third Hokage genuinely intended to nurture Sasuke.
And many of the village's ninjas, including plenty of Jonin, thought highly of Sasuke.
They also hoped he might end up with one of their daughters.
That was why Sasuke was so popular at the Ninja Academy, and why nobody tried to restrict him.
But the village's ninjas had plenty of complaints about Naruto.
The ninjas who knew he was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki didn't want him learning ninjutsu.
They were afraid he might lose control if he became a ninja.
He had already lost control once as a child.
If the Third Hokage hadn't used his authority to ensure Naruto could live like an ordinary child and become a ninja, the village's ninjas would never have let him attend the Ninja Academy.
Back when Kushina Uzumaki became the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, she was kept inside a barrier for a long time.
They only let her out once she had completely controlled the Nine-Tails.
The village's ninjas had originally planned for the Third Hokage to treat Naruto the same way.
But the Third Hokage refused.
Now, the Third Hokage hoped to raise Sasuke and Naruto into Yeyu's future right-hand men.
They were classmates, after all.
The Third Hokage very much hoped Yeyu would become friends with Sasuke and Naruto.
Yeyu finished the lunch Kakashi had brought in the Hokage Office before leaving.
Unexpectedly, Kakashi had made the lunchbox himself.
On the way, Yeyu asked curiously, "That lunch was pretty good. What made you decide to cook for yourself?"
Kakashi replied flatly, "To save money!"
Yeyu's mouth twitched at the answer. "Right. That's a perfectly reasonable reason."
"Looks like what people say is true."
Kakashi really was stingy.
But he really was good at cooking, too.
Even with just a few simple ingredients, he'd made everything taste delicious.
Noticing a book in Kakashi's ninja pouch, Yeyu looked at him in disbelief. "You read this kind of book?"
Kakashi glanced at his pouch and pulled it out without hesitation. "You've read it?"
"I flipped through a few pages when I passed a bookstore." Yeyu really had flipped through a few pages there.
He'd been curious about what made Kakashi so obsessed with the novel.
He'd skimmed a few pages when the shopkeeper wasn't looking.
In his opinion, it was just average.
When Kakashi learned Yeyu had read the novel, he gave him a serious look. "You're too young to read books like this."
As he spoke, he tapped Yeyu on the shoulder with the book.
Yeyu didn't say anything.
He really was too young to read that sort of book.
The two of them strolled through the streets and arrived at the Training Ground.
By the time they got there, it was nearly afternoon.
Naruto and the others were lying exhausted on the Training Ground, even Sasuke, who usually cared most about his appearance.
Yeyu smiled. "Kakashi-sensei, you're in trouble."
Kakashi didn't seem to mind.
"Just watch from the side. You're strong, but you lack experience working as part of a team. See how they do it."
Yeyu went over to greet Naruto and Sasuke.
Instead, he leaped into a tree in the nearby woods and sat there to watch.
When Kakashi went over, Naruto and Sasuke immediately chewed him out.
Because of Yeyu, Kakashi had arrived several hours later than he had in the original story.
They were all starving.
Kakashi's test for them hadn't changed: the three of them had to compete for two bells.
The outcome was the same as in the original story, too.
Yeyu's appearance hadn't changed the result of the test.
When Kakashi finally announced that they had passed, all three were so excited that they forgot how hungry they were.
Yeyu, who had watched the whole thing from the tree, found it quite interesting.
Naruto and the others hadn't noticed him at all during the test.
At the closest point, Yeyu had been just over ten meters from Sasuke.
Yet Sasuke hadn't noticed him.
When the test ended, Kakashi called toward Yeyu. "Yeyu, come over here."
Yeyu had been about to head back to the Hokage Office, and now he felt a little helpless.
Why is Kakashi calling me over? Is he trying to make them hate me?
Sure enough, at the sound of Yeyu's name, Naruto and Sasuke both looked over.
Yeyu emerged from the woods, looking helpless.
Sasuke's expression tightened when he saw him. "Yeyu, just how strong are you? I want to know today."
When Naruto saw Yeyu, his body instinctively trembled.
But soon, he felt ashamed.
Damn it, why am I so afraid of him? I'm going to become Hokage. If I can't even surpass Yeyu, how could I ever become Hokage?
Naruto clenched his fists.
He wanted to defeat Yeyu and erase the fear in his heart.
Sakura looked at Yeyu, wondering why he was here.
Yeyu walked over.
He looked resigned. "Kakashi-sensei, there was no need to call me over. This is Team 7's test."
Kakashi smiled at Yeyu. "Your Team 11 didn't have a test, so it's good for you to come and learn from this one."
Yeyu gave a bitter smile. "But I'm the only one in Team 11, and Lord Hokage didn't test me either."
Yeyu was the only member of his team. With his strength, no one needed to test him.
Besides, the Third Hokage had already tested him the day before.
Yeyu was unquestionably qualified to serve as a Chunin and Hokage Assistant.
But hearing Yeyu say all that only made Naruto and Sasuke more upset.
They had worked hard to pass Kakashi's test.
Yeyu hadn't had to do anything. He'd gone straight to Chunin, and at just twelve years old, he'd already become the Hokage Assistant.
The Third Hokage hadn't even tested him.
They were all students who had just graduated. How could the gap between them be so huge?
Before you continue