Special Survival Exercise

Meeting Hatake Kakashi's gaze, Naruto smiled lightly and replied unhurriedly.

"I wouldn't call it knowing in advance. It's just that after I learned yesterday that our Jōnin instructor would be Kakashi-sensei, I went to ask Iruka-sensei a few things about you. This isn't the first time the Third Hokage has assigned you to lead a team, is it? Yet, none of the seniors assigned to your squad after graduation ever stayed. It's obvious they all failed the assessment you set. Combining that with what you said at yesterday's meeting, there's only one conclusion: this special survival exercise today is the final graduation exam you've set for the three of us. Am I right, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi looked at Naruto with a steady expression, then raised his eyebrows slightly, revealed a smile, and nodded gently.

"That's right, just as you said. Sakura, Sasuke, you aren't the first graduates assigned to me, and I've had plenty of experience leading teams. It's just that no team has ever officially formed, for the same reason Naruto mentioned: they didn't pass the assessment I set. And you must remember, this assessment isn't unique to you; every team has one, the only difference being the level of difficulty. But I can tell you responsibly that the final pass rate each year is only thirty percent. You should know exactly what that means, right?"

The first part was directed at Naruto, while the rest was an explanation for Sasuke and Sakura. Upon hearing Kakashi—and especially Naruto's words—Sakura's face turned uncontrollably pale, and Sasuke's expression grew even more solemn.

The one-third pass rate Kakashi mentioned was frightening enough on its own.

But Naruto had actually said that in the past few batches, not a single graduate assigned to Kakashi's squad had passed the assessment. If that were true, the pass rate was zero?

The number that surfaced in the depths of her mind made Sakura shiver uncontrollably.

Would they follow in the footsteps of those seniors today?

Sakura looked at the smiling Kakashi, feeling quite uneasy.

"Alright, enough small talk. Now, we enter the official assessment. Just as I said before, only by passing my test and gaining my approval can you act as official Hidden Leaf Genin."

Feeling the atmosphere was sufficiently prepared, Kakashi clapped his hands, drawing the attention of all three.

"Hmm, it's 11 o'clock now, so let's set the deadline for the assessment at 12 o'clock. If you don't complete the objective, you fail. If you don't finish within the allotted time, you also fail. As for the content of the assessment, it's very simple."

Kakashi smiled lightly.

"Jingle..."

He pulled two bells from his pants pocket, hung them on his belt, and continued.

"You can use any means necessary. As long as you can snatch the bells from me within the time limit, you pass!"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, looked at Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura, and said softly with a meaningful smile.

"A word of advice: if you don't come at me with the intent to kill, you won't be able to take the bells, you know?"

Kakashi's words shocked Sasuke and Sakura once again.

Sakura, in particular, looked at the two bells on Kakashi's waist, a feeling of extreme foreboding rising within her.

"Um, Kakashi-sensei? You said we need to snatch the bells to graduate? But there are only two bells here? Does that mean...?"

Sakura asked weakly.

"Heh heh! That's right, just as you thought, Sakura. There are only two bells here. So, at most, only two of you can graduate—or perhaps only one, or maybe all of you will have to go back to the Ninja Academy!"

Kakashi lifted his chin slightly, a cold, sharp look flickering in his eyes. The faint aura of malice he emitted, combined with his sinister tone, made Sakura's body tremble uncontrollably.

"Ah? You're kidding, right?"

Her eyes widened as her inner premonition came true.

Sakura felt terrible.

Only two could pass?

Then what about her?

Sakura couldn't help but glance at Sasuke and Naruto beside her, her mood instantly plummeting to the bottom.

Sasuke's expression also turned very ugly.

Snatching bells from a Jōnin?

He wasn't entirely sure of the exact strength of this Jōnin named Hatake Kakashi, but being a Jōnin was undoubtedly a symbol of power. Although Sasuke was arrogant, his understanding in this regard was far beyond that of his peers (he was, after all, once a young master of the Uchiha Clan).

Sasuke knew better than anyone what a Jōnin meant.

To snatch bells from such an existence?

Sasuke felt the probability was far too low.

However, regardless of what Sasuke thought, he had to participate in this survival exercise!

He had no interest or time to go back to the Ninja Academy and waste another year!

He had to pass this assessment today.

Sasuke looked at Kakashi, a look of determination flickering in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Naruto showed no emotional fluctuation on the surface, but he sneered inwardly.

It wasn't that Naruto thought Kakashi was just trying to scare them.

In reality, even without his knowledge from the original story in his past life, in this life, Naruto had indeed learned from Iruka that Kakashi's team assessment was extremely strict, and that three or four previous batches of teams had failed to pass.

Snatching bells was also one of the most direct and common methods used by the Hidden Leaf Village to assess Genin.

The one-third total pass rate was also a reality.

But that was as far as it went.

Everything Kakashi said afterward was highly suggestive.

Because the primary standard for passing this assessment was teamwork, not actually snatching the bells from the hands of a jonin like Kakashi.

If they could snatch them, that was naturally for the best.

If they couldn't, it didn't matter; as long as they met the requirements of the assessment, they would pass all the same.

Moreover, the most important point was this.

After all, this was merely an assessment; Kakashi would absolutely not use his full strength, and might even intentionally go easy on them at certain moments. Otherwise, the assessment would lose its very purpose.

The only thing to be mindful of was that the degree of this leniency was controlled by Kakashi.

It was Kakashi who would judge whether or not they were qualified!

This was also something Naruto needed to be wary of.

Although Naruto didn't think that he and the others would fail the assessment—and although this kind of test was different from a written exam where one was guaranteed to pass as long as they knew the correct answers—now that he knew the goal and the core of the assessment, the success rate was definitely over eighty percent.

Next.

What Naruto needed to do was to let Sasuke and Sakura know about this, as if by accident.

Or, he could take the lead himself to unite the team and complete the assessment!

Building upon the foundation of achieving this goal.

He would use this stage!

With Kakashi as his target for live combat.

He would see exactly where his limits lay!!!