Advancing to Genin

Jingle, jingle!

A series of bell chimes finally rang out across the scene.

This signaled that the test had concluded within these few short minutes.

However, the sound did not originate from Kakashi's waist as he had previously stipulated.

Instead, the bells were in Sasuke's hand, emitting a rhythmic ringing.

This... did Sasuke win?...

Uzuki Yugao's slender fingers curled slightly, her beautiful eyes misting over.

She did not know why.

At this moment, she suddenly felt an urge to cry.

Even though Sasuke had merely snatched a pair of bells from Kakashi.

Yet, at this moment.

It felt as if Sasuke had defeated Kakashi using Konoha-Style Swordsmanship; she felt both proud and exhilarated.

"Good, good, good! Truly worthy of being the number one genius of my Konoha-Style Swordsmanship! Good! Cough, cough, cough..."

Gekko Hayate repeated the word "good" several times.

He was so excited he was dancing with joy!

He knew that Konoha-Style Swordsmanship was about to rise again!

And the starting point of this resurgence began with this rising star, Sasuke!

Sa... Sasuke, is a girl as ordinary as me even worthy of a man like him?...

Then again, Ino isn't bad-looking either; if she were more proactive, would Sasuke...

A gentle breeze ruffled the handsome man's hair.

He looked like a work of art carved by the heavens, perfectly natural.

Any more, and he would be too frivolous.

Any less, and he would lack masculinity.

Just looking at him made Sakura feel flushed and incredibly restless.

At the same time, an inexplicable sense of crisis welled up from Ino.

She secretly swore to herself.

She must train hard and keep pace with Sasuke.

She was determined to have this man.

Even the Sage of Six Paths couldn't stop her!

If one were to ask who was the most pathetic in this contest?

That would undoubtedly be Naruto!

This issue began when Kakashi went to grab the shadow clone that had transformed into him.

When he saw Kakashi grabbing another Naruto who looked exactly like him, his heart collapsed in confusion.

How is there another Naruto?

Who am I?

Where am I?

Why didn't Kakashi-sensei come to grab me, but went to grab a clone instead?

As time passed, the answer soon surfaced.

But a new problem arose.

Because at this moment, Naruto was shocked to discover.

Not a single person on the scene had even noticed him.

Let alone Sakura.

Even Gekko Hayate, Uzuki Yugao, and Kakashi himself.

Their gazes swept right past him, as if he were nothing but air.

This...

The scene fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone seemed to be lost in their own silent reflections.

Seeing this, Naruto didn't dare to make a sound. He suppressed the questions bubbling within him and stood rooted to the spot, not daring to move an inch.

But just then.

Sakura was the first to snap out of her deep contemplation.

Turning around, as if she had discovered something, she asked in sudden confusion:

"Wait, that's not right? Where... where did Naruto go?"

Startled by Sakura's exclamation.

The others suddenly realized that Naruto had vanished without them even noticing.

But at that very moment.

They heard Sasuke laughing not far away as he shook the bell in his hand.

At the same time, he shifted his hand seals.

Poof!

White smoke exploded over a patch of grass.

A nondescript rock crouching there transformed in the blink of an eye into the figure of Naruto.

At this moment, Naruto looked completely bewildered, like a total dimwit...

"Trans... Transformation Technique!..."

Kakashi was so shocked he nearly jumped out of his skin!

What kind of battle IQ was this?

And what kind of chakra reserves did he have?

Was he really still just a Genin?

For some reason, at this moment, Kakashi's mind flashed back to what Iruka had told him about Sasuke back then:

"Kakashi, I swear!"

"That kid named Sasuke is absolutely the most incredible graduate I've ever taught!"

"Unprecedented and likely never to be surpassed!"

"Believe me, if you miss out on this talent, Konoha might never see such a brilliant genius again! You'll regret it for the rest of your life!..."

"Is it really as exaggerated as you say? You aren't lying to me, are you?..."

"Hah! Believe it or not! If it weren't for the fact that we both work under the Third Hokage, I would never share such a good opportunity with you for free!..."

The memories flickered by like a slideshow.

Yet in Kakashi's mind, they were vivid and crystal clear.

It seems Iruka might have even been conservative back then...

Frowning, Kakashi thought to himself.

"Is it over?"

"Could the test really be over just like that?..."

It wasn't until he transformed back into his true form that Naruto realized what had happened, yet he felt a sense of surreal daze.

They were supposed to be working as a team.

How could the test be over before he and Sakura had even made a move?

He looked toward his goddess, Sakura.

Only to see her cheeks flushed, her emerald eyes fixed unblinkingly on Sasuke, filled with an affection that was plain for all to see.

At the sight, a wave of jealousy surged straight to his head!

Without a second thought, Naruto rushed in front of Kakashi and shouted:

"Kakashi-sensei, Sakura and I haven't even made a move yet!"

"That guy hogged all the spotlight for himself!..."

Raising an eyebrow, Kakashi asked back, sounding as if his heart wasn't really in it:

"The rules are clear: a win is a win, and a loss is a loss. Do you have some other thoughts on the matter, Naruto?..."

Naruto gritted his teeth, his face full of defiance as he responded:

"Yes! I demand a rematch!"

"I absolutely cannot let that guy Sasuke hog all the spotlight!"

"Oh?... Are you sure?..."

Kakashi asked with a feigned air of seriousness.

Immediately, as if by accident, his gaze drifted casually toward Sakura, who was standing not far away.

"I'm sure! How could I be careless about something like this? After all..."

Before Naruto could finish his sentence.

He heard Sakura calling out from behind him:

"Naruto, stop acting like a fool."

"Is it really that hard to admit that someone else is better than you?"

"If you really want a rematch that badly."

"Then go ahead and have a match with Kakashi-sensei yourself, just like Sasuke did."

"Sasuke and I are going to Ichiraku Ramen to celebrate. I was going to bring you along, but who knew, sigh..."

The moment he heard there was a chance to eat with Sakura, Naruto instantly forgot all about his demand for a rematch.

He hurriedly scurried over to Sakura with a cheeky grin and laughed:

"I'll go! I'll go! Who said I wasn't going!..."

Sasuke: "..."

"Kakashi-sensei, Gekko Hayate, Uzuki Yugao-senpai, why don't we all go to Ichiraku Ramen to celebrate?"

"It just so happens that today is the big day the three of us were promoted to Genin."

"Sure, sure, sure! We happen to be hungry ourselves..."

Sakura had a sweet way with words.

Coupled with the fact that Gekko Hayate and Uzuki Yugao already had deep, lingering ties to Sasuke.

And so.

The six people on the scene quickly reached a consensus, deciding to head straight to the Ichiraku Ramen shop to celebrate and, while they were at it, complete the ceremony of receiving their Konoha Headbands for their promotion to Genin...