Prelude to the Survival Exercise and Team 7

In the faint morning light, the Hidden Leaf Village was still steeped in quiet. Uchiha Ling silently left the Sunward Home orphanage and walked along the damp stone road toward Training Ground Three. The air before dawn was cool and crisp, carrying the freshness of grass and trees into his lungs, and it gradually calmed the restlessness in his heart born of anticipation.

Today was the day Team 7 officially assembled and received the test from their jonin instructor, Kakashi Hatake. The survival exercise—this highly significant turning point in the original story—now had him standing within it as well.

When he arrived at the training ground, there were still ten minutes before the agreed time of five o'clock. Two figures were already there. Sasuke Uchiha was leaning against a half-rotted wooden post, arms crossed, eyes closed as he rested, but the slight tension at the corners of his mouth betrayed that he was not as calm as he appeared. Sakura Haruno stood not far away, twisting her fingers nervously, her gaze drifting toward Sasuke from time to time while she tried hard to look composed.

Uchiha Ling chose a spot in the shade not far from the two of them and stood there without taking the initiative to speak, merely adjusting his own state in silence. He maintained [Basic Aura Perception] in a gently diffused state, feeling the environment around him. The faint sound of dew sliding off blades of grass, the clear cries of early-rising birds in the distance, and the unsteady breathing and chakra fluctuations of the two beside him were all reflected clearly in his perception.

[Ding! Sign-in target detected: Sasuke Uchiha.]

[Interaction level: same-team cooperation (first assembly).]

[Issuing sign-in reward...]

[Congratulations, host, you have obtained: simplified teaching for Lightning Release: Chidori (preliminary understanding)! (Basic analysis of lightning-nature chakra transformation and form transformation)]

[Congratulations, host, you have obtained: 50 system points!]

A brand-new body of knowledge about Lightning Release chakra surged into his mind! It was not the complete Chidori, but rather its most core principle—how to transform chakra into the lightning nature, generate high-intensity electric current, and perform preliminary form transformation by gathering it in the palm! Without a doubt, this laid the first and most crucial cornerstone for him to master this powerful A-rank ninjutsu in the future! Lightning Release just so happened to complement, or even merge with, his ever-improving speed and [Wind Release: Speed Attack Technique]!

Just then, Sasuke suddenly opened his eyes. His sharp gaze shot toward Uchiha Ling like a kunai, carrying undisguised scrutiny and a faint, hidden sense of competition.

"Hmph, at least you're punctual." Sasuke's voice was cold, carrying the particular arrogance of an Uchiha. Toward this clansman who had suddenly left the clan grounds, was said to have been "protected" by the village, and had performed quite well at school, he held complicated feelings. There was the subtle recognition of them both being Uchiha, but even more than that, there was a competitive drive not to be outdone.

Uchiha Ling's expression remained calm. Meeting his gaze, he replied evenly, "Same to you."

His calm made Sasuke frown slightly. He was about to say something else when he was interrupted by another energetic voice that was very clearly late.

"Aaah! Sorry! I'm here! It's all because I ran into an old lady on the way..." Naruto Uzumaki shouted as he charged into the training ground like a whirlwind, his hair a mess and a stain that looked suspiciously like milk still on his face.

Sakura immediately held her forehead, looking helpless. "Naruto! You're late again!"

Amid this somewhat chaotic opening, a figure appeared silently on a short wooden post in the center of the training ground like a ghost.

"Yo, morning, everyone."

Silver hair, a mask covering most of his face, a Hidden Leaf forehead protector worn at an angle, and those iconic dead-fish eyes that looked as if they would never fully wake up. The newcomer was none other than Kakashi Hatake. He was holding a small orange-covered book—Make-Out Paradise—and reading it with great relish, not even lifting his head.

"You're way too late!" Naruto immediately pointed at Kakashi and complained.

Kakashi finally closed the book at a leisurely pace and said in his lazy drawl, "Mm... I got lost on the road of life today."

That half-hearted excuse left Naruto and Sakura speechless for a moment, and even the corner of Sasuke's mouth twitched. Only Uchiha Ling understood. This was indeed Kakashi's style.

After a simple, even somewhat comical round of self-introductions—Kakashi's "I don't feel like telling you what I like and dislike," and "As for my dreams for the future... my hobbies are all sorts of things," were textbook examples of perfunctory answers—Kakashi finally got to the point.

He took two small bells tied with red ribbons from his ninja tool pouch and shook them between his fingers, producing a crisp ringing sound.

"Today's lesson is a survival exercise." Kakashi's tone was still lazy, but his gaze quietly sharpened by a degree. "The rules are simple. Before noon, take these two bells from me. Anyone who can't get one won't get lunch, and they'll be tied to those logs over there and forced to watch us eat our bentos."

He pointed at several waist-high wooden posts at the edge of the training ground.

"But... Teacher Kakashi, there are four of us, and only two bells?" Sakura keenly noticed the problem and raised her hand to ask.

Kakashi's exposed right eye curved into a crescent, but his tone carried a hint of unquestionable coldness. "That's right. So at least two people will fail. That's perfectly reasonable, because it means at least half of you are unqualified and might be sent back to the Academy."

"What?!" Naruto and Sakura cried out at the same time, and even Sasuke's expression became more serious.

"Remember," Kakashi's voice suddenly turned cold, and a vague murderous intent spread out, making the three others besides Uchiha Ling feel a shiver in their hearts, "if you don't come at me with the resolve to kill me, you won't be able to get the bells."

"Begin!"

The instant his words fell, Uchiha Ling, Sasuke, and Sakura almost simultaneously leaped backward, swiftly disappearing into the woods around the training ground to seek favorable terrain and cover. Only Naruto froze for a moment before shouting, "Watch me!" and charging straight at Kakashi. The result, without question, was that Kakashi easily knocked him down with taijutsu and kicked him into the nearby river, making him the first "casualty" of the exercise.

Uchiha Ling paid no attention to Naruto's recklessness. He quickly moved through the forest, fully expanding [Basic Aura Perception] and firmly locking on to Kakashi's position. At the same time, his hands formed seals.

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

A shadow clone identical to him appeared at his side. This was a practical ninjutsu he could finally use stably after mastering [Efficient Chakra Refining Technique]. His main body quickly hid in the crown of a large tree with dense foliage, using shadow and leaves to perfectly conceal his form and aura, while the shadow clone deliberately made a bit of noise in the lower bushes and moved in the opposite direction from the main body.

This was the most basic tactic: probing and bait.

Sure enough, in less than thirty seconds, Kakashi's figure appeared near the shadow clone like a ghost.

"The tactical idea isn't bad, but the execution is too rough." Kakashi's voice carried a trace of teasing, as if he had seen through it long ago.

The shadow clone immediately retreated while throwing shuriken to interfere. But Kakashi was even faster. He easily avoided the shuriken and closed in instantly.

"Poof!"

The shadow clone vanished into a cloud of white smoke. And at the very instant the shadow clone disappeared, Uchiha Ling's main body, hidden in the tree crown, moved! Like a hunting falcon, he silently dove down from above, both hands already gripping kunai as he assumed the opening stance of [Basic Dual-Wielding Technique]! The two blades crossed, carving out two fierce arcs as they went straight for the back of Kakashi's neck and the side of his waist!

"Mm?" Kakashi seemed somewhat surprised by this sudden attack from such a tricky angle, but his reaction was extremely fast. His body twisted with unbelievable flexibility, narrowly avoiding the two blades, while he sent a backhand punch toward Ling's face.

Uchiha Ling's pupils contracted slightly. [Sharingan Insight Boost] operated at full power, and the trajectory of Kakashi's fist and the way his muscles exerted force became clear and slow in his eyes! He jerked his head back, the wind from the fist grazing past the tip of his nose. At the same time, his footwork shifted, and his dual-wielding unfolded like a violent storm. For a brief time, relying on exquisite blade work and superb dynamic vision, he actually exchanged several close-combat moves with Kakashi!

"Interesting blade work. I haven't seen this style before." Kakashi commented while blocking with ease, the interest in his eyes growing stronger. This Uchiha Ling was indeed just as the files had said—somewhat special.

However, the strength of a jonin was ultimately overwhelming. Kakashi saw an opening, his fingers flashing like lightning as he stabbed toward Ling's wrist.

Just then—

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

A blazing fireball roared in from the side, blasting fiercely toward Kakashi! It was Sasuke! He had seized the opportunity created by Ling's close fight with Kakashi and launched a surprise attack!

Kakashi had no choice but to give up his attack on Ling. The Body Flicker Technique activated, and he vanished from the spot. The great fireball slammed into where he had just been standing, leaving behind a charred pit.

Uchiha Ling took the chance to retreat and regroup with Sasuke. The two looked at each other and both saw gravity in the other's eyes. Their brief cooperation did not mean trust. It was only an instinctive choice in the face of a powerful enemy.

"Not bad coordination." Kakashi's voice came from behind another tree. "But you're still far from enough."

He appeared again, his hands beginning to form seals.

"Earth Release: Headhunter Technique!"

The ground beneath Uchiha Ling's feet instantly softened, and an arm broke through the earth, grabbing for his ankle! Ling, who had already been on guard, leaped backward the instant he sensed the abnormal chakra movement beneath his feet. At the same time, he flung out two kunai tied with thin steel wires, nailing them into a distant tree trunk and using the pull of the wires to accelerate away from his original position.

"Fast reaction." Kakashi emerged from underground and patted the dirt from his body, his gaze landing on Uchiha Ling. "Battle awareness, chakra control, blade technique, reaction speed... all far beyond the level of an ordinary genin. Uchiha Ling, you really have surprised me a little."

After a brief moment to catch his breath, Uchiha Ling quickly scanned the battlefield. Naruto was still flailing in the river, Sakura was hiding in the distance and did not dare approach, and Sasuke was watching like a tiger waiting to strike but could not find a good chance to attack. This would not work. Fighting alone, or relying on spur-of-the-moment cooperation, would absolutely not let them take the bells from Kakashi.

He took a deep breath, looked at Sasuke and Naruto, who had just climbed out of the river, and said in a low voice, "We can't beat him by acting alone. We have to cooperate."

"Who wants to cooperate with you?!" Naruto shouted in dissatisfaction as he wiped water from his face. Sasuke said nothing, but the rejection in his eyes was obvious.

"If you want to get the bells, do as I say!" Uchiha Ling's tone carried an unquestionable decisiveness. He quickly used a branch to draw a simple diagram on the ground. "Teacher Kakashi is used to attacking from the left side. Around the third move of a continuous attack, because of his force habits, he'll expose an opening of about 0.3 seconds. That's our chance!"

Naruto and Sasuke were both stunned. They had not expected Uchiha Ling to observe such details in that brief exchange just now.

"How do you know?" Sasuke could not help asking.

"Observation and calculation." Uchiha Ling was concise and offered no further explanation. He turned to Sakura, who was still a little afraid. "Sakura, you're best at setting traps. Use this." He handed Sakura the specially made steel wire from his ninja tool pouch, extremely tough and fine. "When Sasuke uses Lightning Release as cover, set up tripwires. The goal is to restrict his movement, even if it's only for an instant!"

Then he said to Naruto, "Naruto, you have the most shadow clones. Don't attack blindly. Follow my instructions, feint and harass him to split his attention!"

Finally, he looked at Sasuke. "Sasuke, your Lightning Release and shurikenjutsu are the strongest. You'll be in charge of the main attack and creating openings. I'll use my blade work to coordinate with you and look for a chance to take the bells!"

At this moment, Uchiha Ling displayed a tactical command ability far beyond his age. Perhaps it was the soul of someone who had lived two lives, or perhaps it was the subtle improvement brought by the various knowledge from the system, but it allowed him to calmly analyze the situation and integrate the team's resources.

Although Naruto was unhappy, for the sake of the bells and the bento, he still muttered his agreement. Sasuke gave Ling a deep look and tacitly accepted this temporary plan. Sakura, having a clear task now, calmed down a little as well.

The four of them attempted organized cooperation for the first time.

When Kakashi took the initiative to attack again, what greeted him was a completely different situation.

First came the nearly transparent steel-wire tripwires Sakura had carefully arranged. Although Kakashi easily saw through and avoided them, they still delayed his speed slightly. Immediately after, Sasuke's [Lightning Release: Earth Flow] spread along the ground, forcing Kakashi to jump and dodge. At the same time, dozens of Naruto's shadow clones surged in from all directions like a tide, shouting loudly to disrupt his vision.

Uchiha Ling and Sasuke, meanwhile, were like two ghosts, one on the left and one on the right. Taking advantage of the moment Kakashi was surrounded by shadow clones, they launched a surprise attack! Ling's dual-wielding was strange and tricky, focusing specifically on the lower body and joints, forcing Kakashi to block and dodge; Sasuke used the dynamic vision of his Sharingan, one tomoe, together with skilled shurikenjutsu and Lightning Release thrusts, every move ruthless!

"Not bad coordination!" Kakashi finally put away his careless attitude, and his gaze became serious. He used superb taijutsu and the Body Flicker Technique to weave through the four-person encirclement. Though he looked somewhat hurried, he still had room to spare.

"Earth Release: Headhunter Technique!" Kakashi repeated his old trick, targeting Uchiha Ling, the core of their tactics.

But this time, Ling was already prepared! The instant the earth beneath his feet loosened, not only did he not jump backward, he instead abruptly stepped forward, gathering chakra under his feet to forcibly stabilize himself. At the same time, his two blades crossed and slashed at Kakashi as he broke through the ground!

"What?!" Kakashi clearly had not expected Ling to respond in such a forceful manner and hastily raised his hand to block.

"Riiip!"

Kakashi's sleeve was cut open by Ling's kunai. Although it did not injure his flesh, it still made him break out in cold sweat. This kid's fighting style was truly bold!

And at the instant Kakashi's attention was drawn by Ling, Sasuke seized the chance and rushed in like lightning, aiming for the bells at Kakashi's waist!

However, Kakashi was, after all, an elite jonin who had been through countless battles. At the very moment Sasuke was about to succeed, his body twisted at an unbelievable angle, and his fingers flashed like lightning, precisely striking Sasuke's wrist.

"Ugh!" Sasuke grunted, his wrist going numb as his movement immediately warped.

Kakashi took the opportunity to retreat and widen the distance between himself and the four of them. He looked at his torn sleeve, then at the four students standing on guard and panting, and his exposed right eye curved into a crescent again.

"You pass," he announced.

"But... the bells..." Sakura looked at the bells still hanging at Kakashi's waist, puzzled.

Kakashi shook the bells in his hand. At some point, the two bells had already returned to his hand. "The bells are indeed still in my hand. But your performance has already reached my passing line."

He walked over to Naruto, who was dejected, Sasuke, who was lost in thought, Sakura, who had breathed a sigh of relief, and Uchiha Ling, who remained calm.

"Do you know why you failed at first?" Kakashi asked.

"Because we weren't strong enough!" Sasuke said unwillingly.

"Because our coordination still wasn't good enough," Sakura added softly.

"Wrong." Kakashi shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the four of them. "The rule was that only those who got a bell would pass, but the true core was never the bells themselves."

He paused, and his voice became solemn. "In the ninja world, those who break the rules and iron laws are called trash. But... those who don't know how to value their comrades are worse than trash!"

Those words struck everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer. Naruto froze, Sasuke fell into deep thought, and Sakura seemed