Team 7, Established!

Kakashi had never fought such a frustrating battle before.

Not only did he have to guard against the enemy's attacks, he also had to protect the enemy from getting hurt!

He would rather tear through the Stone Ninja defenses again than fight this lousy battle.

But there was no helping it. The three little brats before him had special identities and astonishing talent.

He had lost the initiative through carelessness earlier, and now he had been completely dragged into Menma's attack rhythm.

Honestly, if most of his attention had not been focused on preventing Menma from getting hurt, then with Menma's barely Chunin-level taijutsu, Kakashi would not have feared even ten of him!

"Those two kunai Sakura threw missed. Ignore them. Those three shuriken from Sasuke are coming at me, so there's no—" Kakashi suddenly realized something was wrong.

"Coming at me?! Hmph, clever little trick!"

Kakashi casually blocked Menma's attack, then tilted his head slightly and easily dodged Sasuke's three shuriken.

Just as he was about to teach Menma a lesson, he suddenly heard a clang behind him, followed by the sound of a high-speed shuriken flying toward him.

Without thinking, Kakashi sidestepped and kicked Menma away, then spun around and knocked the incoming shuriken aside with his kunai.

What had happened?

Kakashi leaped three steps back and dispelled the Shadow Clone Technique he had created earlier.

Through the clone's perspective, Kakashi discovered the trick.

Sasuke's shuriken had struck Sakura's kunai, changing its trajectory.

So that was it. Those eyes of that clan, combined with that man's shuriken-throwing technique... no wonder the Uchiha Clan was the strongest in the Shinobi World!

Kakashi praised them inwardly.

"Sasuke, Sakura, keep attacking!" As Sasuke threw out another wave of shuriken to clear the way, Menma charged toward Kakashi for the second time without hesitation.

Kakashi had figured it out by now. Though the three little brats claimed they would attack Menma to restrain him, Sasuke and Sakura had not actually done so.

He even suspected that even if he had not blocked that kunai tied with an explosive tag for Menma, Sasuke had some way to alter its trajectory and leave Menma unscathed.

Seriously, they had played him again!

Kakashi chuckled inwardly, but he also felt gratified. These three kids truly could not bring themselves to attack their companion!

Casually batting away the shuriken flying at him with his kunai, Kakashi caught a flash of reflected light from the corner of his eye. Steel wire?

The Uchiha Clan's Shuriken Manipulation Technique?

Hmph, a petty trick!

Without a second thought, Kakashi used the Body Flicker Technique to evade.

Not good!

After he dodged them, the shuriken's trajectories were now headed for Menma!

"Menma! Move!" Sasuke noticed too, but it was already too late.

At Menma's speed, caught off guard as he was, there was no way he could dodge this attack.

Kakashi's eyes widened in fury as he prepared to rush over and save him, but Menma moved first, turning into a puff of smoke with a bang.

Three sharp thuds rang out as the shuriken embedded themselves in a substitution log.

He had used the Substitution Technique to escape at the critical moment? What incredibly fast reflexes!

Kakashi praised him inwardly.

Menma, having escaped disaster with the Substitution Technique, retreated to Sasuke's side, holding his kunai in a reverse grip and breathing lightly.

He had already given it everything he had, yet it had accomplished nothing. Kakashi had not been serious at all.

"Hey, you're not hurt, are you?" Sasuke glanced at Menma and asked.

"Heh. Your shuriken still have a long way to go before they can hurt me!" Menma replied.

Though Sasuke knew Menma was only saying that to ease his guilt, it still annoyed him. His tone gained a trace of mockery.

"Well? Can you still fight?

If you can't, then get behind me."

"Ptui!" Menma spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva.

"If this is all he's got, I can keep Kakashi busy all day."

"Sakura, how are you?" Sasuke turned to ask Sakura.

"No problem. I can keep fighting." Sakura answered, focused and on guard.

"Good. We need to adjust our battle plan. Sakura, provide support. If you have any strength left, use genjutsu to interfere.

Sasuke, I'll take the lead and tie Kakashi down. Watch for an opening and hit Kakashi hard!"

After saying that, Menma threw a smoke bomb before him and plunged straight into it.

"Hmph, don't order me around!" Sasuke said, but his body honestly followed Menma as he charged out.

Smoke billowed and enveloped the three of them.

Watching Menma and Sasuke rush out of the smoke, Kakashi could only sigh helplessly as he gave his evaluation inwardly.

"Their tactics are crude, and their grasp of battle timing is poor. Only their taijutsu is decent.

But they are a team that was only just formed, so their coordination is still lacking.

Sasuke, what you should have done was attack together with Menma, not stand to the side with a kunai and provide cover."

Kakashi casually threw a kick, sending Menma back into the smoke.

He had played enough. He had also more or less seen their abilities. It was time to end this farce, starting with Menma.

Kakashi rushed forward, intending to use his own strength to eliminate Menma first, then slowly deal with the other two.

The moment he entered the smoke, he heard Menma shout, "Sasuke, now!"

A dazzling fireball tore through the smoke and shot rapidly toward Kakashi.

"He's already reached this level?"

Even though Kakashi had tried to estimate the three as highly as possible, he had never expected Sasuke to have learned such a powerful destructive ninjutsu as the Great Fireball Technique.

He was slightly surprised, but his hands did not slow in the slightest. He quickly crouched, formed several hand seals, and slammed both hands onto the ground.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

With an explosive bang, the fireball struck the Earth-Style Wall and dispersed, leaving only a blackened dog-head relief.

"It's not over yet!

Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Claw Red!"

Following Sasuke's shout, more than a dozen small flames curved around the Earth-Style Wall and rushed toward Kakashi.

Kakashi was greatly startled and rapidly formed hand seals.

"Water Release: Multiple Water Formation Wall!"

Three columns of water rose up. With several hissing sounds, the flames struck the water columns and were extinguished one after another, releasing a large amount of mist.

The shuriken concealed within the flames were also scattered by the powerful current, unable to cause even the slightest harm.

Suddenly, the ground beneath Kakashi's feet stirred. Before he could investigate, a mud-covered fist burst from the earth and smashed toward his chin.

Kakashi was about to rise and leap away when Sakura's genjutsu followed immediately behind.

"Demonic Illusion: This Place Isn't Technique!"

Her timing was perfect. Due to the gap in strength, Sakura's genjutsu only controlled Kakashi for an instant before his powerful mental strength broke through it.

But because of that momentary lapse, Menma's fist had already struck Kakashi's chin.

It hit! Menma was overjoyed.

We did it! Sakura and Sasuke were equally exhilarated as they watched Kakashi fly away.

With a bang, Kakashi in midair turned into a puff of smoke.

"A Shadow Clone Technique? When?" Menma's expression changed drastically.

"He must have made it while the smoke bomb blocked our vision. As expected of a Jonin!" Sakura's voice came from nearby.

"Genius tactics, perfect coordination!" Kakashi clapped as he walked out from beneath a large tree nearby.

"First, you used the smoke bomb to block my vision. Then Sakura used the Transformation Technique to turn into Sasuke and rush out, interfering with my judgment.

Sasuke hid in the smoke and waited in ambush. The two Fire Release techniques were also feints, meant to draw my attention into the air.

Then Sakura's timing in casting the genjutsu was impeccable!

Finally, the decisive blow came from Menma's attack beneath the ground.

As for the tunnel Menma was hiding in, Sasuke must have dug it while concealed in the smoke."

Kakashi was extremely satisfied with the three Genin.

Perfect tactical coordination, perfect teamwork.

It was hard to believe that three students who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy possessed such strength and battle wisdom.

"Tch, he saw through it!" Menma was displeased, and the other two looked grim as well.

"Well, although your strength makes you outstanding among Genin, as the price for challenging a Jonin, I have decided that all three of you have failed!" Kakashi was immensely satisfied inwardly, but he deliberately spoke in a gloomy tone.

"How about this? I'll give you one more chance. As long as you choose one person to be eliminated and return to the Ninja Academy, the other two can pass."

"..." The three looked at one another, but no one spoke.

"Well? Either all three of you are eliminated, or you choose one person to be eliminated. Make your decision quickly!" Kakashi transformed into a pressure machine and kept forcing them.

"...Menma, Sasuke, choose me. My chakra control is better, and the director of Konoha Hospital thinks highly of me. Even if I'm eliminated, I can still become a medical ninja in the future." Sakura was the first to break the silence.

"...Hmph. How could the Uchiha Clan accept charity from a woman?

Besides, the Uchiha Clan has abundant resources and many outstanding Jonin within the clan. Would I really lack a Jonin instructor?"

Though Sasuke's words were unpleasant, he meant the same thing Sakura did.

"...No, Sasuke. You have a reason you absolutely must pass. With Kakashi's guidance, you'll get closer to your goal of killing that man."

Menma spoke to Sasuke, then turned to Sakura. "Sakura, you were the one who made this battle plan. Your talent as a ninja far surpasses your talent for becoming a medical ninja!

So you have to pass too!

Besides, the best medical ninja should possess enough strength to overwhelm enemies and protect their teammates from harm!"

Menma paused before continuing, "As for me, I've always believed that even if I can only ever be a Genin for the rest of my life, I will still become Hokage!"

"Kakashi, we've discussed it. Sasuke and Sakura will pass the test, and I'll return to the Ninja Academy alone to repeat my training!" Menma said firmly to Kakashi.

"Hey, Menma, don't make decisions on your own!" Sakura and Sasuke hurriedly tried to stop him.

"That's settled, then. Say what you mean and do what you say. That is the ninja way of Menma Namikaze!" Menma waved a hand, stopping them both.

"Have you truly decided?" Kakashi walked up to Menma, crouched down, and stared into Menma's eyes.

"Yes, I've decided!" Menma raised his head to meet Kakashi's gaze, his eyes filled with determination.

Take a gamble. Bet that this is all Kakashi's test. If I win, I'll be surrounded by beautiful models; if I lose, I'll become one myself!

"No, that isn't our final decision!" Sakura hurriedly shouted.

"That's right, Menma! Stop deciding things for me!" Sasuke shouted too.

"Enough!"

Kakashi shouted, stopping the three from arguing.

"Now I announce the result of this test." Kakashi looked at the three young faces, anxious or resolute yet equally immature. His gaze gradually softened as he announced the final result.

"All of you pass!"

Kakashi's voice was loud, but his smile was warm. He gently explained the reason to the three, who were shocked and confused.

"In the ninja world, ninjas without ability are called trash. But ninjas who do not understand trust in their comrades and self-sacrifice are even worse than trash!"

"Yeah!" The three could not help cheering loudly upon hearing the good news.

"I now announce: Konoha Genin Team 7 is officially established! Jonin Kakashi Hatake, reporting!"

"Genin Menma Namikaze, reporting!"

"Genin Sakura Haruno, reporting!"

"Genin Sasuke Uchiha, reporting!"