On a bright, sunny morning, Team 7's first meeting-with one unofficial member tagging along-was set for Training Ground Three. Naruto arrived early, brimming with excitement, and bounded around the wooden posts, imagining himself becoming Hokage to the cheers of the crowd. Sakura had dressed with care and cupped her face in her hands as she watched the entrance expectantly, praying Sasuke would arrive soon. Sasuke appeared right on time, leaned coldly against the nearest tree, and closed his eyes to rest.
Ling sat quietly beside a pool, his fingertips idly stirring the clear water. In truth, he was silently communicating with Tobirama in his mental world, reviewing several key points about chakra shape transformation from the previous night.
Time ticked by.
One hour... two hours...
Naruto went from excited to bored and started poking an anthill with a kunai. Sakura's anticipation turned to agitation, and she began worrying that Sasuke might grow impatient. Sasuke's brow furrowed deeper and deeper, the chill surrounding him growing more intense.
Only Ling remained utterly calm, as though waiting itself were a form of training.
Hmph. That brat Kakashi still hasn't broken his habit of arriving late, Tobirama snorted impatiently. What a waste of valuable time. Ling, don't just sit there waiting. Continue working on last night's Water Mirror Barrier concept. Simulate the chakra flow and the angles of water refraction in your mind.
Ling closed his eyes as instructed and immersed himself completely. To anyone watching, he merely seemed to be taking a quiet nap.
Finally, when the sun was overhead and Naruto was nearly starving enough to protest, a lazy "Yo, morning, everyone" rang out. Kakashi appeared on a wooden post as though he had teleported, holding a copy of Icha Icha Paradise, his one visible eye curved into a crescent.
"You're late!" Naruto was the first to leap up and accuse him. "You jerk of a teacher! You made us wait three whole hours!"
"Ah, sorry, sorry." Kakashi scratched his head without a shred of sincerity. "I got lost on the path of life..."
Sakura was speechless. Sasuke gave a cold snort without even bothering to lift his eyelids.
Kakashi's gaze swept over the three of them before settling on Ling, who was still sitting quietly. A barely perceptible flicker of curiosity crossed his eye. He noticed almost none of the irritation that waiting had stirred in the others. That composure seemed at odds with Ling's youthful appearance.
"All right, let's start with introductions." Kakashi put his book away and hopped off the post. "Your names, likes, dislikes, dreams, that sort of thing... You first." He casually pointed at Naruto.
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki! I like the ramen Iruka-sensei treats me to at Ichiraku Ramen! I hate the three minutes it takes instant ramen to cook! My dream is to surpass all the previous Hokage and make everyone in the village acknowledge me!" Naruto shouted with boundless energy.
"Sakura Haruno! What I like is..." Blushing, Sakura glanced at Sasuke. "...Um... my dream is... What I hate is Naruto!" Almost her entire introduction revolved around Sasuke.
"Sasuke Uchiha. There are plenty of things I hate and nothing I particularly like. My dream... I'd call it an ambition instead. I'll restore the Uchiha Clan, and... I'll kill a certain man, no matter what." Sasuke's voice was icy and filled with hatred.
At last, everyone's eyes fell on Ling.
Ling calmly opened his eyes and stood, his voice clear and steady. "Ling Hatake. I like efficiency and quiet surroundings. I dislike pointless waste and losing control. My dream is..." He paused, thinking of Tobirama's expectations and his own aspirations. "...To reach the pinnacle of Water Release and master my own power."
Hmph. At least that was clear and concise, Tobirama remarked.
Kakashi looked at Ling thoughtfully. "Hatake... huh. All right, now it's my turn..."
"I bet it's something like 'I like Icha Icha Paradise, I hate waiting, and my dream is to read the whole Icha Icha Paradise series'!" Naruto interrupted.
Kakashi: "..." (Having Naruto guess correctly was a little embarrassing.)
"Ahem!" He forcibly changed the subject. "Tomorrow morning, we'll have a survival exercise. Remember, don't eat breakfast. You'll throw up."
"An exercise?" Naruto asked, puzzled. "Why do we need an exercise when we've already graduated?"
"Didn't they tell you at the briefing?" Kakashi narrowed his eye. "This exercise is an elimination test. Of the twenty-seven graduates, only the best nine will be recognized as genin. The rest will be sent back to the Academy to repeat their training. And my test has the highest failure rate."
The words landed like a bombshell. Naruto and Sakura instantly went pale, and even Sasuke opened his eyes, his gaze sharpening. Only Ling's expression remained unchanged, as though he had expected this all along.
Kakashi took in all their reactions. Ling's calm, in particular, made him pay even closer attention.
A dull intimidation tactic, Tobirama scoffed. The aim is to test teamwork and whether you value your comrades. At its core, it's still my elder brother's usual rhetoric. But that isn't your main concern. Ling, remember: in tomorrow's exercise, you'll remain an observer with limited participation. Show your basic abilities and sound judgment where appropriate. Keep your true strength hidden.
"Meet at Training Ground Three tomorrow morning at five. Don't be late again~" With that, Kakashi vanished in a poof of white smoke.
"Five?! He's the one who's always late!" Naruto went wild.
Sakura looked worriedly at Sasuke, then at Naruto, anxious about the possibility of failing. Sasuke clenched his fists, his eyes cold. He would never allow himself to fail.
Ling did not join their discussion. He quietly turned and left. He knew exactly what tomorrow's test entailed. For now, the special training Tobirama had arranged was more important.
That afternoon, in a secluded waterfall area far from the regular training grounds.
The roaring water drowned out every other sound. Ling stood in the middle of the rushing river, the chakra beneath his feet anchoring him firmly to the slippery rocks.
Focus! Tobirama's stern voice rang through his mind. The key to the Water Mirror Barrier isn't thickness. It's precise control over light and instantly fixing chakra into shape! Your water wall must be more than a simple shield. It must become a barrier that can deflect, refract, and even distort light and vision! Imagine it as part of your body, as easy to control as your own skin!
Ling took a deep breath, his hands flashing through hand seals as the chakra within him circulated with unprecedented precision.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
A wall of water instantly rose, thinner and denser than an ordinary Water Formation Wall. Unlike a normal transparent water wall, however, its surface resembled a polished mirror, rippling violently and reflecting the surrounding light. It looked distorted and blurred, making the scene behind it extremely difficult to see.
But after only three seconds, the water wall began shaking violently and shattered with a snap, falling in ordinary splashes.
Your chakra output is unstable! Your shape transformation isn't precise enough! Tobirama criticized mercilessly. Your Pure Water trait gives it extraordinary malleability, but your control still doesn't measure up to that gift! Again! Keep going until your chakra runs out!
Without a single complaint, Ling formed hand seals again. Over and over, he cast the technique, failed, reviewed his mistakes, and tried again.
The thunderous rush of the waterfall perfectly concealed the sounds of his training. By sunset, Ling was soaked through, his chakra nearly exhausted. He sat on a rock, pale-faced and panting.
But the Water Mirror Barrier rising before him could now remain stable for over ten seconds. Its mirror effect had also become more pronounced, almost like a warped funhouse mirror.
Passable. Tobirama's assessment remained harsh, though it seemed to soften slightly. Against Kakashi tomorrow, if he closes in with taijutsu, you can use this technique to disrupt his judgment for an instant. Remember, you'll have only that instant. Now begin chakra recovery training immediately. Improving your recovery efficiency at your limits is the key to progress!
By the time Ling dragged his exhausted body home, night had fallen. He did not relax for even a moment. Following Tobirama's instructions, he immediately began the arduous process of molding and replenishing his chakra.
He knew that in tomorrow's survival exercise, Kakashi would not be his only true examiner. There was also the relentlessly demanding Hokage from the Netherworld inside his mind. He had to deliver a performance that would satisfy them both.
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