Betting My Life! I'll Win!

Kakashi Hatake had a bit of a headache.

Before accepting the Third Hokage's proposal to serve as Team Seven's jonin instructor, he had already figured out the personalities of these little brats.

Especially Naruto Uzumaki, whose identity was the most important and whose personality was also the most troublesome.

According to his original plan, during tomorrow's Survival Exercise, he would not use any high-level ninjutsu. Instead, he would use his combat experience to teach Naruto a lesson and make him understand the vast gap between ninjas.

Otherwise, if Naruto Uzumaki ever encountered an enemy on Orochimaru's level and recklessly charged in without regard for his life, how could he face his teacher's spirit in heaven...

This kid was the only junior left from Minato's Team!

Besides, wasn't the reason Hiruzen Sarutobi had assigned him as Naruto Uzumaki's jonin instructor so that he could better protect the kid...

However, the plan had gone off course.

Kakashi Hatake had originally thought Naruto had not inherited his father's extraordinary intelligence and was just a child who would be easy to fool. Now, it seemed that judgment had been seriously mistaken...

This kid was a genius ninja!

"Naruto, Sasuke's Great Fireball Jutsu disappeared just now..."

Kakashi Hatake scratched his head and asked, "Was that a Sealing Jutsu you developed yourself?"

That scene had been incredibly shocking as well!

In fact, there were quite a few techniques in the ninja world capable of sealing Fire Style Ninjutsu. Kakashi knew some himself, but most relied on incantations or scrolls, making the process far too cumbersome.

But just now, Naruto Uzumaki had merely stretched out his palm and completely erased Sasuke's Great Fireball Jutsu. That was far too convenient!

Whether that technique could be widely used or not, Kakashi had to get to the bottom of it today. He also needed to avoid getting caught off guard tomorrow...

This was not a matter of whether he was confident.

Ninjas had always sought practical advantages and would often stop at nothing for victory.

If you did not gather intelligence in advance and simply assumed your strength was enough to defeat the enemy, would you win? No. In the end, your teammates would only beg you not to die...

"I think so!"

Naruto Uzumaki nodded. Sealing Art: Devour seemed to be rooted in his mind, yet using it still felt unfamiliar.

The blond ninja did not notice his teacher's ill intentions and continued explaining, "Other than absorbing chakra, it doesn't really have any special uses... My chakra is already enough!"

"Idiot!"

Sasuke Uchiha could not help muttering a curse before reminding him, "The more chakra you have, the longer a ninja can last and the more ninjutsu they can use..."

Even as a ninja of the Uchiha Clan, he often felt that the chakra in his body was insufficient. That was why he diligently trained in taijutsu and Shuriken Jutsu.

"Ahem..."

Kakashi Hatake coughed awkwardly, interrupting Sasuke. "All right, let's change the subject! That technique can absorb the chakra within ninjutsu too, right? That should be more important. At the moment, can it only absorb Fire Style Ninjutsu?"

"I'm not sure..."

Naruto Uzumaki casually formed a Rasengan, infused it with Wind Release Chakra, and transformed it into a dangerous Rasenshuriken!

Kakashi Hatake's eye twitched at the sight...

Naruto Uzumaki suddenly turned his palm over and watched the Rasenshuriken vanish in an instant. He said quietly, "It looks like it can absorb the chakra of Wind Release Ninjutsu too."

"Is that so..."

Kakashi Hatake frowned. If it could absorb the chakra of Wind Release and Fire Style techniques, perhaps it could also absorb Water Release and Earth Release chakra. That was a little troublesome.

And judging from the power of that Wind Release: Rasenshuriken just now, the upper limit of techniques that Sealing Jutsu could absorb was rather high. It could even absorb B-rank ninjutsu, perhaps even A-rank ninjutsu!

The Leaf Village's Skillful Ninja shifted his gaze slightly toward Naruto Uzumaki's face. This kid's mother had come from the Uzumaki Clan, renowned for their immense chakra reserves and Sealing Jutsu!

Had he inherited his mother's talent too...

Just as Kakashi Hatake was about to continue questioning him, a small hand blocked the space between him and Naruto. Sasuke Uchiha curled his lip. "Sensei Kakashi, we already agreed on tomorrow's Survival Exercise. Are you still trying to probe our team's intelligence?"

"..."

His intentions had been exposed by this brat Sasuke.

But who was Kakashi Hatake? A smile appeared on his face instead. "You already understand the idea of protecting your teammates at this age..."

"Hmph, it can't be helped!"

Sasuke Uchiha glanced at Naruto Uzumaki and snorted. "Who told the village to put him and me in the same class?"

"Wait... Sasuke, Sensei Kakashi was probing my intelligence? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Naruto Uzumaki slapped his forehead and casually complained, "It's not a big deal, but tomorrow's Survival Exercise is going to be a little troublesome..."

"I was also curious about what method you used to erase the Great Fireball Jutsu..." Sasuke Uchiha's face reddened slightly as he forced himself to argue, "And if we're teammates, we should understand each other's techniques, shouldn't we?"

"That does sound a little reasonable..."

Naruto Uzumaki touched his Forehead Protector and nodded seriously.

The atmosphere on the rooftop unexpectedly became harmonious for a moment. The two kids seemed to have forgotten their earlier battle and actually started chatting.

Kakashi Hatake reached up to straighten his crooked Forehead Protector, hiding the smile on his face. He was starting to feel rather satisfied with this team.

Mutual recognition was the foundation of cooperation within a ninja team.

Though after he went home tonight, he would probably have to spend some time devising a strategy for tomorrow's Survival Exercise...

After thinking that far, Kakashi Hatake looked up at the girl in the distance who was still gazing at Sasuke Uchiha. Sure enough, little girls like her were more interested in things like romance...

There was a little more pity in the White-Haired Jonin's gaze...

Unfortunately, after Kakashi Hatake's preliminary observations, he believed that neither Sasuke Uchiha nor Naruto Uzumaki was the type of boy who would become absorbed in love.

Once Sakura Haruno realized the gap between herself and her two teammates and wanted to preserve this bond, she would have to put in twice the effort to catch up with them.

Sasuke Uchiha lacked neither talent nor diligence. He also had the hatred of his clan's annihilation driving him to keep improving, on top of possessing the ninja world's premier Sharingan Bloodline Limit...

As for Naruto Uzumaki, the few techniques he had learned so far, combined with the chakra of the Uzumaki Clan, were already enough to leave Sakura Haruno far behind...

The ninja world was always so cruel. Even when it looked like someone was only one step behind, they might never be able to walk side by side with the others for the rest of their life.

The innocent girl had no idea that her teacher was inwardly criticizing her. She walked over and greeted him warmly. "Huh? Sensei Kakashi, are you leaving again?"

"Yeah, I need to prepare for tomorrow's Survival Exercise."

Kakashi Hatake pressed down his windswept white hair and smiled softly. "You little brats had better not let me judge you unqualified!"

Sakura Haruno complained, "Then if Sensei Kakashi relaxed a little, wouldn't we be able to graduate?"

"You can't think like that!"

The White-Haired Jonin raised a finger and shook it, his expression incomparably serious. "Every battle a ninja fights requires us to wager our lives!"

Naruto Uzumaki seemed to have his enthusiasm ignited by those words!

He clenched his fist and thumped his chest. "Hey, I'll bet my life on it! Tomorrow's Survival Exercise, I'll win!"

Yeah, he had decided.

In order to win, he would continue forcing the Nine-Tails for chakra tonight.

First Update

Naruto: Give me chakra. I have an exercise tomorrow!

Nine-Tails: I'm not listening, I'm not listening! I'm not giving you any chakra!

Naruto: This time, I'm betting my life!

Nine-Tails: ...Are you fucking sick in the head? It's just a little game, and you want to risk your life over it!

Naruto: I'll ask one more time. Are you giving me chakra or not?

Nine-Tails: So arrogant! Then let's all die together!