Kakashi felt a sudden lightness at his waist, and that slightly cool sensation disappeared.
His hand, which had yet to form any hand seals, froze in midair.
The dust before him cleared. Son Goten was crouching on a nearby stump, dangling two sets of silver bells that jingled in his hand.
"Sensei, your reaction speed needs work."
Son Goten tossed the bells into the air and caught them again, wearing a smile that made people grit their teeth.
Kakashi pulled down his forehead protector, covering the Sharingan that consumed so much energy, and let out a long breath.
He had lost.
"Riiing!"
The alarm he had set abruptly rang out.
The exercise was over.
A splash came from the river as Naruto Uzumaki finally climbed ashore, soaked from head to toe.
"Goten... you really got them?"
Son Goten hopped off the stump, casually detached one of the bells, and tossed it behind him without looking.
"Catch."
Naruto scrambled to catch the little silver object flying toward him, then stared blankly at his palm.
"For me? But there are only two..."
"You're my long-term meal ticket. If you get expelled, who am I supposed to mooch meals off?"
Son Goten said it as though it were only natural, then turned toward Sasuke Uchiha, who had been standing in the shade beneath the trees.
Sasuke stared at the bell in Naruto's hand, then looked at the empty-handed Kakashi, his face as pale as paper.
Even without fighting, he had understood just how impressive that battle had been.
Even a jonin had been overwhelmed.
The gap left him without even the strength to feel jealous. All that remained was a deep sense of helplessness.
"Hey, you over there, Mr. Show-off."
Son Goten tipped his chin at Sasuke.
"You hid like a turtle in its shell, but that Great Fireball was pretty decent. At least it blocked his view for me."
Sasuke gritted his teeth and turned his head away. "Shut up, dead last."
"All right, all right."
Kakashi walked over, ruffling his messy silver hair as he looked at the three kids with their vastly different personalities.
A food lover with strength rivaling a monster.
An idiot who ranked number one in unpredictability.
A prickly kid burdened by hatred.
This combination really was a headache.
"The results are obvious."
Kakashi pointed at the mere two bells.
"According to the rules, anyone who didn't get a bell gets tied to a log, watches the others eat their lunches, and then gets sent packing back to the Ninja Academy."
Sasuke swayed.
Naruto tightened his grip on his bell, then suddenly stepped forward and held it out to Sasuke.
"You take it."
Sasuke's head snapped up.
"I'm the man who's going to become Hokage! Even if I have to repeat school, I'll claw my way back!" Naruto grinned carelessly. "You're carrying something that heavy. You'd definitely start bawling if you got expelled."
"Idiot..." Sasuke cursed, but his eyes reddened slightly.
Watching this, Kakashi finally showed a hint of a smile in his dead-fish eye.
"Since you care so much about your comrades..."
Kakashi's eye curved into a smile.
"Then I hereby announce-"
"You all pass!"
Everything was quiet for two seconds.
"Huh?!" Naruto's eyes widened. "We passed? But Sasuke doesn't have a bell!"
"In this world of ninja, those who break the rules are called trash."
Kakashi looked up at the sky, his tone growing somewhat solemn.
"But those who don't cherish their comrades are worse than trash."
"That's Team 7's first lesson."
He had barely finished speaking when a pink figure suddenly sprang out of the bushes nearby.
"Thank goodness! Sasuke-kun doesn't have to leave!"
Sakura Haruno rushed straight out, her face flushed with excitement.
She had been hiding nearby all along, her heart practically leaping out of her chest, terrified that Sasuke would really be sent away.
Son Goten's eyes lit up at the sight of Sakura rushing over.
He immediately spread his arms wide for a hug, his signature mischievous grin on his face.
"Since we passed, shouldn't we celebrate?"
"Come on, my wife Sakura, give me a loving hug!"
Sakura paused midstep.
This kid who usually looked so lecherous had actually been so reliable when it mattered.
An inexplicable sense of security welled up in her heart.
The strong always attracted the opposite sex. It was biological instinct.
As though under some spell, Sakura acted out of character and did not raise her fists.
Blushing, she jogged a couple of steps forward and gave Son Goten a gentle hug.
"J-just one hug! Consider it your reward!"
Soft, fragrant warmth filled his arms.
Although Sakura Haruno was still a washboard at this point, with little to offer.
That fragrance unique to a young girl still perked Son Goten right up.
Without the slightest reservation, he buried his face in Sakura's chest.
"Sniff-"
Son Goten took a deep breath and let out an exceedingly sleazy sigh of satisfaction.
"Ah~ so this is the scent of youth?"
He nuzzled against Sakura like a puppy claiming its territory.
"You're a little flat, about the same as Teuchi's cutting board, but you picked a nice shampoo. Strawberry, right?"
Everything instantly fell silent.
The shyness and gratitude on Sakura's face vanished that very second.
In their place came volcanic fury.
"Son! Go! Ten!"
"Bang!"
Sakura shoved Son Goten away and raised her fist to bring it crashing down.
"You pervert! Drop dead!"
Son Goten had anticipated this. Quick on his feet, he slid behind Kakashi.
"Hahahaha! My flat-chested wife's embarrassed!"
He poked half his head out and made a face at the furious Sakura.
"Don't get mad. Eat more papaya from now on. I'll take responsibility for helping you grow!"
"I'm going to kill you!"
Sakura chased after him, fists swinging.
Caught between them, Kakashi watched the two students circling him and felt his headache worsen.
Was this the team he would be leading?
A violent maniac, a sex maniac, an idiot, and a shut-in.
Not a bright future in sight.
"All right, all right, stop fooling around."
Kakashi helplessly planted a hand on each of their heads.
"To celebrate Team 7's official formation, it's my treat."
At the words "my treat," Son Goten immediately stopped in his tracks.
Naruto also got up from the ground, his eyes shining.
Even Sasuke raised his head.
Kakashi suddenly had an ominous feeling.
"What are we eating?"
The three asked in unison.
Kakashi felt his thin wallet and ventured, "Ichiraku Ramen?"
"No!"
Son Goten flatly refused.
"Ramen's an everyday snack. A celebration calls for a feast!"
He pointed toward Konoha's shopping district and swept his arm forward.
"Our destination: Yakiniku Q! If I don't eat Kakashi-sensei into bankruptcy today, my name isn't Son Goten!"
"Yeah! Barbecue! Barbecue!"
Naruto charged off, cheering.
"No objections from me, either."
Sasuke coldly twisted the knife.
Kakashi stood in disarray in the wind as he watched the three figures race away.
He lowered his head to look at his still-trembling right hand.
Not only had his body taken a beating, but now his wallet would suffer too.
He might as well quit being a jonin.
The next day.
The Hokage's office.
Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at the long bill in his hand, nearly dropping his pipe.
"Forty-eight plates of barbecue? And twenty servings of beef tongue?"
"Did those kids empty out the restaurant?"
He raised his head and looked at Kakashi, who stood before him wearing an innocent expression.
"And why was the bill sent to the Hokage's office?"
Kakashi shrugged.
"That kid named Son Goten said it was compensation for emotional distress."
"Because you assigned him a penniless teacher."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's mouth twitched.
He rubbed his temples, feeling that retirement was nowhere in sight.
"Forget it. This is for the sake of keeping that little monster settled, too."
With a sweep of his pen, the Third Hokage signed the bill.
"Start assigning them missions next."
"Since they have so much energy, give them more work."
"Start with D-rank missions."
Kakashi nodded, a gleam of gloating in his eye.
"Understood."
Before you continue