Early the next morning, a thin mist shrouded the Konoha Training Ground.
Three figures stood listlessly in the clearing, their stomachs taking turns playing a symphony.
"I'm so hungry..."
Naruto clutched his stomach, draped over a stump like a limp, overcooked noodle. "Why isn't Kakashi-sensei here yet? What time is it already?"
Sakura leaned against the other side, her face pale. She didn't even have the strength to maintain her usual ladylike image.
"If I'd known, I would've listened to Goten yesterday and eaten more."
Although Sasuke stood ramrod straight with his hands in his pockets, maintaining the Uchiha Clan's cool, aloof image, the repeated gurgles from his stomach mercilessly betrayed him.
Only Son Goten sat cross-legged on the grass with his eyes closed and a foxtail stem between his lips, looking perfectly carefree.
Not until the sun had climbed high overhead, well into the day.
Only then did Kakashi Hatake's languid figure appear before them as a puff of smoke dispersed.
"Yo, morning, everyone."
Kakashi raised a hand in greeting, his dead-fish eye curving into a crescent. "Today, I got lost on the road of life, and a black cat blocked my path..."
"Like hell!" Naruto and Sakura roared together. Even Sasuke couldn't help rolling his eyes.
Ignoring his students' protests, Kakashi walked over to the conspicuously placed alarm clock and set the time.
"All right, it's noon now. The exercise ends at noon tomorrow."
He took two silver bells from his waist and shook them in his hand. Their clear chimes rang through the empty training ground.
"The mission is simple. Take the bells from me within that time."
Naruto's eyes widened. "But there are only two bells, and four of us!"
"That's right."
Kakashi put the bells away, his tone turning somewhat teasing. "That means at least two of you will fail the mission, get tied to the posts to watch the others eat their lunches, and then get sent packing back to the Ninja Academy to repeat your training."
Sasuke's gaze turned cold.
Sakura swallowed and glanced nervously at Sasuke.
"Oh, and one more reminder."
Kakashi pointed at the three students' stomachs. "Skipping breakfast usually leads to low blood sugar. You won't be able to perform at your best that way."
"That's your fault!" Naruto shouted indignantly.
"Now, ready-"
Before Kakashi could finish, the sudden, teeth-grating sound of plastic packaging tearing rang out.
Riiip!
Everyone turned to look.
Son Goten leisurely pulled a specially made rice ball larger than his head out of his clothes.
The rice ball was clearly a special order from Teuchi. Wrapped in a thick layer of seaweed, it had bits of fried shrimp and chashu peeking out from inside, and the rich aroma of rice and meat spread through the air.
Gulp.
Naruto, Sakura, and even Sasuke swallowed in perfect unison.
The corner of Kakashi's eye twitched. "Hey, um..."
"Chomp!"
Son Goten ignored him completely, opening his mouth wide and biting off a third of the rice ball. His cheeks bulged like a hamster stocking up for winter.
"Goten!" Kakashi had to raise his voice. "I told you, this is a survival exercise. No eating allowed."
Chewing his rice ball, Son Goten mumbled, "Mm... rules are rigid, people aren't. I'm practically starving to death. How am I supposed to have the strength to play house with you?"
"Play house?"
Kakashi narrowed his eye. "Looks like I need to teach you a thing or two about a ninja's rules."
Before he finished speaking, Kakashi vanished from where he stood.
So fast!
Sasuke's pupils contracted slightly. Even though he had already braced himself, he still couldn't follow Kakashi's movements.
The next second, Kakashi appeared in front of Son Goten and reached for the enormous rice ball.
"Confiscated."
Just as Kakashi's fingers were about to touch the seaweed.
Boom!
A white blast of air suddenly erupted from Son Goten.
There was no chakra fluctuation from forming hand seals, only air currents stirred by the surging vitality of his body.
Son Goten pulled his left hand back to protect the rice ball and raised his right hand in a seemingly casual motion, striking Kakashi's wrist squarely with the back of his hand.
Thud!
A dull impact rang out, like two rocks smashing together.
Grass clippings scattered across the ground from the shock.
Kakashi's formerly languid gaze changed.
An indescribably immense force traveled up his wrist, and the bones throughout his arm groaned under the unbearable strain.
It was like kicking a steel plate.
"What?!"
Shocked, Kakashi quickly used the force to leap backward, landing several meters away. His right hand trembled slightly behind his back.
He looked down. A bruise had already formed around his wrist.
What had this kid grown up eating?
As though he had done something utterly insignificant, Son Goten used the opening to stuff the rest of the rice ball into his mouth in two or three bites.
Gulp.
His Adam's apple bobbed, and the enormous rice ball disappeared entirely.
"Ah-"
Son Goten let out a long, satisfied breath, patted his stomach now that it finally had something in it, and casually wiped the grains of rice from the corner of his mouth.
"Only thirty percent full, but it'll just about do."
He stood and rolled his neck, producing a series of crisp cracks.
Naruto and Sakura were already staring in a daze.
He had actually dared to openly defy a Jonin and even blocked Kakashi-sensei's attack?
Sasuke stared fixedly at Goten, his fists clenched.
Was this his strength? Even Kakashi...
"Sensei, you said we had to take the bells, right?"
Son Goten crooked a finger at Kakashi, his signature mischievous grin revealing a mouthful of white teeth.
"Now that I've had my fill, you'll make the perfect after-meal workout. I'll beat all that nastiness right out of your belly."
Kakashi sighed, put Icha Icha Paradise back in his ninja tool pouch, and slowly lifted his forehead protector, revealing his scarlet Sharingan.
"This year's students really aren't cute at all."
"Begin the exercise!"
At Kakashi's command, Sasuke and Sakura scattered to either side almost reflexively, seeking cover.
Only Naruto remained standing dumbly in place.
"Um... Goten, I want a rice ball too..."
"Quit yapping! Get moving unless you want to go back to school!"
Several cracks split the ground beneath Son Goten's feet as he shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.
"Then I won't hold back either!"
Yelling at the top of his lungs, Naruto actually charged at Kakashi ahead of Goten, trying to seize the initiative.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
Dozens of Narutos threw themselves at him with noisy cries, briefly throwing the scene into utter chaos.
Looking at the crowd of clones attacking without any coordination, Kakashi shook his head helplessly.
"Too slow."
He ducked, easily avoiding Naruto's grappling attempt, then flashed behind him like a ghost and formed a strange tiger hand seal with both hands.
At that moment, not only the charging Son Goten but even Sasuke, hidden in the shadows, felt an eyelid twitch.
What... ninjutsu was that?
"Secret art of Konoha Taijutsu..."
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