BSWS CH-9 Teamwork and Strategies

As they were waiting for Kakashi to come, Sasuke and Naruto, who had not eaten anything as per Kakashi's advice, started feeling weak and hungry. This also made them more irritated and easier to annoy.

After Naruto's stomach growled for the tenth time, Sakura threw each of them a small wrapped up package. They looked at her questioningly as they caught it.

"That contains some emergency rations. Its a good thing that I expected both of you to fall for Kakashi's trick and prepared likewise." Sakura said.

"Huh, didn't Kakashi sensei tell us not to eat anything?" Naruto said bewildered. Sakura saw realization come to Sasuke's eyes the moment Naruto asked the question. But Sakura decided to explain regardless.

"No Naruto, Sensei didn't tell us not to eat. He just gave advice that we might not want to. Its all in the wording of a sentence. Here he was not ordering us as our team leader, just tricking us with wordplay."

"If I am not wrong then its all part of Kakashi's plan to manipulate and irritate us," Sakura continued "If we were hungry and had to wait for Kakashi in early morning for hours, we would surely be irritable. Kakashi would most probably take advantage of that and trick us into failing the Survival exercise somehow."

"Basic Ninja Strategy 101: Look behind the words and see underlying meaning." Sasuke exclaimed softly.

"Exactly," Sakura said "Just eat for now and be prepared. I estimate Kakashi would be here near afternoon as that would be when we would have been irritated to our peak."

They opened the package and saw that Sakura had prepared basic survival rations for them that they would have to eat if they went for extended missions outside the village. Sasuke was slightly miffed that he would have to eat this tasteless food to fill his stomach.

"You thought we could not arrange something as cheap as survival rations?" Sasuke commented in an annoyed tone.

"If you don't want it, you don't need to eat it." Sakura said with a calm rebuff.

".…. I will eat it.." Sasuke said quietly and started eating it. Naruto was also a bit downcast that it was not ramen, but he decided to scarf it down too. Passing this exercise was more important.

While both of them ate, Sakura went over the preparations she made for the day in her mind. She couldn't exactly tell the two of them what the Survival Exercise entailed at this moment, otherwise it was possible that Kakashi might decide to switch it. She will have to manipulate events to make it unfold according to her plan.

Around half hour after Sasuke and Naruto had eaten, Kakashi arrived with his signature smiling eyes "Morning everyone. Ready for your first day?"

Sasuke and Naruto glared at him but did greet him back politely. Meanwhile Sakura replied back calmly. Kakashi was taken aback momentarily that they didn't lash out, but ignored it.

"Alright, since you guys seem ready lets get right into it." Kakashi said and he opened the bag he had brought. He took out an alarm clock and set it on one of the training logs placed on the training ground.

"Here, this is set for an hour from now. You have that long to complete the Survival training or you don't get to eat lunch and will be tied to those training logs. Meanwhile, I will have my delicious lunch in front of you as you watch." Kakashi said. He missed the momentarily look of relief in Naruto and Sasuke's eyes when they heard the last statement.

"What is the goal of the Survival Exercise?" Sakura asked.

"Ah, it is pretty simple." Kakashi said as he took out two small bells from his pocket "You just have to get these bells from me. One bell for one student."

"Hold on, there are only two here!! We are three people attempting the exercise so why are there two bells?" Naruto asked.

"Well, because I don't need three Genin. It will be too much pain to train three brats. Will waste too much of my precious time. Hence, whichever two get the bell will be in my team and the leftover will be sent packing back to the academy." Kakashi said.

Sakura could see how panicked Naruto got and and how grim Sasuke became. She sighed inwardly at their naivety. As if village could be this frivolous with Genin candidates they had invested so much time in. They both had to learn to see through deception.

"Anyway, you guys better try your best to defeat me. Use you weapons and come at me with your full power, or else you are going to regret it badly." Kakashi provoked them "You can use any tactic, weapon or jutsu. You will begin when I say start… although I don't really have much expectation from a team that has a class clown and a self absorbed brat."

Naruto got enraged and took out his Kunai. Sasuke too clenched his fist and got ready to rush at Kakashi. But right at that moment, they felt a powerful hand clamp down on their shoulders and make them stay still.

They looked back and saw it was Sakura. She frowned and shook her head slightly to indicate that it was not the time to attack. Though they were still irritated at Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke decided to follow Sakura's lead. She had been right about this so far after all.

"Hmm, at least there is someone here with a good head on their shoulders. You know what, I am actually starting to like you guys. Anyway, everyone ready? Let's start!!" Kakashi said as he gave the signal to begin.

Immediately, Sakura dragged both of her teammates back with her and rushed towards the forest surrounding the training ground. Once there, she found a suitable hiding spot and guided them towards it. It was a thicket of bushes that was particularly dense and would hide all three of them easily.

"So what are we doing here hiding like this?" Naruto asked Sakura "Didn't you hear sensei? We have to get a bell from him before the hour ends."

Seeing Sasuke also giving stoic agreement to Naruto's statement made Sakura sigh "Did you two not learn anything from the trick Kakashi already played on you? Learn to see through disguised words. He is setting up a trap."

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked.

"Let me ask you Sasuke. Do you really think you are ready to take on a Jonin by yourself? You, a Genin fresh out of Academy, will be able to defeat a Jonin, an elite specially selected by the Hokage himself to be promoted to that rank?" Sakura asked with a dead-pan stare.

The way she said it made even Sasuke squirm in embarrassment. He really had thought that for a moment as he didn't want to be held down by his teammates.

"I have some hidden cards." Sasuke tried to defend himself halfheartedly.

"And you think a Jonin, who probably survived dozens of life threatening missions, doesn't have an enormous amount of skill that would render most of your abilities useless? Not to mention his own trump cards and tricks?" Sakura asked pointedly.

"Fine. I will admit you are right." Sasuke said grudgingly "What do we do then?"

"First of all, you both need to understand that he was only setting up a trap for us. If we had been influenced by his words and gone up to him one on one, then we are bound to lose for sure." Sakura explained

"The only chance we have is if we work together. Chances are slim even then, but it is better than impossible. After all, the mission is to take the bells, not defeat him."

"Alright, lets do that." Sasuke nodded. Naruto too nodded in agreement.

"Good. Here is what we do …" Sakura explained her plan to them and they prepared for a surefire assault on their sensei.