The Bell Test

As the words escaped Kakashi's mouth, Sasuke and Sakura immediately took to the bushes to conceal their presence.

"I see they've hidden themselves well. Huh?" he looked back and noticed that Naruto was not hiding himself. "The basic necessity of a shinobi is to be able to conceal themselves, and you are just standing there… revealing your presence to the enemy. If you can't even get out that simple fact, then you shouldn't be here. You really are dead last."

"I'm going to make you eat those words. There is a reason I am the village's number one loudmouth."

"I will try to make this fight a little bit fair on you guys. Ninja basic, taijutsu." He dug his hands into his bag and took out an orange book. He was reading on the battlefield.

Naruto used the opportunity to look for any opening in Kakashi's stance. He tossed five shuriken to which the jounin just avoided. He didn't even glance up from his book as Naruto charged at him. He casually blocked the blond's punch with a fist and ducked under a kick. Naruto continued the assault but Kakashi just evaded them, occasionally getting a glint in his eyes whenever he read something interesting.

"You should quit at being a ninja," he suddenly blurted out as he ducked under a kick again. He was trying his best to rile up Naruto. The blond didn't respond as he pulled back and studied Kakashi. "How do you plan on completing a mission when your targets can see you from a mile away."

"I don't care. Even with an orange theme I snuck into ANBU headquarters and pranked them. Surely I am confident in myself and someday I'll be Hokage." He shot off to punch Kakashi who just ducked under.

"Hidden Leaf ancient taijutsu supreme technique: A Thousand Years of Death."

The pain Naruto felt was instantaneous. He couldn't describe it, but he found himself in the air as he was launched by the powerful thrust of Kakashi's fingers. "A ninja isn't supposed to get from behind. Idiot."

The water settled as Naruto stopped struggling. Two shuriken shot out of the water towards Kakashi. The jounin just held out his hands as he caught the shuriken at their holes. The water rippled as seven Narutos burst out.

"What is that?" Sakura muttered as she examined the jutsu.

"Is that a clone jutsu. It won't work on Kakashi you dumbass." That was Sasuke.

"Oh? Kage bunshin. Nicely done. You-" he was cut short as he felt a pair of hands grasp him from behind. He turned his head to see a Naruto clone holding him.

"Don't caught from behind… didn't you say that sensei."

"This is from all of us," another clone said as he held a fist. He punched but realized that something was off. In Kakashi's place was a Naruto clone. Kakashi had escaped.

"Hold on," one of the clones said. "Look." He pointed near a tree and they saw a bell at the foot of the tree. "He must have dropped it in a hurry, go retrieve it." The clone rushed forward as he reached for the bell. He screamed as he felt a rope tighten around his leg and found himself dangling from the tree.

"Hold on," Naruto said as he tried to stop a second clone from going, but he left. He tried to pick the bell but found himself in the same predicament.

"Spread out, the entire area may be booby trapped." It was the real Naruto who gave the command. As all of them left, Kakashi came out of his spot.

"You really are a fool Naruto. A ninja is expected to see underneath the underneath. You'd think you won't fall for it, but you did… twice."

"There he is." Sasuke hurled a dozen kunai and shuriken at Kakashi with all of them hitting their mark.

"Oi Sasuke, you've gone too far… huh?!" Kakashi's form disappeared in a puff of smoke and was replaced by a log.

"A substitution? Shit," Sasuke said as he bit his lip. "Now he knows where I am hiding. Damn." Kakashi smirked from his new hiding spot as he watched them. 'They really have a lot to learn. And that reminds me, where exactly is Sakura.' He poofed away as he went to find her.

Meanwhile, Sakura was running. She had seen Naruto, but she desperately needed to find Sasuke. She honestly hoped that Kakashi had not caught him. She shook her head, her Sasuke would not be beat like that. She stopped as she ran past Kakashi who was staring at his book. He didn't notice her, it seemed.

"Genjutsu," he suddenly spoke. "One of the ninja basics and it seems I've found who I should teach it to."

"Who's he talking to?" she asked no one in particular.

"Yo," Kakashi said as he got behind her. She shrieked as she turned around to see him. He was holding his hands in a sign. Leaves soon began to swirl around him as she grew dizzy and passed out.

She awoke some time later and frantically looked around. "I thought I just saw Kakashi-sensei here." She said this to no one in particular.

"Sakura," she heard a voice call out. She turned to her right as she knew that was Sasuke's voice. She was horrified at what she saw. There was Sasuke with kunai and multiple shuriken embedded into him. He was bleeding all over. "Help me Sakura, I'm dying." She screamed at the sight and passed out. Kakashi smirked from where he was as he head her scream. He knew that Naruto had probably set off one of his traps so that left…

"Found you," Sasuke said as he came out of his spot.

"If it isn't the last blood of the strongest clan in Konoha… I have the perfect lesson for you. Ninjutsu, the final of the basics of a shinobi. I'll need to put away my book 'cause I'll need to weave signs."

"I'm not like those two," Sasuke said as he shot off at Kakashi. 'He's fast.' Kakashi blocked Sasuke's punch and ducked under a kick from the surprisingly fast Uchiha. The boy didn't let up as he threw himself into a frenzy, his hand even scraping the bell at one point. Kakashi pulled his lower body back as he kicked Sasuke backwards. The young Uchiha flipped himself as he landed on his feet. He began to weave signs.

"Damn those Uchiha teaching their kids to use fire style," he muttered as Sasuke began his jutsu. "Katon! goukakyuu no jutsu (Fire style! Grand fireball technique)." Sasuke took in a deep breath as he expended a large ball of flames at Kakashi.

After some time, he dissipated the attack, but was surprised to not see Kakashi. 'Where could he have gone.' "Above, left, or right…"

"Below you," he heard a voice, a familiar voice, say. He looked down to see hands grasp his legs. "Doton! Shinjuu zanshuu no jutsu (Earth style! Inner decapitation). Before Sasuke could regain himself, he was buried under the earth with only his head above the ground.

"Yo," Kakashi said. "You surprised me with the speed and the timing of your attacks, but that was it. I can't believe you are an Uchiha."

Sasuke growled but there was nothing that he could do. He closed his eyes and accepted his fate as Kakashi walked off.

He stepped into the clearing and saw a little blond boy with spiky hair sitting where he had kept the food that he would give them after they had finished the exercise.

He smirked.

"Thank you for the food," Naruto said as he was about to begin eating.

"Yo! What do you think you are doing?"

Naruto cringed as he heard the all too familiar voice. His hands flexed a little as he suddenly swerved right. Kakashi was almost hit by a kunai that blind sighted him. It flew past where his back would have being and hit the ground. Naruto grinned as he flipped back and hurled a couple shuriken at Kakashi who evaded them. He followed up by charging the jounin who responded by just standing there. Naruto unleashed a frenzy of blows but Kakashi evaded or blocked. He wasn't as fast as Sasuke, but he sure packed powerful blows. He threw his mouth forward and almost bit one of the bells. 'So unpredictable.'

He pulled back a bit before giving Naruto a knee to the jaw and knocking the blond out with a backhanded chop to the neck.

Naruto came to ten minutes later but was surprised when he couldn't move a muscle. He looked up to see Kakashi reading his book. He looked left and right and noticed that both Sasuke and Sakura were sitting on the ground. Then it clicked.

"Hey why am I tied to a log?" he demanded as he pretty much through a tantrum. Kakashi glanced up from his book.

"I see you finally decided to join the land of the living."

"You haven't answered me yet. Why am I tied to the log?"

"Because you didn't get a bell, idiot." He wanted to question why Sakura and Sasuke weren't tied to the logs, but he decided against it. "Quite frankly, I am disappointed in your skills. I can believe that… idiot… just so happens to be the prodigy of your generation and the last surviving member of the village's strongest clan."

"… But you guys don't need to go back to the academy."

"Then that means all of us passed?!"

"Yup…" Kakashi began as he closed his eyes. "All three of you… should quit as shinobi." They stopped their celebration as a look of utter horror and confusion graced their faces. Kakashi was not smiling either, if the expression on his face was anything to say about it.

"What do you mean quit as ninja?! Hell no." Naruto was pissed.

"Ok, we didn't get the bells, but why do we have to quit?!" Sakura was just as confused, if not even more.

"It's because all of you are just a bunch of disgrace and there's no way in hell that any of you deserve to be ninja."

That was Sasuke's limit. The young Uchiha propelled himself at the jounin with the fastest speed he could achieve. Kakashi just stood still as the boy came at him, the killing intent leaking from all over his body. Sasuke was officially pissed, he'd kill Kakashi and present his head to the Hokage. The white-haired ninja smirked as he caught Sasuke's punch and drove the boy into the ground, stepping on his head as he sat on his body.

"That's why you're a disgrace."

"Don't step on Sasuke-kun like that!"

"Are you punks underestimating ninjas?" Kakashi's voice was low… deathly low. "Clearly you are yet to figure out why you are taking this exam. I could kill you all without batting an eye, but… but still I told you to come at me with the intent to kill."

"Wait," Sasuke and Naruto said at the same time. There was a glint of realization in their eyes.

"But, why are there two bells?"

"Simple really, the answer to this test is teamwork and I threw in the bells to disorient you lot. And you all fell for it. You think this is all a bunch of games. One screw up could cost you your life. The aim of the test was to determine if you could put aside your own interest and work together. But you guys…"

"… Sakura, your mind was only thinking about Sasuke and I'm starting to wonder if this is a two-man team or a three-man team. Naruto, you were just running around, and Sasuke, instead of work with them, you just assumed that they'll get in the way."

"Superior individual ability was important, but what is even more important is your ability to work as a team. Individual play that disrupts the team can put both you and your comrades in danger." He reached into his pouch and took out a kunai. "For instance, Sakura kill Naruto! Or Sasuke dies."

"You see? I could have just easily taken Sakura and coaxed you guys to fight to the death or I'd kill you. What would you do then." He got off of Sasuke, and the boy got up.

"Look at that stone. You see the numerous names carved on it." Their eyes turned towards the direction of the stone and indeed there were a lot of names ascribed unto it.

"What's so special about this stone?" Sakura asked.

"All the names ascribed here are heroes who have given their lives for the village in one way or the other. The names of my best friend and sensei are also ascribed here." He turned his direction to them. His face was pretty much unreadable as he cast his gaze on them.

"I'll give you another chance to get the bell but I'll make it harder than what you just experienced now. For those who which to continue with the challenge, they can eat lunch, but because Naruto was knocked out by the time the alarm went off, he won't eat any." The blond grimaced as Kakashi said that. He had pretty much expended all his energy in the fight.

"If anyone gives him food, they will fail immediately because I am the rules here." He disappeared in a puff of smoke.

As soon as Kakashi left, Sasuke offered his food to Naruto. "Here!"

"Huh?!"

"Sasuke-kun, Kakashi just said-"

"Don't give Naruto any food. Well, it was the same Kakashi who just preached teamwork if I recall. And still, it's not the first time we are going against him, after all we did eat the candy bar Naruto brought after sensei said NOT to eat. Besides, he'll need the energy if we are going to get the bells."

Sakura nodded at the logic. While she didn't like Naruto, he was her teammate and she wanted to pass. She offered her food and the three of them ate, apparently unaware that a certain jounin was watching them.

Immediately, the clearing filled with smoke… white smoke. It was Kakashi. "YOU…" he began as they all screamed. His voice was deep and was laced with anger.

"…Pass." He declared that last word with a smile and a thumbs up.

"Heh?!" was the reaction of each and every one of them.

"You guys are the first to have ever passed my hidden test. Everyone pretty much feared and obeyed me after the first beating I give them. But you guys… Good job."

"How?" Naruto asked as he was quite dumbfounded.

"Like I told you earlier Naruto, a ninja must be able to see underneath the underneath. In the world of ninja, those who break the rules, codes and regulations are known as trash… But through a friend of mine…" he closed his eyes. "… I was able to realize that those who abandoned their friends were even worse than trash."

'He is so cool.' Naruto thought.

"That ends the training. You all pass and starting tomorrow, Team #7 will begin their duties."

Few Days Later…

"What's the distance to the target?" Kakashi said into a microphone. 'Five meters… I'm ready anytime.' 'So am I.' 'Me too.' "Okay."

"Go!" his voiced boomed as Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke dove at their unsuspecting target. Naruto picked up the cat in his hands as he yelled "Got'cha."

Minutes later, they returned the cat named Tora to its owner, the Fire Daimyo's wife, Madam Shijimi. The woman left after thanking the Third.

"Now Team Kakashi, your next duty is to babysit an Elder's grandson, shopping in the neighbouring village and help with the potato digging."

"Absolutely not!" Naruto roared.

"Huh?!" the Hokage looked bewildered. "And why is that Naruto?"

"Well I'm starting to think that being a Ninja isn't what it is made out to be. Because for the past week we've been doing a bunch of lame brain jobs. I can't even mention how many times that damn cat has escaped. And now you want us to freaking babysit a damn grandson. I ref-"

"Shut up already," Kakashi said as he smacked Naruto upside his head. "I apologize Lord Third."

"No. It's no matter. I kind of expected this from my somewhat foster grandson. And I may just make an exception this once. Send in the bridge builder Tazuna."

Minutes later, a man with a sake bottle in his hands walked in. He took a sip as he looked at the Hokage. "Huh? Are these the ninja that are to escort me back to the Land of Waves. They don't look like they can do much."

"You bast-" Kakashi slammed a fist into Naruto's head. "Shut up already will ya?"

"I must assure you," Lord Third began. "Kakashi's an elite class jounin. He'll be up to the task against whatever comes your way and those three might just surprise you."

"I don't know. The pink one looks like the black one's fan girl, giving how she's ogling over him. The black one looks like the sadistic type, and the blond one is too short for his own good."

"The hell I'm short," Naruto said as he glanced at Sasuke and Sakura who were taller than him. "Man this sucks as hell."

"I guess I'll make do," Tazuna said with a sigh. "I am the super expert bridge builder, Tazuna. I expect you to provide me with protection until I get to my country and complete the bridge."

It was almost noon when they began their escort mission. Kakashi had made sure to check and see if they had enough supplies to last two weeks. It was basically an escort mission, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Have you never left the village?" Sakura asked Naruto who was behaving a little too enthusiastically for her liking.

The blond responded by sheepishly scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Alright, we are setting out now," Kakashi declared to them.

"Umm… Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said as they started their journey. "Are their ninjas in the wave country were Tazuna is from?"

"No, they don't have in the wave country. But… in most other countries… the cultures and customs differ, but hidden villages exist and so do ninjas."

"To many countries, the existence of a shinobi village means military power. The hidden villages do not oppose the countries government, but they stand equally with the countries government. Each of the five great shinobi countries has a hidden village, and our hidden village is under the Fire Country."

"A small island country like the land of Waves does not receive interference from the bigger countries and they may not need a shinobi village. The largest of the Hidden Villages are the Leaf, Mist, Stone, Cloud and Sand. The Five Great Countries are also the only countries whose village leader receives the name "kage". The five kages are the Hokage, Raikage, Mizukage, Kazekage and Tsuchikage. They reign supreme as the pinnacle of the ninja world."

Sakura was kind of surprised at this new information. "Hokage-sama truly is the best." 'That old geezer is really that strong. I don't buy it.'

As they continued their walk, Kakashi glanced to the side and saw a puddle of water. He chose to ignore it as his gaze was focused in front. Behind him, from the puddle appeared two ninja and they gave a pretty much dark aura. One of them darted forward and on the mechanical claw in his hands, extended a chain which was linked to the other's mechanical claw. Faster than they could react, he wound the chain which was surprisingly sharp, at Kakashi.

The one-eyed ninja was shocked at the sudden attack.

"One down," one of them said as they both pulled with all their might. It didn't take long for the chains to tear through Kakashi and split his body into multiple parts.

"Sensei!" Sakura shouted at the surprisingly fast way their sensei was killed. The ninjas darted forward again as they both appeared behind Naruto.

"Two down," they both declared, but the blond was having none of that. His hands fished into his holster pretty fast. He took out a kunai as he jumped forward and threw several shuriken at both ninja. He was on an adrenaline rush and he wasn't going down without a fight.

They dodged Naruto's shuriken and made to move, but were intercepted by Sasuke. "Pin their chains down." Naruto called out to Sasuke who acknowledged that. The dark haired boy took out several shuriken and tossed them at the ninjas and Naruto pinned their chains to a tree with a kunai. Before the kunai hit the tree, Sasuke made sure to use a shuriken to hold them in place.

"I'm stuck," one of them said as he tried to pry himself but to no avail. Sasuke descended as he landed on their mechanical claws. He held both machines as he kicked both ninjas, but apparently they had other plans than to be beat. They released the chains from their claws and darted around, both heading for Tazuna. Sakura stepped in front of the old man as she held up her kunai. Sasuke and Naruto tried to go after them but they had reached Tazuna before them.

They held up their hands to deliver a final blow, but both of them were stopped in their tracks. Kakashi had stepped in.

"Substitution," Naruto muttered as he turned to were Kakashi had "died" only to see a pile of broken wood. Naruto looked at his hand and noticed a cut while Sasuke didn't even have any. Naruto bit his lips as he got up.

"You did well," Kakashi started. "I'm sorry I didn't defeat them sooner and you ended up getting hurt Naruto."

"That's not a problem, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said as he took out a kunai and stabbed the area where he was cut. "I vow by this kunai and my blood, that there won't be any reason for someone to come to my rescue, I promise to get stronger in order to protect all those around me. I swear."

"Naruto come here." The blond walked up to his teacher who examined the wound and wrapped a cloth around it, but not before noticing that the wound was healing already.

"Tazuna-san," Kakashi called out to the older man. His tone was dead serious and so was his expression. "With the little experience I have on my belt, I pretty much know that in a C rank mission, there is not going to be any clash between ninjas. Maybe a little scuffle with thieves and the occasional bandits, but not ninjas. This mission has easily turned into a B rank mission at the least, and if I am to put my life and the lives of my students on the line, then I need to know why. Why the hell are ninjas after you?"

"Because… because I am the key to my country's liberation from the hands of Gatou."

Kakashi's eyes widened slightly. "I've heard of him, isn't he one of the richest men in the world?"

"Yes you're right Sakura… What does Gatou play in all this?"

"Gatou runs a shipping company and he uses it to suck out the little life from our small country. I am the chief bridge builder and with the help of some of the villagers, I am hoping that we can build a bridge that will provide trade support to our country. We don't get commission or anything from Gatou even as he exploits us and that is why, I was able to get the villagers to raise money for me to come here and ask for an escort back to my land, hence Gatou will kill me. Sadly, the money we were able to raise could only amount to a C rank mission… so I lied." He clasped his hands together as he bowed in front of Kakashi. "I hope you can understand." Tears were in his eyes and Kakashi felt kind of guilty.

"Normally, I would have gone back to the village and have them send you off with a more experienced team… but sine as it is now, we've already began the journey, I suppose we'll just have to complete it… But next time, inform us so that we could sought things like this out. As it is, I hate sending my team off to unknown danger, but… whatever." He turned to face them. "Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, let's go."