Chapter 22: Another Bell Test? Are You Out of Ideas?

"Well, how is it?"

"Hmm... after the first meeting, the team seems fine. While none of them are particularly adept at elemental ninjutsu or genjutsu, they make up for it by being well-rounded in other areas."

Kakashi spoke thoughtfully after a brief pause.

Might Guy chuckled, "I wasn't asking about that! I was asking if you're up for a duel! Let's see whose students are stronger."

"…"

Why did I even take him seriously? My mistake.

Kakashi sighed inwardly, silently picked up his Icha Icha Paradise, and replied, "No interest."

"Well, fine then! But how about letting my team watch?" Guy's eyes gleamed mischievously.

Kakashi stopped in his tracks and raised an eyebrow. He turned his head to look at Guy and let out a small laugh. "This was your real goal all along, wasn't it, Guy?"

"Ahem, well, yeah. You see, I don't need to worry about Lee. I'm familiar with his abilities and limitations. Maya, though she's not a prodigy, is reliable with taijutsu and kunai-throwing—she's a good support. But... it's Neji I'm concerned about."

Guy's tone became uncharacteristically serious.

Kakashi pondered this for a moment before responding, "Neji?"

"Yeah, for some reason, he seems to be subtly treating Kai as a benchmark, almost like a rival in his mind. So, I thought it would be good for him to see Kai's skills up close," Guy explained.

Kakashi walked a few paces, deep in thought. "Aren't you worried that your team might be discouraged if they see a huge gap in strength?"

"Not at all. I have complete faith in my students!" Guy said firmly, his confidence unshakable.

"You sound so certain... I suppose I should agree, but..." Kakashi shot him a sidelong glance.

Guy didn't hesitate for a second. "I concede!"

"No," Kakashi shook his head, "I'll take you up on this after the exam is over, and you'll treat me to a barbecue feast."

Guy clasped his hands together in supplication. "Deal! Please, Kakashi, my eternal rival!"

Kakashi sighed quietly and waved his hand dismissively as he continued on his way.

After taking a few steps, he added, "Meet at Training Ground 25 in the Forest of Death at noon."

Guy was moved almost to tears. "Thank you! Only my eternal rival would rearrange the time just for me!"

Kakashi's mouth twitched. He refrained from explaining that the noon time was purely for his own convenience and continued walking with his book in hand.

At Training Ground 25 in the Forest of Death, Kai and Tenten were sitting together while Gekkou Kasa crouched in the shadows of a tree, keeping a vigilant watch on the distance.

"Come down. He's not going to arrive anytime soon," Kai said calmly.

"Damn that perpetually late teacher! When he finally arrives, I'm going to beat him with a stick!" Tenten grumbled furiously, then looked up. "Kasa, come down and rest with us. We didn't eat breakfast, so we need to conserve our energy for the upcoming test."

"Alright."

Kasa jumped down and leaned against the tree with the others, waiting in silence.

It wasn't until noon that a figure finally strolled up leisurely.

Kakashi waved at them, a smile hidden behind his mask. "Sorry, I overslept. Just got here now. Hmm, you all look fine. Have you had breakfast?"

"No! And it's already noon! You said the test would be in the morning!" Kasa shouted, her frustration obvious.

"Oh dear, my bad. I could've been here earlier, but I got lost on the way. Anyway, let's skip the small talk and move on to the exam rules." Kakashi's masked face didn't reveal much, but Kai had a feeling that his sensei was grinning behind it.

How insidious! Kai thought with amusement, feeling like Kakashi enjoyed watching his students' frustration, just as he himself found some satisfaction in similar situations.

Kakashi jingled two bells in front of them, their chime ringing through the air.

"There are only two?"

"That's right. Only those who can get a bell will become my subordinates. Whoever doesn't get one will be sent back to the academy for another year," Kakashi said with a gleam in his eye.

"That's not fair!" Tenten shouted, her eyes wide in shock.

This… is way too much!

She had thought this test was just for the teacher to gauge their abilities, but to her horror, it involved going back to school if they failed! After all the hard work they had put in to graduate, failing because of one test seemed incredibly cruel.

Kai raised an eyebrow.

The bell test, a classic. Have they run out of new ideas? he thought, slightly exasperated.

"However," Kakashi continued, "since your team is a bit special, I'll allow an exception. If Kai is willing to sacrifice himself and go back to the academy, I'll let the two of you pass."

Kakashi's gaze shifted to Kai, who remained silent, understanding the unspoken message in his teacher's eyes: Don't say a word.

Kai said nothing, merely watching as Tenten and Kasa tightened their fists.

After a few moments, Tenten, her frustration evident, declared, "Don't underestimate me! Even if I have to go back to the academy, I won't let Kai-kun sacrifice himself!"

"Exactly!" Kasa nodded emphatically, her eyes blazing with determination.

Kakashi adjusted his headband slightly. "How unfortunate. You've rejected your only sure path to success. It's admirable that you have such spirit, but I won't be holding back. By the way, just so you know, none of the teams I've tested have ever passed. They've all had to return to the academy."

"Bring it on! We'll talk about who's going back after we get the bells!" Kasa gripped the hilt of her sword tightly.

Unfazed, Kakashi pulled out his beloved book, Icha Icha Paradise. "I'll give you a few moments to prepare. When I flip this hourglass over, the test will begin. A friendly tip: you should attack me as if you intend to kill me. Otherwise, you'll regret it."

"Scatter!" Kai commanded, and the trio instantly vanished, reappearing in the forest a good distance away, where they regrouped.

"What's the plan?" Tenten asked, looking between her teammates.

"Just like Kasa said. We'll get the bells first, then decide who stays and who goes. Our opponent is the Copy Ninja Kakashi. Even if he holds back, the gap in strength is still huge, so we need to work together," Kai said quickly.

"For teamwork to work, someone has to lead. I'll follow your plan," Kasa said, her gaze steady on Kai.

"Same here," Tenten agreed, clenching her kunai. Though she was nervous facing a jonin, she trusted Kai. After all, anyone who could beat the Third Hokage's clone in pure taijutsu had to be far stronger than she or Kasa.

"Alright, I'll take the lead in the attack. Tenten, you'll provide support," Kai instructed before turning to Kasa. "I don't know much about your abilities, but I've heard that your clan excels in assassination. Find a good opening to strike."

"Understood!" Kasa nodded firmly.

"But don't stray too far from the group," Tenten cautioned. "We don't want you getting picked off if you're alone."

"Got it. So, should we set traps or...?" Kasa asked.

"Our skill level isn't high enough for traps to be effective. The main focus should be on coordination. We can set up a few spike traps for cover during a retreat," Kai explained.

As he outlined the plan, Tenten and Kasa nodded, their confidence returning. With a clear strategy in mind, they worked swiftly to set up minor traps and then took their positions, hiding in the foliage.

"I'll launch the first attack when Kakashi arrives," Kai whispered.

"Understood!"

Soon after, they hid in their spots, lying in wait.

Meanwhile, Kakashi flipped the hourglass, holding his book in one hand as he strolled leisurely into the forest.

Although his attention was divided between the test and his book, Kakashi was still a jonin, and such distractions wouldn't hinder his ability to handle genin.

That said, knowing Kai's capabilities, Kakashi couldn't help but stay on alert.

That boy's not going to be easy to deal with!