The morning air in the training grounds was sharp with dew, cicadas buzzing faintly in the distance. The trio- Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno stood side by side, facing their newly assigned sensei. Kakashi Hatake leaned casually against a wooden post, an orange book resting in one hand, as though this was no more than a leisurely stroll.
But today was the bell test.
"Alright," Kakashi's single visible eye curved in a lazy smile. He dangled two small bells in front of them, their metallic chime carrying over the field. "Your mission: take these from me. If you fail, one of you goes back to the Academy. The test begins…" He snapped the book shut and tucked it into his pouch. "…now."
It happened instantly.
A golden flare erupted to Kakashi's left, blinding in its radiance. Naruto's whiskered face was haloed by a burning aura, Kurama's chakra enveloping him like a second skin. The ground quaked under the raw force of it, blades of grass bending away from the sheer pressure.
At the same time, a deep, otherworldly violet expanded to his right. Sasuke's eyes spun with the eternal tomoe of the Mangekyō Sharingan, and from his frame rose the spectral armor of a Susanoo, its ribs curving upward, its skeletal arm forming with a thunderous crack. The air turned heavy, suffocating.
Kakashi froze. His book slipped from his fingers and thudded to the dirt.
"…what?"
The lazy façade shattered. In that instant, the silver haired Jōnin's instincts screamed louder than they had in years. His hand twitched toward his forehead protector, toward the Sharingan he usually reserved for serious battles.
Across the field, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had been watching from the Hokage's office through his crystal ball, sat forward in his chair, his pipe slipping from his lips. Smoke coiled in forgotten wisps around him.
"…Nine tail's chakra?" the Third Hokage whispered, his voice thin with disbelief. "And…Susanoo? At their age?"
Back in the field, Sakura staggered back, her knees nearly buckling. She had expected Naruto to trip over himself or Sasuke to sneer and rush in. Not this. Not titanic forces that felt like gods had descended onto the training ground.
Naruto flexed his fingers, golden chakra swirling around him. He grinned, but there was nervousness behind it. "Heh… guess there's no point holding back, huh, Sasuke?"
The Susanoo's skull formed, hollow eyes burning like amethyst embers. Sasuke's voice carried through its spectral chest, low and steady. "Don't slow me down, dobe."
The pressure of their chakra clashed in the center, a storm brewing between them.
Kakashi's hands trembled ever so slightly as he raised them. This is… absurd. Nine Tail's full power… and the Mangekyō wielding Susanoo… from kids who haven't even completed a mission? If they lose control here, the entire village…
His mind flickered back to Minato. To Obito. To the battlefield where legends were born and died. He had expected to babysit, to guide fledgling genin toward teamwork. Instead, he was staring at weapons powerful enough to shake nations.
"Naruto! Sasuke!" Kakashi barked, his voice sharper than any of them had ever heard. "Stop this at once! Do you even understand what you're-"
But before he could finish, Naruto's chakra surged, tails flickering behind him, golden eyes fixed forward. "No way, Kakashi sensei! You said to come at you with everything we've got!"
Sasuke raised Susanoo's arm, the spectral hand curling into a fist. "You'll regret underestimating us."
Kakashi's stomach twisted. They're serious.
The earth itself groaned as the two powers bristled for release. Trees bent, pebbles lifted from the ground, and Sakura covered her head with her arms as dust whipped around her.
From afar, Hiruzen rose to his feet, robes trailing. His aged eyes narrowed, but inside them burned a storm of emotions- fear, awe, dread, and a tiny spark of hope. "Those two… they already carry the legacies of gods. What kind of shinobi will they become… and can Konoha withstand it?"
Back in the training ground, Kakashi's resolve hardened. The lazy mask was gone, replaced by the sharp steel of a veteran who had stared down wars and monsters alike.
In one swift motion, his hand went to his forehead protector. The cloth flipped upward, revealing the scarred Sharingan eye beneath.
"Fine," he murmured, voice cold and edged. "If you insist… then I'll show you what it means to challenge your sensei."
The test of Team 7 was no longer a game. It had become a clash of legends, too early, too raw, and far too dangerous.
And as the golden beast and violet warrior bore down on their teacher, Kakashi could only wonder, was this the dawn of Konoha's brightest future, or the spark of its destruction?