Hinata and Sasuke were even more astonished.
"An afterimage? Naruto-kun... he's mastered such an advanced ninjutsu?" Hinata whispered in awe.
*Damn it, how did that loser get so strong?* Sasuke thought, his frustration mounting.
Kakashi was truly shocked. Even Asuma couldn't perform a Wind Body Flicker like that; he had never even heard of such a technique. *Could it be that this kid created it himself? Is he really a legendary genius?*
Naruto laughed triumphantly. "How about it, Kakashi-sensei? You've never seen a ninjutsu like this before, have you? This is the Wind Body Flicker that I created myself! Isn't that amazing?!"
Kakashi was so startled he could only nod. "Yeah, that's... really impressive. Especially at your age. To be able to create your own ninjutsu, you're practically a genius on par with me..."
Naruto's smile faltered. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei, are you praising me or just bragging about yourself?!"
Kakashi's eye curved into a smile. "It seems I did underestimate the three of you. Since that's the case, I'll have to take this seriously, too." He solemnly put away his copy of *Make-Out Paradise* and tucked it into his pocket. Then, with a flick of his wrists, a series of shuriken appeared out of thin air, shooting towards the three genin.
Sasuke snorted, countering with his own superb shurikenjutsu, deflecting every projectile aimed at him with perfect accuracy. Kakashi nodded in silent approval. On the other side, Hinata assumed a defensive posture that was not part of the standard Gentle Fist style. She extended her arms, one high and one low, and began to move. In a blur of motion, her hands crossed back and forth, conjuring hundreds of palm strikes that released precise bursts of chakra, deflecting every shuriken that came her way. She not only protected herself but also shielded Naruto from the attack.
Naruto's eyes lit up. "Whoa, Hinata, that's amazing!"
Kakashi's heart skipped a beat. *I've never seen that move in the Hyuga clan's style before. Could she have created it herself? Is creating your own ninjutsu commonplace these days?!*
As Naruto watched the countless shuriken being knocked away, a thought suddenly struck him. He signaled to his last remaining shadow clone and unleashed his chakra. "Kakashi-sensei, let me show you my real trump card! Wind Release: Gale Palm!"
Naruto slammed his hands together, and a violent gale burst forth, transforming into a whirlwind that swept across the training ground. It engulfed all the deflected shuriken, as well as a new volley released by his shadow clone. Then, with a mighty roar, he unleashed the vortex. The shuriken, now amplified by the wind chakra, shot towards Kakashi with terrifying speed and power.
"This is..." Kakashi was once again dumbfounded. "The Gale Palm, perfectly coordinated with a shuriken assault! And that amount of chakra, that speed, that power... it's terrifying."
But that wasn't all.
"You loser, stop showing off!" Sasuke roared, unwilling to be outdone. He unleashed his own trump card. "Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!" Instantly, a massive dragon head made of raging flames roared to life, lunging at Kakashi with bared fangs.
*Sasuke can use such a high-level ninjutsu?! What is going on with these three kids?* Kakashi thought, but what caught him completely off guard was what happened next. Though it wasn't intentional, Naruto's wind and Sasuke's fire merged in mid-air. The wind fanned the flames, and the flames fueled the wind. In an instant, an overwhelming storm of fire and shuriken swept across the field, bombarding everything in its path. The power of the attack was so great that even a Jonin would struggle to withstand it. This was no longer just two ninjutsu. It was a composite technique.
Kakashi quickly activated another defensive jutsu. "Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall!"
*CRACK! BANG!*
The wind-infused shuriken tore through the earthen wall, continuing their trajectory toward Kakashi. The gale-fire dragon also smashed through the defense, its power barely diminished. Kakashi had no choice but to use another jutsu. "Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"
A wall of water appeared out of nowhere, finally blocking the flames, but the gale was too strong. The water exploded outwards, splashing everywhere. Kakashi raised his arm to block the spray, and in that brief moment when his vision was obstructed, Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata seized the opportunity, closing the distance in a flash.
*Jingle, jingle.*
The crisp, pleasant sound rang out. Kakashi's eyes widened in alarm. "Oh no!" When he lowered his arm, he saw Naruto's smug, smiling face, a bell held triumphantly in his hand. On the other side, Sasuke coldly displayed the other bell, his own spoil of war. Hinata, though she didn't get a bell, was beaming at them both.
Kakashi could only let out a long, deep sigh. "I never expected you three kids to be so amazing. Although I said I was going to get serious, it seems it was too late. Well, I'll admit it. I lost this match. All three of you have passed the test."
Naruto was overjoyed, leaping high into the air. "That's awesome! We don't have to go back to the academy!"
Sasuke simply snorted, as if this were the only possible outcome. Hinata was filled with a quiet, profound happiness. She was now a full member of Team 7. She could finally spend every day with Naruto, fighting by his side.
Kakashi shook his head with a wry smile. "The top three students at the Ninja Academy are indeed extraordinary. And the talent and strength of the three of you go far beyond what a simple ranking can show."
"Naruto," he began, "your chakra reserves are enormous, your explosive power is terrifying, and you can use both the Shadow Clone and Multiple Shadow Clone techniques. Your training with Guy and Asuma has made your taijutsu and wind-style formidable. To be honest, your current strength is far beyond that of a genin; you've already surpassed an ordinary chunin."
Naruto just laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei, why are you stating the obvious!"
Kakashi sighed, speechless for a moment before turning to Sasuke. "Sasuke, your Sharingan has awakened to the double-tomoe form, and your ocular power is incredibly strong. Your skills in both taijutsu and ninjutsu are masterful. You've even perfected a high-level ninjutsu like the Great Dragon Fire Technique."
Sasuke gave a soft snort, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
"Hinata, your Byakugan's perception is amazing, and you're very skilled in the Gentle Fist. But what's even more impressive is that defensive technique you used. You created that yourself, didn't you?"
Hinata blushed and nodded gently. "Yes, but... it was only after Naruto-kun reminded me of something that I was able to create it."
Kakashi's eye curved into a crescent moon. "That's still quite excellent. The three of you truly deserve the title of the strongest. Even I have to admit your talent, strength, and potential. However," he said, his tone growing serious, "what I really want to say is this: no matter how strong a person is, they still need the support and cooperation of their companions. You won this battle, but don't forget that the move I could barely withstand wasn't the power of one person, but the power created by all three of you together."
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a look. The scene from just a moment ago flashed through their minds. The combined power of their jutsu had been beyond anything they could have imagined. It seemed that if they worked together, their combat power would soar. But...
"Hmph!" They both snorted and turned their heads away in a huff.
Kakashi could only sigh.
__________________________
"Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed the chapter, please consider donating Power Stones and joining our patreon
[patreon.com /daydreamer7]
for early access to future chapters.(+30 chapters)