**Volume 1, Chapter 5: Morning Mishap**
After tossing and turning all night, Naruto emerged from his house the next morning with dark circles under his eyes.
"Damn it! I actually had insomnia last night—that's rare for me."
Naruto yawned listlessly. "Ugh... better hurry up or I'll be late."
Staggering to the training grounds, Naruto waved weakly at Sasuke and Sakura, who had already arrived. "Hey, morning."
"Uh, morning," Sakura replied, her lips twitching into an odd smile, her voice trembling slightly.
"Idiot!" Sasuke glanced at Naruto before turning away, coldly spitting out the word. But the way his shoulders shook betrayed his desperate effort to suppress something.
"Sakura, Sasuke, what's wrong?" Naruto stared at their bizarre behavior, a huge question mark forming in his mind.
*Could they still be shocked by my joke yesterday?* he wondered absurdly.
"Nar... Naruto..."
Sakura's delicate shoulders trembled as she struggled to contain her laughter. "How... how did you come outside in your pajamas? Hahaha! I can't hold it in anymore... I'm dying of laughter!"
Clutching her smooth, petite stomach, Sakura giggled uncontrollably, bending over double.
*Pfft!*
Even Sasuke, who was standing nearby with his back to Naruto and possessed extraordinary self-control, couldn't hold back any longer.
"What?"
Naruto jolted awake, startled. He glanced down at his white short-sleeved shirt, patted the hat on his head, and his expression gradually shifted from confusion to realization.
"Hahaha... Naruto... were you sleepwalking?"
Sakura nearly collapsed to the ground, her laughter leaving her weak.
"I... I..." Naruto stammered, utterly mortified. "This is the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to me!"
"Ah... good morning, everyone! Sorry about that. Today, on the path of life..."
Kakashi's customary opening greeting was cut short by Naruto's ridiculous attire, causing the corners of his masked mouth to twitch upward uncontrollably.
"Is it really that funny?" Naruto grumbled, utterly dejected.
"Ah... haha, well, it's not exactly funny..." Kakashi stammered, trying to smooth things over. "It's just that your outfit... um... it's quite... unique."
Seeing the trio's barely concealed amusement, Naruto tugged at his pajamas in exasperation, inwardly scoffing, *Go ahead and laugh. Laugh yourselves to death...*
"Alright, it's time for the exercise," Kakashi announced, his jovial demeanor shifting to a solemn one as he gazed at the three students who were about to become his prized pupils.
"So... what kind of exercise is it?" Sasuke asked, his face returning to its usual stoic expression.
"It's..." Kakashi paused, "Out of the three of you, only two will become Genin!"
"What?!" Sakura gasped, while Sasuke frowned.
"The three of you will fight each other until one of you is defeated," Kakashi said, his tone chilling. "Of course, the defeated one will lose their chance to become a Genin."
"What's this, Kakashi-sensei? We already graduated from the Ninja Academy! Why are we still..." Sakura began to protest, but Kakashi cut her off.
"I am your instructor now. My orders are absolute law, the rules themselves. Anyone who violates these rules is unworthy of being a ninja."
"But... does this rule mean we have to ruthlessly harm our own teammates?" Sakura shouted, her inner resentment boiling over.
"Exactly! If you're willing to raise your blade against your comrades for some so-called rule, you don't deserve to be called a ninja!" Naruto's own anger flared.
"So... Sasuke, what do you think?" Kakashi turned to Sasuke, who hadn't yet spoken.
"My thoughts are..."
Sasuke paused, then glared fiercely at Kakashi. "Horse! Tiger! Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
"What? Such a massive amount of Chakra?" Kakashi exclaimed in surprise.
*Boom!*
The fireball struck the ground, leaving a five-centimeter-deep crater surrounded by wisps of scorched air.
"What? He's gone!" Sasuke panicked inwardly, but quickly regained his composure. *Is he behind me? Or in the air?*
"Sasuke, he's under your feet!" Naruto shouted, reacting first.
But it was too late. The moment Naruto's warning rang out, a black hand shot up from the ground and dragged Sasuke down.
"Earth Release: Headhunter Technique!"
Kakashi clapped his hands casually. "Sasuke, I think I know your answer now."
"Since Sasuke attacked me first, even if he fails the test, do either of you have any objections?" Kakashi asked Naruto and Sakura.
"Objections?" Naruto paused. "Of course I do!"
"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
With a shout and a hand seal, Naruto created dozens of shadow clones that swarmed Kakashi.
"Shadow clones, huh?"
A glint of sharpness flashed in Kakashi's eyes. "Still not quite mastered, though."
"Hah!"
Each of them pulled a shuriken from their pouches. Naruto flung his, sending a row of shuriken flying toward Kakashi in a triangular formation.
"Hmm... their throwing technique is somewhat passable," Kakashi nodded almost imperceptibly. "But an attack of this caliber won't even scratch me."
He dodged effortlessly, shaking his head as he glanced at Naruto.
"Is that so?" Naruto smirked darkly.
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
In the next instant, the shuriken that should have been flying forward twisted into an unnatural arc. Moreover, from the shadow of each shuriken, another shuriken materialized!
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
Kakashi's expression turned serious as he found himself surrounded by the shuriken. "I never imagined Naruto had mastered such an advanced ninjutsu."
"Take this! Shadow Shuriken Barrage!"
With a shout, Naruto clasped his hands together, and all the shuriken shot toward Kakashi in a rapid, coordinated assault.
*Sizzle!*
Every shuriken struck Kakashi without fail. But in the next moment, Kakashi's body dissolved into tendrils of lightning that snaked across the ground.
"Aiya, Naruto, you're truly remarkable! You actually forced me to use my Lightning Clone."
Kakashi maintained a facade of nonchalance, but inwardly, his mind was churning like a stormy sea. *Such exquisite throwing technique, such precise timing, and that utterly seamless speed... Is this really Naruto?*
"Oh dear, Sasuke, looks like you're holding Naruto back," Kakashi teased, glancing at Sasuke with a half-joking expression.
"Holding him back?" Sasuke reacted as if struck by a thunderbolt. "How could I possibly hold someone back? How could I be so weak? I still have to kill that man! How can I achieve that like this? Haaah!"
Sasuke erupted from the ground, his face contorted in a ferocious glare as he stared at Kakashi. Two black tomoe swirled slowly in each of his eyes.
"Then... since both you and Naruto have made your moves, one of you must leave. Don't ask why. Because... that's the rule!" Kakashi declared coldly, his gaze sweeping between Naruto and Sasuke.
*Whoosh!*
A flash of cold steel sliced through the air. Kakashi tilted his head to evade it, his eyes shifting to Sakura, whose delicate brows were furrowed in determination.
"Kakashi-sensei, since you've made your decision, then this is mine as well!" Sakura's fair face hardened as she hurled three more shuriken.
"Sakura, is this truly your decision?"
Kakashi dodged another shuriken attack. "So angry you're laughing?"
"Yeah!" Naruto shouted. "Because the three of us are partners! Comrades who'd risk our lives for each other!"
"Exactly!" Sakura agreed, pulling a kunai from her ninja pouch and gripping it firmly. She nodded in agreement.
Sasuke remained silent, but his determined gaze at Kakashi spoke volumes.
"You three!" Kakashi roared, then softened with a hint of pride. "You've all graduated!"
"What?" Sakura lowered her kunai in disbelief.
"Heh, you three are remarkable. As ninjas, those who disobey orders are worthless. But those who sacrifice their comrades for the sake of orders are even worse than worthless."
A flicker of nostalgia and regret flashed through Kakashi's eyes, but he quickly masked it. "Therefore, from today onward, you three are officially members of Team Seven!"
( End of Chapter )