Chapter 550: Replicating a Successful Formula?
"Not bad at all."
Kakashi licked his lips.
He truly had not expected the Uchiha Clan, which was famous for ninjutsu and genjutsu, to produce an unusual fighter like Sasuke.
The force behind that kick was nothing to scoff at.
This little brat's physical condition was remarkably strong.
Even more interestingly...
Kakashi's gaze fell upon Sasuke's leg, where a weighted bag was securely tied.
The fact that Sasuke could produce such a powerful kick while still wearing weights was intriguing.
"This is troublesome."
Naruto looked helplessly at Sasuke, who had already been dragged underground by the Headhunter Jutsu.
The technique was not especially versatile, but when there was a large difference in strength between the user and the target, it was almost guaranteed to succeed.
It was particularly effective against genin.
"Naruto, what should we do?"
Hinata cautiously watched Kakashi.
Although she still felt shy whenever she spoke to Naruto, she became completely serious when the situation demanded it.
She would not allow herself to hold the team back.
Even though all three of them had already attacked, Kakashi had still managed to restrain Sasuke.
"We rescue Sasuke first."
Naruto began removing the weights strapped to his legs.
However, before he could finish, he noticed Kakashi rapidly forming hand seals.
Kakashi's hands moved so quickly that they almost became a blur.
This technique...
Naruto could not recognize it.
Although he possessed some understanding of ninjutsu, he did not know which combinations of hand seals corresponded to specific techniques.
Moreover, his big brother had told him that sufficiently skilled ninja could even perform certain ninjutsu without forming hand seals.
Naruto soon understood what Kakashi had done.
The instant his weights fell away, his feet sank into muddy ground.
The earth beneath him had transformed into a thick swamp.
The technique was somewhat similar to the one Mizuki had used previously.
However, Mizuki's technique had merely made the ground feel like soft mud.
Kakashi's ninjutsu genuinely caused Naruto's legs to sink into the earth.
"What kind of technique is this?"
Naruto struggled to move his feet.
Walking was extremely difficult.
Every step felt as if dozens of hands were gripping his ankles and dragging him downward.
"An Earth Release ninjutsu. You can call it the Swamp Technique."
Kakashi even offered him an explanation.
Watching from the side, Sasuke silently began exerting force with his body.
After undergoing Kenichi's prolonged and specialized training, Sasuke's physical condition had improved considerably.
At this moment, Sasuke even felt that he might be able to break free from the technique and climb out by relying on raw strength.
Kenichi calmly observed everything.
Judging from its effects, this Swamp Technique was clearly related to the A-rank ninjutsu Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld.
However, Kakashi was obviously using an extremely weakened version.
He had not invested much chakra into it either.
The swamp was only deep enough to restrict the children's movements, not endanger their lives.
Meanwhile, Naruto, still trapped in the swamp, thought of a possibility.
A swamp was, in a sense, a liquid.
If he spread chakra beneath his feet, could he stand on its surface like he would on water?
Naruto immediately tried it.
After testing the idea, he discovered that it did reduce some of the swamp's restraining force.
However, standing completely on its surface was still impossible.
"..."
Kakashi naturally noticed what Naruto was attempting.
He was somewhat surprised.
Had Naruto's chakra control already reached this level?
Kakashi remembered that the Ninja Academy did not teach this kind of training.
Surprised or not, Kakashi suddenly rushed forward.
The entire purpose of creating the swamp had been to restrict Naruto's movements.
Naruto noticed Kakashi approaching.
He struggled toward the left, attempting to escape the swamp's range.
However, the instant he emerged, Kakashi released his next ninjutsu.
A mass of flames surged toward him.
Fireball Jutsu?
Kenichi's mouth twitched.
Another weakened technique.
Kakashi's chakra control was truly impressive.
Naruto desperately tried to dodge.
However, the distance between them was too short.
He had only just escaped the swamp and could not accelerate quickly enough.
The flames still grazed his arm.
A burning pain immediately spread through it.
"Sensei, are you serious?"
Naruto could not help shouting as he instinctively rubbed his injured arm.
But in the next second, tremendous force struck his abdomen.
The intense pain jolted his entire body.
Naruto was sent flying, rolled once across the ground, then finally came to a stop.
"You became distracted during a fight?"
Kakashi's voice was cold.
He had noticed Naruto's brief lapse in concentration.
Although it had lasted only an instant, carelessness like that could be fatal in a real battle.
"Naruto!"
Hinata anxiously broke free from the swamp and rushed out, only to witness Naruto being knocked away.
However, Naruto taking the attack had bought Sasuke enough time.
Sasuke had already climbed out of the ground.
He was beginning to feel some fatigue in his body.
Without hesitation, Sasuke removed the remaining weights strapped to him.
"It's time."
Sasuke looked at Kakashi.
He pushed off the ground with one foot and charged forward, aiming a kick at Kakashi's knee.
However, just before the attack landed, Sasuke abruptly changed its direction.
His foot struck one of the Narutos surrounding Kakashi instead.
The Naruto who had been struck looked at Sasuke in surprise.
He crossed his arms to block the powerful kick but was still sent flying away from the group of Shadow Clones besieging Kakashi.
"How did you figure it out?"
Kakashi was somewhat surprised.
Even Naruto himself had failed to notice.
"The eyes were wrong."
Sasuke revealed a pleasant smile.
He had trained alongside Naruto for a long time.
His understanding of Naruto's behavior had become quite deep.
"Sensei, I've got the bells."
Sasuke retracted his foot.
A pair of bells lay on the ground.
His kick had flattened both of them.
Kenichi yawned.
It was finally over.
Or rather, the actual combat portion had ended.
Kakashi rubbed his stomach.
He now seriously suspected that Sasuke had deliberately retaliated against him for using the Headhunter Jutsu earlier.
That little brat's strength was truly considerable.
Was Sasuke really a ninja from the Uchiha Clan?
Of course, Sasuke's kick had not been entirely motivated by revenge against Kakashi.
Although he admitted that revenge had played a small part.
The main reason was that Kakashi's bells had been hanging in the perfect place for him to strike.
What a pity.
Kakashi should have hung the bells between his legs.
If he had done that...
However, Sasuke had not forgotten his primary objective for the day.
He needed to obtain the bells.
Everything else was secondary.
"Good performance."
Kakashi felt around his waist.
The bells were indeed gone.
Although he still wanted to assess the three students further, he had clearly stated that their goal was to steal the bells.
He was not going to go back on his word.
"However, there are only two bells."
Kakashi smiled.
"That means one person won't receive lunch, and one of you must be eliminated and sent back to the academy."
Naruto and Sasuke froze.
What did that mean?
Someone had to be eliminated?
Hinata lowered her head.
She believed that she would undoubtedly be the one sent back.
Her performance during the exercise had been poor.
"Anyway, the decision is yours."
Kakashi glanced at Kenichi, who had merely watched from the side.
"Those who possess bells will remain. The one without a bell will return to the academy for further training."
After speaking, Kakashi used the Body Flicker Jutsu and disappeared.
He left the decision entirely to the three children.
With Kakashi absent, their true nature could be tested more effectively.
Kakashi did not want students who refused to value their comrades.
Naruto fell into a dilemma.
Sasuke definitely needed to graduate.
As for Hinata...
Naruto glanced at Sasuke beside him.
During this period, he had trained with Sasuke every day.
Although Naruto still sometimes found Sasuke's gloomy expression annoying, their relationship was no longer as bad as it had once been.
Naruto had already begun to consider Sasuke a friend.
As for Hinata, he did remember her because of his older brother's reminder.
However, Naruto was not especially close to her.
If they had not been placed on the same team, they might never have interacted much.
Yet when Naruto saw Hinata standing there with her head lowered, he felt strangely restless.
He could not bring himself to abandon a comrade, even if his bond with Hinata was not particularly deep.
"Don't make this so complicated."
Sasuke shook his head.
"The three of us are a team. We advance together, and we retreat together."
He casually picked up one of the lunch boxes and handed it to Hinata.
"Right. We advance and retreat together."
Naruto also raised his fist.
He had made his decision.
He was unwilling to send either of them back to the academy.
A faint, happy smile appeared on Sasuke's face.
He wanted to become stronger and did not want to waste any more time at the Ninja Academy.
However, after looking at the two people before him, Sasuke still let out a long sigh.
"At worst, we return to the academy for another semester. Our strength is already sufficient anyway."
Sasuke remained confident.
Although he wanted to kill that man, he also did not want to lose Naruto as a friend.
Hinata was also his comrade, even if they had known each other for only a day.
"As for these bells, doesn't half of one still count as one?"
Naruto suddenly had a bold idea.
He picked up one of the bells and forcefully tore it apart.
Soon, the bell had been split into two pieces.
Naruto gave one half to Sasuke and tossed the other to Hinata.
Sasuke stared blankly at the flattened half bell in his hand.
Was that really allowed?
"You brats!"
Kakashi suddenly appeared in front of them and roared.
Naruto and Sasuke shuddered.
Hinata was also startled.
However, Kakashi soon smiled and announced that they had passed.
Naruto and Sasuke were both astonished.
Kenichi already understood the true purpose of the test, but he pretended not to know so he would not draw Kakashi's attention.
After Kakashi explained everything, Naruto and Sasuke finally smiled with relief.
"Kakashi, the missions these new genin can take are probably things like catching cats, finding dogs, and babysitting, right?"
Kenichi looked at Kakashi and asked.
Kakashi had been preparing to take his students out for a meal, but he paused after hearing the question.
He turned toward Kenichi and nodded.
"All ninja who have just become genin must begin with the simplest D-rank missions. That is part of the village's mission system."
Kakashi began to explain.
He was not truly explaining it to Kenichi.
After all, Kenichi was a Ninja Academy teacher.
Although he was mysterious, and although the Third Hokage had specifically ordered Kakashi not to provoke him, there was no reason for Kenichi to be unaware of such basic information.
Although Naruto and Sasuke possessed considerable ability, allowing them to skip this stage was clearly impossible.
The Third Hokage could not casually assign them C-rank missions immediately.
During times of peace, nearly all genin followed the same process.
Even the Legendary Sannin, who later became famous throughout the Shinobi World, had begun their careers by catching cats, purchasing groceries, and harvesting crops.
Only during wartime, especially when Konoha suffered a severe shortage of personnel, would newly graduated ninja be assigned more difficult missions.
"Huh? Kakashi-sensei, how long do we have to keep doing missions like that?"
Naruto felt his bright future suddenly darken.
The ninja he had imagined fought powerful enemies and earned widespread recognition.
They did not search for lost cats or perform farm work.
"In principle, you need to accumulate experience for some time before receiving C-rank missions."
Kakashi looked at him with his usual dead eye.
"There are also strict requirements regarding the number of completed missions before a ninja can be promoted to chunin or jonin."
Even before they officially began taking missions, Kakashi keenly sensed that something was wrong.
These three children did not seem like the type who would obediently follow regulations.
He could only hope they would not cause too much trouble.
This was Kakashi's first time officially leading a team.
He did not expect a spectacular beginning.
He only wanted something reasonably normal.
"Big brother, do you think we could go straight to C-rank missions?"
Naruto quietly walked over to Kenichi and whispered the question.
Although Sasuke did not turn his head, his eyes revealed that he was equally concerned about the answer.
Kenichi's mouth twitched.
He glanced at Kakashi.
"Unless you can beat Kakashi-sensei to a pulp right now."
Konoha had a unique system for training ninja.
However, remembering the genjutsu formed from Otsutsuki Isshiki's memories, Kenichi felt that while this system might benefit ninja, it was not necessarily good for the people commissioning the missions.
The people living around Konoha might have enjoyed relatively stable lives, but how much money could a farmer who depended entirely on agriculture possibly earn?
Hiring ninja to harvest crops could easily cost five thousand ryo.
That was not a small amount.
Kenichi had developed a basic understanding of Konoha's prices during his time here.
For an ordinary family, five thousand ryo could cover basic living expenses for one month, perhaps even two or three.
Spending all of that to hire ninja?
They might as well endure the hardship and complete the work themselves.
Kenichi could intervene.
His current strength was sufficient to transform this entire world.
As long as he sealed Madara in advance and prevented him from ever being resurrected, and as long as Otsutsuki Isshiki did not interfere, Kenichi could do almost anything he wanted.
But would that not simply turn this world into something similar to his previous one?
That seemed rather boring.
....
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