[Ding-a-ling—]
[Kakashi's voice fell.]
[Those two small bells buzzed again.]
[Sakura frowned slightly.]
[Sasuke froze for a moment, then slightly narrowed his eyes, seemingly deep in thought.]
[Naruto's reaction, however, suddenly became exaggerated.]
[It was quite different from what Kakashi had expected.]
[However, the three of them did not develop hostility towards each other because of his words.]
['A team cannot be formed with fewer than three people.']
['Stealing the bells... is this Konoha's old tradition?']
[Naruto sneered internally.]
[Inside the Sealing Space, the Great Fox said carelessly: "What are you thinking about now?"]
["It doesn't matter, you'll definitely pass anyway."]
["It's that Uchiha brat who is definitely going to be eliminated."]
["That's fine, Uchiha people look annoying to This Fox."]
[Naruto shook his head and said, "No, no one will be eliminated."]
["Oh."]
[The Great Fox immediately looked uninterested.]
[However, Naruto still didn't stop talking.]
["I felt something was wrong yesterday."]
["If we hadn't noticed the anomaly, we would have been led around by Kakashi."]
["Under yesterday's psychological suggestion and pressure, we most likely wouldn't have eaten breakfast today."]
["We would also have gotten up at six o'clock and waited for him until now; even the most good-tempered person would lose their composure."]
["At this moment, Kakashi throws out this kind of problem again, and we would definitely make the wrong judgment immediately."]
["There are only two bells, but there are three of us. The first thought might be how to grab a bell, but the second thought that arises must be that one person must be eliminated. So, out of the three of us, who will it be?"]
["Alright, alright, This Fox knows." The Great Fox quickly waved its paw, trying to stop Naruto from continuing.]
[Whatever works. Anyway, This Fox is a Tailed Beast, This Fox doesn't want to care or use its brain. You are the Jinchuriki, just use your brain. Don't interfere with This Fox's cultivation... Ptooey, reading novels!]
[Naruto was still pestering the Great Fox.]
[Sakura and Sasuke also fell silent for a moment.]
[Seeing this, Kakashi did not rush them, giving the three enough time to digest the information.]
Ōnoki: "Still as malicious as ever."
Homura Mitokado: "To people wearing colored glasses, everything looks dark!"
Senju Tobirama: "You shut up!!"
Oh ho~
You dare to jump out and prance around?
Are you saying that my moral standing hasn't been ruined enough by you all?
Fourth Raikage: "Indeed, what the Old Thing said makes sense."
Fourth Raikage: "This kind of assessment is truly repulsive. It's only because these children just became Ninja and aren't deeply calculating; otherwise, they would instantly see the viciousness of this assessment."
Mei Terumī: "Well, actually, my Hidden Mist Village isn't qualified to comment on this..."
Kurotsuchi: "Now that you mention it, that's true."
Ōnoki: "You are still too young."
Ōnoki: "After this whole setup, under normal circumstances, they would already be starting to distrust each other and show a tendency toward internal conflict."
Ōnoki: "If they can't beat Kakashi, who is the Jōnin Instructor, it doesn't mean they can't beat the weakest member of the team."
Ōnoki: "Lunchtime is probably another test. Team assignments are usually random."
Ōnoki: "Would you give up the chance to become a Ninja for a friend?"
Fourth Raikage: "Especially for a team that just formed and hasn't started developing team spirit yet."
I see.
Kurotsuchi frowned, suddenly enlightened, but being lectured by her own Old Man made her a bit displeased.
Temari: "Looking at it this way, Kakashi wasn't lying. This kind of assessment really isn't something an average person can pass."
Kankuro: "But if you understand the intent, passing becomes incredibly simple."
Might Guy: "Naruhodo~"
Might Guy: "Those who break the rules are trash, and those who don't cherish their comrades are worse than trash."
Uchiha Obito: "Hmph, boring."
Senju Tobirama: "That's too forced! This is unreasonable!"
Senju Tobirama: "If you don't want to lead them, just refuse! Are you trying to ruin these children?!"
Kakashi Hatake: "..."
Kakashi Hatake: "I apologize, the unreasonable one is me, not..."
Before Kakashi could finish, Senju Tobirama said again: "It's inherently unreasonable. There are plenty of ways to train teamwork."
Senju Tobirama: "A monkey created this, didn't he?"
Orochimaru: "Black-framed Naruto-kun's performance truly hasn't disappointed."
Orochimaru: "He has already seen through this useless assessment!"
["This assessment has a strong flavor of the Will of Fire."]
[Inside the Sealing Space, Naruto shook his head.]
And at this moment.
Inside the arena, Naruto also suddenly realized something. He looked at the silent Sasuke beside him and said:
"Sasuke, did you realize it back then?"
Sasuke glanced at him indifferently and turned his head away.
Naruto shook his head and smiled.
So that's how it is.
Turns out I was just being sentimental.
However.
Naruto looked at Sasuke, and the corner of his mouth unconsciously lifted again.
'He really is a Tsundere.'
[Naruto retracted his thoughts and looked at Kakashi.]
['Kakashi's assessment shouldn't be a normal assessment.']
['He shouldn't agree with the idea of prioritizing missions above all else, after all, he is no longer the ignorant child who could only watch his father commit suicide back then.']
[Naruto looked at the headband on Kakashi's forehead.]
['This bell-stealing assessment...']
['Collective interest is greater than individual interest... Does that collective include the individual?']
['This collective must be the Old Thing and his cohorts.']
['They talk about the place where Konoha dances, the fire continues to burn, and old leaves burn themselves to protect the young sprouts. What I see and understand is only young sprouts burning themselves to illuminate the old leaves.']
[Shaking his head, Naruto spoke:]
["Let's begin, Kakashi-sensei."]
["Facing the three of us all at once, you need to be careful."]
[Naruto's voice fell.]
[Sasuke and Sakura were stunned for a moment.]
[Then they realized something.]
[That's right, facing three of us at once... No matter the situation, the three of us are a team.]
[Just like yesterday, the three of them are one unit, and even Kakashi-sensei, who is a Jōnin Instructor, can make concessions.]
[This scene caused threads of light to flicker in Kakashi's eyes.]
[As expected of you, Naruto!]
["Good."]
[He suppressed his inner emotions.]
["Well then, enough talk, let's start."]
["Next, whether you use shuriken or Ninjutsu or other methods doesn't matter."]
["If you don't have the resolve to kill me, it's absolutely impossible to snatch a bell from a Jonin."]
["No need to worry about danger."]
["Because in my eyes, even if you use all your strength and every method at your disposal, you pose no danger to me whatsoever."]
[Kakashi's words undoubtedly enraged Sasuke, and even Sakura's eye twitched, her fists clenching.]
[Kakashi-sensei looks like this... why is he as punchable as Sasuke?]