Naruto: The First Step

Chapter 25

The next day, the 3 arrived early in Training Ground #7 and waited for their sensei.

As you may have already known, the 3 ignored their sensei's order and ate breakfast. They're not gonna go down without a fight and they think its just fair that they should be strong enough to take down a Jounin if they work together.

Now here they are, still waiting for their M.I.A sensei for at least 2 hours now.

"Why does he always have to be so late?!", Naruto groaned.

Sakura herself was mentally throwing a tantrum.

30 minutes later, Kakashi appeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Hey. Sorry for being late. I got lost in the road of life.", Kakashi reasoned.

But they didn't seem to buy it.

"That's a lame excuse.", Naruto said.

"Anyway, today, I will be teaching you something important but you will know after the test.", Kakashi explained.

"What test, sensei?", Sakura asked.

"Glad you asked.", Kakashi said.

He pulled out 2 bells and held them in front of his masked face.

"It's called 'The Bell Test'. You try and take them from me before noon and you get to eat lunch.", Kakashi explained.

"But, sensei, there are only 2 bells. How are we all supposed to pass?", Naruto asked.

"That's the catch. Only 2 will pass and the 3rd will return to the academy and retake a year.", Kakashi said.

They all tensed by that.

"Feel free to use your shurikens and kunais. Even if you have to kill me just to get the bells, do it. Don't hold back on me.", Kakashi further explained.

'This guy's crazy. 2 bells?!', Sakura thought.

"Now when I count to 3, you will start.", Kakashi said.

He walked for a few meters away from them. He put the bells in his belt.

"Ready...", Kakashi started.

Naruto slowly pulled out a kunai from his holster.

"1...", Kakashi counted.

Naruto flings the kunai in his hold.

"2...", Kakashi continued.

Naruto held the kunai firmly in his grasp and held it above his head. He was about to throw it when Kakashi appeared behind him and held the kunai in place.

"My, my. Be patient. I haven't even said '3' yet.", Kakashi said.

Naruto groaned.

"Now, the first thing I'm going to teach you is how to hide properly. Make sure you are well hidden from your opponent. Use a jutsu if you must.", Kakashi said.

The 3 disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Kakashi calmly looked around in search for them.

"Well... they sure understood.", Kakashi commented.

A few meters away from him, the 3 hid separately. Sakura hid under a bush, Sasuke hid a few meters away from her and hid behind a tree. Naruto was the nearest to Kakashi, hiding on a tree branch of the tallest tree.

Naruto began formulating a plan on how to get the bells. He wasn't going to get back to the academy. But he thought of Sasuke and Sakura, too. He wasn't going to let them get back to the academy.

'Damn it! What am I supposed to do?! I can't let Sasuke and Sakura go back to the academy but I don't want to go back, too!', Naruto frantically thought.

He saw Sasuke and Sakura in a distance and saw the same confused look in both their faces.

'They must've been thinking the same.', he thought.

Sakura herself was thinking about what to do.

'Why does it have to be so confusing? I want to pass but at the same time, I also want to be with Naruto... and Sasuke.', she thought.

'Kya!! Let's do it for Naruto-kun!!', Inner Sakura said, pumping her fist in the air.

'And for Sasuke, as well. Remember?', Sakura corrected.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever.', Inner Sakura said.

Sakura shook her head. She sae Naruto on her right and Sasuke on her left. She decided to think this through with Naruto.

And she silently took off towards him.