---
The sky turned yellow.
In the blink of an eye, Ye Dou had trained like this for the entire day.
Hyuga Neji, Rock Lee, and Tenten looked at the setting sun and began saying their goodbyes before heading home.
Only Might Guy stayed behind. As his students left, he suddenly asked,
"Did Kakashi say anything?"
Ye Dou replied calmly,
"Assemble tomorrow at five in the morning. Don't eat breakfast. You'll probably vomit."
"Hahaha, that's just like him." Guy laughed heartily, but his expression soon turned serious.
"Be ready, Ye Dou. Tomorrow is the survival exercise."
Survival exercises were a long-standing tradition in Konoha. Their purpose was twofold: to assert the teacher's authority and to give the jōnin instructor a chance to understand the strengths, weaknesses, and personalities of their team.
Once a genin team was formed, it was expected to remain intact. These teams would live and die together, carrying out dangerous missions in the service of the village.
That's why it was essential for the team leader to learn each member's combat style, skillset, and character. Only by doing so could they plan strategies and tailor their training.
But beyond that, survival exercises also served another purpose.
To put it bluntly—it was another test.
Unlike the graduation exam at the Academy, the decision this time rested entirely with the jōnin leader. Without the teacher's approval, the student would be sent back to the Academy.
So how could one gain a teacher's approval? There was no standardized answer. Every instructor had their own criteria.
Take Might Guy, for example. His standard was clear: You don't have to be the best—but you must never give up or slack off.
Hearing this, Ye Dou gave a soft, indifferent hum and continued waving the shinobi blade in his hand.
Guy hesitated for a moment, then said quietly,
"Ye Dou… Kakashi—he's had a rough past, not unlike yours. He's lost teammates too…"
Guy struggled internally, but he couldn't bring himself to say too much about Kakashi. He only gave the boy a vague hint.
He had no intention of giving Ye Dou an unfair advantage or interfering with Kakashi's judgment. Doing so would not only undermine Kakashi's decision—it would show a lack of trust in his own student.
Ye Dou merely responded with a quiet "Ah." His face remained unreadable.
There was no need for Guy to say anything more. Ye Dou already had a rough idea of what Kakashi's test would entail.
Kakashi Hatake's life had indeed been turbulent.
He was born into the Hatake Clan. His father, Sakumo Hatake, was the legendary "White Fang of Konoha," a hero of the village.
Kakashi was a child prodigy who lived under the shadow of his father's fame. He graduated from the Academy at five, became a chūnin at six, and was renowned as a genius.
But fate was cruel. Not long after Kakashi entered the Ninja Academy, Sakumo committed suicide after being disgraced for choosing to save his comrades over completing a mission.
The trauma changed Kakashi. Though he continued to train and grow stronger, his personality shifted drastically—cold, rigid, obsessed with rules.
Later, Kakashi was placed on Team Minato, under the future Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
There, he met a boy who would change the course of his life: Obito Uchiha.
Obito, who once dreamed of becoming Hokage, had a warm heart and wore his emotions on his sleeve. But in the chaos of war, Obito was presumed dead, crushed under a boulder.
Before being separated from his team, Obito entrusted Kakashi with his newly awakened Sharingan, a final gift to honor their bond.
And yet, even that wasn't the end of Kakashi's tragedy.
Not long after, during another mission, Kakashi was forced to kill his own teammate, Rin Nohara, in order to prevent a greater catastrophe. She had been turned into a human time bomb by Kirigakure to sabotage Konoha.
At just twelve or thirteen years old, Kakashi had already endured the death of his father, lost teammates, and personally taken the life of someone dear to him.
"Those who abandon the rules are scum…"
"…but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum."
These two statements—one from Sakumo, the other from Obito—summarized Kakashi's inner conflict and transformation.
So, if one wanted to earn Kakashi's approval, there was only one key:
"Abandon your ego. Prioritize the team."
---
[Survival Exercise]
The next morning.
Ye Dou rose before dawn, stretched his body, and after a light breakfast, headed toward the meeting point.
Along the way, the mongoose at his side was unusually animated, chattering as it coached him on controlling his expressions.
"Listen, Ye Dou. Facial expressions are a second language. That white-haired Kakashi isn't easy to fool. You can't let any emotion slip. Want to look sad? Tilt your chin up at exactly 45 degrees—no more, no less…"
Ye Dou stopped walking, turned his head, and asked,
"Where did you learn this nonsense?"
The mongoose snapped its fingers confidently.
"From Fanfan, King Han, and Kun Kun…"
Ye Dou didn't reply. He simply walked off in silence.
---
When he arrived at the training grounds, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto were already there. Judging by their posture, they'd been waiting for some time.
"You're late."
Sasuke's voice was cold and sharp.
Ye Dou ignored him and said instead,
"Gather up."
"Why should I listen to you?!" Naruto objected loudly—yet despite his words, he still walked over, curiosity getting the better of him.
Ye Dou remained calm.
"Today's task is the survival exercise. The three of us will be facing off against Kakashi."
As they gathered, he pulled out a pen and paper and began sketching a formation.
He explained the rules of the "Bell Test", but deliberately left out its true objective: to test their teamwork, not just individual strength.
Sasuke frowned.
"How do you know the test involves bells? There are three of us—but only two bells. How are we supposed to divide them?"
---