After the time for Team 7's survival training was set, Senju Haruto arrived quickly at the training site. The moment he got there, he carefully suppressed his chakra so no one would detect his presence.
However, once he reached the clearing, the system that usually confirmed his "sign-in" didn't trigger right away.
It seemed like it would only activate at a very specific moment.
If I'm not mistaken, Haruto mused silently, it'll probably trigger when Kakashi officially declares Team 7 has passed the test.
With that guess in mind, he decided not to interfere and simply remained hidden in the shadows, quietly observing the scene unfold.
Kakashi's chosen training ground was, fittingly, right in the heart of a forest. The terrain and foliage made it an ideal location for concealment and ambushes.
It's starting, Haruto thought, eyes narrowing slightly as he watched Kakashi pull two small bells from his pouch and begin explaining the rules to Naruto and the others. Once he finished, Kakashi clipped the bells to his belt.
If I remember the original story correctly, Haruto recalled, Kakashi mocked Naruto for being dead last, which made him angry enough to rush in and kick things off.
But now… things are different. This Naruto has just returned from training at Mount Myōboku. There's no way Kakashi would still consider him the weakest in the group.
I wonder how it'll play out this time.
Especially considering that Naruto now had access to both Sage Mode and the Nine-Tails Chakra Cloak—the so-called "golden form."
At this point, it was honestly debatable whether Kakashi could even hold his own against Naruto in a straight fight.
"If there are no questions," Kakashi finally announced, "then I declare the exercise officially—begin!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Sakura and Sasuke vanished into the treeline, their bodies blending with the shadows like trained shinobi.
After all, Kakashi was no ordinary jōnin. Compared to someone like Iruka-sensei, his strength was on a completely different level.
And this exercise would determine whether or not they were truly qualified to become genin.
Because of that, the two of them were taking the test seriously—staying hidden, watching closely, and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. That was the key.
Kakashi nodded to himself, clearly satisfied.
They were shinobi—not front-line soldiers.
And for a shinobi, suppressing one's presence and hiding one's movements were among the most basic, fundamental skills.
Only those who could endure and wait for the right moment truly deserved to be called ninja.
Kakashi was just about to praise them for their smart approach… when a loud voice suddenly erupted behind him.
Instinctively, he turned around—only to see Naruto Uzumaki standing proudly in the open, fists clenched in front of his chest like a prizefighter.
"Alright, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto shouted with full confidence. "Let's settle this, one-on-one!"
Kakashi: "???"
Sasuke: "???"
Sakura: "???"
Even Haruto, watching from the shadows, couldn't help but groan.
Classic Naruto… he muttered internally. In the original timeline, he did the exact same thing—charged straight at Kakashi and challenged him head-on.
Apparently, not even years of training at Mount Myōboku had changed that part of him.
No… Haruto shook his head slightly. This isn't a flaw. This is just who Naruto is.
Even without overwhelming strength, he'd always had the courage to charge forward without hesitation.
And now that he actually had power? That fearless streak was even more pronounced.
People who stayed hidden, waited for openings, and struck only when certain of victory… that just wasn't Naruto's way.
"That complete idiot…" Sasuke hissed from behind the cover of a nearby tree, gritting his teeth.
He'd assumed that after several years apart, Naruto would've grown more mature—maybe even developed a bit of tactical sense.
But no. Apparently, he was still as single-minded as ever.
Did he have any idea what kind of person he was challenging?
Kakashi was a jōnin—one of the Hidden Leaf's elite.
He might act laid-back and nonchalant, but his strength was unquestionable.
"This is beyond stupid…" Sakura muttered under her breath, fingers tightening into fists.
She had originally planned to team up with Sasuke and coordinate their attacks, but she hadn't even been able to track his movements after the test began. Now she was alone, hiding in the underbrush.
And with Naruto blowing their cover like this, she could only imagine how badly things would go.
If Naruto gets eliminated right now, she thought uneasily, then that just leaves me and Sasuke…
Meanwhile, Kakashi stood there with a helpless look in his eye.
Did this kid have any understanding of what it meant to be a shinobi?
Sure, he hadn't spent his formative years in a normal ninja academy, but still… basic knowledge like this? Someone had to have explained it to him, right?
Then again… maybe not.
Kakashi sighed and shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it. Instead, his hand drifted down toward his tool pouch.
Naruto, seeing that, grew visibly more serious.
Even though he'd trained for years at Mount Myōboku and gained immense strength, this was still his first real battle since returning.
And without any accurate intel on Kakashi's current level, he had no way of knowing how wide the gap truly was between them.
The only jōnin he'd ever interacted with in battle before were Jiraiya—his teacher—and Senju Haruto.
Jiraiya's Sage Mode wasn't as refined as Naruto's own, but his experience in real combat and his mastery over ninjutsu and chakra control still far surpassed Naruto's.
As for Haruto… his power was so overwhelming that Naruto couldn't even begin to compare.
But there was another reason Naruto wanted to give it his all here—Sakura.
No matter what, she was the girl he liked.
Even if she still seemed to be completely focused on Sasuke, Naruto hadn't given up hope.
He wanted—no, he needed to show her just how far he'd come.
Wait a second…!
Suddenly, a thought popped into Naruto's head, and his expression lit up.
Kakashi-sensei has two bells… If I just grab both of them, I can give one to Sakura!
That way, Sasuke will be the one left without a bell. He'll be the one eliminated!
Then it'll be just me and Sakura… alone… our own little world…
Despite all the progress he'd made in training, Naruto's mental maturity was still… very much Naruto.
Watching him grin to himself like he'd already won, Kakashi could only rub his temple in exasperation.
Is this kid really the son of Minato-sensei? he wondered.
Kakashi inhaled slowly, then reached into his pouch—not for a weapon, but for his favorite orange novel, Icha Icha Paradise.
"I don't know what you're so excited about," he said calmly, "but if you're ready, Naruto… go ahead and attack."
"Just keep in mind—there's not much time left before noon."
Naruto's grin widened. "Then you'd better be careful, Kakashi-sensei."
He didn't rush in immediately, though.
No—he raised his voice first, making sure to project it loud enough so that Sakura could hear every word.
"Sakura! Watch closely! This is the new me!"
From her hiding spot, Sakura couldn't help rolling her eyes.
Idiot, she thought. In her mind, Naruto wouldn't last a single exchange against Kakashi.
But the next second—every single person present froze in place.
Because instead of charging in recklessly like they all expected…
Naruto vanished.
Poof— gone, in a blur.
"Where did he go?!" Sasuke's eyes widened, scanning the area in disbelief.
That speed—he hadn't even been able to track it.
And then, just as suddenly, Naruto reappeared—right in front of Kakashi, hand outstretched, lunging for the two bells.
The movement was so fast, so sharp, it caught even Kakashi slightly off guard.
"This guy… is this really the same dead-last from before?" Sasuke muttered, stunned.
Just what the hell had Naruto been doing these past few years to grow this much?