Konoha's Third Training Ground.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled light spots on the grass.
Three young men and women, each with a distinct style, stood there with bewildered expressions.
Jiraiya, with his white hair and a face still not fully recovered from swelling, was secretly casting glances at the golden-haired girl beside him.
Ever since being "punished" by Hokage-sama, he felt his ideological realm had been elevated, and Tsunade looked even more beautiful to him than before.
"Tsunade, from today onwards we are teammates, please guide me in the future!"
He struck what he considered his most handsome pose.
In response, he received Tsunade's fist, as big as a cooking pot.
"Get lost, dead last!"
Jiraiya shrieked, flying off in a graceful arc and landing, hanging from a distant tree branch.
On the other side, the pale-faced Orochimaru merely cast a cold glance at the two clowns, his golden snake-like eyes filled with undisguised disdain.
"Idiots."
He muttered two words, feeling that being grouped with these two had truly lowered his caliber.
Tsunade, on the other hand, stood with her hands on her hips, looking arrogant; as the granddaughter of the First, she was deeply displeased to be grouped with a dead last like Jiraiya.
Just as the scene descended into chaos, a figure silently appeared in the middle of the three.
"It seems you all are getting along quite well."
Hiruzen Sarutobi was dressed in a sleek Ninja uniform, a gentle, characteristic smile on his face.
But looking at the messy scene, he felt his stomach begin to ache faintly again.
The future Legendary Sannin?
Is this all there is?
"Sensei!"
Orochimaru and Tsunade immediately stood at attention, respectfully calling out.
Jiraiya, still hanging from the tree, also struggled to shout: "Hokage… ah, no, Sensei!"
"From today onwards, I will be your Jonin instructor."
Hiruzen Sarutobi surveyed the three of them, speaking slowly.
"Here with me, there is only one rule."
He took out two shiny bells from his Ninja tool pouch, shaking them at his fingertips, producing a crisp sound.
"The old rule: whoever snatches these two bells from my hand before noon passes the test."
"Those who pass can eat lunch."
"As for those who don't snatch them…"
He pointed to the three wooden stakes in the center of the training ground.
"You'll be tied to them, watching us eat."
Upon hearing about food, Jiraiya instantly lit up, not caring that he was still hanging from the tree.
"Snatching bells? Easy peasy! I am the future Jiraiya the Gallant!"
Orochimaru's snake-like eyes flickered slightly as he quickly analyzed the terrain, wind direction, and any potential weaknesses Hiruzen Sarutobi might have.
Tsunade confidently clenched her fists, making a "crack, crack" sound.
In her opinion, although Sensei was the Hokage, he was an elder after all; he wouldn't actually go all out against them, would he?
As long as she unleashed her monstrous strength, snatching a bell would be a piece of cake, wouldn't it?
"Then…"
Hiruzen Sarutobi tied the bells to his waist.
"The test begins!"
As soon as his voice fell, Jiraiya leaped down from the tree, charging forward like a mad bull, roaring.
"Watch me!!"
He unleashed his signature Taijutsu; although unrefined, it was full of momentum.
However, he only felt a blur before his eyes, and all his punches and kicks hit empty air.
When he looked up again, Hiruzen Sarutobi's figure had long since disappeared.
"Bang!"
Jiraiya's feet lost purchase, and he fell into a pre-dug pit, then was hoisted upside down by ropes, swinging back and forth.
"Damn it! When did he dig this trap?!"
"When you charged over."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice came from the tree.
With a simple Substitution Jutsu, he had easily fooled Jiraiya.
"Tsunade, don't think I can't see you."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's tone shifted as he looked at another large tree.
Seeing her whereabouts exposed, Tsunade no longer hid, letting out a fierce shout and punching the ground.
"Monster Strength Punch!"
Boom!
The ground cracked, debris flew, and the immense power made the entire training ground tremble.
She intended to force Hiruzen Sarutobi to reveal himself with this unreasonable method.
As the dust cleared, Hiruzen Sarutobi still stood intact on the original tree branch, not even a wrinkle in his clothes.
"Good strength, but unfortunately, if you can't hit anyone, it's meaningless."
Tsunade's face turned red with anger, she pushed off the ground, launching herself like a cannonball towards Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Her fists whistled through the air, one punch faster than the last.
However, Hiruzen Sarutobi's movements were as slippery as an eel.
No matter how swift Tsunade's attacks were, he always managed to dodge them with the smallest movements and the most incredible angles, just right.
Tsunade's fists couldn't even graze his clothes.
"How can this be…"
Tsunade was panting from exhaustion; she felt like she was punching a ball of cotton, unable to exert her full strength.
Just then, a dark shadow silently darted out from the grass behind Hiruzen Sarutobi.
It was Orochimaru, who had been lurking for a long time!
Shuriken—
Several shuriken suddenly shot from his sleeve, flying towards Hiruzen Sarutobi's back.
The timing was perfect.
However, Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, not even turning around.
With a shift of his body, he dodged the shuriken.
The three youngsters' stamina was completely depleted in repeated ineffective attacks.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was like an insurmountable mountain; no matter what methods they used, they couldn't budge him an inch.
"Hoo… hoo…"
The three collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, their faces etched with frustration.
Hiruzen Sarutobi then slowly jumped down from the tree, walked over to them, and jingled the two intact bells at his waist.
"Do you want to continue?"
The three remained silent.
All their pride, all their confidence, had been crushed in the test just now.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at their expressions, then finally revealed a satisfied smile.
If he didn't beat them into submission, he wouldn't be able to say what he needed to say next.
"Now, question time."
He squatted down, looking at their three unwilling faces.
"Have you ever wondered why there are three of you, but only two bells here with me?"
All three were stunned.
Jiraiya scratched his head: "Because Sensei wants to eliminate one of us?"
"Idiot!" Tsunade punched him, "He definitely wants to test who among us is more outstanding!"
Orochimaru fell into deep thought; he vaguely sensed something but couldn't grasp the main point.
Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head.
"Wrong."
"Because from the very beginning, I never expected you to snatch the bells from my hand single-handedly."
"This test, from start to finish, was not about your individual abilities."
"But about teamwork."
He stood up, his voice becoming serious.
"Jiraiya, you only charge in recklessly; you're the best decoy."
"Tsunade, your monstrous strength is the absolute main force for a frontal assault."
"And Orochimaru, your calm mind and mysterious Ninjutsu are best suited for finding opportunities for a fatal blow from the shadows."
"If the three of you had teamed up, devised a strategy, with Jiraiya attracting my attention, Tsunade providing frontal suppression, and Orochimaru ambushing from the side, perhaps there would have been a one-in-ten-thousand chance to touch my bells."
"But what did you do?"
"Fighting individually, distrusting each other, even guarding against one another."
"You are not a team; you are just three conceited idiots."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's words were like heavy hammers, striking their hearts.
Only then did they realize.
So, this was the true purpose of the test.
And they had handed in a zero-point answer sheet.
Of course, Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't tell them that he had already pre-enacted a hundred ways they would fail fighting alone in the simulator.
This test, from the very beginning, was a "teaching lesson" tailored specifically for them.
Seeing the shame and understanding that appeared on their faces, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that today's goal had been achieved.
He untied the two bells from his waist and threw them on the ground.
"Lunchtime is here; if you want to eat, figure out how to untie the ropes binding your companion."
He pointed to Jiraiya, who was still hanging upside down.
After speaking, he took out his bento, sat on a wooden stake, and began to eat by himself.
Tsunade and Orochimaru exchanged glances, for the first time putting aside their prejudices and working together to release Jiraiya.
Watching the three, still bickering but already sharing food, a subtle curve appeared at the corner of Hiruzen Sarutobi's mouth.
"From today onwards, Team Sarutobi is officially established."
He looked at these three brilliant stars before him, who would one day illuminate the entire Ninja World, and thought silently to himself.
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