Being a rogue ninja is worse than being Hokage.

Naruto, however, knew exactly what Kakashi meant by "exam".

"Exams... Teacher, why do we have to take exams even after we graduate?"

Sakura asked the question.

"You're talking about the graduation exam at the Ninja Academy, right? That's just a selection process."

Seeing Sakura's questioning gaze, Kakashi explained:

"In other words, the school's graduation exam selects 27 students who have the potential to become ninjas, but of these 27 graduates, only 9 will be officially granted the status of genin."

By this point in Kakashi's explanation, Sakura and Sasuke had understood the meaning of the "exam" he was referring to.

The initial excitement of graduating smoothly was instantly shattered by Kakashi's nonchalant attitude.

"This exam will eliminate 18 students, making it an extremely difficult exam with an elimination rate as high as 66%."

But Kakashi continued to stir up the three's sorrowful emotions, his tone carrying a hint of intimidation:

"Those who fail the exam will have their rank lowered, but if you withdraw voluntarily, you will only have to go back to school and repeat a year. Think carefully about whether you can pass the test arranged by the Jonin. If you want to withdraw, tell me now."

Kakashi said this to the three of them, but his eyes were fixed on Sakura.

Although it was their first meeting, Kakashi managed to get a general idea of ​​the personalities of the three members of Team 7.

Of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, Sakura is the most likely to withdraw from the exam at this moment due to feelings of worry and fear.

"Kakashi-sensei, what's the exam going to be like tomorrow?"

When Sakura hesitated under Kakashi's gaze, Naruto raised his hand to ask a question, drawing Kakashi's attention.

"Wilderness survival drill".

"Hey—we've made this kind of thing a lot of times at school!"

"This time, your opponent is not a student of the same age, but me, a Jonin."

"Well……"

"Naruto, if you're scared, you can consider quitting."

Kakashi gave a hint.

"I've finally graduated, I'm not giving up!" Naruto rejected Kakashi's suggestion, and smiled at Sakura beside him: "Let's work hard together, Sakura!"

Naruto interrupted her random thoughts, and Sakura looked at him, her mood surprisingly relaxed: "Yeah, of course."

"Sasuke, you should try your best too."

Naruto said something to Sasuke again.

Sasuke's response was, of course, a cool snort.

Kakashi looked at Naruto, then glanced at Sakura.

Sakura was almost about to quit when Naruto stopped her at the crucial moment and successfully comforted her with a few words.

"Then we'll meet at the training ground at five o'clock tomorrow morning. Bring your ninja tools."

Continuing to manipulate their emotions would be pointless. Kakashi stepped away from the railing and revealed the location of tomorrow's mission.

"That's all for today, dismissed!"

Kakashi waved his hand, then paused suddenly, as if remembering something, and said again: "Oh right! Remember not to eat breakfast, the exam is quite intense, you'll throw up."

After saying this, Kakashi used the Body Flicker Technique to disappear from the rooftop.

Only the three members of Class 7 remained on the rooftop, staring at each other in bewilderment.

Naruto stared at the spot where Kakashi had disappeared.

I never imagined that Kakashi would even lie about his rating dropping in order to create a sense of terror.

"I'm going back now."

Naruto stood up. Now that the meeting was over, he had no reason to stay any longer.

"Wait a minute, Naruto."

Sasuke suddenly called out to Naruto.

Naruto turned to look at Sasuke, wondering why Sasuke had suddenly called out to him.

"Don't be late again tomorrow."

You should say that to Kakashi.

"understood."

Thinking this to himself, Naruto said he understood.

……

The next day, at 5 a.m., at the Konoha Ninja Training Grounds.

Naruto, munching on his rice ball, looked at Sakura and Sasuke, who had come over with him, and said, "You two are late."

"There are still ten minutes until five o'clock, you're too early."

Sakura yawned, her eyes still sleepy.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was just as energetic as Naruto, showing no signs of the fatigue often associated with waking up early.

He noticed the rice ball in Naruto's hand: "Didn't we say we shouldn't eat breakfast?"

"I don't have the habit of going hungry."

Naruto said he didn't take Kakashi's refusal to let him eat breakfast to heart at all.

Kakashi, who is notoriously late, said they would meet at five in the morning, but he never actually showed up at the training ground until after ten.

It was already lunchtime.

"Do you want some? I have two more rice balls."

Naruto asked while eating.

Sasuke didn't answer; the fact that he kept his hands in his pockets made his stance clear.

Sakura shook her head, put her backpack on the grass, and then sat there leaning against it to catch up on her sleep.

Naruto stopped talking and continued eating his rice ball.

Of all things under heaven, eating is the most important.

The sun rose into the sky, dispelling the morning mist.

The cool mornings are gone, replaced by mornings with blinding sunlight.

"I'm sorry, the cat I delivered yesterday has come to repay my kindness today."

Kakashi arrived late, around 10:30 a.m.

Oh, it's a TV series...

Faced with Kakashi's reason for being late, the three members of Team 7 had the same thought for the first time.

"Alright! Let's begin the exam!"

Kakashi put the awkwardness of no one acknowledging his sense of humor out of his mind and took out a small alarm clock, placing it on the wooden stake.

"From now until the alarm goes off at noon, you must complete the tasks I have assigned you."

Kakashi raised the two silver bells in his hand and shook them gently.

The bells jingled as they rang together.

"I have two bells here. Your task is to snatch them from me before noon. Anyone who fails to snatch a bell will not be allowed to eat lunch!"

Kakashi's words stunned Sakura and Sasuke.

So that's why you shouldn't eat breakfast.

Both of them glanced at Naruto instinctively.

"what happened?"

Noticing the three's unusual behavior, Kakashi asked curiously.

"But Kakashi-sensei, you only have two bells."

These two really can't keep secrets. Naruto spoke up, diverting Sakura and Sasuke's attention.

"Naruto, I didn't expect you to be so perceptive."

After Naruto pointed out the number of bells, Kakashi ignored the previous interlude and returned to the main topic.

Kakashi squinted.

Even though half of his face was covered by a mask, the three members of Team 7 could still sense Kakashi's mischievous smile.

"Because I need to ensure that, in the best-case scenario, there will always be one person in a three-person ninja squad who doesn't have food to eat."

Kakashi spoke these insidious words in a cheerful tone.

His expression immediately turned serious: "Enough with the jokes—I never intended for all of you to pass this exam, so I'm definitely going to eliminate one person."

The tests set by Jonin are on a completely different level from the mild school exams.

At the Ninja Academy, the teachers would do their best to ensure that every student could pass the test smoothly.

But Kakashi adheres to the most primitive and cruel survival of the fittest principle in the ninja world.

Sakura and Sasuke felt a sense of... pressure for the first time.

The pressure of spending the rest of my life as a ninja.

"But as I just said, this is the best-case scenario. Because I have no intention of letting the remaining two people pass the test, I will do everything I can to stop you from stealing the bell. By noon, the three of you can go back to school hand in hand."

He stared at Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto.

All three of them looked as if they were facing a formidable enemy; what interesting expressions!

"Ninja tools and ninjutsu can all be used on me without any restrictions. Although this is an exam, it is also a formal mission. Without the determination to kill the 'enemy,' it is impossible to succeed."

Do you understand?

Faced with Kakashi's question, Sakura and Sasuke both subconsciously swallowed.