ALL NOVEL Chapter 39: Battle for the bell
Chapter
39: Battle for the Bell
"What? Go back to the
Academy?" "Kakashi-sensei, are you kidding me?" Naruto and
Sakura widened their eyes in disbelief. Sakura, usually concerned about her
ladylike demeanor, was now in a state of panic. The thought of being sent back
to the Academy was a disaster, a humiliation she couldn't bear. It would make
her the laughingstock among her relatives and friends. This was something
Sakura absolutely could not accept.
The same went for Naruto. Sasuke,
with a cold look on his face, stared intently at Kakashi. He didn't want to go
back to the Academy and waste time. He was far from achieving his goal, and
every minute was precious.
'Is it coming? Battle for the bell!'
Menma also stood up, a serious expression on his face.
"Haha, do you think I'm joking?
This is an established rule. Don't think you can be called a ninja just because
you passed the graduation exam. Each team assignment requires a second
assessment. Only after passing can you truly graduate. If you fail, you go back
to the Academy. By the way, the passing rate for this assessment is only 30%. I
won't show mercy!" Kakashi said sternly, deliberately using a cold
expression to put psychological pressure on Naruto, Menma, Sakura, and Sasuke.
As expected, the expressions of the
four visibly tensed. However, Menma's reaction was mostly an act. He knew the
likelihood of Team 7 being sent back to the Academy was close to zero. The
composition of Team 7 was very complex, especially with Uzumaki Menma, the
Nine-Tailed Jinchuuriki, as a key asset. The Third Hokage needed to cultivate
Menma quickly to protect Konoha in critical moments. Kakashi's words were meant
to 'terrorize' them.
Mentally, Menma was clear, but he
needed to play along to blend in.
"Hmph, can't we just pass it?
Tell me, Brother Kakashi, what is the task? I won't lose to others!"
Naruto quickly adjusted his mentality, patting his chest vigorously.
Sasuke also showed an unprecedented
serious look. Menma remained calm. Only Sakura was genuinely worried about
failing and being sent back to the Academy.
"Haha, it's good to be
confident. The task is simple: a survival exercise. You have to snatch these
bells from me before noon. If you succeed, you pass. If not, you go back to the
Academy. This proves you are not qualified to be a ninja!" Kakashi said,
taking out a clock and setting it aside before pinning three bells on his
waist. He spoke in a very serious tone.
"Remember, if you don't snatch
it with the intention of killing me, you won't succeed!"
"But, Kakashi-sensei, there are
only three bells?" Sakura, most concerned about the assessment, noticed
the discrepancy and raised her hand.
"Haha, yes, only three. At
most, three of you can graduate. What to do depends on you four." Kakashi
smiled softly.
To Sakura, this sounded like a
demonic whisper. Her heart went cold. With only three bells, and seeing herself
as the weakest, she felt hopeless. Naruto also seemed distressed.
"Okay, the assessment has
officially begun! If you waste time, you'll all go back to the Academy!"
Kakashi leaned forward and waved his right hand.
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"
Menma, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
dispersed, hiding in the surrounding bushes. Survival drills were one of their
most frequent courses in the Academy, and they were familiar with the
procedures.
'Team collaboration is easy to say,
but very difficult to achieve with a newly established team!' Menma thought,
hiding not far away and observing Kakashi.
However, it didn't mean they had to
show perfect cooperation. As long as they had the right posture, it was enough.
Kakashi wouldn't treat them as real opponents. A Jonin facing Genin would be a
massacre. Kakashi would let them off as long as they created a convincing
surprise attack based on their current strength. The key was forming an
effective attack, but someone needed to test the waters first.
Seeing Naruto, not hiding at all and
standing face to face with Kakashi, Menma's pupils showed a faint light.
"Let me tell you, Naruto, this
is a survival exercise, right?" Kakashi looked at Naruto somewhat
helplessly.
"Hey, it's called a survival
exercise, but it's just about grabbing the bell. Brother Kakashi has fooled you
in every sparring session. This time, I must defeat you upright. Let's see,
Brother Kakashi!" Naruto chuckled.
"Boom!" He slumped down.
"kli" "kli" "kli"
Accompanied by his flying figure,
Naruto quickly threw out more than ten shurikens, taking on a semi-enveloping
stance, storming towards Kakashi's location.