All the clones marched forward at Kakashi, their movements synchronized like a tidal wave of orange. The ground trembled beneath their unified charge, clouds of dust rising with each step.
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed, the lazy demeanor from before vanishing as he raised his kunai and slipped into a battle stance.
The first wave of clones leaped in from multiple angles—front, sides, even above. Kunai glinted in their hands as they descended.
Kakashi ducked low, twisting his body with fluid precision, deflecting two strikes before countering with a swift kick that sent a clone bursting into smoke.
Another swung from behind, but Kakashi caught the wrist mid-swing and used the clone's momentum to flip it over his shoulder, the body dissolving before it hit the ground.
More clones came. A barrage of punches, kicks, and kunai flew at him in a relentless rhythm. Kakashi blocked, dodged, and parried with graceful efficiency, but even for him, it was like fighting a storm.
Dozens of Narutos surrounded him, shouting battle cries as they attacked with wild energy and unrefined determination.
One clone managed to grab Kakashi's arm while another aimed a kick at his side—but Kakashi vanished in a puff of smoke.
"Behind you!" a clone shouted, but too late.
The real Kakashi appeared behind them, delivering a spinning kick that scattered four clones at once.
His movements were so swift that the air itself seemed to crack from the sudden burst of motion, and before the clones could react, they were gone in clouds of white smoke.
'He's keeping up with all of them?!' Naruto thought in disbelief as he charged again, sweat rolling down his face.
Even though they were just clones, each shared his fatigue, his frustration — and his determination.
Kakashi's kunai flashed again, slashing through another clone's guard before he pivoted smoothly to block a simultaneous strike from two others.
Sparks flew as the weapons clashed. His single eye remained calm and unshaken, reflecting every movement with unnerving precision.
Every step Kakashi took was measured — every counterattack flowed like water. It was as though he wasn't fighting dozens of opponents but performing a well-rehearsed dance, each movement cutting perfectly into the rhythm of battle. He turned, ducked, struck, deflected — all without a single wasted motion.
Naruto, hidden in the treeline, clenched his fists tightly.
'He's reading all of them like a book… good. I need him to focus on them,' he thought, a small grin forming on his face.
He wasn't going to win through brute force — not against Kakashi.
He quickly made a hand sign, and ten more clones split off from the group, circling around to form a wide perimeter.
Dust billowed around the field as the newly formed ring of Narutos closed in like a trap.
"Let's see how you handle this, Kakashi-sensei!" all the clones shouted in unison, their voices echoing through the clearing.
Then they charged, every single one moving with synchronized purpose, filling Kakashi's vision with a blur of orange and determination.
While the furious clash unfolded in front, Sakura silently slipped through the shadows behind a cluster of bushes. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she stayed focused.
As Kakashi's attention remained locked on the charging clones, she formed a quick hand seal, her chakra molding perfectly.
"Transformation Jutsu," she whispered.
A puff of smoke concealed her for an instant — and when it cleared, another Naruto emerged, perfectly identical to the rest. She slipped into the chaotic swarm, running in rhythm with the others.
Kakashi was too busy countering the barrage of attacks to notice. He flipped another clone over his shoulder, kicked one in the chest, and parried a downward slash with the flat of his kunai.
Each attack came faster, more desperate, but his defenses held firm.
That's when it happened.
While Kakashi was occupied dismantling the wave from the front, the disguised Sakura darted around the side, her movements quiet and precise.
She crept up behind him, eyes locked on the small set of bells hanging from his hip.
Timing her move perfectly between two of Kakashi's counters, she lunged forward and snatched them in one smooth motion. The bells jingled faintly — just loud enough for Kakashi's sharp ears to catch it.
The second she did, the clones froze mid-motion, all turning toward her. The battlefield fell silent. Dust drifted in the air as Kakashi slowly turned his head.
There she stood, releasing the transformation with a puff of smoke, revealing her pink hair and bright, triumphant grin. The bells jingled lightly in her hand.
"Oh, how creative," Kakashi said, his tone warm with amusement as he smiled beneath the mask.
He lowered his kunai, sliding it back into its holster as the remaining clones dissolved in clouds of smoke around them.
Sakura held up the bells proudly while Naruto emerged from the treeline, wide-eyed but grinning from ear to ear.
"You pass," Kakashi said simply, his voice carrying both approval and quiet satisfaction.
The morning breeze rustled through the trees as the last traces of chakra smoke faded away, marking the end of their first true test as a team.
Naruto ran over to them, and high-fived Sakura with a loud slap.
"We make a good team," Sakura said with a proud smile, brushing a bit of dust off her gloves.
"Yeah, we do. Never understood why we never got along before," Naruto replied with a teasing grin, acting as though he had no idea she used to treat him like a complete nuisance.
Sakura chuckled, shaking her head. "Well… I was a bit mean toward you. Due to someone," she said, rolling her eyes subtly — the 'someone' obvious to both of them.
"Yeah, someone," Naruto said, quoting with his fingers, his grin widening.
They both laughed, the sound light and genuine — a far cry from the awkward days of their Genin years.
It felt… peaceful. For once, they weren't bickering or competing; they were just two friends who had finally found common ground.
Kakashi, watching from a short distance away, closed his sharingan and smiled faintly under his mask.
He pulled out his little orange book and flipped it open lazily. "Well, I'm going home now. I have some… jutsu training to do," he said in that same casual tone that fooled no one.
Before he could take even a step, a firm hand landed on his shoulder.
"Why don't we go talk there, Kakashi," Jiraiya said from behind, his grin wide and knowing.
Kakashi sighed softly, snapping his book shut. "...I suppose that means no reading time today," he muttered as Jiraiya pulled him along by the shoulder, dragging him toward the village path.
The two older shinobi disappeared around the corner, leaving only the faint echo of Jiraiya's teasing voice in the distance.
Moments later, Tsunade approached, her heels clicking lightly against the ground as she came to a stop near Naruto. Her arms crossed beneath her ample chest, her sharp amber eyes studying him from head to toe.
"Well, I'm pretty surprised at how much you've changed, Naruto," she said, her tone both approving and curious.
Naruto shrugged, scratching the back of his head with that familiar grin. "I mean, you haven't seen me in three years — not that surprising," he replied.
Tsunade smirked, tilting her head slightly. "Honestly, I half expected you to come back acting like Jiraiya. Thank god that didn't happen."
Naruto chuckled, rubbing his nose. "Ahah, well… we'll never know, will we?" he said, flashing her a mischievous smirk that looked a little too much like Jiraiya's for comfort.
Tsunade squinted, giving him a suspicious look. "Uh-huh… I'll keep an eye on you," she said dryly before sighing. "Anyway, I should get back to the office. I'll leave you two to it."
With that, she leapt gracefully onto a nearby rooftop and disappeared toward the Hokage Tower.
A few seconds of silence passed between Naruto and Sakura, the wind carrying the faint scent of blooming flowers through the training field. Then—
Growl.
Naruto's stomach made itself known, breaking the quiet.
Sakura blinked before laughing softly. "Guess someone's hungry," she teased.
"I'm feeling like some Ichiraku Ramen," Naruto said, his eyes lighting up instantly at the thought.
"Cool," Sakura replied with a smile. "I'll pay."
Naruto froze for a moment, eyes wide in disbelief, then beamed. "Wait—seriously?! Man, today just keeps getting better!"
They both laughed as they started walking off together toward the village, side by side — the sun setting warmly behind them, marking the end of one test and the beginning of something new between them.
TO BE CONTINUED