ꜱʜᴀᴅᴏᴡꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪꜱᴛ | ᴛᴇɴᴛᴇɴ ꜰꜰ|

Chapter Three

"Stomachs growling, huh?" Kakashi teased his four students, a mischievous glint in his eye as he addressed their hunger.

The training had been grueling, pushing them to their limits. But before they could celebrate their perceived victory, Kakashi's next words shattered their excitement. "By the way, as a result of this training, I've decided. I won't send any of you back to the academy," he declared, catching them off guard.

Naruto's jubilant cheer was cut short as Kakashi's following statement sunk in. "Yes, all of you are permanently dropped from the program," he stated, his words sinking into Ugetsu like a dagger. The horror and disappointment painted across Ugetsu's face were palpable. "But I stole the bell from you!" he protested, his voice trembling with disbelief and despair.

Kakashi acknowledged Ugetsu's accomplishment, but his response crushed Ugetsu's hopes. "Yes, you did," Kakashi conceded, his tone heavy with disappointment. "But not your friends. All of you don't think like ninjas. Brats like you don't deserve to be ninjas," he declared, his words cutting deep into Ugetsu's heart.

Ugetsu's trembling lips betrayed his inner turmoil, his disappointment palpable in the tremor of his voice. "That hurts," he mumbled, his spirit deflated by the weight of Kakashi's judgment.

Sasuke's anger surged, his fury radiating from every fiber of his being as he charged at Kakashi. But the seasoned Jounin effortlessly pushed him to the ground, asserting his dominance over the enraged Uchiha.

Sakura's eyes widened in shock as she shouted at Kakashi, her voice filled with concern and defiance. "Let go of Sasuke! You can't step on him like he's some bug," she protested, her protective instincts kicking in.

Ignoring Sakura's plea, Kakashi turned his attention back to his students, questioning their understanding of what it truly meant to be a ninja. "Do you understand what being a ninja means?" he asked, disregarding Sakura's interjection. "Why do you think we put you in squads?"

Their minds raced, grappling with the meaning behind Kakashi's words. Ugetsu's confusion deepened, his spirit yearning for answers. "To work together?" he ventured hesitantly, his voice laced with uncertainty.

Kakashi nodded, acknowledging Ugetsu's response. "Ugetsu is right, but it's too late. If all four of you had come at me together, you might have been able to get the bells," he explained, his tone tinged with a tinge of regret.

Sakura interjected, pointing out the obvious flaw in their initial approach. "But there are only three bells and four of us," she argued, her voice reflecting the team's collective frustration. Ugetsu nodded in agreement, silently affirming Sakura's observation.

"I purposely pitted you against each other," Kakashi confessed, revealing the true purpose behind their training. "I wanted to see if you would put your teammates ahead of yourself. A genin should have a natural feel for teamwork, but you guys... It never crossed your minds," he chided, his disappointment resonating within the young ninjas.

Kakashi's gaze shifted, singling out each student and highlighting their individual shortcomings. Sakura's unwavering fixation on Sasuke, Naruto's tendency to act alone, and Sasuke's superiority complex all came under scrutiny. And when Kakashi's gaze landed on Ugetsu, innocently clutching his bottle, he couldn't help but sigh, unable to comprehend the depths of Ugetsu's obsession.

"Why are you in your own world, and why are you so obsessed with your bottle?" Kakashi questioned, his voice tinged with a mix of perplexity and curiosity, leaving Ugetsu momentarily at a loss for words. "I could die if I don't hydrate myself, sensei," Ugetsu innocently replied, his grip on the bottle unwavering.

Kakashi's expression remained inscrutable, silently contemplating Ugetsu's response. He pressed on, emphasizing the critical importance of teamwork in missions and the potential consequences of prioritizing oneself over the team.