The Real Graduation Test

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"Huh? What do you mean real test? We already graduated!" Naruto said, confused.

"Hehehe, that's only to see who might be qualified individually, now we need to test you to see if your team is worthy of becoming real genin. Do you really think you could fight enemy ninja with what you learned in the academy? Could you resolve yourself to kill or be killed? Complete the mission even at the cost of your teammates' lives?"

"I'll n-never let my teammates die!" Exclaimed Hinata.

"I didn't want that either, but I have been faced with that difficult choice before. See that stone? Many of the names of my friends and comrades are there. They died for the sake of the mission. Sometimes their sacrifice made a real difference, and sometimes it was meaningless... that is the reality of what it means to be a shinobi. You live and die for the sake of your village, even if you aren't able to see the importance of your instructions at the time."

"I'll be strong enough to protect Konami and Hinata so they never get hurt, believe it!" Naruto yelled with a serious look on his face.

A small smile appeared on Yugao-sensei, "that's a good spirit to have. When you're in a life and death situation and things look grim, you just have to put your faith in the Hokage, your teammates and your own abilities. In the end whether you end up on that stone or live 'till you're as old as Lord Third depends on how strong you are and how well you work together as a team."

They were silent for a moment before their sensei asked a question. "Speaking of your team, can any of you tell me why you three are a team?"

"Because we're friends and we'll work well together?" Konami responded, questioningly.

"Because we're the strongest ninja in our class!" Naruto shouted.

"B-because our scores balance out the team?" Hinata hesitatingly responded in a quiet voice.

"Hmm, aside from Naruto you're all more or less correct. Naruto was the last place in your class in every department. Hinata was the second place kunoichi in your class. And Konami did very well in jutsu and academics but did miserably in taijutsu, leaving her as an average student. The three of you have the potential to become a very well-rounded team, with a sensor-nin, a ninjutsu specialist and a front-liner tank kinda ninja. Together you are undoubtedly stronger than you are individually." She smiled looking over her three new students.

"For now I'm going to test your abilities to get a grip of where you are individually, after that will come the final test to see if you will remain a team or be sent back to the academy."

The three had a serious look on their faces as Naruto gulped loudly.

Afternoon

Naruto lay face first in the dirt with his butt sticking up in the air. Hinata lay on her back under a tree drinking water. Konami hung upside down from a rope around her feet tied to a tree branch.

After cutting the rope holding the Uzumaki girl, the sensei walked to the middle of the clearing and cleared her throat. "Ok kids, I'm done testing your abilities. In summary... you're all terrible. You wouldn't be able to hold a fight against a monkey."

The girls looked downcast while Naruto woke up and started trying to find the monkey they were talking about.

"But... you have potential, so I'll let you take on the final challenge. But first a question!" The sensei said with narrowed eyes.

"Where can you find the most valuable treasure in the world?" The sensei asked in a firm tone.

"In the l-library? The knowledge of p-past generations?" Hinata asked hopefully.

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