As Hanzo fell to the ground, Naruto and Sasuke looked on in horror at the Kunai imbeded in his throat. But as he got closer to the ground, the blood from the wound started to become clear and Hanzo's body splashed into water as it hit the ground. Naruto and Sasuke breath a sigh of relief.
"It's was a water clone." Sasuke said.
"Thank goodness. Wait, where is he then?" Naruto said. Naruto and Sasuke look around them but dont see Hanzo anywhere.
"I wouldn't be concerned with him right now. After all, I'm still here." Kakashi said, stepping forward. Naruto and Sasuke look at Kakashi and ready themselves for another fight.
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Elsewhere, Sakura was running through the trees. However, she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Hanzo standing in a small clearing. Sakura quickly hid behind a bush before she could be seen.
'Oh, no. Its Uzumaki-Sensei! I cant take him in a fight. But maybe I can sneak the bell off his waist?' Sakura thought. Sakura turned around to try and sneak away, but came face to face with a pair of red, slitted eyes.
Sakura blinked and found herself standing in a clearing. She looked around completely confused.
"Wait, this isnt right. I just saw Uzumaki-Sensei. And a pair of red eyes..."
"Sakura..." Sakura spun around, hearing a familiar voice.
"Naruto!" Sakura yelled with a smile. However, her smile vanished with what she saw before her eyes. Naruto was leaning against a tree on his knees. He had dozens of kunai and shuriken stabbed into him and he was even missing an eye. Blood was pouring from his wounds.
"Sa...Sakura...help...me..."
"Naruto...senpai...no, Uzumaki-Sensei wouldn't let this happen. He couldnt let this happen..." Sakura had tears running down her face and she was on the verge of passing out, until she realized something.
"Of course! Uzumaki-Sensei would never let this happen! This isnt real! This is a Genjutsu!" The dying Naruto faded away and was replaced with an unharmed Hanzo.
"Very good, Sakura. You saw through the Jutsu, you have good mental fortitude. Now, let's see if you can handle Taijutsu."
Sakura's eyes widen as Hanzo charges her with blinding speed. She is just barley able to duck under a kick before being punched in the gut, knocking the wind out of her. Hanzo throws Sakura against a tree and goes for another punch. Just before the punch lands, Sakura regains her breath and rolls out of the way. Sakura pulls out a kunai and tries to stab Hanzo, but in a swift motion he draws his sword and blocks the blade with his own.
"You're doing better than I thought. Here I was think you'd be totally useless. Maybe you do have some potential."
"Of course, I cant exactly achieve my dreams if I'm a weakling who relies on my teammates all the time." Sakura said with a smile.
"Well spoken, Sakura. Then show me just how strong you are!"
Sakura and Hanzo break their clash and start swiping and stabbing at each other. Sakura has to pull out a second kunai just to even try to keep up with Hanzo's swings. The clanging of their weapons can be heard by Kakashi and the boys by the river. But, try as she might, Sakura cant break through her Sensei's defenses. She goes for a stab with one of her kunai, but Hanzo takes the opportunity to strike. He twirls around Sakura, grabbing her by the wrists and raising his blade to her throat.
"Guess I was fool for thinking I had a chance of beating you, Sensei."
"A little, but you didnt back down Sakura. I admire that. You are very strong, and you have the potential to be among the strongest in the entire village."
Hanzo takes his blade away from her throat and chops her in the neck with his hand, knocking her out.
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Naruto and Sasuke were locked in a back and forth with Kakashi. The two boys working in tandem were starting get a little headway with Kakashi, but were always just out of reach of the bell. The boys were doing well, until they heard the ring of the alarm clock Kakashi had placed go off.
"Damn it!" Naruto shouted.
"We almost had it!"
Kakashi and the boys made their way to the three stumps and were surprised to find Sakura tied to the center stump. With Hanzo standing next to it.
"Hehheh, hey guys." Sakura said, embarrassed.
"I guess you got taken out by big bro, huh?" Sasuke asked.
"Yeah, I didnt stand a chance." Sakura admitted.
"That's alright, we've never beaten him either." Naruto said. Hanzo walked past his little brothers without saying anything and stood next to Kakashi.
"Well, I guess they dont have to back to the academy." Kakashi said.
"No, they dont." Hanzo agreed. Sakura and the boys look at their Sensei's with smiles.
"Wait, we dont haven't go back to the academy?" Naruto asked excitedly.
"That's great!" Sasuke yelled. The three young ninja began to celebrate, all the while Kakashi was smiling.
"Yes, the three of you are to quit being ninja." Kakashi said.
"What!?" The three young ninja shouted in shock.
"Why do we have to quit!?" Naruto asked.
"Becuase the three of you arent ready." Hanzo said harshly. Sasuke and Naruto look at Hanzo, hurt and confused.
"Hanzo, why would you say that?" Sasuke asked.
"What do you mean?! Of course we're ready!" Naruto argued.
"Then tell me what the point of this exercise was, Naruto." Hanzo said.
"It was to get the bells." Naruto answered.
"Wrong! This exercise has you in teams for a reason. The whole point of putting you in squads is so you can work together." Kakashi explained.
"But me and Sasuke have been working together this whole time!" Naruto argued.
"Yes, you have been Naruto. The two of you. But, where was Sakura?" Hanzo asked. It clicks for Naruto and Sasuke.
"She was..." Sasuke began.
"By herself. The both of you left her to survive on her own. And Sakura, you didnt even try to help Naruto or Sasuke. If all three of you had taken on Kakashi and myself, you might have been able to take the bells. But you didnt." Hanzo said.
"Then why only have two bells? That would have made us argue to who gets the bells." Sakura said.
"Exactly. This is a test set up to purposely place you against each other while also making you work together. You have to put the needs of the group above the needs of one person. One of you had to take the fall while the others passed. It's all about teamwork." Kakashi explained. Sakura and the boys are silent, they have nothing to say. Hanzo and Kakashi look at each other and come to a silent agreement.
"We will give you one more chance to pass. Sasuke and Naruto, you can eat your lunches, but you are not allowed to give any to Sakura. If you feed her, you all will never be ninja." Hanzo said. Kakashi and Hanzo leave while Naruto and Sasuke start eating. Sakura is talking to herself.
"That's alright, I wasnt even hungry anyway. I can handle being tied to this pole for a little while." Sakura's statement is immediately proven false when her stomach growls very loudly.
"Man, Hanzo sure is tough when he isnt our big brother." Sasuke said.
"Yeah." Naruto agreed. A few minutes go by and Sakura's stomach is still being noisy.
"Awe man, this sucks." Sakura whined. Naruto quickly looks around before standing up and walking over to Sakura with his food. He takes some of the food and holds it to her mouth.
"Naruto, what are you doing?!" Sakura whisper shouts.
"You need to eat. You need to be at full strength when we take on big bro and Kakashi-Sensei." Naruto said. Sasuke also gets up with his food.
"Naruto's right. We cant afford any of us to be weak. So lets get you into fighting shape."
"Thanks guys." Sakura said gratefully. Sakura holds her mouth open as Naruto places some food in her mouth.
'This would be so romantic if I wasn't tied to a pole and me and Naruto were alone.' Sakura thought. Suddenly, Kakashi and appear in puffs of smoke and heavy wind. Kakashi does a series of hand signs causing storm clouds to appear overhead while Hanzo's eyes were red and slitted.
"You broke the rules. Anything to say before you are disqualified?" Hanzo asked.
"We're a team! You said we had to make sacrifices for the team!" Naruto shouted.
"Yeah, the group is more important! And all of us have to be at our best!" Sasuke yelled.
"We operate as one! That's means we lose and win as one!" Sakura shouts. Hanzo and Kakashi walk towards the three slowly.
"The three of you are one, huh?" Hanzo asked, glaring down at them.
"Then I guess... you pass!" Kakashi said, both he and Hanzo smiling. Hanzo's eyes return to normal and the storm clouds dissappear.
"We pass?" Naruto asked.
"That's right, the three of you are the first ones who I've ever passed. Up until now it's always been dunces who do what I say. A ninja must see through deception. In the ninja world, those who break rules and codes are branded garbage, bit those who don't cherish their friends are garbage worse than that." Kakashi said.
"The exercise is over. Group Seven has passed!" Hanzo shouts gleefully. The three young ninja cheer as they are now full fledged ninja.
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Sakura is walking home with a large smile on her face.
"I passed! I'm a ninja on a team with Naruto-Senpai! How can this get any better!?" Sakura shouts to herself. Sakura is suddenly stopped by Hanzo, who appears in front of her. "Uzumaki-Sensei? What are you doing here?"
"To speak with you Sakura. I wasnt lying when I said you had great potential. So tomorrow, I want to start you on some personal training."
"Personal training?"
"That's right. Naruto and Sasuke have a distinct lead on you with Taijutsu and Ninjutsu. So tomorrow I'd like to start training you in these fields. What do you say?"
"That would be great! I'll be there bright and early!" Sakura shouts enthusiastically.
"Glad to hear it. Meet me in the western training field tomorrow morning. Until then, have a good night." Hanzo waved goodbye as he went home.
"Alright, training with Uzumaki-Sensei. Time to get strong." Sakura said, looking determined.