Chapter 7: Sasuke: Did I Eliminate Naruto and Sakura?
"Sakura?"
On the other side, Uchiha Sasuke suddenly heard Sakura's terrified scream and immediately knew that Sakura had been taken out as well.
"Now only you're left. So, what are you going to do?"
At that moment, Kakashi Hatake walked out from the woods while lowering his head to read a novel.
"I'm not like those guys," Uchiha Sasuke said calmly, looking at her.
"Indeed," Kakashi said, lifting his eyes to look at Sasuke. At this stage, Sasuke was indeed stronger than Sakura and the others, ranking among the top Genin.
Actually, the test wasn't really necessary anymore. They weren't going to get the bells anyway.
This test was mainly to evaluate their ability to cooperate and their bonds with their comrades.
Cooperation seems to be nonexistent. As for bonds...
"Huh?" Hearing Kakashi agree with him, Uchiha Sasuke couldn't help but feel a bit surprised.
But Kakashi's next move startled him even more.
He saw the other person casually take off two bells and throw them towards him.
"The bells are yours."
"A trap?"
Uchiha Sasuke quickly reacted. Instead of catching the bells, he swiftly jumped back a distance, avoiding the bells thrown at him.
"It's not a trap. I just think you truly meet the conditions of a Genin. However, there are only two bells. Who will you give the remaining one to, Naruto or Sakura?"
After saying this, Kakashi turned and left.
Watching Kakashi's retreating back, Sasuke couldn't help but wonder: Was it really not a trap?
But just in case, he went to find a tree branch, used it to hook the rope connecting the two bells, and fished them over.
"Really not a trap?" When he finally held the bells in his hand, Sasuke still couldn't quite believe it. He had obtained the bells so easily.
But soon, he fell into deep thought again. Two bells. Who should get the remaining one?
...
11:30 AM.
At the Memorial Stone, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura had already gathered.
The other two looked at the two bells in Sasuke's hand, utterly shocked.
"As expected of Sasuke! You actually managed to snatch the bells from such a formidable teacher!"
Once she recovered, Sakura couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. At the same time, she secretly hoped Sasuke would give her a bell so the two of them could be together.
"Hmph, if I hadn't been careless, I could have done it too," Naruto said defiantly, though inwardly he was also deeply shocked.
"I didn't snatch them. She just gave them to me," Sasuke said with a grim expression. He wouldn't claim credit for something he didn't do.
Moreover, that teacher clearly intended to put him in a difficult position, forcing him to make a choice.
"Huh?!"
Hearing this, Naruto and Sakura were startled, their faces filled with confusion.
"Then... these bells?" Naruto was the first to react. Since Sasuke stated the truth, it meant he didn't intend to keep both bells for himself, nor would he solely decide who got them.
"Split one. Each of you takes half," Sasuke declared with a sharp look in his eyes. Since the other party wanted to make him agonize, he would break the rules.
The fact that the other party had simply given him the bells earlier made him feel somewhat humiliated. Therefore, he didn't want everything to proceed according to their expectations.
"Huh?"
Hearing Sasuke's choice, Naruto and Sakura were so shocked their jaws dropped. For a moment, they were at a loss for words.
After recovering, they didn't object. After all, there was no better solution.
Finally, after some effort, they managed to split the bell into two halves.
Just as they were about to smile, Kakashi suddenly appeared.
"Damaging test equipment. Naruto, Sakura, you two are eliminated!"
"What?"
Hearing this, Naruto and Sakura were so frightened their faces turned pale.
Sasuke was also at a loss. Had his impulsive idea caused Naruto and Sakura to be eliminated?
"Well done, Sasuke. Cold and ruthless. You have the makings of a fine Ninja."
Then, Kakashi turned to Sasuke and praised him.
"Huh?" Naruto and Sakura looked at Sasuke, bewildered.
Even Sasuke himself didn't understand what this meant.
"The condition for me giving Sasuke the bells was for him to find a way to eliminate you two. I never expected him to accomplish it so easily. This is exactly the kind of promising Ninja our Konoha needs!"
Kakashi explained to Naruto and Sakura with a light laugh.
"Sasuke, you... is that what you were thinking?"
After hearing this, Naruto immediately became furious. He turned around, grabbed Sasuke by the collar, and lifted him up.
"Sasuke, you...?"
Although Sakura wasn't as impulsive as Naruto, she couldn't help but show disappointment on her face.
"No, I didn't!" Sasuke finally snapped out of it. This was clearly a trap. No wonder the other party had given him the bells so easily.
"Naruto, let go. Sasuke has already passed the test and become a Genin. A student like you, who needs to repeat a year at the Ninja Academy, has no right to lay hands on a Genin."
Seeing this, Kakashi pretended to scold him sternly.
"Damn it!" Naruto reluctantly let go.
"Come on, Sasuke. The teacher will treat you to barbecue to celebrate you officially becoming a Genin," Kakashi turned and invited him.
However, Sasuke clenched his teeth and didn't move. He wouldn't accept credit for something he didn't do.
"What's the matter? Do you want to slink back to school with them and repeat a year? Don't you want to kill that man as soon as possible? Do you really want to waste another year at school?"
Kakashi turned back to look at Sasuke.
Sasuke lowered his head, his heart in turmoil. Should he choose to become a Genin, or should he clarify the truth and return the bells?
"A year from now, your Jonin instructor won't be me anymore. Think carefully. Currently, among Konoha's Jonin, there are only two capable of fighting him on equal footing. I am one of them. The other became a Jonin instructor a year ago and is already leading another team."
Kakashi lied without batting an eye, speaking off the cuff. Just as he expected, upon hearing this, Sasuke suddenly looked up sharply, staring intently at him.
"You know who I'm talking about?"
"Of course. He was once a subordinate in my squad. His strength is indeed formidable. Ordinary Jonin are no match for him."
"Then how would you fare against him?"
Sasuke immediately asked.
"About fifty-fifty. But in a fight to the death, he would die." Kakashi boasted without a hint of shame.
"Impossible!" Sasuke retorted without a second thought. In his eyes, Itachi, who could slaughter the entire Uchiha clan, the strongest in the Ninja World, was undoubtedly the most powerful.
How could this unknown Jonin dare claim to be stronger than Itachi?
"If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do." Kakashi shrugged nonchalantly, then turned to leave again.
"Wait." Seeing this, Sasuke spoke up once more to stop him and took out his bell. "I'll give my bell to the two of them. Let them pass!"
He, Uchiha Sasuke, would not accept an unclear favor, nor did he want to owe anyone a debt.
If Naruto and Sakura were eliminated because of him, then he would simply give this opportunity back to them.