"Lightning Release: Earth Flash"
Aoki Yoru's fingers blurred as he completed the hand signs in one go; "Boar—Ram—Snake!"
He pressed a single hand to the ground, and pale blue electric currents surged out with a roar, like a swarm of frenzied electric snakes, darting straight toward Kakashi along the surface.
Kakashi applied a slight force to the soles of his feet, easily leaping into the air to dodge, and threw three Kunai at Aoki.
Aoki Yoru hastily used the Body Flicker Technique to evade, keeping an eye on the battlefield with his peripheral vision.
While Kakashi was airborne, Kenta and Yui seized the opportunity to instantly appear beside him.
Kenta reached out to grab the bells at Kakashi's waist, while Yui appeared behind him, her right leg sweeping fiercely toward his back.
"Kenta's speed is indeed very fast!" Aoki Yoru was slightly surprised.
Yui had her family's inherited Body Flicker Technique, which had been continuously improved over generations with various unique tricks, so her speed was normal; however, Kenta's family were all civilians, making his speed truly astonishing.
Aoki Yoru could see that although Kenta didn't have his own fine Chakra control, he concentrated Chakra at the soles of his feet for an instantaneous burst.
Combined with his strong physical muscle explosive power, although his Chakra usage was crude, his speed was not inferior to a standard Body Flicker Technique.
As expected, one cannot underestimate the heroes of the world; except for someone as naive and simple as Naruto, everyone has a hidden trump card.
"I've got it!" A triumphant smile appeared on Kenta's face; one cannot dodge while in mid-air.
Suddenly his smile froze as Kakashi actually performed a mid-air rotation to evade, simultaneously dodging both him and Yui, causing his grab to miss.
"Water Release: Water Mirror Flash Technique"
Countless bursts of intense light suddenly erupted around the center of the battlefield.
This was a Ninjutsu developed by Aoki Yoru himself, based on the Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique left behind by his parents.
It couldn't be helped; although his parents were Chunin, that was because so many had died in the war that they were merely picking the best from a bad bunch.
Who would have thought that two Chunin would only leave behind four Ninjutsu scrolls—two Lightning Release and two Water Release—and all of them were C-rank or D-rank Ninjutsu.
It was practically an insult to the status of a Chunin; it was far too meager.
When Aoki Yoru first developed this Ninjutsu, he was inspired by the Solar Flare from Dragon Ball, designed to blind opponents at critical moments.
Combined with his powerful sensory abilities to snatch a victory or use it for escaping, it was a perfectly practical life-saving Ninjutsu.
The principle was to use Chakra to create countless extremely thin surfaces that collectively reflected light instantly, like hundreds of mirrors flashing simultaneously—pure optical blinding.
Kakashi felt a piercing white light explode before his eyes; his eyes felt as if they were stabbed by the scorching sun, and instantly everything went white, leaving him unable to see anything.
In that instant, Aoki Yoru kept his eyes tightly shut, used the Body Flicker Technique to appear beside Kakashi, snatched a bell from his waist, and then quickly retreated.
Looking at the bell in his hand, Aoki Yoru breathed a long sigh of relief.
From the moment he used the Lightning Release to the moment he stole the bell, every step had been planned. If this had failed, the three of them would have had to just charge in together, and the outcome might not have been much better than Naruto's trio in the original story.
As the light dissipated, the vision of the other three slowly recovered. When Kenta and Yui saw the bell in Aoki Yoru's hand, they both immediately showed knowing smiles.
"Congratulations on getting the bell. So, have you decided who's going back to the Ninja Academy to repeat the year?"
Kakashi's lazy voice caused Kenta and Yui's smiles to freeze, and they looked toward Aoki Yoru.
Under their surprised gazes, Aoki Yoru tossed the two bells to them.
"Here, take them. For me, graduating a year early or late makes no difference. You two carry the expectations of your families and clans; it's better if you graduate early."
Kenta looked at the bell in his hand and shook his head. "I'll be the one to go back to school.
I originally thought I had some strength among my peers, but through this survival exercise, I've realized I still have many shortcomings. It would be a waste for someone as strong as you to go back to the academy."
Yui then said, "We are a three-man team; I cannot abandon my teammates. Besides, you contributed the most this time; we can't let you go back to the academy while we enjoy the results.
Going back to the academy will also give me a chance to organize what I've learned and make up for my deficiencies."
Watching the three of them decline in favor of each other, all willing to give up the opportunity for their companions, Kakashi's expression softened, and a curve appeared at the corner of his mouth under his mask.
"All three of you pass!" Kakashi stepped forward.
Aoki Yoru gave him a speechless glance, while Kenta and Yui were stunned and turned to look at him.
"Kakashi-sensei, what do you mean?" Yui asked in confusion.
"The three of you have passed the test," Kakashi said, looking up at the sky with emotion.
"I hope that through this exercise you understand the importance of comrades. As a Ninja, you must understand teamwork. In this world, those who do not value their comrades are worse than scum. I hope you keep that in mind."
Upon hearing this, the three of them instinctively straightened their bodies in solemn respect, showing expressions of admiration.
Although Aoki Yoru knew the plot of the original story, at this moment he couldn't help but admire Kakashi's painstaking efforts.
He had given these fledglings who had just graduated from the academy the most important lesson of their lives.
"Then Team 6 is officially established. Next, let's go for a team-building barbecue; it's my treat."
"Alright!" Kenta jumped up directly; one of the reasons he became a Ninja was to be able to eat meat to his heart's content.
Aoki Yoru and the other two followed Kakashi straight to the barbecue restaurant.
...
"Kakashi actually acknowledged them!"
In the Konoha Hokage Office, the Third Hokage, sitting in the main seat processing documents, showed a look of surprise upon hearing the report from the Anbu.
He then picked up his pipe, took a deep puff, and exhaled a trail of white smoke, his expression shifting between light and shadow.
Then he smiled. "That's fine too. In two years, they should be Chunin, just in time for Kakashi to take on that year's students."
He had originally pulled Kakashi out of the Anbu because he feared that if Kakashi stayed there, he would sink deeper and deeper into the darkness.
Furthermore, in two years Naruto and Sasuke would graduate, and Kakashi was the best candidate to lead their team.
It was originally preparation for two years later; he hadn't expected any students to pass his test. He just wanted to give Kakashi something to do to clear away the gloom from his long stay in the Anbu.
As for whether the students would be sent back to repeat the year, that was not within his scope of consideration.
He didn't expect a pleasant surprise—Aoki Yoru's trio actually passed the test.
With students, Kakashi would slowly form bonds through daily interaction and teaching, and he would also step out of his closed heart.
Just as the young Kakashi had closed himself off due to his father's death, his bonds with Minato, Uchiha Obito, and Rin Nohara had helped him move forward.
Unfortunately, fate plays tricks; the death of his teacher and the shadow of killing his comrade with his own hands had caused him to close himself off again.
"It's a pity about Minato. If only he were still here, Konoha would surely be flourishing," the Third Hokage sighed, thinking of the current lack of talent in Konoha.
He then pulled himself together; he couldn't fall yet. He still had to support Konoha and buy time for the growth of the next generation.
As for Aoki Yoru's trio, if they were still Genin in two years, he would arrange for them to be in other auxiliary positions.
The three people who were currently eating happily with satisfied smiles would never know that if their talents were mediocre, their futures would have already been decided.
This world is both cruel and realistic.