Ready for the conclusion to the Bell Test?! Ino's new technique?! I Definitely took a lot of liberties from the original in order for it to work for the new team. This is the longest chapter I've written so far. Enjoy!

CH. 5 Battle for Graduation

Kakashi stood in the middle of the training field. "Stealth is one of the most pertinent skills a ninja should process," he thought as he sensed for his hidden students. Of course, he still could find them if he wanted to, but their physical presence was sufficiently obscured.

"All right! Let's do this!" yelled a certain pint-sized, orange-clad ninja right in front of Kakashi.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head with the other hand in pocket, completely relaxed and composed. "Well, I see we have an odd-man-out within the team."

"What an idiot," Sasuke thought to himself, obscuring his presence among the leaves of the trees.

"Naruto, of all the times you chose to not hide, you think when you're fighting a Jonin is best?!" Ino grumpily thought to herself amidst shrubbery.

Naruto ground his teeth, "The only thing odd here is your stupid hair!" Naruto shouted, rushing in to attack Kakashi.

As Naruto closed the distance halfway, he noticed Kakashi grabbing something from his pouch, causing him to immediately stop himself and set up his defensive stance.

"First lesson in shinobi fighting: Taijutsu-Shinobi hand-to-hand combat."

"Is he getting a weapon?"

Naruto closely watched Kakashi's hand to see what he would be using to fight him but what he pulled out was no weapon at all. Kakashi pulled out a book: Makeout Paradise. Naruto looked at him in utter shock and confusion. "A book?" He thought.

"Come on. Didn't you say you were going to attack me?" Kakashi goaded Naruto.

"I am… but what's up with the book?"

"Oh, nothing. I just thought I might as well catch up on my reading. Fighting Genins can be quite a bore at times," Kakashi replied.

Kakashi's deliberate taunting provoked Naruto to action. "I'm gonna kill him!" Naruto rushed in with a cocked arm back ready to deliver a right punch. Kakashi easily caught his punch without his eyes leaving the pages of his book. Naruto used his momentum to follow up the punch with a left kick to his head, but he missed. Naruto kicked nothing but air since Kakashi ducked under it. Naruto yelled as he quickly turned around, aiming another punch to the squatting Kakashi.

Yet again, Naruto hit nothing but air. "You really shouldn't get caught from behind," he heard behind him.

Naruto turned his head slightly to see Kakashi right behind him with his hands in the tiger seal.

"A tiger seal? He's going to use ninjutsu?!" Sakura thought.

"A fire sign? He's getting serious." Sasuke thought to himself.

"Naruto! Run! He's not playing around!" Sakura shouted from her hiding spot.

"Fuck me," Ino thought.

"It's too late," Kakashi said.

Naruto's eyes widened as he saw Kakashi preparing to thrust his fingers at him. "Hidden Leaf's Secret Finger Taijutsu: A Thousand Years of-!"

"Ninja Art: Infinite Darkness!"

Before Kakashi could execute his jutsu, his vision started to blur and he lost his concentration. Despite this vertigo, he could sense someone blitz to his side-his side with the bells! Kakashi clumsily jumped away from Naruto. This blurb of light still chased him.

"Run, Naruto!"

He sensed a kick aimed for the top of his head which he caught. He could barely see the body jump with its other leg and landing behind him. He could feel the leg that he caught trying to use the leverage from the jump to get him off the ground. He let go, keeping his body to the ground, but he heard the dirt shifting and wind rushing towards his face. He braced himself for the kick with two arms this time, clutching the leg to keep it in place.

"No way! I'm not gonna let you steal my spotlight!" Kakashi heard Naruto shout.

"This is getting troublesome."

Kakashi could hear Naruto charging at him but he was still preoccupied with his present attacker. But Kakashi noticed something bizarre in this instant: the leg wasn't trying to pull back. A subtle ringing caught his attention. "Oh no!" Kakashi stood up and spun the leg around him. He heard a girlish scream as he spun his victim around. He then calculated where Naruto was coming from based on his stomping and released his grip. The next thing he heard was a couple of grunts and the sound of bodies colliding.

"Release!" He said as he had his hands in a ram seal. The cloudiness around his vision dissipated "A genjutsu that eliminates one of the primary senses? So that's what she learned. To think she learned that advanced of a genjutsu at her age. It's still not complete but the chakra control required to pull it off in the first place..." He could now clearly see his two blondes students struggling to get up.

"What?! How'd you block my attacks?" Ino asked him through huffed breaths, trying to get the wind back into her.

Kakashi just shrugged his shoulders and continued reading his book. "Well, I am a Jonin," he said matter-of-factly, "No matter what you guys do you'll never beat me. Not even Sasuke."

"Oh yeah?! We'll see about that!" Naruto yelled as he put his fingers in a cross formation. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Several Narutos started appearing one after another. Suddenly, there were 12 Narutos on the field ready to gang up on Kakashi. "You better watch your back 'cause here I come!'" As soon as he said that, Kakashi felt another Naruto on his back. "What?" Kakashi said with surprise.

Naruto started rubbing his nose with a smile. "While you were fighting with Ino, I made a clone to sneak up behind you when the time was right. Now, it's time I start getting serious." The Naruto clones started their charge against Kakashi. As the original Naruto started to join the clones, Ino yanked his hand back.

"What are you doing?" He asked in an aggravated tone.

"He's toying with us. Come on," she said as she yanked Naruto into the forest.

The Narutos rushed into to attack the flailing Jonin but as one of them jumped up to land a punch, he punched another Naruto instead. "What? Did you just transform into me? You think I'd fall for that?" This confusion caused the clones to start a brawl to find the fake clone.

"So much for that diversion, Loser. He didn't even notice the Substitution Jutsu." Sasuke thought. "Still, I have no idea where he is now, and he left no opens when he was fighting those two." Sasuke left his hiding spot to track down that silver-haired Jonin.

After the clones' brawl, the training ground was left empty.

QQQQ

The two blondes ran themselves deep within the forest to hide from Kakashi. They rested on a tree, trying to catch their breath.

"What'd you drag me out here, Ino?"

Ino clenched her fist in a tight ball. "I'm saving YOU from wasting YOUR time and energy!" Ino barked back. She gave Naruto a whack on the head.

"Ow! What was that for?!" Naruto shouted as he rubbed his aching head.

"That's for being reckless and thinking you can fight a Jonin by yourself. You even made me use my new jutsu!"

"I didn't need your help," Naruto huffed.

"Yeah, I'm sure. You really had him on the ropes; just warming-up on the air, right? Or did you want your asshole jabbed?!" Ino replied sarcastically. "Now he knows our jutsus. We lost the element of surprise."

"Whatever," Naruto said dismissively, "I just can't believe he fooled me with the Substitution Jutsu."

"He what?" Ino questioned.

"He switched himself with my clone and they started fighting."

"And how do you know that?"

"I don't know. It's just in my head."

Ino stared at Naruto, confused and perplexed with his answer. "I'm putting a pin on that. Anyway, there's no way we can beat him." She said with resignation.

"What do you mean there's no way?!"

"I meant what I said!" Ino yelled back. She closed her eyes and took a moment to calm herself down. "I mean you and I fought him and we couldn't land a scratch on him. I'm sure my genjutsu hit and he could still block my attacks."

Naruto dragged his face down in frustration. "So what? We all fail and just go back to the Academy?"

"Not necessarily."

Naruto raised his eyebrow. Ino reached into her ninja pouch and pulled out two rice balls. "Here, have one. I told my mom that I didn't need it but she packed it anyway. She said I might as well keep it if I didn't know when the test would be over." Naruto hungrily grabbed the rice ball with a smile and devoured it in seconds

"Anyway, I've been thinking about this whole situation and stuff doesn't add up."

"Like what?"

"First, it's this whole test. We're supposed to somehow get the jump on a Jonin-four Genins-and supposedly a high-ranking Jonin at that according to my dad. You've trained with my dad before; we can't beat him and he said Kakashi's more talented than him! Second, the consequences seem redundant. Sending the top students in the Academy back because they couldn't defeat a Jonin? That's fishy. Along with the fact that we already know the material; we wouldn't be there for more than a year. Thirdly, he said that 'they' don't want 'another four-man team' but the Yonnin must have passed their test and they didn't have to lose a team member. Finally, it's not really survival training. He's holding back. Daddy said he has the Sharingan and he's not using."

"The Sharingan?! Like from Sasuke's clan?"

"Yes, but he said he's not an Uchiha and he wouldn't tell me how he got it. Anyhow, I don't think he's strictly testing us on our fighting capabilities."

"Yeah, this test seems stacked against us," Naruto agreed. "So then what is he testing us on?"

"I can't put it together," Ino said as she rubbed her chin. "I hate to say it, but we might need Sakura and Sasuke's heads for this."

"Not Sasuke!"

"Yes, Sasuke! Do you want to go back to the Academy? Do you know how to pass?" Naruto puffed his cheeks and turned his head to the side. "That's what I thought. Let's go, we only have so much time left."

As the two tried to find their other teammates in the forest, they heard a shrill shriek. "Sakura!" They both announced as they rushed to the source. When they arrived, the pink kunoichi was on the floor of the forest passed out, mumbling incoherently.

"What happened to her? I don't see any marks on her." Naruto asked, checking to see what was wrong with Sakura.

"Her chakra feels different. Like she's panicking. I think it's genjutsu."

Naruto grabbed Sakura by the shoulders and violently shook her. "Sakura! Wake up!" Sakura's eyes slowly fluttered open. Once she gained consciousness of reality, she clenched her fist and sent Naruto flying into a tree with all her might.

"Just who do you think you're getting all handsy on, you pervert!" She shrieked. She started to get up, wiping the dirt off her dress. With her mind clear, the graphic images of a wounded Sasuke came to her mind's eye in an instant. "Guys, Sasuke's hurt! He needs a hospital!"

"No, he's not, Billboard-Brow," Ino reassured her calmly, "that was just a genjutsu that you fell for," Ino mocked condescendingly. "How'd he get you anyway?"

Sakura ignored Ino's snide criticism and recounted what happened. "I heard Sasuke move from his spot. I guess he was trying to find Kakashi-sensei. I followed him to make sure he was okay but I stopped when I saw Kakashi myself. I thought he didn't see me but it must have been a clone. Suddenly, he was behind me and the next I saw was Sasuke all bloodied and full of kunai," Sakura choked out the last part with her eyes brimming with tears.

"Come on, Billboard-Brow. Get it together." Ino coached Sakura. She went into her pouch and handed her a rice ball.

"What's that? Kakashi-sensei said we're not supposed to have breakfast!"

"It's not breakfast. It's practically brunch at this time, right?" Ino shoved the snack in her face. "Hurry up! My mom made too many anyway," Ino motioned abashedly.

Sakura reluctantly grabbed and ate the rice ball. "Why are you being so nice?"

"Because we need to check on Sasuke and we need your brain to be fully functional to figure out how to pass this test."

"He already told us how to pass. We just need to get the bells."

"I know what he said but it doesn't make sense. Just follow us. I'll explain once we find Sasuke."

Naruto walked up to the girls, rubbing the developing bump on his forehead. "Sakura, if you said he got you after you were chasing Sasuke, then Sasuke's probably fighting him right now. He's just picking us off one-by-one. We gotta hurry up!"

"Sakura, where were you running when you were following Sasuke?" Ino asked.

"Ok, fine. Let's go."

It took the trio around 20 minutes to find the brooding Uchiha. The scene on how they found the Uchiha was something none of them were expecting. Naruto burst out into laughter at the sight of Sasuke buried into the ground leaving only his head exposed. Sakura fainted. The sight of a severed head reminded her of the genjutsu again. Ino simply facepalmed herself and stood in an exhausted manner. "Even Sasuke didn't stand a chance? Aw, man. What would they do without me?" Ino kneeled to Sasuke's head and started to dig him out.

"I see he got you too, huh?" Ino jested in a lighthearted tone.

Sasuke blew air out his nose. "I touched a bell. Next time I'll get it. He just took me by surprise."

"You always did have the most pride out of all of us. But touching a bell isn't getting one."

Ino sat there continuing to dig up Sasuke. The cackling of an orange ninja didn't help the mood. Ino yelled at Naruto to quit it and help her out.

"I'm sorry, Ino, but you have to admit it's pretty funny," Naruto got out between chuckles. "The Great Sasuke Uchiha: the top rookie in our class. Buried!" Naruto began his laughing fit again.

"Shut up, Loser. At least I didn't need anyone's help to avoid getting fingers shoved up my ass." Sasuke replied coolly.

Naruto scowled at Sasuke. "You do see the situation you're in, right? I wouldn't be cracking jokes right now."

"Stop it! Both of you! What happened on this test won't matter if we don't pass and have to go back to the Academy! Naruto, help me already!" Ino yelled in frustration.

The two quit their bickering as Naruto reluctantly kneeled down and helped Ino dig out Sasuke. After they successfully dug him out, Ino tossed him a rice ball, then went to wake Sakura up. Once everyone got their bearings, they huddled together.

"So, why'd you all come to find me?" Sasuke asked.

"We all know first-hand we can't beat Kakashi," Ino explained, "so I think there's something more to this test." Ino retold everybody her thoughts on the conditions of the test.

"It does seem kind of unreasonable that we have to go back because we can't beat a Jonin," Sakura thought out loud. "But how do we pass the test then?"

"I don't know. That's why I brought us all here together. We need to brainstorm." Ino claimed.

The four ninjas-in-training sat in a circle thinking how they were going to pass this test.

"Are you sure it's not just a physical assessment? He did say he wanted to test our skills yesterday," Naruto reasoned.

"No, that's not it. Then why did he throw in the bells? And there's definitely a reason he has three. If he meant to have us beat him from the beginning, then there'd be no way we could win; it'd be an impossible test." Ino said

"He mentioned either we'd all fail or only the one without the bell would fail to make a team of three. We need those bells." Sasuke chimed in.

"But like Ino said, how come they let the Yonnin all pass if they could have just been a normal team of three? Why are they regulating it now instead of back then? There's some way that we can all pass," Sakura reasoned.

"What would Shikamaru do?" Ino thought to herself. She closed her eyes, focusing on all the components of this dilemma. "We know the bells are key to passing the test and becoming Genin. And even though there's three, there is a way for us to become a four-man-team. He's threatening us with going back to the Academy if we can't get the bells off of him." She enumerated. Ino started rubbing her forehead. "The only way we can get those bells is if any of us can beat Kakashi."

"But how do we beat an opponent who can kick our asses without breaking a sweat?!" Naruto exclaimed.

"I don't know!" Ino shouted in frustration. The quartet looked around at each other. Were they really going to fail and be thrown back into the academy? An air of resignation gleaned over the ninja party. They all were exhausted and still hungry. Time was running out.

"How much time is left?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura looked up to the sky and tracked the position of the sun. "If he said noon, we probably have less than an hour left."

Naruto clamped his hands to his head. "I don't wanna go back to the Academy even if it's only for another year!" He started scratching his head in anxiety.

"Fuck me!" Ino shouted out loud, utterly upset and ready to surrender. "If only I was on Shikamaru's team. He could make a plan to paralyze him and I would've just snatched the bells for my-" Ino 's eye lit up. "That's it!"

The other three looked at Ino quizzically with raised eyebrows. "What's it?" Naruto asked.

"What if the bells are a red herring? What if, as long as we can get one bell, we can all pass?!"

"A red herring? Even if it was, we still can't even get close to him. The only one who did was Sasuke." Sakura mentioned.

"We couldn't get close to him separately, but as a team..."

The lightbulbs started to flicker on as the whole group caught on to Ino's discovery.

"What if all we needed to show is teamwork regardless of beating Kakashi?! It makes the most sense! I didn't think about it before but if I was with Shikamaru and Choji it would've been second-nature to team up. Our clans have always worked as a team and my parents brought me up expecting me to be on a team with them; I'd know how to work with the skills they already have."

"Are you really going to stake it all on teamwork? That doesn't mean we're guaranteed to get the bells." Sasuke commented.

"We don't have a choice, do we? We have less than an hour. If we have a good enough plan, maybe we can pass with just getting one bell."

"And what kind of plan is that?" Sakura asked.

"I have an idea and a theory I want to test, but it probably needs to be fleshed out." Ino turned her gaze to Naruto and pointed at Naruto. "And you're the key component to it."

Naruto blinked and pointed to himself confusedly. Ino nodded. "Naruto, exactly how many clones can you make?"

"I don't know. Probably a lot more since I'm not that tired. Why?"

"Kakashi said we won't get the bells if we don't have the intent to kill. So, everyone, what's the plan to kill a Jonin?

QQQ Q

Kakashi was leaning against a tree in the middle of the forest, enjoying his paperback erotica. "There's only 10 minutes left. I guess they've all given up. What a shame. I thought they had what it takes to pass. Maybe I'll give them another try after lunch." Kakashi closed his book and started to walk back to the stumps in the middle of the training grounds. He almost reached the opening of the field until he heard an unusual rustling among the bushes.

"All right, whoever's there just come out. You don't have time to spy," Kakashi said nonchalantly.

To his surprise, not one but three of Team 7 came out of the bushes. Naruto, Ino, and Sakura revealed themselves to confront the Jonin.

"Are they teaming up? Hmm, I'd expect Sasuke not to. Oh well, let's see what they do."

"We're getting those bells and becoming a team, Kakashi!" Naruto exclaimed.

Kakashi raised his eyebrow. "Just you three? I must say, I didn't expect you to single out Sasuke."

"Sasuke's the top rookie. He'll be fine if he goes back to the Academy," Ino said. "Right now, it's just you versus us."

The three got into their trained fighting stances. Kakashi readied himself as well. "Ok then. Let's see what you three can pull off."

Naruto formed a hand sign and two clones of himself appeared. Ino and Sakura pulled out kunai to defend themselves. The four observed each other with tension, waiting to see what the first move would be. Surprisingly, Sakura was the first with her throwing her kunai towards Kakashi's head.

Kakashi easily evaded it and it hit the tree behind him. Ino was next, throwing a barrage of kunai and shuriken for Kakashi to dodge. His evasion drove him further back into the forest. Naruto added his clones to the mix, putting on the pressure since Ino was running low on ninja tools. Kakashi fooled around with the clones, dodging their kicks and punches, but inevitably dispersed them. However, as soon as he dispersed the two, two more jumped out from their hiding places from the trees. One of them managed to lock down his arms and the other one of his legs.

The three Genin stood in front of the constrained ninja. Naruto smiled at him and put his hands in a hand sign. "Ok, Kakashi. Get ready to be blown away!" Naruto then transformed into a blonde, busty, naked woman with pigtails and an hourglass figure. His Sexy Jutsu left Kakashi shocked but not unconscious from blood loss like it usually does with men.

"That's the bright idea you had?! God, why do I try to take you seriously?!" Sakura yelled at Naruto.

"Aw, man!" Naruto complained in his transformed, high feminine voice. "Whatever. Ino, plan B!" Naruto announced, transforming back to his normal self. Ino weaved hand signs. "Ninja Art: Infinite Darkness!" Ino shouted. Kakashi's vision became hazy. Kakashi was about to dispel the clones so that he could dispel the genjutsu, but, unexpectedly, the clones dispersed without him doing anything. He was swallowed in a shroud of smoke. Before he could take advantage and undo the jutsu, he heard a whoosh coming towards him. Sakura was throwing weapons into the cloud of smoke.

Kakashi expertly evaded the weapons again. He jumped out of the smoke to hazily see where the potential Genins were. As soon as Sakura saw him, she threw a shuriken at him, but it completely avoided him. Kakashi heard a snap of a string. "A trap?!" Even with his blurred vision, he could make out the giant trunk of a tree coming towards him. He landed on the closest tree branch and jumped over the swinging trunk, landing on a branch out of the swinging path of the trunk. Thinking he was out of hot water, he turned his attention back to his opponents to only see nothing. They were gone! Kakashi put his hands into a sign, but he was interrupted by the smell of burning paper. "Wait!" Kakashi braced himself and jumped above the tree line. The smell of smoke and the sound of wood splintering was enough to infer that the swinging trunk was rigged to explode.

Kakashi felt the intensity of the rays of the sun lessen on his skin. He turned his head to find three shadows in the sky above him. "They're going all out. Giving me no room to breathe!"

"Now, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted below.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

A flaming ball of fire burned past the tops of the trees and hurtled straight for the four ninjas in the air. Kakashi's eyes widened at his predicament. "They can't be serious!" Kakashi made a clone to throw him out of the way of the fireball. As Kakashi was falling, he watched as the fireball swallowed up his clone and his three Genin next, but there weren't any burning bodies; no screams of pain. Kakashi landed on a branch and leaped down back to the forest floor. "They must have been clones. So, where are the real ones?" Kakashi couldn't even think before he sensed someone coming from above. All he could make out was someone in white-Sasuke! Kakashi went into a defensive stance. Kakashi blocked Sasuke's incoming kick from above. Sasuke was fighting fiercely with Kakashi being completely on the defense. He didn't want Sasuke to tangle him up again like before.

Sasuke went in with for a low dive. Kakashi started to lift his leg to kick him away, then he heard a 'poof' from a branch above him. There stood Naruto. He crouched on the branch and sprung himself towards Kakashi's left like a missile. They were both aiming for the bells, but Kakashi looked between the two and made out the Naruto would reach them before Sasuke would, but he would be cutting it close. Kakashi grabbed Naruto out of the air by his arms and swung him into Sasuke like a bat. The two rolled on the ground into a tree with Naruto prostrated over Sasuke's lap. Naruto then puffed into a cloud of smoke leaving Sasuke disheveled against the tree.

Kakashi finally recollected himself. He dispelled the genjutsu on him and looked over at Sasuke. "A valiant try, I must admit. Unfortunately, you have to do better than that."

"Do I?" Sasuke chuckled sorely.

Kakashi looked in awe as he saw Sasuke dangling a bell in front of him. Kakashi looked to his side to see he still had his three bells. "Now!" Sasuke shouted. Shuriken swirled around Kakashi and before he knew it, he was trapped to the tree behind him. Sakura and Ino leaped out of the tree Sasuke was resting on with ninja wire in their hands. Then, the bell Sasuke was holding turned in Naruto. Naruto and Sasuke got up to regroup with their teammates.

"How'd you like our little plan, Sensei?" Ino said as she handed her wire to Naruto and Sakura handed hers to Sasuke.

"Why are you working together? Only three of you will pass." Kakashi asked as he struggled against the wires.

"Please, you know we can't beat you individually. We saw through your trick," Ino stated. "Sakura, poke him to make sure he's not another clone," Ino said as she kneeled and showed Kakashi her clan's signature hand sign.

Sakura went up to him, "Sorry, Sensei," Sakura apologized as she punched him hard in the arm. He didn't dispel, confirming he was the real Kakashi. She then held a kunai to his throat.

"Do we pass or not, Sensei?" Ino asked. "I don't want to possess if I don't have to. We only have a minute left."

Kakashi started to chuckle. "I can't believe this."

"Alright. Ninja Art: Mind Transfer-"

"You pass!" Kakashi said in a cheerfully dry tone. Sasuke and Naruto let go of the wires binding Kakashi. The team's collective tension was relieved by those two liberating words. Naruto and Sakura cheered to themselves. Ino fell on her butt trying to recover her stamina, and Sasuke gave a small smirk from his position. Kakashi stretched his limbs, "I see you figured out the true nature of this test. What set you off?"

"It was all Ino, Sensei. She figured stuff was fishy from the beginning," Naruto replied.

"Well, it was mainly the fighting and the punishment that didn't sit right with me. Failing Genins because they couldn't beat a Jonin seemed unfair. After that chink in the armor, we found out the real meaning and formulated a plan," Ino explained.

"And there's how the Yonnin passed so we thought there must be a way for us to pass ourselves," Sakura added.

"Very astute of you, Ino. And a clever plan you all came up with," Kakashi praised. "Now, you are all officially Genin on Team 7." The official statement from Kakashi put a smile on everyone's "Come on, guys. I have some bento boxes for you." The team walked out of the forest and stopped at the stumps in the middle of the field. He gave everyone a bento box and the Genin sat down and enjoyed their lunch. Naruto hungrily scarfed down his in a matter of minutes while the others savored the taste. Leaning on a giant stone, Kakashi watched his Genin enjoy their food.

Ino watched as Kakashi stared at them. "Kakashi-sensei, you didn't bring lunch for yourself?"

"No. I had breakfast myself."

Ino reached into her pouch and showed Kakashi her rice ball. "Here, Sensei. You can have it. I don't know why my mom made so much. I usually get full from two but she made six. I swear, she worries too much, especially since I said I didn't want breakfast."

Kakashi reached out and grabbed the rice ball. "Hmm...Too many rice balls. Was this your stab at a hint, Inoichi?" Kakashi thought. "Why thank you, Ino. I'll save it for later," Kakashi smiled with his eye. "But I do have a couple questions with your plan. If the first three were clones, how'd you pull off that genjutsu?"

"Ino knew that if we had any chance of getting those bells we'd have to keep you on your toes the whole time," Naruto answered. "So, we wanted to use the genjutsu but still have some tricks up our sleeves."

"I taught Naruto the hand signs but I was the one who actually did it hidden in the trees. We didn't want to take a chance with a ground battle because of what happened to Sasuke."

"And that trap? Who set it up and would have happened if I went off track?"

Sakura raised her hand. "I made it, Sensei."

"We made sure to keep you on track by having eyes all around you," Ino chimed in.

"Eyes?" Kakashi said confusedly.

"Naruto didn't just make three clones. He surrounded the areas with thirty hidden clones. I thought of the idea after I proved my theory to be correct."

"So you realized the passive effect of the Shadow Clone Jutsu?"

Ino nodded her head. "I noticed after I pulled Naruto away from you. I had to test it before we came up with the plan."

QQQ Q

"So, everyone, what's the plan to kill a Jonin?" Ino asked.

Everyone put their head down in thought.

"Well, he has been going on about the Shinobi Fighting Lessons: Taijutsu, Genjutsu, and Ninjutsu. Maybe he wants us to rely on that?" Sakura said.

"We can't beat him in Taijutsu. The only one who fared the best was Sasuke. We'd need something trickier than Taijutsu," Ino said.

"I could make a trap but how could we lead him to it?"

"I might have an idea. Naruto, can you make a clone?" Ino asked.

Naruto nodded and made a clone of himself. Ino grabbed the clone's hand and took him into the woods away from the group. A few minutes later, Ino came back and sat down with the team.

"Naruto, what did I do with your clone?"

"You just talked to him about some possible trap setups and did our handshake. Then you just poofed him." Sakura and Sasuke looked at Naruto in amazement. "What?"

"Naruto, you remember everything a clone does and sees when they dispel. We can use your clones like surveillance cameras! That'll help us lead Kakashi to the trap," Ino said with a grin.

"Alright! Leave it to me!" Naruto said, pointing to himself with his thumb.

"And what if this trap doesn't work? It's like he sees through whatever we do," Sasuke said.

"Then we'll make sure he doesn't see. I'll blind him with my genjutsu and we'll put on the pressure so he has no time to undo it. That'll definitely increase the chance of making the trap that much more of a surprise."

"How about a net trap? I can make something like that."

"Kakashi is really hard to pin down. How about something bigger?"

"Naruto's right. If we really want to trap him then we need something more precise that we can control. If we tie him down, I can set up my Mind Transfer. Sakura, can you do something bigger?"

"Yeah. I guess I can come up with something."

"Good. We need to set up a moment that'll catch him off guard." Ino turned to Sasuke, "can you fight him long enough to set him in position."

"Yeah, but how am I going to surprise him?"

"You said you touched a bell before, right? He'll probably be more cautious of your hands next time."

"What about two-on-one, Ino?" Naruto asked. "We almost got it when we were fighting."

"That could work, but he still could hold his own." Ino eyes squinted in concentration, "what if he thought we got a bell when we actually didn't?" Everyone raised an eyebrow. "If blindsides Kakashi with Sasuke almost touching a bell, then Naruto can transform into one and Sakura and I can bind him in a trap." Everyone nodded their heads. "Ok, we gotta get going and set up everything. If we hid in the trees, use Naruto's clones, and have luck on our side, we might have a chance."

Everyone nodded and rushed into the forest to begin preparations for the plan.

QQQ Q

"I see. You used all the Shinobi Fighting Techniques to form a cohesive plan to trap me. Well done. And the fake clones of you and Sakura knew where to throw and lead me because they were actually Naruto's clones who made more clones so that they when they dispelled they could see where I was heading. Excellent planning, you guys."

Naruto, Ino, and Sakura smiled abashedly while Sasuke just smirked at the compliment. Sakura, Ino, and Sasuke finished their lunches. Kakashi stood up and walked over to them. "Even though you figured out the hidden meaning of the test, there are still some parting words I'd like to give before I dismiss you."

Everyone gave their attention to Kakashi.

"First, you will be my first team even though I gave this test to several teams before you, so be proud. This isn't the normal test for Genin." They looked at each other. "In the normal test, you would have been told to fight together so the Jonin could analyze the team's ability and see the students could survive as Genin. I added the bell portion to emphasize the importance of teamwork in the Shinobi world." Kakashi reached into his pocket to retrieve another silver bell.

"You had four bells all this time?!" Naruto yelled.

"Yes, I did," Kakashi replied calmly. "But I want you each to keep a bell to remember the lesson you learned today." Kakashi passed out a single bell to each of his Genin. "If you remember nothing else I say, then remember this: A ninja must see underneath the underneath. Those who break the codes of the Ninja World are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash. I could never teach a team who didn't understand that."

Team 7 sat sternly in the sincerity of his words. Taking the sentiment to their hearts.

"Second, the road of a ninja is long and dangerous. A road where you will risk your lives time and time again." Kakashi pointed to the big rock behind him. "That stone has many names of ninjas carved on it. Ninjas who are recognized as heroes to the village."

"That's so cool!" Naruto interrupted. "I want my name on there!"

"Naruto, this is a memorial." Naruto immediately stopped his shouting and sobered up quickly. "My best friend's name is on here. So, it is my promise as your sensei, I will do my best to make sure none of your names are ever on this rock. I promise with my life."

The mood was heavy. Everyone's face was stern with the possible reality of how their ninja career could end. Kakashi sensed the somberness and continued, "But that concludes our training. Team 7 will begin its duties tomorrow morning. You're all dismissed."

Naruto jumped up with joy with a gleaming smile. He grabbed Ino by the hand and jumped around with her screaming, 'we did it! We did it!' Sasuke and Sakura calmly got up and started to walk home.

"I think this calls for the famous Yamanaka Celebratory Dinner!" Naruto yelled with glee.

"I guess it does. You always want a reason to eat food at my house."

"'Cause your mom makes the best food. Of course, Ichiraku has her beat in the ramen department."

Ino rolled her eyes at Naruto's comment. "Hey, you guys," Ino yelled out to Sakura and Sasuke. "You guys can come over too. Consider it our first team dinner. We usually have dinner at seven." Sakura gave a reluctant thumbs-up while Sasuke lazily waved his hand in the air. "You think they'll come?"

"Oh, I'll make sure they'll come. Believe it!"

Ino smiled at Naruto's catchphrase. "So, you ready for the life of a ninja?"

"You bet I am! I'm going to be Hokage, I can't wait to prove myself to the world!" Naruto proclaimed with a giant grin.

"Ok Mr. 'Future Hokage.' You do know you need as much brain as brawn when being Hokage. Like diplomacy, handling foreign affairs, history, strategy. They're all pretty important."

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto waved dismissively. "We'll get there when we get there."

QQQ Q

"And then he said, 'you pass!'" Naruto said, mockingly imitating Kakashi. Team 7 was enjoying the dinner prepared by the Yamanaka family. Naruto was recounting how they passed the test to Inoichi and Hana.

"Well, congratulations, everyone. Please, eat up. This is all for you," Hana announced as she passed around a platter soba noodles around the table.

"You could have at least told me about the second graduation test, Dad," Ino complained as she ate her salmon.

"Sorry, sweetie. It's kind of an informal pact between ninjas to not tell upcoming Genins. But I told you all you needed to know about Kakashi and I gave all the help I could give," Inoichi explained.

"Ino, I forgot to mention. Inomi and her team passed as well. Honestly, I was hoping you would be the next generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, but I'll the infamous four-man team. Who knows, you guys could be the next Yonnin," Hana jested.

The table laughed at the thought.

"Yeah. That would be so cool!" Naruto said excitedly.

"Hopefully it doesn't end like the last one," Sakura joked awkwardly. Sakura looked at the clock on the wall. "Thank you, Mrs. Yamanaka, for dinner but it's getting late. I should get going."

"Yes. I should head home too," Sasuke chimed in.

"No worries. Please, take a couple of plates for yourself and your family, Sakura. Sasuke, you can take a plate home too. We can't eat all of this by ourselves," Hana insisted.

Hana and Inoichi made extra plates to go for Sasuke and Sakura. They bowed politely and exited the Yamanaka residence. Naruto was on his fourth plate of food. "Alright, Sakura's right, Naruto. You should head home and get some rest," Inoichi advised.

"Then can I have a plate to go too?" he asked.

"Naruto, you know this will always be your first home. You can come and eat whenever you like," Hana said.

"Ok! You know I always have to come back for your food, Mrs. Yamanaka."

"Of course. Ino, say goodbye to Naruto. You need to go to bed as well. Don't worry about the mess, your father and I will handle it."

Ino walked Naruto to the door and waved goodbye as he left. "Alright. Good night Mommy and Daddy," she said as she walked up to her room.

Hana and Inoichi began putting the food away and cleaning the table.

"So...she's on his team," Inoichi said.

"I've noticed."

"Should we tell her now?"

"No. I don't see a need to."

"But what if-"

"Honey, it hasn't happened in several generations," Hana interrupted. "If it does she'll just have to learn how to deal with it."

The Yamanakas continued to clean their dining room table in silence.

You guys like Ino's new technique? That foreshadowing? I think it will be very unique yet logical given the backstory (if I get that far lol). I hope this holds you guys off for awhile because the chapters might come out more sparsely. I'm going back to school soon and I don't know how much time I'll be able to dedicate to this fic. But I'll try my best. Forewarning, I am going to adjust how some jutsu works and what they will know about them (Like how can Naruto use the Shadow Clone Jutsu for four years and not know they could do that). I also want to implement more strategy into the fights instead of just raw power. Y'know, to be more ninja-like. Anyway, that's it for me. See ya next chapter!