Chapter 7: C rank mission

Another two years passed, and it was time for us to graduate.

I easily passed the graduation exams, and so did Sasuke, but Naruto didn't. I thought about helping him train the next day when a commotion started in the village. Sneaking out of the house, I overheard a ninja telling another one that "Naruto Uzumaki stole the scroll of forbidden seals…" After hearing this, I knew Naruto would probably head to the forest, so I went there.

I spotted Iruka-sensei and another ninja with white hair. I looked around for Naruto and found him behind a tree. I listened to their conversation, and suddenly, the ninja attacked Iruka-sensei. Just as I was about to intervene, Naruto attacked the ninja before I could. He then said, "Shadow Clone Jutsu" and summoned about a thousand shadow clones. I was amazed and smiled, heading back home, knowing Naruto would be alright.

The next day, we were all at the academy, where they were going to assign us new teams. I ended up on the same team as Naruto and Sasuke, which made me pretty happy. However, our team ended up being a 4-man team instead of a three-man team, and the last person was Sakura, Sasuke's biggest fangirl. I wasn't thrilled, but I didn't really care either.

As all the other teams' Senseis arrived and took them away, we waited and waited until ours finally showed up. Looking at us, he said, "My first impression of you guys? Well, I hate you," leaving us all shocked because he was the one that was late. We found out his name was Kakashi Hatake, and he told us that we would continue talking on the roof.

"I want you to introduce yourself. Your likes, dislikes, your future dreams, hobbies, things like that," Kakashi sensei explained.

Naruto was the first one to talk saying, "I'll start! I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I like the ramen from Ichiraku that Iruka-sensei treats me to. And my future dream is to surpass the Hokage!"

"I'm Sakura Haruno. What I like… I mean, who I like is. And my hobby is I mean."

Kakashi sensei then interrupted asking, "And? What about your dislikes?"

"Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed.

Naruto turned to Sakura as tears started flowing down his eyes.

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha. I don't feel like summing up my goal as just a dream, but I do have an ambition. The ambition to restore my clan and without fail… to kill a certain man."

As I looked at Naruto, I already knew what he was thinking ('He doesn't mean me, does he?') and couldn't help but chuckle.

Kakashi Sensei then turned to me as he said, "Well, you're the only one left."

I stopped laughing as I said, "I'm Hinoka. I like my friends and family. I dislike anyone who tries to harm them, and I also dislike Sakura." I turned to Sakura with a grin on my face as she looked like she wanted to punch me. But I just ignored her murderous intent as I continued, "I guess you could say that my dream is more like a goal; it's to become a jonin that'll support Naruto when he becomes Hokage, to be a jonin that strikes fear in anyone just by the mention of my name… oh and to have a sick nickname like you Kakashi Sensei or the yellow flash of the leaf." I said glancing at Kakashi sensei.

Kakashi Sensei paused before saying, "Ok, that's everyone. For now, we'll do what we can with four people. A survival exercise. Of 30 graduates, only nine will be recognized as junior ninjas." Kakashi sensei explained.

Naruto looked at Kakashi sensei and asked, "Wait, then what was the use of the graduation test?!"

"That's all, you're dismissed. Oh… And you'd best skip breakfast." Kakashi sensei said before leaving.

The next day, I was still contemplating whether I should have breakfast or not. I decided to just eat. After finishing, I went to the spot we were meant to meet up. Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura were already there. Upon arriving, Sakura started screaming at me, "Hinoka! We were meant to meet up here 5 hours ago, so why are you late! And where is Sensei..."

"I was contemplating having breakfast then decided to then on my way here I bumped into Asuma Sensei and lost track of time."

"Seriously you're even worse than Naruto!"

"Yeah, yeah I'll be on time later."

As Sakura kept screaming, I ignored her and started talking to Sasuke. A few minutes later, Kakashi Sensei arrived.

Upon seeing him both Sakura and Naruto said, "You're late!"

"A black cat crossed my path, so I had to take the long way." I couldn't help but chuckle at Kakashi sensei's response before he said, "Let's get started. Your assignment is pretty simple; all you need to do is take these bells from me." He showed us two bells. "If you can't get them by noon, you'll go without lunch. And you'll be tied to those posts, and you'll watch as I eat my lunch in front of you."

"But there are 4 of us, so how come there are only 2 bells?" Sakura asked.

"So that at least two of you will be tied to the post and ultimately disqualified for failing to complete the mission. Those two people go back to the academy. But then again, all 4 of you could end up failing. You can use any weapons, including shurikens. If you're not prepared to kill me, you won't be able to take the bells." Kakashi sensei explained.

"But Sensei, those weapons are too dangerous!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Especially since you couldn't dodge that eraser," Naruto said.

"Class clowns are usually the weakest links; you can safely ignore them, lowest scores, losers. When I say start, you can begin." Kakashi sensei said.

Naruto suddenly charged at Kakashi Sensei with a kunai, but in less than a second, Kakashi Sensei was behind Naruto, grabbing the hand with the kunai pointed at Naruto's head.

Kakashi sensei asked Naruto, "Why are you in such a hurry? I didn't say start yet."

We all stood there surprised, asI thought, "Well, this is going to be fun."

"Get ready and start!" Kakashi sensei exclaimed.

As we all went in different directions and hid, Naruto walked up to Kakashi Sensei and challenged him, "You and me right now, fair and square! Let's go!" I couldn't help but smile, thinking, 'Well, this should be interesting.'

As Naruto charged towards Kakashi Sensei, he reached for something. Naruto jumped back as Kakashi brought out a book. I almost started laughing but managed to stop myself. Naruto then charged at Kakashi Sensei, trying to attack, but Kakashi Sensei blocked all of his attacks and suddenly appeared behind Naruto, forming the tiger sign with his fingers.

"Naruto, get out of there quick! He's going to destroy you!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Too late! Leaf village secret finger jutsu! Thousand years of death!" Kakashi sensei exclaimed as he poked Naruto in the butt, sending him flying into the water.

I was using all my strength not to laugh out loud when Naruto attacked Kakashi Sensei with two shurikens, which he easily caught.

A few shadow clones of Naruto appeared and attacked Kakashi Sensei. Just when it looked like Naruto had won, Kakashi Sensei disappeared and one of Naruto's shadow clones was there instead.

After fighting with his shadow clones, he finally released the jutsu to find Kakashi Sensei nowhere to be found. Naruto then saw a bell on the floor, and as he was about to pick it up, he ended up trapped by a rope, dangling from a tree.

Just as Kakashi Sensei was talking to Naruto, a bunch of kunai's and shuriken's hit him from the side, only to reveal that it was a tree trunk.

I then heard Sakura scream as I spotted her faint. But I just decided to ignore her. I spotted Sasuke and Kakashi Sensei fighting, and he was doing better than Naruto did.

I left knowing Kakashi sensei would be occupied for a few minutes as I headed towards where the food was, passing Naruto on the way. I didn't help him telling he'd figure it out if he was hungry enough pointing towards the bento's.

I opened Sakura's own to see what she had but just as I was also about to grab my lunch I suddenly heard Sakura exclaim, "Hinoka what are you doing?!"

I turned towards her annoyed as I said, "I was obviously about to have lunch till you interrupted me."

"You can't eat now! Especially not my food!"

"Fine you can eat me, is that better?"

"Yeah." I suddenly heard Naruto exclaim as he came running towards me."

Sakura looked at the both of us confused before exclaiming, "What? No!"

I turned back towards the food as I said, "Suit yourself." As me and Naruto where about to take a bite from mine and Sakura's food. Sakura suddenly grabbed her bento from me.

I grinned as I disappeared. While sitting in a tree I looked at the two from afar as I thought, "Sorry Naruto. But this is the best solution I can come up with right now. So you'll have to take one for the team this time."

As Naruto was begging Sakura to let him eat the food, Kakashi sensei appeared behind the two.

I glanced at the clock and it was only a few minutes till noon. I was walking around as Kakashi sensei appeared in front of me. I grinned as I said, "So it's my turn now huh Kakashi sensei."

Before he could say or do anything as I suddenly appeared behind him aiming for a kick to his head. He ducked dogging as I landed on the ground in front of him.

I placed my hand on the ground as I aimed to kick him once again. He blocked my kick as I jumped back grabbing a kunai before charging at him.

I continued attacking him while he dogged and blocked my attacks. I got annoyed as I jumped back and ran. As I was running out of nowhere he appeared in front of me as he tried to hit me in the stomach.

But as he did I faded. Seals appeared on the ground as one of the trees faded showing me. Kakashi Sensei paused before saying, "Genjutsu, two of them and a sealing jutsu."

I grinned as I said that's right, you didn't think I was just doing nothing this whole time did you? In this area there's no way I can lose."

I walked towards him as I was about to grab one of the bells when he suddenly turned into earth and fell to the ground.

I was annoyed as I turned around looking for him while thinking, "So it was an earth clone…"

I could feel Kakashi sensei's chakra but I still couldn't pin his location as I heard him say, "Seems your plan didn't work out."

I felt his chakra a few steps behind me as he approached. A grin appeared on my face as a simple seal appeared, stopping Kakashi sensei. It wasn't as strong as the last but would be enough to stop him for a few seconds.

I quickly turned around but as I was grabbing the bells. He broke the seal quicker than I expected, slamming me into the ground so fast I barely got a chance to react. Managing to only get one bell.

As he reached for the bell in my hand, the alarm rang. Kakashi sensei stopped glancing at me before he started walking away.

I sighed in relief as I thought, "Just as he said, the copy ninja Kakashi is incredibly strong. I barely managed to grab one bell." before standing up to regroup.

As we were together, Sakura and Naruto tied to posts, Kakashi sensei said, "Since only Hinoka managed to get a bell, I've decided I won't send any of you back to the academy."

We all looked at him surprised, getting our hopes up when he continued saying, "Instead, all 3 of you are being dropped from the program permanently…!"

Sasuke charged at him in anger but Sensei easily retrained him as he asked, "Why do you think you're doing this exercise in teams."

Hesitantly Sakura said, "That's… what I've wanted to ask about for a while now."

I paused before saying, "Because a genin can't possibly beat a Jonin, even I barely managed to get a simple bell from you. But 4 genin working together may have a chance."

"Yes. That's right, the answer is teamwork."

"But how there only two bells and there are 4 of us, if we worked together two people still wouldn't have a bell." Sakura replied.

As Kakashi continued explaining things he finally paused before saying, "I'll give you three, one more chance. You can try again after you eat. But Sasuke you can't let Sakura or Naruto eat, if you do you'll be disqualified on the spot." He was about to leave when he turned towards me saying, "The same goes for you Hinoka. If you give either of the two food I'll fail you even though you got a bell."

As Kakashi sensei left both me and Sasuke sat down next to Sakura and Naruto eating. Naruto was practically drooling as he watched me eat, when I turned to him he looked away saying, "I'm okay with not eating lunch! I can go days without eating. It's no sweat at all!"

I sighed as at the same time me and Sasuske said "Here." as I offered food to Sakura while he offered to Naruto.

"But you heard what sensei said, if he finds out he'll fail you two."

"It's okay. There's no sign of him now. The three of us are getting the bells together and I can't have you holding me back." Sasuke said.

I continued saying, "And I guess you could say I kinda feel bad for getting you caught intentionally just to lower Kakashi sensei's guard and buy time to set up more seals. Plus I've already eating so I'm not really hungry."

"You did it on purpose?!" Sakura exclaimed, annoyed.

"Yeah, I did, so you want the food or not, my arm is getting tired."

Her stomach growled as she blushed before replying, "... I want it..."

"So do I!" Naruto exclaimed

As Sasuke fed Naruto, I fed Sakura. I glared at her as I said, "Just how much can you eat, keep this up and I won't get anything."

"Don't forget you used me as a distraction." Sakura replied.

I froze before handing her more to eat as I mumbled, "You better pass." When Kakashi sensei suddenly appeared in front of us. Making me drop my food as he said, "You! You broke the rules! I hope your ready for the punishment."

He did hand signs making the weather change as he asked, "Any last words."

"Where all on this squad and were in this together." Sasuke said.

While I said the first thing that popped into my head. "It was about teamwork wasn't it. I'd say we showed that right!"

Sakura continued, "That's right the four of us are one where a team. That's why they gave us their food."

Naruto exclaimed, "Yeah, what they said!"

Kakashi sensei continued saying, "The four of you are one. That's your excuse."

We hesitantly nodded as he smiled, or at least I think he did as he said, "You pass."

We all looked at him shocked as we asked why he continued replying, "Up until now, it was always just idiots who would just listen to what I said. And fell into every trap, they did what I told them to, they couldn't think for themselves. A ninja must see through deception. In the ninja world those who break the rules are scum and that's true. But those who abandon their friends are worse than scum!"

I had a grin on my face as Naruto started screaming as he celebrated, Sasuke had a small satisfied small and so did Sakura.

Kakashi sensei told us we'd have our mission tomorrow as he said let's go. I untied Naruto as we started leaving when I heard Sakura screaming my name.

I turned back remembering she was tied up as I threw a kunai, the kunai almost hit her hand as it cut the rope, she screamed at me about how it almost hit her while I ignored her.

As we were walking to get ramen Naruto turned to me as he asked, "Hinoka if you had gotten the second bell would you have given it to me or Sasuke? I mean I don't know why but your friends with that jerk right."

I walked backwards in front of him as I flicked his forehead saying, "It doesn't matter, cause we still all passed in the end right."

"I guess."

I smiled as I started walking normally.

"Why don't you tell the kid the truth, you wouldn't have taken a bell for yourself, you would have given the two to both of them, wouldn't you." I heard a voice in my head say.

I ignored it as it continued, "You could have easily gotten both, if you had let me help."

"Yeah but all that matters is we passed in the end."

"Your emotions will be the death of you, after all you'd sacrifice anything for those two including the pink girl though you don't want to admit it."