superior naruto

The Next Day: The Survival Exercise

At the agreed meeting spot, Kakashi was late—again.

Kakashi: "Yo! Good morning, everyone!"

Naruto's smile was as bright as the sun. "Morning."

Sasuke glanced at the time but said nothing.

Hinata, too shy to meet Kakashi's gaze, stared at her toes and whispered, "Good morning…"

Kakashi pulled out an alarm clock and set it for noon. "This alarm clock is set for 12 o'clock. Your task is to grab one of these two bells before it rings."

He held up two small bells, letting them jingle softly. "If you don't get a bell, you won't get lunch. Instead, you'll be tied to one of those stakes over there… and forced to watch the rest of us eat."

The trio glanced at the wooden stakes, then at each other. Naruto's words from the day before echoed in their minds: "That guy said we shouldn't have breakfast. Don't listen to him. I bet the punishment for failing is missing lunch."

He was right, they realized.

Kakashi continued, "Only two bells mean at least one of you will fail and be sent back to the academy. Oh, and don't hold back—use your ninja tools. You'll need the determination to kill me if you want to grab these bells."

Naruto: "Sensei, can I use explosive tags?"

Kakashi: "You brought explosive tags? Interesting. It seems you're serious about this. I'm starting to like you."

Naruto: "So… is that a yes?"

Kakashi: "…Sure."

Kakashi: "Alright, any questions? No? Then… begin!"

With that, Kakashi vanished.

The trio exchanged glances and split up, each heading in a different direction.

Naruto's Plan in Motion

Naruto climbed a tall tree, reaching Position A—one of the three designated spots in their strategy.

Naruto: I hope Sasuke sticks to the plan. If not, I'll have to adjust.

He formed a hand seal. "Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Four clones appeared. Three left to scout, while one stayed behind.

One of the clones found Hinata at Position B.

Naruto Clone: "Hinata, locate Sasuke."

Hinata activated her Byakugan, her veins bulging around her eyes. "He's at Position C."

Naruto Clone: "Good. Keep an eye on Kakashi. Let me know if he moves."

Hinata nodded. "He's by the river… reading a book."

Naruto Clone: "Perfect. Rest for now. Check his position every ten minutes. I'll handle the rest."

The clone dispelled itself, and Naruto made his way to Sasuke's location.

Naruto: "Glad to see you're sticking to the plan."

Sasuke: "For now. If what Kakashi said is true, our partnership won't last long."

Naruto: "Only if you manage to grab a bell."

The trio had spent the previous day setting up traps around three key locations: A, B, and C. Each point was surrounded by five traps labeled D, E, F, G, H for Position A; I, J, K, L, M for Position B; and N, O, P, Q, R for Position C. Additionally, seven random traps were scattered throughout the forest: S, T, U, V, W, X, Y. The largest trap, Z, was placed at the center of the three positions.

Naruto called it the "26-Trap Lore."

Naruto: "I'll lure him in. You find the right moment to strike. Don't hold back."

With that, Naruto dispelled his clone and prepared for the next phase.

The First Strike

By the river, Kakashi was engrossed in his book when eight Naruto clones suddenly burst out of the water, attacking him from all sides.

Kakashi dodged effortlessly, but his eyes widened in surprise. Eight clones? Yesterday, he only made five. He's holding back.

The clones pressed the attack, forcing Kakashi to stay on the defensive. Just as he thought he had the upper hand, five more clones appeared behind him. One of them lunged forward, wrapping its arms around Kakashi.

Danger!

Kakashi's instincts screamed at him. He quickly substituted himself with a log, escaping just as the clone exploded.

BOOM!

The explosion echoed through the forest, sending debris flying. Kakashi stood at a safe distance, staring at the remains of his beloved book—Make-Out Paradise—now reduced to ashes.

Kakashi: "…"

Naruto's Voice (from the forest): "Sorry, Sensei! I was aiming for you, not your book."

Kakashi: "…"

Naruto's Voice: "Are you mad? Want to spank me? Come and get me! Or are you all talk?"

Kakashi's eye twitched. "You've succeeded in pissing me off, brat."

He stepped into the forest, his expression dark. If you want a fight, I'll give you one.

Naruto's Perspective

From his perch in a tree, Naruto watched Kakashi storm into the forest. "Phase one: complete."

Kurama's Voice: "Using your clones as suicide bombers? You're one twisted kid."

Naruto: "Desperate times, Master Kurama. Besides, you said my body recovers faster thanks to your chakra. This won't hurt me, right?"

Kurama: "It won't harm you. In fact, it might even help if you decide to train in the Eight Gates. Self-destructing clones could speed up your progress."

Naruto: "Really? That's—"

He paused, realizing something. Wait… why does this feel like I'm begging for approval?