40: Chapter 40 Survival Drill! A Difficult Early Morning"Huh?It's over?"
Naruto immediately snapped out of the chill Sasuke had brought him to his senses."So what about tomorrow's mission?What level is it?Is it an escort mission or a raid?"
His eyes shone with anticipation.
"Task?"
Kakashi lazily closed the book."What we're going to do together tomorrow isn't a regular mission.it's a survival exercise."
"Survival drill?"
Sakura paused for a moment, then breathed a sigh of relief, even somewhat dismissively, "We've already gone through so many drills at the Ninja Academy, why do we have to do these boring missions after becoming official ninjas?"
"boring?"
Kakashi's tone suddenly turned low and eerie.He lowered his head slightly, and his only visible eye curved into a dangerous arc, emitting a low, chilling laugh:
"Hehehe.that's because."
He looked at the three people who were instantly tense and curious at the sound of laughter.Naruto glared at Kakashi warily, Sakura subconsciously moved closer to Sasuke, and Sasuke frowned slightly before slowly adding:
"If I were to tell you the details of the exercise now."
You'll probably be tempted to quit on the spot.
"What?Who would quit?" Naruto immediately jumped up, unconvinced.
"That's right!We're not afraid at all!" Sakura shouted, mustering her courage.
Although Sasuke didn't speak, a hint of defiance shone through his cold eyes.
"Yeah?"
Kakashi seemed quite pleased with their reaction, his tone carrying a cruel, declarative undertone, "Then let me tell you an interesting statistic."
He held up one finger: "Of the twenty-seven graduates this year, only nine will ultimately pass this survival exercise and officially qualify to carry out the mission."
The remaining eighteen.will be deemed unqualified and sent back to the Ninja Academy, delaying their graduation.
He paused, then clearly uttered the cold number: "In other words, this is an extremely difficult survival exercise with an elimination rate as high as 66.6%."
"ah?"
"Sixty-six point six percent?"
Naruto and Sakura both let out desperate cries!
The fighting spirit that had just been ignited was instantly extinguished by the terrifying elimination rate!
But then Naruto realized, 'Wait a minute, I don't need to worry.With my comrades helping me, how could I possibly fail.'
'Damn it, I subconsciously thought I wasn't going to make it!'
"How could this happen?" Only Sakura was left in disbelief."The graduation exam was already."
"The previous exams," Kakashi interrupted her, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority, "were simply to screen out whether you had the 'aptitude' to become genin."
Tomorrow's exercise will be the test of whether you are qualified to become true 'ninjas'.
He gave the three no chance to ask questions or complain, and decisively said, "Remember!Tomorrow morning at five o'clock, bring your ninja toolkits and assemble at the third training ground!"
Kakashi's figure began to blur.
"I will be there.to decide whether you are qualified to be 'ninjas'!"
Just before he completely disappeared, that lazy yet mischievous voice came again: "Oh, right.remember not to eat breakfast."
A gentle breeze blew by, and Kakashi's figure disappeared completely.
".It will come out."
The last half-sentence seemed to drill directly into the ears of the three of them.
"Five o'clock?The third training ground?No breakfast allowed?And such a high elimination rate?"
Naruto clutched his stomach, feeling the world turn gray, and his hunger intensified."That bastard teacher!He definitely did it on purpose!"
He had only one thought in mind—to rush to Ichiraku Ramen and swallow all his anger and unease!
Sasuke stood up without a word or expression, not even glancing at Naruto who was clutching his stomach and groaning, or Sakura who was trying to stop him, and turned to leave.
He needs to go back and adjust his mindset to prepare for tomorrow's brutal elimination round.
Kakashi's final warning, "You'll vomit it out," made him sense an unusual and dangerous atmosphere.
"Sasuke-kun!Wait for me." Sakura reached out her hand, but only grasped at thin air.
Watching Sasuke's resolute departure, and thinking of the terrifying elimination rate and Kakashi's sinister smile, Sakura felt that her future was bleak, and frustration weighed on her heart like a lead weight.
She dragged her heavy steps and dejectedly began her journey home.
On the rooftop, only the sound of the wind blowing and Naruto's stomach protesting again could be heard.
————————
The next morning at five o'clock, Konoha's third training ground.
The mist had not completely dissipated, morning dew clung to the grass blades, and the air was slightly cool.
Three figures were already waiting there, but their states were completely different.
Uchiha Sasuke leaned against a tree trunk, arms crossed, his eyes sharp and clear.He was clearly in peak condition, highly focused, like a cheetah ready to pounce.
Sakura Haruno stood awkwardly to the side, yawning incessantly, her eyes half-closed, with a few tears glistening at the corners.
Forcing herself to stay awake, she groggily waved in Sasuke and Naruto's direction, "Good.good morning, Sasuke-kun."
His voice was muffled, filled with the resentment of sleep deprivation and the exhaustion of struggling between the excitement of seeing Sasuke soon.
As for Naruto Uzumaki.his condition is the most bizarre.
He moved over stiffly, as if sleepwalking, his posture extremely unnatural, like a puppet controlled by invisible threads.
His head was drooping, his eyes were closed, his mouth was slightly open, and he was snoring evenly and loudly—he was actually sleeping standing up!
Beneath his oversized orange coat, four chains emitting a faint golden light were faintly visible, connecting his limb joints.
Consciousness SpaceIn the middle, Ichigo and Luffy are carefully manipulating the chains, struggling to maintain Naruto's basic walking posture like playing with puppets.
Left leg, lift!Right leg, step!Maintain balance.Oh no, oh no!
'Idiot Naruto!Why is it so heavy!' The two little guys were scrambling around in their consciousness space.
Time passed second by second, the sun rose above the horizon, dispelling the thin mist and bathing the training ground in sunlight.
From five in the morning until almost noon, Naruto's snoring changed several times, Sakura leaned against the tree trunk and almost fell asleep again, and Sasuke's eyes showed a hint of impatience and coldness.
finally--
Hey everyone, good morning!
A lazy, irritating voice suddenly rang out.
Kakashi Hatake appeared silently, like a ghost, next to the wooden stake in the center of the field, one hand in his pocket and the other slightly raised, as if he were just passing by and saying hello.
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