Naruto: Heir To The Cherry Blossoms

Chapter 4: The Day of the Test

The morning sunlight filtered through the windows of the Hyūga estate as the family gathered in the dining room for breakfast. The room was serene, with its traditional decor and the quiet elegance expected of the Hyūga household. Hitomi, graceful and kind, placed bowls of rice, miso soup, and small portions of fish and pickled vegetables before her children. 

Naruto, sitting perfectly upright, offered a polite bow. "Thank you for the meal, Lady Hitomi," he said, his voice formal yet warm. 

Hanabi giggled softly at Naruto's strict demeanor. "Big brother, you're so serious all the time." 

Naruto's blue eyes glanced at her briefly, his expression softening only slightly. "Proper decorum is expected at the breakfast table, Hanabi-Sama." 

Hanabi pouted at this

Hinata, sitting quietly across from Naruto, timidly began eating, casting the occasional glance at her older brother. Though Naruto's tone was cold and his words formal, she couldn't help but feel a sense of hidden protectiveness from him. 

"Are you ready for your test, Naruto?" Hitomi asked, her voice gentle. 

Naruto nodded, his tone less formal. "Yes, mother. However, I suspect Kakashi-sensei will repeat his lack of punctuality." 

Hitomi smiled softly but said nothing. The family continued their meal, the sound of clinking dishes and soft conversation filling the air. 

---

Three Hours Later

Naruto decided it was finally time to head to Training Ground 7. Predicting Kakashi's habitual lateness, he had taken his time preparing and left the estate only after finishing his training routine. When he arrived at the training ground, he noted that Sasuke and Sakura were already there, both visibly annoyed by Kakashi's absence. 

Naruto approached the two, his expression calm. "As expected, our sensei's poor time management is consistent," he remarked. 

Sasuke clicked his tongue in irritation. "This is a waste of time." 

Sakura, who had been tapping her foot impatiently, muttered, "I swear, if he gives me another stupid excuse…" 

Moments later, Kakashi appeared in a puff of smoke, casually waving. "Yo, good morning!" 

The trio glared at him, their expressions speaking volumes. Kakashi opened his mouth, about to deliver one of his infamous excuses, but Sakura immediately cut him off. "Save it. Just tell us what the test is already!" 

Naruto crossed his arms, nodding in agreement. "At least make an effort to respect our time, Sensei." 

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Tough crowd…" 

---

Kakashi led the group through the forested expanse of Training Ground 7, eventually stopping at spots where two flags were planted some distance apart. He turned to face his team, his usual relaxed demeanor in place. 

"Here's the test," Kakashi began. "This is a 'Capture the Flag' exercise. Each of us gets a flag." He pointed at their one flags. "That's your flag. Your job is to protect it while trying to take mine." 

Kakashi paused, looking at them seriously. "If I take your flag, you fail, and you don't become Genin. But if you take my flag, you pass." 

Sakura furrowed her brows. "That's it? Just take your flag?" 

Kakashi's eye curved into an amused arc. "That's it. But I wouldn't underestimate the challenge." 

Naruto's gaze narrowed as he studied Kakashi. He suspected there was more to this test than Kakashi was letting on. 

"The time limit is two hours," Kakashi said, walking toward the flag designated as his. "You've got five minutes to prepare. Begin when you hear the signal'' With that, he vanished, leaving the three of them to strategize. 

---

Sasuke immediately took charge, his voice authoritative. "I'll go after Kakashi and take his flag. You two stay back and defend ours." 

Naruto frowned. "You intend to handle him alone? That's reckless." 

"I don't need your help," Sasuke snapped, his irritation clear. "Just don't screw up and lose our flag." 

Naruto's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. He could see that Sasuke's determination wasn't just about passing the test, it was about proving that he was superior than him. Naruto considered arguing but decided it would be futile. 

Sakura hesitated before nodding. "Alright. Sasuke-kun, be careful." 

Naruto turned to Sakura. "We'll need to stay vigilant. Kakashi is likely to test our defense. Be ready for anything." 

Sakura nodded, steeling herself. 

---

Sasuke Advances

Sasuke moved quickly through the trees. His mind raced as he planned his approach. He knew Kakashi would be expecting him, but that didn't deter him. 

---

Back at their flag, Naruto and Sakura stood ready. Naruto's Byakugan activated as he scanned the area for any sign of Kakashi. 

"Do you think Sasuke can handle this?" Sakura asked hesitantly. 

Naruto didn't look at her as he replied. "His skills are adequate, but overconfidence can lead to mistakes. We'll see." 

Sakura fidgeted nervously, but Naruto's calm demeanor gave her a small sense of reassurance. 

--- 

The test had begun, and the stakes were clear. Each of them had their strengths, but the true challenge lay not in their individual abilities but in their capacity to work as a team. Kakashi, ever the enigmatic sensei, was ready to see how far they would go to succeed, or fail. 

____

Chapter 5:

Halfway to the flag's location, a sudden shift in the air made Sasuke halt. Kakashi appeared before him, his stance relaxed yet imposing. 

"You're pretty quick, Sasuke," Kakashi said, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "But you're not quite there yet." 

Sasuke didn't respond verbally, instead launching a flurry of shuriken at Kakashi. Kakashi effortlessly dodged.

---

Sasuke charged forward, kunai in hand, aiming a slash at Kakashi. Kakashi sidestepped, catching Sasuke's wrist mid-strike and flipping him over. Sasuke hit the ground but recovered quickly, flipping back onto his feet. 

"Not bad," Kakashi commented. "But you'll need more than that." 

Sasuke lunged again, this time combining his strikes with his ninja wires. Kakashi ducked and twisted, evading the wires while keeping a close eye on Sasuke's movements. 

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke shouted, unleashing a large fireball toward Kakashi. 

Kakashi jumped to avoid the flames, using a tree branch to launch himself higher. Sasuke anticipated this, hurling a barrage of kunai toward him. Kakashi countered with his own kunai, knocking the projectiles aside before landing gracefully on the ground. 

"You're persistent, I'll give you that," Kakashi said. "But persistence alone won't win this." 

Kakashi moved in a blur, appearing behind Sasuke. Before Sasuke could react, Kakashi landed a swift strike to his shoulder, sending him stumbling forward. Sasuke growled in frustration, wiping blood from his lip. 

---

From a distance, Naruto observed the fight through his Byakugan. He could see every movement, every strike, and it was clear that Sasuke was outmatched. With a sigh, Naruto decided to intervene. 

Naruto arrived just as Kakashi was preparing to finish the skirmish. "Is it wise to leave your teammate alone with the flag?" Kakashi asked, not looking away from Naruto. 

Naruto didn't flinch. Instead, he raised a hand, muttering under his breath. "Bakudō #61: Rikujōkōrō." 

Golden pillars of light slammed into Kakashi, binding him in place. His visible eye widened in surprise. "What...?!" 

Sasuke staggered to his feet, glaring at Naruto. The sight of Naruto showing him up again stoked his irritation. But before he could say anything, Kakashi and him suddenly switched places. The golden light now held Sasuke captive, his eyes blazing with fury. 

"Damn it!" Sasuke shouted, struggling against the bind. 

Kakashi reappeared behind Naruto, a kunai in hand. He slashed at Naruto's side, drawing blood. 

But the figure before him shimmered and vanished. "An afterimage?" Kakashi muttered, turning sharply. His instincts screamed danger, but when he looked again, both Naruto and Sasuke were gone. 

Kakashi rubbed his neck. "These kids are full of surprises," he murmured, retreating toward the flag he had left guarded by a clone. 

---

Naruto and Sasuke regrouped at their original flag, where Sakura was waiting. Naruto's expression was cold as he turned to Sasuke. 

"Reckless," Naruto said sharply. "You had no chance against him." 

Sasuke clenched his fists. "I didn't ask for your help!" 

Naruto's voice hardened. "It doesn't matter if you asked. Kakashi is an experienced ninja with decades of fieldwork. You're a child playing at being a shinobi." 

Sasuke's glare could have cut through steel, but before he could retort, Sakura stepped between them. "Enough! We can't start fighting each other. That's exactly what Kakashi-sensei wants!" 

Naruto sighed, composing himself. "You're right, Sakura. Let's focus on the test." 

---

Naruto turned to both of them. "We're leaving the flag unguarded." 

Sakura and Sasuke stared at him like he had lost his mind. "Are you insane?!" Sakura exclaimed. 

Naruto held up a hand. "Think about it. Kakashi isn't guarding his flag directly. That means he's relying on us to split our forces. If we all go on the offensive, we have a better chance of overwhelming him." 

Sasuke frowned. "And if he circles back to take our flag?" 

Naruto smirked slightly. "If that happens, I'll be back in an instant. You have my word." 

The confidence in his voice made Sakura hesitate, then nod reluctantly. Sasuke clicked his tongue but eventually agreed. 

"Fine," Sasuke muttered. "But if this fails, it's on you." 

Naruto nodded. "Then let's move. Time is running out." 

With that, the three of them began their march toward Kakashi's flag, leaving their own behind. Their next clash with their enigmatic sensei would determine their fate as Genin.

Tbc