15 Naruto : Chapter 15

Tomorrow we will start our training. Be at this training ground at six in the morning for physical training." Kakashi ordered.

Naruto nodded and walked away after hitting Sakura's binds with a shuriken to free her.

...

In the Hokage's office the jonin were assembling to report the results of their genin tests. Even Kakashi was only fifteen minutes late, which wondered the others.

After the first six teams had been reported to have failed, it was Kakashi's term.

"Team seven passed." He said.

The others stared at him unbelievingly. It was well-known that Kakashi never passed a team.

Kurenai then got out of her shock and reported.

"Team eight passed." She said.

Asuma was last.

"Team ten passed." He said.

"Okay, that means we have three new teams under Kakashi, Kurenai and Asuma. Very good. The ones who failed their teams can go, the other three stay." The Hokage said.

When the others left the room, the Hokage turned to the new senseis.

"I would like a short overview over the things you think you need to work on with your teams." He told the three.

"Ladies first." Kakashi said to Kurenai who rolled her eyes.

"Okay, Kiba Inuzuka has a good base in his clan's techniques, but he is very brash. I will have to work with him to not just rush into a fight but assess his opponents' strengths and weaknesses.

He could also use training in chakra control and genjutsu detection. Shino Aburame needs to increase his chakra reserves to better assess his combination attacks with his bugs and to work on his taijutsu as he can't use many ninjutsu without his bugs like all Aburame.

But he has a very firm grip on strategy and knows how to work on a team. It was his planning that got my team to pass my test. Hinata Hyuga needs to overcome the belief that she will always fail that has been instilled into her by her clan.

If she could do that she would be a lot stronger than she already is. She can use her byakugan at an acceptable level for somebody her age, but I have the feeling something is off with her taijutsu. It just doesn't seem to suit her fully.

She has a good grasp on dispelling genjutsu and tries to get along with her team-mates." Kurenai said.

"I see. I want you to not only concentrate on training them as a tracking team, get them to be flexible. You have a team that consists of three clan heirs who all have had additional training in their clans' techniques.

Be creative in how you train them. If possible, get them ready for the chunin exams in six months. It would look good for Konoha if we could present some clan heirs in the exams. Next." The Hokage said.

"Okay, I guess Kakashi wants to go last as he had the most difficult team of us." Asuma said. "Shikamaru Nara is your typical lazy Nara.

He worked well together with Ino and Choji, but that was to be expected of an Ino-Shika-Cho trio. Shikamaru needs to get motivated.

His techniques are okay; he used one of his clan's special jutsu to capture me. I didn't see any taijutsu from him, but considering his built he needs more physical training. Choji was following Shikamaru's plan to get the mission done with the least possible amount of work.

He was in a supportive role. He needs to work on ninjutsu, genjutsu and speed. His power is above average, like you normally expect from an Akimichi. Ino is a problem.

While she worked with her team-mates she was complaining that she wasn't on a team with Sasuke Uchiha all the time and about the lack of motivation in her team-mates. She is physically weak and has no stamina.

The only way she could help with the test was that Shikamaru caught me and she could take over my body with a mind control jutsu. She didn't seem to have abilities above the academy jutsu, which she didn't really utilize as well." Asuma reported.

"Okay. Asuma, get your team in gear. You have the same directions as Kurenai, which also holds true for Kakashi. The chunin exams. Don't let your team slack in their training. If necessary put them through the grinder. Get their individual skills up.

You have worked with Naras and Akimichis in the past, so you know how to handle them. I want both of your teams to be the face for the new genin teams in the village.

You will take at least one D-rank mission a day from next week on. Train your teams to be coherent units. This generation we have a lot of strong individuals and we will need them in the future. Okay, Kakashi, your report."

The Hokage said leaving the two jonin who had already reported wondering what was going to happen that they were given such orders. Something was up.

"I will start with Sakura. It seems like only Kurenai didn't get a fangirl in her team. But your fangirl, Asuma, does at least seem to accept her team-mates somewhat. Sakura is weak.

There is no other way to say it. She doesn't have any individual skills above what the academy teaches and she didn't show anything impressive during the test. She only ran after Sasuke like a sick puppy, completely disregarding stealth.

The only thing she did in the test was throwing some weapons to help with Naruto's plan on Sasuke's orders. I will have to put her through harsh physical training.

The reports of the academy told she was skilled in genjutsu yet she fell for a simple D-rank one and fainted."

"Which one?" Kurenai interrupted.

"Demonic illusion: Hell viewing technique." Kakashi answered.

"But that is a standard one that should be used at the academy to train them in detecting and breaking out of genjutsu." Kurenai said disbelievingly.

"I know, that was the reason I used it. I wanted to see if the reports were correct. I have the impression they are not. I would advise you to check up the teaching the academy did in this year.

The only ones that passed are the clan heirs and Sakura because her team-mates pulled her through. I have a suspicion that the teachers in their attempts to sabotage Naruto did more damage than we already thought."

The Hokage nodded. That was a problem. Normally at least a handful of students from civilian background passed.

"Next is Sasuke. He is skilled for a genin fresh out of the academy, but he has a serious attitude problem. His obsession with Itachi makes him completely disregard his team-mates.

He tried to get the bells from me on his own and argued a long time with Naruto after he had lost his one-on-one with me that he didn't need help because he was an Uchiha.

It took Naruto telling him what the meaning of the test was and using his weakness, Itachi, to get Sasuke to cooperate.

Naruto more or less told him if he wanted to pass he needed to work with him and Sakura and that he would be stupid to let his pride get in the way of getting the best possible training from me, as I am a former ANBU captain." Kakashi said.

"How does Naruto know that?" Kurenai asked.

"I guess he recognized me by my voice or has more information on the ninja in the village than I thought. I have had a lot of contact with Naruto when he was little as one of his guards. Naruto performed exceptionally well.

He saw through the test and got his team-mates to work with him. He also displayed great skills in all areas we test genin in, genjutsu, ninjutsu and taijutsu. His academy report is only good for burning. Nothing in there is true.

As you told me, Naruto dislikes both his team-mates immensely, but is willing to treat them neutrally to get a mission done. My team will never last past the chunin exams, but I think I can make it a workable unit." Kakashi said.

"We thought as much when the team was built. Okay, you already have your orders how to work with your team, Kakashi." The Hokage said.

"Erm, why does Kakashi already have orders, Hokage Sama? After all he never passed a team before." Kurenai asked.

"Because I had to pass this team. The civilian council ordered me to pass them, but with their performance I would have done it either way.

I have special orders for the next six months to smooth out mistakes that were made in the past with both Naruto and Sasuke.

And you know I am the only one who can teach Sasuke in using his sharingan as I have one myself, that is once he awakens it." Kakashi said.

"The problem is the council has put Sasuke on a pedestal in the village. Especially the civilians, but also some of the clans, see him as a potential source of power for them in the future.

He is the only one who can bring back the Uchiha clan in Konoha and with them the sharingan, one of the strongest bloodline limits. The problem is that their attitude didn't help with keeping Sasuke grounded.

He's already fixated on his revenge, I fear with the littlest information on Itachi he will go after him, ignoring his duty to the village. That's the reason Kakashi got special orders to keep his team away from missions that bring them in close contact with the villagers.

I want to isolate Sasuke from the villagers as much as possible.

"Naruto was sabotaged all the time at the academy. The only teacher that treated him normal was Iruka because he didn't let his feelings of dislike cloud his professional attitude. But Naruto hid his true level of skill and intentionally passed as the dead last of his class.

He wanted to be teamed up with Sasuke as he knew the council would pull the strings to pass Sasuke for sure. Naruto is a flight risk as well. With the hatred he was shown all his life he has built a strong resent for the village and only a few things hold him here.

Naruto can be a strong asset to the village, if we handle him right now, but he could also become its worst enemy. I want to prevent this." The Hokage said.

Kurenai and Asuma nodded. They didn't want to imagine what Naruto could do if he let loose with Kyubi's power.

"Is there a risk he would use that power?" Asuma asked.

"He wouldn't need to. He has other ways. And he doesn't know yet how to use it. But the fox could use his negative emotions if they get too strong for Naruto to deal with them." The Hokage said seriously.

He didn't want to have to kill Naruto to protect the village. At the moment the boy was still loyal and there was a good chance to keep him that way if Kakashi succeeded.

And Kakashi needed to get ready to take over the Hokage position if necessary. If Kakashi managed to bond with Naruto and became his successor, Naruto would still stay loyal after he retired or died.

He had already written down his intention to make Kakashi his successor. He wanted to discuss it with Jiraiya first, but he didn't really see any way that his student would take the position. He would support Kakashi though.

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