#19 - Chapter 19 All members passed the seventh team and it was established!

Naruto knew that Kakashi's claim of him passing the test was just a facade to lower his guard and further assess his understanding of teamwork!

If Naruto wasn't a transmigrator, he might have actually fallen for Kakashi's trick!

After giving his instructions, Kakashi left on some pretext, but Naruto was sure he was hiding in the shadows.

"What a devious guy."

Naruto muttered before picking up a bento box, opening it, and eating without regard for Sasuke and Sakura's gazes.

When he was halfway through, Naruto suddenly stood up, grabbed another bento box, went to Sasuke, and ripped the ropes off him.

"W-What are you doing?" Sasuke asked, looking at Naruto in confusion.

"Eat up. You'll need the energy this afternoon to try and grab the bells."

Naruto said, placing the untouched bento box in Sasuke's hands. Then, he went to untie Sakura and gave her the half-eaten bento.

"B-But... wouldn't that mean your exam qualification would be revoked? Naruto?" Sakura held the bento, wanting to eat but hesitant.

Even though she disliked Naruto before, she couldn't help but be moved by his actions.

"You two are such idiots."

Naruto leaned against a wooden post and said indifferently, "Don't you understand what the point of this test is?"

"Teamwork?"

Sakura said subconsciously, then suddenly realized.

Could it be...

"That's right, we're a team. How could only I graduate? Kakashi's words weren't just to remind you, but also to lull me into complacency."

Naruto said dismissively, "Tch, what a boring trick."

Sasuke was silent for a moment, then opened the bento and began to eat.

Sakura, seeing this, also started eating, apologizing to Naruto as she did, "Naruto, I'm sorry for before..."

"The past is in the past."

Naruto didn't want to hear any touching words from Sakura.

As long as she doesn't act up in the future, he couldn't be bothered to target her!

"Thank you, Naruto."

Seeing Naruto being so generous, Sakura felt even more guilty.

She now deeply regretted her past attitude and treatment of Naruto.

Why did she have prejudice against Naruto when he was such a good person?

Unbeknownst to her, Naruto's current image had almost completely overwritten the bad impression he had left on her.

The old Naruto was a dead last, an annoying pest who constantly made big talk, pulled pranks, and acted like a clown.

The current Naruto was a genius, a cool and aloof boy who no longer clung to her!

So, actually... it wasn't that she didn't dislike Naruto anymore, but that she didn't dislike the current Naruto.

"Naruto."

Sasuke suddenly said while eating, "Why has your strength become so strong?"

Sakura also looked at Naruto curiously, "Yeah, Naruto. You seem completely different from before..."

"People always change. As for my strength... I mastered a special talent some time ago, which is why I'm so strong," Naruto said indifferently.

"Special talent? Is it that glowing ability?" Sakura asked again.

"Yes."

Naruto extended a finger and concentrated a beam of light on it, "The power of light."

"Light? Is that a type of chakra nature?" Sakura thought carefully, but couldn't remember Iruka-sensei ever mentioning a light attribute for chakra.

"Sort of."

The Goro Goro no Mi consumed Naruto's stamina, not chakra.

But he wouldn't tell anyone that fact.

Just then, a puff of smoke exploded.

Kakashi suddenly appeared in front of the three, staring at Naruto with an unfriendly expression, "Naruto, didn't I say not to give them food?"

"You dare to violate my rules, don't you want to graduate?"

As Kakashi spoke, he formed hand seals, and dark clouds gathered in the sky, with lightning flashing and thunder rumbling.

Anyone who didn't know better would think Enel had arrived!

But even if Enel came, he wouldn't be able to scare Naruto.

Naruto looked at Kakashi expressionlessly, his inner self completely calm, "Didn't you say we were teammates? If they can't graduate this afternoon, I can't graduate either, right?"

"I didn't expect you to figure that out, but even so, you can't violate my rules. Here, my rules are the rules!"

Kakashi said, pretending to be angry, "So you're eliminated, Naruto Uzumaki!"

"No, Kakashi-sensei!"

Sakura said anxiously, "We insisted on eating the bento. It has nothing to do with Naruto. Revoke our qualifications instead!"

"Yeah, it has nothing to do with Naruto," Sasuke also said.

"Do you think I'm blind? I was watching you the whole time!"

Kakashi stared at the two with an unfriendly expression, "And because Naruto violated the rules without permission, you two are also eliminated!"

Hearing this, Sakura and Sasuke's hearts trembled.

"Eliminated is eliminated! Anyway, we're a team. We either pass together or get eliminated together!" Sakura said, throwing caution to the wind and standing next to Naruto.

Sasuke silently put down the bento and also stood next to Naruto, expressing his attitude.

"You three!!!"

Seemingly angered by the three's actions, Kakashi was furious, but suddenly smiled as if the rain had cleared, "Congratulations, you passed the test!"

"P-Passed? But we haven't grabbed the bells together yet," Sakura said, stunned.

"Grabbing the bells was never the goal. Naruto has always understood this. Whether it was the trap of two bells or my deliberately saying he passed the test to lull him into complacency, it didn't affect him. I have to commend him for that."

"As for you two, if you hadn't firmly stood by Naruto just now, I would still have announced that all three of you were eliminated. You have to know that Naruto took the risk of being eliminated to help you complete the bell-grabbing task this afternoon."

"People who don't trust their teammates and can't advance and retreat together with them don't deserve to be called ninjas!"

Sasuke and Sakura deeply agreed, and their eyes were filled with gratitude as they looked at Naruto.

If it weren't for Naruto, they probably would have really struggled to pass this test!

"Great! We finally graduated and became real ninjas!!!"

Sakura said excitedly, "To celebrate the official formation of Team Seven, let's go get a feast together!"

"I won't be going," Naruto refused.

"Why?" Sakura asked, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured on her.

"I don't have any money," Naruto said indifferently.

"It's okay, I'll treat today!" Kakashi said with a smile.

He also knew about Naruto's financial situation, knowing that the Third Hokage didn't give Naruto much living expenses, so he took the initiative to cover the expenses of this gathering.

"Really? You're the best, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura jumped up excitedly.

"Ah, it's just a meal, it doesn't cost much."

Kakashi acted very generous,

But half an hour later, Naruto and the others sat at a roadside Ichiraku Ramen stand, looking puzzled.

"Huh? We're just eating this?"

"Ah, that black cat seems to have stolen my wallet this morning~"

"Oh well, Ichiraku Ramen is pretty good too."

"Then I'll dig in... Eh? Kakashi-sensei, how do you eat without taking off your mask?"

"......"