The training grounds were damp from morning dew as Team 7 gathered, Naruto bouncing on his heels, his grin wide. "Ready to show you all how awesome I am!" he declared, pointing at Kakashi, who leaned against a tree, reading a book. Sasuke snorted, and Sakura told him to shut up, but Naruto's cheer was a shield, hiding his calculations. Kakashi's bell test was their first challenge, and Naruto saw it as a chance to test his power—and his team's loyalty.Kakashi explained the rules: grab two bells from his waist by noon, or fail. "Work together, or you're done," he said, his eye crinkling with a smile that didn't reach his voice. Naruto's grin stayed, but his distrust flared. Teamwork? With Sasuke, who cared only for himself, and Sakura, who fawned over him? Kakashi was testing more than their skills—he was watching, maybe reporting to the Hokage.Naruto dove into the fight, summoning a dozen shadow clones to swarm Kakashi, who dodged effortlessly, his movements a blur. Sasuke attacked alone, his fire jutsu scorching the ground, while Sakura hesitated, caught between helping and hiding. Naruto kept up his loud taunts—"C'mon, Kakashi-sensei, that all you got?"—but his mind was sharp, analyzing Kakashi's speed, his strength. This was the kind of power he needed, the kind that could break into the Hokage Tower and force the truth out.The test ended in failure, with no bells claimed, but Kakashi passed them for showing teamwork in the end, sharing lunch despite the rules. Naruto laughed and ate, playing the grateful kid, but his eyes were on Kakashi. The jounin was hiding something—his strength, his motives, maybe even knowledge of the Nine-Tails. Naruto's distrust deepened, but so did his resolve. Team 7 was his path to power, to missions where he could grow, test the Nine-Tails' chakra, and prove he was more than a demon.Days later, the Hokage summoned Team 7 for their first real mission: escorting a bridge builder, Tazuna, to the Land of Waves. Naruto whooped, his grin wide, but inside, he was electric with possibility. A mission outside the village meant freedom to train, to push his limits, to tap into the power he needed. The Scroll of Sealing was still hidden in his apartment, its secrets waiting, but this mission was a step toward becoming someone the village couldn't ignore. He'd keep his mask on, keep Sasuke and Sakura at arm's length, and watch Kakashi closely. The truth was closer than ever, and with power, he'd claim it.
