"Did I go too far?" Yamato murmured, crouching on the cliff as he looked down.
From his position, he could see Kuro being swept away by the waves. Occasionally, a hand emerged from the water only to sink back down as the current carried him rapidly away.
The ninjutsu he used was designed to alter the environment, creating a flow similar to a waterfall. Although the water was gentler, falling from that height could be uncomfortable, even if it didn't cause fractures.
Gradually, the water level dropped, revealing the grass that had been hidden beneath. Yamato stood up, ready to gather Kuro and the others and announce that the mission would resume the following day.
But...
!
Suddenly, he felt something cold against his neck.
A long, sharp blade rested against his skin.
Yamato slowly raised his hands, glancing out of the corner of his eye to see the culprit.
"Kuro..."
Kuro stood behind him, completely dry. Not a single drop of water stained his clothes or hair.
"A shadow clone?" Yamato said, surprised, before letting out a sigh. "I considered the possibility, but I didn't expect you to be so cautious."
The smoke from the previous technique had blocked visibility on both sides, creating a perfect environment for surprise attacks. But it was also the ideal setting for both to make additional preparations.
"If you had already predicted this possibility, Yamato-sensei, why didn't you prepare?" Kuro asked, tilting his head slightly as he observed Yamato's expression. "Was it carelessness, or did you simply think that because I'm a newly graduated Genin, you didn't need to be more careful?"
Yamato smiled calmly at these questions.
"No, I already made preparations."
As soon as he finished speaking, Kuro felt something cold against his own neck.
A kunai was pressed against his skin.
Paralyzed by the touch, he slowly turned his eyes to look behind him and found another... Yamato.
"A clone?" he asked, his gaze shifting back to the Yamato in front of him.
"That's right," Yamato said with a pleased smile. "As a ninja, you must be able to see through your enemy's strategies. You mentioned receiving real combat training from a Jōnin, so I can't treat you like just any Genin."
Kuro closed his eyes and took a deep breath, as if resigned. Then he opened them and said calmly, "I was careless... I didn't realize you were a clone."
"No," Yamato maintained his smile. "The one in front of you is the real body. The clone is the one behind you."
!
"You're using yourself as bait?" Kuro murmured before showing a faint smile. "Sensei... we have the same idea. But you should never let your guard down, even when you think the battle is over."
"What?...!!!"
Yamato reacted immediately, leaping to the side.
In the spot where he had been standing, another Kuro appeared.
Unlike the first, this one was completely soaked. His hair and clothes clung to his body, and he held a sword in his hand, though he didn't seem intent on attacking.
However, Yamato's face showed horror.
I didn't sense him approaching... If his clone hadn't distracted me, it could have been lethal.
Then he understood.
This Kuro has been behind me for a while, but he didn't act immediately.
He recalled how the first Kuro had tilted his head while laughing, blocking the view of his wood clone.
I didn't think much of it at the time, but he actually did it to hide the real Kuro stalking me from behind.
Yamato crossed his arms.
If this had been a real battle, I would already be dead.
Puff
The Kuro who had appeared earlier vanished in a cloud of smoke.
Meanwhile, the soaked Kuro sheathed his sword, calmly adjusted his clothes and hair, and gave Yamato a serene smile.
"Yamato-sensei, this is the end of today's training... I win."
"..."
Yamato observed him in silence, and a slight sense of relief settled in his heart.
This boy not only has great skill and combat experience but also knows how to carry himself.
He was certain that Kuro had avoided completely defeating him out of respect, preserving his reputation as the team leader and avoiding tensions within the group.
"Alright," Yamato said, straightening up. "The survival exercise ends here. Go find Naruto and Sakura; I have some advice for them."
"Understood!"
...
Shortly after, Kuro found Naruto hanging upside down from a distant branch. His legs were tangled in vines.
Was it fate or just a coincidence?
Upon being rescued, Naruto began complaining.
Back at the meeting point, Yamato arrived with Sakura, who also looked somewhat annoyed.
As soon as the group gathered, Naruto burst out:
"Damn it, I was careless before! But I won't be again. Come on, Kuro, let's go another round!"
Kuro grimaced, unsure how to respond.
Does he really not notice the difference between him and a Jōnin?
Even Yamato's eyes twitched slightly. He could foresee that leading this team would be a challenge, even with Kuro in the group.
For her part, Sakura could no longer hold back. She rolled her eyes and exploded, "You're a complete idiot, Naruto! Can't you see the difference in level between you and Yamato-sensei?!"
With a smack to the head, she forced Naruto to stop. The latter, now sporting a noticeable bump, fell silent with a grimace of pain.
"Well..." Yamato said, coughing lightly to regain the group's attention. "Now that everyone is here, I have some observations about this survival exercise."
Sakura, eager to impress, adopted an obedient attitude. "I'm sorry, sensei! Please, give us your advice."
Yamato began in a serious tone, focusing first on the most problematic member.
"Naruto, what exactly did you learn at the academy? Even if you've never seen a Jōnin in action, you should have learned something from the books."
"I...!"
Naruto tried to defend himself, but Yamato interrupted with a more severe expression.
"You ran straight at the enemy, full of unnecessary movements. Your theoretical knowledge and training level are incredibly deficient."
Naruto clenched his fists, lowering his head in frustration.
What Yamato said was entirely true.
During his academy days, Naruto often skipped theoretical classes or fell asleep. In practical training, he lacked the theoretical foundation to understand technical terms or perform movements correctly.
His only merit had been his dedication to physical training.
Yamato shifted his attention to Sakura, who exhaled in relief too soon.
"And you, Sakura!" he said with a frown.
"Eh?!" Sakura looked at him, surprised, her obedient attitude cracking.
"Your plan was to hide while using Naruto as a distraction and then follow Kuro. Do you think that's teamwork?"
"But that's what the book says!" Sakura retorted.
"And where in the book does it say to ignore communication with your team?" Yamato countered. "Whether facing the enemy or hiding, there should always be prior coordination with your teammates. If you hide while they fight without a plan, how do you expect it to work?"
Sakura lowered her head, clearly embarrassed.
Yamato, seeing her guilty expression, softened his tone.
"However, despite the mistakes, you have potential. These things can be corrected with training."
________
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