Naruto: Divine Reward System

"Go ahead, guess who it is?"

Hearing this, Tatsuya pretended to be deep in thought, rubbing his chin dramatically before declaring, "My gut tells me our instructor is going to be Kakashi Hatake, the famous [Copy Ninja]!"

"Copy Ninja?"

Naruto repeated, frowning in confusion. It was clear he had no clue what that title meant.

They had only just graduated, so it made sense that he wasn't familiar with all the big names yet. Just like how Sasuke still didn't know that Kakashi possessed the [Sharingan].

"Tatsuya, you better not take back your words," Naruto challenged.

"Of course not!" Tatsuya grinned.

"Alright then, let's wait and see!"

As Naruto and Tatsuya talked and laughed, Sasuke almost felt the urge to join in. Almost. But his mind was too occupied with his personal mission, so he held himself back.

After some time, the door finally opened—and Kakashi walked in.

Thump!

The blackboard eraser Naruto had set up dropped straight onto Kakashi's head without fail. Naruto burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! He totally fell for it!"

Kakashi stood there for a moment, blinking, before sighing. "Well… how do I put this? My first impression of you guys is… you're annoying."

Naruto's laughter immediately died, replaced by a sulky pout. But he wasn't one to stay down for long.

"Teacher, teacher, are you Hatake Kakashi?" he asked excitedly.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

He hadn't expected Naruto to figure it out so fast. Did Iruka tell them? That was the first thought that crossed his mind.

"How did you know?" he asked.

At that moment, all eyes turned to Tatsuya in shock.

Naruto gaped. "Tatsuya, you actually got it right?!"

Tatsuya smirked, shrugging casually. "Lucky guess?"

"Or maybe I'm just an all-knowing prophet." he added while doing a praying pose, giving the boys around him a mysterious otherworldly vibe. [T/N: Tanaka and Nishinoya praying pose insert!]

Kakashi was left slightly baffled by their conversation, but he let it slide. It wasn't like his identity was some well-guarded secret, after all.

However, what did catch his attention was the information the Third Hokage had given him—Tatsuya possessed the [Sharingan]. That was an unexpected twist.

Looking over his new team, Kakashi finally spoke. "Since you all know who I am, let's do some proper introductions."

He gave them a lazy eye-smile. "My name is Hatake Kakashi. My likes… well, that's a secret. My dreams? Nothing in particular. As for my hobbies? I have quite a few… Alright, now it's your turn."

One by one, Tatsuya, Naruto, and Sasuke introduced themselves, giving them all a chance to learn a little about each other.

Of course, Tatsuya, being a reincarnated soul, knew far more about Kakashi than anyone else. He knew exactly what the man liked—Icha Icha Paradise.

That infamous book, written by Jiraiya, the Ero-sennin, was certainly not meant for children. The legendary Sannin had gifted Kakashi a copy on his eighteenth birthday, and by now, at twenty-six, Kakashi was still a devoted reader.

After their introductions, Kakashi clapped his hands together. "Alright, I think I've got a rough idea about you all. That's it for today. We'll start your first mission tomorrow."

Naruto immediately perked up. "A mission? What kind of mission?!"

Even Sasuke, who usually acted indifferent, couldn't help but feel a spark of anticipation. Missions meant training, and training meant getting stronger.

Tatsuya, however, remained completely calm. He already knew exactly what was coming.

"A survival drill," Kakashi stated simply.

Naruto blinked. "Huh? You mean like the exercises we did in the Academy?"

Kakashi shook his head. "No, this isn't just an ordinary exercise. I'll be your opponent."

The moment he said that, Naruto tensed up.

"This drill is actually a test to see if you're truly qualified to be ninjas," Kakashi explained. "If you fail, you'll be sent back to the Academy for more training."

"Wait, what?!" Naruto nearly fell over. "I already graduated! Why do I need another exam?!"

Kakashi shrugged. "That was just the first step to becoming a [Genin]. Nothing more."

He then gave them all a pointed look. "Just so you know, this test is extremely difficult. The failure rate is over 60%."

Naruto went pale. "Sixty percent?!"

He looked ready to start pulling his hair out in frustration.

Meanwhile, Tatsuya simply chuckled, already knowing exactly how things would play out. He had a plan.

Kakashi stretched lazily. "Alright, go home and prepare. Meet me at the training grounds tomorrow. That's when I'll decide whether or not you pass."

He turned to leave but paused for one last piece of advice. "Oh, and don't forget to bring your ninja tools."

Then, with an eye-smile, he added, "One more thing—I recommend you skip breakfast. You might end up regretting it otherwise."

With that, he disappeared, leaving the three boys standing there in silence.

Naruto looked miserable. "Man… what if I fail?!"

Just then, Tatsuya clapped a hand on Naruto's shoulder, smirking confidently.

"Don't worry," he said. "I already know how to pass this test."

Naruto and Sasuke both snapped their heads toward him in shock.

"Wait, what?!"

"Tatsuya, what's the method?"

Naruto asked curiously, his blue eyes shining with interest. Sasuke, standing off to the side, remained silent, but his sharp gaze indicated that he was listening closely. He had to pass this test and become a true ninja.

Only then could he grow stronger.

If he couldn't even pass a Genin test, how could he stand in front of Itachi?

Tatsuya grinned. "If I tell you now, it won't be fun. You'll see during the test tomorrow."

"Come on, we have some things to prepare."

As he spoke, Tatsuya turned to Sasuke. "Sasuke, want to join us?"

Sasuke hesitated, his expression neutral, but his fists clenched slightly. His curiosity gnawed at him, but his pride held firm.

"I'll pass the test with my own strength," he said coolly.

Tatsuya nodded, unbothered. "If that's the case, see you at the training grounds tomorrow."

With that, he looked at Naruto. "Let's go, Naruto."

"Alright!" Naruto said eagerly.

As the two walked off, Sasuke watched them disappear into the distance. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but something about the scene stirred something deep inside him. A feeling he hadn't acknowledged in a long time—a longing for connection, buried under his relentless pursuit of revenge.

Early the next morning, Sasuke and Naruto arrived at the training grounds ahead of time, waiting for Kakashi. But one person was missing.

Tatsuya.

Naruto fidgeted impatiently. "Where is he?! Did he oversleep or something?"

Just as the thought crossed his mind, Tatsuya finally appeared, strolling toward them at a leisurely pace. But what puzzled Naruto was the book in his hands. In all the time he'd known him, Tatsuya had never shown an interest in reading.

And now, of all times?

"Tatsuya! Finally!" Naruto exclaimed.

"What? Is there a problem?" Tatsuya asked with a smirk.

"You're an hour late! Good thing Kakashi-sensei isn't here yet," Naruto huffed, relieved.

"Don't worry, I timed it perfectly," Tatsuya said confidently.

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged baffled looks.

"Tatsuya… are you secretly a fortune teller or something?" Naruto asked, half-joking but still suspicious.

After all, he had lost their bet yesterday, and the price—[a bowl of Ichiraku Ramen]—had hit his already struggling Gama-chan(Naruto's frog wallet).

Tatsuya chuckled. "No, I just did my homework."

"Homework?" Naruto blinked. "What homework?"

"I researched Kakashi-sensei."

Sasuke finally spoke. "And?"

"From what I found, he's always late to these tests. The delay is always the same—one hour."

Naruto gawked. Sasuke frowned, processing the information.

"Not only that," Tatsuya continued, his tone suddenly serious, "I also discovered something troubling."

Naruto leaned in. "How troubling?"

Tatsuya smirked, letting the suspense build before revealing, "No student has ever passed his test."

Naruto and Sasuke froze.

"Nani?!"

The air around them seemed to shift as reality set in. They had expected a tough challenge, but this?

Naruto gulped. "T-Tatsuya, do you really think we have a chance?"

Tatsuya clapped him on the shoulder, grinning. "Don't worry. You've got me!"

Just then, a voice interrupted them.

"Oh? Looks like everyone's here."

Kakashi had arrived.

The three turned to see their silver-haired instructor, looking as relaxed as ever. Naruto, still worked up from the conversation, pointed accusingly at him.

"Kakashi-sensei! You're late!"

Kakashi didn't miss a beat. "Ah, well, you see, I was on my way here when a cat suddenly blocked my way, of course, I'd have to help the cat."

Naruto crossed his arms. "Liar!"

Of course, Kakashi wasn't about to admit he had stayed up too late reading Icha Icha Paradise. His chakra reserves were already limited due to maintaining the [Sharingan], but he probably spent more of it elsewhere.

"Anyway," Kakashi continued, swiftly changing the subject. He pulled out an alarm clock from his bag and set it on a nearby tree stump.

"This clock is set to ring at noon. Before then, your mission is to take these from me."

He held up two small bells.

"Only those who get a bell pass. If you fail, you don't eat lunch and get tied to a post while I eat in front of you."

Naruto's stomach dropped. So that's why he told us to skip breakfast!

At that moment, an untimely sound echoed in the air.

Buuurp!

All eyes turned to Tatsuya, who was patting his stomach with a satisfied smile.

"Oops. Ate a big breakfast," he said casually.

Naruto and Sasuke stared at him in disbelief. They wanted to cry—why had they listened to Kakashi?!

Kakashi, however, was intrigued. Over the years, every single student he had tested had obediently followed his advice.

And that was exactly why they failed.

But now, here was someone different. Someone unpredictable.

His interest in Tatsuya had just grown.

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