1. Sakura Becomes a Burden in Kakashi’s Genin Test Mission

After Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke successfully graduated from the Academy, they officially became Genin and were grouped into Team 7 under the leadership of Kakashi Hatake. As the leader of Team 7, Kakashi didn’t immediately accept the team members but instead decided to test their eligibility to hold the title of Genin.

Before conducting the Genin Test scheduled for the next day, Kakashi instructed Team 7 to arrive at the training ground at 5 a.m. and forbade them from having breakfast beforehand. However, the following morning, Kakashi didn’t show up until 10 a.m., angering Team 7 members due to his tardiness. In reality, Kakashi’s intention behind arriving late was to leave Team 7 starving as they faced the Genin Test.

When the test began, Kakashi assigned Team 7 the mission of seizing two bells from him before noon. Anyone who failed to get a bell would not receive lunch. Since there were only two bells, if Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke failed to retrieve them, one member of the team would lose their Genin status and be sent back to the Academy as a student. Kakashi even allowed them to fight him seriously with the full determination to “take him down.”

# Naruto vs Kakashi

Naruto challenges Kakashi to a Taijutsu battle but ends up falling victim to the Sennen Goroshi technique. Naruto then launches an attack using Tajuu Kagebunshin no Jutsu, but Kakashi counters it effortlessly with Kawarimi no Jutsu.

Afterward, Naruto falls into Kakashi’s trap. He mistakenly thinks Kakashi is in a rush to escape after facing his Kagebunshin and clumsily drops a bell to the ground. When Naruto reaches out to grab the bell, both of his legs are suddenly ensnared by a rope, leaving him hanging upside down from a tree.

# Sasuke vs Kakashi

Sasuke impresses Kakashi with his exceptional combat skills, even coming close to snatching the bell from him. Sasuke then unleashes Goukakyuu no Jutsu in Kakashi’s direction.

However, Kakashi counters by using an Earth Release Jutsu that buries Sasuke’s body in the ground, leaving only Sasuke’s head visible above the surface.

# Sakura vs Kakashi

While Sakura is running around searching for Sasuke, she suddenly encounters Kakashi. Kakashi immediately casts a Genjutsu on her. In the illusion, Sakura is made to see Sasuke gravely injured, causing her to faint from the overwhelming effects of the Genjutsu.

Amusingly, when Sakura regains consciousness, she stumbles upon the real Sasuke, whose body is still buried in the ground with only his head visible above the surface. Mistaking this for Sasuke’s head being severed, Sakura faints again out of sheer shock.

# Kakashi Declares Team 7 Passes as Shinobi

After failing to retrieve the bells by the 12 p.m. deadline, Kakashi suggested that Team 7 should quit being Shinobi. He then gave Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke advice about the importance of teamwork in a team. Kakashi explained that the reason he provided only two bells was to test whether they could work together selflessly, even under pressure designed to divide them.

However, Kakashi still gave Team 7 another chance. After lunch, he promised to give them one more opportunity to repeat the mission of retrieving the bells. Kakashi allowed Sakura and Sasuke to eat the lunch he had prepared but forbade them from sharing it with Naruto.

This was intended as punishment because Naruto had been caught earlier trying to steal the lunch. As a result, Naruto was tied to a tree. Kakashi also issued a stern warning: if Sakura or Sasuke broke the rule and gave Naruto food, he would consider them failures in this test.

When Kakashi left Team 7, Sasuke took the initiative to feed Naruto. Sasuke believed that Naruto, who was starving, shouldn’t be a burden when they worked together again to retrieve the bells from Kakashi. Not wanting Sasuke to lose part of his portion, Sakura eventually offered her food to Naruto. However, since Naruto’s hands and body were tied to the tree, Sakura had to feed Naruto herself.

Shortly after, Kakashi returned and caught Sakura and Sasuke feeding Naruto, despite his earlier prohibition. However, instead of reprimanding them, Kakashi declared that Team 7 had passed and become Shinobi. He explained that if Team 7 had truly obeyed his command not to feed Naruto, they would have been considered failures.

Kakashi concluded the test by reminding Team 7 of an important principle in the Shinobi world: “Those who break the rules are considered scum, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum.”

# The Reason Sakura Became a Burden During the Genin Exam Mission

When Kakashi explained the risks of failing the Genin exam—which would result in their Genin status being revoked and a return to the Academy—Sakura immediately panicked. However, this wasn’t due to a sense of responsibility or a desire to become a better Shinobi; instead, it was because Sakura didn’t want to be separated from Sasuke. For Sakura, Kakashi’s Genin exam became a “test of her love” for Sasuke. Her primary motivation for passing was simply to stay by Sasuke’s side.

While Naruto and Sasuke fought hard to seize the bells from Kakashi, do you know what Sakura was doing? Unfortunately, Sakura merely ran around aimlessly and even fainted twice. Rather than contributing meaningfully, Sakura felt incapable of grabbing the bells and was consumed by her worry about possibly being separated from Sasuke.

At one point, Sakura even tried to convince Sasuke not to worry too much about failing the Genin exam, suggesting that they could retake it another time. However, Sasuke rejected this suggestion, as he was deeply motivated to pass the exam in order to test his abilities as a Shinobi and to pursue his vendetta against Itachi.

Although Sakura eventually helped by offering her food to Naruto and even feeding him, this action wasn’t of her own initiative. It was Sasuke who ordered Sakura to feed Naruto, recognizing the importance of teamwork in facing Kakashi. In other words, Sakura’s contribution to Team 7’s success in passing the Genin exam was minimal and almost insignificant.

In conclusion, throughout the Genin exam, Sakura was more of a burden to Team 7. Her motivations and actions were driven more by her personal feelings for Sasuke than by any determination to become a strong and competent Shinobi.