Kurenai Yuhi led Team 8 out of the teaching building. Instead of heading toward the training grounds, however, she guided them out of the school entirely, leading them to a practice field situated in the wilderness. These types of fields were common throughout Konoha.
Stopping in front of a tree stump, Kurenai Yuhi turned to face the group, her smile warm and welcoming. "Until one of you is promoted to Chunin squad leader, I will be leading you on missions. We'll be working together for a long time."
Her gaze swept over the group. "Now, let's start with introductions so we can get to know each other a little better."
With a confident smile, she continued, "I'll go first as an example."
Placing one hand on her hip, Kurenai Yuhi introduced herself with a playful tone, "My name is Kurenai Yuhi, but you can call me Red Sensei. My specialty is Genjutsu—I'm skilled in a variety of techniques. As for me personally, I have a fondness for wasabi octopus, shochu, and vodka. My dream is to become a legendary female Ninja, much like Tsunade-sama."
With a smile, she gestured toward the group. "Now it's your turn."
Izanami was the first to step forward, taking a deep breath as he began his introduction. "My name is Izanami. I don't have a surname. My specialty is Ninjutsu, particularly Fire Release and Wind Release. I also have some knowledge of Medical Ninjutsu and Sensing techniques. I like training and testing my limits, and as for what I dislike... well, there are many things. My dream is simple: to become an excellent Ninja."
Kurenai Yuhi nodded thoughtfully, considering his words. She gained a clearer sense of Izanami's strengths and personality.
Her attention then turned to Hinata, who stood quietly beside Izanami. "Your turn," Kurenai Yuhi prompted gently.
With a soft voice, Hinata spoke up, her words shy but clear, "My name is Hyuga Hinata. My specialty is Sensing and the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist technique. I enjoy training with Juuyabiru and my sister, and I also love red bean soup and cinnamon rolls. I dislike shrimp and crab. My dream is the same as Izanami's—to become an excellent Ninja."
After hearing Hinata's introduction, Kurenai Yuhi looked back at Izanami, her gaze shifting between him and Hinata. It didn't take long for Hinata's face to turn a shade of red as she shyly lowered her head. A playful smile curved on Kurenai Yuhi's lips, and she nodded knowingly.
"I see," she said with a teasing glint in her eyes.
Finally, her gaze shifted to Shino Aburame, who was dressed in his usual attire, hiding most of his features behind a hood, sunglasses, and a collar that obscured his face, revealing only the faintest glimpse of his skin.
"My name is Shino Aburame," he said plainly. "My specialty is Sensing and the Aburame Clan's secret insect-based techniques. I like to visit forests to find new insect species. My favorite foods are vegetable salad and winter melon. I dislike foods with strong smells, and my dream is to discover new insect species."
Kurenai Yuhi smiled, pleased with the introductions. "Great, now that we all have a better understanding of each other," she said, her expression turning more serious, "before we begin missions, I need to test your abilities."
"Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, right here, we'll have a survival exercise. It will be a capture battle, and your opponent…" Kurenai Yuhi pointed to herself with a mischievous grin, "…is me."
She paused for a moment to let the weight of her words sink in, then waved her hand playfully. "See you tomorrow! Don't be late."
Without waiting for any responses or questions, she vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving Izanami and the others staring after her.
They exchanged glances, the anticipation already building.
"Izanami, what do you think?" Shino Aburame asked, his voice measured. He was always one to keep his thoughts close to the chest, but today he seemed eager for a response.
Although Shino Aburame had often been overshadowed by Izanami and Hinata, especially during their school years, he never felt inferior. His skills might not have matched theirs in the classroom, but he was confident in his abilities. He had always avoided revealing his full strength, only showing what was necessary during their monthly duels in sixth grade.
Shino had already noticed the subtle hints that Kurenai Yuhi had left behind. If Izanami hadn't picked up on them, it might suggest his perception wasn't as sharp as it should be. Despite this, he was prepared to defer to Izanami for the leadership position, considering their bond with Hinata. However, if Izanami's judgment proved flawed, he wouldn't hesitate to speak up.
Izanami, unaware of Shino's internal thoughts, listened intently to his question. After a moment of contemplation, he replied, his tone thoughtful and steady. "We don't need to wait until tomorrow to know the outcome. As new Genin, none of us can match a Jonin."
He paused briefly, gathering his thoughts. "Even if tomorrow's exercise is just a capture battle, if the Jonin doesn't want to be captured, we won't stand a chance. And you saw during our school's survival exercises—our Chunin instructors showed mercy. As long as our performance isn't disastrous, they wouldn't eliminate us."
He glanced at Hinata, who nodded, understanding the implication. "So, in tomorrow's exercise, if we perform well enough, Red Sensei will likely show us mercy too."
"Then… how can we satisfy her?"Izanami leaned against the tree stump where Kurenai Yuhi had just stood, deep in thought. "Red Sensei said she's testing our abilities, not our strength. A Ninja's battle is a battle of information, and in her self-introduction, she already gave us valuable insights. She's skilled in a variety of Genjutsu."
He paused, eyes scanning the surroundings. "It's still morning, and we could start the survival exercise right now, but she gave us the whole day to prepare. She even mentioned the theme and the location—that's a clear signal. She's giving us time to come up with a battle plan and set up traps."
He straightened, his tone confident. "If our tactics and teamwork are sharp, Red Sensei will likely hold back and let us capture the item."
Hinata watched him, her beautiful eyes sparkling with admiration. She couldn't help but appreciate how quickly Izanami had analyzed the situation.
On the other hand, Shino Aburame remained as stoic as ever, his hands buried deep in his pockets and his face obscured by his hood and sunglasses. But inside, he was impressed. He had noticed the subtle hints from Kurenai Yuhi too, but Izanami had pieced everything together with a depth that Shino hadn't anticipated.
"He's definitely the top student," Shino thought to himself, a sense of quiet respect growing within him. "It seems he's hiding his strength too—probably no one, except Hinata, has seen his full potential."
Turning to Izanami, Shino asked, "So, what's your tactic?"
This time, Shino's tone was different. It wasn't a challenge—it was an acknowledgment. He had come to accept Izanami as the leader of the team and was ready to follow his lead.
Izanami gave a small nod. "If we're going to come up with a strategy, we need to understand each other's strengths better."
He gestured for both Hinata and Shino to come closer. "Come over and show your trump cards. Tell me about your most skilled techniques and what effects they have."
Without hesitation, Hinata and Shino moved toward Izanami, joining him in a small, quiet circle. The three began to exchange their thoughts in hushed voices, discussing their abilities and how they could combine their strengths for the upcoming challenge.
Not far away, Kurenai Yuhi stood high in the treetop of a large tree, her eyes tracking the trio as they strategized below. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. Izanami and the others had passed her first test—one she had set intentionally to gauge their observational skills.
She had hoped to see how long it would take them to notice the clues she'd left behind. And to her delight, they had picked up on them immediately.
"These three are really impressive," she thought to herself, her eyes gleaming with pride. "With their teamwork, they might just stand a chance against me after all. You'll all learn soon enough that you underestimated me."
She thought back to the earlier bet before the class division, recalling the teasing remarks from Kakashi Hatake and Asuma Sarutobi—the two who had tried so hard to please her but didn't take her seriously. Kurenai Yuhi smirked. They'll regret that soon enough.
With a swift movement, her body blurred, twisting and vanishing like a mirage, leaving no trace of her presence.
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