Survival Exercise

With the help of Shadow Clones, Genma began improving rapidly, as though all his accumulated effort had finally burst forth.

Days passed one by one. With regular daily training, studying, sparring with others, and spending a little time flirting with Kurenai, Genma finally advanced to the third year of the Academy.

By then, Genma had fully mastered four C-Rank Ninjutsu, while his swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat had become increasingly refined.

If he fought Kakashi from a year ago with his current strength, he was seventy percent confident he could defeat him.

Unfortunately, Kakashi had already become a Chunin. Carrying on his father's will, he had also become quite famous among the Chunin.

Though he could not escape his father's influence and was called Konoha's Little White Fang, that was still an impressive achievement.

Therefore, Genma had no confidence at all when facing the current Kakashi.

After all, someone who had experienced life-and-death battles was completely different from someone like him, who trained behind closed doors.

Still, he was now close to Chunin level himself. What he lacked was tempering through blood and fire.

Perhaps because too many students in the class planned on Early Graduation in their third year, the Academy seemed to have made special arrangements and offered a transitional course before becoming Genin: a wilderness survival exercise.

And fortunately, he and Kurenai had been assigned to the same group. He did not know whether it was his shameless father's doing, but he was extremely satisfied regardless.

As expected of a three-person squad, there were three people in their group. Their third teammate was Tatami Iwashi, who looked honest and straightforward.

Perhaps because Kurenai and Genma often flaunted their affection, nearly everyone in the class knew about their relationship. In the Shinobi World, after all, early maturity was practically tradition.

Now that he had joined their team, Tatami Iwashi seemed exceptionally uneasy.

"Hey, Washi, don't be so nervous. You're so good in actual combat; a survival exercise won't be difficult for you~"

Though Genma knew exactly why Tatami Iwashi was unable to relax, he did not want to expose it. Kurenai was easily embarrassed, and since they would be in the same team later, it would not do for her to be blushing all the time.

Seeing Genma, whose strength seemed unfathomable, praise him like that, the honest Tatami Iwashi gave a simple, foolish smile. "I'll be relying on you later. Your strength is probably the best in the whole class, right~?"

"Ahem, keep it low-key. Kakashi used to be in our class too, and he hasn't said anything yet. Besides, I'm two years older than you. Two years is enough time for you to become stronger than me."

"Do we have to be so stiff over a mere survival exercise?" Kurenai rolled her eyes at Genma and handed Tatami Iwashi an apple. "I heard we're allowed to bring our own food for the practical exercise. Before the teacher gets here, let's eat while we wait~"

"Oh, sure. I brought some food too. Do you want any?"

The honest Tatami Iwashi sincerely opened his backpack, which was stuffed with fruit and dried provisions.

"Wow, Washi, are you going on a picnic? Isn't all that heavy?" Genma immediately reached into Tatami Iwashi's backpack and unapologetically picked out several fruits.

"Genma, how could you take so much? Mmph~"

Before Kurenai could finish, Genma stuffed a date into her mouth.

"I got them for you. I was worried you wouldn't be able to bring yourself to take any~" Genma grinned as he popped a fruit into his mouth, then opened his own backpack and took out an emerald-green bamboo tube. "Here, Washi. Since I took so much of your fruit, try some of my family's good stuff."

"This... bamboo?" Tatami Iwashi accepted the bamboo tube. Seeing that it was detachable, he pulled off the lid, and a refreshing fragrance immediately drifted out.

"Wow, fruit juice? It smells so good, much richer than the fruit juice sold on the market~" After praising it, Tatami Iwashi swallowed and brought the bamboo tube to his lips.

"Mmm~ It smells amazing. There seems to be a lot of stuff in it too. Mm~ It's so springy when you chew it." Very quickly, Tatami Iwashi fell completely under the spell of Genma's family's Secret Hundred-Fruit Delicacy.

The sight made Kurenai swallow involuntarily, her watery eyes fixed unblinkingly on Genma.

Genma naturally understood that expression. He took out another bamboo tube and waved it before Kurenai. "Want me to feed you?"

"No, I'll drink it myself!"

Having actually been rejected, Genma immediately grew dejected. Then something large was stuffed into his mouth.

It was... an apple.

He had stuffed a date into Kurenai's mouth, yet she had stuffed an apple into his...

Was she not worried it would not fit? Genma suddenly did not know whether to laugh or cry.

Kurenai snatched the bamboo tube from his hand, but quite a few uncomfortable gazes landed on him from nearby.

At first, those gazes had been focused on Tatami Iwashi. Now that they were focused on him, how could Genma not understand why?

"Um... if you have time, you can come visit my house. My parents are really hospitable~"

That immediately earned him many friendly looks. Some even loudly declared that they wanted to go today.

After dealing with those childish classmates, Genma turned his attention back to Kurenai.

It seemed Kurenai had finished drinking. She was sticking out her tongue now, looking exactly like a little puppy overheated in summer.

"What's wrong? Was it too hot?"

"You still have the nerve to ask. You gave me one that was so cold. Hah~ I'm freezing~" Kurenai reproached Genma, then started sticking out her tongue again.

While Genma quietly watched Kurenai stick out her tongue, waves of students were called away by a ninja who looked rather young.

After quite a while, a beautiful female ninja entered. She had fiery red hair, a blue forehead protector, black thigh-high socks, and a slender figure.

"Shiranui Genma, Kurenai Yuhi, Tatami Iwashi. I'm your team leader. Follow me now~"

"Wow, what a pretty big sister! Her hair is the same color as my eyes~" Kurenai exclaimed without thinking for the first time. Even Genma could not help taking several more looks at the female ninja.

That stunning red hair reminded him strongly of one of the beloved figures he had recalled several weeks ago: Kushina.

"Mmm~ You three give me a really good feeling. Little sister, you're the second person to say my hair is pretty. Mm, I understood that correctly, right~?" The female ninja crouched down. Looking at Kurenai's round, adorable face and rabbit-like crimson eyes, she could not resist stroking her hair.

"Mm-hmm. Teacher's hair is the prettiest I've ever seen."

"Hehe, thank you for the compliment. Let's gather outside first~" To everyone's surprise, the female ninja took Kurenai's little hand and led the three of them out of the classroom.

"Uh, Rin, Genma and the others have left too. We're not going to be abandoned, are we? There are only the two of us."

Two people remained in the classroom. By coincidence, they were Rin and Obito, but unlike the others, there were only two of them.

"No way. The teacher only said our group was a little special. They shouldn't have forgotten us, right~?" Rin said that, but the worry on her face was no less than Obito's.

Just as the two were feeling gloomy, a ninja with golden hair, a blue shinobi uniform, and an exceptionally warm smile walked in.

"Are you Rin and Obito? I'm your team leader. Hurry and follow me~"

"Wow, Rin, this teacher is super cool!!"

"Yeah, but where's our teammate?"

"Hey, that's right. Where is our teammate? Teacher, it can't be just the two of us, right!?"

The male ninja turned back with a smile. "He's already waiting for you outside. You'll meet him soon."

Hearing their team leader say that, Rin and Obito's eyes sparkled as they began looking forward to it.

"Now then, since this is our first meeting, let's introduce ourselves. My name is Kushina, and I'm your team leader for the survival exercise. I like salty ramen, dislike bitter things such as coffee, and absolutely hate tomatoes. My dream is to become Konohagakure's first female Hokage!"

"Wow, that was so inspiring! I want to become an outstanding ninja like Teacher Kushina too!"

At some point, Kurenai had become Kushina's little fangirl. After Kushina finished introducing herself, Kurenai's eyes were filled with admiration.

Kushina, on the other hand, suddenly felt a great deal more pressure. Somewhat awkwardly, she brushed back the hair by her cheek. "Really? Anyway, now that I've introduced myself, it's your turn. Let's start with the girl with the beautiful eyes~"

"Mmm~ Since Teacher asked, I'll go first. My name is Kurenai Yuhi. I like octopus, especially with wasabi, and Seafood Shumai too, though that's something only his family has. I dislike things that are overly sweet, like cake. My dream is to become a great female ninja like Lady Tsunade!"

"Oh? Shumai? What kind is it? And why do you like food unique to his family?"

Genma had thought Kushina was rather carefree, but she instantly caught the key point in Kurenai's words. Even the usually composed Genma nearly fell over.

That string of questions turned Kurenai's cheeks as red as freshly washed tomatoes, while several rosy patches appeared on Genma's face as well.

"Ahem, Teacher, it's my turn to introduce myself, right~?" Seeing Kurenai so embarrassed, Genma could not help taking over. However, when Kushina nodded in agreement, he received a gaze that made his scalp tingle.

But as a man, how could he retreat? After calming himself, Genma stood straight and said, "My name is Shiranui Genma. There are many foods I like, especially food made by the one I love. I dislike bitter things, such as bitter melon. My dream is to become a powerful ninja, powerful enough to surpass the Hokage, and to protect the person I love."

Since Tatami Iwashi was there and Kurenai was shy, Shiranui Genma did not specify who the one he loved was. However, Kushina's gaze seemed to gain much more approval. After staring at him for a long time, she looked toward Tatami Iwashi.

"And you, the quiet and well-behaved little boy?"

"Uh, my name is Tatami Iwashi. I like beef stew with potatoes and buttered corn. I don't like shellfish. My dream is to become a powerful ninja, like the Third Hokage."

"Oh? You don't want to become Hokage? The Third Hokage is very strong, but he's also the Hokage~"

"Ah, I'm not very good at communicating, so I don't think I'd be suited to being Hokage~"

"Mmm~ All right. Now that we all know each other, let's set off!"

With a grand wave of her hand, Kushina led the three away from the training ground.

Meanwhile, another training ground had just gathered its full team, though the situation was rather unexpected.

"Wow, why is our teammate wearing a mask? He feels even less reliable than Kakashi."

Obito muttered gloomily.

Silver-white hair, and that build... he seemed familiar~

A flash of surprise passed through Rin's eyes. She looked at Obito beside her and broke into a brilliant smile.

Although most of this chapter's plot was quite original, it also drew inspiration from an anime-original TV episode. It seemed the Twelve Rookie Ninja each got to experience being a teacher, and Naruto was the only one who took the wrong route...