Survival Test

Yamei stood there awkwardly. It wasn't his fault, either. Who knew the side effects of Magic Hand would suddenly trigger...

"Um... how about I come back tomorrow..."

"N-No, it's fine. I'm okay. You... tell me what kind of ninja tools you want." Tenten lowered her head, her voice soft and sweet.

"I want a ninja sword."

"A ninja sword? Do you have any specific requirements?"

"It has to be sturdy, highly flexible, and extremely sharp!"

Yamei stated his requirements and took out a design sketch. "Make it look like this."

Tenten recovered a little. She accepted the drawing, studied it for a moment, and said thoughtfully, "To meet all three requirements, we'll need some special materials. The cost may be a little higher. Can Lord Yamei accept that?"

"I can!"

"Alright. Come pick it up in three days." Tenten nodded, never once raising her head to look at Yamei.

"Okay... then I'll be going. Thanks, Tenten."

Yamei knew the girl was embarrassed and shy right now, so he hurriedly ran out of the ninja tools shop.

Only after confirming that Yamei had left did Tenten stand and glance at the doorway. A cold breeze blew in, and her pretty face flushed red.

"What... what is going on with Yamei? I... what's wrong with me... This is so strange... I'm broken..."

Tenten's thoughts were a tangled mess.

She was alone today, but in her current state, there was no way she could keep the shop open.

Suppressing the flutter in her heart, Tenten closed the shop and fumbled her way home.

Meanwhile, after Yamei returned home, he began sorting through today's gains.

Analysis: Hatake Sword Style integrated into Hundred Rivers Sword Style.

Analysis: Konoha Style Taijutsu: Konoha Gale integrated into Art of a Hundred Refinements.

Analysis in progress. Estimated duration: 4 hours.

The next morning.

Bang!

The room door was abruptly pushed open, and Yūhi Kurenai stood beside Yamei's bed.

"Get up! Come with me for the Survival Exercise."

"Ugh... do I have to go..."

Yamei lazily stretched. Seriously... he did not want to get out of bed at all.

"What do you think?" Yūhi Kurenai rolled her eyes. She had come personally precisely because she was afraid this guy would slack off.

"Fine, fine. For your sake, I'll reluctantly make the trip." Yamei waved a hand.

When the two arrived at the meeting spot, Hinata, Shino, and Kiba were already waiting there.

"Morning, Hinata."

"Morning, Lord Yamei."

"Morning, Shino, Kiba."

"Morning!"

Seeing Yamei return to the group, Yūhi Kurenai took out four bells from her robe.

"Your task today is to work together and take the bells from me! Whoever fails to get a bell will be punished!"

Yamei raised his hand.

"Does Yamei have a question?"

"Do I have to participate too?"

"..."

Yūhi Kurenai froze for a moment, then silently flicked a bell directly at Yamei before turning to Hinata and the others.

"Yamei doesn't need to participate."

Shino and Kiba fell silent for a moment. They did not think Yūhi Kurenai was deliberately favoring him. This could only mean... Yamei's strength probably exceeded their imagination!

Lord Yamei is already so strong... I'll definitely catch up to you. Hinata's eyes shimmered.

"Alright, begin!"

After speaking, Yūhi Kurenai calmly tied the bells around her waist.

?(Yūhi Kurenai.jpg)

In a flash, Yamei appeared at a distant table and chair, sat down, and began watching the show.

"Byakugan! Activate!"

Hinata instantly activated her Byakugan, while Shino beside her formed hand seals with both hands. "Insect Gathering Technique!"

"Akamaru!"

Inuzuka Kiba roared, "Four Legs Technique!"

"Beast Human Clone!"

"Woof! Woof! Woof!"

Two Inuzuka Kiba appeared at once, baring their fangs and claws.

The two Inuzuka Kiba were agile and charged forward in an instant, swinging their arms to seize the bells. Yet Yūhi Kurenai merely sidestepped and kicked each of them away.

Before Yūhi Kurenai could steady herself, several small insects appeared on her foot. At the same time, Hinata rushed in, every strike fierce and powerful.

"They're already working together?" A smile appeared on Yūhi Kurenai's lips. She casually forced Hinata back while killing the insects on her body.

Then her hand seals changed. "Genjutsu: Mirage."

"Not good! Everyone, be careful! Kurenai-sensei's presence has disappeared." The moment Hinata lost sight of Yūhi Kurenai, she hurriedly warned the others.

"The insects can't sense her." Shino's tone was somewhat grim.

But just as his words fell, he suddenly discovered that he had somehow been bound by a massive tree. Yūhi Kurenai appeared atop its trunk.

"Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!"

A kunai stabbed viciously into Shino's body, but his body instantly collapsed into earth and transformed into a swarm of insects.

"Insect Clone? Not bad." Yūhi Kurenai smiled and nodded, then vanished in a flash.

Boom!

Fang Over Fang!!

Two spinning streaks of white light slammed into the spot where Yūhi Kurenai had just landed.

"Kurenai-sensei! We got the bells!" Hinata's voice suddenly rang out.

Yūhi Kurenai froze and turned to look. Hinata had somehow appeared behind her.

"Little Hinata, are you sure the bell in your hand is real?" A smile suddenly appeared on Yūhi Kurenai's face.

"Huh!?" Hinata's expression changed as if she sensed something. She abruptly struck behind her with Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms!

All thirty-two palms were unleashed in an instant, but the person she struck disappeared with a poof.

"Substitution Technique!"

Hinata's expression changed as she felt a terrifying fist rushing toward her.

She only had time to raise her arms in defense before she was blasted several meters away with a bang.

Isn't Kurenai-sensei skilled in genjutsu? Why is her taijutsu so powerful!? And... it feels so familiar...

Hinata's heart jolted, and she immediately thought of Yamei. I didn't even consider this information?

Suddenly, a figure shot toward her through her Byakugan's vision! She did not even have time to defend herself.

Fang Over Fang!

At the crucial moment, Kiba and Akamaru rushed in, forcing Yūhi Kurenai back as countless insects surged up around them.

Shino slowly emerged. The Insect Gathering Technique was complete.

"Kurenai-sensei, it seems you are about to lose." Shino's tone carried unquestionable certainty.

"Oh? Is that so?" Yūhi Kurenai slowly appeared before the three of them, then began forming hand seals.

Everything around them instantly changed. All traces of the previous battle vanished, as did the insects filling the sky. Shino and the other two simply stood there stiffly.

"We failed..."

At this point, how could they not understand that everything before had been genjutsu?

"No, you succeeded." Yūhi Kurenai smiled and clapped her hands. "The coordination you showed in battle, as well as your lack of hesitation when protecting your teammates, proved yourselves."

With that, Yūhi Kurenai handed the bells to the three of them. "Take these bells as keepsakes."

"Someone will come take commemorative photos for us later, and then... gather at the barbecue restaurant this afternoon!"

"To celebrate the founding of Team 8, I'm treating you all to barbecue this afternoon."

"Yeah! Great!" Kiba looked delighted.

"Woof! Woof!"

"When will the photographer get here?" Yamei checked the time, wanting to go see what was happening on Kakashi's side.

After all, Naruto and Sasuke were far from ordinary now! He wondered whether that kidney-deficient Kakashi could handle them.

"Lord Yamei." Seeing Yamei appear, Hinata called out to him somewhat dejectedly.

"You're already very impressive. Kurenai's genjutsu is only a little worse than mine."

"Mm-hmm." Hinata immediately smiled at his words.

Yūhi Kurenai rolled her eyes at him. It was true, but did she not have any pride?