Kiba Inuzuka: I Was Thinking Too Much!

The old trees in the training ground, though weathered by time, were still lush and vibrant.

The scars crisscrossing their trunks were marks left by the sharp blades of ninjas from years past, bearing witness to the fierce damage they had endured.

All of this seemed to hint at the fate of ninjas—only through constant combat could they grow stronger.

And buried along this path were the corpses of countless companions; to leave even a small trace was already a great honor.

"I am Kurenai Yuhi, and I am the Jonin leading Team 8, consisting of Kazeka Hyuga, Hinata Hyuga, and Kiba Inuzuka.

Starting today, you will undergo true ninja training and mission assignments under my tutelage..."

Kurenai Yuhi calmly observed the three before her in the training ground.

Even though she knew Kazeka wasn't exactly a prize, Kurenai still showed great impartiality towards her students!

"I feel like something's off..."

Hearing Kurenai's announcement, Kiba Inuzuka rubbed his chin in confusion.

"I thought Shino Aburame would be on a team with me and Hinata. That's what Shino and I analyzed.

Even though that guy has a weird personality, he rarely makes mistakes when analyzing things!"

"Hmm, Shino Aburame's assessment is correct, but the situation is special this time. He's been assigned to another team.

That team's strength is passable, but they're rash in their actions and need someone with a clear head like him!"

Kurenai paused, then spoke again.

"Never mind that. Although you've passed the graduation exams, to become a true ninja, you must pass one final assessment—my final test!

If you fail, you'll have to hand over your headbands and lose your ninja qualifications!"

"Huh?"

Upon hearing this, Kiba Inuzuka's eyes widened.

"There's something like that? Then what was the point of our graduation exam?"

"The graduation exam was just the simplest form of screening. What truly determines your fate is our analysis and judgment as leading Jonin..."

Kurenai paid no mind to Kiba Inuzuka's surprise.

"Are you about to become true ninjas, and you don't even have confidence in the test before you?"

"Kiba, I believe you can do it..."

Hinata, standing beside Kiba Inuzuka, encouraged him, then looked at Kazeka, her cheeks blushing.

"A-and Kazeka, I... I believe you can also... succeed!"

"Whether I succeed or not, Teacher Kurenai has the final say..."

Kazeka wasn't as nervous as Hinata or Kiba. Instead, he yawned out of boredom.

"Teacher, don't keep us in suspense. Whatever the test is, just tell us quickly!"

"Heh, what an unlikable brat..."

Kurenai didn't mind Kazeka's rudeness and pulled out a cute bunny plush from her chest.

"Within one hour, you must retrieve this plush from me. If you succeed, your test is passed!"

"Oh, so that's how it is!"

Seeing this, Kiba Inuzuka suddenly understood.

"This must be testing our team's overall strength. After all, three newly graduated ninjas can't defeat a Jonin.

But no matter the outcome, everyone must cooperate well and show their true abilities!"

"I see, Kiba, you're amazing..."

Hinata responded, but then hesitated slightly.

"But I don't think it'll be that simple, right?"

"Of course, it's not that simple..."

Kazeka scratched his head.

"Two Byakugan users and one Inuzuka with a keen nose—this is a true reconnaissance team. If they're testing us, how could they only assess combat ability?

In my opinion, Teacher Kurenai will likely create clones during the fight to hide the plush, testing our combat ability while also assessing our detection skills!"

"Tsk, truly an unlikable brat..."

Seeing that Kazeka had guessed her plan entirely in just a few words, Kurenai glared fiercely at him. Then, without further ado, she spoke.

"The test begins!"

As soon as the words fell, Kurenai immediately retreated behind her. Seeing this, Kiba Inuzuka was the first to charge out, shouting.

"I'll take the lead, you two support me!"

The Inuzuka Clan is a clan extremely skilled in taijutsu.

They have bred numerous ninken and evolved many offensive skills from them.

This was also because of his lifelong companionship with his ninja dog, allowing him to cooperate with it and unleash incredibly powerful techniques.

Kiba Inuzuka continuously attacked Kurenai Yuhi, while the two-palm-sized white dog on his head would occasionally charge and bite at her.

Although it looked somewhat comical, the attack power was quite sharp. Kurenai Yuhi nodded frequently, clearly recognizing the strength of the man and dog.

"Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms!"

Unlike Kiba Inuzuka's constant assault, Hinata had been waiting for an opportunity. As soon as she found one, she unleashed her most powerful move available at the moment.

For a time, continuous palm shadows covered all of Kurenai Yuhi's vital points...

"Impressive power, standard taijutsu, and excellent grasp of vital points..."

Hinata's attack also greatly satisfied Kurenai Yuhi. Meanwhile, Kazeka, who was not engaging in close combat directly, showed through his movement and harassing actions that he not only possessed good taijutsu but also a strong grasp of the overall situation...

Having assessed the skill level of these students, Kurenai Yuhi finally initiated the second phase of the battle.

She took a step back, evading the pounce of Kiba Inuzuka and his ninja dog, and her hands flew, rapidly forming seven or eight hand seals:

"Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Kill!"

An endless forest suddenly appeared around her. Kiba Inuzuka instinctively sensed something was wrong and, just as he was about to move, found his body frozen.

Looking down, he saw his body was already trapped within a large tree. As branches and vines from the tree continuously bound him, Kiba Inuzuka's consciousness began to drift into slumber...

"As expected, the ninjutsu of an elite Jonin is truly formidable. Even with precautions, I was easily caught in the illusion. Damn it..."

About to break, Kiba Inuzuka let out a roar of unwillingness:

"Is this where I stop..."

As if his unwillingness was answered, at that moment, Kiba Inuzuka suddenly felt the Chakra within him become chaotic for an instant, as if another person's Chakra had been injected into his body.

Along with a wave of dizziness, his vision cleared again. The surrounding forest disappeared, and he was back on the training ground!

Suddenly escaping the illusion, Kiba Inuzuka dazedly muttered:

"Could it be that my resistance to genjutsu has improved without me realizing it?"

"Hinata, Kiba, don't just stand there..."

Kiba Inuzuka's thoughts were pleasant, but Kazeka's words brought him back to reality:

"I just helped you break free from the illusion. Keep attacking, you can't let the teacher escape and hide the doll!"

Kiba Inuzuka: "..."