Kiba Inuzuka: I Was Overthinking It!

The old trees on the training ground had weathered countless years, yet their branches remained lush and full of life.

The scars crisscrossing their trunks were marks left by the blades of shinobi long ago, bearing witness to the fierce injuries they had once endured.

It all seemed to hint at the fate of shinobi—only by fighting constantly could they grow stronger.

And buried along that path were the corpses of countless companions. To leave even the slightest mark was already an immense honor.

"I'm Kurenai Yuhi, the Jonin leading Team 8. Hyuga Kazeka, Hyuga Hinata, and Kiba Inuzuka.

"Starting today, you'll train as true shinobi and take on missions under my squad..."

On the training ground, Kurenai looked at the three before her with unhurried composure.

She knew Kazeka wasn't exactly a good kid, but facing her students, Kurenai still showed the magnanimity to treat them all equally!

"Something about this feels weird..."

Listening to Kurenai's announcement, Kiba rubbed his chin in confusion.

"I thought Shino Aburame would be on a team with Hinata and me. That's what Shino said after analyzing it.

"He's a strange guy, but he rarely gets things wrong when it comes to judging a situation!"

"Mm, Shino's judgment wasn't wrong, but this time the circumstances are unusual. He was assigned to another squad.

"That squad is reasonably strong, but they're reckless, so they need a clearheaded shinobi like him!"

Kurenai paused, then continued.

"Enough about that. You passed the graduation exam, but to become shinobi, you still have to pass one final assessment: my test!

"If you fail, you'll have to hand over your Forehead Protectors and lose your qualification as shinobi!"

"Huh?"

At that, Kiba's eyes widened.

"There's another test? Then what was the point of the graduation exam?"

"The graduation exam was only the simplest screening. What truly determines your fate is the judgment and assessment of your Jonin leader..."

Kurenai paid no heed to Kiba's surprise.

"You're about to become real shinobi. Do you really lack confidence in passing this test?"

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

Hinata, standing beside Kiba, gave him an encouraging boost. Then she looked at Kazeka, her cheeks flushing as she spoke.

"A-and Kazeka, too. I-I believe you can... you can do it!"

"Whether we pass or not is up to Kurenai..."

Unlike Hinata and Kiba, Kazeka wasn't nervous. Instead, he yawned in boredom.

"Sensei, don't keep us in suspense. Just tell us what the test is!"

"Heh, what an unlikable kid..."

Kurenai paid no mind to Kazeka's rudeness. She pulled a cute rabbit doll from her clothes.

"You have one hour to take this doll from me. If you succeed, you'll pass the exam!"

"Oh, I get it!"

Seeing this, Kiba said with sudden understanding.

"This must be a test of our team's overall strength. Three newly graduated shinobi can't beat a Jonin.

"But whatever happens, we need to work well with each other and show our true abilities!"

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

Hinata replied, but then hesitated.

"Still, I don't think it'll be that simple, will it?"

"Of course it won't..."

Kazeka scratched his head.

"Two Byakugan and an Inuzuka with a sharp nose—that's a proper reconnaissance team. If this is a test, how could it only assess our combat skills?

"I think Sensei will create a clone during the fight and hide the doll. That way, she can test our reconnaissance skills while assessing our combat ability!"

"Tch, what an unlikable kid..."

Seeing Kazeka guess her entire plan in just a few words, Kurenai glared at him. Then she stopped wasting time and announced:

"Begin!"

As soon as she spoke, Kurenai immediately retreated. Seeing this, Kiba charged forward first, shouting:

"I'll take the lead! You two back me up!"

The Inuzuka Clan was exceptionally skilled in Taijutsu.

They raised many Ninja Dogs and developed numerous offensive techniques based on their dogs' abilities.

And because they grew up alongside their Ninja Dogs, they could fight in tandem with them and unleash powerful techniques.

Kiba kept attacking Kurenai, while the little white dog on his head, no bigger than two palms, repeatedly charged at her, snapping and biting.

It looked a little comical, but their attacks were fierce. Kurenai nodded again and again, clearly approving of the boy and his dog.

Unlike Kiba's unrelenting attacks, Hinata waited for an opening and used the strongest technique she could manage as soon as one appeared.

In an instant, a succession of palm strikes swept toward the vital points all over Kurenai's body...

"Impressive power, solid Taijutsu, and a good grasp of vital points..."

Hinata's attacks pleased Kurenai. Though Kazeka, some distance away, hadn't engaged her in close combat,

his nimble footwork and disruptive movements showed that he was not only good at Taijutsu, but also had an excellent grasp of the bigger picture...

Having judged the level of the students before her, Kurenai finally moved on to the second phase of the battle.

She took a step back to avoid Kiba and his Ninja Dog's lunge, then swiftly formed seven or eight hand seals.

"Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!"

A boundless forest suddenly appeared around them. Kiba instinctively sensed that something was wrong and tried to move, only to find that his body had gone rigid.

Looking down, he saw that he was trapped inside a large tree. As its branches and vines continued to bind him, Kiba's consciousness slowly began to sink into sleep...

"As expected, an Elite Jonin's technique is no joke. Even though I was prepared, I still fell into the genjutsu so easily. Damn it..."

On the verge of succumbing, Kiba let out an unwilling roar.

"Is this really as far as I go...?"

It was as though his defiance had been answered. At that moment, Kiba suddenly felt his Chakra stir for an instant, as if someone else's Chakra had flowed into his body.

With a brief flicker of confusion, his vision cleared again. The forest vanished, and he was back on the training ground!

Having suddenly escaped the genjutsu, Kiba murmured in a daze:

"Did my resistance to genjutsu improve without me realizing it?"

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

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

"I just helped you break out of the genjutsu. Keep attacking—we can't give Sensei a chance to escape and hide the doll!"

Kiba: "..."