Mutant Wild Boar Monster

The giant wild boar was less than a few meters away from Kurenai.

Kurenai stood frozen in place, able to clearly smell the thick, foul stench emanating from the beast.

Just at this critical juncture, the wild boar suddenly stumbled, its front hooves rearing high into the air, yet it could not take another step forward.

Kurenai looked up, still shaken, only to see Kushina had appeared behind the boar at some unknown moment, holding its thick tail with one hand while wearing a relaxed smile on her face.

"Teacher..." Kurenai murmured, her legs turning to jelly, nearly collapsing to the ground.

Amada seized the opportunity, his hands moving rapidly through hand seals:

"Genjutsu: Mind Fox Illusion!"

An invisible ripple of chakra spread outward, and the wild boar's scarlet eyes suddenly lost their focus, its massive body swaying a few times before crashing to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Only then did Kurenai snap out of it, looking at Amada in disbelief:

"You... your genjutsu can actually affect such a large beast?"

Amada offered a gentle smile:

"An Uchiha knowing a bit of genjutsu, isn't that perfectly reasonable?"

"Hmph!"

Asuma clutched his injured arm, turning his head away with a look of defiance, "If I hadn't exhausted its stamina first..."

"Alright, alright,"

Kushina walked over and ruffled Asuma's spiky hair, "Take this as a lesson; don't be so reckless next time."

She turned to Kurenai, "Go ahead and bandage Asuma up first."

Kurenai hurriedly took medical supplies from her ninja pouch, carefully cleaning Asuma's wound.

Her fingers trembled slightly, clearly still not fully recovered from the fright of a moment ago.

"Hiss—easy!"

Asuma winced and cried out.

"I... I'm sorry..."

Kurenai apologized quickly, her eyes turning slightly red.

Amada noticed Kushina was observing him with a meaningful gaze, a look that reminded him of the elders in his clan—

the expression they wore whenever they spoke of the glory of the Uchiha clan.

"Amada,"

Kushina suddenly spoke, "Your genjutsu control was precise, and your timing was excellent."

She paused, then smiled, "But remember for next time, when showing off your strength in front of teammates, you should also leave them a little face."

Amada was stunned for a moment, then smiled in realization:

"Yes, Teacher."

Upon hearing this, Asuma's face flushed bright red:

"Teacher! I don't need him to go easy on me!"

Kushina laughed heartily and patted Asuma on the shoulder:

"Alright, mission accomplished, it's time to head back. Tonight, I'm treating you all to Ichiraku Ramen to celebrate your first successful C-rank mission."

When the villagers learned the news that the giant wild boar had been subdued, they flocked to the village entrance.

An elderly man with white hair, leaning on a cane, walked forward tremblingly.

"Thank you all so much!"

The old man said with emotion, "This monster has plagued our village for a whole month, destroying countless crops and injuring several villagers."

He turned and gestured, and several villagers immediately brought over a basket of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Kushina hurriedly waved her hands:

"This is what we should do; there's no need for these gifts..."

"Please, you must accept them!" the old man insisted.

"This is a small token of gratitude from everyone in our village."

Uchiha Amada noticed that under the villagers' grateful gazes, Kushina's earlobes turned slightly red.

She accepted the villagers' thanks in a flustered manner, completely devoid of the imposing majesty she had displayed while subduing the wild boar just moments ago.

Just then, Uchiha Amada's gaze swept across the forest in the distance.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, that stretch of woods appeared exceptionally tranquil.

Yet for some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that something unusual was hidden within.

"Teacher,"

He walked to Kushina's side and lowered his voice, "This forest isn't very large; logically, it shouldn't be able to sustain a wild boar of that size. Either it's an invasive species that migrated from elsewhere, or..."

He paused, his expression turning grave:

"There might be something in this forest that caused its mutation."

Kushina was talking to a woman holding an infant and blinked in surprise at his words:

"Huh? What mutation?"

Uchiha Amada looked at her helplessly:

"Teacher, you didn't even consider this possibility, did you?"

Kushina's face flushed bright red instantly:

"Ho... how is that possible!"

She straightened her back, trying hard to put on a serious expression, "I actually thought of it long ago! I am a Jonin, after all! How could such a small matter escape my notice?"

Uchiha Amada suppressed a laugh:

"Then, Teacher, do you think we should report this to the village and have them send someone to investigate?"

"Of... of course!"

Kushina adjusted her hair in a panic, "I was just about to say that!"

She turned and shouted to Asuma and Kurenai, who were still chatting with the villagers, "You two, stop stuffing your faces with fruit! It's time to head back!"

On the way back to Konoha, Kushina walked at the very front, her pace much faster than usual.

Kurenai whispered to Uchiha Amada:

"What's wrong with Teacher? She seems to be in such a hurry."

Uchiha Amada looked at Kushina's back, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes:

"Perhaps she's in a rush to go back and write the mission report."

Asuma, walking at the very end, curled his lip:

"Tch, I bet she just forgot about investigating the forest and is rushing back to finish her homework."

"Asuma!"

Kushina suddenly turned around, hands on her hips, "Are you talking bad about me again?"

"No... nothing!"

Asuma denied it immediately, but the sudden movement tugged at his wounds, making him wince in pain.

Kurenai couldn't help but laugh out loud.

As Uchiha Amada looked back at the forest one last time, he couldn't help but feel that this matter might not be so simple.

In a dim underground laboratory, eerie green light cast strange shadows over the petri dishes.

Orochimaru was focused on observing a cell sample under the microscope, his pale fingers gently turning the adjustment knob.

Suddenly, a masked ninja appeared silently at the laboratory entrance:

"Lord Orochimaru, the wild boar test subject that escaped a month ago was captured by a few Konoha ninjas."

Orochimaru didn't even look up, continuing to adjust the microscope:

"Oh? Which squad?"

"It was the rookie squad led by Kushina, including Uchiha Amada, Sarutobi Asuma, and Kurenai Yuhi."

"Should we send someone to handle it?"

"No need," Orochimaru said with a cold, sinister smile, "That test subject has already fulfilled its mission; the data is all in hand."

Meanwhile, at the research department in Konoha.

"Is this the mutated wild boar you captured?"

The researcher wearing round-rimmed glasses carefully examined the giant, bound wild boar.

"Its size is indeed abnormal, and the hardness of its fur far exceeds that of an ordinary wild boar..."

"Alright, mission handover complete."

Kushina clapped her hands.

"You are all dismissed. Remember, meet at the usual spot tomorrow morning at eight."

Stepping out of the research department, the setting sun had already dyed half the sky crimson.

The corners of Amada's mouth curled into an involuntary smile.

He could perform a green 10-pull again tonight; he had enough for five attempts.