Seeing This

Seeing this, Hinata followed Toru Kujyo's example. She activated her Byakugan and carefully gathered chakra beneath her feet. Though she wobbled a little, she successfully stood on the water. Imitating Toru Kujyo, she used the precise force of Gentle Fist to loosen the silt on the bottom and send it floating to the surface.

Shino Aburame took a more direct approach. He walked over to the canal wall, pushed off with both feet, and clung firmly to the nearly vertical stone like a gecko, directing several insects into crevices that were difficult to clean.

Kurenai Yuhi: "..."

The extensive lesson on basic chakra control she had prepared in her head died before it could begin. Tree Climbing? Water Walking? These three kids had clearly mastered both long ago!

Toru Kujyo in particular was so composed, with such exquisite control over his chakra, that he hardly seemed like a newly graduated genin!

"Ahem." Kurenai Yuhi concealed her inner turmoil and said with feigned composure, "It looks like you all have very good chakra control. Excellent. That will make things much more efficient."

Inside, however, she was beginning to lose her mind. What am I supposed to teach them now? These kids skipped the very first step of my carefully paced teaching plan! Should I go straight to coordination for C-rank missions? Or ninjutsu sparring?

As an elite jonin, her responsibility was not merely to teach ninjutsu. More importantly, she had to develop her genin's teamwork, their ability to analyze missions, and the habit of thinking for themselves. She had no intention of imitating a certain masked, white-haired man who left his subordinates to their own devices while he read smut.

Kurenai Yuhi absentmindedly cleared trash from the bank while secretly observing the three. Toru Kujyo directed things with calm confidence. Hinata was still a little unpracticed, but with occasional reminders from him, she gradually grew more proficient. Shino silently handled the most troublesome corners.

Before long, their assigned area looked completely transformed.

Once the mission was finished, they went to the mission center to collect their payment. Naruto was still howling over the pitiful reward, only to be subdued by Sakura once again.

Team 8's payment was hardly much better.

"All right, that's it for today's mission. Go home and get some rest. We'll do some other training tomorrow." Kurenai Yuhi dismissed them, but inwardly she was already working out a new training plan. It seemed she would need some unconventional methods for these three "precocious" kids.

Shino gave a slight nod, slipped into the crowd, and soon disappeared.

"Toru," Hinata asked softly, a hint of anticipation on her face, "shall we..."

Toru Kujyo looked at her with a faint smile. "Let's celebrate Team 8 officially coming together, and all of us passing. How about we buy some ingredients and I cook?"

Hinata's eyes instantly lit up, and she nodded eagerly. "Yes!"

The two walked side by side toward the shopping district, their shadows stretching long in the setting sun. Hinata stole a glance at Toru Kujyo's profile, her heart fluttering wildly in her chest. Shopping for groceries with Toru, going home together... this feels so wonderful.

They bought plenty of fresh vegetables and meat, and Toru Kujyo made a point of picking up some desserts Hinata liked.

Chatting and laughing along the way, they soon reached Toru Kujyo's front door.

"Everything went so smoothly today." Hinata held the groceries, a happy smile lighting up her face.

Toru Kujyo smiled and nodded as well. Just as he reached for his keys to open the door, his expression suddenly changed. His body lurched violently, and the groceries in his hands tumbled to the ground.

"Toru!" Hinata turned pale with alarm and hurried to support him. "What's wrong?!"

Toru Kujyo's eyes were squeezed shut, veins bulging on his forehead as beads of sweat poured out. His handsome face twisted in agony. He clamped both hands over his eyes, faint traces of blood seeping between his fingers.

"My eyes... they hurt!" Toru Kujyo forced the words through clenched teeth, his voice hoarse and trembling with pain.

An agony unlike anything he had ever felt tore through him, as though countless steel needles had plunged into his eyeballs and were churning wildly inside them. The pain nearly made him pass out.

"Your eyes?" Hinata panicked. Supporting Toru Kujyo's trembling body, she was so anxious she nearly burst into tears. "I-I'll get Miss Kurenai! Or the Medical Corps!"

"No... don't!" Fighting through the excruciating pain, Toru Kujyo grabbed Hinata's hand to stop her. "Help me inside... this is... my kekkei genkai... awakening."

"Kekkei genkai?" Hinata froze at his words, then was overwhelmed by an even greater shock. The Kujyo family isn't known for having a kekkei genkai. How could Toru...

With Hinata supporting him, Toru Kujyo stumbled into the house. He leaned against the wall, gasping for breath as waves of agony struck his eyes, as though they would tear his very soul apart.

Hinata hurriedly gathered the scattered groceries for him, then poured a glass of water and handed it to him, her voice thick with tears. "Toru, how are you feeling? Are you all right?"

Toru Kujyo took the glass but did not drink. Struggling to steady his breathing, he explained haltingly, "Our Kujyo family... does have a kekkei genkai. It's just... extremely rare. It skips generations... I never thought... it would happen now..."

Seeing him in such pain broke Hinata's heart, and at last she could no longer hold back her tears. "Then... what do we do now? What can I do for you?"

Toru Kujyo drew a deep breath, seeming to make up his mind about something. He raised his head, and despite his tightly closed eyes, he seemed able to "see" Hinata's anxious face. "Hinata, I need your help. Absolutely no one... can know about this, especially... the Third Hokage and the Hyuga Clan."

Hinata nodded firmly, her voice resolute. "I understand! Toru, tell me what to do. I'll help you no matter what!"

"Bring me some clean bandages and an eye mask," Toru Kujyo said, his voice still somewhat weak. "My eyes... can't be exposed to light right now, and I can't use them either."

Hinata immediately set to work, soon finding bandages and an eye mask in Toru Kujyo's first aid kit. With a towel dampened in warm water, she carefully wiped the blood from the corners of his eyes, then wrapped layer after layer of bandages around them before putting the soft eye mask on him.

"Is this all right? Is it too tight?" Hinata asked softly, her voice brimming with tenderness.

"It's just right." Toru Kujyo felt the coolness and protective covering over his eyes, and even the terrible pain seemed to ease a little. "Hinata, until my eyes recover, things may be rather inconvenient for the next few days."

He paused, then continued, "If there are any missions over the next few days, use a Shadow Clone transformed into me to carry them out. Remember to imitate my tone and behavior. Don't give anything away. Also, if Hanabi wants to come over and play, help me find an excuse to turn her down. Tell her I've been doing some secret training lately and can't be disturbed."