Attitude

Mr. Nishimura's friendly, humble manner put the members of Team 8 at ease. Compared with the strange, demanding clients they had encountered on their previous D-rank missions, he was practically an angel.

"Move out!" At Kurenai Yuhi's command, the team officially set off.

This was Team 8's first mission outside Konoha. Hinata and Shino were both a little excited, full of curiosity about the world beyond the village. They imagined towns with exotic charm along the way, or thrilling challenges in the wilderness. Yet when they passed through the first forest and reached the nearest town, their anticipation quickly turned to disappointment.

The town before them was shabby and backward, with muddy streets and low buildings. Its people wore plain clothes, their faces weary. Compared with bustling Konoha, this place seemed utterly unremarkable, even impoverished. There were no wondrous sights as they had imagined, nor any of the adventures they had heard about.

"So this is the outside world?" Hinata murmured, a trace of disappointment in her eyes.

Shino Aburame adjusted his sunglasses as well and said in a low voice, "It seems most places aren't what we imagined."

Toru Kujyo understood their reactions. He knew that, for these Genin taking their first real steps into the outside world, such a gap between expectation and reality was inevitable. He said little, simply focusing his attention on the mission itself.

With ordinary people and cumbersome wagons in the party, their progress was very slow. The ninja had to keep adjusting their pace to match the convoy. They traveled by day and camped at night, occasionally encountering minor problems, such as a wagon getting stuck in the mud or wild beasts appearing beside the road, but Team 8 handled them all with ease. Beneath his eye mask, Toru Kujyo quietly activated his Tenseigan. His powerful perception constantly covered a radius of dozens of kilometers. Not the slightest movement escaped his eyes, keeping the party safe at all times.

The monotonous journey lasted eight full days. On the evening of the eighth day, as the sun sank in the west, they finally crossed the border of the Land of Fire and entered the Land of Rivers.

"Hinata, activate your Byakugan and scout the surroundings," Kurenai Yuhi ordered.

"Yes!" Hinata answered immediately, forming hand seals and activating her Byakugan in an instant. She gathered chakra in her eyes, and her field of vision expanded without limit in a flash.

"Sensei Kurenai, there are no suspicious targets or chakra signatures within twenty kilometers," Hinata reported calmly, deactivating her Byakugan.

Kurenai Yuhi's and Shino Aburame's pupils abruptly contracted. Twenty kilometers! A normal Byakugan's scouting range was only around ten kilometers, and even among the Hyuga Clan's elite ninja, few could reach twenty. Hinata's Byakugan had already reached such an astonishing level!

A wave of shock swept through Kurenai Yuhi. Had this seemingly frail little girl really improved so much in just two weeks? She looked at Hinata, then at Toru Kujyo standing calmly nearby, her puzzlement deepening. These two kids just kept surprising her, each more than the other.

Behind his sunglasses, Shino's gaze flickered slightly as well. The insects in his sleeves grew restless again. They could sense that the area covered by Hinata's Byakugan was far beyond the norm. This Team 8 seemed... even more unusual than he had imagined.

Kurenai Yuhi's and Shino Aburame's pupils abruptly contracted, shock written all over their faces. Twenty kilometers! That number sent great waves crashing through their minds. A normal Byakugan's scouting range was only around ten kilometers. Even among the Hyuga Clan's elite Jonin, those who could reach fifteen kilometers were exceedingly rare, yet Hinata... she had only just graduated and become a Genin!

"Hinata, are you sure it's twenty kilometers?" Kurenai Yuhi's voice held a trace of disbelief.

Hinata nodded gently. "Yes, Sensei Kurenai. When I concentrate my chakra to the limit, I can clearly see everything within twenty kilometers." She was a little surprised herself. This extraordinary range of perception gave her a new understanding of her own strength.

Shino Aburame pushed up his sunglasses, his gaze deep behind them. The insects in his sleeves began to writhe uneasily. They instinctively sensed the unusual fluctuations in Hinata's chakra, a strength far beyond that of others her age that even faintly suppressed the insect colony living inside him. He knew very well that ordinary training could never produce such an improvement.

The corners of Toru Kujyo's mouth curved almost imperceptibly. He knew why this had happened. During the two weeks before his Tenseigan awakened, he had spent every day with Hinata. As he cared for her, he had also unwittingly transferred his chakra, which possessed special physical healing properties, to her through everyday contact and occasional physical touch. This chakra could nourish the body and awaken its potential, with remarkable effects on the development of a kekkei genkai. He had once inadvertently improved Hanabi's Byakugan aptitude in the same way. Now, the results seemed even more astonishing than he had expected.

Kurenai Yuhi took a deep breath, forcing down her shock. She quickly realized how serious this was. Once exposed, a Byakugan this powerful would inevitably draw countless covetous eyes.

"Hinata," Kurenai Yuhi said, her tone more serious than ever before, "listen. You must never tell anyone else about your Byakugan's scouting range, and you mustn't reveal it carelessly. This is your secret, and it could save your life." Her gaze swept over Toru Kujyo and Shino, a warning in her voice. "You two must keep this secret for Hinata as well. If other villages or anyone with ill intentions finds out, Hinata will face unimaginable danger."

Looking at Sensei Kurenai's grave expression, Hinata did not quite understand, but she still nodded firmly. "I understand, Sensei Kurenai. I won't tell anyone."

Shino also nodded slightly to show he understood. Toru Kujyo simply looked calmly at Kurenai Yuhi, a glimmer of approval in his eyes. As a Jonin, Sensei Kurenai certainly possessed keen insight and a strong awareness of danger.

For the rest of the journey, Team 8 traveled far more efficiently. With Hinata's extraordinary Byakugan scouting ahead, every potential danger was either avoided or dealt with in advance.

Their first encounter with bandits took place in a dense forest. Hinata spotted them from five kilometers away and accurately reported their numbers and positions. Kurenai Yuhi acted decisively, directing Toru Kujyo and Shino to circle around and flank them from both sides while she drew their attacks from the front.

When the fighting began, Hinata's hand trembled slightly around her kunai. This was her first real encounter with killing. When a bandit charged at her, she instinctively activated her Byakugan and struck his chakra pathways with a precise Gentle Fist blow, instantly putting him out of action. But when she saw Toru Kujyo unhesitatingly slash another bandit's throat with his blade, blood spraying everywhere, her stomach churned. Shino's insects also slipped silently into their enemies' bodies, feeding on their chakra until they collapsed.