Yūhi Kurenai led Team 8 out of the academy—not to the training field, but all the way into the woods, to a clearing used for field exercises.
Training grounds like this were everywhere in the Hidden Leaf Village.
Stopping in front of a thick wooden stump, Kurenai turned to the three of them and smiled.
"Until one of you is promoted to a chunin and can take charge of the team, I'll be the one leading you on missions."
"So, let's start by introducing ourselves and getting to know each other."
"I'll go first, as an example."
With one hand on her hip, Kurenai smiled and said,
"I'm Yūhi Kurenai. Last name Yūhi—you can call me Kurenai-sensei. My specialty is genjutsu, and I'm good with all kinds of illusions. Things I like? A lot, actually. For food: wasabi octopus, sake, and vodka. As for my dream, I want to become a kunoichi like Lady Tsunade."
"Now it's your turn."
Her gaze shifted between the three genin and finally landed on Kenjiro.
Taking the hint, Kenjiro spoke up calmly.
"My name is Kenjiro. I don't have a family name. My strength lies in ninjutsu—I'm best with Fire and Wind Style. I also know a bit of medical ninjutsu and sensory techniques. I like training and fighting strong opponents. I dislike a lot of things. My dream is to become a great ninja."
Kurenai nodded slightly, already forming a basic assessment of both his abilities and his personality.
Then she turned to Hinata, who stood beside Kenjiro.
"I'm Hyūga Hinata." she said softly.
"My specialty is sensory skills and my clan's Gentle Fist. I enjoy training with Kenjiro-kun and my little sister. I also like red bean paste and cinnamon rolls. I don't like shrimp or crab. My dream is also to become an excellent ninja."
After listening, Kurenai glanced at Kenjiro again, her gaze flicking between the two. When Hinata's cheeks began to flush and she lowered her head, Kurenai smirked playfully and nodded as if something had just clicked.
"Ah, I see."
Last, her gaze shifted to the one wrapped up like a walking mystery.
Hood over his head, forehead protector pulled down, sunglasses hiding his eyes, and his collar covering the rest of his face—just a small bit of skin left showing.
"My name is Aburame Shino." he said in a flat tone.
"Like Hinata, I specialize in sensory skills and clan techniques. I enjoy searching for insects in the forest. My favorite foods are vegetable salad and winter melon. I dislike strong-smelling things. My dream is to discover a new species of insect."
"Great. Now we all know a bit more about each other."
Kurenai smiled in satisfaction.
"But before we start missions, I'll need to test your abilities. Tomorrow morning at 9 AM, meet me here again. We're going to have a survival exercise."
"Just so you know." she added, pointing to herself.
"the theme is a capture challenge—and your opponent… is me."
With a light wave, she grinned. "See you tomorrow. Don't be late!"
Before any of the three could react or ask questions, she vanished in a blur, leaving nothing but a few leaves fluttering in her wake.
The three looked at each other.
"Kenjiro, what do you think?" Shino asked, clearly probing him.
Though he'd always been overshadowed by Kenjiro and Hinata in the practical exams, Shino never doubted his own skill. Aside from academic tests, he considered himself on par with, if not better than, the others.
The free-for-all battles only started in sixth year, once a month. Until graduation, Shino had never been matched with either of them. And since the other classmates weren't even worth using his clan techniques on, no one really knew what he was capable of.
He'd noticed the clue Kurenai had dropped. If Kenjiro hadn't caught it, that would've been a serious strike against him.
Given Kenjiro's closeness with Hinata, Shino didn't mind letting him lead… but if his judgment proved flawed, Shino wouldn't hesitate to call him out.
Unaware of all this, Kenjiro began to speak.
"We don't have to wait until tomorrow to know the outcome. Let's be honest—fresh genin like us stand no chance against a jōnin."
"Even if it's just a capture exercise, if a jōnin doesn't want us to succeed, we won't. Think about the survival drills back at the academy. The chunin instructors always held back. As long as you didn't embarrass yourself, they passed you."
"So tomorrow, as long as our performance satisfies Kurenai-sensei, she'll hold back too."
"Then… what'll satisfy her?" Shino asked.
Leaning back casually against the tree stump Kurenai had been standing on, Kenjiro continued.
"She said it's a test of our abilities, not raw strength. Ninja battles are battles of information. During the introductions, she already gave us her intel—she specializes in genjutsu."
"And even though she could've started the survival test right away, she gave us a full day and told us the theme and location in advance. That's a clear opportunity to strategize and prepare traps."
"If our tactics and teamwork pass her standards, she'll give us a chance to succeed—she might even deliberately give us an opening."
Hinata's eyes sparkled as she looked at Kenjiro, admiration written all over her face.
Shino, hands still in his pockets and face still unreadable under all his layers, felt a subtle shift inside.
He'd noticed the clue too—but not in this much detail.
No wonder Kenjiro was the top of their class.
It seemed he wasn't the only one hiding his full strength. Maybe, apart from Hinata—who obviously trained with him all the time—nobody had seen what Kenjiro was really capable of.
Respectfully now, Shino asked. "Then what's your strategy, Kenjiro?"
This time, his tone was different—not a test, but recognition. He was ready to follow his lead.
"To plan properly." Kenjiro said.
"we'll need to know each other better. Our strengths, and the effects of our best techniques."
He motioned for them to come closer.
"Let's lay our cards on the table. Tell me your strongest jutsu and what they do."
Hinata and Shino both stepped forward immediately.
The three of them formed a tight circle and began whispering back and forth.
High above, perched on the branches of a large tree, Kurenai watched them with a pleased smile.
They were doing exactly what she'd hoped.
She had intentionally dropped hints during their introductions—testing their observation, reaction speed, and teamwork potential.
She hadn't expected them to be this sharp.
Barely gone a moment, and they'd already figured out the true purpose of the survival drill—and even the reason behind the delay before the exam.
"What a promising team." she thought, lips curling into a grin.
"With this kind of chemistry, they just might pull off a win."
She thought back to the bet made before the teams were announced—how Kakashi and Asuma had both underestimated her.
"Let's see who has the last laugh."
With that, Kurenai's body shimmered like a mirage—and disappeared.
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