Before long, the classroom door slid open.
A beautiful woman with long black hair and red eyes stepped inside. Her sharp yet gentle gaze swept across the room, and silence immediately fell.
"Class 8," she said calmly. "Follow me."
Those who weren't in her group sighed in relief, while Hinata, Kiba, and Shino rose from their seats.
Kiba bounded out first, eager as always. Shino followed without a word. Hinata trailed behind them, her steps light and measured.
They eventually stopped at a quiet, secluded training ground.
The woman turned to face them. "My name is Kurenai Yuhi," she introduced herself. "I'll be your supervising jōnin from now on. If all goes well, I'll be leading you on missions in the future. Why don't you three introduce yourselves?"
One by one, they did—names, likes, dislikes, and dreams.
Hinata found herself quietly intrigued by their words. People claimed such things weren't important—that dreams changed and goals shifted—but in her past life, she had never met anyone who truly stayed the same from beginning to end.
When introductions ended, Hinata hesitated before asking softly, "Um… Kurenai-sensei, earlier you said if all goes well. What did you mean by that?"
Kiba blinked in confusion. "Yeah, Sensei! You're already a jōnin—what could go wrong?"
Shino remained silent, his dark glasses reflecting the light. His quiet stillness made his presence almost ghostlike.
Kurenai's lips curved slightly as she glanced at Hinata. "That's because tomorrow you'll take part in a survival exercise. Those who pass will officially become genin. Those who fail…"—her smile deepened—"…will return to the academy for further training."
Seeing the shocked expressions on their faces, Kurenai chuckled softly.
"The survival exercise will be tomorrow morning. But if you're feeling confident, you can start preparing now. Whether or not you use this time wisely is entirely up to you."
With that, she disappeared in an instant.
…
Kiba clutched his head in panic. "Oh no! If I get sent back, I'll be a laughingstock! I told my sister I graduated already—she'll never let me live it down! I have to pass this, no matter what!"
Hinata said nothing. Her fingers fidgeted lightly as she lowered her head in thought.
"In my opinion," Shino said suddenly, his tone calm and analytical, "this survival exercise is more than just a combat test. It's likely designed to assess teamwork and coordination."
Kiba and Hinata both turned to him, surprised by his insight.
"Why do you think so?" Kiba asked.
"Because that's how it should be," Shino replied simply. Then he fell silent again.
"..."
"..."
…
That evening, Hinata returned home and practiced a full set of Gentle Fist techniques, followed by rigorous physical training. When her younger sister Hanabi asked to play, Hinata gently declined, explaining that she had something important to do the next day.
After dinner, she ate far more than usual, determined to store up energy for tomorrow's challenge.
The result was catastrophic—the rice, noodles, and nearly every edible item in the house were gone, leaving her family staring at her in stunned silence.
…
The next morning, Hinata met up with Kiba and Shino at the training grounds.
When they arrived, Kurenai-sensei was nowhere to be found.
After a brief discussion, they decided to act on their own initiative.
Kiba had Akamaru dig a hidden pit trap, Shino released his insects for surveillance, and Hinata activated her Byakugan to scout the area for any signs of their teacher.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Kurenai observed them through the Third Hokage's crystal ball.
Her team might not be the strongest in raw power, but in terms of reconnaissance, tracking, and tactical analysis, they were among the best.
She couldn't hide nearby like the other jōnin instructors—the Byakugan would expose her instantly.
"Their teamwork isn't bad," she commented quietly, "but they still lack proper coordination. That will improve with time."
The Third Hokage nodded thoughtfully as she continued her evaluation.
"Kiba is impulsive… Shino is analytical… and Hinata—" Kurenai's eyes softened slightly. "Hinata is timid, shy, and soft-spoken. But that's part of her charm—and her challenge."
Based on their overall performance, she ranked Shino first for composure, Kiba second for initiative, and Hinata last for hesitation.
Having seen enough, Kurenai thanked the Third Hokage and left.
…
"Here she comes!" Hinata whispered.
At once, Kiba and Shino sprang into action. Kiba covered up his trap, Shino recalled his insects, and Hinata deactivated her Byakugan, pretending to look unaware.
"Come with me," Kurenai called from a distance.
The three gathered their things and followed her—only to realize she was leading them to a different training ground entirely.
"Wha—!? Sensei!" Kiba groaned. "But I just finished digging that pit!"
Shino frowned slightly, retrieving his insects. "So all our preparations were for nothing…"
"Unexpected situations can occur at any time," Kurenai said calmly, her gaze sweeping across the three genin. "An enemy will never fight on your terms. I only told you to gather here—never that the survival exercise would be held here. Acting on your own initiative without proper intelligence didn't just yield no results; it also wasted your stamina and chakra. Be more careful next time."
Kiba's expression turned as if the world had ended, while Shino stood in silence, his thoughts hidden behind his dark glasses.
Hinata, however, understood immediately.
She's not just testing us—she's teaching through every move.
…
At the new, untouched training ground, Kurenai stood with one hand on her hip and two small bells dangling from the other.
"You have one hour," she announced, tying the bells to her waist. "If you can take a bell from me, you pass. If you can't, you'll return to the academy and repeat the year."
"Wait—there are only two bells!" Kiba shouted, clearly panicking.
Kurenai raised an eyebrow, her smile faint. "You talk as if you're certain you can grab even one. Worry about the number after you manage to touch a bell."
With that, she clasped her hands behind her back, standing casually in the clearing.
"Ready?"
Hinata and her teammates exchanged glances. Without a word, they scattered—each retreating into cover around the perimeter.
…
"Let's start with the most impulsive one," Kurenai thought, her right hand twitching ever so slightly.
"Now's my chance!" Kiba shouted, rushing forward with reckless speed, tossing a smoke bomb for cover.
Kurenai sighed inwardly as she saw him emerge through the haze.
So predictable.
Even Hinata, timid as she was, had more restraint. Kiba's eagerness blinded him to the truth every shinobi should know—apparent openings are often traps.
After exchanging a few blows, Kurenai effortlessly read his rhythm. A swift chop to the neck sent Kiba tumbling into unconsciousness.
Moments later, she sensed a new disturbance—Shino.
Illusions had limited effect on his insects, so theoretically, he should have been her toughest opponent. But raw strength and speed made all the difference. Within moments, even Shino was overpowered.
If Kurenai hadn't been deliberately holding back to test their skills, the fight would have been over in seconds.
Now, only one remained.