"…Alright, that's our strategy."
Half an hour later, Izanami stood in front of Hinata and Shino Aburame, smiling. "I'm counting on you tomorrow, Hinata, Shino."
"Yes, I'll do my best." Hinata nodded firmly.
"Don't worry."Shino Aburame also nodded slightly. Despite his calm outward demeanor, a ripple of uncertainty stirred inside him. His body, an insect nest in its own right, was sending feedback—Izanami's chakra was incredible. Among his peers, only Uzumaki Naruto could compare. No wonder Izanami knew so many Ninjutsu and had developed powerful techniques of his own.
It made sense now. This guy, without a surname, probably wasn't a descendant of commoner Ninja. Maybe in some past era, he was descended from an extraordinary bloodline. Izanami's chakra reserves were far beyond what should be expected of a mere Genin.
"In that case, let's head back," Izanami said, seeing that both Hinata and Shino Aburame had agreed with his plan and were ready to proceed.
But as he turned to leave, Shino Aburame spoke up. "Aren't we setting up traps?"
Izanami shook his head. "There's no need for that."He turned to face them. "Regular traps wouldn't work on a Jonin. Powerful traps require resources and tools, and even then, they might not be effective. Worse, they could hurt us." He paused for emphasis. "If my analysis is correct, this tactic alone should be enough for us to pass the test."
Hinata and Shino Aburame both nodded in understanding, realizing he was right.
"Well, since there's no need for traps, I'll head back first." Shino Aburame muttered, putting his hands back into his pockets as he turned to leave.
Izanami had long since recognized Shino Aburame's peculiarities, as did Hinata. The self-introductions had revealed much. As for Shino, he likely already knew about Izanami and Hinata's unusual bond. That's why he didn't linger and spoil their time together. Though inwardly curious, Shino kept to his role, unwilling to break his stoic facade.
Watching Shino Aburame leave, Izanami turned to Hinata and took her hand. "Hinata, it's been a while since we've had a picnic. How about grilled fish for lunch today?"
"Yes!" Hinata's eyes lit up at the suggestion. Memories of past picnics with Izanami filled her heart, reminding her of the simple joys they'd shared after training. Since Hinata's father had given his approval and Hanabi had joined, they hadn't had the chance to revisit those memories. Training had moved to Izanami's yard or the dojo, and meals were either brought from Hinata's house or made in Izanami's kitchen. But nothing had quite matched the warmth of those childhood days spent eating grilled fish together.
Now that Izanami had rekindled those memories, Hinata was eager to relive those moments.
Hand in hand, they set off toward the familiar riverbank. Izanami left the task of fishing to his shadow clone, while he and Hinata engaged in a friendly Taijutsu duel on the river's edge. The collision of their Chakras sent waves splashing across the water, sending birds and wild animals scattering in panic.
Once the dust settled, the sound of sizzling fish filled the air, and the fragrance soon followed. Together, they spent the entire noon reliving their childhood memories in the peaceful wilderness.
The next day, at eight-thirty in the morning,Izanami and Hinata arrived at the training ground, where Shino Aburame was already waiting by the tree stump, looking like he had been there for some time.
"Good morning, Shino," Izanami greeted, raising his hand in a casual wave.
"Morning." Shino Aburame nodded, his response brief and neutral.
The atmosphere grew quiet, and Izanami, who had read the original story, knew that Shino hid a quirky side beneath his calm exterior. However, Izanami couldn't find a topic to strike up a conversation with him. The truth was, Shino didn't really have any friends, and his main interest was insects. There wasn't much common ground between them.
Having greeted him, Izanami was at a loss for words. And, knowing that Shino likely had insects capable of eavesdropping, he didn't want to speak too freely with Hinata either. Instead, he leaned back against the tree stump, closed his eyes, and began to rest, waiting for Kurenai Yuhi to arrive.
Hinata, also with her hands in her pockets, leaned against the stump beside him. Time ticked by slowly.
Then, a sharp 'whoosh' cut through the air. Izanami opened his eyes just in time to see Kurenai Yuhi standing before them.
"Red Sensei." The three of them greeted in unison.
"Good morning, sorry to keep you waiting." Kurenai Yuhi smiled and nodded before pulling out three bells from her pouch. "Your task is simple: within the next hour, at all costs—even if it means taking my life—you must retrieve these bells from me."
She tied the bells to her waist, then took out a small alarm clock and set it to go off in exactly one hour. She placed it on the tree stump and turned back to face the three Genin. "Now… officially start."
As soon as Kurenai Yuhi finished speaking, the figures of Izanami, Hinata, and Shino vanished without a trace.
Only the whisper of wind and the rustle of leaves remained in her ears.
Scanning the surrounding woods, Kurenai smiled faintly, calm and composed. She made no move to use the Body Flicker Technique to flush them out. Instead, she strolled to a clearing, deliberately exposing herself—waiting.
It wasn't arrogance. It was experience.
She had been through the Ninja Academy herself. She knew the limitations of academy-taught techniques. No matter how talented these Genin were, their foundations were still shallow—relying mostly on basic ninjutsu, low-level Wind Release, and family-inherited skills.
The Hyuga and Aburame clans were prestigious, yes—but their fighting styles were no secret. Any seasoned Jonin, especially one specializing in Genjutsu, would know them inside and out.
Kurenai Yuhi was no one-trick shinobi. Though best known for Genjutsu, she was a full-fledged Jonin, proficient in multiple nature transformations. She believed that even if several Genin teams joined forces, they'd pose no real threat.
That was what she believed—until the next instant shattered her calm.
"Byakugan—Air Palm!"
A crisp, sharp cry rang out—distant one moment, suddenly close the next.
A powerful shockwave erupted like a tidal force, invisible yet crushing, barreling straight toward her. The ground shuddered, and a wall of dust surged up in its wake.
Kurenai's pupils contracted. She didn't have time to mold chakra to her feet for a Body Flicker. Reflex took over—she leapt backward just as the shockwave tore past.
The force missed her by a hair—but the billowing dust engulfed her.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The shockwave plowed through the forest behind her, snapping thick trees like twigs. The devastation made clear: that wasn't a standard academy technique—it was a strike meant for real combat.
The source of the attack revealed itself at the point of origin.
Beneath a large tree, two identical girls with activated Byakugan stood back-to-back, palms pressed together—Hinata, and Izanami's shadow clone.
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