After the team assignments, each squad waited for their Jonin instructor with mixed feelings.
They waited half the day without a shadow in sight; the same happened to Naruto's group—Kakashi hadn't shown up either.
[…Is this some kind of tradition, making your students cool their heels?]
Hours later, a plant sprouted from the ground with a note attached—presumably left by Kurenai Yuhi.
Kiba picked it up.
"Meet here at dawn tomorrow…"
Beneath the note was a map with a marked spot—the rendezvous point.
"What the… whatever, see you here tomorrow."
"Fine," Shino replied tersely, and Hinata turned to leave.
At dawn the next day, Hinata appeared at the designated place; Kiba and Shino arrived soon after.
Nearly an hour passed without any sign of their Jonin instructor.
Kiba grew restless, teasing Akamaru and sneaking glances at the calm Hinata.
Shino stood like a statue against a tree, sunglasses hiding any hint of emotion.
Hinata's eyes were closed in meditation while she mentally refined Multiple Shadow Clones, trying to remap its Chakra pathways to better suit her own spiritual meridians.
A faint, hallucinatory floral Chakra drifted toward them.
A curvaceous kunoichi in black mesh and a red miniskirt landed lightly before them.
Long black hair framed exquisite features, especially those red irises that seemed to hold sorcery—Team 8's Jonin.
Kurenai Yuhi.
"Team 8: Hyuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino."
Her gaze swept the trio, her tone gentle yet carrying a Jonin's authority.
"I'm your Jonin instructor, Kurenai Yuhi. From today on, I'll guide your missions and training."
"Good morning, Kurenai-sensei!"
Kiba snapped to attention, shouting to make a good impression.
She nodded, satisfied, and cut straight to the point.
"Before any missions, I need to gauge your abilities and Heart-Nature. I'll give you a simple test."
Kiba rubbed his hands eagerly.
"A combat match? Akamaru and I are tough!"
Kurenai smiled mysteriously.
"No—something that tests what's up here."
She tapped her temple.
With a rapid string of hand seals she declared,
"Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!"
The surrounding trees came alive; thick vines shot from earth and trunk like serpents, snaring the three Genin.
The scene twisted into a boundless, suffocating dark forest.
"A genjutsu?"
Kiba yelped, struggling, but the vines multiplied, pinning him and Akamaru until breathing became hard and panic set in.
Kurenai watched.
Shino fared slightly better, sending insects to gnaw the vines, yet under the illusion they faltered and achieved little; still, he kept analyzing.
He found no immediate counter.
But when Kurenai looked at Hinata, she froze.
As the vines were about to strike, Hinata didn't form a single seal; her pale Byakugan merely swept the illusions.
In her sight, vines and forest were nothing more than Chakra constructs.
[As long as you see through the core, this is child's play.]
She remained unruffled; after Foundation Establishment her Divine Sense was strong enough to pierce ordinary genjutsu without effort.
Still, she decided to humor her teacher and give Face.
Without brute force she shifted footwork, threading through the vines as if strolling in her garden; not a leaf brushed her clothes.
She lifted a finger, condensed a sliver of spiritual power, and flicked it at several key Chakra nodes in the illusion.
Pop… pop…
Soft bubble-like bursts sounded.
The vines binding Kiba and Shino faded, the oppressive forest melting back into the sunny training field.
Freed, the boys stumbled, staring around in bewilderment at the placid Hinata.
"W-what just happened?"
Kiba asked, dazed.
Shock filled Kurenai's red eyes.
The Hokage had told her to keep an eye on the Hyuga Young Miss; she'd thought it meant to protect her—clearly not.
Tree Binding Death wasn't top-tier, yet no fresh Genin should break it so casually.
"You're full of surprises, little girl."
Hinata blinked her pale eyes.
"Sensei's amazing; it took a lot to see through it."
Kurenai's mouth twitched—she'd seen no strain, only effortless ease.
She composed herself and reappraised her students.
Inuzuka Kiba—eager, in sync with Akamaru, short on brains.
Aburame Shino—cool-headed, analytical.
Hyuga Hinata—no weakness visible, simply stronger, perhaps thanks to Byakugan's perception.
She'd aided her teammates instead of soloing, never abandoning comrades caught in the illusion.
Kurenai's gentle smile returned.
"Test passed. All three of you have the makings of fine Ninja."
She resolved to guide this exceptional student who would one day support Konoha's pillars.
Kiba and Shino looked at Hinata with complicated eyes; Kiba was thoroughly humbled, no more "freak-strength girl" jokes.
Shino adjusted his sunglasses, revising his estimate of her power.
"Tomorrow at dawn—your first mission," Kurenai announced.
"Dismissed."
Watching them leave, Kurenai replayed Hinata's effortless dismantling of her genjutsu.
This year's Genin were more formidable than expected; her burden as their Jonin felt heavier.
Hinata, unaware of her teacher's turmoil, strolled off.
The test had been easy—far easier than whatever Kakashi was putting Naruto through.
A mischievous idea struck her: she would go spy on them.
Right about now Kakashi hadn't shown up, leaving Team 7 to wait while he read icha icha paradise in hiding.
Poor Team 7, ordered to skip breakfast, was suffering far worse.