27 Team Kurenai 3 (1/2)
Tick. Tock.
The hands of the clock never stopped ticking.
From the start of the test, roughly thirty minutes had passed. As she watched over her new pupils, Yuuhi Kurenai let out a sigh.
Kiba had fallen on the ground as he clutched his head. Shino was still standing, but his body was shaking uncontrollably. Hinata was crouching down with her head buried between knees. All three ofthem had empty, dazed eyes. From time to time, they would make incomprehensible noises.
They had been caught in Kurenai's genjutsu.
She had planted a disruption in their chakra flow when she had hit them at the beginning, but the illusion itself hadn't started until she said the word 'begin'.
She was a bit worried that she wouldn't be able to affect Shino, but it turned out that the Aburame boy still lacked training. He had innocently fallen to her trap.
Kurenai had no intention to test their teamwork or their ninja skills. After all, those things could be taught. Nothing wrong with starting a bit behind the line.
What she wanted to test was their willpower.
At the moment, the genjutsu that she had cast upon them was trapping them in a state of illusory dream. The suggestions she had put on them were tailored to show their worst fear.
She re-read the paper containing her analysis of their personalities.
”Inuzuka Kiba. A troublemaker, but ultimately good at heart.”
The worst thing that could happen to him was to watch his loved ones suffer while he was powerless to do anything.
”Aburame Shino. Quiet, solitary, showing admirable skills from a young age.”
For a subtle planner like him, the encroaching feeling of failure, that moment when you slowly lose control over the situation as your opponents kept on outwitting you again and again could prove fatal to his stability.
”Now, Hyuuga Hinata...”
An extreme aversion to confrontation. Not to mention, she was also suffering from a severe inferiority complex.
She couldn't help but feeling bitter about the girl's situation.
When she got the news that she would be overseeing Hinata, she had made a personal visit to the Hyuuga residence. At that time, Hinata's father, Hiashi, was in the middle of an intense training with her younger sister, Hanabi.
”Are you sure about this? Hinata is a member of the main family. Working as a Genin might subject her to various danger. She might even end up dying.”
”Do as you wish. The clan doesn't need that failure who can't even measure up to a girl five years her junior.”
Hiashi coldly replied without sparing her a single glance,
As she left the training ground, she found Hinata leaning on the entrance. Most likely, she had heard her father's remark just now.
Her heart ached for that girl.
Even if Hinata ended up failing the test, Kurenai still wished that she could take the girl under her wing. At least, she wanted to help relieve her burden, even if just for a little bit.
She looked at the clock. An hour had already passed. The kids were looking more and more pitiful as time went on, especially Kiba and Hinata. The two of them had tears streaming down their cheeks.
”Maybe thirty more minutes... if they still can't break out of it, then they'll have to repeat.”
Woof.
A small whimper caught her attention. When she looked down, she was surprised to see Kiba's puppy staring at her.
”Huh? Weird... I thought I had put you to sleep back then. Akamaru, was it? What are you doing here?”
The puppy wagged his tail while leaning forward to lick her legs.
”Awh, aren't you a cute one. Don't you need to wake your master?”
Of course, she wouldn't allow that to happen. However, the dog himself didn't seem to be interested in doing so. Instead, he was busy rubbing his head on her legs.
Feeling rather carefree, she pulled him into a hug. The pup seemed to get more excited as he licked her hands and cheeks. She petted him in return.
Woof!
The dog climbed onto her shoulder. He playfully licked the exposed skin on her neck. While it was cute, it felt a bit ticklish.
Just then.
She blinked. The kids were no longer in sight. In fact, it was no longer morning. The ground was dark and cracked, while the sky was dyed in blood-red color with a gigantic moon looming above.
A freezing chill invaded her body, forcing her to huddle up.
”What... is... this...? Genjutsu?!”
As a genjutsu user herself, she could tell that her chakra flow had been tampered with. However, she couldn't understand when did it happen. Not to mention, who had done it?
No, more importantly, why couldn't she break free of this illusion?
”Foolish mortal.”
A ghostly feminine voice whispered on her ear, sending shivers down her spine.
A pair of skeletal arms enclosed her from behind as a shadowy figure crept closer to her. Paralyzed by the sudden dread, her body was refusing to listen to her command. She knew that she had to escape, but somehow, she was hopelessly trapped in this illusory world.
”To cast such a disgusting spell at me, Daji, the master of Illusory Forest Sect... do you not value your life?”
”A...aaa....”
What? What was this person saying? Kurenai couldn't understand a single word that she'd heard. She couldn't understand. She didn't want to understand. The fear that was assaulting her was so intense that it was going to tear her apart.
Daji traced the trembling woman's cheek with her fingers before retracting back her hands.
”Fine. I should not make a little girl cry.”
Kurenai could finally take a breath. The pressure crushing her was slowly dissipating.
”Worry not. That boy is stronger than you think. Have more faith in him.”
This time, Kurenai could finally understand what the figure was saying.
”Wait-!”
When she turned around, the scenery had returned to normal. The sky was bright and clear, and the ground was covered in fresh layer of grass.
”Uwah-!”
She nearly jumped in fright when she felt something touching her legs. However, she soon relaxed when she noticed that it was just Akamaru.
”What... what was that? Was that just a dream?”
Possible. She had been overworking herself for quite a while. She might need to take a short break after this.
'That boy is stronger than you think.'
She was reminded of the mysterious figure's parting words. Somehow, her gaze slowly moved toward Kiba.
---
The scenery changed times and times again. The academy. The village. His home. Every single time, he tried his best to save his friends and family, but he always failed.
Why would he even try anymore? It was useless.
To the despairing him, Kurenai's figure appeared from beneath the shadow. The kunai on her hand was still dripping wet with blood.
”Have you given up?” She asked with a cold voice.
Yes, he had given up. Just go away.
”Everything that you do is useless. You can't do anything.”
She was right. He was powerless to do anything. Just a sham who couldn't protect even a single person.
What becoming a shinobi? What becoming a Hokage? He was all talk.
For the first time in his life, he felt helpless.
”Accept it.Do not bother trying anymore. Just give up.”
However... was that really what he was thinking? Just giving up?
A part of him screamed out, refusing to yield with all his might.
”It's useless. Just give up.”
”Shut...”
”There is no point anymore. Give u-”
”SHUT YOUR TRAP!”
The Kurenai in front of him flinched as Kiba rose back up to his feet, a brilliant flame blazing in his eyes.