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The thick foliage of the Forest of Death swallowed light and sound alike. The towering trees stretched skyward, their shadows falling like a net across the wild, uneven terrain.
The air was heavy, filled with a mixture of moisture, danger, and tension.
Team 8 moved silently through the brush, each member playing to their strengths.
Kiba led slightly ahead, his nose twitching, Akamaru perched on his head, growling softly.
Shino was quiet, as always, walking calmly with his hands in his coat pockets, his kikaichū insects already spread out to scout the area.
And in the center, Hinata Hyūga walked, silently observing the area.
Gone was the shy, timid expression, the hesitant stammering. This Hinata was calm, poised, and exuding a quiet confidence that made even the forest seem less hostile. Her Byakugan was active, veins bulging slightly near her temples, eyes piercing through tree trunks like glass. Her mind wasn't clouded by fear but was focused on her goal.
She was full of her resolve and the lingering thought of Naruto-sama. The one she now lived to serve, to please, and to protect in his shadow.
"We're being watched from the southeast," She said without turning, her voice controlled.
"I know," Kiba muttered, sniffing again. "Three of them. About thirty meters away. They're trying to flank us."
"They're moving cautiously," Shino added, without missing a step. "Trying not to alert us. But they've failed."
Hinata's lips curled into a small, composed smile. "Then let's punish them for their hesitation."
Without waiting for orders, she blurred forward with practiced precision. Her movement was swift, confident, and refined by training under Naruto's strict, dominant style. She reappeared behind a tree and landed a Gentle Fist strike into the ribs of an enemy genin hiding in the brush.
"Gah—!!"
The boy flew back, crashing into a tree trunk before slumping to the ground.
Two others emerged, but it was too late.
"Fang Over Fang!" Kiba's howl echoed as he and Akamaru spun violently into the second enemy, sending debris and leaves flying as the boy was hurled across a muddy patch of ground.
Shino raised a hand slightly. His bugs swarmed the third enemy, trapping her in a suffocating cloud of chakra-eating insects before she could even form a hand seal.
It had taken less than thirty seconds.
Hinata stood over her downed opponent and coolly opened his pouch.
"Earth scroll," She said, showing it to her teammates.
Kiba grinned. "Bingo. And it's only been an hour since we entered."
"But we need the Heaven scroll," Shino reminded them, but even he was impressed by how seamless the ambush response had been.
Hinata's gaze lingered on the enemy's face. He was barely conscious. She could feel his fear. It used to be her emotion, but now it belonged to her prey.
She turned and joined her teammates, brushing a leaf from her long indigo hair.
Kiba looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "You've really changed, you know that?"
Hinata blinked, then looked ahead.
"Well, I have to be... since I have to shoulder the responsibility of being the heir," She said with serene certainty. "There's no time to be weak."
Kiba didn't reply. He understood and respected it. And truthfully… it made him slightly uneasy. Because Hinata gave a feeling of aloofness... she was sharper, colder to enemies, more precise.
And something about her presence felt... different, as if she carried the will of someone far more terrifying within her very chakra.
Back at their temporary hideout…
Team 8 had taken shelter near a tree cave, having created a makeshift defense perimeter.
Hinata knelt in the center, eyes closed, meditating.
Naruto-sama… I hope you're watching me. I'll make you proud. I'll prove your training wasn't wasted. I'm not weak anymore. I live for your will.
Meanwhile, Shino silently fed information to his bugs. Kiba carved simple symbols into a log, warning signs for nearby traps he had set with tripwires and exploding tags.
As night approached, the forest grew louder with insect chirps, distant roars, and the shriek of unknown predators.
"Keep watch shifts tight," Shino murmured.
"Mm." Hinata nodded. "I'll take the first."
Kiba raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You didn't rest since we came in."
"I don't need rest. Not until we have both scrolls." Her tone brooked no argument.
As her teammates prepared to settle in, Hinata stood atop a thick branch, the wind rustling her jacket.
Her Byakugan flared silently as she whispered with a smile,
"I wonder how Naruto-sama is doing by now."
------
In the other corner of the forest, Team 3 had its own adventure.
The canopy of the Forest of Death was like a ceiling of shadows, filtering sunlight into sharp, splintered beams. The wind barely stirred, but every now and then, a distant shriek echoed across the wilderness.
Team 3 moved silently through the brush, their every step calculated.
Neji led the formation with practiced grace, his Byakugan activated, eyes pale and unblinking as they scanned the terrain ahead.
Rock Lee followed with quiet intensity, no longer bouncing with his usual optimism. Even he could feel the weight of the forest's blood-soaked history.
Tenten brought up the rear, her scrolls prepped and her hands ready to summon a rain of steel at a moment's notice.
This was no mere test. It was a battlefield.
"We'll keep to the ridge until we find another team," Neji said calmly, his gaze piercing through the thickest trees. "Three chakra signatures, seventy meters northeast. Moving in formation. They've sensed us."
"Then let's greet them!" Lee said with burning spirit in his eyes, his fists already clenched. "The time to prove our youth is now!"
"Stay focused, Lee," Tenten said firmly. "We're here to win scrolls, not preach philosophy."
Neji gave a quiet nod. "They might have an Earth Scroll. We're moving."
They didn't rush blindly.
Neji weaved through the brush with purpose, his movements quiet. Lee followed, muscles coiled like a loaded spring. Tenten kept her fingers close to her weapon scrolls, ready to summon the right tool on command.
As they approached a clearing, the enemy team made their move with a coordinated ambush.
Kunai rained down from the trees, and a wall of wind chakra blasted toward them from the left.
"Down!" Neji shouted as he spun mid-air. "Eight Trigrams: Palm Rotation!"
A dome of chakra exploded outward, deflecting the incoming kunai and redirecting the wind. Lee shot forward like a green blur.
The enemy didn't expect Lee's speed.
"Leaf Hurricane!"
With a single spinning kick, Lee sent the nearest genin crashing into the dirt. The boy didn't get up.
Another enemy tried to run, but it was a big mistake.
POOF!
Tenten's scroll flew open mid-air as a barrage of shuriken, kunai, and weighted chains flew from her position.
The second genin was pinned to a tree in seconds. He was uninjured, but immobilized, and terrified by his enemies' skills.
Only one enemy remained.
Neji appeared behind him, two fingers raised, his voice low.
"Yield."
The boy's eyes widened. "I–I surrender!"
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