Kitazawa and Kurenai arrived at the Ninja Academy, where their team was already assembled on the training grounds.
Hinata, Shikamaru, and Shino stood waiting—each wearing a completely different expression.
Hinata looked quietly expectant, her pale eyes shining with focus.
Shino stood calmly, his composure unshakable as always.
And Shikamaru... looked like he was already regretting being alive.
Kitazawa couldn't help but smile.
"Let's go," he said, waving them forward. "Time to meet the client."
"Kitazawa-sensei," Shikamaru asked, dragging his feet slightly, "what rank is our mission this time?"
"B-rank."
Hearing that, Shikamaru sighed in relief. A B-rank mission meant they probably wouldn't run into any Jonin-level enemies. Even with Hinata and Shino's strength combined, a Jonin would still be out of their league.
Kitazawa caught the subtle relaxation in Shikamaru's face. He smiled faintly.
'A B-rank won't change his attitude', he thought.
His real plan was simple—once they reached the Land of Earth, he'd "accidentally" let them cross paths with an Iwagakure squad. Just enough pressure to push Shikamaru out of his lazy comfort zone.
After all, this was an escort mission. Anything could happen in theory. No one would question coincidence.
The group left the Academy and made their way to Konoha's main gate. Their client was a merchant caravan from the Land of Fire.
During peacetime, trade between nations was frequent, and this was a common route.
"Lord Kitazawa?"
The caravan owner nearly jumped with joy upon seeing him. He had only paid for a B-rank mission—yet somehow, he'd gotten the Kitazawa, one of Konoha's most famous Jonin.
A true bargain.
With Kitazawa leading the escort, and a student of Hokage Tsunade no less, he no longer had to worry about bandits, missing-nin, or even injuries—the man was a skilled medical ninja on top of everything else.
After exchanging pleasantries, the caravan rolled out.
Kitazawa and Kurenai were even offered their own carriage.
"This client's not bad," Shikamaru said, stretching inside the carriage.
"It's because Kitazawa-sensei has influence," Shino noted, adjusting his glasses.
Normally, clients treated ninja with cold practicality—they paid, ninja obeyed, and that was that. But this man had gone out of his way to be accommodating.
Hinata nodded slightly. She'd noticed the same thing—the way the caravan owner bowed with both respect and a hint of awe when addressing Kitazawa.
"We're about to leave Konoha territory," Kitazawa said, peering out the window. "We'll rotate patrol shifts for safety."
"Eh? Don't we have Shino's kikaichu for that?" Shikamaru complained immediately.
"Kikaichu aren't omniscient," Kitazawa replied calmly. "We can't get complacent during missions."
Shikamaru grumbled under his breath but didn't argue further.
"Hinata and I will form one patrol team," Kitazawa continued. "Shikamaru and Kurenai will form another. Each group takes a two-hour rotation. Shino, you'll stay in the carriage and use your kikaichu for extended observation."
At that, Shikamaru's face fell into an exaggerated look of envy. Lucky bug guy.
Hinata, on the other hand, felt her pulse quicken in quiet joy.
"Hinata, let's move," Kitazawa said, hopping lightly off the carriage.
"Y-yes!" she replied quickly, following him down.
The caravan moved at a decent pace, but for ninja, it was leisurely at best. Kitazawa and Hinata ran ahead of the lead wagon—where the client rode—to ensure immediate protection if an attack came.
After all, as long as the client survived, the mission wouldn't be considered a failure.
Everyone else was secondary.
"Haven't I told you to watch your surroundings?" Kitazawa teased lightly, tapping Hinata on the forehead.
"Ah— s-sorry…" she stammered, blushing as she quickly shifted her gaze forward.
The Land of Earth lay northwest of the Land of Fire, separated by several smaller nations—the Land of Waterfalls, the Land of Rain, and the Land of Grass (Kusa no Kuni).
Kitazawa chose the shortest route: through Grass Country.
He could have taken them through the Land of Rain—Konan's presence guaranteed safe passage—but constant storms made that path miserable. Grass Country, on the other hand, offered clear skies and endless plains.
And when they arrived, even Hinata couldn't help but stop and stare.
"It's so beautiful…" she murmured, eyes wide.
The setting sun bathed the vast grasslands in gold, stretching endlessly toward the horizon—a sight far removed from the forests of Konoha.
"Beautiful, sure," Shikamaru yawned, "but when do we rest?"
Kitazawa thought for a moment. "Now, actually. We'll stop here for the night, then cross Grass Country tomorrow to reach the Land of Earth."
He went to the caravan leader. "Set up camp. We'll depart at dawn."
"Understood!" the man shouted, quickly organizing his people.
Within minutes, tents sprang up across the field like mushrooms after rain.
Normally, ninja would have chosen a hidden, defensible location to camp—but with so many merchants, secrecy was impossible. They had no choice but to camp openly.
Kitazawa's group pitched two smaller tents apart from the caravan.
As during the day, they maintained a watch rotation through the night.
This mission wasn't just an escort—it was practical field training and a live combat exam rolled into one.
Every patrol, every watch shift, every small decision… was part of the test.
And under Kitazawa's quiet eye, each of them was being shaped—not just as ninja, but as future leaders of Konoha.
"Sleepy?"
Kitazawa sat cross-legged on the grass, glancing over at Hinata, who was sitting quietly beside him.
"No, not sleepy," Hinata replied softly, shaking her head.
Whenever she was with Kitazawa, the drowsiness that came with late-night patrols always seemed to vanish. It was as if his presence alone kept her wide awake.
"You're a Hyuga," Kitazawa reminded her, reaching out to gently pat her head. "If you notice anything unusual, activate your Byakugan right away and scout the area. Don't hesitate."
"Mhm."
Hinata nodded obediently, cheeks faintly pink from his touch.
As the night deepened and silence settled over the grassy plain, Kitazawa, with nothing else to do, crossed his hands into a seal and began training Ninja Art Creation Rebirth: Strength of a Hundred Seal.
Hinata's pale eyes widened slightly.
In the dim moonlight, she could see the black markings spreading across Kitazawa's face like living ink—swirling, branching, and forming intricate patterns. His chakra surged outward in a powerful tide, thick and alive, even without her activating her Byakugan.
It was enormous—vast and heavy, far greater than anything she'd ever sensed.
This chakra... it's stronger than Father's... by at least tenfold.
Hinata's heart trembled in awe.
She knew—chakra alone didn't make a shinobi powerful. But no shinobi with that much chakra could possibly be weak.
The first half of the night passed uneventfully.
Kitazawa finally exhaled and opened his eyes. The dark markings slowly faded from his face, converging into a small, gleaming diamond on his forehead—the completed Yin Seal.
The Creation Rebirth was a jutsu that could only be used once the Yin Seal was released—but the method of training was the same.
"Go get some sleep," Kitazawa said softly.
Hinata's head was already drooping slightly, her eyes fluttering open and closed.
"Ah— it's... over?" she murmured, her voice barely audible.
For a moment, she just blinked at him blankly—then, realizing what she'd said, her face turned bright red. She quickly nodded, embarrassed.
Kitazawa chuckled quietly and stood, brushing the grass from his cloak.
He walked to the nearest tent and lifted the flap.
"Shikamaru."
Inside, Shikamaru stirred, blinking sleepily. "...Huh?"
"Your turn for night watch," Kitazawa said.
Shikamaru groaned but sat up with a sigh. "What a drag…"
He stumbled out of the tent, yawning loudly, and flopped down on the grass beside the fire. His expression screamed I'd rather be asleep right now.
"Just as you said," a familiar voice teased from the shadows.
Kurenai stepped out of her tent, arms folded and smiling. "He's good at everything except effort."
"He's just never been pushed hard enough," Kitazawa replied, taking her hand. "Pressure brings out potential."
"You've already kept the first half of the night. Go rest."
Kurenai tried to pull her hand back, but Kitazawa only smiled.
"Do you really think I'd get tired from just one night?" he asked lightly. "You should know by now—even if I don't sleep, I'll still be full of energy."
Kurenai froze mid-step. Then, as the meaning sank in, her face turned crimson.
"You—!" She glared at him, half-flustered, half-furious.
He only smiled, turning his gaze back toward the quiet horizon.
The rest of the night passed peacefully.
By dawn, the camp was stirring. After breakfast, the caravan resumed its journey.
Around midday, they crossed into the Land of Earth.
"The Land of Earth isn't like Grass Country," Kitazawa said seriously as they traveled. "We could run into Iwagakure shinobi at any time. Stay sharp."
Hinata, Shino, and Shikamaru all nodded, their expressions solemn.
Their formation remained the same—Kitazawa split them into two patrol teams.
When it came time for his and Hinata's turn, Kitazawa formed a quick seal and created two shadow clones. They disappeared in opposite directions.
"They're scouting ahead," he explained with a small smile when Hinata looked at him curiously.
That was only half the truth.
In reality, his clones were searching for a particular kind of "target."
An Iwagakure squad—one suitable for his students to face in combat.
After all, nothing cultivated experience better than a real fight.
An hour later, the caravan reached its destination—a bustling city in the southeastern Land of Earth.
"That was... surprisingly easy," Shikamaru said, stretching with a grin. "No bandits, no shinobi—not even bad weather."
Kurenai smiled faintly. "Konoha and Iwagakure are currently at peace. Under normal circumstances, their shinobi won't bother us. They have their own missions and prefer to avoid unnecessary conflicts."
"Are there... exceptions?" Hinata asked curiously.
"Occasionally," Kurenai replied. "Some shinobi are bloodthirsty by nature. They might attack for the thrill of it."
"Bloodthirsty? That's... terrible," Hinata murmured, frowning.
Kurenai smiled gently and flicked her cheek. "It's more of a mental flaw than malice. Still, others might attack out of old grudges—that's more dangerous."
Kitazawa raised an eyebrow slightly.
Both his shadow clones had just dispersed—returning their memories to him.
And among those memories was precisely what he had been waiting for.
An Iwagakure squad.
One with a grudge.
Specifically, a grudge against the Aburame Clan.
The squad belonged to the Jōmyaku Clan, Iwagakure's insect-using bloodline. Decades ago, when Iwa had invaded Konoha, the Jōmyaku had clashed with the Aburame—and were nearly annihilated.
Only three survivors remained: Kurobachi (Black Bee), Suzume (Hornet), and Jibachi (Earth Bee).
And, as fate would have it, Kitazawa's clones had found all three.
Their strength roughly matched that of Hinata, Shino, and Shikamaru combined—strong enough to challenge, but not to kill. Perfect opponents for a controlled battle.
A small smile tugged at Kitazawa's lips.
He already knew exactly how to draw them in.
All he had to do was let slip a little information about Shino's presence in the Land of Earth…
The Jōmyaku wouldn't be able to resist the bait.
"Mission accomplished," Kitazawa said suddenly, clapping his hands.
The students turned to look at him.
"We'll head back soon. But you three go on ahead—I still have something to take care of."
Shikamaru frowned slightly. "Something?"
Kitazawa only smiled. "Just a small errand."
His gaze drifted toward the distant mountains of Iwagakure—where his plan was already set in motion.
Kurenai had already guessed Kitazawa's intentions, so his words didn't surprise her.
She glanced at Shikamaru, a flicker of pity softening her gaze.
If Kitazawa said he was going to "do something," it meant Shikamaru was in for trouble—the kind that forced growth.
Still, she approved.
Throughout the journey, she'd noticed Shikamaru's lazy, indifferent attitude. His intelligence was unquestionable, but his lack of drive… that would one day hold him back. Kitazawa was about to change that.
"Huh…?"
Beside her, Hinata looked down, eyes clouded with reluctance.
Kurenai smiled faintly and reached out, brushing a hand over Hinata's hair.
This little girl really was attached to Kitazawa. But it wasn't surprising—he was strong, fair, and always treated his students with care. It would be strange not to look up to him.
"We'll head back first, Kitazawa," Kurenai said, waving.
Kitazawa nodded, watching as she led Hinata, Shikamaru, and Shino down the trail until their figures disappeared among the rocks.
A cool wind swept through the valley—and when it passed, Konan appeared, paper wings folding gently at her back.
"Wait one more day," Kitazawa said before she could speak.
Though slightly puzzled, Konan didn't question him. She nodded silently and dissolved into paper once more, vanishing into the wind.
Meanwhile, Kurenai and her group made their way along a narrow mountain path.
Though Grass Country was known for its sweeping meadows, this region was rocky and uneven, with jagged ridges looming on both sides.
Unbeknownst to them, several kilometers ahead, a massive boulder shimmered—its surface rippling like water—before three figures emerged from it.
A young girl and two men, each with a cold precision to their movements.
They were the remnants of the Jōmyaku Clan of Iwagakure—insect users much like the Aburame, but who raised chakra-infused bees instead of beetles.
Suzume, the youngest of the three and granddaughter of the clan's late leader, stood at the front. Despite her age, her eyes burned with fierce determination—the burden of a dream too heavy for someone so young: to restore her nearly extinct clan.
"That boy in the white jacket," said Kurobachi, the bearded elder of the group, voice low and heavy. "He's definitely from the Aburame Clan."
"Out on a mission at his age… he must be one of their prodigies," added Jibachi, the bespectacled one, adjusting his glasses with a cold gleam in his eye. "Killing him will sting the Aburame where it hurts most."
Suzume's lips curled into a dangerous smile. "Then let's make them bleed."
"Don't underestimate that Konoha jonin," Kurobachi warned, his tone measured. "We're not at that level yet."
Suzume smirked. "I have my Queen Bee. Even a jonin won't stand long against her."
Indeed, the Jōmyaku's greatest weapon wasn't their numbers—it was their Queen Bee, a colossal chakra-infused insect that served as both guardian and summon.
The Aburame had something similar—their own giant insect summons—but the Jōmyaku's were far more venomous.
Kurobachi finally nodded. "Then it's settled."
The trio pressed their hands to the rock again, their bodies melting back into the stone—vanishing completely.
Camouflage Hiding.
An A-rank stealth ninjutsu that even sensory ninja struggled to detect.
The path narrowed into a valley.
Just as Kurenai and her students were about to exit the pass, Shino suddenly stopped mid-step.
"…Wait." His brows furrowed behind his high collar. "I've lost contact with several of my kikaichu."
A shrill buzz filled the air.
Then, with a gust of wind, a massive Queen Bee burst from the clouds—its wings slicing the air like blades, its body surrounded by a swarm of glittering, chakra-laced drones.
Shino's eyes narrowed behind his glasses. "The Jōmyaku Clan's Queen Bee," he said grimly. "They're insect users—like us."
The air shimmered with chakra.
"Bee Senbon!"
Thousands of tiny bees vibrated at once, launching a storm of poisoned stingers that rained down like metallic hail.
"Poison!" Shino shouted. "Don't let it touch you!"
He raised both arms, and a wall of kikaichu surged forward, forming a living shield.
The first volley of stingers struck—thud, thud, thud—embedding into the insect barrier. Poison spread like wildfire, and the kikaichu collapsed, lifeless, falling to the dirt.
Before Shino could react, the Queen Bee's tail flicked violently—launching its giant venomous stinger like a javelin.
"Shino!" Kurenai shouted.
He froze—too slow to dodge.
But Kurenai had already moved.
She popped an antidote pill Kitazawa had given her, leapt high, and clenched her fist.
Her punch met the stinger midair. The impact shook the ground—and the giant stinger spun backward, embedding itself deep into the rocky soil.
Kurenai landed gracefully, eyes sharp.
But before she could catch her breath, over a dozen smaller bees broke formation, their wings humming furiously as they dove toward the group.
"Watch out!" Hinata shouted, her Byakugan active. "They're full of volatile chakra—they'll explode!"
"Secret Technique: Insect Gathering!"
Shino thrust out a hand, summoning every nearby kikaichu in response. The two swarms collided—and the sky erupted.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A chain of explosions lit up the valley like a fireworks display.
Kurenai reacted instantly, grabbing Hinata and Shino and leaping backward just as debris rained down.
As she passed Shikamaru, she grabbed his vest with one hand and tossed Shino toward him with the other.
"Regroup!" she commanded.
Hinata's pale eyes darted toward the ridgeline. "There—three signatures, northeast on the large rock!"
Kurenai narrowed her eyes. "Estimate their strength."
"No jonin-level chakra," Hinata replied. "All around chūnin-level at best."
"Good." Kurenai set Shikamaru and Hinata down. "You three go. I'll handle the Queen Bee."
She turned, chakra already flaring.
Hinata hesitated, glancing back—but Kurenai's confident expression stopped her. She trusted them… and Kitazawa was nearby.
"Let's go," Shino said firmly.
He understood more than anyone else—this was his battle. The Jōmyaku Clan's hatred was aimed squarely at the Aburame. Kurenai and Hinata were only caught in the crossfire.
The three of them sprinted toward the northeast rock.
"They've found us," Kurobachi muttered, watching their approach.
Jibachi smirked. "Good. Saves us the trouble."
Suzume stepped forward, eyes locked on Shino's distant silhouette.
"That Aburame boy…" she said coldly. "He's mine."
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