POV {Kurenai}
After moving for a few minutes toward the northeast, Kurenai came to a halt.
Her students from Group Five did the same, stopping to inspect their surroundings.
They stood in a wide-open field covered in thick grass, scattered mid-sized boulders, and encircled by towering trees. The area was peaceful, almost too peaceful.
A soft, lingering breeze passed through, sweeping Kurenai's bangs from left to right.
This should do... Now then, shall I begin the Genjutsu Trial?
Smiling faintly to herself, Kurenai quickly formed a sequence of hand seals, casting a high-level Genjutsu without her students noticing.
The moment it activated, Ryuku, Kiba, Akamaru, and Hinata's eyes shut simultaneously as their consciousnesses were drawn into the illusion. One by one, they gently collapsed onto the soft grass.
Seeing this, Kurenai calmly sat down as well.
Fufu, let's see how long they take to escape...
Since I already hinted at some details yesterday, it shouldn't be too difficult. But still, this won't be easy either...
They'll need to cooperate—to trust each other and believe in themselves. Only then can they succeed...
Hm. But what if they actually fail...?
Come on, Kurenai, stay optimistic. They're your students now. You have to trust them...
Unable to suppress her curiosity, she formed the Tiger Seal and slipped her consciousness into the Genjutsu Trial alongside them.
Once inside, she was able to oversee the entire trial like a God.
The setting within the Genjutsu turned out to be the same as reality—wide open fields and a lush environment filled the surroundings. Except for a single change: her existence was deliberately absent, in order to test Group Five's capabilities alone.
---
Ryuku, Hinata, Kiba, and Akamaru stood on the thick grass field, looking around—only to realize their Sensei was missing.
Kiba raised his eyebrows in confusion and nearly shouted, "Hey, Kurenai-sensei's gone!? She was just right in front of us, wasn't she?"
Resting on his head, Akamaru also looked around in surprise.
Noticing Kurenai's sudden absence, Hinata made a worried face, glancing at their surroundings.
As for Ryuku, he suddenly jerked his head toward the sky and stared at it for a brief moment.
There was no panic, no worry, no tension on his face. His calm gaze then silently lowered from the sky, and he began to speak, "Hinata, Kiba, calm down… it's a Genjutsu. The Genin Test has already started."
Outside the trial, an impressed smile immediately bloomed across Kurenai's lips. He's quite good in Genjutsu for his age… No wonder Lord Third appointed him to my team.
Kiba and Hinata, upon hearing Ryuku's words, looked surprised but nodded. The latter activated her Byakugan to inspect the area, while the former asked casually, "Man, so it's a Genjutsu trial. I thought it'd be more exciting and challenging… We just have to break the Genjutsu to pass, then?"
He grinned and immediately formed the Tiger seal. "Genjutsu Release!"
"…"
Nothing happened. The Genjutsu remained.
Outside the trial, Kurenai's eyebrow twitched noticeably. If it were that simple, there'd be no point to the whole damn Genin Test…!
"Ah, why didn't it work? How are we supposed to break out of this now?" Kiba shouted, his eyes twitching in frustration.
The answer came from Hinata, who deactivated her Byakugan and quietly pointed toward a specific direction.
"Over there… I saw some movement," she said softly.
Ryuku gave a small nod. "Let's check it out. Since we can't break the Genjutsu through normal means, we'll likely have to escape by completing tasks or lifting certain restrictions."
Hinata confirmed his theory with a gentle, "Yes…"
Kiba, meanwhile, rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So that's how it is, huh? What are we waiting for, then? Let's go!"
With their course decided, the trio quickly headed toward the area Hinata had pointed out.
Noticing how Ryuku was performing and naturally taking the lead alongside Hinata and Kiba within the Trial, Kurenai couldn't help but grow fond of his character—particularly his sharp decision-making. He carried the potential to one day become a seasoned and reliable Captain.
Among Group Five, he was clearly the most composed—not just physically, but emotionally and psychologically as well.
Let's see how they handle the rest of the Genin Test I've carefully designed... she mused, a faint smile playing on her lips. High above the illusionary terrain, Kurenai's incorporeal form hovered silently, her eyes fixed on the trio's every move within the Genjutsu world.
----
After a swift dash through the forest, the trio finally halted, crouching silently behind a thick line of bushes. None of them spoke a word, their eyes fixated on the scene ahead.
What they saw was nothing short of shocking.
In the clearing, over a dozen masked, shady-looking individuals sat scattered in a loose formation—yet their posture showed they were anything but relaxed. Each one had a deadly-looking blade within arm's reach, and several kept watch from the tree branches above, scanning the area with sharp vigilance.
But it wasn't the menacing weapons or eerie masks that truly caught their attention.
It was the children.
A small group of kids—blindfolded and bound tightly with ropes—were huddled together in the center, trembling.
Child trafficking...!
"This must be the trial we need to clear to break the Genjutsu…" Ryuku whispered softly, with Hinata and Kiba silently listening from either side.
"How cruel…" Hinata mumbled with a saddened expression.
Although hot-headed and loud-mouthed, Kiba surprisingly nodded at Ryuku and asked in the same low voice, "So, what's the plan?"
He was unconsciously relying on Ryuku—far more than he ever did even back in the Inuzuka Clan.
Staring sharply at the scene, Ryuku calmly suggested, "Diversion and rescue strategy, obviously."
A look of understanding appeared on both Kiba's and Hinata's faces. The former quickly whispered, "I'll be the diversion, since I'm the fastest," while the latter hesitated, lacking the self-confidence to decide immediately.
Ryuku gave Kiba a thumbs-up. "Alright, I'm counting on you to draw at least half of them away."
Grinning, Kiba returned the thumbs-up. "Leave it to me!" Even Akamaru mirrored the gesture.
To ease Hinata's unease, Ryuku volunteered for the hardest part himself. "Hinata, I'll go on the offensive once Kiba does his part. Can I trust you with the rescue?" he asked in a low tone.
Gulping nervously, Hinata ultimately steeled her heart and nodded. "Yes."
With everyone's roles now decided, Group Five crafted a strategic plan in under a minute under Ryuku's guidance—and then, they moved.
Yet, the one overseeing the Genjutsu, Kurenai, remained silent.
Her crimson gaze was locked onto Ryuku, as though she were beholding a billion-ryō gem.
Fufu… I can't wait to see how he'll handle those Genin-level combatants. Even if this is an illusion, their strength is modeled after real-life mercenaries…