The dream was a churning, chaotic sea of sensation, not truly hers. One moment, she was hurtling through a void of shattered moons and bleeding nebulae, the cosmos screaming past in a silent requiem. An echo of a billion-year loneliness, of a cold and brutal existence spent hopping from one dying creature to the next, resonated in her soul. It was a memory without images, a feeling of endless, ravenous flight. This was Venom's past, a glimpse into the terrifying, cosmic horror of its existence.
Then, the dreamscape would snap, the cold void replaced by the familiar, sun-dappled clearing of a Konoha training ground. But it was wrong. The trees were too tall, their bark pulsing with a faint, sickly purple light. The air was thick with the scent of ozone and something metallic, like fresh blood. And Naruto was there.
He stood across from her, grinning that brilliant, infuriatingly bright grin of his. "Ready for another round, Hinata?" he asked, his voice the only thing in this twisted world that felt real.
In the dream, she wasn't shy. She wasn't hesitant. When she settled into a Gentle Fist stance, it was with a predatory grace she'd never possessed in her waking life.
...Yes. Show the orange one what we are made of. Break his bones. Make him submit...
The voice was there, a silken murmur winding through her thoughts. "No," she thought back, a futile act of defiance in her own mind. "It's just a spar."
The fight began. Naruto was fast, a whirlwind of orange and clumsy, powerful blows. But she was faster. Her movements were liquid, efficient. She flowed around his attacks, her palm strikes landing with pinpoint accuracy, not on his tenketsu points, but with hard, solid force. There was no Byakugan in this dream, only a new, startling clarity. She could see the way his muscles tensed a split second before he moved, could smell the sweat beading on his brow.
"Whoa, Hinata! You're on fire today!" he laughed, skidding back after a particularly sharp block that must have numbed his entire arm.
Satisfaction, fierce and hot, coursed through her. A feeling she had craved, but never allowed herself to feel. It wasn't her satisfaction, not entirely. It was shaded with Venom's possessive pride.
...He is strong. A good specimen. But we are stronger...
Then, the hunger started. It began as a dull ache in the pit of her stomach, a faint echo of the previous night's ravenous feast. But as the spar continued, it grew. With every block, every strike, every acrobatic evasion, the hunger sharpened, twisting into a painful, gnawing vortex. The sight of Naruto, flushed with exertion, his chest rising and falling with deep breaths, began to trigger a response that horrified her. He no longer looked like a friend, a teammate, a secret crush. He looked like... food.
...So much energy... Such vitality... We could drain him dry...
"Stop it!" she screamed in her own head, but her body was no longer listening. The elegant precision of the Gentle Fist dissolved. Her movements became more bestial, more direct. She lunged, not with an open palm, but with clawed fingers, a guttural snarl bubbling in her throat.
Naruto's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden shift in her fighting style. He barely managed to leap back as her hand swiped the air where his throat had been. "Hinata? What's gotten into you?"
The hunger was a roaring inferno now, drowning out everything else. It was an agony that demanded release. Her mind, her own consciousness, was a screaming passenger in a body being driven by a primal, alien desire. But beneath the hunger, something else was stirring. A hot, coiling thing in her lower belly that was just as demanding, just as terrifying. It wasn't the simple need to devour him. It was a possessive, aggressive desire. A need to dominate. To pin him. To have him.
...Take him. Make him ours. Pin the little man down and show him who is the predator here...
Venom's thoughts and her own burgeoning, hormonally-charged impulses fused into a single, overwhelming command. With a cry that was half-roar, half-moan, she abandoned all pretense of a spar. She didn't just move; she exploded. She launched herself across the clearing, a lavender and black blur of pure aggression.
Naruto, caught completely off guard by her raw ferocity, had no time to react. He brought his arms up in a clumsy block, but it was useless. She crashed into him with the force of a battering ram, the impact driving the air from his lungs with a startled "OOF!"
They tumbled to the ground in a tangle of limbs. But this was no clumsy accident. She was in control. Before he could even begin to untangle himself, she was on him, straddling his hips, her weight pinning him firmly to the pulsating, purple-tinged earth. One hand slammed down next to his head, cracking the ground, while the other seized a fistful of his jacket, pulling his face close to hers.
His blue eyes were wide with shock and confusion, a faint blush creeping across his whisker-marked cheeks. "Hi-Hinata...?"
She stared down at him, her breath coming in ragged pants. Her shadow fell over his face, her hair curtaining them in a private, intense world. The hunger was still there, a gnawing ache in her teeth, a craving to bite down on the soft flesh of his shoulder. But the other feeling, that hot, possessive lust, was just as strong. She wanted to hear him gasp. She wanted to feel him struggle. She wanted to lean down and... and...
She leaned closer, her lips parting, a string of saliva glistening between them, a low growl vibrating in her chest.
Hinata's eyes snapped open.
She was in her bed, tangled in her sheets, her body drenched in a cold sweat. Her heart was hammering against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat in the silent dawn. She sat bolt upright with a gasp, the dream clinging to her like a fever. She could still feel the phantom sensation of Naruto's body beneath hers, the rough fabric of his jacket in her fist.
A wave of heat flooded her body, a blush so intense it felt like it was scorching her from the inside out. Shame. Utter and complete mortification. What was that? What was that?
...A most... educational dream... Venom's voice slid into her consciousness, dripping with smug amusement. ...The orange one is feistier than he looks. A good choice of mate. High in energy. We approve. We will enjoy breaking him in...
"It was a nightmare!" Hinata whispered aloud, her voice trembling as she hugged her knees to her chest. "You... you made me do that! You made me feel... that!"
...We made you feel nothing you did not already desire, little one. We just... removed the filters. The pointless fear. The shyness. We showed you what you truly want. Power. Dominance. Mating rites... It is the natural way of things...
"It's not natural! It's monstrous!" she shot back, burying her hot face in her knees.
...Semantics... the symbiote purred, unconcerned. And then, its tone shifted, becoming more demanding. ...The dream was... stimulating. It has burned a great deal of our energy reserves. We are hungry...
As if on cue, her stomach cramped with a pang of hunger so violent it made her gasp. It was the same gnawing, ravenous emptiness from the night before, a black hole demanding to be filled.
"No... not again," she whimpered.
...Yes. Again. And again. And again. Greatness requires fuel, Hinata. And we... are starving. Feed us. NOW...
The command was absolute. The hunger was an agony she couldn't ignore. Defeated, she slid out of bed, her limbs feeling heavy and shaky. Today was the day of team assignments. She had to go to the academy. She had to face everyone. She had to face... him. The thought sent another jolt of shame through her, so powerful it was physically nauseating.
As she moved to get her clothes, she caught her reflection in the full-length mirror and paused. She stared, her mind struggling to process what her eyes were seeing. The changes were not drastic, but they were undeniable. Her training jacket seemed... tighter across the chest. Not by much, but enough that the fabric was strained in a way it hadn't been yesterday. Her hips, too, seemed to have a slightly more defined curve, flaring out just a little from her waist. She turned to the side, her clinical Hyuuga training kicking in as she analyzed her own form. There was a definite, subtle shift in her entire physique. She looked... healthier. Stronger. More... womanly.
...See? Improvements. We are an artist, and this is our canvas. You were a sketch. We are turning you into a masterpiece... The chest still requires more work, of course. We are thinking another two inches in diameter would be... optimal...
"My clothes aren't going to fit," was all Hinata could manage to say, her voice flat with shock.
...Trivialities. We can simply eat more. Grow more. Or... We can get you new clothes. After we hunt...
A shudder ran through her. With a deep sense of dread, Hinata got dressed. The familiar lavender jacket was indeed snug, pressing against her in ways that made her feel both exposed and, to her utter shame, slightly powerful. She had to get food before she left. She couldn't face the academy with this monster clawing at her insides.
Stealthily, she crept from her room. Navigating the silent halls of the Hyuuga compound for the second time was easier. Her senses were a symphony of information, every creak of the floorboards, every shift in airflow, painting a perfect picture of her surroundings. She was a ghost, a predator in her own home.
The kitchen was just as she had left it, though a servant had clearly tried to tidy her frantic mess. This time, there was no hesitation. No internal debate. The hunger was too strong. She moved with grim purpose. A pot of rice from the night before was her first target. She devoured three bowls in rapid succession, barely tasting it. Next, she found leftover teriyaki chicken and ate the entire platter, her table manners nonexistent. It still wasn't enough.
Her eyes scanned the pantry, drawn by an irresistible urge. And there it was. Another box of chocolates, this one reserved for guests. She didn't care. She ripped it open and began stuffing the decadent morsels into her mouth, the rich, bittersweet flavor sending a wave of blissful pleasure through her, silencing the hunger's sharpest edges. It was a wave that was echoed and amplified by Venom's ecstatic purrs.
...YES! MORE! FEED US THE SWEETNESS!...
She ate until the box was empty, until her stomach was bloated and aching, until the ravenous beast inside her was finally subdued, sinking into a state of sluggish contentment. Hinata stood in the center of the kitchen, breathing heavily, her face smeared with chocolate and sauce, a mess of wrappers and empty dishes around her. She felt disgusting. She felt powerful. She felt utterly, completely, horribly alone.
"We have to go," she whispered, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "We'll be late."
...Let us go show the world our new and improved vessel. And maybe... if we are lucky... the little orange man will want to... spar... again...
Leaving the Hyuuga compound was like stepping into a different world. The Konoha she had known her entire life felt... alien. Brighter. Louder. The morning sun wasn't just warm on her skin; it felt like a physical weight, a torrent of energy that made her skin tingle. The chatter of villagers, the rumble of cart wheels on the stone path, the distant clang of a blacksmith's hammer—sounds she would have barely noticed before—were now a cacophony that grated on her nerves, each one sharp and distinct.
...Noisy little insects... Venom grumbled in her head. Its displeasure felt like a low-frequency vibration in her skull. ...So fragile. Their bones would snap like twigs. We could silence this whole street in seconds...
"Don't even think about it," Hinata muttered under her breath, pulling her jacket tighter around herself. It was a useless gesture; the snug fit only made her more aware of the subtle, yet profound, changes to her own body. She felt a strange disconnect, as if she were piloting a vehicle that had been hot-rodded overnight without her permission. Her stride was longer, more confident. Her balance was impeccable. She moved with an innate, fluid grace that felt both foreign and intoxicating.
Trying to distract herself and regain some semblance of control, Hinata focused inward, attempting one of the most basic exercises for any ninja: sensing her own chakra. She reached out with her mind, searching for the familiar, warm river of energy that flowed through her body, the source of all her techniques.
She found it, but it was... different.
The river was no longer a gentle, flowing stream of blue. It was a raging torrent. The calm, warm energy was now shot through with pulsing, silvery-white threads of something else. Something cold, powerful, and utterly alien. The two energies weren't just coexisting; they were woven together, fused into a bizarre, symbiotic network. Her chakra coils, the pathways that regulated the flow, felt thicker, stronger, reinforced by the living darkness that now inhabited her.
...What is this? This... inner light? We have felt it before, in the others. The ones you call 'shinobi'... Venom's voice was filled with a genuine, scientific curiosity, the first emotion she had sensed from it that wasn't hunger, contempt, or lust. ...It is a biological energy field. Highly potent. Inefficiently utilized. You leak it like a sieve. But the potential... it is tangible. It resonates with our own nature. We can... manipulate this. We can feed on it. Refine it...
Hinata felt a cold dread mix with a spark of fascination. "It's chakra. It's the source of my power. My clan's power."
...It is our power now... Venom corrected, its tone possessive. ...And it tastes... delicious...
She could feel it then, a faint, disturbing sensation of the symbiote 'sipping' at her chakra, not enough to deplete her, but like a connoisseur tasting a fine wine. The silvery threads in her chakra network pulsed, and she felt a corresponding surge of physical strength, her senses sharpening even further. The world snapped into an impossible high-definition. She could see the stress fractures in a roof tile a block away, smell the faintest whiff of dango from a shop three streets over, hear the hushed conversation of two ANBU hidden on a nearby rooftop.
...So many secrets in this village... the symbiote mused, its attention shifting outward again. It was like having a hyper-aware, deeply cynical passenger who saw the world through a predator's eyes. ...Look at them. The 'civilians'. They scurry about, oblivious, their lives hanging by the thread of the protection you 'shinobi' provide. They are cattle. And your protectors... they are merely wolves pretending to be sheepdogs. So much posturing. So much hidden weakness...
Hinata's fists clenched. She had always revered the ninja of her village. To hear them spoken of with such dismissive, predatory contempt was jarring. Yet, a treacherous part of her, the part that was now them, saw the truth in its words. She could see the arrogance in a passing chuunin's swagger, the fear in a shopkeeper's eyes as he bowed, the weariness etched onto the face of a jounin returning from a mission. The intricate social masks of the village were suddenly transparent to her.
It was overwhelming. She had to focus. The academy was just ahead, its familiar, unassuming structure a beacon of normalcy in her suddenly chaotic reality. As she approached the entrance, she saw them. Her classmates. Kiba was laughing loudly, Akamaru yapping on his head. Shino stood silently nearby, as inscrutable as ever. Sakura and Ino were already bickering. And Naruto... Naruto was there, looking surprisingly chipper, not at all like someone who had supposedly committed a major crime the night before.
Hinata's heart did a painful little flip-flop. The memory of her dream, so vivid and embarrassing, crashed over her. She could practically feel the phantom sensation of his body pinned beneath hers. A deep blush crept up her neck, and she instinctively tried to make herself smaller, to shrink back into the shadows.
...No... The voice was firm, a stern command in her mind. ...Do not hide. We do not hide. Shoulders back. Head up. Let them see the masterpiece we are becoming. Let the orange one see what he is missing...
Forced by an internal will that was no longer entirely her own, Hinata straightened her spine. She took a deep breath, the air tasting of dust and nervous sweat, and walked through the academy gates.
The classroom buzzed with the nervous, excited energy of newly-minted Genin. It was the same room, the same desks, but everything felt different now. This wasn't a class anymore; it was a waiting room for the rest of their lives. Hinata slipped into an empty seat near the back, her movements still guided by that unnerving, newfound grace. She tried to be invisible, but it was useless. Her senses were too sharp. The room was a tapestry of scents—Kiba's faint wet-dog smell, Choji's greasy potato chips, Ino's cloying perfume—and a low hum of overlapping conversations.
"I can't believe they passed Naruto," she heard Sakura whisper loudly to Ino. "Did you hear what he did? He stole the Sacred Scroll!"
Ino scoffed. "He's just an idiot. I just hope I'm not on the same team as him. I need to be with Sasuke-kun!"
Across the room, the Uchiha in question sat brooding, oblivious or indifferent to the attention. Naruto, however, was beaming, his feet propped up on his desk, looking for all the world like he owned the place. His eyes met Hinata's for a fleeting second. She expected him to look away, but he gave her a small, conspiratorial wink. The memory of the dream—of pinning him, of his surprised face so close to hers—flashed through her mind, and she snapped her gaze down to her desk, her cheeks burning.
...He acknowledges us. He sees our strength, even if he does not understand it. Good. Let him wonder... Venom purred, a dark tendril of its satisfaction seeping into her.
A moment later, Iruka-sensei entered, a stack of papers in his hand and a tired but proud smile on his face. "Alright, settle down, everyone. First of all, congratulations on becoming full-fledged shinobi of Konoha. From this day forward, you will be facing new challenges, and you will be facing them as part of a three-man cell, led by a jounin instructor."
A fresh wave of chatter erupted. Iruka cleared his throat loudly, silencing them. "Now, for the team assignments. Team 7 will be: Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno..."
Naruto cheered while Sakura slumped in despair.
"...and Sasuke Uchiha."
The roles instantly reversed. Sakura shot up, cheering triumphantly, while Naruto groaned in theatrical agony.
...The loud one, the pink-haired screecher, and the brooding one. An amusingly dysfunctional trio. They will likely kill each other before their first mission... Venom observed dryly.
Hinata only half-listened as Iruka continued down the list. Her mind was a whirlwind. Who would she be with? Would they find her strange? Weak? Could she even function on a team with this... thing... inside her?
"Team 8: Hinata Hyuuga..."
Her head snapped up. Her name.
"...Kiba Inuzuka..."
Kiba, who was sitting a few rows ahead, turned and gave her a toothy grin, Akamaru barking in agreement from his head.
...The dog-boy. He smells of beast. His senses are sharp, but primitive. He will be easy to dominate...
"...and Shino Aburame."
Shino, sitting impassively in the corner, gave a barely perceptible nod.
...And the insect-boy. This one is... interesting. He is a hive. A colony. Much like us, in a way. His silence is a mask. He sees more than the others. We must be cautious around him...
Hinata's stomach fluttered. Kiba was loud and brash, Shino was quiet and unsettling, and she... she was a mess. How would they ever work together?
The rest of the announcements passed in a blur. Soon, jounin instructors began filtering into the room to collect their new teams. Asuma Sarutobi, gruff and smoking a cigarette, collected Team 10. Team 7's instructor was conspicuously absent, leaving Naruto to stew in impatience.
Finally, a woman Hinata recognized from the village entered the classroom. She was beautiful, with striking red eyes and long, black, untamed hair. She wore the standard jounin flak jacket over a form-fitting red mesh outfit that left little to the imagination.
...Now this one... this one has potential... Venom's voice was laced with a predatory interest that made Hinata deeply uncomfortable. ...Her scent is... intoxicating. Blood and flowers. A true predator, this female. We like her... We want to... taste her...
"Be quiet!" Hinata hissed in her mind, her earlier mortification returning tenfold.
The woman's red eyes scanned the room, landing on the three of them. "Team 8? I am Kurenai Yuhi, your jounin instructor. Meet me on the roof in five minutes." With that, she vanished in a swirl of leaves.
Kiba jumped up, excited. "Alright! Let's go!" Shino rose silently, his kikaichu bugs buzzing faintly beneath his high collar. Hinata followed them, her legs feeling like lead.
On the roof, the wind was brisk. Kurenai was leaning against the railing, looking out over the village. She turned as they approached, her expression calm and professional.
"Alright," she began, her voice smooth and confident. "Before we begin, let's get to know each other. Tell me your names, your likes, your dislikes, and your dreams for the future. I'll start. As I said, I'm Kurenai Yuhi. I like evening walks and a good glass of wine. I dislike perverts. My dream... well, that's a bit personal."
She nodded at Kiba. "You first."
"I'm Kiba Inuzuka!" he declared, puffing out his chest. "This is Akamaru! We like roughhousing and rare steak! We hate waiting around! And my dream is to become the strongest shinobi in the village, even stronger than the Hokage!"
...A simple ambition for a simple creature...
Kurenai smiled faintly and turned to Hinata. "And you?"
Hinata felt three pairs of eyes on her, and her old shyness came rushing back. She instinctively looked down, her fingers twisting together. "I... I am H-Hinata Hyuuga..."
...No stuttering! Speak with confidence! We are not weak!...
Hinata flinched at the internal command. She took a breath, forcing herself to look up, her eyes meeting Kurenai's. "I... I like..." Her mind went blank. What did she like? Pressed flowers? Cinnamon buns? The mental image of pinning Naruto to the ground flashed in her mind, unbidden. "...Zenzai. And... Naruto-kun..." she mumbled the last part, her face flaming red. Then, feeling Venom's impatient prod, she added, "I dislike... crabs. And... people who underestimate my friends." The last part came out with a surprising firmness that made even Kiba blink.
...Acceptable. But we must work on your delivery...
Kurenai's eyebrow raised slightly at her declaration, a flicker of interest in her red eyes. She turned to Shino.
"Shino Aburame," he stated, his voice a flat monotone. "My likes are studying my insects. My dislikes are... insecticides. My dream is to create a new species of kikaichu that can adapt to any environment."
...A worthy goal. We approve of this one's dedication to his brood...
Kurenai nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face. "A tracker, a clansman with a powerful bloodline, and a Hyuuga heiress. An interesting combination. Now, listen up. While you are officially Genin, there is one final test you must pass. My test. If you fail, you will be sent back to the academy. Meet me at Training Ground 4 in one hour. Don't be late."
Without another word, she vanished again, leaving the three of them alone on the rooftop.
Training Ground 4 was a dense, humid section of woodland, thick with ancient trees and tangled undergrowth that created a perpetual twilight, even at midday. A sluggish river cut through the middle, its banks muddy and home to fat, buzzing insects. The air was heavy with the smell of damp earth and decaying leaves.
Kiba was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, cracking his knuckles. "Alright! Hide and seek! This is gonna be a piece of cake. My nose can find anyone, anywhere! Right, Akamaru?"
The small white dog yipped in agreement from its perch on Kiba's head.
Shino adjusted his dark glasses, his expression unreadable. "Her warning should not be dismissed so lightly. The admonition to forgo a meal is significant. Why? Because it suggests this test could be a prolonged engagement, designed to exhaust us. She is a jounin, a specialist in Genjutsu. To underestimate her would be illogical."
...The insect-boy is correct. He understands tactics. The dog-boy is an idiot, all bluster and no discipline. He will be the first to fall... Venom's assessment was cold and clinical.
Hinata remained silent, her own senses on high alert. The training ground was a sensory minefield. She could hear the frantic heartbeat of a rabbit hiding in a bush fifty feet away, smell the faint, sweet scent of a spider's web, and see the intricate chakra patterns in the moss clinging to a tree trunk. It was almost too much information, a dizzying flood she was still learning to filter. She felt a familiar urge to shrink back, to let her more... forceful... teammates take the lead.
...No. This is our chance. A test. We will not just pass. We will dominate. We will show them what a true predator can do...
Just then, Kurenai appeared before them, leaning casually against a large oak tree. She held up a small alarm clock. "You have until this alarm goes off at sundown. All you have to do is land one clean hit on me. One touch is all it takes. You can use any of your skills, any weapons. Come at me with the intent to kill. Otherwise... you won't even be able to force me to move. Begin."
And with that, she dissolved into a flock of crows that scattered into the trees, their cawing laughter echoing through the clearing.
"Let's go, Akamaru!" Kiba yelled, immediately dropping to all fours. He sniffed the air, a wild grin on his face. "Got her scent! This way!" He bounded off into the undergrowth, a blur of brown and white.
"Wait, Kiba!" Hinata called out, her voice barely a whisper.
"This is not a solo exercise. His haste is a tactical flaw," Shino stated, making no move to follow. He placed a hand on a tree, and a swarm of kikaichu bugs crawled from his sleeve, spreading out silently in all directions. "My insects will form a perimeter. They will alert me if she tries to leave a designated area. A logical, if static, approach."
They were already failing. Acting as individuals, not a team. Hinata could hear Kiba crashing through the bushes, and feel the subtle chakra drain as Shino deployed his colony. They were two separate points, easily divided and conquered.
...They are children. Flailing in the dark. We have the eyes to see. We have the senses to hunt. Tell them. Command them...
"No... I can't..." she thought back desperately.
...You will...
A sudden, sharp pain flared in her stomach, a brutal reminder of the hunger that was always lurking, and with it, a surge of aggressive impatience that was not her own. Before she could stop herself, the words were tumbling out, louder and firmer than she intended.
"Both of you are wrong."
Shino turned his head slightly, the only sign of his surprise. A few moments later, Kiba burst back into the clearing, scowling. "What do you mean, wrong? I had her! Her scent was right over there!"
"It's a trap," Hinata said, her voice gaining strength as she pushed past her fear. She activated her Byakugan, the world shifting into its familiar 360-degree monochrome view. The veins of chakra in everything around them sprang into sharp relief. "Kiba, your scent trail leads to a clump of leaves with a residual trace of her chakra, but there's no one there. It's a basic misdirection."
She turned to Shino. "And your perimeter is good for containing her, but it won't find her. She can use Genjutsu to hide from your insects' senses. We have to combine our skills. Actively."
Kiba looked skeptical, but Shino tilted his head. "Your reasoning is sound. What do you propose?"
The fact that he asked for her input, that he was listening to her, was a shock. Bolstered by it, and by Venom's insistent prodding, she laid out a plan.
"Shino, spread your insects out, but not in a static web. Make them an active sonar. Have them search for heat, for movement, for any anomaly, and report it all back to you. Kiba," she looked at him, meeting his glare without flinching. "Wait for Shino to get a hit. When he does, you and Akamaru charge. Don't hold back. Your job is to pressure her, to keep her moving, to force her to focus on you. I... I will watch all of it. I will be your eyes. I will find the real one."
It was a simple, solid plan. Kiba grudgingly agreed. Shino gave another of his almost imperceptible nods and his bugs began to move, a whispering tide of black flowing through the forest.
For nearly an hour, they were silent. Hinata stood perfectly still, her Byakugan active, her other senses stretched to their limit by the symbiote. She could feel the faint warmth of Kurenai's chakra signature, hiding deep within the canopy of a massive tree. But it was shrouded, masked by a subtle Genjutsu that made it look a part of the tree itself.
Then, a signal from Shino. A single insect landed on his shoulder. "Contact. Thirty meters. To the north."
"Go!" Hinata commanded.
Kiba needed no further encouragement. "Alright, Akamaru! Gatsuga!" The two of them spun into a pair of whirling, snarling vortexes of feral power, tearing through the undergrowth toward the target.
The Kurenai in the clearing dissolved into leaves just as they hit. A clone. At the same time, another Kurenai appeared behind Shino, a kunai at his throat.
"The silent one is always the most dangerous," the clone whispered.
"NOW!" Hinata screamed, her eyes locked on the real Kurenai, still hidden in the tree above them, her chakra fluctuating as she maintained the illusions.
The clone holding Shino hostage hesitated for a split second, surprised by Hinata's outburst. That was all the insect-master needed. The clone dissolved as a swarm of kikaichu erupted from Shino's own body, covering it harmlessly.
Kiba, redirected by Hinata's shout, changed direction mid-air and launched his spinning form at the treetop. The attack forced Kurenai out of hiding. She leaped from the branches, landing gracefully on the ground, a genuinely impressed smile on her face.
"Clever. Very clever," she said. "But not clever enough."
She made a single hand sign. The world twisted. Suddenly, Kiba was no longer attacking his sensei; he was attacking a giant, snarling version of Akamaru. He skidded to a halt, confused. Shino was suddenly encased in a thick, sticky webbing spun by giant spiders. Genjutsu.
...Pathetic mind-tricks! They cannot fool our eyes! She is open! Her focus is divided! Finish this, Hinata! STRIKE NOW!...
Venom's roar in her mind was a physical force. It propelled her forward, her own enhanced chakra surging through her. She flew through the hand signs for a Body Flicker, a technique she'd only ever managed to pull off once, and imperfectly at that. But now, fueled by the symbiote, her movement was instantaneous. She appeared directly in front of Kurenai. The jounin's red eyes widened in genuine shock; she hadn't even sensed her approach.
Hinata didn't hesitate. She didn't think. She acted. Her hand, glowing with a churning mixture of blue and silver chakra, shot forward in the classic formation of the Gentle Fist.
It wasn't a full-force blow. It wasn't aimed at a tenketsu point. It was a simple, perfect palm strike to Kurenai's stomach. A clean hit.
The illusions shattered. Kiba found himself facing his sensei again, and Shino stood free, the webbing gone. Kurenai stood perfectly still, her hand covering the spot on her stomach where Hinata had struck her. The alarm clock on a nearby stump began to ring, signaling sundown.
Kurenai looked at Hinata, a slow, genuine smile spreading across her lips. "Well, well," she said, her voice filled with surprise and approval. "You pass."
Hinata stood, panting, her arm still outstretched, trembling from the adrenaline. She had done it. They had done it. And for the first time, the voice in her head was not hungry, or angry, or lustful. It was simply... proud.
...Good. This is a good start...
For a moment, there was only the sound of the ringing alarm clock and Hinata's own ragged breathing. The adrenaline began to recede, leaving a profound, bone-deep weariness in its place. The sheer sensory and emotional overload of the past twenty-four hours washed over her, and her legs felt decidedly shaky.
Then, the silence was shattered by a loud, triumphant whoop from Kiba. "ALRIGHT! We did it! Heahah! We passed! You see that, Akamaru? We're officially Team 8!"
Akamaru barked excitedly, leaping from Kiba's head to nip playfully at his heels. Kiba scooped the puppy up, rubbing his head roughly. He looked over at Hinata, his usual cocky grin replaced by one of genuine, unrestrained excitement. "Hinata, that was awesome! You were like, BAM! And then WHOOSH! And then you just... you hit her! I didn't know you had that in you!"
Even Shino, the stoic insect-master, showed a rare sign of emotion. A small, almost imperceptible smile touched his lips, hidden behind the high collar of his jacket. "Your strategy was logical and effective, Hinata. And your final execution was... impressive. It is fortunate we were placed on the same team."
Coming from Shino, it was the highest of praise. A warmth spread through Hinata's chest that had nothing to do with the symbiote. It was the glow of accomplishment, of acceptance. For the first time, she wasn't just the 'shy Hyuuga girl'; she was a valued member of a team. Her team.
"Th-thank you," she managed, a real, genuine smile blooming on her face, making her feel lighter than she had in years. "We... we all did it together."
Kurenai chuckled, deactivating the alarm clock. She looked at the three of them, at Kiba's unrestrained joy, Shino's quiet satisfaction, and Hinata's blushing pride. "You did," she affirmed. "You hesitated at first, but you came together. You combined your skills, trusted each other, and formulated a plan. That's what this test was really about. Congratulations. Team 8 officially starts its first mission tomorrow morning. Meet me at the main gate at 0800. Get some rest. You've earned it."
With a final, approving nod, she vanished in another swirl of crows, leaving them to their victory.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, bathing the training ground in hues of orange and purple, Hinata felt a sense of hope she hadn't thought possible just that morning. She was exhausted, terrified of the creature living inside her, and facing a future she couldn't possibly predict. But she was not alone. She had a team. And as she looked at Kiba arguing with Akamaru and Shino studying a beetle on his glove, she felt a flicker of something new, something powerful.
Confidence.