"Ah… getting that bell looks impossible…" Hinata clasped her hands against her chest, her pale eyes flicking nervously toward Hayate and Kiba. Her stomach twisted in worry. What if I just end up dragging them down?
Kazehaya Hayate glanced at her, easily reading what she was thinking. He walked over, placed a gentle hand on her head, and softly ruffled her silky dark hair.
Hinata flinched at his touch, her cheeks instantly flushing. She looked up timidly—and saw him smiling at her with calm confidence.
"Don't overthink it," Hayate said, voice warm. "You can do it. And besides… I'm here."
The breeze lifted a few strands of her hair, catching the sunlight. Hinata's eyes brightened for a moment before her face grew even redder.Brother Hayate… he looks so reliable… but… can I really do it?The question gnawed at her, and her shy smile wavered into another anxious frown.
Hayate sighed lightly, scratching his cheek. "Listen," he said gently, "if you want to be acknowledged by others—and protect the people who matter to you—then you have to learn to be strong."
He wasn't sure whether a twelve-year-old could really understand what he meant, but at least, he thought, it might plant a seed of courage in her heart.
"Alright," Kurenai interrupted with a small smile, sensing the awkward tension. "Let's start!"
"Hmph! If you're not going, then I am!" Kiba declared. He kicked off the ground, sprinting forward like a wild horse. In the blink of an eye he was upon Kurenai. He dropped low, spun, and lashed out with a sweeping kick aimed straight at her midsection.
Kurenai moved effortlessly—one graceful motion. She caught his leg with a single hand, twisted, and flung him backward.
Kiba flipped through the air and landed in a crouch, not discouraged in the least. In fact, his grin widened. That throw had been a setup, and his real plan was already in motion.
Before Kurenai could finish her smile, her instincts screamed. She looked down sharply—just in time to see Akamaru bursting from the ground, fangs bared, leaping toward the bell hanging from her waist!
So that was it—the earlier kick was just a diversion to hide Akamaru's underground approach. Clever… but not enough.
Smack!Kurenai's palm came down, batting Akamaru aside harmlessly as she stepped back.
"Kiba!" she called sharply.
Kiba's heart clenched for a second, but when he saw Akamaru unharmed, relief flickered across his face. His jaw tightened, though—his plan had failed. With a frustrated growl, he charged again without hesitation.
That last attack had been meant as a signal—to ask Hayate and Hinata for backup—but Kiba's pride wouldn't let him call for help aloud.
Hayate could only shake his head. With Kiba's current strength, there's no way he can take the bell from a jonin like Kurenai on his own.
He thought for a moment, then turned to Hinata, who was still standing frozen in place. He gave her shoulder a reassuring pat and pointed toward Kurenai.
"Hinata," he said with a grin, "go help Kiba."
"M-me? Can I even help?" she stammered, clutching the hem of her jacket.
"Of course," Hayate replied firmly. "He needs you. We're teammates, remember?"
Hinata drew in a breath, then nodded hard. "R-right!"She leapt forward, chakra flowing lightly to her feet.
"Yaaah!" Hinata cried as she thrust her palm toward Kurenai's shoulder, chakra sparking faintly.
Kurenai's smile deepened. "Good spirit," she said softly. Her hands danced like the strings of a harp, fluid and precise, parrying both Hinata's and Kiba's attacks with effortless grace.
"Tch… she blocked us both so easily?" Kiba gritted his teeth, his irritation rising with every missed strike. "So this is the power of a jonin, huh?"
Still, even he couldn't help but respect her.
Then he glanced at Hayate—who was still standing calmly in the background, making no move to attack—and his patience snapped.
"Hey, Hayate!" Kiba shouted angrily. "Aren't you supposed to be strong? Why are you just standing there? What, scared? The tail of the class stays the tail of the class!"
"Brother Hayate…" Hinata whispered under her breath, eyes trembling. But deep down, she believed in him—the boy who'd guided their team, the one who'd told her she could be strong. He wasn't what Kiba said he was.
From the corner of her eye, Kurenai was watching too. She knew perfectly well that Hayate was the most capable among the three.
Hayate rubbed the back of his head, exasperated. "Seriously… didn't you learn your lesson yesterday? Looks like you already forgot."
"Th-that was an accident!" Kiba barked, blushing furiously. "Hmph!" He lunged forward again, attacking even faster.
Kurenai laughed softly and deflected his strikes, sweeping both Hinata and Kiba aside with two fluid motions. She was just about to comment on their teamwork when she caught a flash of movement—something in Hayate's eyes glinting dangerously.
It's coming.
A confident smile tugged at Hayate's lips. His gaze locked on the bell at Kurenai's waist. His body lowered slightly—
—and vanished.
Kurenai's pupils dilated. Too fast!There was no hand seal, no warning—one moment he was gone, the next he was directly beneath her.
"Trial… completed," he murmured.
Her breath caught. The boy's speed—it was unreal. Was that ninjutsu? Or pure movement?In an instant, the bell was gone from her belt, and Hayate was standing behind her, holding it up between his fingers.
To Hinata and Kiba, it was like magic. One moment Kurenai was standing untouched, the next, Hayate was beside them, bell in hand, smiling as if nothing unusual had happened.
"Thanks for the distraction," he said lightly. "Without your feints, I wouldn't have had such an easy opening to grab the bell."
"R-really?" Hinata asked softly. She didn't think she'd contributed at all; surely it had been his power alone.
"Of course," Hayate said, looking at her kindly. "You're important to me, Hinata."
Hinata froze. Her face went crimson. Important… to him? I—I have value too!
Kiba clenched his fists, teeth gritting. "You win this round, Hayate… but don't think that means I accept it. You're just faster than me, that's all! No way are you better in everything else!"
Kurenai finally exhaled, rubbing her forehead. Seeing Hayate casually jingling the bell, she couldn't help but smile wryly. "Alright, alright… you win. Let's change the mission."