Yasu watched the three in front of him cautiously.
Team 8 was very different from Team 7. In Team 7, only Sasuke had notable perception abilities. Team 8, on the other hand, had three members with exceptional sensory skills:
Kiba Inuzuka, whose highly sensitive nose could track targets over long distances.
Shino Aburame, who used swarms of kikaichū (special insects) to detect and follow enemies.
Hinata Hyuga, who relied on her Byakugan to see chakra points and perceive movements even through obstacles.
In short, the effectiveness of Yasu's Instant Movement Technique was severely limited; no matter how fast or silent he moved, Team 8 could anticipate or react in ways he wasn't accustomed to.
Unlike Team 7, Team 8 didn't rely solely on brute force. Their strength lay in coordination, observation, and foresight. As long as Shino's insects scuttled across the field, there were countless ways they could detect, trap, or ambush him.
Still, Team 8 had weaknesses—blind spots in their coordination, moments of hesitation, and reliance on their senses that could, in rare cases, be exploited. But Yasu would have to discover these weaknesses before it was too late.
While Yasu was thinking, the sky became filled with insects.
Not yet a dense swarm, but even a few steps could bring him into contact with them.
A few insects weren't very strong offensively, but touching them would immediately reveal his location to Shino.
Kurenai's lips curved slightly.
At first, Kakashi had asked her to test Yasu. She'd initially refused.
But once she learned that Yasu was exceptionally fast, she agreed.
After all, a free sharpening stone was too good to pass up.
And if Team 8 could defeat someone Team 7 couldn't, it would be a huge prestige boost.
Kurenai was also pleased with the current battlefield situation.
If Shino kept summoning more insects, victory would surely go to Team 8.
Kiba and Akamaru had already activated the Four Legs Technique and the Beast Clone.
Kiba crouched like a wild beast, low to the ground.
Akamaru transformed to mimic Kiba, eyes locked intently on Yasu.
"Let's go, Akamaru!"
"Woof!"
The two charged forward at incredible speed. With the Four Legs Technique, their movement was faster than an ordinary ninja.
"This guy's only dangerous with Kakashi's kenjutsu. As long as he doesn't get a chance to draw his blade, he's no match for Kiba!" Kurenai smiled, glancing at the distant battlefield with interest.
"Got him!"
"Woof!"
Within moments, both Kiba and Akamaru reached Yasu, claws slashing from above and below like wild predators.
Yasu, however, didn't move at all. He stood perfectly still.
"This kid isn't drawing his blade… Is he deliberately admitting defeat?" Kurenai frowned.
Defeating an opponent and deliberately letting yourself lose were two very different things.
But if Yasu wanted to lose, there was nothing Kurenai could do—after all, you can't wake someone pretending to sleep.
"Didn't expect it to end like this," Kurenai muttered, turning to leave.
But before she could take a step, she heard Akamaru's cry.
She quickly looked back and saw Yasu executing Might Guy's signature taijutsu: the Konoha Great Whirlwind, sending Kiba flying.
Kurenai couldn't believe her eyes.
With the Four Legs Technique, Kiba's body resembled a wild animal. A normal shinobi attack would barely make a dent.
Yet Yasu had sent him flying with a single kick.
"Damn it! Kenjutsu, my ass!" Kurenai snapped, her eyes narrowing as she glared at the distant forest. "Kakashi… you didn't tell me the whole story!" A flicker of anger passed across her face.
"Come back, Kiba… just hold them off a little longer," Shino called quietly, his voice calm but tense. "If we can… just last a bit more, we won't lose."
Summoning more insects took time. Until the swarm reached a certain scale, Shino's attacks were weak.
"Damn, this guy's really strong… Akamaru, use that move!"
Kiba ignored Shino's words and threw a pill to Akamaru.
Akamaru's body began growing rapidly. Soon, he was several times his normal size.
"Man-Beast Ultimate Taijutsu: Fang Over Fang!"
Kiba and Akamaru became twin tornadoes, roaring toward Yasu like bulldozers, churning up the earth and leaving deep furrows behind.
Kurenai shook her head helplessly.
The Fang Over Fang technique was devastating. Anyone hit directly would be instantly defeated.
But the attack wasn't fast, and Yasu's speed made dodging easy.
Moreover, the technique wasn't fully developed.
Kiba and Akamaru knew only how to start it—they didn't know how to stop or precisely control it.
"This jutsu is basically a waste of effort," Kurenai muttered… until she noticed Yasu was still standing perfectly still.
Her body shivered. A bad feeling rose in her chest.
"This kid.. Is he not planning to dodge?"
Ten meters.
Five meters.
Three meters.
Kurenai could no longer stay calm.
Fang over fang, in its undeveloped form, was nearly unstoppable. Anyone caught in the dual tornadoes would have no chance of survival.
Yet Yasu seemed oblivious, standing in place with a faint smile.
"Damn it… if I don't act now, it'll be too late!"
Kurenai's frustration boiled over. She rushed forward, chakra wrapping around her hands, and pressed against the twin drills.
But as soon as she did, regret surged.
The fang over fang technique was stronger than she expected.
Though she was a jōnin, Kurenai was a genjutsu specialist, and her physical strength was even lower than some normal shinobi.
To stop the jutsu, she needed a long buffer zone. If there were any obstacles behind her, she could easily be injured.
"Should've just grabbed Yasu!" Kurenai cursed herself silently. But now that she was holding the twin drills, she was in a bind.
She could only hope Yasu had the sense to move quickly.
When she looked over, Yasu still stood unmoving, a confident smile on his face.
"Kakashi… this isn't over!" Kurenai growled in her mind, increasing her chakra output to try and halt the twin tornadoes.
But the jutsu showed no signs of stopping, charging steadily ahead.
Kurenai closed her eyes. Today, she'd likely lose face… again. She muttered another silent curse at Kakashi.
Then, a hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her back into someone's arms.
Kurenai's eyes shot open. A youthful, confident face met hers.
"Leave it to me."
[Ding! Kurenai Yūhi – Affection +3! Current affection: 59!]