Naruto's Shadow Clone remained unfazed by Kurenai Yuhi's intimidating words.
The new Seventh Team included the Hyuga Clan's eldest daughter, Ino Yamanaka, who was being cultivated as a prodigy, and him, the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki. Kurenai Yuhi couldn't afford to offend any of them.
How could she possibly "send back" Naruto, Hyuga Hinata, and Ino Yamanaka?
However, pleasantries still needed to be exchanged.
First and foremost, she was the Seventh Team's instructor.
While called an instructor, it was essentially a superior-subordinate relationship, so she needed to establish her authority.
At the same time, Kurenai Yuhi also needed to understand the strength and personalities of the Seventh Team members through the survival exercise.
Ino Yamanaka asked doubtfully, "Survival exercise? Kurenai-sensei, is this survival exercise the one we often did at the Ninja Academy?"
Kurenai Yuhi waved her slender, upright finger, smiling and shaking her head, "This is not an ordinary exercise."
"Because your opponent is me."
"If you cannot pass the exercise, the Seventh Team will be disbanded, and you will be sent back to the Ninja Academy for retraining."
"This survival exercise is extremely difficult, with an elimination rate of over 66%!"
"66%!"
"That's too high…"
Ino Yamanaka and Hyuga Hinata were genuinely startled, gasping in shock.
Only Naruto remained calm, continuing to watch Kurenai Yuhi's performance.
Kurenai Yuhi, who had been quite pleased with Ino Yamanaka and Hyuga Hinata's reactions, caught sight of Naruto out of the corner of her eye and couldn't help but feel puzzled: "Why is he so calm? Isn't he afraid of being 'sent back'?"
"Ah, yes, Naruto just defeated Sasuke and became the top graduate of the Ninja Academy, so his confidence is a bit inflated."
"It seems I need to give him a little setback to temper his personality."
Several thoughts flashed through Kurenai Yuhi's mind. She put one hand on her hip and used the other to pick up three strings of exquisite, small bells of various designs, shaking them to produce a clear "ding-a-ling" sound.
"The content of the survival exercise is actually very simple: you just need to obtain these three strings of bells within three hours."
"There are no rules, no limits on methods; just use all your abilities against me."
As soon as her voice fell, Kurenai Yuhi's tall and graceful figure, like a mirage in the desert, blurred, twisted, and faded, disappearing into thin air right before the Seventh Team members' eyes.
"Where's Kurenai-sensei? Did she leave?" Ino Yamanaka asked in surprise.
"Wait, let me… find her…"
Hyuga Hinata's eyes widened slightly, pure Chakra surged, and blue veins appeared at the corners of her eyes, extending almost to her temples.
Byakugan, activate!
Instantly, Hyuga Hinata gained a 360° unobstructed view, like a hemispherical net, rapidly sweeping outwards from her center, passing through trees, walls, and the teaching building, easily encompassing the entire Ninja Academy.
"Is this the Byakugan…?"
A look of astonishment flashed in Ino Yamanaka's eyes.
She also knew a bit of sensory Ninjutsu, but it certainly couldn't compare to Hyuga Hinata's Byakugan.
Hyuga Hinata didn't turn around but raised a hand, pointing to a lush Ninja Academy forest behind her, and said, "Kurenai-sensei is over there, standing on a tree."
At this moment, Kurenai Yuhi, with one hand resting on the tree trunk and her feet on a thick branch, a smile appeared at the corner of her lips.
"As expected of the Hyuga family's young lady, a very impressive Byakugan."
"Since you've discovered my whereabouts, what will you do next?"
"Will you have Naruto use Shadow Clone to rush into the forest, narrow the encirclement, and continuously corner me, creating an opportunity for Ino Yamanaka to use Mind Body Switch Technique?"
Kurenai Yuhi whispered softly.
If the three Genin, including Naruto, wanted to obtain a Jonin's bells and successfully pass the survival exercise, this was the only two "correct answers."
In fact.
Ino Yamanaka also suggested this to Naruto and Hyuga Hinata.
"Hehe, Naruto, Hinata, how's my plan?"
Ino Yamanaka stood confidently with her hands on her hips, head held high, her golden high ponytail swaying behind her.
"It's feasible, but…"
Hyuga Hinata hesitated, then turned to look at Naruto's Shadow Clone.
Naruto's Shadow Clone replied in a low voice, "It won't work, because I'm just a Shadow Clone, not the main body."
"What, Sha… Mmph, mph, mph…"
Ino Yamanaka stared in shock and cried out, but Hyuga Hinata was quick, covering her mouth in time.
Naruto's Shadow Clone continued, "My main body is busy with other things and didn't come, so a Shadow Clone came instead."
"Shadow Clone consumes too much Chakra, so 'I' cannot use too many Shadow Clones, which would reduce my duration of existence."
"Besides… the release range of Mind Body Switch Technique should be limited, right? Do you have absolute confidence in 'hitting' a real Jonin?"
"This…"
Ino Yamanaka hesitated.
Mind Body Switch Technique requires exhausting all spiritual power, and both its range and hit rate are greatly limited.
If the spiritual power released by the user fails to hit the opponent, it cannot return to their own body for a short period, leaving the user unable to perform any actions like defense, so the risk is very high.
"My Mind Body Switch Technique only has one chance. If it doesn't hit, we lose."
"But…"
Ino Yamanaka bit her lip, unwillingly saying, "Are we just going to do nothing and surrender?"
"Of course not."
"First, as a Jonin, her strength is far beyond that of a Chunin, let alone a Genin."
"With our strength alone, we simply cannot defeat Kurenai-sensei, even if it's just to snatch something."
Ino Yamanaka gnawed on her fingernails, then her eyes suddenly lit up, and she exclaimed as if enlightened, "Are you saying… this survival exercise truly tests our teamwork and group awareness?"
Hyuga Hinata found it quite reasonable and nodded her small head in agreement.
Naruto's Shadow Clone shook his head and said, "We've only just become members of the Seventh Team and have no experience in cooperative combat. How could it test such vague things?"
"Actually, we just need to satisfy Kurenai-sensei, who is the examiner."
"Haven't you noticed a detail?"
Naruto's Shadow Clone beckoned for Hyuga Hinata and Ino Yamanaka to come closer. The three put their heads together and whispered, no one knew what they were muttering about.
"Really? Will that actually work?"
After discussing, Ino Yamanaka looked at Naruto's Shadow Clone with a mix of belief and doubt.
Hinata said firmly, "I believe Naruto."
"But isn't this cheating?"
Naruto's Shadow Clone smiled calmly, "What cheating? For a Ninja, this tests our information gathering and adaptability."
"Alright, alright, there's no better option right now, so we can only try our luck."
Ino Yamanaka spread her hands, shaking her head helplessly.
In the distance, Kurenai Yuhi leaned against the tree, waiting leisurely.
However, she was also curious about what the three were discussing. They mumbled for a long time, then suddenly scattered, and she didn't know where they went.
"Could it be… they discovered the second 'correct answer'?"
"Impossible, from their scores, Naruto, Hinata, and Ino don't seem like the kind of students who could think of that answer."