Konoha: Who's the good guy?

"...I've said it many times, haven't I? Only those from the clan leader's lineage can inherit the name 'Ino-Shika-Cho'."

Yamanaka Kei glared at Uzumaki Kushina with annoyance.

What kind of nickname is "Pig Girl"?

He was a grown man, of the opposite sex, and attracted to women. He was neither a member of the chieftain's lineage in the mountains nor Serjana, who rode a wild boar.

How did it get involved with "Pig Girl"?

"Oh dear~ It's because you were so cute when you were little that people mistook you for a girl~"

Kushina laughed even more heartily as she recalled her amusing experiences.

"You're the only one who would misunderstand."

Yamanaka rolled his eyes, looking utterly speechless.

Kushina entered the Ninja Academy as a transfer student.

As a classmate, he was one of the few who didn't mock Kushina's red hair when she introduced herself.

The first class had just ended.

The other person ran up to him and asked where the women's restroom was and if he could go with her.

His gender was mistakenly identified because of his exceptionally handsome appearance as a child.

I saw an eight-year-old girl standing there, looking embarrassed and uneasy.

As an adult, Shan Zhongjing naturally couldn't bear to put the other person in an even more awkward situation, so he could only silently get up and lead the way.

Looking back now, their first encounter was truly a tragic fate!

"Hehe~ Jing, what brings you to the Jonin waiting area?"

Kushina stood with her hands behind her back, a hint of anticipation on her pretty face.

"Ahem... I've been transferred to the regular army and am now a Jonin leading a team."

Yamanaka Kei took out a scroll containing the transfer order from his ninja tool pouch at his waist.

Seeing that Nara Suzaku, the person in charge of today's Jonin duty station, was looking over, he raised his hand and tossed the scroll over.

"Oh? That's great! We can see each other more often again!"

"Well, shall we talk later? My three poor men have been waiting all morning."

"You're leaving so soon after we met? Hmph~ Fine, I'll let you off this time. Come back early tomorrow!"

"A report? Uh... see you tomorrow, see you tomorrow!"

Yamanaka looked at the Jonin waiting area, which had become a ruin.

Seeing Kushina's expression freeze and her start calculating how much money she would have to pay, he quickly greeted Akimichi Choza, Akimichi Toudou, and the others, and then disappeared from the spot with a Body Flicker Technique.

--------

Konoha's Fourth Training Ground.

The autumn sun, with its gentle warmth, shone on Might Guy and Genma Shiranui, who were sweating profusely.

The two tirelessly continued their basic physical training and ninja tool throwing training.

Ten-year-old Kurenai Yuhi sat on a large tree stump where she practiced kunai throwing, swinging her legs listlessly.

Listening to the shouts of her new teammates during training and the occasional explosions of ninjutsu during live-fire exercises in the third training ground, less than a kilometer away, she sighed softly.

My first year after graduation was already unlucky enough, because my teammates gave up being ninjas and I was forced to do odd jobs in the logistics department.

Now that the teammates have been reassigned, I'm delighted that they are all familiar faces, and all of them are strong and not the type to give up being a ninja easily.

Then we encountered another Jonin who was late for the first gathering, arriving a whole morning late.

Although the assembly order only stated that we should assemble at the fourth exercise field in the morning, it did not specify the exact time.

But it's already noon!

Why was her ninja career filled with so many misfortunes?

As I was lost in thought, a faint, orchid-like fragrance drifted in on the autumn breeze and lingered around my nose.

Before the evening glories could even discern what kind of flower the fragrance was, the fragrance was gone.

An unexpected change occurred on the training field.

The originally flat ground began to slowly bulge up.

Might Guy and Genma Shiranui, who were training at the time, noticed the anomaly immediately and quickly dodged away.

Before Kurenai could jump off the tree stump and retreat, a giant python with a head three meters in diameter burst through the ground and quickly crawled out from underground!

Faced with a terrifying giant python the size of a mountain, an unprecedented sense of crisis swept over Kurenai Yuhi.

The feeling that every cell in her body was trembling and every nerve was frantically alarming made her hands and feet numb, and she dared not move at all, for fear of attracting the attention of the giant python.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. The giant python raised its enormous head slightly, its cold, serpentine eyes staring directly at her, and it made a predatory motion.

The sense of impending death nearly overwhelmed her remaining rationality.

"Get moving! Move! Move now!"

Kurenai screamed inwardly, and her previously numb hands and feet suddenly burst forth with unprecedented power.

However, the python's attack speed was still much faster than her dodge speed.

The stench emanating from that menacing maw made her feel as if she could smell death itself.

"Ah!"

Just as the arrow was about to be released, accompanied by a loud shout, a green figure shot out from the side of the giant python.

With a kick, she shifted the giant python's head two feet to the side, causing Kurenai to narrowly miss its jaws.

Boom!

The giant python, having missed its target, kicked up a huge cloud of dust on the ground and hissed and roared.

The snake's tail swayed, and it appeared to be completely unharmed.

Genma Shiranui knew that the three of them were no match for the giant python. He grabbed Kurenai Yuhi, who had barely dodged the python's attack, and sprinted away while throwing a series of smoke bombs. He turned around and shouted loudly.

"Kai! Run!"

Having landed a successful blow, Might Guy was equally quick, retreating swiftly in line with the two.

Perhaps because she had just escaped death, Kurenai Yuhi's thoughts were clearer than ever before. As soon as Genma Shiranui finished speaking, she immediately added to the sentence.

"Run towards the Third Training Ground! There are Jonin taking their probationary exams there! Does anyone have a red flare? Quick!"

"clear!"

Might Guy reached for his ninja tool pouch at his waist.

Before the signal flare could even be drawn, the scene before them shattered as if it were a mirror.

The three people who were desperately running away were propelled far away by the inertia of their bodies.

I almost crashed head-on into a large tree with a trunk diameter of more than a meter.

After barely managing to steady themselves, the three were filled with astonishment as they looked at the giant python that had vanished without a trace and the training ground that showed no signs of damage.

*Smack! Smack! Smack!*

Applause came from one side of the training ground.

Wearing a black combat uniform and a Jonin vest over his upper body, Yamanaka Kei emerged from the shade of the trees beside the training ground.

"Your patience, courage, excellent teamwork, and correct choices in times of crisis—congratulations on passing the test. I am your new team leader, Jonin Yamanaka Kei. Please take good care of me from now on."

"Youth will never let down those who work hard! I am Matt Kai, and I hope Teacher Jing will give me your guidance in the future."

Despite being terrified by the illusion that was hard to tell from the real thing, Matt Kai still gave a thumbs up, revealing his gleaming white teeth.

"I am Genma Shiranui, nice to meet you."

Genma Shiranui also forced himself to get up from the ground and bowed respectfully.

"Kurenai Yuhi, please continue to guide me, teacher."

Yuhi's pale face slowly regained some color as she bowed, inwardly cursing her Jonin leader.

They started the assessment without even giving a heads-up, that's just awful!

She really felt like she was about to die!

But... what a powerful illusion!