The transition from silver light to warm wood was seamless.
Kurenai opened her eyes.
Only minutes had passed in the real world since they had entered Yumegakure no Kai, but her senses told a different story. Her hand gently moved to rest over her stomach, where new life stirred with quiet presence. A faint glow lingered in her gaze—equal parts pride and quiet awe.
Around her, the room stirred. The others were waking.
Hinata was already moving, helping her to sit up with a soft touch and a kind smile. Kurenai accepted it with gratitude and glanced to the side, noticing something odd: Mitsue was no longer coiled atop Hinata. Instead, the snake spirit watched silently from a corner, its attention focused entirely on Kiba and Akamaru.
It had been a day of revelations.
Everyone had grown.
Kurenai sat silently for a moment longer, allowing herself the space to reflect.
She had never fully approved of the Great Library—it was too alien, too untested. But today, she had to admit: it had given Kiba and Shino the room to flourish. Kiba's match had been more than impressive—it had been a display of raw potential and new ideas. The fusion with Akamaru had created a new form, unstable but brimming with future promise. The speed of that two-headed werewolf had been almost imperceptible even to her.
And Hinata… Hinata had responded with grace and clarity. She gave Kiba room to express himself, never once humiliating him, but always ready to push back when challenged. She had shown the strength to keep up—and the compassion to make it matter.
Then came Shino.
His battle with Hinata had started long before they ever stepped into the arena. From the first word, he had tested her mentally, philosophically. His use of Fuinjutsu had been breathtaking, subtle and suffocating. And Hinata's response? She had tapped into a core of strength Kurenai hadn't seen before. Her imitation of the Hyūga's Kaiten, amplified with spiritual threads, was a marvel in its own right.
But what struck her most was the end.
Exhausted, battered, outmaneuvered—Hinata had drawn the edge of her blade. She hadn't needed to. But she had.
Not to kill.
To respond.
To acknowledge the lesson Shino had placed before her.
To say: I understand.
Kurenai looked around at her students.
Her children.
They were no longer genin fumbling through assignments and rivalries.
They were warriors. Each walking their own path. Each willing to question who they were to become stronger.
She smiled.
They had made her proud.
Deeply, irrevocably proud.
<<<< o >>>>
The first afternoon of the full moon had arrived—the day of the promised meeting between Hinata Gin and the Hyūga Patriarch.
Kakashi moved through the streets of Konoha with a lazy pace, Sakura by his side and clearly disgruntled.
"You only bring me to do surveillance work when you want to avoid paperwork," Sakura muttered.
Kakashi shrugged with the hint of a smirk. "That's not entirely true. If I didn't drag you out here, you'd still be buried in the hospital or stuck under Tsunade's lectures. This way, I get to see how far my student has come."
"So it's also a nostalgia trip for you," she huffed.
"Maybe a little," Kakashi admitted. "Doesn't mean it's not true. But don't worry—I'm not letting you do this alone."
With a clap of his hands and a puff of smoke, several ninken appeared, including Pakkun.
"We're going to investigate the Hyūga compound in secret," Kakashi explained. "Specifically, looking for traces of Kuro."
"Kuro?" Sakura blinked. "She's in Konoha? I thought she left with Hinata."
"She did. But she's back for Kurenai and Asuma's wedding in a few weeks. And today Hinata is meeting with Hiashi and Hanabi. If Kuro is going to misbehave, this is her perfect opportunity."
Kakashi turned serious for a moment. "We're here to gather evidence if she gets up to anything… and to keep her presence secret. The Hyūga have already been notified that we'll be investigating under the Patriarch's authority."
He split off with one of the ninken, leaving Sakura with Pakkun.
"You're with me, huh?" she muttered, half amused.
"Let's make it quick," Pakkun grumbled. "I don't like sneaking around nobles."
As they entered the Hyūga compound, Kuro—unseen by either of them—caught Pakkun's scent from afar.
The black wolf froze.
For a moment, the entire world narrowed to the sight of a small pug… talking.
Pakkun paused. "I'm not sensing anything yet—"
A voice howled behind him.
"Look what I found!" Sakura shouted in shock, pointing instinctively.
Kuro, now no larger than Pakkun himself, pounced with glee. Sakura blinked.
"Is… that a puppy version of Kuro?"
Before she could react, the little wolf grew to double Pakkun's size, grabbed him by the collar with her teeth, and took off like a blur of black light.
"A-AH! HELP! SHE IS KIDNAPPING ME! SHE'S A CRAZY WOLF IN HEAT!" Pakkun's voice trailed off in the wind.
Sakura stood dumbfounded, stunned by the sheer absurdity of what had just happened.