Chapter 7: The Survival Test and the Glitch in the Matrix part-1
Then it was my turn.
"I... I am Hinata Hyuga," I whispered, poking my fingers together. "I like... pressing flowers. I dislike... um... gravity. And my dream is..."
I paused. My dream used to be just to become strong enough to change myself. But now?
"...my dream is to survive without dying of embarrassment," I finished honestly.
Kurenai chuckled. "A practical dream. But don't worry, Hinata. As a ninja, you will learn balance. I will make sure of it."
She stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.
[System Alert: New Contact. Female Target. The System is confused but willing to improvise.]
(Don't you dare! She is my teacher!)
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew across the roof. It was a strong updraft.
Kurenai's dress fluttered. My jacket fluttered.
A stray leaf blew directly into Kurenai's eye.
"Ah!" She flinched, instinctively stepping back and rubbing her eye.
She stepped on my foot.
"Ouch!" I cried.
I jerked my foot back. I lost my balance. I fell forward.
My head collided softly with Kurenai's stomach. I wrapped my arms around her waist to steady myself.
From the outside, it looked like I had aggressively hugged my new teacher within seconds of her introduction.
Kurenai blinked, her one good eye looking down at me. I looked up at her, terrified.
"Oh," Kurenai said, a small blush appearing on her cheeks. "You are... very affectionate, aren't you, Hinata?"
Kiba burst out laughing. "She is hugging the sensei! Hinata is a hug-monster!"
Shino nodded. "It seems Hinata expresses dominance through physical contact. Noted."
(I am not a hug-monster! I am a victim of circumstances!)
[Ding!]
[Achievement Unlocked: "Teacher's Pet." You have initiated physical contact with a superior officer.]
[Reward: 150 Shy Points.]
I buried my face in Kurenai's vest and refused to move. If I did not move, maybe the world would end and I wouldn't have to explain.
This was going to be a very, very long career.
..............
Name: Hinata HyugaShy Points: 1,400Active Skills: Iron Skirt Jutsu (Passive)Reputation: The girl who tackles boys and hugs teachers.Team Status: Kiba (Amused/Flustered), Shino (Wary), Kurenai (Confused but charmed).
.............
The morning sun filtered through the paper blinds of my room, casting long shadows across the tatami mats. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, contemplating the philosophical implications of never leaving my house again.
(If I stay here, I am safe. The walls are solid. The floor is flat. There are no boys to tackle and no teachers to hug. I could become a hermit. I hear hermits are very respected in this world.)
[System Notification: Good morning, Host. While the hermit lifestyle is appealing, you have a survival test with Team Eight in one hour. If you do not attend, you will be sent back to the Academy. The Academy is full of hormonal teenagers. The forest is full of trees. Choose your battlefield.]
I sighed, dragging myself upright. The System had a point. I could not go back to the Academy. Being the "Hyuga Stripper" in a classroom setting was a fate worse than death.
"System," I muttered, rubbing sleep from my eyes. "I have 1,400 Shy Points. I need insurance. What happens if I have to use ninjutsu today? I am terrible at it."
[Suggestion: You can purchase the 'Chakra Stabilizer' for 500 points. It helps with control. Or, you can save your points for the 'Invisibility Cloak' which costs 50,000 points. Currently, you can afford a very nice pair of sunglasses.]
"I will save my points," I decided. The Iron Skirt was working well so far. I just needed to be careful.
I dressed in my mission gear, double-knotting my sandal straps and checking my pouch. I even bought a tube of super glue from the convenience store on the way, just in case any fabric decided to betray me.
...........
Training Ground Eight was a dense, overgrown forest on the edge of the village. The trees were massive, with roots that twisted out of the ground like gnarly fingers waiting to trip unsuspecting kunoichi.
Kiba was already there, leaning against a tree and sharpening a kunai. Akamaru was asleep on his head. Shino stood a few feet away, silently observing a colony of ants marching up a trunk.
"You are late, Hinata!" Kiba grinned, sheathing his weapon. "We were about to start without you. Well, not really. Kurenai Sensei isn't here yet."
"G-Good morning," I said, bowing slightly. I made sure to stand at least three meters away from Kiba. "I... I got lost."
"Lost on the main road?" Shino asked without turning around. "That is illogical. The Hyuga compound is a straight line from here."
"I took the scenic route," I lied. The truth was I had spent ten minutes hiding behind a fence because I saw Kakashi Hatake reading his orange book and I was terrified the Rito Effect would launch me into him if I got too close.
Suddenly, a swirl of leaves materialized in the center of the clearing. Kurenai Sensei faded into view. She looked serious today, her red eyes sharp.
"Good, you are all here," she said. "Today is your final test. If you fail this, you go back to the Academy."
The air grew heavy. Even Kiba stopped smiling.
"The test is simple," Kurenai continued. "I will hide somewhere in this forest. You have until noon to find me and land a single hit on me. You must work together. If you come at me individually, you will fail."
She smiled, but it was a dangerous smile. "Begin."
And with a puff of smoke, she vanished.
"Alright!" Kiba shouted, pumping his fist. "Let's track her down! Akamaru, let's go!"
"Bark!" Akamaru yipped.
"Wait," Shino interjected. "Rushing in blindly is unwise. We should formulate a plan. Hinata, can you use your Byakugan?"
My stomach did a flip. The Byakugan. My bloodline limit. I could use it, technically. But every time I activated it, the veins around my eyes popped out. It made me feel like a monster.
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