Chapter 5: Trial by Fire

Chapter 5: Trial by Fire

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Hikaru had made a mistake.

Standing in the training field, his muscles still aching from chakra exhaustion, he realized just how outmatched he was. Facing a jonin was one thing—facing Inuzuka Tsume and Aburame Shibi together was something else entirely.

The moment he had revealed his Wood Release, their interest in him had shifted. The casual amusement Tsume had shown before was gone. Shibi's cold analysis had deepened.

They were going to test him.

Not as a child. Not as an Academy hopeful.

But as a shinobi of Konoha.

"Alright, Senju brat," Tsume grinned, crouching low. "Let's see if that blood of yours is worth anything."

Hikaru didn't have time to respond. She moved.

Fast. Too fast.

One moment she was standing across from him, the next she was in his face, her clawed hand swinging straight for his throat.

His body reacted on instinct. He threw himself backward, but he was still too slow.

Her nails sliced through his shirt, cutting into his chest. Not deep, but enough to send a sharp pain lancing through his ribs.

His feet skidded across the dirt.

Shit.

She didn't stop.

"Move faster, brat!" Tsume barked, lunging again.

Hikaru twisted, barely dodging as she aimed a brutal kick at his ribs. He managed to raise his arms in time to block—but the impact still sent him flying.

He crashed into the dirt, coughing.

"You're too slow!" Tsume shouted, stalking toward him. "You got all that chakra, all that potential, and you're wasting it!"

Hikaru forced himself up, his mind racing. He couldn't beat her—not in a straight-up fight. But he didn't have to win.

He just had to survive.

Shibi had been silent so far, simply observing, his hands tucked into his coat. But Hikaru knew better than to ignore an Aburame.

If he was standing still, it was because his insects were already in play.

Hikaru narrowed his eyes. He had seconds before the real attack began.

He took a deep breath, pushing his chakra downward.

The ground trembled slightly.

Tsume's footwork hesitated for half a second.

Hikaru took his chance.

Roots erupted from the soil.

Not thick, towering trees like Hashirama Senju had once summoned. Just small, gnarled vines, twisting from the ground in an attempt to catch her feet.

She reacted immediately—with a snarl, she leapt into the air, her body twisting midair to avoid the incoming branches.

Hikaru wasn't done.

He shifted his stance and threw a kunai, aiming not at her, but at Shibi.

The kunai never reached him.

It stopped midair, hovering as if caught in invisible strings.

Hikaru's stomach dropped.

Shibi wasn't standing still.

He was controlling the battlefield.

The air around the kunai shimmered, revealing a swarm of tiny, writhing insects. They had eaten the metal mid-flight.

Tsume landed beside him, looking vaguely impressed. "That was decent, kid. But you just made a mistake."

Hikaru tensed.

Then Shibi moved for the first time.

His voice was calm. "You've been marked."

Hikaru felt it before he saw it—a crawling sensation on his skin.

His arms. His neck. His legs.

Shibi's insects were already on him.

When?

The moment realization struck, his vision blurred.

His chakra was draining.

He gasped, stumbling, his knees buckling under the sudden exhaustion.

"You don't sense them yet," Shibi observed. "That will be a problem."

Hikaru grit his teeth. He couldn't let this end here.

His chakra was being eaten away—so he did the only thing he could.

He let it go.

Instead of fighting against the insects, he pushed his chakra outward, pouring it into the soil beneath him.

The ground shook.

A single thick branch burst from the earth, spiraling upward like a spear—forcing Shibi to retreat several steps.

His insects scattered instantly.

The moment his chakra stopped being drained, Hikaru moved.

He flipped backward, barely avoiding Tsume's next strike, his breath ragged.

His body was screaming in protest.

He was too slow. Too inexperienced. Too weak.

But he had made them move.

That was enough.

Tsume huffed, shaking her head. "Alright, alright. That's enough."

Hikaru hesitated. "...What?"

Shibi adjusted his coat. "The test is over."

Hikaru's chest heaved as he tried to process what had just happened.

His muscles still ached. His chakra was almost gone.

And yet…

He wasn't dead.

Tsume cracked her knuckles, grinning. "Not bad, kid. You lasted longer than I thought."

Hikaru stared at her. "I—what?"

Shibi's insects retreated, vanishing back beneath his coat. "We were never going to kill you. But we did need to know if you had the potential to survive as a shinobi."

Tsume nodded. "You've got power. That Wood Release of yours? You barely even know how to use it, and you still made me move."

Hikaru swallowed. "...That wasn't a real fight, was it?"

Tsume snorted. "Hell no."

Shibi inclined his head. "We were holding back."

Hikaru let out a shaky breath. Of course.

Of course they were holding back.

If they had been serious, he would be dead.

But this wasn't about winning or losing.

It was about seeing what he was capable of.

And judging from their expressions…

He had passed.

Tsume placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a firm shake. "Listen up, brat. Konoha needs shinobi like you. But raw power ain't enough. You need control, speed, and instincts."

Hikaru nodded, still catching his breath.

Shibi's voice was quieter. "You will need to learn to sense chakra more clearly. Your Wood Release is fueled by both Earth and Water elements—understanding how they interact will allow you to strengthen your abilities."

Tsume grinned. "And, you know, actually land a hit next time."

Hikaru sighed, rubbing his sore ribs. "I'll keep that in mind."

Then, before they left, Tsume leaned in slightly.

"Be careful who you trust with that bloodline of yours, kid," she murmured. "Not everyone in this village has good intentions."

Hikaru stiffened.

She pulled away, flashing her usual grin, then turned to leave. Shibi followed, vanishing into the trees.

Hikaru stood alone in the clearing, his mind racing.

He had survived.

He had made a name for himself.

But Tsume's warning lingered.

Not everyone in Konoha could be trusted.

Hikaru looked at his hands, feeling the last remnants of his chakra pulse beneath his skin.

He had come far in just a few days.

But it wasn't enough.

He needed to be stronger.

Because sooner or later…

Someone would come for him.

And next time, he couldn't afford to lose.

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To Be Continued…