Do you like what you see?
Do you like what you see?
After another 15 minutes, Team 8 had arrived at Training Camp 8 but to their surprise, Kurenai was already there. The poor red-eyed kunoichi seemed to be about to cry as an expression of extreme pain adorned her beautiful face. Kurama was surprised, he had never seen that kind of expression in the time he had met the Jonin.
"Kurenai sensei ?!" - Ino exclaimed with surprise - "What happened to you?!"
"You're back ..." - Kurenai asked with a lost look - "I guess it's time we started training again"
"It's not the time for that!" - the blonde Genin shouted as she took her instructor's hand - "What happened to you to be this way ?!"
"..." - Kurenai just bit her lip and then let out a sigh - "It's nothing Ino ... it's just personal problems ..."
Kurama just kept silent while looking at his Sensei. It was quite obvious that something had happened with Asuma while they had lunch in Ichiraku.
"Kurenai sensei ... I think we'd better finish today ..." - Hinata said while giving her instructor a look full of concern - "I don't think it's a good idea for us to train right now"
"Don't worry, Hinata" - Kurenai replied while giving her a forced smile - "My problems don't have to get in the middle of my obligations of Jonin Sensei, that's one of the few rules we have to abide when we decide to take this job"
"..." - The Genin only kept silent while nodding weakly.
"Anyway, we better go back to training" - Kurenai nodded to see that she had changed the subject successfully - "Ino, you will train Taijutsu because it is your weakest point"
"Hai!" - the blonde girl nodded.
"Hinata, you will train your physical endurance" - Jonin continued with a serious look - "Your movements are fast and precise but your body is weak compared to other experts in Taijutsu. That's why I want you to improve your physical power so that your attacks are much more lethal "
"Hai, Sensei!" - nodded the girl with pearly eyes.
"Finally, you Kurama ... honestly, I don't know what to do with you ..." - the woman sighed as she gave the boy a conflicted look - "Your accuracy is excellent for your rank, as is your Chakra control..."
"..." - Kurama kept silent while listening to her.
"You are a user of the Mokuton Element, Your Taijutsu is lethal thanks to your great physical strength and your talent in Genjutsu is not very good" - continued the red-eyed Jonin - "You could say that you have the power of a Jonin in your base form and is the only area that you weaken is in the Illusions but as I said, you don't have much talent in those techniques ... "
Kurama did not hide from her the clear difference between his base form and his liberated form. The redhead acquired a massive power when he released a single tail and it was obvious that this Increase grew with each additional release of the Seal. Kurenai didn't know what to do with the boy because she had nothing to teach him since she had already taught him how to destroy an illusion with his "brute force."
"I can train the new style of Kenjutsu that Zabuza taught me" - answered the redhead with a half-smile. Kurenai just shook her head as she gave the boy a conflicted look - "I'm sorry I can't teach you anything else ..."
"Don't worry, Kurenai sensei" - Kurama denied as he looked at the woman - "Honestly, there weren't many things I could learn from anyone else. My fighting style is already established. I can cover the different roles of the team and I can give support consistently, I have also trained Chakra control because of my 'problem'. My Kekkei Genkai is almost unique so I have also trained it since I was young"
"That doesn't relieve me in the least" - Kurenai sighed as the boy shook his head again - "If it makes you feel better, I needed a way to destroy the Illusions"
"Thank you for the comfort but I have to admit that I have not been the best sensei with you" - denied the red-eyed kunoichi - "Anyway, I want you to separate and go in different directions. Ino will go to the East, Hinata to the West and Kurama to the North. I will supervise you in short intervals to see that you don't do anything stupid… that's for you, Kurama "
"Hai ~ Hai ~!" - Kurama only rolled his eyes to see the 'confidence' that his instructor had in him, although he could not blame her. He had destroyed much of Nami no Kuni's forest, but then left everything as it was, but that does not change the fact that it caused great destruction in his training zone.
* * * * * *
And so, the afternoon advanced. Team 8 trained alone while Kurenai checked their progress silently. She was impressed with the progress they had although this was obvious seeing from whom they had learned. Kushina was a soulless monster when training was concerned. Kurenai still had a nightmare when she was in her Genin squad, those days were terrible and dark.
At this time, Kurenai was reviewing Kurama's progress. He had been practicing Nagare to see if he could adapt it better to his Combat style. While he could use a sword, it was honestly much more efficient to use his fists while covering them with his chakra.
"Wow ..." - Kurenai murmured when she saw the movements so delicate and precise that the redhead was making, who for a strange reason, was with a bare torso. She did not know if this was a usual practice for swordsmen because it was not the first time she saw them train with their naked torso.
"..." - Kurama was breathing passively while his attacks varied despite being in the same Kata.
Kurenai was slightly amazed by the boy's current appearance. He had a serious look, one she rarely saw because he always brought that carefree expression. His torso and face were covered with sweat because he was using his Gravity Seals and yet his movements were sharp, fast and precise.
"Is something wrong, Kurenai Sensei?" - asked the redhead to feel how the woman was devouring him with her eyes. He could feel that the woman's emotions were a bit erratic.
"..." - Kurenai kept his silence because she hadn't heard him. Kurama found this fun because his instructor seemed in her world - "Do you like what you are seeing, Kurenai sensei?"
"Yes ..." - the woman murmured, only to blush when she realized that she had responded unconsciously. The boy was handsome and she wouldn't deny it but that didn't mean he had to go around saying it to the four winds. He was her Genin, her student, it was something improper for her to have such emotions.
"Ok ... I didn't expect an answer to that question" - Kurama said with surprise and this made Kurenai blush even more. She couldn't resist how awkward everything had become so she ran from the place.
Kurama only shook his head when he saw that his sensei's silhouette had disappeared from his field of vision, although his Chakra was still in the vicinity.
"Better keep training ..." - muttered the boy while leaving everything that had happened to the side. He slowly started his movements again. Kurenai couldn't stop staring at the wonderful way he moved. Kurama moved like a river, stable but not rigid, firm but flexible.
"Impressive ..." - muttered the red-eyed kunoichi but quickly shook her head. It seems that her situation with Asuma was affecting her more than she thought. She could only sigh with regret as the memories of the events appeared again in her mind but with a single movement of her head, they disappeared as if they had never been there in the first place - "Better get back to work ..."
She gave the boy one last look before disappearing completely from the place.
Kurama felt Kurenai's gaze disappear and looked in her direction in confusion. Maybe later, he would have to talk to her so that she at least goes to Kushina to release some of what is holding her heart. He could feel the pain and suffering that the red-eyed woman was experiencing but he couldn't simply force her to tell him everything, even though he had more or less an idea and that was why he wanted her to go to Kushina.
Kurama decided to set this aside and retrain. Later he would talk to Kushina so that she would do something, after all, she was the Sensei of Kurenai and at the same time one of the most important people in her life despite everything that had happened over the years.
* * * * * *
An hour had passed since the incident with Kurenai and Team 8 was reunited again. Jonin sensei had an awkward look on her face while the two Genin were confused by the situation.
"I think it would be all for today" - Kurenai sighed as she looked at each of her Genin but her gaze remained on the red-haired boy for a while before continuing - "Tomorrow we will meet at the same time"
"Hai!" - exclaimed the Genin.
"Kurenai sensei ... I need to talk to you" - Kurama said seriously.
Kurenai gave the boy a strange look but after a few seconds, she shook her head - "I'm sorry Kurama-kun ... I'm a little busy so it will have to be for another time"
"?" - Hinata and Ino looked at both of them and felt that something strange had happened.
"That would be all ... you can retire" - that said, she disappeared in a Shunshin.
The Genin were completely alone and seizing the moment, the girls took a look at the young man with reddish-orange hair - "What?"
"What did you do to Kurenai sensei?" - Ino asked with a frown. It was already known that Kurama was attracted to older women or rather, developed women and Kurenai was in that category. The beautiful red-eyed Kunoichi might not have a body as voluptuous as Anko's but had beautiful curves that were accentuated by the clothes she was wearing.
"I did nothing" - denied the redhead with a calm look on his face - "Although there was a situation ... but I will not go into details"
"..." - The girls just narrowed their eyes but said nothing. They felt that while something had happened, it was nothing to worry about. Kurenai was their sensei and would do nothing improper.
"Kurama-kun ..." - Hinata said seriously - "What do you want to talk to Kurenai sensei ... does it have to do with how she was when we returned from lunch?"
"Yes" - nodded the redhead while giving them a simple answer.
"Do you know what happens to her?!" - Ino exclaimed as she looked at the boy she liked.
"I think I have more or less an idea" - Kurama nodded again - "But before you ask the reason, let me tell you that I will not say anything. One, because maybe what I think is not true and Two, because if it is true, I don't have the right to reveal information that Kurenai sensei doesn't want to talk about"
"..." - The two Genin were silent as they sighed. They were worried about Kurenai because, for them, Kurenai was more than their Sensei, she was like their older sister and seeing her suffer only made them feel helpless that they couldn't help her.
Kurama could feel the conflicting feelings within his companions but said nothing to continue the issue. He was almost certain that Kurenai had had a serious problem with Asuma but as he said before, he wouldn't say anything about the situation.
"I think ... we better change the subject" - Hinata sighed as she gave her friend a look. She knew that her best friend was worried about Kurenai but they couldn't do anything in this situation, not when her Sensei didn't want them to get into this matter.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter Rewritten from scratch.