Every Ninja village had a natural terrain advantage. Konoha's was of course producing shinobi with experience in woodland and forest fighting. This also meant in other terrain, there were potential disadvantages.

The Hokage believed that Konoha's main problem came on the water, thanks to the Academy expecting Jounin to teach swimming as well as water-walking. It would take time to correct that mistake, and for the moment, a cheat was needed.

And that was why Naruto and Hinata had wound up volunteering to help the Jutsu Development Department out, Konoha's resident mad scientists that didn't resort to human experimentation... At least, not non-consensually.

The pair were at the riverside, in a spot a little isolated in case things went wrong as they often did with JDD tests.

"The scrolls have a few different experimental jutsu... and they think they solved the rapid dehydrating problem with this one meant to repel water?" Naruto frowned.

"....Rapid dehydrating problem?" Hinata asked.

"That's all it says."

Hinata created a water clone, letting it try to perform the jutsu in question. The aquatic copy made the right hand motions... and with an alarmed squeak, evaporated instantly as the jutsu repelled all the water it was made of.

"...We're not using that one on ourselves I think," the real Hinata shuddered as she realised the probable effects on an actual person, a person made of about 60% water

"Yep..." Naruto, who for all his book-dumb nature also had run the maths, agreed.

"Next is... Improved swimming ability, some degradation of land mobility?" The blond shinobi frowned.

Hinata looked it over also.

"Why can't they just put things into simple language?"

Naruto shrugged, prepared a shadow clone, and let his clone test this one.

The copy of Naruto made the motions, and for a moment it seemed nothing happened, until a puff of smoke washed over it, and the clone was replaced by... a yellow and orange mermaid. Emphasis on 'maid', as the fish-person was very much female

"Whoa! Okay, I guess that's the mobility thing..." the clone flopped on the shore before hopping into the water.

"Why'd you do the Sexy Jutsu as well?" Naruto asked, mortified his clone had done that in front of Hinata.

"...I didn't?" She squeaked, and dispelled herself to avoid the wrath of Naruto.

Hinata hid a giggle and spoke up.

"Maybe we should give it a try ourselves."

Naruto nodded, and the pair decided to stand in the water first, before doing the jutsu. It seemed like a regular transformation, slightly delayed like with the clone, but with the same end results.

Naruto was again mortified because it seemed he... she had done the same thing as her clone. Her train of thought was derailed looking at Hinata, who had become a mostly purple mermaid, and was gleefully gliding through the water.

"So, uh, the whole female thing seems to be part of the jutsu, somehow..." Naruto eventually spoke up.

Hinata stopped, looked at the blushing yellow-orange mermaid, and giggled.

"Seems so. Let's change back and try the next one."

The pair tried to dispel the jutsu... and nothing happened.

"...Uh oh," Naruto spoke for them both.