One week passed.
I pulled my kunai from the wooden post and let out a breath. I'd been here for hours, same motions, same throws, over and over. I liked it that way. It kept my mind clear.
Behind me, I heard quiet steps. I didn't turn. I knew that chakra by now.
"Izuna-kun?"
It was Kurenai's voice, soft, careful. I turned and saw her standing there with a small bag in one hand and her kunai in the other. She smiled a little when our eyes met.
"I brought you some fruit." She opened the bag and showed me a few apples, some berries.
"Thanks." I took one of the apples and bit into it. Sweet. Cold. It helped.
She sat down on a tree stump, resting her kunai on her lap. She looked like she wanted to say something, but didn't know how. So I waited.
"Izuna… can I ask you something?"
I raised an eyebrow. "You just did."
She laughed, but her eyes were serious. "I mean it. You're good at Genjutsu, right?"
I shrugged. "I'm decent."
She held my gaze. "Could you… Help me? Help me get better? I keep trying, but my illusions break too soon."
I watched her for a moment. She meant it. She wasn't like the others, no fake pride, no showing off. Just honest. I liked that.
"Alright.But Genjutsu isn't about just making an illusion. It's about control. Your chakra, your mind, theirs. If you lose focus, even for a second, it falls apart."
She nodded. "I know. That's why I need your help. Will you?"
I took another bite of the apple and looked at her. "Fine. I'll help. But next time, you're bringing more than fruit. I like dumplings too."
She laughed again, a real laugh this time. "Deal."
I pointed at her kunai. "Good. After you're done eating, we'll see if your aim is better than il train you in Genjutsu."
She smirked and lifted her kunai. "Better be ready, Izuna-kun."
I just smirked back. This could be interesting.
We stood a few meters away from the wooden target I'd nailed to an old tree earlier. Kurenai held a kunai in her hand, but her fingers were so stiff, like she was holding a brush instead of a weapon.
"Watch me," I said calmly. I lifted my kunai, let my shoulders relax. "First, your breathing. Keep your shoulder loose. It's all in your wrist."
I threw my kunai. The metal whistled through the air and hit dead center with a sharp thud. The tree shook a bit.
Kurenai took a deep breath. She raised her kunai, pulled her arm back then threw it.
The kunai flew wide, missing the target by nearly a meter. It stuck in the bark with a dull sound.
She looked at me, cheeks red. "Ugh…"
I laughed a little. "Don't worry. Try again. Keep your wrist loose. Don't force it—just let it fly."
She stepped closer to me. I showed her the motion again, slow and clear. Her shoulders relaxed more this time. She lifted another kunai, pulled back and threw.
The kunai hit the edge of the target. Not the center, but close enough that she couldn't help but smile.
"See?" I tapped her shoulder lightly. "It's all in the movement. Next one goes in the middle."
Kurenai grabbed another kunai, her eyes sharper now. "One more?"
I smirked and nodded. "Ten more. Until your fingers hurt."
The rest of the day, I taught her how to sharpen her genjutsu.
Slowly, she got better. Her eyes shone with determination, and I could tell she wanted to improve.
By the time the sun began to set, Kurenai was throwing kunai more confidently, and her genjutsu was little better.
I nodded to myself, thinking, This is just the beginning.
Training was done. Kurenai sat on a low stone, holding her kunai in her hand. I stood nearby, arms crossed, looking at the targets full of cuts and marks. The clearing was quiet now, only the leaves moving above us.
"Izuna… can I ask you something?" Her voice was soft but serious.
"Yeah?"
She turned the kunai in her hands, not looking at me right away. "People in the village… they call you the Uchiha Monster, right?"
I didn't answer at once. The name didn't cut me like before, but hearing it from Kurenai still made something twist in my chest.
"Yeah, they do."
Kurenai frowned. "Why? You're strong, yes, but you're not a monster."
I almost laughed at that. "People fear what they don't understand. The Sharingan. The way I train. What my clan has done before. It's easier for them to say monster than to see me for real."
She looked up, meeting my eyes this time. "And? Does it hurt you?"
"Sometimes. But not enough to stop me."
Kurenai nodded slowly, like she was still thinking. Then she gave me a small smile. "Well… I don't think you're a monster. Just so you know."
This time, I did smile back. "Thanks. Now, next time, hit the center. Not just the edge."
She laughed, standing up and spinning her kunai on her finger. "Fine! But only if you promise not to call my throws weak again."
I raised an eyebrow. "Then get better."
She hit my shoulder playfully with her hand, then we both laughed as the wind moved through the trees above us.