"How did I break your Shackling Stakes Technique…?"
Repeating Obito's question, Kyoichi let out a soft chuckle. He did not answer directly, but instead turned the question back on him.
"Boy of the Uchiha… tell me, what do you think is the true essence of genjutsu?"
"The essence of genjutsu?"
Obito frowned slightly.
As someone who had received the full education of an Uchiha, of course he knew.
"The essence of genjutsu is simply spiritual energy, isn't it? What else is there to say?"
Not just the Uchiha—
In fact, any shinobi who had graduated from the Academy, so long as they paid attention in class, understood that genjutsu was nothing more than the manipulation of spiritual energy.
So in Obito's view—
There was really nothing remarkable to discuss.
"Nothing to say?"
Kyoichi's smile grew brighter, almost dazzling.
"You may be a genius, but you really are a fool. Since you know that the essence of genjutsu is spiritual energy, then at the end of the day, a clash of genjutsu is nothing more than a collision of spiritual energies. The reason I was able to break your Shackling Stakes Technique is simply because my spiritual energy is stronger than yours."
His words—
Were not a lie. But neither were they the whole truth.
Indeed, genjutsu battles were collisions of spiritual energy. But in essence, such clashes were no different from taijutsu or ninjutsu confrontations—strength mattered, yes, but so did technique. Finesse and mastery could sway the outcome just as much as raw power.
Why was Uchiha genjutsu so terrifying?
First—because the Sharingan itself possessed a high-level essence. When spiritual energy reserves were evenly matched, an Uchiha would inevitably come out ahead.
Second—the Uchiha were born with naturally vast reserves of spiritual energy. Once they awakened the Sharingan, both the quality and quantity of that energy would undergo a dramatic leap. Very few in the shinobi world could surpass them in that regard.
Third—their ocular genjutsu were masterpieces honed over a thousand years of prodigies. Every technique that survived to the present was refined to perfection, their artistry unquestionable.
For this reason—
There was an old saying: "Against an Uchiha who has awakened their eyes, it takes at least two shinobi of equal rank to face them."
The phrase reflected a bitter truth—most shinobi in the world could not endure Uchiha genjutsu alone. Without comrades to break the illusion, escape was impossible.
And yet—
Kyoichi had broken Obito's Shackling Stakes Technique.
The reasons were layered.
First—the Koeda Clan, known as the clan of the Magic Flute, were themselves masters of genjutsu. In this bloodline-obsessed world, the Koeda had, through generations of effort, cultivated their descendants into inheritors of powerful spiritual energy. Raised from childhood in training, they possessed an innate resistance to illusions.
Second—Kyoichi himself, as a transmigrant, was born with spiritual energy far surpassing even his clansmen. If not for his lack of talent in music, he would have long since mastered the clan's Magic Flute Arts. His failure in that domain delayed his advancement to jōnin until the age of fifteen. Still—though he could not weaponize his overwhelming spiritual power in attack, he could wield it flawlessly to shatter the illusions of others.
To speak plainly—
The Koeda Clan was remarkable.
Even though Kyoichi failed in their hereditary Magic Flute Arts, he had never been cast aside as worthless. A few immature children had laughed at him, true—but their parents had beaten them soundly, and each was forced to apologize to Kyoichi the next day.
Most of his clansmen treated his "fall from genius" with pity rather than scorn. His position in the clan did not plummet; on the contrary, when he declared his intention to specialize in Earth Release from then on, many elders provided him with valuable training notes passed down by predecessors.
It was this warm, united atmosphere that left Kyoichi with a constant longing—to someday rescue those clansmen still trapped in Iwagakure.
But returning to the point—
It was precisely these two reasons that allowed Kyoichi to face Obito's double-tomoe Sharingan head-on with confidence.
However—
When his Shackling Stakes Technique collided with Obito's, Kyoichi gained an unexpected ally: the Eye of God.
Dragged into the genjutsu space, he suddenly realized that through the Eye of God, he could continue perceiving the outside world. Strictly speaking, the Eye of God did not "see." Rather, it granted sight to his eyes. His usual vision still came through his ordinary eyes, but in that moment, when his consciousness was pulled into the illusion, he beheld landscapes he had never known existed.
He saw chakra flowing within Obito's body.
He saw the fresh breath of life drifting between the trees.
He saw the vast surging energy coursing through the earth itself.
Because of this transcendent vision, Obito's genjutsu had no effect whatsoever.
For genjutsu worked by using chakra to disrupt the five senses, to disturb the target's chakra and plunge them into illusion—robbing them of control over their own body.
But if the target never fell into illusion, genjutsu meant nothing. If the mind never yielded, the body could never lose control.
Thus—
From beginning to end, Obito's genjutsu had no effect on Kyoichi at all. Neither his nor Kakashi's movements had escaped Kyoichi's sight.
"Enough idle chatter. Right now, the war between Konoha and Iwa is at its fiercest—there is no time to waste. Son of the White Fang. Uchiha boy. Let us talk of cooperation instead."
Still holding Rin as a hostage, Kyoichi's gaze swept between Kakashi and Obito.
"If yesterday you doubted me, that would be understandable. But now… surely you no longer question my resolve against Iwagakure?"
Obito and Kakashi, regrouped and wary, said nothing—yet their silence was answer enough.
At this point—
There was no need to wonder if this man had truly betrayed Iwa.
The question was—did betrayal of Iwagakure mean allegiance to Konoha?
Dealing with such a traitor required caution.
"To show my sincerity, the terms remain as before. I will help you destroy Kannabi Bridge. In return, you must persuade your teacher—the Yellow Flash—to join me in infiltrating Iwagakure and rescuing my clansmen. And until they are freed…"
His eyes flicked to Rin.
"…your comrade will remain in my care."