Chapter 25: A Spark of Conviction
The sudden voice from behind shattered Kurenai's concentration. Before she could consciously dispel her own technique, the pink, illusory clone drove its kunai into the back of the figure standing before her.
There was no resistance, no sensation of impact. The kunai passed through empty air.
The image of Takumi in front of her wavered, distorted, and dissolved into nothingness.
"When... when did you cast it?" Kurenai whispered, a cold dread creeping down her spine as she felt the warmth of his breath on her neck. The cold press of a kunai's edge against her skin punctuated his victory.
She had lost. In a single exchange, without even understanding how.
How could the Takumi standing right before her eyes be nothing but a phantom? And when had he moved behind her?
"You lose," Takumi stated flatly, withdrawing the kunai.
A familiar, silent chime echoed in his mind.
[Entry: Illusionist's Pride (Novice) - ACQUIRED.]
[Effect: Your proficiency with all genjutsu is increased by 5%.]
[Note: This skill is capable of further evolution.]
"Oh?" Takumi was momentarily taken aback. So, entries could be acquired by defeating specific individuals? But why hadn't he received anything for beating Obito? Was it because Obito's current abilities were too low, or was it purely random? He stroked his chin, lost in thought.
While he pondered, Kurenai slowly turned around, her crystal-clear crimson eyes wide with a mixture of shock and humiliation. The defeat was so swift, so absolute. She felt she had disgraced her father and the Yuhi name.
"Yes... I lost," Kurenai admitted, biting her lower lip. "When did I fall under your illusion?"
"Did you forget the most fundamental rule?" Takumi asked, a hint of condescension in his tone. He pointed to his own face. His left eye, which had been dark, suddenly bled into a vibrant crimson, a single black tomoe orbiting the pupil.
Kurenai's face flushed instantly. She had committed the most basic error in the shinobi handbook.
Don't look directly into an Uchiha's Sharingan!
"But... your eyes weren't red before," Kurenai protested. If she had seen the tell-tale crimson glow, she would never have maintained eye contact.
"Which do you think is faster," Takumi countered, "your reaction speed, or the speed at which I can activate my doujutsu?"
The Sharingan had no startup time, no warning glow. It could be activated and deactivated in an instant. Sharingan genjutsu was transmitted through vision itself. That's why any shinobi with a modicum of experience knew to avoid an Uchiha's gaze. When an Uchiha employed a visual genjutsu, they focused their gaze on the target, a process that converted their unique ocular chakra into a specific form of energy wave. Pupil power was a specialized type of chakra, and chakra itself could manifest in countless variations. He had read about Tsunade's A-rank technique, the Ranshinsho, which converted chakra into an electrical charge to disrupt the enemy's nervous system. The principles were not so different.
"Yuhi Kurenai," Takumi said, his voice calm and professorial, unconcerned with whether she could grasp the complex physics. "Are you aware that light and electromagnetic waves travel at the same speed? The moment you looked at me, I activated my Sharingan. You were casting your illusion at a phantom while I simply walked behind you."
Kurenai's expression shifted to one of stunned realization. This was a new layer of understanding for her. She had been careless. From now on, it wasn't just about avoiding an active Sharingan; she would have to avert her gaze the moment she even saw an Uchiha!
"Kurenai! There you are!"
The rustle of undergrowth announced a new arrival. Sarutobi Asuma emerged, breathing heavily. Seeing Kurenai was only practicing genjutsu with Takumi, he let out a sigh of relief. He had already begun to see her as a future prospect, and a possessiveness had taken root in his heart.
"Uchiha Takumi has the Sharingan," Asuma said, shaking his head as he approached Kurenai. "Why would you challenge him in his clan's specialty? Using genjutsu against an Uchiha is a losing battle." He wanted to persuade her to keep her distance from the complicated Uchiha boy. His mother, Biwako, had warned him that dealings with the Uchiha were often politically charged and best avoided. It was fine to be civil, but getting too close was asking for trouble.
"..."
Kurenai listened in silence, her hands clenching into tight fists at her sides. Was he saying that if you weren't an Uchiha, you shouldn't even bother with genjutsu? His words felt like a dismissal of her father's life's work.
"Asuma, what are you implying?" Kurenai's voice was cold.
"Kurenai, you misunderstood me," Asuma said quickly, seeing the hurt and anger on her face. He realized his words had been clumsy. He'd meant that she should use other tactics against an Uchiha, not challenge them in the one area they dominated. "What I meant was—"
"Sarutobi Asuma-san," Takumi interjected smoothly, cutting off Asuma's attempted clarification. "Yuhi Kurenai's genjutsu is remarkably powerful. Few in our class can match her in that field. In a contest of pure illusionary technique, even Kakashi would struggle against her." He turned his gaze to Kurenai, his expression one of genuine, calculated admiration. "That is why I respect her. Despite the Uchiha's infamous reputation in this art, Yuhi Kurenai possesses the courage to challenge that authority. With a ninja way of such conviction, she is destined for greatness."
For the sake of the new entry and the potential for more, Takumi didn't hesitate to throw the somewhat-delinquent Asuma under the proverbial wagon, heaping praise upon Kurenai. He knew her future record would be impressive—dozens of high-rank missions. It was a pity her peak was cut short by running into Itachi and Kisame, tarnishing her record. But her performance hadn't been shameful; holding her own against Itachi's genjutsu, even briefly, was a feat in itself, far surpassing someone like Orochimaru who was dispatched with a single glance. It was a matter of specialization. Later, after having a child, she would retire from active duty, her research into genjutsu ending prematurely.
"Takumi..." Kurenai was stunned. She hadn't expected this boy from Lightning, often so aloof, to speak with such perceptive grace.
"That's right, Kurenai," Takumi said, turning fully to face her, his voice firm and encouraging. "You must believe in yourself."
You must believe in yourself more, he thought, and grow even stronger. Then, let's see if defeating you again yields another valuable entry. He, of course, kept this latter part to himself, his kindness having its limits.
(End of Chapter)
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