It had been a week since Arata-sensei introduced the class to Bukijutsu, and today was their first real test.
The tension on the training field was obvious as every student knew this sparring wasn't just practice. It was evaluation.
Murakami had spent the week training with his staff, refining his stance, footwork, and strikes. Themanual Arata-sensei gave him provided the fundamentals, but it was the repetition that mattered, and he had put in the hours.
Now, standing on the academy field with his classmates gathering around, Murakami felt something unusual tightening in his chest.
Excitement.
It wasn't a feeling he welcomed often, but this time… he let it stay.
Arata-sensei stood Infront of the group, his sharp gaze sweeping over as he spoke.
"You've all had a week to train, and now it's time to see the results," he announced. "Sparring is the best way to test your growth, and it will also highlight your weaknesses."
Some of the students shuffled their feet nervously, while others with prior weapons experience seemed eager.
"You'll be paired up based on your skill level," Arata-sensei continued. "Remember, this isn't a battle to decide a victor. The goal is to learn. That being said, if you don't take it seriously, you will get hurt."
He said with a tone of certainty as his eyes flickered to a stack of wooden training weapons lined up beside him. "Pick your weapons."
Murakami moved towards the staff in the rack ithout hesitation.
He selected a wooden staff slightly taller than himself, and with a comfortable weight in his grip.
As the rest of the class chose their weapons from wooden swords, daggers, short swords, Murakami scanned the group quietly
Some already looked confident with their choices while others handled their weapons with visible tension and uncertainty.
"Murakami," Arata-sensei called, pulling him out of his thoughts. "You'll be facing Kenji."
Murakami nodded and shot a glacnce at Kenji who met his gaze with a confident smirk. Broad-shouldered and seemingly fearless, Kenji twirled his wooden short sword lazily as he stepped into the sparring ring.
'Predictable.' Murakami thought as he analyzed. 'Raw strength, I don't know about his technique. I just need to stay calm and wait for his rhythm.'
He stepped forward, gripping his staff diagonally across his body.
Arata-sensei raised a hand. "Begin."
Kenji lunged first, swinging his short sword in a wide horizontal arc aimed at Murakami's midsection.
'Horizontal swing…' Murakami noted. It was fast but predictable. He saw the intention before Kenji's feet even left the ground.
He slipped smoothly to the right, rotating his staff in a smooth motion to block the strike.
Kenji stumbled, momentarily caught off-balance and Murakami capitalised on that and thrust the end of his bō toward Kenji's chest, but Kenji managed to deflect it, the impact still forcing him back a step.
The smirk faded from his face, replaced by focus.
"Not bad," Kenji muttered.
This time, he didn't rush. He circled, searching for an opening and Murakami kept his stance firm, tracking his movements with calm focus.
'Good, he's starting to respect the distance.' Murakami observed him carefully.
Kenji feinted left, then lunged right. A good fake, but Murakami read the real motion instantly, his taff snapped downward across Kenji's wrist, knocking his blade off-line.
Kenji grunted but held on, spinning to swing at Murakami's side but the staff blocked just in time, impact jolting his arms.
'Strong.' Murakami thought as he felt the jolt. 'If I'm sloppy, that could hurt.'
Stepping back, Murakami decided to end it quickly as he shifted into a low offensive stance. 'Mid-range is mine. I can control the distance.'
Kenji came in again, more cautious, but Murakami didn't wait as he swung the staff in a horizontal arc.
Kenji was startled and raised his sword to block, but Murakami pulled the strike back at the last moment and drove the end of the staff straight into Kenji's stomach.
The boy staggered back, gasping.
'Perfect. That slowed him. Now the legs…' Before he could recover, Murakami swept the staff low, knocking his legs out from under him.
The boy hit the ground hard and Murakami brought his staff above his throat.
The spar ended in less than a minute and Murakami understood that this was all because his movements were controlled. There was no excess force in his strike as precision and technique made up for that.
Silence fell across the field.
Arata-sensei nodded approvingly. "Match over. Murakami wins."
Lowering his staff, Murakami stepped back as Kenji pushed himself up with a groan, rubbing his stomach, eyes wide but grudgingly respectful. "Damn… you got me good."
'He's strong… better than I expected from just observing. But technique beat raw strength every time.' Murakami concluded internally.
"You're strong. Just need to work on your technique."
Kenji chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Yeah… yeah."
He said in-between pauses as he walked out of the ring with Murakami following behind him.
As the other matches unfolded, Murakami analyzed quietly.
Each individual has tells. The human mind was flexible but the body naturally isn't. They think they can hide their intentions, but muscle memory gives them away.
His eyes flicked back to Kenji. Murakami had won his first real spar with the staff, but he knew he wasn't unbeatable.
Under the right conditions, he knew Kenji would have been a difficult opponent. The same went for a few of his classmates.
Aiko lost miserably but wasn't disheartened. The training with Murakami over the past few days had mellowed her down a bit.
She used a whip, which, to Murakami was deadly when mastered, but incredulously sloppy at the moment.
He understood that there were still areas to improve in his Bojutsu. Speed, reaction time, and transitioning between offense and defense more fluidly.
Satisfaction didn't come from a single victory. He couldn't and wouldn't allow that.
As the day went on and the matches wrapped up, Arata-sensei gathered the students together.
"This is only the beginning," he said. "Weapons take time to master. Some of you did well today. Others…" His gaze landed on a few students who had been thoroughly beaten. "…need more work."
He crossed his arms. "But that's the point of training. You have potential, all of you. It's up to you to refine it."
After the intense Bukijutsu session, the class took a short break before moving on to the next lesson.
Most students were still nursing sore limbs, or complaining about their matches.
Murakami, however, used the time to replay every movement from his fight with Kenji as well as rhe other matches in his mind, analyzing each strike, feint, and parry to identify where and how he could improve.
Before Murakami could dive deeper into his analysis, Arata-sensei returned to the front of the classroom.
"Next, you'll be starting your Genjutsu lessons. Your instructor was unavailable last week, but he'll be handling it from now on. Everyone, sit down and pay attention."
At his signal, a tall man stepped in. Dark brown hair framed sharp features, and his piercing red eyes scanned the room with quiet intensity.
"My name is Yuhi Tetsuo," he announced, "I will be your instructor for Genjutsu."
He turned to Arata-sensei and nodded to which Arata-sensei nodded back before leaving the classroom.
"I don't need to know your names… for reasons best known to me." He continued as soon as the classroom door went shut.
"Some of you might already know that my clan, the Yuhi Clan, specializes in this art, though we are not as well-known as the Uchiha."
A few students exchanged glances. Konoha's famed Uchiha clan were well known for their powerful Dōjutsu and Genjutsu skills.
Tetsuo-sensei ignored them and continued.
"Before we begin, I have a question for you all." He crossed his arms, scanning the class. "What is Genjutsu?"
Silence fell. Some students shifted nervously, unsure whether to answer. A boy at the front hesitantly raised his hand.
"It's… illusory techniques?"
Tetsuo-sensei nodded. "Correct, but that's an oversimplification. Genjutsu is far more than illusory techniques. It's the manipulation of the senses, which in turn affects the mind, causing the target to perceive things that aren't real."
He moved to the chalkboard, writing as he spoke. "Genjutsu interferes with the flow of chakra in a person's nervous system. Unlike Ninjutsu, which alters the physical world, or Taijutsu, which relies purely on the body, Genjutsu manipulates perception. Used correctly, it can be as dangerous as any weapon or jutsu."
He stepped back, revealing three points on the board:
1. The Basis of Genjutsu
2. Common Applications
3. Countering Genjutsu
"To cast Genjutsu, one must disrupt the target's senses with chakra. This can be done through sight, sound, or touch." His gaze swept over the class.
"Most techniques use sight or sound as the primary medium to manipulate the mind and make the target see or hear things that aren't real."
"That's how the majority of shinobi use it." He paused, letting the class absorb it.
"Advanced users, however, can cause the target to experience sensations beyond sight and sound, like touch, smell, or even pain."
"These aren't mediums for the technique, but effects induced by precise control of chakra within the target's nervous system. The stronger and more skilled the user, the more real these sensations can feel."
A ripple of unease passed through the students at the mention of manipulating pain.
Tetsuo-sensei smirked slightly then continued. "Genjutsu is often underestimated due to how simple it looks in contrast to the overwhelming might of Ninjutsu and Taijutsu."
"Beyond simple illusions, it can disorient opponents, create false images, instill fear, and even extract information."
He let that settle before pointing to the final point; Countering Genjutsu.
"This is a skill in itself that requires disrupting your own chakra flow; Genjutsu: Kai, or experiencing real pain. However, the stronger the technique, the more difficult it is to break."
A girl in the back asked, "What about the Sharingan? Isn't that the best for Genjutsu?"
Tetsuo-sensei remained neutral. "The Sharingan allows for high-level Genjutsu, true, but a strong mind, coupled with intuition and precise chakra control are just as valuable."
Before anyone could ask any more questions, "Enough theory."
"Let's move on to a practical exercise." He said and made a series of hand signs. [Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Technique.]
And gestured toward the classroom door. "One of you, walk toward the door."
A boy stepped forward confidently, but as he neared the door, he paused. His eyes darted around, and his hand hesitated midair.
The door seemed to be there, yet not there at the same time, just out of reach, and for a brief moment, reality itself seemed to waver before snapping back.
Tetsuo-sensei explained, "This is the False Surroundings Technique. This technique layers an illusion over a location, causing it to look like a different location."
"Now, practice molding your chakra to replicate it. Don't expect perfection, but focus on understanding the process. Watch and follow accordingly." He said and repeated the hand signs slowly.
Students immediately follwoed to perform the hand signs, some failing to control their chakra properly.
Murakami watched closely, analyzing Tetsuo-sensei's movements. He had refined his chakra control over time and understood the theory.
The earlier Genjutsu had baffled even him since he didn't realise the illusion placed on them earlier.
He didn't let that bother him though. That was merely due to his inexperience in that field. It was his first time encountering a Genjutsu and it would be weirder If he had noticed it.
Focusing, he molded his chakra, visualizing the distortion he wanted before making the necessary hand sign.
As the technique was released, the classroom walls flickered before shifting slightly.
it was not perfect, but it was noticeable.
Just as Murakami assumed his attempt had gone unnoticed, Tetsuo-sensei's keen eyes locked on the slight distortion. A quick, approving nod was all he gave before returning his attention to the rest of the class.
A small smirk appeared on Murakami's face. 'Interesting… this could be worth exploring.'