In the blink of an eye,
Afternoon arrived.
This period was designated for free activities.
Asuma Sarutobi approached Kiyoshi.
By now, quite a crowd had gathered.
They were all curious—
Aside from taijutsu,
What other strengths did this Uchiha possess?
Over the past few months of sparring,
Kiyoshi had defeated every opponent using only taijutsu.
Might Guy had even begun to regard him as a kindred spirit,
Always trying to drag him into "burning youth" together whenever they met.
"Red, are you that confident in Kiyoshi?"
Rin Nohara asked softly.
Under the sunlight, every detail of her lips was clearly visible,
Looking soft and delicate.
"I can't speak for everything else, but when it comes to genjutsu—
Kiyoshi definitely has an understanding far beyond ordinary people."
Kurenai turned her head.
She still remembered how Rin had gone to see Kiyoshi alone late one evening not long ago.
Who knew what they had been doing.
"I see."
Rin nodded.
The theories Kiyoshi had explained to her were indeed useful.
The last time she met Kakashi,
They had talked for a long time.
It had been a while since she had seen Kakashi so interested in something.
Rin wanted to ask Kiyoshi for more guidance,
But she hesitated—
Afraid she might bother him if she kept going.
After all,
Whenever she taught Kiyoshi something,
He only needed to hear it once.
The rest, he would practice on his own—
And before long, he would master it.
But when it came to learning Lightning Release,
She had no confidence at all.
It would probably take her a long time.
"Red, do you know what Kiyoshi likes?"
Rin planned to win him over by catering to his preferences.
"Why are you asking that?"
Kurenai looked at her in surprise.
Before Rin could answer—
Kiyoshi and Asuma's match was about to begin.
The two girls could only turn their attention to the field.
"Come."
Kiyoshi spoke calmly,
His gaze steady as he looked at Asuma.
In front of him,
A panel flashed briefly.
[Trait: Apprentice Genjutsu Ninja (White)]
[Requirement: Use a basic genjutsu.]
[Progress: (Completed).]
[Effect: Your talent in genjutsu increases by 10% on top of your base.]
[Note: Can be further upgraded.]
This was a trait Kiyoshi had obtained a few nights ago.
After stepping into the basics of Lightning Release: Fierce Flash,
He had gained a genjutsu-related trait that enhanced his natural talent.
"Remember—don't use the Sharingan."
Asuma added before the match began.
Kiyoshi nodded.
Asuma glanced toward Kurenai,
Then at the surrounding students who had gathered to watch.
Without hesitation,
He began molding chakra, forming hand seals—
Then suddenly locked eyes with Kiyoshi.
In genjutsu,
Striking first was everything.
Asuma noticed a faint glint of light flash in Kiyoshi's palm.
As if something had reflected the light.
A kunai?
The thought crossed his mind—
But he didn't dwell on it.
What mattered now
Was seizing the initiative.
If he could drag Kiyoshi into a genjutsu first,
He would gain a massive advantage.
Two thick branches burst from the ground,
Coiling upward and binding Kiyoshi tightly.
"It worked!"
Asuma felt a surge of joy.
This genjutsu had been personally taught to him by his uncle.
It was said to be a technique he often used in his youth.
A lower-tier version of the B-rank technique Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death.
This one was only D-rank—
Called Demonic Illusion: Branch Binding.
Watching the tree trunks continuously emerge from the ground,
Their rough bark wrapping tightly around Kiyoshi's body,
Binding his limbs—
Asuma couldn't help but smile.
"My genjutsu talent isn't bad, huh? What do you think, Red?"
He turned toward Kurenai with a grin.
"…Red?"
But something was wrong.
Kurenai didn't respond.
She didn't move at all.
Looking around—
Everyone else was the same.
Frozen in place like wooden statues.
"What's going on?"
A sense of unease crept into Asuma's heart.
He looked around frantically.
The clouds in the sky had stopped moving.
The once noisy training ground—
Had fallen completely silent.
It was as if the entire world
Contained only him.
Just as panic was about to overwhelm him—
A familiar voice echoed in his ear.
"Asuma Sarutobi… when did you start thinking you had cast a genjutsu?"
Asuma's pupils shrank.
That voice—
Kiyoshi!
Crack.
A faint sound like shattering glass rang out.
A chill ran down his neck.
He lowered his head—
A black kunai was pressed against his throat.
"I… I lost."
Asuma said bitterly.
To be honest—
He didn't even know how he had lost.
"Why did Asuma suddenly freeze? And Kiyoshi just walked over and placed a kunai at his neck!"
"Were you sleeping in class? That's obviously genjutsu. We can't see a genjutsu battle."
"Oh… right."
"As expected of an Uchiha."
Some students began looking at Kiyoshi with respect.
A few months ago,
He had just been an outsider—
A mixed-blood Uchiha.
Now,
His talent in taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu
Was nothing short of genius.
Almost comparable to Kakashi, who had already graduated early.
Public opinion about him had completely changed.
After all—
No one wanted to offend a future powerhouse.
"Useless… absolutely useless!"
Obito clenched his teeth in frustration.
Kurenai was right there—
And Asuma still lost so inexplicably.
If it were him—
At least he wouldn't get defeated instantly.
"Can you tell me… why I lost?"
Asuma's face flushed red,
But he still forced himself to ask.
He wanted to understand—
Where exactly he had failed.
"From the very beginning,
You were already under a genjutsu."
Kiyoshi withdrew the kunai.
At the same time,
A notification appeared in his mind.
"You have comprehended the trait: Chakra Flow · Fire Release (White)."
[Trait: Chakra Flow · Fire Release (White)]
[Requirement: Defeat Sarutobi Asuma in his youth.]
[Progress: (Completed).]
[Effect: Your 'chakra flow' can now imbue Fire Release into weapons.]
[Note: Can be further upgraded.]
Kiyoshi narrowed his eyes slightly.
In his opinion,
This white-tier trait was even better than some green-tier ones.
So-called chakra flow
Was the act of attaching chakra to the surface of the body—
Hands, feet, hair—
Or even weapons.
The Gentle Fist's Twin Lion Fists
Were essentially a form of chakra flow.
To put it simply—
It was "enchanting."
Adding attributes to weapons.
For example,
In the future, Asuma would infuse wind-nature chakra into his blades,
Maintaining it over long periods—
This was known as chakra flow.
Special metals only made this process easier to conduct.
"Because you focused too much on my eyes,
You ignored my hands."
Having gained a useful trait,
Kiyoshi patiently explained to Asuma—his "second resource."
He raised his hand.
A faint light gathered at his fingertips.
Lightning Release: Fierce Flash!
Some say the pacing is slow—
Graduation is coming soon.
— End of Chapter —