Chapter 8: The Illusionary Kunai
A stunned silence gripped the classroom. Every student stared at the podium, their faces a canvas of sheer disbelief. Those who had been waiting for Aizen to fail were now utterly speechless.
He had performed the Transformation Jutsu perfectly on his first attempt, using only observation. Such defiant comprehension was unheard of.
"Student Aizen," Iruka began, wiping his brow, his voice solemn. "Was that truly your first time performing the Transformation Jutsu?"
If Aizen had prior training, his success would be unremarkable. But if this was his first attempt, it indicated a heaven-defying level of talent.
All eyes in the room were locked on Aizen, waiting for his answer.
"Yes, Iruka-sensei. That was my first time," Aizen replied, a gentle, humble smile gracing his lips.
A wave of gasps and murmurs swept through the classroom. The expressions of even the top students grew heavy. They remembered the hours of practice they had needed to master the technique.
Just as they were coming to terms with the idea of a super-talented but chakra-weak student, Aizen spoke again, sending another shock through their ranks.
"Not only is it my first time using the Transformation Jutsu, but I also only began practicing chakra last night."
The classroom exploded into noise. Looks of stunned incredulity were on every face. Many were sure they had misheard.
"What?! You started chakra training yesterday? Is that true?" Iruka's voice was thick with emotion, his face flushed. If this was true, then this transfer student wasn't a dead-last; he was a prodigy.
"Yes, Iruka-sensei," Aizen confirmed, his demeanor remaining perfectly calm and unaffected. The gentle smile never left his face.
In an instant, Aizen had carved a deep impression into everyone's mind: humble, low-key, gentle, and kind.
Yet, skepticism remained. "Tch, thirteen years old and only starting chakra now? Don't lie to us," a student sneered from a corner, his sentiment echoed by the doubtful looks of many others.
Aizen simply smiled at the questioning gazes. He stepped down from the podium with a calm, confident grace. To him, their belief was irrelevant; their doubts were the petty concerns of children. A little skepticism was, in fact, better for his long-term disguise.
"Alright, everyone, quiet down!" Iruka called, restoring order. "The Transformation Jutsu test is concluded. We will now proceed to the second assessment: Genjutsu!"
His words immediately refocused the class's attention.
"Next, I will take you to a sealed chamber. Inside are one thousand kunai. However, out of those thousand, only one is real."
"Your task is simple. Within the time limit, you must identify the real kunai. One more rule: the use of any bloodline limits is prohibited in this test. You must rely solely on your own senses and perception."
Iruka's explanation was clear. This test was designed to assess a student's innate talent for detecting and breaking illusions. The shortest completion time would indicate the highest affinity for genjutsu.
Genjutsu? Aizen smiled inwardly. For the other students, this might be challenging. But for the master of Kyōka Suigetsu, it was child's play.
The students reacted differently; those already skilled in genjutsu looked relaxed, while those who specialized in taijutsu wore grim expressions.
Soon, the class was led to a large, isolated building. A peculiar seal was inscribed on the door, hinting at contained power within.
"This is a specialized assessment room," Iruka explained. "It contains a seal laid down by a previous Hokage, designed to cast a specific illusion on anyone who enters."
He opened the door, revealing a dark, seemingly endless corridor. Just looking into it made one feel a strange, disorienting power.
"The students I call will walk to the end of this corridor and find the real kunai. Be aware, after each attempt, I will reset the room and relocate the real kunai. Therefore, everyone has the same chance."
Iruka looked at his list. "First, Hyuga Matsumi."
A boy from the Hyuga clan took a deep breath and stepped firmly into the corridor.
The class waited in nervous silence, curious about what was happening inside.
Time ticked by. Fifteen minutes passed before Hyuga Matsumi finally emerged, a single kunai clutched in his hand. He had passed, but he was panting heavily, sweat beading on his forehead like large beans, showing the mental strain he had endured.
"Fifteen minutes and thirty seconds. A decent result," Iruka said encouragingly, before calling the next name. "Second student, Akimichi Chōji."
Chōji walked into the passage with a look of dread. About twenty-five minutes later, he stumbled out, breathless but successful.
One by one, the students entered. All eventually succeeded, but their times varied greatly. Sasuke was the fastest, taking only six minutes. The slowest took over half an hour.
Finally, only one student remained.
"Next, Aizen Sōsuke."
Once again, as the last name called, Aizen became the center of attention. Every eye was on him, watching to see if his earlier claims were wild boasts or the terrifying truth.