Chapter 21: A Genius Revealed
"This is impossible! How could you break my genjutsu?!"
This time, it was Kurenai's turn to be utterly shocked. She stared at Aizen, who was moving freely, her breathing becoming rapid. The rise and fall of her chest with each agitated breath traced a perfect, distracting curve.
This Genjutsu: Tree Binding Death was one of her signature techniques, mysterious and unpredictable. As one of Konoha's top genjutsu specialists, she was confident that very few could break her illusions. She never expected that this seemingly unremarkable boy, Aizen, could dismantle it with such ease.
Is he a once-in-a-generation genius of illusion?
Kurenai's mind reeled. Her gaze remained fixed on Aizen for a long moment, silent. She had heard some things from Iruka—that Aizen was a ninjutsu prodigy. But now, he had effortlessly shattered her Tree Binding Death. This indicated that Aizen possessed not only formidable talent in ninjutsu but also a peerless genius for genjutsu.
Aizen simply smiled back at Kurenai, easily stepping free from the phantom tree's disintegrating grasp.
"Aizen-kun actually broke Kurenai-sensei's illusion... my God, is this real?" Kiba was dumbfounded, convinced he was hallucinating. He rubbed his eyes vigorously, only to confirm that Aizen was indeed standing there, looking back at him with a calm smile.
"It's amazing," Hinata whispered in awe. "Kurenai-sensei said only a peerless genius could be immune to her illusion from the start. I never expected Aizen to be so incredible not just at ninjutsu, but with the same powerful talent for genjutsu." Her feelings were less of envy and more of pure admiration. Though Aizen had started late, his natural gifts were immense, and she was genuinely happy for him.
"You've truly surprised me, Aizen," Kurenai finally said, her voice a mix of shock and admiration. "I never expected you to have such a powerful affinity for genjutsu, to be completely unaffected by my Tree Binding Death. This level of talent... it's on par with that man from back then."
At the mention of "that man," Kurenai's brow furrowed, her expression turning grave. Uchiha Itachi, the genius ninja of the Uchiha clan. He had displayed a formidable talent for ocular techniques and genjutsu from a very young age. In the realm of illusion, there were few in Konoha that Kurenai held in such high regard, and Itachi was one of them. It was just that this very genius had defected from Konoha years ago, becoming a vicious S-rank rogue ninja.
"Kurenai-sensei," Aizen began, scratching his head with an appropriately awkward gesture, "when you performed the jutsu, my mind went blank for a moment. When I came to, I was already bound by the tree. But that feeling disappeared almost instantly, and I found I could move again." He wore a perfectly dazed expression, his face the picture of someone who had no idea how he'd accomplished the feat.
Oh. So it was just a fluke, Kurenai thought, letting out a heavy sigh of relief mixed with lingering amazement. She saw the genuine confusion and even panic on Aizen's face and concluded he had broken the illusion by sheer, innate instinct. Yet, that in itself proved that Aizen's latent talent for genjutsu was extraordinary.
"Genjutsu: Release!"
Kurenai formed a single hand seal. The illusory tree vanished, and Kiba, Shino, and Hinata regained their mobility.
The three of them looked at Aizen with a mixture of envy and awe. The power of genjutsu was alluring, and Aizen seemed to possess a natural, immense advantage in it.
"However, this is a good thing," Kurenai said, her spirits lifting. She gave Aizen a thumbs-up. "Kiba, you three are all sensor-type ninja. Now, with a genjutsu genius like Aizen on your team, your future team combinations and tactics can become incredibly versatile."
She was genuinely pleased. As a genjutsu specialist herself, she naturally hoped to have a student who excelled in that very field.
"Alright, let's put this matter to rest," Kurenai said, her beautiful face softening into a kind, sisterly smile that warmed their hearts. "From now on, I will teach you according to your individual aptitudes and characteristics."
She stepped closer to the four of them, her tone turning serious and official. "Now, back to business. Team 8 is officially formed. That means it's time to start taking on missions."
"Awesome! We can finally start doing missions!" Kiba leaped into the air, cheering uncontrollably. Becoming a ninja and going on missions had always been his dream.
"In our Konoha village, missions are generally divided into four ranks: D, C, B, and A," Kurenai explained solemnly. "Similarly, ninja are ranked as Genin, Chūnin, Jōnin, and Kage. Each rank has different mission permissions. For example, D-rank missions are for Genin, while C-rank missions can be taken by Genin and Chūnin. A-rank missions, however, require Jōnin-level personnel to execute."
"So, as the newest rookies, you four only have the authority to take D-rank missions for now. Tomorrow, we will undertake our first D-rank mission. I look forward to seeing your performance then."
Hearing this, the whole team cheered. They couldn't wait to begin their missions and experience the real life of a shinobi.