Then, Kurenai took a deep breath and retrieved a drawing board and brush from her storage scroll.
"Father, Asuma… leave this battle to me."
"This is…?" Seeing what she had taken out, Yuhi Shinku was stunned, his pupils narrowing. He had a guess in mind, but he dared not voice it.
What Kurenai did next, however, completely overturned her father's understanding of her.
After mixing her pigments, she began painting directly with the brush.
To an ordinary ninja like Asuma, this scene seemed unusual but harmless. However, a seasoned genjutsu master like Yuhi Shinku could immediately sense the spiritual power flowing into Kurenai's artwork, accompanied by distinct Yin chakra fluctuations.
There was no mistaking it. Kurenai was performing a genjutsu — a large-scale illusion cast through the medium of her painting.
That alone was already an incredible feat. But to Shinku, the precision and potency of her chakra revealed more — this was a kekkei genkai. A bloodline limit.
And not just any bloodline. Shinku recognized it from past mission briefings — the genjutsu bloodline limit of the Kurama clan, a near-extinct Konoha clan feared for their ability to manipulate all five senses of their targets.
He remembered the reports well: even without full control, a Kurama clan member could trap opponents in hyperrealistic illusions so intense that victims might die from the trauma alone.
Now, he was certain — Kurenai was using this power, but with a medium never documented before: art.
Sure enough, as her painting was completed, screams and cries of panic erupted from the Iwagakure fortress ahead. Sounds of confusion and slaughter echoed through the valley.
"Cough, cough… Shinku-sensei," a voice interrupted. "Shouldn't you be proud to see your daughter being this outstanding?"
The speaker, Kawaki Aoba, stepped beside him. Shinku snapped out of his daze and turned sharply to look at the boy, narrowing his eyes.
Unless Kurenai's mother was a member of the Kurama clan — and Shinku was certain that wasn't the case — then the only explanation he could accept was that this brat had something to do with it.
He vividly recalled how, last year, Aoba had said with conviction, "Kurenai's genjutsu will shock you someday."
And now, hadn't she?
The Kurama bloodline was said to allow one to twist the senses of others, even making illusions indistinguishable from reality. Some even claimed it could manifest illusions into the physical world — surpassing the feared Uchiha in some respects.
Shinku wasn't ready to debate that point — not yet. But one question burned in his mind:
How did this kid do it?
Faced with his intense gaze, Aoba's shadow clone took a few steps back, scratched his head shyly, and offered a sheepish smile.
Even he hadn't expected this outcome. The sacrificial altar he used could even generate kekkei genkai from within the Naruto world — and the Kurama bloodline turned out to be a perfect fit for Kurenai. He hadn't been able to resist giving it to her.
Meanwhile, Asuma Sarutobi, who had been mostly ignored during the exchange, stood with a dazed expression.
Who could explain to him how he, the Hokage's son, had become the weakest one on the team in the blink of an eye?
---
The Old Sixth Tactic: Capture the Jinchuriki Alive
Chaos. Fear. Slaughter.
Under the illusion that twisted all five senses, the eight Iwagakure shinobi lost all sense of reality. Ensnared by hallucinations, they turned their weapons on each other without hesitation.
The bloodbath was short. When the illusions ended, only one Iwa ninja remained standing — trembling and horrified.
He looked down at the mangled corpses of his former comrades, his face twisted with pain and remorse.
"Rest in peace. I promise… the village will avenge you."
He bandaged his wounds in silence, then staggered away from the fortress, never once looking back.
He, too, was still trapped in Kurenai's illusion. Yet, unlike the others, he had survived — a messenger of terror to the rest of Iwagakure.
"What a terrifying genjutsu…" Yuhi Shinku muttered with sincere admiration.
Even while marveling at Kawaki Aoba's mysterious methods, he couldn't help but envy his daughter. If he had wielded such power in his youth, could he have rivaled the Kage?
Sensing Shinku's conflicted emotions, Aoba's clone leaned closer to Kurenai and said with a smile, "You're incredible, Kurenai. This kind of genjutsu talent is one of a kind."
Yuhi Shinku: "…"
Jealousy gnawed at him, but he was still a father. He didn't ask Aoba for explanations. Instead, he looked forward — to his daughter's future.
As for what the Kurama clan would think if Kurenai awakened their kekkei genkai?
That bridge would be crossed when the time came. The Kurama clan was already in decline — few remained, and the last known active member had recently passed away. Their influence had waned considerably.
For now, the clan wouldn't pose a threat.
Afterward, Aoba's shadow clone dispelled itself, and the three continued on their mission. The Iwagakure outpost they'd just crushed was the first — but definitely not the last.
---
In the days that followed, the trio wreaked havoc across the Land of Grass. Every Iwa stronghold they encountered met a grim fate.
Sometimes, Kurenai's genjutsu would collapse the enemy forces from within. Other times, Shinku would open the Eight Inner Gates, tearing through their defenses with brutal taijutsu.
Strangely, the more Shinku relied on the Eight Gates, the more he found himself enjoying it. The thrill of hand-to-hand combat stirred something primal in him — far more satisfying than any illusion.
But compared to the father-daughter duo, Asuma was struggling.
Desperate not to be labeled the weakest, Asuma had challenged Shinku twice for the right to lead offensives on his own. Both times, his results were disappointing.
If not for the life-saving red pills and his chakra-infused trench knives, Asuma would likely have died.
The setbacks left Asuma reeling — and disheartened.
To be fair, Asuma Sarutobi's strength was far from weak. Calling him a genius wouldn't be an exaggeration. Unfortunately, both of his teammates had overwhelming abilities that could be called "cheats."
Even now, Kawaki Aoba hadn't identified any special abilities or secret techniques that would give Asuma a significant edge beyond his standard chakra nature and close-combat prowess.
So for now, that poor guy could only keep waiting for his moment.
On Kurenai Yuhi's front, however, operations were progressing at full speed. In just a few days, her squad had captured or destroyed nearly ten Iwagakure (Iwa) strongholds.
This caused quite a stir across the border. Kawaki Aoba believed the opportunity he'd been waiting for would soon present itself.
And indeed, it did.
An inconspicuous sparrow, devoid of any detectable chakra, flew leisurely above the treetops. It had lingered in this forest for several days.
Unbeknownst to others, this sparrow was none other than Kawaki Aoba himself, transformed using a perfected infiltration technique. He had remained stationed here, observing and waiting patiently while draining the morale of the fortress's defenders.
Suddenly, his Kenbunshoku Haki—a borrowed concept from another world entirely—flared. He sensed the approach of another Iwa messenger. Though this had become routine, Aoba instinctively expanded his Haki to the maximum and activated his future-sight technique.
This daily ritual had become second nature to him.
At first, it seemed like nothing would change. But then—something shifted.
The future he glimpsed altered unexpectedly.
An Iwa shinobi, bruised and bloodied, staggered into view. Upon seeing the fortress in the distance, relief washed over his face.
After passing the authentication protocol, the wounded ninja stumbled into the command post.
"My lords, our outpost on the eastern border was assaulted by a squad of elite Konoha shinobi. I… I'm the only survivor."
Silence followed his report—an oppressive, suffocating stillness. More than a dozen Jōnin-level shinobi turned to him, their stares sharp enough to pierce steel. The tension was palpable.
Finally—
Bang!
Rōshi, quick-tempered and impulsive, slammed the table in frustration. "Damn those Konoha rats! How many strongholds have we lost already? Do they think Iwagakure is going to just sit quietly?"
He turned to the others.
"How long have we been holed up here? Do you really believe this ambush plan is still viable? Face it—Onoki's strategy has been compromised. If we keep sitting on our hands, we'll lose everything."
"Watch your words, Rōshi. Don't slander the Tsuchikage," retorted Han, the reserved and stoic jinchūriki of the Five-Tails.
Rōshi merely scoffed in disdain.
Everyone present had grim expressions. Deep down, they all knew—this mission had gone sideways. The enemy had anticipated them.
And then—
"It's finally time for me to act," Kawaki Aoba muttered.
The small sparrow plummeted from the sky. Just before touching the ground, he morphed into a nondescript Iwa shinobi—one he had observed over the past few days.
He had initially planned to impersonate a fallen elite Jōnin, but his future sight had shown that blending in as a lesser-known messenger was a safer bet.
Mirroring the earlier wounded shinobi, Aoba staggered into the compound, face bloodied and breath ragged.
Inside the fortress, the prior arguments halted.
"The alarm's been triggered again. Someone's approaching."
"But the path is direct. Doesn't seem like a Konoha ninja."
A short time passed. After confirming the proper codes, Kawaki Aoba was granted entry.
"What's going on? Iwata, weren't you stationed at Fortress Seven?" Han asked sharply.
Fortress Seven wasn't just a minor checkpoint—it was a key stronghold guarded by over thirty skilled shinobi.
"Lord Han, Lord Rōshi," Aoba said with urgency, "Fortress Seven has come under heavy attack. Lord Kawada sent me to report—reinforcements are needed immediately. I'm afraid they can't hold out much longer."
Aoba's performance was flawless. Every detail, from his labored breathing to the panic in his eyes, sold the story.
Rōshi didn't even wait to speak. His temper boiling, he stormed out of the command post.
"Rōshi! Where are you going?" Han called.
"Where do you think? I'm heading to reinforce Fortress Seven! We've wasted enough time. If we don't move now, we'll lose more than just a few border posts. Kumogakure's watching—I guarantee it. Or are we just going to leave everything to Hōki and the others?"
Han clenched his fists but said nothing.
The other Jōnin now looked to him. Onoki had made it clear before deployment—Han was to lead this ambush force, not Rōshi. But with morale waning and their trust shaken, they were gravitating toward action.
Han sighed in reluctant resignation.
"Fine. We move. Prepare to reinforce Fortress Seven. But if the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki isn't there, this entire operation may be for nothing."
As the unit mobilized, none noticed the disheveled shinobi in their midst—Kawaki Aoba—making subtle movements.
They were clumsy, almost obvious, but according to the future he'd seen… this was the moment.
This was the break.
"...Wait a second—something's not right. You—"
Visit patreon.com/Akeyno to get 30+ chapters