Chapter 13: Tasting "Beautiful Things"
There was no guarantee of a real reward, and even whether Samui would agree to his request was uncertain.
This was simply about… opening a door.
Yes, just opening a door.
Seiji knew full well that, given his current status and strength, he had no real leverage to demand anything of real value from Kumogakure.
So instead of pushing too far, he chose to lower his stance and ask for a trivial benefit.
A D-rank jutsu—harmless, unthreatening, and unlikely to raise suspicion.
It was a test. A probe of Samui's bottom line.
He stood there, the dim lighting stretching his shadow long behind him.
"Until next time, Miss Samui," Seiji said, tucking the scroll deep into his tool pouch to avoid being seen, then turning to leave.
This wasn't the end—far from it.
Today it was D-rank. Next time, the price of "sincerity" would have to be much higher.
His Sharingan still needed more... emotional fuel.
---
Before returning home, Seiji stopped by the sushi shop to pick up a boxed meal—part of his cover.
After all, he needed a plausible reason to have visited the store. He couldn't afford to leave with nothing.
Last time, he'd lingered inside for quite a while. This time, just a few minutes. Grabbing sushi made it look normal.
But halfway back home, someone suddenly bumped into him.
The sushi in his hands tumbled to the ground with a splatter.
"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!"
A girl with slightly curled hair and a bit of baby fat on her cheeks quickly bowed in apology.
"I-I'll pay for the sushi!"
Yuhi Kurenai looked down at the scattered rice balls and side dishes, then up at the boy she'd bumped into—only to realize he was a classmate.
"You're… Seiji, right? I'm so sorry!"
"It's fine, Kurenai-san," Seiji replied calmly.
The sushi had only been a prop anyway.
He had no real intention of eating it—it was just to avoid drawing attention.
He had spent quite a while inside last time, and too short a visit this time would seem suspicious. Buying something gave him an excuse.
"No, that won't do. I'll get you the exact same sushi to make up for it."
Kurenai insisted, trying to drag Seiji back with her to replace what she'd ruined.
"They've already closed," Seiji said.
"You got it from the shop on the left-back street, right?"
"Yeah."
"I thought so. They close pretty early."
Kurenai lowered her head, clearly unsure what to do next.
She had wanted to ask Seiji about genjutsu for some time—after all, he was an Uchiha with the Sharingan. But now she'd just made a bad first impression.
"I'll let you repay me another way," Seiji said.
Kurenai's eyes lit up. "Really? Sure!"
Ten minutes later, they arrived at a small restaurant.
Kurenai, clearly familiar with the place, quickly ordered a variety of dishes and handed Seiji the menu.
He opened it to find a selection almost entirely composed of seafood, especially octopus dishes.
Seiji casually chose something, then set the menu aside.
Soon, the table was covered in food—most notably a large serving of wasabi-marinated octopus.
According to the official guidebook, Kurenai's favorite foods were sake, vodka, and wasabi octopus.
Her least favorite? Cake.
"Seiji-kun, does the Sharingan enhance genjutsu?" she asked after taking a bite of the spicy dish.
"It does provide a boost," Seiji replied, looking at her, "but how much depends on the user's own skill."
The Sharingan had its limits.
Its genjutsu enhancement was real, but not infinite.
If the user was already a genjutsu expert, the Sharingan could make them even more formidable.
For example, in the era of the Databooks, Kurenai had a Genjutsu stat of 10—while even Kakashi, with his three-tomoe Sharingan, only had an 8.
For Kakashi, the Sharingan's strength lay more in copying techniques than in genjutsu.
"In that case… would you be willing to practice genjutsu with me sometime, Seiji-kun?" Kurenai asked, her ruby-red eyes fixed on him.
Her theory made perfect sense.
If she worked hard enough, she could catch up to the Uchiha—and restore her father's honor as a genjutsu user.
"I don't mind," Seiji replied. "But not right away. Tomorrow I have a sparring match with Obito, and after class, I need to focus on chakra control training."
He let his eyes drift over Kurenai for a moment.
"Very cute."
That was Seiji's evaluation.
But what he truly preferred was the future version of Kurenai—elegant and composed, radiating the allure of a mature woman.
A "beautiful thing" like that… surely had a unique flavor when savored.
Seiji could feel a warm current swirling in his left eye.
Of course, it was still too early.
For now, simply discussing genjutsu with this younger Kurenai wasn't a bad idea.
After all, most of the Uchiha clan's genjutsu revolved around the Sharingan—using other methods to cast illusions was far less common.
Yet the Yuhi clan had still earned its name for specializing in genjutsu, even under the long shadow cast by the Uchiha's reputation.
Clearly, they had some real skill.
"That's great!"
Kurenai's eyes curved into little crescent moons as she smiled brightly, thinking Seiji was a kind and approachable person.
In fact, she was beginning to wonder if maybe people from the Land of Lightning were all this easygoing.
She had no idea why Seiji had really agreed.
---
Meanwhile, in the hidden chamber beneath the sushi shop—
"Lord Samodo."
Samui bowed respectfully.
"Yotsuki Seiji came by?" Samodo asked.
"…He requested a D-rank scroll."
Samui hesitated slightly, then gave a brief and sanitized version of what had happened—how Seiji had received the Lightning Release: Iron Body technique.
She didn't recount everything word for word—especially not the part where Seiji had made the request in response to her suggestion.
Her calm demeanor betrayed no emotion, as though she were reporting something trivial.
"Very good. From now on, you'll be responsible for continued contact with Yotsuki Seiji. We must bring him into Kumogakure's fold."
Samoto nodded in satisfaction, his focus settling on the fact that Seiji had made a request.
That was a good sign. If Seiji wanted something, they could work with that.
Most shinobi, early in their careers, began solidifying their combat style.
Once Seiji got used to using Lightning Release techniques, he'd naturally come back for more.
The Uchiha might be proficient in Lightning Release, but they couldn't compare to Kumogakure—the village renowned for it.
What the Uchiha truly excelled at was Fire Release. Their clan emblem was a fan, symbolizing mastery over flames.
"The Uchiha's kekkei genkai could greatly enhance the village's strength," Samoto mused aloud as he picked up a piece of sushi and swallowed it.
Once he achieved this merit, would he still need to play the role of a spy—enduring these thankless missions?
If not for the chance to climb higher within the village, building a résumé worthy of promotion, he would never have risked his life infiltrating Konoha.
One wrong move, and he'd be discarded like trash.
"Also, Lord Samoto… I…"
Samui hesitated after a moment, biting her lip. She felt it might be best to tell the full story after all.
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