After Keiji stepped out, he pulled out a scroll on swordsmanship and scanned it briefly.
It was titled: "Cloud-Hidden Style Sword Technique: Soaring Bird."
The principle behind it was simple: activate cells using Lightning Release to temporarily enhance speed and overwhelm the opponent with sheer swiftness.
"I'll need a sword," Keiji muttered, rolling the scroll back up.
He wasn't yet a full-fledged shinobi, meaning he couldn't take on missions or earn a proper income.
At best, he could secretly acquire some scrolls from the Hidden Cloud to strengthen himself.
As for ninja tools or money? Out of the question.
Anything beyond Keiji's reasonable capacity would immediately draw suspicion—people would start wondering where he was getting these things.
A ninja's tools had to be bought with their own money.
Even Nara Shikamaru referred to basic items like explosive tags and smoke bombs as "luxuries."
Earning as a ninja meant gambling with your life. And even on missions, you paid for your own supplies.
Only inexpensive items like kunai and shuriken were used as standard throwaways.
Even elite clans like the Uchiha didn't provide everything.
In the Itachi Shinden novel, Shisui's father lost a leg during a mission, and a young Shisui had to support the family. That's how steep the costs were.
Keiji's situation was even worse.
The living stipend he got from the Uchiha clan barely covered his basic needs.
He could save up a little for snacks, but buying a quality sword? No way.
"If it comes to it, I'll make do with a wooden sword," he thought.
Until he graduated from the academy, that would suffice.
Once he became a Genin, he could start doing missions and afford a real iron blade.
"Keiji!"
A voice called out from the distance just as Keiji was stressing over money.
He turned to see Kurenai Yuhi.
"What's up?" Keiji asked calmly.
He had a thing for mature women. Kurenai? Still too young.
"Didn't you say we could practice genjutsu together when you had time?" Her crimson eyes stared at him, lips slightly parted.
Keiji recalled—ah, right. He had promised that.
But he'd been focusing so hard on mastering the Lightning Release: Iron Body to gain the "Strengthen Physique" trait, he'd completely pushed that promise aside.
"You didn't forget, did you?" Kurenai frowned, clearly having prepared extensively.
"…Alright," Keiji nodded.
Good chance to test his genjutsu as well.
He hadn't had a real opportunity to use Sharingan-based genjutsu in class yet; they only taught basic techniques and theory.
So, he agreed and followed Kurenai to a quieter training field.
"Isn't that Uchiha Keiji?" Obito muttered, having just finished helping an elderly lady walk and wiping sweat off his brow.
He caught a glimpse of that unmistakable deep-blue Uchiha cloak—and someone taller than him.
He'd never forget that back.
Every time Keiji and Rin discussed advanced ninja techniques, Obito had nothing to contribute.
That's when he felt the sting of ignorance most.
How could someone be that physically gifted and smart?
Was Keiji really from the Land of Lightning?
Obito doubted the intel. Since Keiji arrived at the academy, he had grown exponentially stronger.
For a bottom-tier student like Obito, Keiji felt like the real Uchiha.
After all, most Uchiha were born elite.
"How does he even know Kurenai?" Obito frowned.
He couldn't figure out how Keiji had linked up with the Yuhi clan's eldest daughter.
"Thanks again, dear," the old woman's voice broke his thoughts.
"Oh, no problem!" Obito grinned and waved it off.
He liked being praised.
"Still playing the boy scout?" a voice called.
Sarutobi Asuma, hands in pockets, a brown jacket on, with a candy stick hanging from his mouth.
He always had something in his mouth. It was his quirk.
"You seen Kurenai?" Asuma asked casually.
"Went off with Keiji into the woods," Obito pointed toward Training Field Three.
"With Keiji?" Asuma's voice spiked.
That made no sense.
Why would Keiji be with her?
"That way," Obito added, then escorted the old lady off.
He had no respect for Asuma—the spoiled little prince who always hovered around Kurenai.
Classic simp.
Asuma bolted off in the direction Obito pointed.
In the secluded forest grove, Kurenai turned to Keiji.
"Ready?"
"Ready," Keiji nodded.
"Alright then."
Kurenai formed hand seals, then pulled three shuriken from her pouch.
Whizz! Whizz! Whizz!
They flew straight at Keiji.
His dark eyes rotated rapidly, and he deflected them all with a kunai.
Thud, thud, thud!
The shuriken hit the dirt and stuck in the ground.
That was just the opener.
This was a genjutsu spar—things were just getting started.
Kurenai lunged forward, kunai in hand.
Keiji parried her strike, their weapons locked in a deadlock.
"He's strong…" Kurenai thought.
He must have trained in taijutsu secretly—his strength made her wrist ache.
Time to cast that jutsu.
As they clashed, a clone emerged behind her.
It looked identical to her, but its aura glowed with soft pink cherry blossoms.
Genjutsu: Naraka Clone!
The clone lunged at Keiji with a kunai.
"This one…" Keiji recognized the technique.
It was a hereditary illusion from the Yuhi clan—unpredictable and multi-layered.
It had even appeared in Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm.
The Naraka Clone fused a regular clone technique with genjutsu, creating a mirage that could also inflict sensory pain.
A regular clone was just an illusion. But this one? It felt real.
"Why isn't he moving?" Kurenai was confused.
The clone was already attacking, but Keiji stood still, locked in her initial kunai clash.
No other movements. No evasions.
Just frozen.
The moment the pink clone's kunai was about to stab Keiji, Kurenai prepped to cancel the jutsu
"It's a nice genjutsu," a warm breath brushed the back of her neck.
Kurenai's pupils shrank. Keiji was behind her!