"But… I lost to you."
Yuhi Kurenai lowered her head, her voice barely above a whisper, soft and fragile like torn red silk—heavy with unwillingness.
Her curled black hair shimmered faintly in the sunlight, and her crimson eyes glistened, clearly holding back frustration.
"That doesn't mean you won't surpass me in the future. Who knows, maybe next time you'll win? The Sharingan isn't invincible, after all."
Keiji offered some encouragement, both for her sake and to trigger another keyword entry.
And it was true—the Sharingan was never truly invincible.
To make the Sharingan powerful, the tomoe must evolve, mirroring one's inner self. It's a mirror of one's spiritual growth. As the eye synchronizes with the soul, it gains depth and strength.
The real-world "kaleidoscope" is built on ever-shifting shards of colored glass—each rotation reveals a different pattern.
The Mangekyo Sharingan is similar—tomoe spinning endlessly, piecing together fragments of the heart to form unique visual patterns.
And that inner world, that soul—it's all a manifestation of Yin Release.
The Uchiha Clan inherited this Yin-based power from the Sage of Six Paths, passing it down through their bloodline across generations.
Kurenai's gaze flickered with new light upon hearing his words. The gloom on her face began to lift.
"Alright, Keiji. I'll prove myself—I promise!"
She looked up, determination hardening her voice. A small fire ignited in her young, crimson eyes.
"Good."
Keiji nodded.
Her father, Shinku Yuhi, was a well-respected jonin in Konoha. His Genjutsu was known to be powerful, even rumored to be capable of reflecting Mangekyo-level illusions.
Still, no such feat had ever been officially depicted in the manga or anime. Strong? Yes. But strong enough to counter Mangekyo illusions? Highly unlikely.
If that were the case, his death during the Nine-Tails' attack wouldn't have been so abrupt or underwhelming.
Besides, how many Mangekyo Sharingan even existed in the shinobi world at that time?
Was Shinku supposed to have deflected Uchiha Madara's Mangekyo? Or perhaps someone else's?
There's also Uchiha Fugaku, whose Mangekyo is still debated. He awakened it in the anime's filler episodes, but the manga never confirmed it. In this adapted reality, Keiji wasn't sure which version to follow.
But what was clear: in the anime, Fugaku never revealed his Mangekyo to anyone—not even to his wife, Mikoto. He had intended to use it only when fully confident, to control the Nine-Tails.
Instead, he played the role of a hidden trump card for too long… and ended up as a forgotten one. No feats, no legacy—willingly dying at Itachi's hand.
"Mhm!"
She was still a child after all—full of pride and the burning desire to prove herself.
Keiji recognized this fire in her eyes, but chose not to comment. He merely nodded, a faint, unreadable smile playing on his lips.
Get stronger. The stronger, the better.
Let's see if your growth brings me new abilities…
"Ahem… Kurenai, I mean—that's what I meant too…"
Sarutobi Asuma, sensing the atmosphere shift, quickly stepped in to salvage the situation—trying to explain away what he'd said earlier.
But Kurenai didn't respond.
She simply turned and walked away.
Asuma scratched his head awkwardly, clearly realizing she was angry, and hurried after her in an attempt to apologize.
Keiji didn't follow. Instead, he remained where he was—focused on training.
His [Lightning Release: Iron Body] technique still had many areas it couldn't reach: deeper muscle tissue, bones, internal organs.
For those, he had to train manually.
He jogged to a gently flowing river and began running along its surface.
Running on solid ground only built stamina.
Running on water, however, not only honed chakra control—it also strengthened the entire body. It was a double gain.
But the chakra cost was high. Without Keiji's substantial reserves, most would be exhausted within minutes and feel drained for the entire day.
Evening.
Keiji returned home, his body soaked in sweat.
Just as he neared his door, he noticed a familiar silhouette bathed in the twilight.
Yuhi Kurenai?
Why was she here again?
He had no idea how everyone kept finding his home.
Even Kakashi had managed it somehow.
And now Kurenai too—even though he'd never once taken her there.
"You've already come back to prove yourself again?"
Keiji's voice was calm, almost indifferent.
Logically, Kurenai should have gone off to train hard first, then returned later to challenge him again, possibly triggering new abilities.
"I... I want to talk Genjutsu with you! I've practiced it, but I'm still lacking theoretical knowledge. Keiji, I'm sure your Genjutsu theory is strong, right? That way, I can grow faster!"
She held a scroll tightly in her hands, clearly prepared for some serious studying.
Keiji frowned slightly.
His time was precious. He couldn't afford to waste it tutoring Kurenai.
She didn't have the mature allure of someone like Samui—a physique that could at least stimulate his dojutsu.
Unless she turned into a seductive older woman in the future, or maybe a wife-type beauty—then he might consider it.
"Are you short on money, Keiji?"
Kurenai blinked, surprised.
She hadn't known he was in financial trouble—so much so that he was planning to take part-time jobs at a sushi bar.
"I can… I can pay for tutoring! I didn't bring much with me today, but I have more at home."
She hastily rummaged through her pockets and opened her hands.
A good sum—around 800 ryo.
Her father, Shinku Yuhi, was generous with her allowance.
"Ah, that's a long story… But I've thought it over. Exchanging Genjutsu knowledge—something that benefits both of us—yeah, I like that.
Please, come in, Kurenai."
For the first time, Keiji's expression curved into a faint smile as he opened the door to let her in.
Money solves everything.
Now he had a way to buy new shinobi tools.
Kurenai was an only child. He figured she was a cash cow just waiting to be tapped.
At the very least, she could cover the cost of a short sword.
And everything was legit—it came from honest tutoring work.
"Really?"
She hesitated a moment, then asked cautiously.
She hadn't expected him to agree so quickly.
"Of course. Now then, let me share my thoughts on Genjutsu theory…"
Wiping sweat from his brow, Keiji began explaining with clarity and depth.
Sharing time for Genjutsu exchange also helped him consolidate his own knowledge.
But now, every time he looked at Kurenai, he saw an ATM—one that dished out both keywords and cash.
Golden twilight poured in from the window, painting the room in soft hues.
Kurenai, her small head bobbing now and then, listened with utmost focus.
Days passed.
Keiji had already pre-charged Kurenai for three months of future lessons—and finally had enough to purchase a used short katana.
In the training courtyard, wind stirred fallen leaves across the stone ground.
Keiji's black eyes focused on one of them.
His left hand gripped the sword sheath tightly.
Whoosh!
A stronger gust swept through the yard.