Genjutsu: Mirage Technique!

Genjutsu used one's own spiritual energy to affect the flow of Chakra within an opponent's body, disrupting their senses. Unlike Ninjutsu and Taijutsu, Genjutsu had an open-ended form. Take Kurenai's C-rank "Genjutsu: Mirage Technique," for example: the illusions it created were not fixed, but could be freely altered by the user.

The illusion Kurenai created was a copy of herself, while Shunren's was "Shirou Emiya."

"Clink, clink!"

"Kurenai" and "Shirou Emiya" fought on the field, Kunai and sword blade clashing fiercely.

Illusion and reality switched in an instant. No one could tell when the combatants before them were illusions and when they were the real thing.

The Mirage Technique's defining feature was that it created illusions to confuse the opponent, while the real user coordinated with the illusions' movements and waited for a chance to attack. Of course, even illusions could not be controlled however one pleased. Their speed and strength were subject to strict limits, because if an illusion was made too powerful and the real user could not keep up with its movements, the Genjutsu would be exposed.

"Whoosh, whoosh!"

After knocking his opponent back with a strike, "Shirou Emiya" leaped into the air, gripped his sword in both hands, and came down slashing at "Kurenai."

"Kurenai" raised the Kunai in one hand to parry, while curling the fingers of her other hand into a fist and smashing it viciously toward his face.

Faced with the oncoming fist, "Shirou Emiya" remained unmoved, as though he had not seen it, and let it strike him squarely in the face.

"Kurenai's" expression changed at once.

"You've left yourself open."

Sure enough, after hitting "Shirou Emiya," "Kurenai's" fist passed straight through him.

Without a doubt, the "Kurenai" before him was a fake.

"Shirou Emiya" spun around and swept out with a fierce Konoha Whirlwind.

Bang! A figure went flying backward.

"Kurenai" vanished into nothingness, while the "Shirou Emiya" before her assumed Shunren's appearance.

The figure sent flying was none other than the real Kurenai!

"How did you figure it out?" Kurenai got to her feet and dusted herself off. She had raised her arms to block Shunren's kick at the last moment, so she had not taken much damage.

"I attacked from above with both hands, but you blocked me with just one." Shunren smiled faintly. "My Taijutsu might not be much, but when it comes to strength, surely I'm not weaker than a little girl like you?"

In a Genjutsu battle, whoever distinguished illusion from reality first could claim victory. From that subtly unnatural movement of Kurenai's, Shunren had concluded that the one before him was a fake. His real body then acted decisively, silently taking "Shirou Emiya's" place. When the fake Kurenai touched Shunren, the illusion automatically vanished upon contact with his physical body. Once Kurenai's Genjutsu failed, it exposed the location of her real body, allowing Shunren to strike first and send her flying with a kick.

"Amazing. You used my Mirage Technique so well on your first try," Kurenai said, unable to hold back her admiration. "It looks like you really are well suited to training in Genjutsu."

Shunren felt a little pleased with himself. His Ninjutsu and Taijutsu were both lacking, but he seemed to have a decent talent for Genjutsu.

"But..." Kurenai's tone soon changed.

"But?"

His pupils contracted, and Shunren suddenly whipped his head around.

A Kunai had somehow appeared at his neck.

"What?!" Shunren was stunned. Kurenai, who had been standing before him talking to him, turned into a phantom and vanished once again, while her real body had eerily appeared behind him!!

"As you said, I'm a little weaker than you, so why would I use one arm to block the strength of both of yours? Wouldn't that be telling you it was a fake?" Kurenai blinked,

unable to hide the pride on her face. "You... did it on purpose?" Shunren's mouth fell wide open. He had thought himself clever, certain that the Kurenai who met his attack with one hand had to be a fake. So he had used "Shirou Emiya" to pretend to be blocked, while his real body hid to one side, waiting for the real Kurenai to reveal herself before immediately slipping back into "Shirou Emiya's" movements. That way, he could launch a preemptive attack on her real body.

He had never expected Kurenai to turn his own plan against him. Her real body had deliberately let him kick her away, then instantly used an illusion to replace herself as she was sent flying. Once he mistakenly believed he had succeeded and let down his guard, her real body silently circled behind him and put a Kunai to his neck.

One scheme within another, each link leading to the next—it was a truly brilliant Genjutsu battle!

Shunren could not help smiling wryly. "Looks like I got a little carried away."

He had never expected that, despite having an adult's mind, he would be toyed with by a little girl like her today.

Kurenai put away her Kunai. There was not a trace of contempt in her gaze as she looked at Shunren; instead, it was full of approval. "There's no need to be modest. You successfully reflected a Genjutsu the very first time you encountered one. After seeing me perform the Hand Seals just once, you executed the Mirage Technique in its entirety. And in the Genjutsu battle that followed, you forced me to take a kick from you before I could take you down. Shunren, you really have every reason to be proud."

Shunren scratched his head and said helplessly, "You had to take me down just because I kicked you once? You're surprisingly devious for a girl with such a cute face, Kurenai."

They had started out addressing each other as "you," but before they knew it, they were calling each other by name. They could be said to have become acquainted through a fight.

Kurenai had finally found a companion with whom she shared a common interest, and she was delighted. Her usually aloof face now bore a livelier smile.

Shunren had not come away empty-handed either: he had gained a Genjutsu.

"Well? Do you admit defeat?" Kurenai waved her little fist at him and stuck out her tongue playfully.

Shunren smiled. He understood how excited Kurenai was to have found a kindred spirit. It was rare for the little girl to be so happy, so what harm was there in keeping her company? Besides, he had learned her Genjutsu, and as the saying went, a hand that takes is a hand bound.

"If you haven't had enough, I'd be happy to keep you company." With that, Shunren formed the ninja's "Seal of Confrontation," a gesture that meant a friendly spar in ninja etiquette.

Smiling, Kurenai made the same gesture.

Then, in the next second, both of them swiftly began forming Hand Seals.

Dragon, rooster, ram-"Genjutsu: Mirage Technique!"

The illusory Kurenai and "Shirou Emiya" appeared once more, and the two began another contest of shifting illusion and reality.

Having learned from his mistake, Shunren would not fall so easily for Kurenai's simple tricks again. Kurenai, who had already been training in Genjutsu for some time before him, was a "new driver," and with her familiarity with the Haze Hiding Technique, it would not be easy for Shunren to make her take the bait either.

Their second Genjutsu battle lasted longer and grew even more intense.