Konoha, Training Ground Number Thirteen.
"From this day forward, Kyosuke's team is officially formed. From now on, you will be partners who help each other."
Before the three boys could cheer, he suddenly changed the subject, saying with a sly smile, "But to be honest, I don't trust your abilities."
"Therefore, I have decided to add an extra impromptu test for you."
"Test?"
A question mark appeared on Yuto's forehead; he hadn't heard beforehand that his father had set up a test.
"You brat, there's a lot you don't know..." Kyosuke reached into his robes and mysteriously pulled out a silver bell.
Ring ring~
Holding it in their hands and shaking it slightly, the clear, ringing sound immediately drew the attention of the three of them.
"The rule is simple: whichever of the three of you manages to touch it, it will be considered that the whole group has passed the test."
Kyosuke felt that his hints were clear enough, and the three boys should have understood the real focus of the assessment.
However, he was soon disappointed, as Yuto and Kurama Jun had not exchanged any words with each other from beginning to end.
"Touching the bell will win me this best chance to beat Dad." Yuto gripped his short sword, looking more like he was about to chop someone up.
Perhaps it was because he heard too many legends when he was young, but from the time he could remember, his father was the symbol of invincibility in his world.
As the son of the God of Shinobi, he was greeted not only with praise but also with an indescribable, terrifying pressure.
"I can't let my father down."
"You are Uchiha Kyosuke's son, you must completely crush all your peers."
Complaining about being tired is slacking off, and complaining about hardship is wasting your talent. Only by working hard, harder, and harder can you earn praise from your parents and relatives.
To outsiders, being born into the family of the God of Shinobi is an opportunity that one could only dream of.
However, for Uchiha Yuto, being Kyosuke's son is a "Cursed Seal" he was born with and can never escape.
Fortunately, the little guy is quite promising and much more mature than his peers.
He knew very well that only with great strength could he survive in the Shinobi World and protect his family.
Yuto harbored no resentment towards his parents and Family; he accepted the pressure that came with his identity. However... defeating his father had become a deeply ingrained curse in his heart.
It seems that if he succeeds, he will have fulfilled everyone's highest expectations of him.
Maybe then, I'll be able to choose the lifestyle I want?
Yuto wasn't sure either; all he knew was that he had to complete the bell's test today, no matter what.
On the other side, Kurama Jun also became excited.
The Kurama Family is very small, with only a few people in each generation.
Lacking in strength and reputation, if it weren't for the legendary Kekkei Genkai they possessed to intimidate others, their Family would probably have been unable to survive in the Land of Fire long ago.
Therefore, when he first drew his father into the world of the painting, he swore he would never forget the look of joy that shone through despair in his eyes.
I will never allow myself to forget.
"Father said that bloodline alone is not enough to become a top-tier powerhouse."
"Throughout the generations of awakened members in the Family, without exception, they all died in sneak attacks and assassinations by the enemy."
"I will not repeat the same mistake and become a 'master' who can only set traps in advance."
Clang! Drawing his long sword from his waist, Kurama Jun's eyes sharpened as he prepared to demonstrate his painstakingly acquired "Phantom Body Technique" to his teacher.
The two boys, their blood boiling, were determined to prove their worth by defeating the God of Shinobi.
As for the clever Eri, she was the one who truly understood Kyosuke's intentions.
"Ugh, but those two idiots..."
Seeing Yuto rush forward first, Anzai Eri sighed slightly and, as usual, used her Mystical Palm Technique to follow behind him and prepare to provide support.
Teamwork doesn't necessarily mean giving in to each other, or one person hitting another and the other kicking.
True collaboration means allocating tasks reasonably and maximizing everyone's strengths.
We can't let the powerful Yuto stand in for us and force Eri Mystical Palm Technique to fight our teacher.
That would be irresponsible to the entire team.
Three Tomoe stared intently at her father's every move, constantly simulating the defensive actions her father might take in her mind.
Hold my short sword between your fingers?
Or perhaps use Steel Release to take the hit head-on?
Dodging, Lightning Release, Wind Release, Fire Release...
Damn it, Dad has too many tricks up his sleeve... In less than two seconds, countless thoughts flashed through Yuto's mind.
In the end, he abandoned his prediction and decided to use his own strength to compete with his father.
In the blink of an eye, the short sword crackling with lightning slashed diagonally towards them.
Its momentum was swift, like an eagle soaring through the sky, a power completely unlike that of a ten-year-old boy.
Any other instructor would have praised his excellence, but unfortunately, Kyosuke only received a one-word evaluation from him.
"Madness."
With a sudden flick of her long, flowing hair, she easily bound her son together like a thin rope.
Ninja Art: Wild Lion's Mane Technique!
Under the little guy's astonished gaze, Kyosuke lightly flicked his forehead, signifying that he was now "dead" in battle.
"Misjudging the enemy's strength and adopting an irrational offensive strategy."
"On the battlefield, this is the best way to die."
As she spoke, her black hair swept over her in an instant, wrapping around Eri in almost the same way.
"He saw through my thoughts, yet turned a blind eye to his companion's recklessness."
"Your cleverness will get you killed one day."
Why didn't she stop them? Of course, she knew in her heart that no matter what, the teachers wouldn't let them go back to school.
In that case, why bother stopping Yuto's impulse?
Perhaps she never imagined that her indulgent behavior would earn her a real reprimand from her teacher.
"You two have disappointed me greatly."
Bang! Eri tumbled to the ground in a disheveled state, tears of grievance streaming uncontrollably from her eyes.
Seeing this, Yuto felt even more guilty.
"It's all my fault..."
After giving his two disciples a slight reprimand, Kyosuke turned around and looked at Kurama Jun, who remained unchanged in the distance.
Just then, he suddenly realized that everything around him had disappeared, and he felt as if he had fallen into an abyss, without seeing light or hearing sound, as if he had been detached from the entire world.
"So this is the Genjutsu world? It's somewhat similar to the Tsukuyomi Space."
"No, Sharingan Genjutsu only affects the mind, while the Kurama Clan directly target my body."
Outside, Kurama Jun wielded his long sword, unleashing a dark shock that tore through the eternal night.
Black Style: Thousand-Night Fall!
His sword is a paintbrush, and his strikes are a Genjutsu world that can captivate his opponents.
This is the Phantom Body Technique, the Black Style Blade Art, that Kurama Jun single-handedly mastered.
At this moment, he was the embodiment of the Lord of Eternal Night, and no one could escape the engulfment of darkness.
Even the God of Shinobi would struggle to break his own...
Bang! Before the smile could even spread across his lips, his left cheek was attacked by an invisible force.