When did you get the illusion that I wasn't using genjutsu?

"Kikaichū: Gale!"

The Aburame Anbu commanded his swarm, which roared forth toward Uchiha Sōgetsu.

The immense mass of insects instantly kicked up a massive air current, like a black tornado, crushing everything in its path.

"Foolish!"

Sōgetsu retreated two steps to create distance, his hands flying through hand signs.

Snake—Goat—Monkey—Boar—Horse—Tiger!

Inhale—

He took a deep breath, chakra surging and gathering in his mouth.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

A massive fireball, a full three meters in diameter, roared forward wrapped in scorching, blazing heat.

The swarm collided with the fireball, exploding on impact.

Boom!

The sizzling smell of cooked flesh drifted through the air as the pitch-black swarm was incinerated by the fireball.

"Releasing a large number of insects at once to block the Sharingan's line of sight wasn't a bad choice." As the burning swarm rose in thick smoke, Sōgetsu's eyes swept the area searching for his enemy, and he said in a deep voice: "But don't forget, the Uchiha Clan's specialty is Fire Style!"

The Aburame Clan's Kikaichū could, to a great extent, disrupt and hinder the Sharingan's greatest advantage.

But by the same token, the Aburame Clan, whose main attack method relied on Kikaichū, would also suffer heavy losses when facing powerful Fire Style ninjutsu.

And once their Kikaichū were completely lost, an Aburame ninja was practically helpless.

"Heh, don't get too cocky, you little Uchiha brat." The Aburame Anbu said coldly: "You think a Fire Style of that level can burn up all my bugs?"

Secret Technique: Insect Cocoon!

Hundreds of chakra insect cocoons that had been buried in advance responded to their master's call, all bursting open.

With the crackling sound of cocoons breaking, Sōgetsu's expression shifted dramatically. In his sight, clumps of black mist rose from all over the forest, gathering like dark clouds pressing down from above. Sunlight was blocked by the thick, heavy insect cloud, and bugs filled the sky and earth, surging in like a tidal wave.

"This number..."

Sōgetsu's pupils trembled, a hint of shock on his face as a flash of insight crossed his mind: "To be able to control such a massive swarm, you're the Aburame genius, Ryoma!"

"Oh? A little Uchiha brat actually knows me?" Aburame Ryoma was slightly surprised, but he directly confirmed his identity.

"I've heard Fugaku mention you." A trace of cold sweat seeped from Sōgetsu's forehead; clearly, the current situation was slipping beyond his control: "The Aburame Clan's genius, insect manipulation second only to the clan head, infiltration skills among the best in the history of the Anbu, one of Danzo's most trusted subordinates."

"Little Uchiha brat, surrender now, and I'll spare your life."

Aburame Ryoma maintained his hand seal posture, delivering his final ultimatum: "Otherwise, per Lord Danzo's orders, I have the authority to execute you on the spot."

"Bastard, damn Root, how dare you do something like this!" Sōgetsu gritted his teeth, flames of anger blazing in his eyes: "Don't forget, I was assigned to the Anbu by Lord Hokage. If I die here, how will Danzo explain it to Lord Hokage?"

"Uchiha Sōgetsu attempted to use genjutsu to control a Konoha jōnin and conspired with the Uchiha Clan to plot a rebellion." Aburame Ryoma's tone was icy, a hint of mockery in his eyes: "What do you think of that excuse?"

"You're slandering me!" Sōgetsu seemed shocked, staring at him in disbelief: "Lord Hokage won't believe you!"

"You're wrong, brat." Aburame Ryoma's face twisted into a sneer: "Lord Hokage will believe it. No matter how ridiculous the excuse, he'll believe it. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for being born into the Uchiha Clan. Your bloodline is the crime!"

"Kikaichū: Cluster!"

The pitch-black insect cloud howled, pouring down from the sky like an ocean.

Facing a swarm far larger than the last, Sōgetsu dared not hold back even a bit. He gathered chakra in his throat and unleashed everything.

"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"

Boom!

A vast sheet of blazing, searing flame, like a giant wave rising from the sea, erupted from Sōgetsu's mouth.

Though it was only a B-rank technique, backed by an enormous amount of chakra, it displayed a scene as if it could burn the heavens and boil the seas. The high temperature instantly evaporated the atmosphere, filling the surroundings with dry, boiling heat. Grass, trees, and the insect swarm were swallowed and annihilated in an instant, turning the entire area into a sea of fire.

After unleashing such a large-scale technique, Sōgetsu didn't even look at the result. He turned and ran toward the edge of the forest.

"I have to report this to Lord Hokage."

Chakra exploded beneath his feet, shattering the hard earth, and Sōgetsu's speed surged again.

"Trying to run?" Aburame Ryoma's figure had somehow appeared blocking the path ahead. He summoned a mass of Kikaichū, wrapping them around his arm and swinging a heavy punch: "Secret Technique: Insect Arm!"

Caught off guard, Sōgetsu could only raise his arms to block.

Thud!

Such a heavy fist. The thought flashed through his mind as sharp pain shot through the bones of both arms. He was sent flying backward by the sheer force.

He plowed a clear, human-shaped trench into the ground, spitting out several streams of blood: "Damn it, I was too focused on the swarm. I didn't notice where he was."

Aburame Ryoma twisted in midair, kicked off a tree trunk, and charged at him.

Sōgetsu forced himself into a backflip to regain his footing. As he adjusted his stance, he flicked out several shuriken.

Whir!

The shuriken arced nimbly, flying in from all directions toward Aburame Ryoma.

"Secret Technique: Insect Wall!"

Yet Aburame Ryoma had no intention of dodging at all, directly using his swarm to erect a wall around himself.

The shuriken struck the insect wall, vanishing like a mud ox sinking into the sea, gone without a trace.

"Die, you little brat of the Uchiha Clan!"

Just as Aburame Ryoma was about to close in, Sōgetsu smiled, his right hand suddenly yanking backward, teeth clenched tight.

Squeak—

Aburame Ryoma, who had been charging forward, came to an abrupt halt, as if something had grabbed hold of him.

"Is this... thread?" Aburame Ryoma's eyes narrowed, only now noticing that dozens of strands as fine as hair had wrapped around his body at some point, and these threads were incredibly hard—even the Kikaichū couldn't bite through them.

The shuriken he had thrown earlier flashed through his mind, and realization dawned: "The Uchiha Clan's Shuriken Manipulation Technique?"

"That's right."

Sōgetsu bit down on the threads, hard as steel, and rapidly formed hand seals: "The Uchiha Clan excels at more than just Fire Style and the Sharingan. The one dying here is you, Aburame Ryoma!"

Snake—Dragon—Rabbit—Tiger!

Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!

Sizzle. Boom!

Concentrating extreme heat into a single line, the thread shot forward at blinding speed, like a roaring flame dragon, engulfing Aburame Ryoma in an instant.

The Dragon Fire, renowned for its destructive power, even pierced straight through his insect wall.

"Aaaaah—"

Aburame Ryoma ignited, screaming as he fell.

"I win." Sōgetsu panted heavily, glaring hatefully at the burning flames.

"Is that so?"

Just as Sōgetsu let his guard down, a voice suddenly rang out behind him, making every hair on his body stand on end.

"You're celebrating too early, you little Uchiha brat. Secret Technique: Insect Swamp!"

The next moment, the ground beneath Sōgetsu's feet turned into a muddy bog, and a massive suction force dragged him down entirely.

A sea of insects surrounded his body, constantly devouring his chakra, and soon he felt utterly weak, with no strength left to struggle.

"Insect Clone..."

Sōgetsu, now buried with only his head above ground, forced out the words.

"Lesson one for a jonin: never let your guard down, no matter the situation." Aburame Ryoma slowly emerged from the grass, a hint of mockery in his eyes. "Until you've confirmed the enemy's death, anything can happen. But telling you this now is pointless."

He looked down at Uchiha Sōgetsu in the earth, raising a hand to summon the swarm: "Uchiha Sōgetsu, your eyes... I'll take them."

Just as Aburame Ryoma moved to gouge out the other's Sharingan, he saw Sōgetsu smiling, nothing like someone trapped in a desperate situation. A wave of inexplicable unease washed over him: "What are you smiling at, Uchiha Sōgetsu?"

"Ah, nothing."

Sōgetsu smiled faintly, relaxed and at ease: "Thank you for putting on such a good show for me, Aburame Ryoma."

Aburame Ryoma felt his brain throb, his vision clouded as if smeared with mud, and then the mud faded away.

In the next instant, heaven and earth shifted.

The forest that had been ablaze with flames was restored to a lush, verdant state.

And the traces of battle seemed to have been erased as well.

Uchiha Sōgetsu was not buried in the Insect Swamp, and he himself had never moved at all—as if none of what had just happened ever occurred.

"Is this... an illusion?"

A chilling dread shot up his spine straight to his crown, and Aburame Ryoma's pupils shrank to pinpricks: "When... exactly did you cast a genjutsu on me?"

"An interesting question."

In the shadow of the forest, Uchiha Sōgetsu's silhouette stretched long, like a beast lurking in the dark.

He pushed up the black-rimmed glasses on his nose, a slight curve lifting the corner of his lips, and asked with a warm, gentle smile: "Then when did you get the illusion that I hadn't used a genjutsu, Aburame Ryoma-dono?"

December 5th, clear skies.

No recommendations, no follow-up reads, no investments. And no lottery wins either—damn it, at least let me win a hundred or two hundred!