I Came to Cause Trouble, and You Take Me for Timely Help?

After the shopkeeper's shout, passersby nearby all turned their appraising gazes toward Hinata.

Feeling their stares, Hinata shyly hid behind Feng An.

Everyone saw Hinata, wearing cat ears, poke her little head out from behind Feng An.

A man blurted out in surprise, "S-So cute!"

"What did you say?!"

The woman beside him grabbed him by the ear.

His face twisted in pain as he hurriedly begged for mercy. She was clearly not holding back.

"Geigei~ I want cat ears too~."

Another woman coquettishly pleaded with the person beside her.

How could the man beside her possibly withstand that? His face immediately flushed red as he shouted:

"Buy them! Boss, give me ten!"

Hinata's adorable, stunning appearance after putting on the cat ears drew many women who had initially looked disdainful over to the shop.

Before long, the place was packed so tightly that not even water could pass through.

Most of them were simply past the age for wearing this kind of headband and were too embarrassed to wear one themselves. But now that they were gathered together, they had all grown bolder.

"Boss, I want fifteen!"

"Geigei~ I want some too~."

"I want twenty!"

"I fucking want fifty!"

Even Fit Goat would have shaken his head at these people's bizarre competitive streak.

Seeing business come his way, the shifty-eyed shopkeeper burst forth with speed comparable to a genin's and instantly fetched more varieties of headbands from the storeroom.

"We also have these teal butterfly headbands! Fair prices for all, only 198 ryo each!"

"I want one!"

"Me too!"

Feng An was dumbfounded.

Was this the so-called Dali Garden effect?

Since they were clogging up this spot, the other streets had become much more spacious.

Feng An took Hinata's little hand and hurried toward Kurenai.

Before long, the two saw Kurenai and Asuma walking arm in arm in an intimate manner.

Feng An's anger surged. All the frustration he had bottled up that morning burst out at this moment.

He formed hand seals as he rapidly approached the two.

"Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique!"

The instant the Illusion Technique enveloped Kurenai and Asuma, Kurenai's unique sensory ability immediately detected that someone had cast an Illusion Technique on her.

She quickly formed the Tiger hand seal with both hands, disrupting the flow of Chakra within her body.

"Release!"

Kurenai regained consciousness in the blink of an eye.

She swiftly turned around to search for the enemy.

When she glanced back, she saw Asuma standing there blankly.

He was clearly under an Illusion Technique.

"What an idiot. A jonin actually got caught in such a basic Illusion Technique."

Kurenai helplessly placed a hand on Asuma.

"Release."

The moment she disrupted the flow of Chakra in his body, Asuma regained consciousness as well.

He immediately pulled Kurenai tightly into his arms.

Kurenai's face grew a little warm at his sudden action. Although Asuma had pursued her for a long time, this was the first time she had seen him act so boldly.

This blockhead finally got a clue.

Feng An, hiding in the shadows, nearly crushed his back teeth.

I came to cause trouble, and you take me for timely help?

Seeing Kurenai and Asuma embracing, Hinata glanced at Feng An, then bashfully lowered her head, not knowing what she was thinking.

Then Asuma said in a somewhat choked voice:

"Kurenai, I just saw you suddenly die."

???

Kurenai froze, then angrily broke free from his arms.

"You're the one who's going to suddenly die!"

She had thought this blockhead had finally gotten a clue. Turns out he was fucking under an Illusion Technique!

Asuma hurriedly grabbed her hand, ignoring the passersby as he gazed deeply into her eyes.

"Kurenai..."

This blockhead really got a clue this time? Kurenai murmured inwardly.

When she saw the earnestness in Asuma's small eyes, her heart unexpectedly skipped a beat.

Then their faces gradually drew closer and closer.

Damn it, broad daylight, under the clear heavens—what are they trying to do? What are they trying to do?!

Feng An knew that if he did not jump out now, it would be too late. If things continued like this and they went with the flow, they probably would not be going home tonight.

"Kurenai, Asuma Sarutobi, what are you doing?!"

Feng An pulled Hinata along and leaped out in one motion, angrily interrupting the two as they were getting close.

Hinata did not dare look at Kurenai and muttered softly.

"Feng An, isn't this a little inappropriate...?"

Feng An gritted his teeth. "She stood me up to go on a date, dealing me a double dose of emotional damage. My pain outweighs hers!"

Hearing someone call his name, Asuma immediately straightened his body as stiffly as if standing at military attention.

Kurenai frowned, turned around, and shouted angrily.

"Feng An! What do you want?"

Feng An gave a soft laugh, took out a kunai, and leaped toward Kurenai.

Before Kurenai could stop him, Asuma stepped in front of her.

He swiftly drew his unique Chakra Blade.

Then he suddenly leaped up and slashed Feng An cleanly in half!

Yet instead of blood spraying out, black liquid like ink flowed forth, and Feng An instantly became two Feng Ans.

Mist Servant Technique!

Kurenai's eyelashes trembled slightly.

"Release."

The black Feng An figures emerging from the ground and buildings around them gradually dissipated.

The figures of Feng An and Hinata standing not far away also gradually came into focus.

"Feng An, you really learned it?"

Kurenai still found it hard to believe. How long had it even been?

Feng An's face darkened.

"Did you forget that today is the final day of our bet?"

I'm screwed.

If he had not mentioned it, Kurenai really would have forgotten that today was the final day.

Asuma looked at Kurenai in confusion.

"What bet?"

Kurenai explained.

"He's Feng An, my student."

"Last week, I bet him that if he could master two Illusion Techniques within a week, I would agree to one condition of his choosing."

It seemed the earlier Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique had been cast by him as well.

After thinking for a moment, Kurenai said:

"You won. I keep my word. Name your condition."

Feng An glanced at the tall and burly Asuma Sarutobi and felt that some things were probably not appropriate to say in front of him.

He swallowed the words he had originally wanted to say.

"We can talk about it later. I won't interrupt you two being lovey-dovey anymore."

Feng An took Hinata's little hand and turned to leave.

Hinata obediently nodded goodbye to Kurenai.

Kurenai rolled her eyes as she watched the two depart.

You two are the ones who look lovey-dovey.

Asuma glanced sideways at her and asked:

"Kurenai, didn't you say it took you a month to master Illusion Techniques back then? That kid mastered two in one week?"

"Yes. He's practically a monster. Even after spending so much time with him, I still can't see through him. It always feels like what he shows is only the tip of the iceberg."

Kurenai's eyes held both gratification and a trace of loneliness.

Once upon a time, she too had been a genius hailed as the strongest Illusion Technique user.

But now, what she had once taken pride in had been surpassed in every aspect. She could not help feeling wistful.

Asuma saw the hint of unwillingness in her eyes, yet he did not know how to comfort her.

He instinctively pulled out a cigarette and was about to put it in his mouth when he remembered that Kurenai was beside him.

He carefully tucked the cigarette behind his ear and restrained his restless heart.