Whose Blanket Is This? (Please Keep Reading)

Konoha Residential District.

With hurried breaths, the running girl crossed a long slope and arrived at another connected residential area.

"Phew... phew..."

After finishing her jog, Yūhi Kurenai braced herself against a wall, stretching her sore muscles while adjusting her breathing.

As a member of the Yūhi Clan, she naturally excelled at genjutsu. Among them, Genjutsu: Naraka Clone and Genjutsu: Demonic Flower were currently her signature techniques.

Having mastered her clan's ninjutsu just after being promoted to Genin was rare even within a mid-sized ninja clan like the Yūhi Clan. She could be considered one of their finest talents.

As long as she continued training diligently, she would naturally be able to become a Jonin through genjutsu in the future. She might even become a pillar of the Yūhi Clan like her father, Yūhi Shinkō.

Even so, Yūhi Kurenai had never neglected her physical training.

Genjutsu ninja were different from other ninja. Even when their techniques were countered, ninjutsu users could often still deal damage with their techniques, though their power might be diminished.

Only genjutsu ninja were truly left helpless once their illusions were seen through, like lambs awaiting slaughter.

Over the course of most ninja's lives, they would always encounter opponents who happened to counter the techniques they excelled at.

Without other abilities to contend with them, the only outcome would be death.

Yūhi Kurenai had realized this long ago. She had kept up her physical training precisely so she would have cards to play besides genjutsu.

At the very least, she wanted to have enough leeway to escape from battle.

As she strolled through the streets, watching the relaxed expressions of roadside stall owners as they chatted softly with familiar neighbors, Yūhi Kurenai felt the peaceful atmosphere around her. Her breathing gradually relaxed, and her steps became lighter.

When she turned a street corner, she caught sight of someone hanging laundry in an open area from the corner of her eye. She looked over instinctively, and a flash of amazement appeared in her eyes.

"Rin?"

The brown-haired girl whose name had been called turned around. It was Nohara Rin.

Perhaps because she was at home, she wore a light-colored short-sleeved shirt that exposed her slender, fair skin, along with ordinary white shorts. She looked especially casual.

Once Nohara Rin saw that it was Yūhi Kurenai, she set down the clothes in her hands and walked over.

"Good morning, Kurenai. Are you training again today?"

Watching Nohara Rin smile so serenely, Yūhi Kurenai nodded blankly.

Perhaps because she did not need to go out today, Nohara Rin did not have the two purple markings painted on her cheeks, making her look a little less playful.

Yet that clean, oval face and those big blinking eyes made her seem especially sweet.

That subtle contrast from her usual appearance was so striking that even Yūhi Kurenai, another girl, found herself amazed.

"Kurenai?" Seeing no response, Nohara Rin tilted her body slightly and asked with concern.

Yūhi Kurenai came back to her senses and nodded. "I'm already done training. It's rest time now."

"By the way..."

Yūhi Kurenai pointed behind her.

There was a gray blanket with a simple pattern.

"Is that your blanket?" she asked curiously.

Yūhi Kurenai had noticed it earlier. When Nohara Rin hung out the bedding, she was fairly casual with the other quilts and blankets, but this blanket seemed different.

She was being especially careful with it.

Moreover, the style of this blanket was completely different from the others hanging out to dry.

"Huh?"

At Yūhi Kurenai's question, Nohara Rin's body stiffened slightly. She then tucked back her hair and gently shook her head. "No, it belongs to a friend."

However, what genjutsu ninja excelled at most was seizing the moment when their opponent's mind wavered.

Thus, Yūhi Kurenai saw every subtle shift in Nohara Rin's expression, as well as the faint blush that flashed across her cheeks.

Something was up!

"A friend?" Yūhi Kurenai deliberately looked into Nohara Rin's eyes and chuckled softly. "What kind of friend?"

Nohara Rin did not dare meet her gaze. Looking down at her pale, slender toes, she stammered, "Just an ordinary friend. I accidentally dirtied his blanket, so I washed it for him..."

There was definitely something wrong!

Yūhi Kurenai's dark red eyes widened. She was even more curious now.

After six years as classmates, Yūhi Kurenai naturally knew that her classmate Nohara Rin had an exceptionally gentle personality.

Even with Obito constantly pestering her every day, Rin always responded with a smile.

But this "friend" was obviously different...

Why was she so embarrassed?

How could she test her and make her reveal the truth?

Yūhi Kurenai thought for a moment, then whispered into Yūhi Kurenai's ear, "How did you get it dirty?"

It was the most reasonable question she could think of.

It did not directly involve the friend himself, yet it could indirectly probe what had happened.

As a result, Nohara Rin's face instantly reddened all the way to her ears. Steam even seemed to rise from the top of her head.

"I'm not telling you!"

With that, she picked up her basket and hurried back inside, refusing to look back no matter how Yūhi Kurenai called after her.

Watching Nohara Rin flee in embarrassment, Yūhi Kurenai's gaze turned confused.

Was that such a sensitive topic? I was only probing a little. Why did she run away immediately?

Wait.

Yūhi Kurenai's eyes narrowed slightly.

She went to her friend's house and got his blanket dirty...

Could it be?

Thinking of something, her cheeks gradually turned red, the blush spreading all the way to her ears. She was even more flushed than Nohara Rin had been.

She lowered her head and hurried away.

[Detected emotional fluctuations from Hatake Kakashi...]

[Received 20 points and a 4% Damage Increase!]

[The target's emotional fluctuations exceeded the standard. The host has received an additional reward: Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!]

[A B-rank Earth Style ninjutsu that uses Chakra to manipulate soil and defend against frontal attacks.]

Hearing the system rewards, Uchiha Chi's gaze toward Kakashi became positively benevolent.

During today's match, he had activated Monster Strength, and with the system's noble percentage-based Damage Increase, one punch counted as two. He had sent Kakashi flying with a single blow.

Not only that, Kakashi had even gifted him a defensive ninjutsu after passing out.

Kakashi was simply too thoughtful...

Just as he was slightly distracted, he felt the Chakra flowing through his hand suddenly change.

Uchiha Chi looked down and saw Kakashi frowning tightly, his eyes moving rapidly beneath his lids as though he was about to wake from a nightmare.

After pondering for a moment, he decided to give Kakashi a push and help him escape the shadow of his nightmare.

"You're awake." Uchiha Chi smiled. "You're a girl now."

Kakashi, whose eyes had still been closed, vanished from the spot instantly!

In the blink of an eye, he had retreated several meters away from Uchiha Chi. Rustling sounds came from behind a Banyan Tree, as though he were checking whether any of his hardware was missing.

A few seconds later, Kakashi reappeared before Might Guy and Uchiha Chi with a perfectly normal expression.

However, his eyes held deep wariness as he looked at Uchiha Chi.

"You really don't need to be so on guard."

Uchiha Chi innocently spread his hands. "If it weren't for me, you'd be lying in a hospital right now."

"Yeah, yeah." Might Guy nodded in agreement. "You should thank Chi-san too."

Watching the two of them work together, Kakashi felt a sharp pain shoot through his right hand even though his treatment had already ended.

Might Guy, that idiot... when did he become such a jerk...?

After a moment of silence, Kakashi gave Uchiha Chi a deep look before turning to leave.

"You won this time."

"Once the team assignments are finished, I'll challenge you again."

Watching Kakashi's retreating back, Uchiha Chi's lips curled slightly.

"Anytime."