A Blushing Yūhi Kurenai
Time flew by in the daily practice, and before we knew it, December had arrived.
Konoha welcomed its first snowfall of the year. Fine snowflakes drifted down from the gray-white sky, covering rooftops, streets, and treetops with a thin layer of white.
The corridors of the Ninja Academy were filled with the restlessness typical of the period before winter break, as students gathered together to discuss their holiday plans.
As Qingyu packed her schoolbag and prepared to leave, Uchiha Tekka strode over from the other end of the corridor.
"Qingyu, have you heard? Our Uchiha Clan has produced a genius."
Qingyu paused in her steps.
"Who?"
"A child named Shisui already possesses formidable strength even before enrolling in the clan. The elders say he is the most talented member of the clan they have seen in recent years, with an astonishingly high potential for his Sharingan."
Uchiha Tekka paused, then added.
"But don't worry, I'm not here to issue a challenge on his behalf. The child is still young; let's wait until he starts school."
Qingyu nodded, a thought flashing through her mind.
Shisui Uchiha was one of the clan's top Genjutsu geniuses, and in the future, he would possess the Dōjutsu "Kotoamatsukami".
Based on the timeline, Shisui did indeed begin to show his talent around this age, and finally rose to fame during the Third Shinobi World War.
It's important to know that even when he became famous and earned the title "Body Flicker Shisui" (a martial arts technique), he was still very young.
He is a few years older than Uchiha Itachi, and already possesses considerable strength even before enrolling in the academy.
When Obito heard the name, he frowned and thought for a long time, only to find that he had no recollection of this Shisui at all.
He slapped his thigh and muttered somewhat disgruntledly:
"How come there are so many geniuses again? Where have we gotten so many geniuses from the clan in recent years?"
Qingyu glanced at Obito, but her mind was on something else entirely.
If we could trigger Genjutsu -type traits from Shisui Uchiha and allow his Sharingan to evolve, that would be great.
However, Shisui is still too young, and it will probably take some time before he can show his talent at school.
He wasn't in a hurry. After all, even Madara Uchiha was still secretly observing him, so what was a mere Shisui?
As I walked out of the school gate, the snow was falling even harder.
Qingyu pulled her scarf up a bit and walked towards the Third Training Ground, her feet sinking into the thin layer of snow.
He had already begun to plan the next stage of his cultivation.
The Shinobi World War won't wait for him to grow slowly; he must forge himself into a sharp enough blade before the storm arrives.
There weren't many people when we arrived at the Third Training Ground.
Only a few students were doing basic training near the Training Ground; most people stayed at home and were unwilling to come out.
This is how the gap between people widens; even ninjas are no different from ordinary people in these aspects.
Yūhi Kurenai stood in front of Qingyu.
She had just asked Qingyu about the question that had been bothering her. During the escort mission, Qingyu had imbued the water with Yin Release Chakra and used Illusionary Light to control several bandits at the same time.
She pondered the technique of integrating Genjutsu into Ninjutsu for a long time after returning home, but could not grasp it.
"With your talent, doing this shouldn't be a problem."
Qingyu leaned against a wooden stake at the edge of the Training Ground.
"However, if you only focus on the realm of Genjutsu, your progress will be slower. Genjutsu is essentially an advanced application of Yin Release Chakra. It's easy to learn but difficult to master, and the threshold is much higher than that of ordinary Five Basic Nature Transformations."
"If you want to take Genjutsu to the next level, you'll need to expand your foundation in other attributes first."
Yūhi Kurenai was slightly taken aback.
She was too obsessed with Genjutsu techniques in the past, putting all her energy into the precise control of Yin Release Chakra, but never thought of taking a detour.
Qingyu is right. Genjutsu and Medical Ninjutsu are similar; one is an advanced application of Yin Release, and the other is an advanced application of Yang Release. Both belong to the category of fields that are easy to learn but extremely difficult to master.
On the contrary, the learning curve for Ninjutsu based on the five basic attributes of water, fire, wind, lightning, and earth is much gentler, and they are easier to master.
"So... which one should I start learning from?"
Yūhi Kurenai asked.
Water Release.
Qingyu said.
"Water Release Chakra has relatively gentle nature transformations, and the threshold for Chakra control is lower than other attributes. Moreover, Water Release can reflect light, making it a natural medium for Genjutsu."
Qingyu didn't just spout off.
A similar method exists in Kumogakure), called "Lightning Style: Lightning Illusion Pillar." The principle is to release a blinding white light and then use Genjutsu to attack the enemy from behind.
"Didn't you see me add Genjutsu to Water Release before? Lay a solid foundation first, and then try layering Yin Release Chakra on top."
He had Yūhi Kurenai stand on a small open space at the Training Ground and began explaining the most basic Water Release Chakra Nature Transformation.
First, he refined the non-attribute Chakra, then transformed it into a water-attribute nature transformation, and finally condensed a stable stream of water in his palm.
Yūhi Kurenai listened very attentively.
She clasped her hands together slightly in front of her, closed her eyes, and adjusted the flow of Chakra step by step according to Qingyu's instructions.
At first, only a few tiny droplets of water appeared on my palm, but they were quickly dried by the cold wind.
Before long, the water began to gather in my palm, forming a transparent water ball the size of a fist.
Qingyu watched from the side and nodded.
Yūhi Kurenai's talent is indeed remarkable, and she was born with the water attribute, saving her the hardship of training.
Genjutsu ninjas do indeed have a solid foundation in Chakra control. Although Water Release and Yin Release are different in nature, the techniques for Chakra control are similar.
[Collectible trait detected: Chakra control]
[D-Rank Trait: Chakra Control]
[Effect: Increases Chakra control ability by 30%.]
Qingyu glanced at the text prompt: Chakra control ability. This trait is much more practical than simple attribute bonuses.
Regardless of the type of Ninjutsu, it all boils down to the manipulation of Chakra.
Refining, transforming, shaping, and releasing—each step requires precise control.
The stronger the control, the higher the stability of the Ninjutsu, the less energy it consumes, and the greater its power.
Yūhi Kurenai certainly has a knack for this.
You learn very quickly.
Qingyu looked at the steady ball of water in Yūhi Kurenai.
"With your current level of Chakra control, learning the Five Basic Nature Transformations will be much easier for you than for the average person."
"Once you've mastered the basics of Water Release, try layering Yin Release Chakra on top. You should be able to use area-of-effect Genjutsu very quickly."
Yūhi Kurenai withdrew her Chakra, and the water sphere turned into a puddle of clear water that landed on the soil beneath her feet.
Her eyes shone like rubies, and she truly felt herself becoming stronger.
"Qingyu, thank you so much."
Yūhi Kurenai expressed her gratitude.
"Nothing."
Qingyu casually gave a reply.
He glanced at Yūhi Kurenai; a few strands of her hair, damp from the splashes of water during her practice, clung to her cheeks, appearing somewhat disheveled in the cold winter wind.
Qingyu naturally reached out and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear, then took out a water bottle from her Ninja Tool Pouch and handed it to her.
"Mutual help and support—isn't that the very essence of the Will of Fire?"
Yūhi Kurenai looked at the handsome Qingyu, something seemed to be gently beating in her heart, which she tried hard to suppress.
The next moment, Yūhi Kurenai took the water bottle, her face slightly flushed, and took small sips of water.