Kinkaku

Juri and the others fled deeper into the lush forest, trying to put distance between themselves and the attackers who had suddenly appeared.

Feeling the chilling presence of the unknown assailant behind them, the two moved cautiously, leaving no trace of their escape as they swiftly weaved between the trees.

Along the way, Juri saw trees growing in undulating waves, and a hollow that had appeared before them.

When towering trees reached the end of their lives, they fell, decayed into nourishment for new life, and returned to the earth.

The hollows scattered throughout the forest were proof of the endless succession of the Spiral of Life.

"Orochimaru, let's hide in that place first."

But Juri didn't lose herself in sentiment. She led Orochimaru, who was carrying Tsunade, into the hollow.

After landing, the two crouched down and settled in.

"What's wrong, Orochimaru?"

Juri furrowed her brow in surprise.

Orochimaru had laid Tsunade's body flat, but made no attempt to dispel the genjutsu she was under.

Dispelling a genjutsu cast by the Sharingan through one's own power was impossible for an ordinary shinobi.

They needed help from someone else.

Yet Orochimaru showed no sign of trying to dispel Tsunade's genjutsu.

"Orochimaru, why aren't you dispelling Tsunade's genjutsu?"

"I already tried. But..."

"What...?"

It wasn't that he hadn't tried to dispel it. He couldn't.

A regretful expression appeared on Orochimaru's face.

That couldn't be right. Juri immediately reached out and touched Tsunade's skin.

"Impossible..."

Juri's voice wavered with shock.

Genjutsu was an advanced form of ninjutsu that placed a target's mind under its control by disrupting the flow of their chakra.

Chakra was produced by combining physical and spiritual energy. Having one's chakra controlled was therefore no different for a shinobi than having command of both body and mind taken away.

However, controlling someone else's chakra flow was extremely difficult. It required highly refined skill and, most importantly, an aptitude and talent for the nature of genjutsu.

Genjutsu, a branch of Yin Release distinct from the five basic nature transformations, demanded more innate talent than nature transformation did. It was an exceedingly difficult field of jutsu to master.

Because controlling the flow of chakra was so dangerous, countermeasures against genjutsu had been thoroughly studied.

If someone had already fallen under genjutsu, they could be forcibly awakened with pain.

Before falling under genjutsu, they could counter with Illusion Reversal.

Thus, though genjutsu was powerful and difficult to master, it was often dispelled with ease.

That was why many shinobi ended their genjutsu training after learning the bare minimum, and focused their efforts on nature transformation instead.

But when a practitioner had talent and insight into genjutsu, it could transform into a terrifying ability.

The Uchiha Clan possessed the Sharingan, a Dojutsu that could manipulate genjutsu at will. That was why, even today, after losing to the Senju Clan, the Uchiha were still hailed as the strongest in the Shinobi World.

The Sharingan's Dojutsu Power could plunge someone into an illusion with nothing more than eye contact, without the need for Hand Seals. It was so powerful that even seasoned shinobi who had honed their genjutsu for decades could be defeated without a chance to fight back by a young Sharingan user.

The saying "One-on-One Escape" described an overwhelming talent for genjutsu that no one could dispute. It truly deserved to be called the strongest.

Genjutsu wielded by someone with talent was, so to speak, like creating a state similar to a dream.

Just as someone couldn't wake up through sheer will even if they knew they were dreaming, someone under genjutsu couldn't free themselves from its grasp even if they knew they were in an illusion.

It even prevented them from doing anything that might cause pain, completely suppressing Illusion Reversal.

But every jutsu had a weakness.

No matter how powerful the genjutsu, a third party could easily dispel it by interfering with the target's chakra flow.

That was why the Uchiha Clan, despite possessing the Sharingan, had lost to the Senju Clan during the Warring States Period.

Senju Tobirama, the Senju Clan hero who stood alongside the Sharingan-wielding Uchiha, had developed a certain jutsu to counter the Sharingan that had given him so much trouble.

That jutsu was the Shadow Clone Technique.

The Shadow Clone Technique was the pinnacle of clone jutsu, so complete that even the Sharingan couldn't distinguish the original from the clone.

Tobirama and the Senju Clan shinobi who learned the Shadow Clone Technique from him used it to create "one against many" situations, always keeping someone capable of dispelling genjutsu at their side.

With their thorough and extreme countermeasure against the Sharingan—the advantage of numbers—the Senju Clan subdued the Uchiha Clan.

Therefore, no matter how powerful the genjutsu cast by the man who had trapped Tsunade might be, the illusion should have been easily dispelled if either Orochimaru or Juri interfered with Tsunade's chakra.

"Is the Sharingan's genjutsu really that powerful?"

Hearing Orochimaru say this as he stared at Tsunade, still fast asleep, Juri shook her head. It was impossible.

As a member of the Uchiha Clan, Juri knew that the rule of genjutsu being easily dispelled through a third party's interference applied to the Sharingan as well.

Juri turned her attention back to Tsunade's condition.

But with the Sealing Jutsu preventing her from using the Sharingan, there was no way she could use its Dojutsu Power to perceive the flow of chakra.

"..."

Suddenly, Juri reached out and touched the back of Tsunade's neck.

She felt Tsunade's skin cling beneath her fingers. Beneath the thin skin, she could feel the pulse of a blood vessel.

One second, two seconds—after a brief moment.

Juri's fingers, resting on the back of Tsunade's neck, slid along her jaw, cheek, and eyelid.

Juri gently lifted Tsunade's eyelid and peered at the exposed eyeball.

After a while, she closed Tsunade's eyelid and let go.

Then Juri leaned her ear close to Tsunade's modest chest.

A steady heartbeat tapped against Juri's eardrum.

Straightening up, Juri took Tsunade's limp arm and felt for the pulse in her wrist.

"Do you understand now?"

"..."

After finishing her examination, Juri quietly rubbed her chin.

Unable to hold back, Orochimaru broke the silence and asked.

"..."

Juri said nothing.

Orochimaru waited in silence for her answer.

"..."

Juri rubbed her chin as if she were thinking.

She rubbed it.

And rubbed it.

And rubbed it—

"..."

This is a problem, Juri groaned inwardly.

She couldn't think of anything.

Juri had no medical knowledge.

Even if she imitated Ina and did something that looked vaguely convincing, she couldn't possibly learn anything from it.

She'd only been trying it out, and honestly, admitting that would be embarrassing.

"She's alive."

"I can see that."

Orochimaru looked at Juri as if to say, Is that all?

"The genjutsu has already been dispelled. There's no doubt about that. If we take that as our premise, then it's possible that powerful external interference damaged her mind and left her unconscious..."

Juri said this matter-of-factly, bluffing.

But what she said wasn't entirely baseless.

Powerful genjutsu could sometimes damage a person's mind.

Even after the genjutsu was dispelled, someone whose mind had been damaged might remain a shell of themselves, unable to recover.

That did happen.

Still, it wasn't the right answer.

It only meant that genjutsu powerful enough to do that really existed.

People capable of wielding genjutsu of that caliber were rare even throughout history. One would probably have to go back to the era of the Sage of Six Paths to find one.

"I'm not very good at genjutsu. I didn't know something like that was possible."

When it came to their expressionless faces and the scarcity of displayed emotion, Juri and Orochimaru were about evenly matched.

The two stared at each other without changing expression. It made for a peculiar sight, but there was no one around to see it.

They thought they needed to get Ina to examine Tsunade as soon as possible, but the two had no way to contact Konoha.

In this unfamiliar place, they had to hide and lie low until the effects of the Space-Time Ninjutsu that had transported them from Konoha wore off.

All the while, they feared that terrifying attacker.

After a while, Orochimaru spoke.

"You're from the Sharingan clan. Do you have any idea who could use genjutsu that powerful?"

The question struck at the heart of the matter, and Juri fell silent.

"...If I'm right, that man is... Uchiha Izuna."

"Uchiha Izuna... Is he a missing-nin?"

"No..."

Nearly half a century had passed since Uchiha Izuna died in battle during the Warring States Period.

Juri knew of this shinobi who had been swallowed by history because she was a member of the Uchiha Clan. It was only natural that the younger generation wouldn't know his name.

"Hmm..."

Orochimaru looked at Juri's expression, clouded with complicated emotions, and wondered.

During the Warring States Period, Uchiha Madara had been hailed as the strongest alongside Senju Hashirama.

Even the Uchiha Clan now despised Madara, but his younger brother, Uchiha Izuna, was often depicted as a hero of the Uchiha Clan.

His strength in leading the Uchiha Clan during the Warring States Period, and the love for his clan that he was said to have held until his final moments, were passed down within the clan. He was remembered as a man worthy of bearing the heavy responsibility of the Uchiha Clan.

It might have been a sentiment unique to the Uchiha Clan: they revered strength, yet unconsciously honored the deep love hidden within it.

To Juri, Izuna was also a hero she had heard about in lullabies as a child.

The thought of what could have led a man like him to this point weighed heavily on her, darkening her expression.

"During the Warring States Period, Uchiha Izuna was believed to have died in the conflict with the Senju Clan. It's hard to believe he's appeared now..."

"Is there any other possibility?"

"He has the Sharingan. Since Madara's attack, no Uchiha have become missing-nin. The chance it's someone else is low."

That said, it went without saying that the fact that he had claimed to be Izuna accounted for most of Juri's reasoning.

"I see... What are our chances?"

"Honestly, we don't have any."

Juri's frank answer left Orochimaru speechless.

Though their temperaments were different, Orochimaru had realized that Juri was competitive and liked to put on a brave front. He hadn't expected her to admit so readily that she couldn't win.

"Uchiha Izuna fought the previous Hokage. He's a hero the Uchiha take pride in. There's no way you could beat him, Orochimaru..."

Her words carried a touch of clan pride, which made them a little annoying.

A vein appeared at Orochimaru's temple, but he quickly calmed down.

"...There's someone nearby..."

"Is it Uchiha Izuna?"

The two lowered their voices.

In response to Juri's question, Orochimaru shook his head.

If Juri was right, Orochimaru shouldn't have been able to detect him.

In fact, they had just been caught in a perfect surprise attack from someone who had given off no presence at all.

Peeking through the shadow of the grass, they saw three young shinobi looking around warily.

Judging by their appearance, they were new examinees.

Their Forehead Protectors were from Konoha—

"Are those... Konoha shinobi?"

The three young shinobi seemed confused by their sudden displacement through time and space, and looked around in bewilderment.

"In any case... If his goal is revenge for the past, this is no longer a matter of the exams. We need to find a way back to Konohagakure and report this to the Third Hokage. To do that, we should join up with those people. Fortunately, they look like Konoha shinobi. They're not enemies."

"What about the Iwagakure Genin we encountered earlier?"

"Uchiha Izuna's goal is unclear, but he probably wants to hide his presence. In that case—"

"Silence them."

"Right. They've probably already been dealt with. He might also have set a trap for us."

Now they understood why the others had shouted at them to stop when they first encountered them.

After the exams began, they had been unlucky enough to run into Uchiha Izuna, and had become his targets.

They had barely escaped with their lives and hidden, trembling with fear. When a Genin from another village who knew nothing about their situation appeared, of course they would react that way.

Having reached this conclusion, Juri rejected the idea of asking the Iwagakure Genin for help.

In any case, Juri picked up the unconscious Tsunade and stood.

Looking closely, Tsunade's sleeping face bore no resemblance to her brother Diejian's. If her mind had truly been damaged by genjutsu, it seemed strange that the corners of her mouth were relaxed, giving her a peaceful look.

"Hey, you."

"Eek?!"

The Genin made anxious sounds.

Their eyes fell on Tsunade, who was being carried.

From their frightened expressions, it was easy to imagine the malicious assumptions they were making.

The blue-haired boy shielded his startled companion and stepped forward.

Juri frowned in displeasure.

"They're not enemies."

"Ah, it's Orochimaru."

At the sight of Orochimaru standing beside Juri, the tension drained from the Genin's shoulders.

"Hmph."

Juri gave an annoyed snort at the obvious difference in how they were treated.

"So an enemy has infiltrated this exam site?"

After Juri explained, Orochimaru added a few details and gave a brief account of what had happened.

A boy with pale blue hair, long enough to brush his shoulders, asked Juri what they should do.

Juri nodded emphatically. The remaining Genin exchanged glances, then looked up at her as though she were their last hope.

Even Orochimaru, who was tall for his age, was still only as tall as a boy in his early teens.

Meanwhile, the mischievous little Juri with twin tails had somehow grown into a mature woman.

Taller than the average woman and blessed with a striking figure, Juri must have seemed incredibly dependable to the children just then.

"Um, what should we do now...?"

Juri turned her gaze toward the Genin girl who had spoken timidly.

She was a little girl.

Juri hadn't even considered crouching down to speak to her, so her gaze naturally became a sharp downward stare.

"Eep."

The girl let out a small, startled squeak.

At the sound, Juri turned her head away in a huff.

"D-did we do something to upset you...?"

With Tsunade instantly defeated and even Orochimaru, regarded as the strongest among his peers, unable to fight back, the possibility that their enemy might target them made upsetting Juri a matter of life and death.

Considering that this woman was already as renowned as Diejian and was regarded in the village as a Mad Dog, it was only natural that they were afraid of her.

"Calm down."

The blue-haired boy placed a hand on the trembling girl's shoulder.

"Miss Juri. Allow me to introduce myself properly. My name is Dan Katō."

"..."

Juri turned her gaze to the boy who had introduced himself as Dan Katō.

"This child is shy around people. She's like this with everyone. I know it's rude, but please forgive her."

"...This way. Follow me."

In response to Dan's frank words, Juri turned and started walking.

"You called out to us to protect us, didn't you? Thank you."

"Keep your voice down. They'll hear us."

"Yes."

Dan bowed toward Juri's retreating back in gratitude, then answered quietly after being reprimanded.

Watching Orochimaru follow Juri, Dan said something to his two companions, then hurried after her.

"..."

Juri wore a disgruntled expression.

Her ears, hidden beneath her smooth black hair, were faintly red.

"What did you say?"

Dan and the others had appeared later than Juri's group, so they would also return to the village about an hour after them.

That was what happened when Juri returned after laying every trap she could think of for the Genin, who couldn't seem to shake their anxiety about what might happen after she left them.

"Welcome back, Miss Juri."

Tsunade greeted Juri, looking a little tired but clearly conscious again.

Juri couldn't hide her confusion at the impossible sight.

--Hadn't Tsunade's mind been shattered by a genjutsu?

Juri swallowed the words and glanced at Orochimaru.

Orochimaru merely shrugged.

After all, Tsunade's mind being shattered by a genjutsu had only been Juri's excuse at the time. Juri herself had taken it as true, but it had been nothing more than an assumption without a shred of evidence.

As it happened, someone in Dan's team had medical knowledge. According to the Genin's diagnosis, Tsunade's inability to regain consciousness had been caused by drug-induced stupor. She should recover as soon as she took an antidote.

Juri was relieved that Tsunade had recovered safely, but an indescribable irritation lingered in her heart.

"Such a powerful genjutsu..."

Orochimaru murmured.

He seemed to have gradually begun to understand Juri's personality, and spoke to her quietly.

Juri's shoulders twitched.

"Shut up, Orochimaru."

Juri stared at him, eyes wide as if they might pop out of their sockets.

Though her Sharingan was still sealed, the pressure she exuded was astounding.

Under her glare, Orochimaru quickly turned away.

"Wh-what's going on?"

At Tsunade's question, Juri's gaze lost some of its force.

This wasn't the time for games.

Still carrying her lingering irritation, Juri sat down.

She briefly explained the situation to Tsunade: they were hiding from the ghost of the Warring States Period, Uchiha Izuna.

They had no way to contact Konoha, and couldn't act until the exam was over, so they had no choice but to abandon the Chunin Selection Exam.

Tsunade had no objection to calling off the Chunin Ninja Exams.

Her original priority had been to stop her brother's rampage, which she'd heard about from Ina.

Just then, Tsunade realized something and sucked in a breath.

She remembered that the Third Hokage had appointed Senju Diejian to oversee one of the exam rounds.

"Brother..."

"What happened to Diejian-senpai?"

Orochimaru asked at Tsunade's murmur.

Tsunade gave a slight nod.

"I see..."

Watching them, Juri murmured.

"Wh-what's going on?"

Dan, who hadn't been able to keep up, turned to Juri and asked.

"Listen. Uchiha Izuna is a man who's been hiding in the Shinobi World for roughly half a century, ever since he was thought to have died. He didn't take part in the First Shinobi World War. He's been biding his time all this while. There's only one reason a man like that would show himself now. Yeah... It's obvious."

"Could it be...?"

"Yeah, he's somewhere in this forest. The target of his revenge... Senju Hashirama's grandson, the next head of the Senju Clan—Senju Diejian."

Juri's words stirred the Genin into an uproar.

They trusted that if they could get under the protection of a man who was the Third Hokage's right hand and one of the village's strongest fighters, their lives would be safe.

"Quiet," Juri said.

After all, Juri and Tsunade's deduction was only an assumption.

They didn't know if he was really there, and even if he was, they might not find him.

Just as they were leaning toward the idea that it was best to stay hidden there—

"You again...? I could sense a Senju presence..."

"Wind Release: Vacuum Bullet Technique!"

Uchiha Izuna's voice came from above as he looked down at them.

Orochimaru formed Hand Seals in an instant and fired a volley of air bullets into the sky.

But Izuna vanished without warning, and the bullets merely shaved uselessly past the tree trunks.

"Run! Go find Diejian-senpai!" Orochimaru shouted.

"Raaaaah!"

Juri leaped above Izuna as he landed with the Body Flicker Technique and brought her huge staff crashing down.

Izuna dodged the attack with a mere half-step, then kicked Juri in the side as she landed.

Juri was sent flying, coughing, and Orochimaru caught her.

"Tsunade, he's after you! Run!" one of Dan's companions shouted, his face contorted.

But—

"--Tsunade?"

From his one-legged stance after kicking Juri away, Izuna slowly lowered his foot to the ground.

Moving like a beast that had spotted its prey and raised its head, he turned his gaze toward Tsunade.

"I see. That little girl... is Senju Hashirama's granddaughter? She was so weak I didn't notice."

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

Dan realized from Izuna's reaction, as if he hadn't noticed Tsunade before, that his companion had made a terrible mistake.

Izuna had probably sensed Senju Chakra instinctively, but hadn't known who it came from.

So there was no doubt he would focus his attacks on Tsunade now.

To stop him, Juri tried to pin Izuna down and poured all her Chakra into a Fire Release technique.

"Run, Tsunade! Remember your fight with Diejian-senpai!"

Juri's jutsu created a wall of flames between Izuna and Tsunade's group.

A day from a year ago flashed through Tsunade's mind—the day she'd fought Diejian.

Back then, she'd left Orochimaru behind and gone with Jiraiya to call for reinforcements.

But what had happened to Orochimaru as a result?

"No! This isn't like that playful spar! You'll die, Orochimaru!"

"Then you can die."

Izuna emerged from the heat haze and struck at Tsunade's face with a Hand-Pull Strike.

"Not a chance!"

At the last possible moment, Juri lunged at Izuna with astonishing force.

The two grappled and tumbled away into the undergrowth.

Orochimaru urged Tsunade to run while she had the chance, but she hesitated.

"If it's you, you can figure out where Diejian-senpai is. You're the one with the best chance."

At Orochimaru's words, Tsunade sucked in a breath.

"I'll definitely come back."

With that, Tsunade turned around.

Orochimaru gave Dan a meaningful look. Dan understood and nodded slightly.

A metallic clang rang out behind Orochimaru as he watched Tsunade and the others leave.

Orochimaru instantly jumped back and turned around. Izuna stood facing Juri, who held a staff, with a sword in his hand.

"Look away and you'll die."

"..."

Blood ran down Juri's forehead and the corner of her mouth, and dust smudged her cheeks.

Her breathing was a little ragged, too.

Uchiha Izuna, on the other hand, stood calmly, completely unharmed.

It was obvious that Uchiha Izuna was stronger. Tense and silent, Orochimaru gave a slight nod.

Izuna vanished in an instant.

"So fast!"

Juri's cry of surprise.

Izuna appeared beneath Orochimaru, having passed Juri in an instant, and swung his blade sideways.

A shallow cut appeared across Orochimaru's abdomen.

Orochimaru had only been injured that slightly because he'd raised a Kunai in front of his stomach and deflected the blade's path at the last moment.

Izuna spun the sword in his hand and reversed his grip, then pulled it back and struck Orochimaru in the abdomen with its pommel, right where he'd cut him.

Orochimaru couldn't help crouching as the powerful blow struck his wound.

But Izuna didn't stop moving.

He drove his knee into the chin of the crouching Orochimaru.

Orochimaru jerked his head aside and fell onto his back.

Almost as Orochimaru hit the ground, Juri swept her staff sideways, trying to tear open Izuna's torso.

"Got you!"

Juri thought.

But what her all-out strike had swept through was a rotting log—

Substitution Technique—realizing Izuna had escaped, Juri used the centrifugal force of her sweeping strike to spin her body around.

She had guessed Izuna would circle behind her and launched this reckless counterattack.

Izuna had indeed circled behind her, and the unexpected move caught him off guard. Her staff struck his arm.

But since he'd blocked the blow with his arm, he'd clearly had time to defend himself.

Izuna, who had backed away to face Juri, lightly shook the arm he'd used to block, as if to say it was a little numb.

"Don't underestimate me."

Juri pulled two barbed Shuriken from her clothes and threw them at Izuna.

Then she swiftly formed the "Tiger" hand seal.

Fire Release raced along the steel wires attached to the barbed Shuriken and surged toward Izuna.

Standing between the two barbed Shuriken, Izuna easily dodged and formed the exact same hand seal as Juri.

The flames he spat from his mouth swallowed Juri's flames and surged back toward her.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

A powerful blast of air burst from Juri's mouth.

The flames racing back along the wires were boosted by Great Breakthrough, turning into a massive torrent that surged back, trying to swallow Izuna.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall."

The wall of earth that suddenly appeared blocked the hot wind bearing down on Izuna.

With nowhere to go, the Explosive Flame ran wild and turned back on its user, Juri.

Juri was blown into the air by the blast—just as she thought she was about to go flying, the blast suddenly vanished, and she crashed to the ground, her momentum gone.

The impact of hitting the ground reverberated through Juri's internal organs.

Her arm, which had scraped along the ground as she landed, was injured and bleeding.

Juri forced her aching, injured body to prop up her torso.

—The wall of earth had been created to block the blast.

"O-Orochimaru..."

She looked back and saw Orochimaru lying face-down, one palm pressed to the ground. She didn't know when he'd changed to that position.

He must have used up the last of his strength to protect her.

Juri used the Shadow Clone Technique and sent a clone over to Orochimaru.

The clone carried Orochimaru on its back and sped off in the direction Tsunade and the others had gone, leaving the battlefield.

Juri's breathing suddenly grew ragged.

She could barely support herself on her elbows.

The Shadow Clone Technique was a high-level ninjutsu that divided the user's Chakra equally among their clones.

With her Chakra heavily sealed, using it was no different from consuming her own life force.

The earthen wall crumbled with a rumble, and Izuna appeared on the other side.

Izuna looked at Juri, already covered in wounds, with a hint of pity.

"I don't want to kill a member of the Uchiha."

At Izuna's words, Juri, breathing hard, raised one eyebrow.

"My goal is Senju blood. Call that little girl back. If you do, I won't kill you."

Izuna fixed his expressionless gaze on Juri.

At the same time, the tip of his blade pointed at her.

"Uh..."

Izuna's offer could spare Juri's life.

Her face had been twisted with hatred, but at his words, it filled with anger—then abruptly changed into a timid, pleading expression.

"You're an Uchiha shinobi, standing alongside the Senju. You have no reason to help them."

"Sure, but... y-you really will let me go?"

At Juri's words and attitude, Izuna narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Because we're both Uchiha. I keep my promises."

"If I call Tsunade back, you really will let me go...?"

Juri's voice gradually weakened until it was barely audible.

"Enough."

Looking at Juri, Izuna narrowed his eyes even further in contempt.

His tone was calm, but the impatience at the end of his words was impossible to hide.

Juri looked as though she were about to burst into tears.

She repeated herself to make sure her life was guaranteed.

"A-all I have to do is call Tsunade back..."

"That's right. Just call that little girl back, and I won't hurt you anymore. I'll take care of the witnesses, too. Then no one will know what you did. Go on and call her back."

Izuna gestured with his chin, urging her to hurry.

"But I refuse."

In an instant, Juri's expression changed.

Her previously timid face tightened, and the fear in her trembling eyes gave way to determination.

A fighting spirit burned clearly in her pitch-black eyes.

"One of the things I, Uchiha Juri, love most is telling self-important jerks 'NO' when they think they're all that."

Juri's mouth twisted into a sneer.

Even if she'd lost the fight, she'd won outright when it came to making her opponent miserable.

She watched Izuna's face flush with anger.

At that moment, Juri was filled with unparalleled satisfaction.

"Puhahahahahahahahaha!! Serves you right!! You think I'd sell out my comrades? Don't underestimate the Uchiha of the future!! Puhahahahahahahaha!"

At last... Juri burst into laughter.

Ignoring the pain coming from every part of her body, she shook with laughter, tears welling in the corners of her eyes.

She cast aside her hero's betrayal and the despair that her life might be over. Juri simply laughed out loud.

"—Honestly."

"...?"

Suddenly, the anger vanished from Izuna's face.

The strange change made Juri stop laughing, too.

"To be honest, I really want to punch you... but it looks like this is where it ends."

The forest rustled.

The presence of the surrounding animals gradually faded.

Afraid of something, the animals fled farther and farther away.

The peaceful stillness they'd felt at first was gone. A chillingly cold blade of air prickled their skin.

Juri couldn't understand Izuna, whose entire demeanor had changed.

She couldn't hide her confusion at the murderous chill spreading through the area.

Could it be, Juri thought.

Maybe Diejian was rushing this way.

After learning what had happened from Tsunade and the others, Diejian must be hurrying to protect his close friend, left behind alone.

It was only natural that he'd be seething with killing intent.

"Someone like you deserves to be taken out by Diejian!"

"Oh, oof..."

At Juri's threat, Izuna's eyes widened.

"Anyway... see you around."

Izuna gave a wry smile and began forming hand seals.

With a pop, the area was swallowed by smoke.

When the rising smoke cleared, neither Juri nor Uchiha Izuna remained.

All that was left was the back of a man bearing the Senju Crest.

Black hair, slightly longer at the nape.

Two locks hung down over his Forehead Protector like antennae.

Beneath the fluttering purple coat was a blue suit of armor, repaired and still bearing the marks...

That's right. Uchiha Izuna was an imaginary enemy, created when Diejian used the Transformation Technique to disguise himself and infiltrate the exam.

Of course, that wasn't the only reason he'd transformed. There were several factors involved.

Ina was probably telling Juri she'd passed right about now, Diejian thought, wondering what expression she'd make the next time they met.

He'd probably be subjected to a barrage of questions.

She might come at him, face bright red, cursing and biting, and grab him by the collar.

He'd have to dodge, of course.

He didn't need to think hard to know he'd done something pretty awful to Juri.

But he'd only been doing his duty as an Examiner. There was no reason for him to get beaten up.

If anything, her final taunt had pissed him off, and he wanted to tease her even more.

All in all, he was looking forward to the playful scuffle with Juri that was bound to happen later.

And that was exactly why there was something he had to do now—

"Come out."

"—You noticed?"

"You were giving off so much killing intent. How could I not notice?"

A tall man with long golden hair emerged from the bushes behind Diejian.

Two horns grew from his forehead, and three whisker-like marks ran across each cheek.

For the past year, Diejian hadn't gone a single day without remembering that face.

The leader of the men who had killed Diejian's master a year ago and trampled on Grandfather's peaceful aspirations—

"Let's finish this quickly. I don't want to see your face anymore."

"Don't give me that nonsense, brat! You were nothing but a coward who could only run away a year ago!"

"The times are always changing. The moment you were lured into this forest, your era ended—Kinkaku."