As a clan specializing in genjutsu, the Kurama Clan had records of all the techniques used in Konoha.
Although the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique was recorded in the Scroll of Seals, the Kurama Clan didn't know its hand seals. Still, they weren't unfamiliar with the technique itself.
After a moment of surprise, Kurama Dequn realized he had fallen under the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique. He quickly shut his eyes, breaking free of the genjutsu.
Ye Ning opened his eyes at just that moment.
The instant Kurama Dequn had entered the dark space, Ye Ning had realized his genjutsu had affected his "teacher." All he could do now was smile awkwardly.
Fortunately, Kurama Dequn knew who Ye Ning was and didn't take it to heart. He waved a hand and said seriously,
"Your talent for genjutsu far exceeds my expectations. You felt spiritual energy for the first time and were already able to perform an A-rank genjutsu. That kind of talent is rare. But I have a piece of advice for you."
"Never show off your genjutsu in front of someone whose genjutsu is stronger than yours. Otherwise, you'll feel the power of your own technique!"
Kurama Dequn looked solemn.
"If you use genjutsu against someone more skilled than you, it may be reflected back at you. And for someone with greater mastery of genjutsu, breaking free is easy. All they have to do is shut off the sense you affected, and your genjutsu will be dispelled, just like the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique earlier. It was only because there's a gap between our skill levels that I could break free of it so easily."
Ye Ning nodded thoughtfully.
That did seem to be how it worked.
In the original story, after the Konoha Crush, Uchiha Itachi returned to Konoha and encountered Yuhi Kurenai. Although Yuhi Kurenai used the Tree Binding Death genjutsu on him, Uchiha Itachi reflected it with ease, leaving Yuhi Kurenai bound to a tree instead.
Using genjutsu against an enemy whose mastery far surpassed your own was undoubtedly foolish.
"Of course, I'm not saying you should be so timid that you stop using genjutsu in battle."
"In truth, battles between genjutsu users are a contest of wits. Opening with a killing blow can easily put you in the kind of predicament I just described. Usually, you should first use a genjutsu that isn't too powerful to test your opponent and gauge their skill. That way, you can use genjutsu effectively to deal with them."
As he spoke, Kurama Dequn suddenly curled his lips into a confident smile. "Of course, if you're very confident in your genjutsu, you can ignore everything I just said."
"..."
So had he just said all that for nothing?
Noticing Ye Ning's odd expression, Kurama Dequn scratched his head and gave an awkward laugh.
"I was just giving you a reminder not to be blindly confident. Especially when facing a shinobi from the Uchiha Clan—you mustn't overestimate your own mastery of genjutsu, or you might end up suffering for it."
"Why would I have to face a shinobi from the Uchiha Clan? Aren't they part of Konoha?"
Ye Ning's question left Kurama Dequn completely stumped.
"Ahem. I was just giving an example."
"Why did your example have to be the Uchiha Clan?"
"..."
Are you picking a fight with me?
I was just giving an example. Did you really have to call me out like that?
Kurama Dequn was at a loss for words, so he simply changed the subject. "This scroll records some very common genjutsu. There's even a technique for reflecting an enemy's genjutsu. Just practice them diligently."
He unrolled the scroll, revealing a long list of genjutsu.
Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Technique, Fox-Mind Technique, Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death, Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique, Temple of Nirvana Technique...
It included everything from D-rank techniques to A-rank ones.
Ye Ning paused, then composed himself and said sincerely, "Thank you."
Even without this scroll, he would have had plenty to thank Kurama Dequn for.
Tsunade had been the one to invite him, but Ye Ning still needed to show him the proper courtesy.
After all, Kurama Dequn was teaching him genuinely useful things.
Besides these genjutsu, Ye Ning also had other questions he wanted answered.
"If using these genjutsu requires imagining them in your mind, do you also need to imagine them in your mind to create an original genjutsu?"
Create an original genjutsu?
Kurama Dequn was stunned.
In all the years since becoming a jonin, he had taught many young members of his clan, but this was the first time he'd heard someone talk about creating their own genjutsu.
"Creating an original genjutsu is no easier than creating an original ninjutsu. The effort and difficulty involved are beyond imagination. If you learn from the genjutsu recorded in the scroll, it's much easier to picture how they work. But to create a genjutsu, you have to build it from scratch. And you can't be sure how powerful your creation will be."
Kurama Dequn was trying to put his point gently.
Why bother?
You could spend a great deal of time and energy creating a genjutsu, only for it to be weaker than an ordinary one and for all your effort to go to waste.
It was only natural that Kurama Dequn thought this way.
Creating an original genjutsu was different from creating an original ninjutsu.
A ninjutsu's power could be predicted.
Before developing it, you could already form an initial expectation and estimate of its full potential.
Genjutsu, however, were entirely different.
They drew on Yin Power, an elusive force born of spiritual energy. Based on imagination alone, it was difficult to predict the power of the genjutsu you were developing.
The genjutsu used in Konoha that the Kurama Clan had recorded hadn't been added to in a long time.
That wasn't because no one had tried.
But the attempts had either failed, or produced genjutsu too weak to be worth recording.
Ye Ning, however, didn't see it that way.
He already had an idea for an original genjutsu.
He would model it after Uchiha Itachi's ocular technique, Tsukuyomi, and create a genjutsu space of his own.
He would call it—the Eighteen Levels of Hell!
Each level of the Eighteen Levels of Hell would be a cruel punishment that manipulated the five senses.
He wouldn't even need to invent anything. He only had to construct the Eighteen Levels of Hell in his mind, then reproduce the punishments of each level.
The only challenge was that his spiritual energy needed to be stronger.
From Ye Ning's expression, Kurama Izumo knew there was no talking him out of it. Still, he didn't discourage him.
After all, it was a good thing for a young person to be driven.
And with Ye Ning's exceptional talent for genjutsu, there was no telling whether he might create a powerful technique of his own.
"It looks like you've made up your mind. Then I'll look forward to hearing good news from you."
Before you continue