Target Locked: Yuhi Kurenai

The next morning, the aroma of miso soup and grilled fish wafted from the kitchen of the Senju ancestral estate.

Shizune bustled around in front of the stove, muttering that they were short on ingredients again, while the pig circled around her feet. Chiba sat at the low dining table, flipping through a stack of documents he had retrieved from the South District Property Management Office yesterday. Tsunade sat across from him, her hair uncombed and her eyes half-open, with a cup of strong tea before her. Her entire body radiated the listless air of someone not yet recovered from a hangover.

Anko was the last to appear. By the time she walked over from the eastern guest quarters, her condition had visibly improved by a great deal. Her steps were light, and as soon as she entered, she caught the scent of miso soup and her nose twitched.

"Is there breakfast?"

"Sit." Without raising his head, Chiba pointed at the empty seat to the left of the table.

Anko sat down, with Chiba between her and Tsunade. She glanced at Tsunade's state, the corner of her lips twitching, but said nothing.

Halfway through breakfast, the front courtyard gate sounded.

Shizune jogged over to open it. When she returned, she held a sealed bamboo-tube letter bearing the vermilion seal of the Konoha Ninja Administration Department.

"Lord Chiba, an official document has arrived."

Chiba took the bamboo tube, twisted off the cap, and pulled out a thin roll of paper.

He unfolded it and gave it a quick scan.

It was an invitation issued under the seal of the Konoha Ninja Administration Department, notifying all active jonin and special jonin in the village to attend a "Ninjutsu and Genjutsu Exchange Seminar" at the Konoha Combat Arena three days later, as preliminary preparation and personnel assessment for the upcoming Chunin Exams.

Attached beneath the invitation was a guest list. The attendees included most of Konoha's currently active jonin, as well as some elite chunin.

Chiba's gaze traveled down the list.

Asuma Sarutobi, jonin.

Yuhi Kurenai, jonin.

Kakashi Hatake, jonin.

Might Guy, jonin.

Genma Shiranui, special jonin.

Hayate Gekko, special jonin.

The list was long, but Chiba's eyes paused on the seventh line for two seconds.

Yuhi Kurenai.

Konoha's youngest genjutsu-specialist jonin. She had advanced to jonin at twenty-seven, specialized in Tree Binding techniques and high-level demonic illusion techniques, and had personally been recognized by the Third Hokage as "Konoha's rising genjutsu star."

She was also the woman Asuma Sarutobi had pursued for nearly two years without winning over.

Chiba spun the invitation around his fingers. The paper flipped over in the morning sunlight, then flipped back.

Tsunade took a large gulp of strong tea across from him and finally woke up a little. Seeing what Chiba held, she asked a question.

"What official document?"

"Konoha Ninjutsu and Genjutsu Exchange Seminar. Three days from now, at the Combat Arena. Jonin-level and above will attend."

Tsunade frowned slightly.

"Preliminary preparations for the Chunin Exams? That old man Sarutobi is still pushing this formalistic nonsense."

"Formalistic or not, the attendee list is interesting." Chiba passed her the invitation.

Tsunade took it and skimmed it. She paused when she saw certain names.

"Yuhi Kurenai? That red-eyed genjutsu girl?"

"You know her?"

"I met her twice. Back when I was still in the village, she had only recently graduated from the Ninja Academy. She was a quiet little girl. I didn't expect her to be a jonin already." Tsunade set the invitation back on the table. "You're interested in this seminar?"

Chiba picked up the last piece of grilled fish, put it in his mouth, chewed twice, and swallowed.

"Not just interested. I intend to attend."

Anko had a mouthful of miso soup when she heard that. She raised her eyelids.

"You're not a jonin. The invitation says jonin and special jonin only."

"I'm the Senju Clan head, registered under a special establishment. I'm not restricted by ordinary ninja ranks. When Lady Tsunade helped restore my identity registration, the remarks column in the administrative records stated: 'Special bloodline-limit contributor, granted jonin-level meeting participation rights.'"

The corner of Anko's mouth crooked.

"You really planned everything out, didn't you?"

"How else would I have survived in Konoha until now?"

Tsunade set down her teacup and tapped the tabletop twice with her fingers.

"You're not going to the seminar just to watch the show, are you?"

Chiba picked up the invitation again and tapped twice beneath Yuhi Kurenai's name with his index finger.

"There are fewer than three genjutsu-type jonin in Konoha who can really fight. Kakashi Hatake's Sharingan counts as half, Torune Aburame's insect-based genjutsu counts as half, and among those who have truly followed a pure genjutsu path to jonin level, there's only Yuhi Kurenai."

Tsunade watched his expression, her eyes slowly narrowing.

"You want to recruit her?"

"The Senju Clan's current combat lineup has me as a Wood Release and taijutsu hybrid, while Anko specializes in close combat, infiltration, and assassination. We lack a genjutsu support position. Lady Tsunade, your Strength of a Hundred and medical abilities are strategic-level backing, but in everyday small- to mid-scale conflicts, one genjutsu user is worth more than three taijutsu users combined."

Anko set down her soup bowl and wiped her mouth.

"You have a point, but Yuhi Kurenai isn't easy to deal with. I partnered with her once during a joint ANBU operation. She was as cold as if she'd crawled out of an ice cellar. Other than task-related matters, she wouldn't say a single word of nonsense to you."

Chiba folded the invitation and tucked it into his chest lapel. He smiled at Tsunade and Anko as they ate breakfast.

"Come on. Three days from now, we'll go kick up a fuss at the seminar—and while we're at it, help that simp Asuma get over his fantasy of being single."

Tsunade and Anko looked at him at the same time.

Tsunade wore the helpless expression of someone thinking, You're causing trouble again.

Anko wore the excited expression of someone thinking, There's going to be a show.

Chiba stood and gathered the dishes, humming an out-of-tune little tune as he walked into the kitchen.

Three days later, at the Combat Arena, Konoha's jonin would witness a good show.

And Yuhi Kurenai.

Chiba placed the bowls and plates into the sink, flicking his fingers twice beneath the water. The splashing droplets scattered into tiny points of light beneath the morning sun.

The third spot in the Beauty Register was time for someone to fill it.