The Real Genjutsu

The sneak attack had failed. Their blitz had turned into a head-on clash, and though they had the advantage in numbers, their original plan was ruined.

"Aburame Nozawa, Yamamoto Isuke, and Kodamaru, support the others and harass six of their Chunin," Fugaku Uchiha ordered. "Everyone else, hold off one opponent each. Hyuga Ning and I will take the two strongest Stone shinobi."

With the Chunin fighting one-on-one and three teammates providing support, they might not win, but they could at least keep themselves safe and avoid losing anyone.

"I never expected a routine patrol to run into members of Konoha's two great clans, the Hyuga and the Uchiha."

The tall Stone shinobi said, "I heard the Hyuga and Uchiha have never gotten along. I didn't think they'd form a team. Black Rock, try to capture their clan members alive. I'm sure they know plenty of useful intelligence."

Confident, aren't you? Either this man was a formidable Stone shinobi or he was blindly arrogant. Otherwise, he would never have talked about capturing Jonin from the Hyuga and Uchiha alive. The pressure he gave off was considerable. He was clearly strong.

Fugaku's expression turned grave. He had not expected his newly reorganized team's first battle to be such a tough one.

His hands moved, sending several Kunai flying. They collided in midair and shot toward one of the tall Stone Jonin, their angles shifting unpredictably with each collision.

"I've long heard that the Uchiha clan's Shurikenjutsu is famous throughout the Shinobi World," the tall Stone shinobi said. "Today, I'll see it for myself."

"Red Rock, don't underestimate any Ninja," the shinobi called Black Rock warned. "The Uchiha are best known for their Sharingan. Watch out for Genjutsu cast through his eyes."

Red Rock said nothing, but Fugaku could see the caution in his expression.

Two Kunai appeared in Red Rock's hands. His arms blurred as he swung them, his tall frame moving with startling speed.

Fugaku rushed forward. Close combat was where his Sharingan gave him the greatest advantage: its keen perception let him read his opponent's every move.

And if he could cast Genjutsu at any moment, he could create an opening in the man's attacks—one Fugaku could turn into a killing blow.

Red Rock had clearly anticipated the trouble the Sharingan's Genjutsu could cause. A Ninja who had survived countless battles, he would not take any opponent lightly.

Red Rock's hands flashed through a series of signs.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

An Earth Wall rose from the ground. The muscles in Red Rock's arms bulged as he drove both fists into it again and again, sending chunks of hard stone flying across Fugaku's field of vision.

Fast as the stones were, they could not escape the Sharingan's perception. Fugaku kept dodging, maintaining his distance as he moved to the side.

He did not risk charging in. Since Red Rock had chosen Ninjutsu, he had surely considered that Fugaku might use the Sharingan to close the gap. He might already be preparing another technique to trap him.

Earth Release had far too many techniques that could catch someone off guard. Fugaku dodged the stones ahead of him and kept moving so Red Rock could not lock onto him. At the same time, he flicked his hand forward, sending several Shuriken arcing toward Red Rock from unexpected angles.

Fugaku spared a glance for the other fights. The Chunin on his team were working together well. They had not defeated their opponents, but they had the upper hand. Inuzuka Maru and one of the Stone Jonin had already moved away from the area.

Fugaku was not worried about Inuzuka Maru. His opponent was an ordinary Stone Jonin, and with Lanmaru's help, Inuzuka Maru should at least be able to keep himself alive.

Hyuga Ning was locked in a stalemate with his opponent. As a Jonin of the Hyuga Branch Family, he had been taught Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven and could block the enemy's Ninjutsu attacks.

Fugaku looked around. His side held the overall advantage, but another Stone patrol could arrive at any time. If one did, they might be surrounded.

Red Rock dodged the Shuriken. As he leaped, he used the motion to conceal his hands while he formed signs.

"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"

Red Rock was fast, but Fugaku's Sharingan was faster. He saw every sign. Activating the Body Flicker Technique, he vanished from where he stood and charged straight at Red Rock.

Fugaku had already rushed forward before the swamp appeared. Red Rock could not cast another technique at the very instant he activated this one.

The Swamp of the Underworld formed silently behind Fugaku, failing to swallow him.

His scarlet Sharingan spun. He cast Genjutsu and drove his Kunai toward Red Rock's heart. Perhaps sensing danger, Red Rock broke free just before the blade struck his chest and blocked it in time.

Fugaku would not let him open the distance again. He attacked relentlessly with the Kunai in both hands, his Sharingan spinning as it tracked Red Rock's every movement.

Keeping his eyes fixed on Red Rock's, Fugaku pressed his attack and denied him any chance to use Ninjutsu. He cast Genjutsu again, but Red Rock recovered almost as soon as his focus wavered.

The Three-Tomoe Sharingan had too many limitations. Against a strong opponent, its Genjutsu could not do much.

Fugaku did not lose heart. His Sharingan spun rapidly as he began slipping small illusions into Red Rock's vision, none of them enough to disrupt the fight.

A pile of stones might appear where there was none, or a clod of earth might shift. Each illusion vanished in an instant, raising no alarm. Fugaku was merely guiding what Red Rock expected to see.

They clashed again. Fugaku released all the Pupil Power he had built up in his Sharingan, guiding Red Rock's actions.

Fugaku stepped into a small hollow behind and to one side of him, and his balance faltered. But Red Rock's perception of the hollow—and of Fugaku himself—had been subtly distorted. Fugaku's repeated nudges had begun to work.

Seeing Fugaku stumble, Red Rock swept his Kunai across Fugaku's throat. Blood sprayed before his eyes. Then a sharp pain tore through his chest.

The scene Red Rock had seen was not what had happened. His blade had cut Fugaku's arm, not his throat. The Genjutsu had shifted what he saw, and Fugaku's Kunai had pierced his heart.

A Genjutsu built on a real scene with only small distortions to the body felt extraordinarily convincing and was difficult to see through. Until his Pupil Power was strong enough to overwhelm an opponent, Fugaku had found this kind of illusion easier to use against them.

Fugaku drew the Kunai in his right hand across Red Rock's throat. With two fatal wounds, blood poured from the man's chest and mouth.

Red Rock stared at Fugaku in disbelief. Only now did he realize there was more to the Uchiha than he had known. Fugaku had caught him in a Genjutsu without his even noticing.

But Red Rock would never have a chance to tell anyone what he had learned about the Sharingan.

A message appeared in Fugaku's mind, confirming Red Rock's death.

Killed one Jonin. Gained a moderate amount of Pupil Power.

(End of chapter)