The secluded sand valley became Shira's new purgatory and holy land.
Day after day, he appeared here on time, undergoing I Fūgetsu's rigorous, almost cruel, Genjutsu resistance training.
In the first few days, almost every training session ended with Shira's complete breakdown.
I Fūgetsu's Genjutsu are ever-changing and impossible to defend against.
Visually, Shira will see the world turned upside down, space torn apart, and the familiar sand valley transformed into an endless abyss.
He will hear the wails of the dead echoing in his ears, and the betrayal of trusted people piercing his heart.
In terms of touch, the body feels as if it is frozen or plunged into lava, with intense pain and numbness alternating.
In terms of smell and taste, the stench of decay fills the nasal cavity, like the rotten intestines that have never been drained. The bitter taste of extreme poison permeates the tip of the tongue, like accidentally eating hallucinogenic mushrooms.
The emotional shock was what Shira least wanted to face; her most cherished memories were twisted into the most terrifying nightmares, and her deepest fears were magnified infinitely.
Each time, Shira relied on the excruciating pain of clenching her teeth, the discomfort created by reversing her breathing, and the ferocious power of forcibly activating her life force at the last moment to break free from the mire of illusion.
After each training session, he was as if he had been pulled out of the water, his mind was in a daze, and his muscles trembled uncontrollably from overexertion.
I Fūgetsu remained a detached observer throughout, precisely pointing out each of his mistakes:
"Too slow reaction; 0.1 seconds after the Genjutsu takes effect determines life or death."
"The timing of the painful stimulus is wrong; it should erupt the instant the incoordination is perceived."
"Your breathing technique is too crude. Are you trying to knock yourself unconscious first? Control, precise control!"
"Relying on bursts of activity as a last resort indicates that your basic resistance is still far from adequate."
The criticism was merciless, but every point of guidance hit the nail on the head.
Like the thirstiest sponge, Shira absorbed everything with fervor. His will grew ever stronger with each tearing and rebuilding.
Growth is happening at a speed visible to the naked eye.
A week later, he was able to remain conscious for more than ten seconds during a moderate-intensity single-sensory Genjutsu, and he could try to weaken the Genjutsu's effect by fine-tuning his breathing rhythm, rather than immediately relying on self-harm and outbursts.
Two weeks later, when faced with I Fūgetsu's composite sensory Genjutsu, he struggled for longer periods and began to vaguely perceive the moment and direction of the Genjutsu Chakra intrusion, thus making more accurate predictions and internal interference. The number of times he activated his active abilities significantly decreased.
A month later, the changes were nothing short of miraculous.
On the training field, I Fūgetsu Hand Seals, her eyes serious.
" Genjutsu: The All-Things Labyrinth City!"
The scenery around Shira instantly collapsed and reformed. He found himself in a huge, ever-changing labyrinth with endless loops. Twisted faces crawled all over the walls, uttering seductive whispers. The ground beneath his feet was sometimes as hard as iron and sometimes as soft as mud.
This is an extremely sophisticated composite Genjutsu that attacks sight, hearing, touch, and sense of direction simultaneously.
However, Shira was not as panicked as he had been at the beginning. He instantly closed his eyes, blocking out the most deceptive visual cues, and his ears vibrated rapidly, trying to catch the real sound of the wind and I Fūgetsu's barely perceptible breathing;
His footsteps treaded the ground with a peculiar rhythm, judging the actual terrain through the feedback vibrations; the breathing of the Seven Heavens Breathing Method was controlled in an extremely low-frequency yet profound oscillation state, guarding his consciousness like a rock, constantly impacting external mental interference.
Three seconds, five seconds, ten seconds... He struggled in the maze, yet his steps remained steady and his mind unwavering.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes wide, his gaze sharp as lightning, precisely locking onto a faint direction of the Genjutsu energy flow—that was roughly where I Fūgetsu was!
"Now!"
He didn't bite his tongue or activate his powers; instead, he focused all his mental energy on one point and combined it with a violent reverse breathing pulse!
"Break!"
Buzz--!
The surrounding labyrinthine landscape rippled violently like a shattered mirror before suddenly vanishing!
Shira remained standing in the same spot, her breathing slightly rapid and her forehead beaded with sweat, but her eyes were clear. She had managed to break free from the high-level compound Genjutsu using only her basic resistance and skills!
Standing opposite her, I Fūgetsu's face revealed undisguised shock for the first time, and even a hint of relief.
He remained silent for a few seconds before slowly speaking, his tone no longer cold, but filled with a complex sense of awe. "Incredible. In just one month, your mental resilience and combat skills have surpassed the vast majority of Chunin who specialize in this art. Your path of relying on the ultimate control of your breath and body to combat Genjutsu is unprecedented."
Shira calmed her breathing and bowed respectfully. "It's all thanks to your excellent guidance, Teacher."
I Fūgetsu shook her head slightly. "I only provided pressure and direction. It was your own will and that unique technique that made it all possible."
He paused, then added, "Of course, if you 'Genjutsu facing Dōjutsu of the Uchiha level, or the unpredictable Mind Body Switch Technique of the Yamanaka Clan expert, you're still far from enough. But at least you're no longer completely helpless."
Recognition. This is genuine recognition from a seasoned Genjutsu expert.
The subsequent Taijutsu training session also quietly changed.
Initially, I Fūgetsu was able to handle Shira's attacks with ease, and even provide guidance. However, as Shira improved his control over his own power, and with the extreme focus and combat intuition honed from fighting Genjutsu, his Taijutsu became increasingly terrifying.
His attacks were no longer just about power and speed; they also carried a sense of anticipation and pressure. He could predict I Fūgetsu's next move by sensing the slightest muscle contractions and Chakra fluctuations in the opponent.
His dodging became even more unpredictable and elusive, as if he could "sense" the trajectory of the attack in advance.
The clash between the two in the sand valley gradually transformed from an initial instructional battle into a fierce and evenly matched confrontation! The muffled thuds of their fists colliding were like the beating of drums, and their figures moved so fast it was dazzling.
I Fūgetsu had to become increasingly serious, and even occasionally needed to use some low-cost Genjutsu to assist and interfere, in order to barely gain the upper hand.
His gaze toward Shira gradually shifted from that of a sparring partner to that of an equal, worthy opponent to whom he was willing to give his all.
A silent bond quietly grows amidst the brutal training and intense competition.
They remained taciturn, but each exchange of glances carried a respect for each other's strength and will.
Because of love~
As training ended that day, I Fūgetsu looked at Shira, who was adjusting her breathing, and suddenly spoke up, "The village is currently forming a special reconnaissance team. They need to infiltrate the border of the Land of Wind to investigate enemy movements, requiring extremely high levels of stealth and counter-surveillance capabilities. I am the captain."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "I'm still missing a player who can fight and run, has a strong will, and isn't easily broken by Genjutsu or torture. Interested?"
This is not an order, but an invitation. A signal that acknowledges their abilities and is willing to include them in the team.
Shira was stunned for a moment, then a burning light ignited in her eyes.
Real combat is the best stage to test the results of training!
"Yes!" he answered decisively.
"Very good, very energetic! Get ready, we'll depart in three days." I Fūgetsu's lips seemed to curve into a very faint smile as she turned and left.
As the sun set, Shira stood in the sand valley, feeling the surging power within her and her increasingly resilient spirit, her gaze fixed on the border.
Suddenly, he realized something.
"Wait a minute, I'm not even Genin yet!"