Chapter 26: Rich Girl Kurenai Yuhi
"But... I still lost to you."
Kurenai lowered her head, muttering softly. Her voice was like crushed red silk—fragile and filled with unwillingness.
Her curled black hair shimmered faintly under the sunlight. Those crimson eyes of hers rippled with emotion, clearly trying to hold back her frustration.
"That doesn't mean you won't surpass me one day," Seiji said, continuing in a comforting tone—for the sake of potential future trait drops, of course. "Sharingan isn't invincible."
And it wasn't.
To make the Sharingan truly powerful, one had to evolve it—by increasing the number of tomoe (or comma marks) and ultimately shaping the eye into a reflection of one's own inner world. That evolution birthed the Mangekyō Sharingan.
A real-life kaleidoscope contains fragments of colored glass that form new patterns as it spins. Similarly, the Mangekyō Sharingan spins its tomoe, using fragments of the soul to create a unique, personal "pattern."
And that soul, that spiritual energy—that was the power of Yin Release (Yin Style).
The Uchiha had inherited this very power from the Sage of Six Paths, passed down through their bloodline.
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Kurenai's eyes flickered upon hearing that, and her expression softened.
"Alright, Seiji. I will prove myself!"
She lifted her head, her voice laced with rare determination. A small fire had ignited in those youthful crimson eyes.
"Good," Seiji nodded.
Kurenai's father was Yuhi Shinku. In Konoha, his genjutsu had indeed been powerful—strong enough that there were even rumors he could reflect Mangekyō-level illusions.
But in truth, there had never been any clear confirmation of that in either the manga or anime.
Was he strong? Yes. But was he strong enough to reflect Mangekyō Sharingan illusions? Unlikely.
If that were the case, then on the Night of the Nine Tails, he wouldn't have died so unceremoniously.
Besides, how many Mangekyō users even existed in the ninja world?
Who exactly did Yuhi Shinku allegedly reflect? Madara Uchiha's Mangekyō? Fugaku Uchiha's?
Fugaku's Mangekyō, for instance, only appeared in anime filler—it was never shown in the original manga. In this reality, which version should Seiji consider canon?
Hard to say.
What he did know, though, was that Fugaku had never even told Mikoto about his Mangekyō. He'd kept it hidden, waiting for the right time to use it—to control the Nine Tails.
But in the end, he played the role of the hidden ace for so long that he never got to show his cards. He died quietly, choosing not to resist Itachi.
"Mm!" Kurenai nodded.
She was still a child, after all—brimming with pride and a desire to prove herself.
Seiji saw that clearly in her eyes, but he said no more. He just gave her a small, knowing nod, a faint smile playing at his lips.
Get stronger. The stronger, the better.
He wanted to see if her growth would bring him more useful traits.
"Ahem, Kurenai, that's actually what I meant to say earlier."
Asuma, sensing the atmosphere had shifted, quickly jumped in to salvage his earlier blunder. He tried to explain himself, but Kurenai didn't respond. Instead, she turned and walked away without a word.
Asuma scratched his head, realizing she was upset, and hurried after her to try and make amends.
Seiji watched the two walk off but didn't follow. He remained where he was, continuing his training.
Lightning Release: Iron Body had its limitations. The electricity couldn't reach certain areas—like deep muscle tissue, bones, and internal organs.
For those, Seiji had to rely on more traditional effort.
He sprinted toward a shallow river nearby and began running across the surface of the water.
Running normally would only improve stamina. But running on water? That refined chakra control and trained the body at the same time. A win-win.
Of course, the chakra expenditure was high. Anyone without Seiji's chakra reserves would be exhausted within minutes. They'd be wiped out for the whole day.
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Evening.
Seiji, now drenched in sweat, dragged his aching body home. But as he approached, he saw a familiar red silhouette standing at his door.
Kurenai Yuhi? She was back?
Seiji was a little baffled. Why did everyone seem to know where he lived? Kakashi somehow found his place without ever being shown the way. Now Kurenai had done the same, even though he'd never brought her home before.
"So," Seiji said calmly, "you've come to prove yourself again?"
According to the usual narrative flow, this should have been the part where Kurenai trained hard for a while, then returned to challenge him again—hopefully triggering a few trait drops in the process.
But instead—
"I... I want to exchange genjutsu techniques with you," Kurenai said, her voice cautious but eager. "I've practiced a bit, but I'm still lacking in theory. And I know your theoretical knowledge must be excellent. If we study together, I can get stronger faster."
She was holding a scroll in her hand—clearly here for a serious study session.
Seiji frowned slightly. "I've been thinking about picking up a part-time job during my free time. Something like waiting tables at a sushi shop. I don't have a lot of time to spare."
His time was valuable—far too valuable to waste tutoring Kurenai without compensation. It's not like she was Samui, with that mature figure that could trigger some eye-based reactions from him. If she were an older version of herself—more refined, maybe even the married woman type—then it might be worth reconsidering.
"You're short on money?" Kurenai blinked, caught off guard.
She hadn't known Seiji was struggling financially—so much so that he was planning to get a side job.
"I could... I could pay you for tutoring. I didn't bring a lot with me today, but I have more at home."
She quickly rummaged through her pockets and opened her hands. Not a small amount—about 800 ryō.
Yuhi Shinku had always doted on his daughter, frequently slipping her generous allowances.
Seiji's expression shifted slightly, forming the hint of a smile. "Well, it's a long story... but I've thought it over. Collaborating on genjutsu can benefit us both in the future, and I quite like that idea. Kurenai, please—come in."
He stepped aside and opened the door.
Now that money was involved, things became simple. He finally had funds to buy more ninja tools. Kurenai was an only child—Seiji guessed he might be able to get a decent sum from her over time. At the very least, enough to buy a short sword.
And it was all clean income—nothing shady. If anyone checked, it would all look above board.
"Really?" Kurenai took a few steps forward, hesitating, almost disbelieving that he agreed so easily.
"Of course. Now, let me share some of my insights into genjutsu..."
Seiji wiped the sweat from his brow and began teaching her.
In truth, discussing genjutsu with Kurenai helped him consolidate his own knowledge as well.
By now, the way he looked at her had completely changed—she was a walking, talking ATM. One that dropped traits and cash.
The warm amber of the evening sun streamed through the window, bathing the room in golden light.
Kurenai listened intently, nodding from time to time, her small head focused on every word.
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A few days later—
Seiji had successfully received three months of tutoring fees in advance from Kurenai. With that, he could finally afford a second-hand short blade.
He stood in the courtyard, the wind gently sweeping fallen leaves across the ground. His dark eyes locked onto one fluttering leaf. His left hand slowly tightened around the scabbard.
Whoosh—
A stronger gust of wind swept through.
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