According to Hitomi's plan, she should have struck back with a powerful sword dance. But when it came to chakra exchange, she was clearly at a disadvantage.
The fireball flew slowly—too easy to dodge. And Naori's Fire Release didn't look any different from a standard jutsu.
Unlike Maki's techniques, which could automatically track the enemy, this one had no special qualities.
It shouldn't pose a threat.
And yet… something felt wrong.
A creeping unease settled in Hitomi's chest.
Why?
The murmurs rising from the crowd only added to her anxiety. But still, Hitomi couldn't see anything remarkable about a simple fireball.
She moved anyway. As the fireball neared, she stepped aside with practiced grace. The flames hissed past her harmlessly.
Just as expected. It didn't hit a thing.
But then—
In the blind spot concealed behind the fireball… Naori had vanished.
When!?
When did she disappear?
When did she even cast the fireball!?
And most importantly—how did she deceive my Byakugan?
She didn't have time to figure it out.
A chilling sensation ran down the back of her neck.
Not heat.
Cold.
The cold touch of steel pressed gently against her skin.
She's inside the fireball!?
Impossible!
Even if she were skilled enough, no one could withstand the heat of that jutsu unscathed.
Unless… it wasn't a fireball at all.
Then what was it?
"It's genjutsu!" gasped one of the Uchiha.
"No," Uzumaki Mito said solemnly. "It's not just any illusion."
"This girl… Naori… her style is nothing like Madara's."
Even the Nine-Tails inside her hadn't sensed the trap. That was what made it so terrifying.
So the real question is—when did it begin? When did she trap us without any of us realizing?
Looking at the scene now, the illusion's scale was enormous.
The flow of battle had shifted. Naori had seized the field.
She used the fireball not to attack—but to hide herself.
While Hitomi hesitated for just a moment, Naori had already closed the distance.
Even though Naori had once admitted her swordsmanship was inferior to Hitomi's, Hitomi had never once underestimated her.
She knew that Naori's control over her body and movement—her physical finesse—surpassed her own.
If she gave Naori even a single opening, it could all be over.
Don't let her in. Don't give her a chance!
When Naori came charging in with her Centipede Dance, Hitomi didn't immediately counter with her Kaiten Sword Dance.
She feared the consequences of close combat.
She feared that—if she made even one mistake—she would lose.
She moved fast, twisting her hips to evade Naori's sudden thrust, readying her spin.
But before she could move—
Naori had already crashed into her range.
A hand struck out, halting the movement of Hitomi's body before she could finish her form.
What!?
Secret Sword: Calamus!
In a flash, Hitomi's meridians ignited—chakra burst outward in all directions. Dozens of blade-shaped spikes exploded around her in a deadly bloom.
Naori was caught in the blast—hit squarely.
Did I win!?
Under the gaze of her Byakugan, the Naori in her arms shattered into fragments.
Gorgeous blue butterflies took her place, fluttering softly into the air.
What!?
Even Hitomi was stunned.
The crowd stared, confused.
And then—like a dream solidifying into reality—Naori's true form emerged behind Hitomi. Calm, silent, sword in hand.
The blade rested gently at Hitomi's neck.
Was this real?
Or was she still dreaming?
"…It's over," Naori said softly.
Hitomi said nothing.
Because whether it was the illusion—or this moment now—everything felt real.
There was no way to tell the difference.
"No."
"Just this time… it's over," Hitomi whispered.
Beneath her hair, a single teardrop sparkled—then vanished.
The match ended in silence.
And yet the crowd remained unsatisfied.
They had expected more.
To their eyes, Hitomi's techniques had looked sharper, more dazzling.
She had seemed stronger.
So how could she lose?
But the truth was…
"Uchiha Naori is terrifying," muttered the Third Hokage, his eyes fixed on the crystal ball. "If you can't break that illusion… there's no path to victory."
Even from far away, even watching remotely…
He had been caught in her genjutsu too.
"This isn't normal… it's impossible!"
Hitomi couldn't believe it. How could Naori's chakra reach me from that distance and cast genjutsu strong enough to fool even third Hokage?
And yet—it had.
Even the Third Hokage, watching from afar, had started to realize it.
---
"How did you blind me?" Hitomi asked softly.
"You rely too much on your eyes," Naori said, voice calm, almost instructive. "Even I don't trust mine completely. Learn to think with your heart."
But no matter how hard Hitomi thought—she couldn't figure it out.
"In the world of illusions," Naori continued, "even your five senses—and your thoughts—can be deceived."
"This genjutsu… it isn't normal." Hitomi said, certain.
"Can't tell you," Naori smiled, sheathing her sword. "It's a girl's secret."
She looked almost relaxed, barely winded from their intense duel.
Hitomi, by contrast, was drenched in sweat. But she forced a confident smile as she lowered her sword.
"Next time, I won't lose so easily."
"I'll be waiting."
"Hmph. I've already thought of a way to counter that move."
"Oh?" Naori blinked, amused.
"Not telling you!" Hitomi stuck her tongue out. It wasn't just pride—she really did have a plan. Next time, she wouldn't let Naori take control again. No matter what genjutsu came her way, she'd push through with Heavenly Sword Dance and force a war of attrition.
It was a brute-force method.
But it might work.
As long as she stayed alert—she could cut through any illusion.
---
"Winner: Uchiha Naori!" the proctor announced.
The match was over.
But the murmurs in the crowd hadn't stopped.
---
Some Hyuga clan members were left in doubt, questioning their very foundations.
Should I quit Gentle Fist and pick up a sword instead?
After all, Hitomi's sword style was clearly effective. It borrowed the internal flow control of Gentle Fist but abandoned the acupuncture strikes in favor of direct, precise slashes.
The result?
Even more power—and a lot more blood.
---
Meanwhile, the Uchiha were troubled for a different reason.
Naori's genjutsu wasn't just strange—it was wrong.
Why couldn't anyone see through it?
Several Sharingan users had tried to unravel it.
None succeeded.
No rebound. No unraveling.
It was humiliating—especially considering Naori hadn't even activated her Sharingan.
The Uchihas exchanged awkward glances. No one spoke.
---
Maki, however, was deep in thought.
She felt like she'd nearly grasped the key.
But… what was it?
Forget it. I'll just ask directly.
"What was that trick?" Maki asked.
"Just a little something," Naori replied casually. "A shift in Yin Release nature."
"Yin Release?" Maki leaned in.
Naori whispered in her ear.
Maki's eyes lit up. "As expected of you."
"Keep it secret, okay? If everyone knows, it's no fun."
---
Elsewhere, an old man in a wheelchair—frail and thinner than even Lord Kaigan—watched the screen.
"Terrifying little Uchiha brat," he muttered. "Yin Release… the art of creating reality from nothing."
---
"Grandfather, what do you mean?" asked the beautiful but sickly young man beside him.
The old man gently patted his grandson's head.
"To create form out of nothing… that's the ultimate illusion of the Kurama clan—creating reality within illusion."
"But this is different!" Kurama Sachi argued.
"Not quite, but close," the old man corrected. "Ordinary illusions conjure fake phantoms. But this…"
Sachi frowned in confusion.
---
"Normally, illusions are confined to the mind—they don't exist in the physical world. But that girl's technique goes beyond."
"She brings illusion into reality, uses sleight of hand to deceive the five senses… creating something real that isn't real."
"It can't be detected, can't be bounced back, and can't be avoided—because technically, it's not even genjutsu anymore."
"No chakra interference. No spiritual disruption. Whether what you see is real or not—it's all her choice."
"A terrifying talent," the old man said.
"It's not very flashy… but it's nearly impossible to counter."
---
"It's just the Clone Technique," he concluded. "That's the core of her illusion."
A simple phantom.
Not a standard genjutsu.
---
Even Sharingan couldn't see through it.
Even Byakugan couldn't tell it apart from reality.
Naori's technique worked because it replicated what the Byakugan saw—chakra flow, meridians, the works.
She hid within falsehood.
---
First, she concealed herself inside the fireball, which was laced with blinding chakra light, tricking Hitomi's vision.
Then, while the clone took center stage, her real body followed the fireball's path around from the side.
She matched the color and movement of her surroundings.
So when she emerged—it looked real.
So real that Hitomi couldn't tell the difference.
The timing was perfect.
Even the sensation of touch felt real.
Because even if it was an illusion—it was backed by chakra, given shape and weight.
______________
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