Hard Counter

Chapter update is here.

Find a quiet spot, turn the page, and let’s see what this story has been hiding 🌙

✦

From the feedback of her chakra, Kurenai clearly felt that Naoki had broken her genjutsu.

The result left her deeply shocked.

Under normal circumstances, even if an enemy could break genjutsu, there was usually a process.

That process might involve forming hand signs to stir one's chakra and stimulate the body, or it might involve injuring oneself to create a sharp physical stimulus. In short, a release process was almost always necessary.

But Naoki had done nothing at all and still dispelled her genjutsu. That overturned Kurenai's understanding of genjutsu.

On the field, Naoki also gained some insight.

Without question, the Tenseigan possessed extremely strong resistance to genjutsu. If the genjutsu was ordinary, he barely needed to do anything actively. The Tenseigan would passively clear its influence from him.

And the entire process happened in an instant.

The spar continued. Naoki pressed down the delight in his heart and said to Kurenai, "A word of advice. When you encounter a strong dojutsu user, do not use genjutsu lightly."

Kurenai stared at him. "Why is my genjutsu ineffective? How did you do it?"

Kurenai's loud questioning drew a great deal of attention. Many chunin who had not yet been called to fight turned their gazes over and began watching Naoki and Kurenai's match.

Seeing that there were quite a few spectators, Naoki thought for a moment and decided this was a good opportunity to establish the image of a powerhouse. So he said lightly, "Against a strong dojutsu user, ordinary genjutsu has no meaning. That is why I said your luck was poor. Your genjutsu does not work on me."

Kurenai was not someone who admitted defeat easily. She snorted after hearing that, then formed hand signs again and shouted softly, "Genjutsu: Threefold Sakura!"

Whoosh.

It was as if a light breeze swept across Training Ground Nine.

The corner of Kurenai's mouth lifted. "You're caught."

With that, she lowered her body and rushed toward Naoki along with the breeze.

Naoki remained motionless, as if he had fallen into some genjutsu and lost all reaction to the outside world.

But just as the watching chunin thought Kurenai was about to succeed, Naoki suddenly raised his right arm without warning and blocked her attack path with perfect precision.

"You?"

Her strike, which she had been certain would land, was blocked. Kurenai froze on the spot.

Naoki did not even turn his head. He simply pivoted and kicked the stunned Kurenai away.

"It seems you still don't understand. Interference-type genjutsu is useless against me as well."

Naoki spoke slowly and calmly, as if merely stating an obvious fact.

Kurenai climbed up from the ground with unwillingness on her face and asked, somewhat dazed, "How... how can this be?"

Genjutsu was the Yuhi clan's specialty and something Kurenai had always taken pride in. Today, that pride had been shattered by reality.

It was not only Kurenai. Many of the watching chunin were shocked or surprised, and Shisui Uchiha, who had just defeated his own opponent, also noticed what was happening.

Naoki knew Kurenai had lost her father during the Nine-Tails Attack not long ago. He had not wanted to strike her too hard. But after thinking it over, he realized that the weakness ordinary genjutsu-type shinobi had when facing dojutsu kekkei genkai users was a fact that could not be avoided.

Letting Kurenai experience that earlier might not be a bad thing for her.

So Naoki's tone remained cold. "Someone will make you understand this sooner or later. Better that I tell you than an enemy."

Kurenai looked at Naoki. "Can your eyes really see through everything?"

Naoki shrugged and did not answer.

Then he remembered how Kurenai would one day be casually overwhelmed by Itachi, and out of goodwill, he reminded her, "If you encounter a dojutsu kekkei genkai user who is truly skilled in genjutsu, remember this: do not rely too heavily on genjutsu. Otherwise, the consequences will be hard to predict."

Kurenai nodded seriously, then decisively chose to concede.

Although she had lost this fight, it had not been without benefit. On the contrary, it had let her recognize her weakness and understand what kind of shinobi served as her hard counter.

On the viewing platform in the distance, the Third Hokage watched this scene and pondered for a moment. Then he ordered the ANBU beside him, "In the final round, arrange a match between Naoki Hyuga and Shisui Uchiha."

The ANBU beside him seemed to be looking forward to a clash between the Sharingan and the Byakugan as well. He nodded. "Yes. I will arrange it."

As expected, Naoki won two more rounds in succession and qualified for the final round of the assessment.

By now, only thirty chunin remained in the venue.

Among those thirty, the only familiar figures left to Naoki were Guy, Asuma, and Shisui Uchiha. As for the other classmates from his year, all of them had been eliminated in the previous matches.

Asuma had long expected Naoki and Shisui to keep winning, but he had not expected Guy, who had always been the dead-last, to win three rounds in a row as well. He clicked his tongue in wonder. "Guy, you've improved a lot."

Guy struck his signature pose, flashed a mouthful of white teeth, and laughed. "Wahaha! I am Konoha's Sublime Green Beast!"

Seeing the other victors all look over, Asuma awkwardly waved his hands. "Don't look at me like that. I don't know him. I really don't know him."

At that moment, the Third Hokage walked over slowly with his pipe in his mouth.

The gathered chunin immediately saluted him.

The Third Hokage smiled. "You are the village's finest chunin. As Hokage, I am proud of you. However, the number of special jonin positions is limited. You still need to undergo one final round of assessment."

Hearing that, everyone looked at one another, their expressions growing serious at the same time.

At this point in the selection, the remaining thirty were almost all standouts among chunin. None of them dared say they could definitely defeat the others. This final round would inevitably be an intense clash.

"Ahem."

After coughing lightly twice, the Third Hokage announced, "Begin the drawing for the final round."

The results came out quickly. The first match of the final round was Naoki Hyuga versus Shisui Uchiha.

Naoki was not surprised by the result. He had never believed in so-called random draws. In his view, manipulating a draw was a necessary skill for every person in power. There was nothing worth criticizing about it.

Shisui only froze for a moment before recovering his calm.

Unlike Naoki and Shisui's composure, the others immediately grew extremely interested in the result.

As the village's two great dojutsu, the Sharingan and the Byakugan had always been compared again and again. The question of which was stronger was a constant topic in Konoha. Because of that, the duel between Naoki and Shisui was bound to draw enormous attention.

Without needing anyone to urge him, Naoki lightly leaped onto Training Ground One.

Looking at Shisui as he slowly stepped onto the field across from him, Naoki said, "I'm curious how strong the newest genius of the Uchiha clan really is. Don't disappoint me."

✦
✦
✦

Ready for more?

The next chapters are already waiting on my Patreon, along with early access, previews, and extra story updates 🗝️

https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheBacklotFanfiction