Chapter 30: The Art of Seeing – Naraku’s Change

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"Don't underestimate me, a**hole."

Asuma's voice was thick with anger, his frustration mounting at the dismissive battlefield commentary of Kaitan.

Taking a step back, Asuma reached into his ninja bag, retrieving a Fuma Shuriken. He formed a hand seal just as he hurled it forward.

Swish, swish, swish!

"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu."

An overwhelming barrage of giant shurikens filled the air, surging toward Kaitan with lethal intent. Yet, the moment the attack left his hands, regret flooded Asuma's mind.

Kaitan was a comrade, a fellow ninja of the village—not an enemy. The attack was excessive.

Asuma's guilt turned into dread. What if Kaitan, inexperienced in battle, couldn't dodge? His thoughts were cut short when he noticed Kaitan… smiling.

That smile struck him. Was this man really laughing in the face of such a deadly assault? Asuma's frustration deepened. How could someone so careless be trusted to lead a team?

Bang!

Just as doubt clouded his mind, a massive pangolin erupted from the ground. The creature's enormous body shielded Kaitan from the onslaught of Fuma Shurikens.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Shurikens embedded themselves in the pangolin, their momentum slowing with each strike until the barrage ended.

"Asuma," Kaitan's voice rang out confidently, "you truly are Lord Third Hokage's son. Impulsive, yet impressive. Rude, but undeniably strong."

The pangolin vanished in a puff of smoke as Kaitan stepped forward. A second later, his figure emerged behind the now-empty battlefield, completely unharmed.

"Was that… a summoning jutsu?" Asuma muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. But as he observed closely, he noticed something strange—the pangolin's body lacked substance.

"This isn't a summoning jutsu… is it a secret technique?"

"Don't stand there overthinking," Kaitan called out mockingly. "I'm coming for you."

Asuma looked up just in time to see Kaitan's hand swinging a small watch back and forth. The motion was mesmerizing.

Without warning, Asuma felt his mind begin to spin. The battlefield disappeared, replaced by a world filled with asparagus. Involuntarily, he grabbed and stuffed the asparagus into his mouth.

"It tastes awful!"

Realizing he had been caught in a genjutsu, Asuma gritted his teeth. He stopped his chakra flow abruptly, detonating it to disrupt the foreign energy. A moment later, his vision cleared.

But when his eyes opened, Asuma found himself trapped in the grip of a massive dragonfly. Kaitan stood below, smiling.

In that moment, Asuma knew. Despite their equal rank, the gap between them was significant.

Kaitan casually addressed the three young ninjas watching the fight. "Iruka, Rin, Xaasu, remember this: the enemy won't warn you before attacking. Always analyze their capabilities quickly and decide how to counter."

The trio listened intently, nodding in admiration.

Asuma, however, felt humiliated. "I've only been away from Konoha for a few days, and I get captured like this?"

Suddenly, the dragonfly released him, letting Asuma drop to the ground.

Thud.

Asuma landed awkwardly, and to his horror, the revolting taste of asparagus filled his mouth once more.

"Damn it! Didn't I break the genjutsu?" he spat, wiping his lips.

Kaitan chuckled. "This isn't your standard fear-inducing genjutsu. My Naraku no Jutsu Kai forces the enemy to eat their least favorite food. Even after you break the illusion, the taste lingers as a residual effect."

Rin's eyes widened. "That's amazing, Captain!"

Iruka and Xaasu nodded in agreement, their respect for Kaitan growing by the second.

Asuma, on the other hand, felt a complex mix of anger and disbelief. This man, who had graduated after him, had defeated him so effortlessly.

"Why did you let me go?" Asuma asked, narrowing his eyes. "Aren't you afraid I'll run away? You're strong, but if I wanted to leave, you couldn't stop me."

Kaitan laughed heartily. "Who do you think you are, some great threat? You're just a rebellious teenager, Asuma. So what if I drag you back to Konoha? It won't change anything.

"My mission is only to gather information about you. Lord Third Hokage said it would be nice to convince you, but it's not a priority."

Asuma's initial anger subsided into silence. His gaze turned thoughtful.

"Don't bother trying to convince me," he said firmly. "But I understand now. You're doing your duty."

Dunko approached cautiously, sensing the tension dissipating. "Seems there's no need for further conflict," he said, attempting to mediate.

But Asuma's face twisted in disgust as the lingering taste of asparagus overwhelmed him again. "For the love of—! Kaitan, get rid of this taste already!"

Kaitan shrugged. "Sorry, no can do. The genjutsu leaves behind residual sensations. Even after breaking it, the memory of the taste remains. Think of it as having already swallowed the food—your body just needs time to digest it."

Asuma glared at him. "You're the worst."

"I'll remember this, Kaitan," Asuma said bitterly. "Next time we meet, I'll make you pay."

Kaitan smirked. "You're welcome to try."

Turning back to Dunko, Kaitan added, "Let me help you a little before you go."

He approached the bodies of fallen enemies and began forming hand seals. Pressing his hand against the temple of one body, Kaitan's expression became focused.

Asuma furrowed his brows. "What's he doing now?"

Iruka spoke up proudly. "Captain is using mind-reading jutsu. He's one of the top analysts in Konoha."

Xaasu gave Iruka a sharp look. "Don't reveal information about the captain so casually! He always says a ninja should hide as much as possible."

Rin frowned thoughtfully. "Do you think the captain's new technique could be used on us?"

The thought sent a shiver down Iruka's spine. He glanced nervously at Asuma, still grimacing from the asparagus taste. "No way… right?"

Iruka fell silent, not daring to speak further.

As Kaitan finished extracting information, he turned to Dunko. "All done. The rest is up to you."

Dunko gave a small nod of thanks. "Your skills are impressive, Kaitan. It's clear why the Third Hokage trusts you."

Asuma said nothing, but his sharp glare spoke volumes. Kaitan had left a lasting impression, one Asuma wouldn't forget anytime soon.

As Kaitan and his team prepared to move on, he gave Asuma one last look. "Good luck, Asuma. And try not to choke on your pride—or the taste of asparagus."

Asuma growled in response, watching them leave.

The fight had ended, but the lesson remained.

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