Chapter 79: Carrot and Stick Approach

'Damn it, why is it that every ninja I encounter can always break through my genjutsu?'

Aside from the pain spreading through her body, what angered Yuhi Kurenai even more was the fact that she might lose once again.

'I was already underestimated by that Kage guy, and if I lose to this female ninja now, then for the rest of my life…'

'Dying here isn't what scares me. What scares me is that, even before I die, I won't be able to change my disciple's view of me as a teacher.'

Thinking of this, Yuhi Kurenai's eyes burned with unyielding fury.

'Absolutely not. I absolutely won't die like a coward!'

'And even if I do die, I have to take down this Uchiha-hating woman with me!'

"You've suffered such serious injuries, yet you can still show an expression like that… I acknowledge you. You're a cool ninja," Samui looked at the female ninja who, instead of falling, only grew more imposing due to her wounds.

Looking at those wine-red eyes filled with battle intent, Samui couldn't help but admire her.

"But today, you absolutely won't win against me," Suppressing the lightning coursing wildly through her body, Samui swung her short sword once again.

'Kumogakure Sword Style: Flying Instant Slash!'

'Genjutsu: Mirage!'

Knowing she couldn't match her opponent in speed, Yuhi Kurenai immediately created several genjutsu clones around herself.

No matter what approached these clones, they would explode upon contact, injecting more of her genjutsu chakra into the enemy's body.

"What a troublesome opponent…", Even though she had used Lightning Release to stimulate her body and temporarily nullify the enemy's genjutsu, Samui still had no choice but to back off in the face of so many clones.

"But using so many clones like this, you'll run out of chakra soon, won't you?", The advantage of Kumogakure's Lightning Release ninjas was their speed—they could attack or retreat at will.

Even without attacking, they could still exhaust their opponents.

"You're right," Blood continued to seep from her wounds, but at this moment, Yuhi Kurenai's mind was colder than ever.

"But this technique… is also the foundation for my next move."

'Genjutsu: Triple Blossom Sakura!'

The moment Yuhi Kurenai finished speaking, the genjutsu clones she had created suddenly transformed into a sky full of blood-red petals.

And beneath every petal was Yuhi Kurenai's attacking form.

"Another genjutsu?"

Even though she had already stimulated her body to keep her mind clear, Samui still saw the endless petals.

"Genjutsu is a mix of reality and illusion."

The petals were, of course, real.

Because they were transformed from clones—they weren't entirely illusions.

"AHHH!!"

However, just as Yuhi Kurenai concealed herself behind the petals, ready to ambush the stunned Kumogakure kunoichi from a blind spot, a piercing scream suddenly shattered the silence of the night.

'That voice… was Shino's?'

Hearing the loud disturbance, Yuhi Kurenai, who had been worried about her disciples all along, hesitated for a split second.

And in that brief moment, Samui managed to escape Yuhi Kurenai's lethal strike at the cost of only an arm injury.

"It's over. Looks like Atsui's side is going smoothly. Your disciples have probably all been taken care of," Looking at the Konoha kunoichi before her, whose chakra was nearly depleted and whose body was seriously wounded, Samui coldly declared her victory.

The earlier genjutsu, which blurred the line between reality and illusion, had indeed almost taken her down.

But now…

"You no longer have any reason to fight. And in this state, you won't be able to hurt me anymore. Surrender," Originally planning to exchange captives, Samui had no intention of killing the woman before her.

"No… not yet… absolutely not…", Supporting herself on unsteady legs, Yuhi Kurenai stood up despite the pain. She didn't know what was happening with Shino, but she would never give up.

"Even with just taijutsu, I… will never lose! Not unless I die!", And then there was Kage. As long as Kage was still alive, she would never surrender.

"You're really stubborn," Watching the kunoichi pick up a kunai, ready to fight to the death, Samui had no choice but to engage once again.

Clang!

Without surprise, Samui's blade easily knocked the kunai from Yuhi Kurenai's hand.

"If you want to die so badly, I'll grant your wish."

Seeing this, Samui knew that capturing her was no longer an option. Without holding back, she launched her signature Lightning Blade Thrust attack.

"So… this is the end…"

'Damn it, if I had known, I would've given that guy one last lap pillow before this.'

Staring at the approaching blue lightning blade, Yuhi Kurenai closed her eyes, resigning herself to fate.

But who would've thought that, in her final moments, the thing on her mind was still—

"Let go of my sensei!"

A few kunai flew desperately forward, and just in time, a panting Hinata arrived at the battlefield, saving her teacher from certain death.

"Oh? A Hyuga from the main family?"

Turning around and blocking the kunai with the flat of her blade, Samui looked in slight surprise at the white-eyed girl charging toward them under the moonlight.

'No wonder those Kumogakure genin couldn't hold back from attacking these Konoha ninjas earlier.'

The Byakugan posed an immense threat to both Kumogakure's Lightning Release taijutsu training and their Lightning Armor technique.

"Hinata… why are you here?"

Coughing up more blood from her severe injuries, Yuhi Kurenai still forced herself to stand, not wanting her disciple to be distracted in the face of such a formidable enemy.

"Where's Kage?"

'Kage isn't with Hinata either?'

'Could it be that he was really defeated and taken away by some unknown ninja?'

"I… I don't know! But Sensei, your wounds—"

This was the first time Hinata had seen her teacher so gravely injured.

'So much blood…'

"I'm fine."

Pulling a bandage from her ninja pouch, Yuhi Kurenai quickly wrapped her bleeding wound.

Standing up, she showed no sign of the severe injuries she had sustained.

The best option now was to have Hinata find Kage for help, but Samui was too fast—Hinata would never outrun her.

And with the Byakugan, even if Kurenai tried her best to stall for time, Samui would most likely prioritize eliminating Hinata first.

This situation was terrible.

"Hinata, in a moment, I will do everything I can to create an opening for you. Whether you can seize it or not depends on you."

At this point, scolding her disciple for coming here was meaningless.

All Yuhi Kurenai could do was make one final desperate gamble.

For Hinata's sake.

And for that one person whose whereabouts were still unknown…

———

[Dream Space]

"Although your companions have long since departed to the Pure Land, using ninjutsu to summon their souls is still very simple."

Uchiha Kage knew that Kisame had always wished to live in a world where comrades would not slaughter each other.

So after showcasing his abilities, he also painted a grand vision for this new recruit.

"Apologies, because the genjutsu of your Uchiha clan is too astonishing, I had no choice but to ask so many questions..."

Seeing with his own eyes how Uchiha Kage extracted a soul from a corpse and then revived it within the space, Kisame no longer had any doubts about this Uchiha boy's abilities.

Even if it was only possible to resurrect the dead within that dream space, that ability alone was enough for him to pledge his loyalty.

"Being cautious is a good thing."

Uchiha Kage did not blame Kisame for his skepticism.

Because he knew that when Kisame was around Uchiha Itachi, he was already very wary of Uchiha genjutsu.

"I'll return Samehada to you first. In the future, you should still outwardly follow Akatsuki's orders."

"Then I thank you."

Pressure, Mass, Energy.

Regaining possession of his Samehada and carrying the massive blade on his shoulder, Kisame couldn't help but recall the final moment of his battle with Kage tonight.

Originally, he had planned to hide inside Samehada and wait for a future opportunity to ambush his opponent. But unexpectedly, the moment Kage took hold of Samehada, he immediately discovered his presence.

That level of perception was simply astonishing…

'No, maybe it wasn't just perception. Maybe he had known all along that I would hide inside Samehada?'

"What are you thinking about?"

After successfully subduing Kisame, Uchiha Kage finally withdrew from the dream space.

Then, with a ripple of space, Kisame, now holding Samehada, also appeared on the open ground.

"I was thinking... you seem to have an exceptionally deep understanding of our Akatsuki's intelligence."

'Even down to what I personally yearned for, he knew it all.'

Before leaving, Kisame couldn't help but cast a deep, curious glance at this Uchiha boy.

Everything he had experienced in Kirigakure, this person seemed to know all about it.

Including the female comrade from Kirigakure who always lingered in his thoughts.

She was the only one who had never been repulsed by his appearance, instead actively approaching him.

Moreover, when he was assigned to an elimination mission and had to kill her, she even comforted him with, ("Living like this must be painful for you.")

If it were possible, Kisame truly wished he could go back and do it all over again. Maybe this time, he would change what he did during that mission...

"Do your job well. What you desire may not be impossible to obtain in the future."

"Yes!"

Not daring to ask any more, Kisame nodded toward his new superior, then quickly disappeared into the night with Samehada on his back.

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