Chapter 21: A Display of Power

[Shinji's Perspective]

With my graduation delayed by Jiraiya's meddling, I threw myself back into training. The Academy's final exams were over, and we had a short break before classes resumed. Naturally, I used all of it for intensive training with Jiraiya-sensei.

Sparring against Jiraiya was enlightening—not just because he was a Sannin, but because, like me, he relied heavily on summons in combat. Seeing how he seamlessly integrated them into his fighting style gave me valuable insight into refining my own tactics.

But the true highlight of this training period was Fūinjutsu.

Jiraiya had drilled the fundamentals into my head to the point where I could now create complex seals from memory, though I was still a long way from mastery. The deeper I studied it, the more I realized how much chakra was the foundation of everything in this world.

"Every living thing has chakra," I mused one evening, watching the ink dry on my latest sealing tag. "Which means anything without it is considered dead. That makes my Curse Clones the perfect stealth tool."

I shivered at the implications.

'Curse Clone will forever remain my biggest secret now.'

As I was lost in thought, Jiraiya suddenly spoke up.

"Shinji, why do you think that despite all the knowledge available on Fūinjutsu, so few ever become grandmasters?"

I barely looked up. "Because most people don't have the chakra reserves to use it, and those who do lack the patience to dedicate themselves to it."

Jiraiya grinned. "Exactly. To reach grandmaster level, you'd need to create seals large enough to restrain a Tailed Beast. If you don't focus now, you'll never reach that level."

I sighed, setting my brush down. "I understand, Sensei."

He nodded, then unrolled a new scroll. "Good. Now, this jutsu is called Eight Gate Lock-Up—a powerful barrier technique. It requires—"

And just like that, my self-imposed boot camp continued.

[Fumiko's Perspective]

It all started as a simple idea.

Kuruto suggested we have a six-versus-one spar against Shinji to measure our progress after a year of training. No summons or weird jutsu from Shinji—just a straight-up fight like a ninja.

At first, we all thought it was a good idea. Even if we lost, it would be valuable practice.

Now, standing across from Shinji—his sword crackling with lightning, his stance calm and composed—I had one thought:

'How is he even younger than me?'

I blurted it out before I could stop myself.

Shinji grinned. "Because I was born after you."

He was more terrifying than my dad who was a Jōnin and I don't even know how, but I guess only I can feel that due to my clan's jutsu cause everyone looked just fine.

Then, he moved forward—not running, not charging, just walking. And what followed… was a defeat everyone will remember.

Akira and Kuruto attacked first.

Shinji swung his sword once, sending a lightning arc toward Akira, who instinctively tried to dodge with Substitution Jutsu. But before he could even finish the hand seal, Kuruto crashed into him, both of them skidding back, electricity coursing through their bodies.

"If you want to use Substitution Jutsu properly," Shinji said, flicking his sword, "learn to do it without hand seals like a real ninja."

Akane and I launched shuriken from opposite sides, forcing him to react. As expected, he deflected them easily—but he didn't notice the wire attached.

Or so we thought.

The second Akane yanked the wire to disarm him, Shinji looked at her like she had made the dumbest decision of her life.

Electricity surged through the wire, shocking her before she could react.

"Don't use metal wires against someone with Lightning Release," he said, severing the wire with a casual flick of his blade.

At that moment, Shigeo made his move—his shadow stretched toward Shinji's own.

'Finally! We got him!'

But then…

Shinji's shadow moved on its own, dodging Shigeo's technique without him even lifting a finger.

Shigeo gawked. "How did you do that?"

Shinji smirked. "I can control shadows also." Then, before Shigeo could react, Shinji formed a quick hand seal. "You should also learn to hide better."

A gust of wind blasted toward Shigeo's tree, sending him flying into the forest with the tree.

Shinji turned back to us, tilting his head. "Is that all?"

Akira, furious, stood up and began forming hand seals. Akane followed suit. Meanwhile, I threw another volley of shuriken and kunai, covering their charge.

'I should have learned another jutsu besides Mind Transfer.'

Aoi roared, leaping at Shinji, his massive hands swinging down to crush him.

Shinji casually dodged every single strike.

"Aoi, you have great strength and size," he said, weaving between attacks. "But if you can't land a hit, what's the point?"

Meanwhile, the Uchiha twins finally finished their jutsu.

A massive fireball burst forward, enhanced by hot winds, growing larger as it soared toward Shinji.

Aoi retreated just in time as we all watched, waiting for Shinji's reaction.

He just stood there, watching the fireball approach with a relaxed expression.

Then, right before impact, he casually formed a single hand seal and slammed his hand on the ground.

A towering earth wall shot up, completely blocking the fireball.

Akira's frustration boiled over. "Why are you still in the Academy?!"

Shinji grinned. "Just to make friends."

That smug smile pissed me off more than anything.

Without thinking, I activated Mind Transfer Jutsu.

The moment I entered Shinji's mind…

I regretted it.

I was no longer in the training ground.

I was in an abyss—an endless void of shifting, writhing darkness. The ground beneath me pulsed like a living creature, and whispers slithered through the air, voices incomprehensible yet terrifyingly familiar.

Shadows stretched toward me, their movements unnatural—not fluid, not rigid, just… wrong. Faces formed and dissolved within the darkness, grinning in ways human mouths never should. Something huge loomed in the distance, too vast to comprehend, its presence suffocating.

I tried to move. I couldn't.

I tried to scream. I couldn't.

The whispers grew louder, pressing against my skull, my very thoughts drowning beneath their chaotic voices.

Then, I felt it—a presence watching me. Something ancient, intelligent, and utterly inhuman.

My breathing hitched as the darkness spoke.

"You don't belong here."

I felt a cold hand grab my wrist, and I was ripped away from the abyss.

I gasped, collapsing onto the ground, my body convulsing.

"Hey, can you hear me?"

I couldn't respond. I was still shaking, the memory of that abyss burned into my mind, blinding light consumed my vision.

I turned toward the voice, my eyes adjusting…

And saw Lord Jiraiya standing before me, his expression filled with relief.

But as the memories of that abyss resurfaced, I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

I had used Mind Transfer countless times before, and it had never been like that.

'I don't want to experience that ever again.'