Chapter 89 – The Illusion World That Swallows Reality
"Teacher Kurenai!"
Everything finally clicked.
The "enemy" she had hated all these years was herself.
She had nearly murdered the one person who had always loved her.
The cruel irony hit the twelve-year-old girl like a meteor.
Even Aike thought the universe had a sick sense of humor.
So he quietly ushered Nami and the others out of the room, leaving the two alone.
Kurenai was the one Yakumo needed right now.
It worked.
A short while later, Kurenai walked out supporting a red-eyed but calmer Yakumo.
Kurenai's own expression, however, was complicated.
She stared straight at Aike.
In the short heart-to-heart, she had learned the full sequence of events.
Ido was gone. Yakumo's body was cured.
Two things any teacher should celebrate.
Yet she couldn't smile.
Because she had passed out for five minutes and woken up to discover her student had been permanently recruited by apocalypse squad.
Who do you even complain to?
"Looks like you two talked it out. Come on, walk with us. I'm sure you have questions."
Aike gave her a knowing look.
Kurenai nodded silently. She did have questions; mainly "what the hell did you do to my student?"
She left a shadow clone to report the unconscious shinobi to the Hokage Tower and followed.
On the way, the conversation stayed centered on Yakumo.
Aike saw right through Kurenai's little plan:
Get him to release the contract.
Offer herself or the entire Kurama clan as substitute payment.
Anything to get her student back.
"Contracts are forever," Aike shut that down instantly. "Besides, none of you can teach her what she actually needs. With us she'll reach heights you can't imagine."
To prove the point, he snapped his fingers.
The world changed.
Both Kurenai and Yakumo suddenly found themselves floating high above the sky.
Below them: the entire shinobi continent.
Konoha, the Hokage faces, every hidden village; everything was perfectly recreated in exquisite detail.
Above them, the moon hung so close they felt they could touch it.
"T-The whole shinobi world…?!"
Kurenai's jaw dropped.
Then her ninja instincts kicked in.
"This is genjutsu!"
She immediately tried to disrupt her chakra flow.
Nothing happened.
The moon stayed right there.
"Teacher, this power feels exactly like mine," Yakumo said, eyes wide with wonder instead of fear.
"only a million times stronger."
"Correct," Aike said. "If Yakumo creates an 'illusion space,' I create an 'illusion world.'"
Another snap.
The continent vanished.
An endless blue ocean appeared instead, split perfectly in half by the towering Red Line.
The sheer scale left both teacher and student speechless.
Aike snapped once more and returned them to reality.
"So. Still think she'll grow better staying in the village?"
Kurenai gave a helpless, defeated shake of the head.
No one in their right mind would fight him for custody after that demonstration.
She could only sigh, voice soft.
"Just… treat her well. She's suffered enough."
"I'll handle the Hokage and the Kurama clan."
"No need to worry about that," Aike said, tilting his head toward the back.
"She'll be happier with us than she's ever been."
Kurenai followed his gaze.
There, Nami, Carina, Kaya, and Izumi were already dragging the shy Yakumo into their circle, chattering like they'd known her forever.
Yakumo's timid expression had melted into a small, genuine smile.
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