Chapter 70: Sasuke
The Bringer-of-Darkness technique belongs to a unique category of Genjutsu.
Unlike visual Genjutsu, which rely on sight to manipulate the enemy's chakra, or auditory types that use sound as a conduit, this is a wide-area technique that disperses chakra directly into the air. It follows the execution process of a Ninjutsu but produces the effect of a Genjutsu.
Integrating this into his personal system was proving difficult for Tonbo. It certainly wasn't something that could be mastered in a day or two. He wasn't pouring all his energy into it, however; he spent a little time each day gathering experience, waiting for the moment his understanding reached critical mass.
For now, his primary research remained focused on standard Genjutsu—visual, auditory, and his ongoing "Mind Reading" series.
The Eight Scents of Fire was a concrete application of his auditory research: using sound to transmit chakra and overwhelm the enemy's five senses.
"Ow, ow, ow... that hurts..."
Zaizai Izuno fell flat on his backside, tears welling in his eyes from the pain. Looking at the pillar in front of him, he desperately wanted to use his family's secret technique to smash it to pieces. But one look at Tonbo practicing his music nearby made his courage fail.
Shikun Fuma was in the same boat. This level of precise chakra control was simply too difficult. His middle-parted hair and suspenders were currently soaked in sweat from exhaustion.
"Hey, work harder! I'm starting to get the hang of it," Hana Inuzuka said. Her feet left the ground as she slowly walked up the pillar at a ninety-degree angle. No sooner had she finished her sentence than she slipped and fell.
Despite the fall, her face was bright with excitement. This feeling was amazing! It wasn't that hard at all!
Zaizai's chubby face turned toward her. "Hana-nee, how did you do that?" Shikun looked over as well; they hadn't felt that "click" at all. Most of the time, they couldn't take two steps before falling.
Hana encouraged them. "Like this... then that... and then... you just find the rhythm..."
Twang—
Dong, dong, dong—
Just then, a familiar yet slightly different tune played. A sharp, spicy sensation flared in their throats and rushed straight to their skulls. Their fatigue vanished instantly, replaced by a sudden, jarring alertness.
"Keep at it. Once you complete this, you're free. Otherwise... hehe..." Tonbo lifted his harmonica, gesturing for them to stop daydreaming and get back to work.
"Yes... sir..."
They didn't want another hit of that jutsu. It was terrifying. That rush to the brain made them feel like they were about to meet their ancestors. Not daring to slack off, the three continued their training.
Tonbo watched their progress, frowning slightly. Hana was fine; she had a natural talent for chakra control. But the other two... their talent was somewhat lacking. It seemed unlikely these two brats would finish this basic training anytime soon.
He smoothed his brow. No rush. He was just training the juniors on the side, not trying to turn them into the Sage of the Six Paths.
"Big Brother, is that Bad Uncle really over here?"
Sasuke held Itachi's hand, walking slowly beside him through the open forest.
Itachi smiled at the question. "I thought you said he was a 'Bad Uncle.' Why are you looking for him then?"
"But the 'Big Brother' he made is really pretty." Sasuke held out his right hand, clutching the little Itachi figure. The sunlight reflected off its smooth surface—it had clearly been rubbed and handled quite a lot.
Itachi looked at the figure and smiled, but when he turned back, his expression returned to its usual composure. The lines under his eyes seemed deeper. Clearly, in the past month or two, he had experienced things that had forced him to mature even faster.
"The man you call 'Bad Uncle' practices at this training ground almost every day. He'll definitely be here at this time," Itachi replied.
"Big Brother, why does the Bad Uncle get to train every day, but you have to go on missions every day?" Sasuke asked innocently. He didn't understand. He just wanted to play with his brother; even just watching him train was enough for Sasuke. But most of the time, Itachi was away on missions.
Itachi chuckled. "Because I'm still a Genin. I need to improve my strength and experience, so it's more frequent. Once I become a Jonin, I'll have more time to spend with you."
Sasuke seemed to only half-understand. "Just like Dad?"
"Something like that."
Tap, tap, tap!
"Whoa, Big Brother, what's that?"
Sasuke looked up as a shadow loomed over them. A massive stone wall blocked their path. Itachi's eyes were sharper; he could see Tonbo sitting on the edge of the wall, playing some sort of music.
"That's likely an Earth Style ninjutsu released by your 'Bad Uncle.' He must be training," Itachi explained.
Hmm? Why are they here?
Tonbo sensed Itachi and Sasuke entering his range. Are they here to train at Ground 98? Unlikely; the Uchiha have their own grounds. Are they looking for me?
Before long, Itachi led Sasuke to the base of the Earth-Style Wall.
"Senior Tonbo."
"Yo, Itachi. You looking for me? Also, why did you stop calling me 'Big Brother'?"
Tonbo leaped from the height of dozens of meters, landing light as a feather in front of them without making a sound.
Sasuke hid behind Itachi, watching Tonbo's movement with wide eyes. So cool. He jumped from so high up!
Itachi's face twinged with embarrassment. For some reason, after not seeing him for a while, calling him "Big Brother" felt a bit awkward. "Please don't tease me, Senior. My younger brother is the one looking for you."
Tonbo's lips curled into a smile as he spotted the figure in Sasuke's hand.
"Oh? I thought you were here to spar. I've developed some new Genjutsu recently and wanted to test them against a Sharingan user!" he said with mock disappointment.
Itachi choked on his words. Despite his visible progress lately, he had zero desire to face Tonbo's Genjutsu. He still hadn't found a way to break them—or rather, his chakra reserves and arsenal weren't yet sufficient to counter Tonbo's methods.
"Bad Uncle, I want to buy more of these 'Big Brothers'!" Sasuke held up the little Itachi figure, his voice high and childish.
"Fine, I'll grant your wish. But let Uncle give you a hug first."
Tonbo didn't wait for permission. His sense of mischief flared up, and he scooped up the nearly four-year-old Sasuke. Sasuke instinctively resisted, but Tonbo held him firmly with one arm. Last time he had just picked him up by the collar; this time deserved a proper hug.
"Stop squirming. I'll make you a few more 'Little Itachis'."
As he spoke, Tonbo pulled bamboo strips from his ninja tool pouch. In less than a few seconds, several small Itachi figures in different poses appeared—all in "Chibi" style, some sitting, some standing. They even held different items like shuriken or kunai.
Sasuke's eyes grew brighter and brighter as he watched.
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