"Ah…"
"Ah…"
"Huh…?!"
In the end, everyone's gaze shifted toward Kurenai.
"Hey, Kurenai, something this important and you kept it that well hidden?" Asuma spoke up immediately. "If Kakashi hadn't said anything, we wouldn't have known at all!"
"Ah? Father never mentioned it to me," Kurenai replied, brushing her hair aside as she spoke. "I only found out just now too."
That small gesture completely stunned Asuma. In that instant, his mind drifted far into the future:
What should our child be called? Sarutobi Mirai? Sarutobi Konoha? Or maybe… Sarutobi Kurenai?
Only then did Uchiha Ran glance at the daydreaming Asuma and say calmly,
"Well… it's probably because the only things I'm really good at are genjutsu and swordsmanship. The Third Hokage must've thought it over for a long time before assigning Jōnin Yuhi Shinku to me."
"Genjutsu, huh?" Aoba chimed in. "Ran's genjutsu is that good? Then giving him crows as summoning animals would actually suit him pretty well."
"That's great!" Kurenai said with a smile. "Genjutsu is my specialty too. As expected—good-looking boys are never bad at illusions."
"That's amazing, Ran," Rin added warmly. "Our team really lacks a genjutsu specialist. Maybe we'll get a chance to work together in the future."
Watching Rin chatting happily with Ran, Obito suddenly felt a sourness in his chest. He immediately blurted out,
"Ran! How about a spar? Before ninja officially join their teams, the squad leaders still have assessments!"
Ran glanced at Obito and the eager faces around them, then smiled.
"Sure. After we eat, let's head to the stream by the Naka River."
Half an hour later, by the Naka River.
"So… Ran, the sword at your waist is called a Zanpakutō?" Rin asked curiously. "That's a really strange name."
"Yeah, yeah," she continued excitedly. "Kakashi, don't you think it looks really cool? Just the patterns alone make it seem incredibly valuable!"
The others nodded in agreement.
At that moment, a boy with slightly messy hair, a Konoha forehead protector, and sunglasses squatted down beside Ran, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"Rin's right," Obito said. "Ran's sword really does look incredible."
In Obito's eyes, it was a masterpiece.
No matter the angle, the blade radiated an intoxicating allure. The entire sword body was a deep purple-black, like a breeze drifting through the night. Its subdued color carried both solemnity and mystery.
Engraved along the blade were the sun, moon, and stars—mountains, rivers, and beasts.
Faint marks traced the surface, as though the sword had witnessed countless clashes, carrying with it a living tension. The blade itself was a jagged, reversed T-shaped edge, like leaves twisted by a returning gale—sharp, vicious barbs resembling a venomous serpent ready to crush an enemy's throat. A cold glint shimmered faintly along its edge.
The fittings were primarily blue-black, enhancing the weapon's air of mystery. Blue evoked chill and stillness; black conveyed authority and the unknown.
At the pommel hung a pale azure tassel, soft like a drifting cloud. It added a touch of elegance and movement. As the breeze passed, it swayed gently, like scattered starlight—like flowers in a mirror, the moon in water, beautiful yet untouchable.
"Want to see my ultimate move?" Ran asked lightly. "Obito. Everyone."
"Ultimate move?" Obito scoffed. "You're just a freshly graduated ninja! How could you possibly have one? Only a seasoned ninja like me—someone about to take the Chūnin Exams—has an ultimate move!"
"…But I'm still curious," he added quickly. "Ran, let me see it."
"A sword technique?" Kakashi asked, his masked voice tinged with curiosity. "Is that really something you can just show people?"
"It's fine," Ran said calmly. "Come on, Obito."
The two Uchiha soon reached the riverbank and formed the Seal of Opposition.
The moment the seal was completed, they separated.
Ran reached across his body with his right hand, gripping the sword at his waist and drawing it in one smooth motion, holding it reversed before his chest.
"Then here I come," he said softly. "Don't blink. It'll be over quickly."
Gripping the Zanpakutō in reverse, Ran murmured:
"Unveil yourself… Life Is But a Dream."
He spoke the blade's name gently, his voice like a breeze through willows. In his hand, the sword seemed to awaken, a faint, verdant glow spreading along its edge.
Everyone felt their vision blur for a split second, as if they'd been dragged into a dream.
And then—they snapped awake.
"Kakashi," Kurenai asked quietly, "was that genjutsu fused with the sword?"
"Yes," Kakashi replied. "It's genjutsu. Even though it was aimed at Obito, bystanders still feel a slight effect. Don't talk—just watch."
Obito himself felt his vision blur. In the next instant, Ran's figure appeared in front of him. He spun around sharply—
—and Ran was gone.
Scenes flashed before his eyes like a revolving lantern.
He saw himself defeating Kakashi.
He saw Rin putting on a wedding dress for him.
Everything felt inevitable—like destiny itself.
Genjutsu! When did I get caught?!
Obito reacted instantly, violently stirring the chakra within his body. The scenery shattered.
But when he finally broke free—
He was still standing in the same spot.
Lifting his head, he froze.
A purple-black blade rested lightly against his neck, though Obito hadn't even activated his Sharingan to counter.
Cold seeped into his skin. Obito shuddered, his heart pounding wildly. He hadn't even launched a single attack—and the sword was already at his throat.
"Incredible…" the onlookers thought in unison.
He lost—cleanly. And to a fellow Uchiha ninja who had just graduated, in this practice spar.
It was over before they could even react.
Didn't they say Ran's academy performance was bad? But perhaps his genjutsu was an exception.
Unacceptable! Absolutely unacceptable!
Obito cursed inwardly, but forced a grin as he spoke aloud:
"Ran, that genjutsu was amazing. I lost this time—but next time, when I'm prepared, I won't fall for it again."
"Of course," Ran replied easily. "An Uchiha wouldn't fall for the same trick twice."
He didn't take Obito's bold declaration seriously at all—only offering gentle encouragement to his clumsy clanmate.
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