The air was thick with tension as Shorai stood among the dense trees on the outskirts of the village, the fading light casting long shadows. The three ANBU operatives—Eagle, Boar, and Cat—watched him silently, their masked faces unreadable.
Eagle finally broke the silence.
"Your combat test ends here. Your skills are passable." He glanced at his teammates, then back at Shorai. "If you had wanted to kill me, you had plenty of opportunity. Those tenketsu strikes were weak. But your chakra control? Outstanding."
Cat nodded.
"Calculated and precise. We saw you held back. Explain your taijutsu style."
Shorai met their gaze steadily.
"I trained extensively to memorize the tenketsu points, but I restrained my chakra output to avoid lasting damage. Had I not, I could have used the scalpel technique or chakra expulsion for direct destructive strikes."
Boar shook his head in disbelief.
"He held back? To think your style resembles the Hyuga's… that's insane!"
Cat's eyes sharpened.
"What about your mastery of medical ninjutsu and fuinjutsu?"
"I perform the mystical palm technique, heal severe wounds, detect and cure poisons. For fuinjutsu, I'm proficient with double-layer seals and basic arrays."
Cat's faint smile showed approval.
"Boar and I will help you improve your fuinjutsu; I'll assist with medical ninjutsu."
Eagle's tone shifted.
"How are you with genjutsu and perception?"
Shorai answered evenly,
"I understand genjutsu application and dispelling. I can create basic distracting illusions—the one you saw earlier."
"Good. Cat, Boar, ready your seals," Eagle ordered, staring intently at Shorai before adding, "Pass this and you move to Phase Two; fail the test and it will delay any ANBU consideration. Perhaps spending another year in the Academy or under someone else's guidance might be the right path."
A soft woosh of wind stirred the leaves as Cat and Boar formed hand signs. A subtle shift rippled through Shorai's senses—the world around him blurred, colors dimmed, and sounds warped.
"Don't worry," Eagle said calmly. "This is a mental exam. You will experience layered scenarios. Show us your actions and behavior."
Shorai inhaled deeply, bracing as a cold intrusion swept into his mind. He anchored himself to the feel of earth beneath his feet and the rhythm of his breath, determined not to reveal the Reality Stone's presence.
The forest faded, replaced by a conjured room—a Hokage's office—where a figure resembling Hiruzen sat behind a desk. Three masked operatives knelt before him, their faces hidden but their tension palpable.
"Report!" the figure's voice echoed, grave and commanding.
"We… failed, Lord Third. The two from Kumo's delegation… dead," Eagle's voice rang out.
The Hokage's spectral eyes narrowed.
"This failure risks war! Each of you had secret tasks, yet you've shamed the village and the ANBU!"
Eagle's gaze shifted toward Shorai.
"Your actions today will cost Konoha dearly!"
Shorai's mind raced—was this a setup? A mistake? Or a failure beyond his control? He knew only that four had secret roles, unknown to each other. Eagle seemed to lead.
"May I speak?" Shorai asked.
All eyes turned.
"What is your defense?" the spectral Hokage demanded.
Shorai's voice was steady.
"I understand the mission's delicacy and secrecy. I played my role but failed, lacking information about others' tasks. Perhaps the mission exceeded my competence. But we all failed, and that led to this consequence. We are a team, but I accept responsibility for my actions. No excuses will undo the damage or ease the pain it may cause."
A pause hung in the air before Shorai added,
"What is our next task?"
A hollow voice echoed,
"Good."
The Hokage's office dissolved into chaos. Shorai found himself at Konoha's gate, alarms blaring. Bloodied comrades fell around him.
"He was my fiancé's brother," Boar whispered, voice trembling, as a nearby shinobi in a flak jacket fell, pierced by a couple kunai to the face and neck.
Without hesitation, Shorai moved instinctively—kunai drawn, chakra infused with wind and lightning.
"No time to waste! We must repel and secure this area, now," he ordered. He launched precise attacks, cutting down foes while commanding retreat and backup toward the saved Chunin from the incoming enemy squads. The presence of Kumo ninjas and Boar's emotional moment didn't distract Shorai; he moved from foe to foe, ensuring Konoha's wounded were safe while enemies fell—delivering the final blows.
The battlefield blurred with motion and sound, relentlessly testing his tactical acumen and emotional control.
"Good…"
The world distorted again, revealing an area beside Konoha's walls—a battlefield. Shorai and the three masked ANBU stood face to face with swarming Kumogakure ninjas. Cat's blade flashed, Eagle's wind cut arcs through the air. Shorai moved in harmony with Eagle, striking and distracting.
Boar's seals flared, erecting a chakra barrier around the village walls.
Then, a towering figure crackled with lightning—the Raikage.
"We must summon the Hokage!" Eagle ordered.
"Shorai, report!" he barked.
Shorai created a Kagebunshin, sending it sprinting toward the tower.
Facing the Raikage, Shorai steadied himself.
"My abilities aren't his level, but we can lure him to a distant spot, waste his chakra, and buy time. Minimizing casualties should be our priority for now."
"Good. That's enough."
The world twisted, colors drained, and Shorai's vision cleared to the quiet forest clearing. The three ANBU operatives watched silently.
Cat's and Boar's masks tilted, eyes unreadable behind the slit. Eagle regarded Shorai with measured appraisal.
"You kept composure under heavy psychological pressure," Eagle said. "You accepted responsibility during the interrogation and did not collapse into panic. That shows discipline."
Cat's voice was quieter but sharp. "Your genjutsu resistance and ability to recognize distortion were competent. You didn't fall for bait, and you used your limited genjutsu tactically. However—" she paused, "—you treated the simulated wounded with finality. The decision to deliver killing blows even in a test requires clarification. Did you exhaust all assessment options before making it irrevocable?"
Shorai met her gaze. "I assessed their vitals, signs of life, and the battlefield constraints. In a real mission, leaving badly wounded as a liability invites more casualties. My call was to prevent further loss. If I misjudged under simulation constraints, I accept further training in triage and restraint."
Boar grunted. "You're fast and ruthless when you must be. But emotion flares. Your restraint was good—the scenario with my act could have pushed someone to reckless vengeance. You managed that. Points to you."
Eagle folded his arms. "Tactically, you're impressive. Your Swift Release and chakra fusion are beyond genin norms. But there are soft spots. You rely on tools and clones—useful, yes, but you must learn to detect when a genjutsu is layered by another user. Cat and I noticed a subtle second braid of chakra attempting to probe deeper. You resisted; you did not counterprobe. Why?"
Shorai felt the question like a light prodding at a bruise. He answered plainly. "Counterprobes risk revealing internal resources and could escalate psychological damage. I prioritize clearing and anchoring before meeting the illusion's source. In a team setting, stealth in countermeasures preserves mission security."
Cat inclined her head. "Reasonable. But we will run a counterprobes drill. You need to learn how and when to expose weakness for the sake of rapid dispel."
Eagle's expression softened into the only smile a mask could show. "You passed this stage. Perception test judged: competent, with tactical acumen and moral calculus. But the ANBU doesn't take the competent alone—we take the complete. Phase Two will stress your sensory limits, force-multiplication under political pressure, and the consequences of wrong judgment. Be ready."
Shorai felt a tight warmth in his chest—not celebration, but the focused heat of purpose. He bowed once, low and sincere. "Thank you. I will be ready."
Cat's whisper as he straightened was softer than the rest. "Good. Get some rest. You'll need it."
Eagle's final command was practical and final. "Phase Two will be held tomorrow. We move at dawn."
The secluded training area grew quiet as the seals faded, and Shorai let his shoulders drop.
Well, this was quite taxing. Hiding the Reality Stone from their probes and playing along with the genjutsu pushed my already accelerated brain to its limits. I haven't felt this drained since those long studies in the library…
Outside, the world kept turning; inside him, something had shifted—another notch of acceptance, another small step away from the Academy and toward an unforgiving shadow world.