8 Chapter 8 - Direction

Mikumo focused intently as Sakumo showed her the hand signs slowly.

"This is the C-Rank genjutsu, Magen: Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu! (Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Technique)"

After Sakumo said the jutsu's name, Mikumo became shocked as everything around her started rapidly changing from a dirt field to a river bed as Sakumo disappeared. However, she noticed that her clothes weren't getting wet, an indication that this isn't actually real.

'This is...genjutsu? Wow, not bad. It's a little trippy though.'

Mikumo then felt a hand touch her shoulder.

"Kai! (Release)"

Mikumo's surroundings then returned to normal as she returned to the dirt field, with Sakumo sitting in front of her with a hand on her shoulder.

Sakumo smiled at the young girl's amazement and retracted his hand.

"This jutsu might be simple but very effective in certain circumstances, it's a wide-range jutsu that can easily affect multiple people and depends on your imagination. Now you try, imagine what you want me to see, and cast the jutsu. It doesn't matter if it doesn't work on the first try, as we're just playing around."

Mikumo nodded and then thought deeply. Before long, she opened her eyes with a smug smile.

Sakumo didn't know what kind of prank the girl was trying to pull with her mischievous expression but he looked forward to it.

Mikumo then drew upon her past life knowledge of practiced hand signs to perform the hand signs she memorized from Sakumo.

"Okay, here goes! Magen: Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu!"

In an instant, Sakumo's widened as he felt himself being affected by the genjutsu. His surroundings melted as he gets transported into a strange dilapidated cabin, then from the corner of his eye, he sees movement from a locked and chained cellar door on the ground in front of him. Sakumo gulped as he watched the cellar door open partly before jerking the chain that locked it down.

Sakumo zoomed in, wanting to see into the opening but it was too dark. Then, suddenly, bright yellow eyes flashed open through the cellar door, and a horrifying zombified woman stretched her hand out and tried to grab onto Sakumo's leg.

"Ahh! Kai!"

Sakumo's surroundings returned to normal as he sees Mikumo, in front of him, laughing uncontrollably.

"Hahahaha! Gotcha, sensei!"

"Whew, what the heck was that, what goes on in your mind to be able to think of stuff like that?"

"Hehehe, I didn't know the famous White Fang of Konoha would be scared of something like this."

Sakumo wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed with an exasperated expression.

"I fight and kill for a living, my biggest fear is the dead. Moreover, what was with that horrifying appearance, how did you even imagine something like that?"

"Ah you know, just random thoughts."

Sakumo didn't seem convinced by Mikumo's explanation but he shrugged it off.

"Alright it's fine, but leave me out of your genjutsu experiments, please."

"Heheh, don't worry, that's just one of my silly ideas. I still want sensei's help with the genjutsu we were talking about earlier."

Sakumo nodded and then stood up.

"Okay, now that we both understand that you have a talent for genjutsu, I guess that decides your training direction. Since you want to create that illusion clone technique, I'll help build your body and teach you taijutsu and kenjutsu. I'll get my friend Shinku to teach you about genjutsu as well."

Mikumo stood up and saluted.

"Yes, sensei!"

Sakumo chuckled but then had a serious expression and pointed at Kakashi.

"Alright then, get to it. One hundred laps."

Mikumo frowned instantly at the order.

"Sensei...this wouldn't be punishment for that harmless prank, would it?"

Sakumo simply smiled, but his eyes weren't smiling.

"Nonsense, now that you decided to be a ninja, you have a lot of ground to make up. Kakashi has been training since he could run, we need to make up three years of foundation building and quickly. Now go!"

Seeing Sakumo's serious expression, Mikumo yelped and began running.

'Damn, this is gonna suck. Oh well, at least I can see a clear path for myself now. I need to complete these two jutsu as soon as possible. I'll call them, project Kyoka Suigetsu and project Evil Dead!'

Mikumo as she imagined the horrors she'll wreck upon her enemies after the completion of her jutsu.

'I have to unlock my kekkei genkai, only then can the world feel the true power and desperation and hopelessness against fighting Kyoka Suigetsu! Aizen-sama, I won't let you down. As for project Evil Dead, who knows, it started as a harmless prank but maybe there's some potential there with the Kurama clan kekkei genkai.'

Mikumo continued dreaming about her future development as she joined Kakashi in basic training.