Chapter 126: A Strike That Pierces the Stars

The painting of Kurenai Yuhi was so lifelike, it seemed as if she would step out of the canvas at any moment.

"Not bad," said Kakashi, his deadpan expression unchanging. "Kurenai, you must be quite close to her, right?"

The mission scroll only stated that they were to enter the genjutsu world and help Yakumo Kurama kill the demon Idō. As for the rest of the situation, it was still unclear.

"She's trying to kill me with that," Kurenai sighed, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"…?" Kakashi blinked in surprise, his thought's couldn't have been further from reality.

"How does one even kill with a painting?" Sasuke Uchiha asked, puzzled.

"She has the ability to turn illusions into reality," Kurenai explained. "That's her genjutsu-based kekkei genkai."

Shinho Aburame remembered. In the original story, Yakumo had once painted Kurenai being impaled by a red spear. Now, only the red spear was missing.

Hmm. Her name is Yakumo, only one character away from "purple." And she kills with a red spear…

[tl/n: I'm guessing he's referring to Scathach?]

It's you! The purple-haired…Queen.

"There's genjutsu like that?" Sasuke's interest was piqued. "Can I spar with her?"

Although he hadn't formally learned genjutsu, having the Sharingan gave him a natural advantage and confidence in that field.

"She's not a ninja," Kurenai shook her head. In truth, she was more worried that Sasuke might get hurt.

"Why isn't she a ninja?" Sasuke frowned slightly. A kekkei genkai user, living as an ordinary person—what a waste.

"She's been frail since childhood," Kurenai explained.

"What's our mission?" Naruto Uzumaki, as impatient as ever, couldn't wait any longer.

"Who is it?" A calm voice interrupted.

Yakumo Kurama had set down her paintbrush and was looking at them with an expression of serene indifference.

"We should step outside first," Kurenai said as she moved forward. "Yakumo, it's me."

"Who are they?" Yakumo glanced at Kakashi and the others, asking in a measured tone.

"I'm Shinho Aburame," Shinho took the initiative to introduce himself. "We're here to help cure your illness."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. He had been wondering how to answer, but Shinho beat him to it. Surprisingly, the explanation worked.

"I know you," Yakumo said, her gaze filled with a hint of envy. "You were top of the ninja academy."

She had always wanted to be a ninja, but fate had dealt her a cruel hand. She had even taken the academy entrance exam before but had failed. She still remembered seeing Shinho's name at the top of the board: number one in taijutsu, ninjutsu, and theory.

Sasuke instinctively stepped forward, waiting for Yakumo's next words. After all, he too had been top of the class.

But Yakumo only glanced at him briefly before losing interest.

"You don't know who I am?" Sasuke asked, unable to hold back.

"Why should I know you?" Yakumo responded with genuine confusion.

"…" Sasuke stood frozen, embarrassed.

Damn it! Does sharing first place not count?

Shinho suppressed a smile, carefully keeping his expression neutral. Sasuke noticed his stiff face and silently stepped back.

"How are you going to cure me?" Yakumo asked, turning her gaze to Shinho. "Are you going to inject me with something, like they do?"

After she had killed her parents, the Hokage had assigned medical ninjas from the Konoha Hospital to watch over her. 

Every time she lost control of her abilities, they would inject her with a sedative. Even Naruto had once been knocked out by them in the original story.

"No," Shinho shook his head. "Their methods are pointless—they won't cure you."

"So you're saying you can?" Yakumo's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Shinho looked too young. His confidence was hard for her to believe.

"I can," Shinho confirmed, his voice unwavering. "Once this is over, you'll be able to become a proper ninja and go on missions with your teammates."

His plan was to seal Idō, turning it into a chakra battery for his Yin Release techniques. Even without Idō, Yakumo wouldn't lose her kekkei genkai. 

After all, a kekkei genkai was rooted in one's bloodline. She would only lose a portion of her spiritual energy.

This had both pros and cons: her power would be weakened, but her frail body would no longer suffer under its strain. She could live as a normal ninja specialised in genjutsu and easily reach jōnin-level in the future.

"Really?!" Yakumo's eyes lit up, her cold façade cracking to reveal the excited young girl she was underneath. The earlier indifference was simply a result of the frustration that came with being unable to become a ninja.

"Yes," Shinho reiterated. "The reason you couldn't become a ninja before was because your genjutsu talent was too strong."

"What do you mean?" Yakumo was momentarily stunned and turned to Kurenai for clarification. Seeing the look on Kurenai's face, she realized something.

"Kurenai-sensei, you knew? Why didn't you tell me?" Yakumo demanded angrily.

All this time, she had believed her body was the issue, and the medical ninjas had said as much too—that she wasn't physically fit to train as a ninja.

"I'm sorry," Kurenai bit her lip. She had wanted to spare Yakumo from knowing that she was the one who had killed her own parents.

"Is 'sorry' supposed to fix everything?!" Yakumo's emotions flared, the space around them warping as her anger boiled over. She glared at Kurenai, hatred flashing in her eyes.

"Yakumo!" Kurenai gasped. This was the sign of her activating her genjutsu.

"You're a genjutsu master," Yakumo murmured, her voice distant as if lost in thought. "So you were trying to kill me out of jealousy, weren't you?"

"Kill you?" Kurenai was shocked. "Why would I want to kill you?"

Now Kurenai understood Yakumo's hostility. Before, she had thought it was simply resentment over having her powers sealed.

"Stop lying! I heard it with my own ears!" Yakumo clutched her head, her expression full of denial.

"Indeed, she does want to kill you," said a voice from behind Kurenai.

Everyone froze.

Yakumo turned around—it was the Kurenai from the painting who had spoken. Yakumo instinctively took a step back, fear flickering in her eyes.

Am I trapped in Kurenai-sensei's genjutsu?

No, that's impossible. Kurenai isn't strong enough to trap me like this.

"Whoa!" Naruto pointed at the painting. "Did you guys hear that? The painting just talked!"

Kakashi's face darkened as he stared at the painting. He hadn't sensed any genjutsu at work. Which meant… this was real.

Sasuke, acting on instinct, activated his single-tomoe Sharingan. After a moment, his expression turned to disbelief. "This isn't genjutsu?"

"Who are you?" Yakumo asked after a long silence.

"I am you," replied the painting as it began to tremble. Kurenai's painted figure started to move, stepping out of the frame, her long black hair swaying naturally as she ran forward.

"A ghost!" Naruto's eyes gleamed with excitement. He had never seen a real ghost before.

"That's not a ghost," Sasuke muttered, seeing through the illusion.

It was pure spiritual power.

At the same time, Sasuke's expression twisted. The idea of anyone his age being stronger than him was simply intolerable!

Shinho Aburame raised an eyebrow, glancing at the scene unfolding before him. 

Well, the scene was... quite provocative. 

Kurenai was on all fours, her delicate knees rubbing against the ground as they turned red, her posture highlighting her, ahem, assets.

So lifelike?

Can you teach me?!

Kakashi and Kurenai immediately tensed, going on full alert. 

They knew exactly what this was... It was Idō, the demon formed from Yakumo Kurama's heart. They just hadn't expected it to crawl out on its own!

This was bad—extremely bad. It meant that Yakumo's condition had worsened beyond what they had expected.

At that moment, the painted image of Kurenai began to tremble. Her once beautiful face twisted into something monstrous—blue skin, fangs, claws, and long, sharp horns sprouting from her head.

Shouldn't I at least look human? Kurenai felt annoyed for some reason.

"You still want to claim you're not a ghost?" Naruto pointed at the grotesque figure, thoroughly convinced now.

"No, you're not me!" Yakumo's face went deathly pale. "I'm not that ugly!"

"..." Idō rolled its eyes.

Sure, we're the same person, but can you not be so mean?

"Yakumo, didn't you want to become a ninja?" Idō climbed out of the painting, its grotesque form sneering. "Hand over your body to me, and you will be the most powerful ninja alive."

"Not way!" Yakumo refused instantly, her voice trembling but firm.

"Don't resist," Idō's blood-red eyes bore into her. "I am you, and you are me. Together, we will be invincible!"

"Never!" Yakumo crossed her arms defiantly.

Even if she became a ninja, what meaning would it hold if it wasn't truly her?

"You're leaving me with no choice!" Idō snarled, losing its patience.

In an instant, their surroundings shifted. The once peaceful grove turned into a dark, suffocating dark space. Flames flickered in the distance, casting eerie shadows on the ground.

"What is this?" Yakumo's eyes widened in horror. It was the scene of the fire—the one that had claimed her parents' lives.

"Do you know who killed them?" Idō's laughter echoed like a nightmare. "It was you!"

"What?" Yakumo staggered back, her hands clutching her head as the long-buried memories resurfaced.

"No!" she screamed, her voice breaking.

"Yakumo!" Kurenai rushed in front of her, shielding her from the emotional assault.

"Doesn't it hurt?" Idō's voice was thick with temptation. "I can make it stop. Just give me your body."

What a sleaze, preying on a young girl's body like that! Absolutely shameless.

Shinho shook his head and said, "Naruto, go ahead."

"Roger that!" Naruto hesitated for a split second before charging forward, excitement bubbling within him.

He leapt into the air and delivered a fierce kick straight to Idō's chest.

"Ow, so hard!" Naruto blinked in surprise but didn't let up. His attacks rained down like a torrential storm.

"Get lost!" Idō growled, slashing at Naruto with a sharp claw.

At the same time, Shinho activated the Moonveil Gu and shared its defense.

"NARUTO!" Kakashi's heart clenched as he dashed in front of the two. But just as he was about to strike, an astonishing scene played out before his eyes.

The claw tore through Naruto's shirt, but sparks flew off his skin as if it had struck steel!

"What… are you?" Idō was momentarily stunned, its grotesque face slack with confusion.

"I'm not a thing!" Naruto replied without thinking, then blinked in surprise. "Wait a second—it didn't hurt!"

Kakashi couldn't find words.

How could someone be so... oblivious?

Idō's rage surged. Naruto's flippant response was the last straw.

In the blink of an eye, the dim sky above them turned into a starry sky, with countless swirling orbs of light distorting space itself. Then, black tendrils shot out like vipers!

Naruto, caught off guard, was quickly hoisted into the air by one of them.

Kakashi jumped back, the chirping sound of Chidori filling the air as he dashed toward Naruto. His hand sliced through the black tendrils, but they regrew almost immediately. 

Kakashi's expression turned grim.

Meanwhile, both Sasuke and Shinho were fending off attacks of their own. Only Kurenai and Yakumo were left untouched.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke's hands formed seals in a blur, releasing a massive fireball that collided with the tendrils, igniting them.

But before he could breathe a sigh of relief, another tendril had already snaked around his right leg.

With a loud bang, Sasuke reappeared a short distance away, a log left in his place. 

Yet his pupils shrank as the world around him morphed into a molten hellscape, heat radiating from every corner. Lava bubbled and hissed, surrounding him.

"Genjutsu?" Sasuke's Sharingan spun wildly, attempting to dispel the illusion, but nothing worked. 

His face darkened in frustration. Being trapped in a genjutsu as an Uchiha was the ultimate disgrace. 

Thoughts of Itachi's Tsukuyomi surfaced in his heart, and his emotions surged.

"Lightning Style: Thunder Arrow!" Sasuke quickly formed seals, releasing arcs of white lightning from his hands. They shot into the molten landscape with a deafening crack.

The lava exploded, splattering in all directions, surging toward him like a tidal wave. Sasuke's heart pounded. He was surrounded—there was no escape.

Am I going to die here?

Suddenly, some familiar bugs appeared before his eyes.

"Shinho?!" Sasuke couldn't help but feel a surge of hope.

The bugs swarmed around him, some blocking his view, while others carried him away, lifting him out of danger.

The intense heat vanished, and Sasuke found himself back in the original space, dumbfounded.

Black tendrils lashed out at Shinho, but his response was simple—a punch.

In that instant, stars were pushed back, and the sky itself collapsed. Before him, a black hole appeared, swallowing everything in its path.

[Achievement Unlocked: "A Strike That Pierces the Stars." Reward: Moon Blade Gu.]

[Moon Blade: Rank-3 Gu, releases crescent moon slashes, and can combine with the Rank-3 Golden Moon to form the Golden Moon Slash.]

Shinho raised an eyebrow.

Things… were pretty convenient.

"How come you're not affected by the genjutsu?" Sasuke asked, staring across the black hole at him.

"Don't forget—I have my insects." Shinho's eyes locked onto Idō. "Support me."

That last punch had made one thing clear—the strength of this genjutsu space was limited. After all, Yakumo was still just an untrained and inexperienced a little girl

"I'll do my best," Sasuke muttered, unwilling but knowing it was necessary.

Idō snarled, charging forward, its claws gleaming as it struck.

Shinho raised his arm to block, and the sharp claws screeched against his skin with a metallic clang.

"What... are you?" Idō's eyes widened in disbelief.

This defense was even stronger than Naruto's, and for the first time, Idō felt pain.

Sasuke's lip twitched as he watched, but his hands didn't stop. White lightning flickered to life once again.

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