"...Red dust?"
Mitsuko looked around, wondering what her sensei had discovered. Even with her Byakugan, she could not sense its presence. With furrowed brows, she was about to ask a question.
"Akuta-sensei... What's wrong?"
However, Sasuke beat her to it. Looking at the tense expression on her teammate's face, Mitsuko couldn't help but put a hand on his shoulder.
—Tap.
Sasuke flinched at her touch. However, it seemed like it helped him calm down. Glancing at Mitsuko, Sasuke nodded to signify his appreciation.
For a moment their eyes met. The Sharingan and the Byakugan reflected each other's colors, gleaming with both terror and resilience as they awaited Akuta's reply.
"...Isn't it that?"
Sakura suddenly pointed at a certain point, drawing everyone's eyes to her. Then, upon noticing her outstretched hand, Mitsuko and Sasuke's eyes drifted over.
With their Dojutsu active, they tried their best to figure out what Sakura was trying to point at.
However, no matter what the two did, they could not see the red dust that both Sakura and Akuta were capable of perceiving.
Sensing the pair's confusion, Akuta spoke up.
"Deactivate your Dojutsu," He said, "You'll understand when you do."
Glancing at each other, Sasuke and Mitsuko cut the flow of chakra into their eyes. The moment they relaxed their vision, that was when they saw it:
Swirls of red dust were flowing like a gentle breeze and permeating their surroundings.
"What..?" Mitsuko let out a gasp, surprised.
"Is the person using this red dust targeting only those with special eyes?" Sasuke came up with a possibility the moment he saw what was happening.
But Akuta shook his head.
"You're close, but that's not exactly what's happening."
Walking over to his students, Akuta used his chakra to break the layered illusions that had been cast on them.
'Kai!'
With the hefty influx of chakra, the entire illusion was shattered. Against the might of a Kage-level shinobi, Suguru's illusions were thin layers of glass.
Still, the resulting effects further baffled the three genin.
"Nothing's changed..?" Sakura put a finger on her chin, bewildered yet curious.
After studying Genjutsu under Akuta, she had grown to love the world of illusions she could create. Given that it was what she could use to impress Sasuke and fight on par with Mitsuko, she found Genjutsu to be one of her strengths.
That was why this situation stoked her curiosity. The elaborately crafted layers of illusions were weaved into her surroundings.
So much so that even when Akuta had supposedly broken them out of the Genjutsu, she still couldn't tell what was different.
And, judging from Sasuke and Mitsuko's similar reactions, they also had no idea.
It was as baffling as it was terrifying.
'If Akuta-sensei wasn't here...' Sakura glanced furtively at Sasuke, 'Would we have died without knowing how?'
A chill ran through her spine. It was a fear that was greatly amplified by her infatuation with the boy standing beside her.
Had Suguru been able to read her thoughts, he would've duly noted the differences her personality had from the original.
As if her skills in the illusory matters of life had rooted her firmly in the realities of the world.
***
"There," Sayuri caught a blur of movement in the distance. Close enough for her to strike.
Yet she held herself back. Dealing with the Ghost meant that she had to work with the other squads to slowly choke him out. Using the Nara Clan's Shadow Imitation Jutsu to bind him would be the best-case scenario.
Thus, with the plan in place, they poured all their chakra into heightening their speed. Rushing forward with as much gusto as they could output.
The world around them turned into a dangerous blur as their eyes could barely keep up. Their muscles screamed, strained by the exertion.
Unfortunately, it was necessary.
The Ghost was infamous for his speed and ability to disappear at a moment's notice.
Sayuri could not pass up on this momentous occasion, fearful that no other coincidence would bless her in the future.
'It's now or never..!'
Suddenly, her hand drifted to the grip of her tanto and her knuckles turned pale-white in the firmness of her grasp. With a fierce arc of light, she swung her blade at the silver-haired boy who had suddenly appeared before her.
—Slash!
The surrounding air was cut as chakra flowed through her blade. Wind chakra created a sharpness like no other as she swung for the kill.
Unfortunately for Sayuri...
'Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!'
A huge flaming ball of fire erupted from the boy's lips. The sheer heat burned the tips of her hair and threatened to melt her mask. Left with no other option, she swung her blade at the approaching fireball.
Her blade cut through and the winds blew the condensed flames apart.
But the Ghost knew that he could not achieve much with a single fireball. He rushed up close, forcing Sayuri to raise her blade in defense. A kunai struck her tanto, its blade growing dull from the winds that coated her weapon.
Then, a sharp pain burst out from her thigh.
"..!"
Surprised by the sudden splatter of blood, Sayuri was forced back. The shuriken that had stuck themselves to her left leg was a terrifying surprise.
'Where did they come from?'
Sayuri had no time to hesitate. Her thoughts were instantly wiped away by the sudden approaching flame-coated fist.
—FWHOOM!
The fist hadn't connected as Sayuri expected it to. Instead, it halted right before her guard and released a sudden blast of flames that engulfed her entire body.
"Ack..!"
Blasted back, Sayuri's body was flung a distance away.
"Captain!" Her squadmates, who were lagging only a few seconds behind, rushed to her aid.
However, they saw that she didn't seem to be that injured. The burns on her skin were light. The explosion seemed much larger than the damage that had been done, creating an uncanny incongruence.
'Weird,' They all thought.
However, all their doubts were pushed away by the sudden approach of their foe.
—Crack!
A heavy-handed haymaker slammed into Hyuga Rao's palm as he diverted the force away from his body.
The next phase of the battle had just begun.
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