...
Early the next morning.
It was the first day of enrollment at the Ninja Academy.
Yagura Karatachi arrived right on time, stepping through the academy gates absentmindedly. As he walked past groups of new students, their faces a mix of fear, anxiety, and excitement, he only gave them a brief glance. None seemed particularly familiar or remarkable, so he quickly lost interest.
He had other things on his mind.
For some reason, his grandfather hadn't asked him about Hozuki Mangetsu's visit last night. That was odd.
There was no way his grandfather didn't know.
Mangetsu had come over to fight him! If things had gone sideways, or if Yagura had been weaker in any way, their duel could have easily turned into a premature version of the bloody graduation exam.
"Don't tell me... Grandpa and the Hozuki elders made some kind of shady deal? Maybe they're thrilled that the two of us are getting along and decided to just let things develop naturally?"
Yagura considered this possibility.
Kirigakure was home to many clans, some wielding secret techniques, others possessing Kekkei Genkai strong enough to rival Konohagakure.
The liquefying Hozuki, the ice-wielding Yuki, the bone-controlling Kaguya, the corrosive Boil Release of the Terumi, and the mysterious Darkness Release.
And then there were two clans that Yagura had never seen in the original timeline—
The 'Demon Eye' clan, and the storm-wielding clan.
These were Kirigakure's most prominent bloodline clans.
In the current political climate, they stood in opposition to the Third Mizukage.
After all, Hozuki Gengetsu, the Second Mizukage, had been taken down by a coup.
And soon after taking power, the Third Mizukage had pushed the Hozuki clan out of the inner circle—along with any other families that might threaten his rule.
This purge extended to the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, the elite squadron under his direct command. Of the seven, only Hozuki Chiren, wielder of the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei, came from the Hozuki clan. The rest were selected from obscure families, handpicked for their loyalty to the regime.
Chiren's decision to side with the Third Mizukage had earned him the title of traitor within his own clan.
While none of this was officially recorded in Kirigakure's 'Blood Mist' policy, the increased oppression of the noble clans was undeniable.
Rumors spread among the common folk of the Land of Water—stories painting Kekkei Genkai users as the root of Kirigakure's misfortunes and wars.
More immediately, the academy had placed Yagura, Mangetsu, and Onime Kaede—three heirs of powerful bloodline clans—into the same team.
And by tradition, six years later, only one of them would survive.
...
Standing in front of the academy's bulletin board, Yagura scanned the enrollment list and found his assigned class.
Mangetsu arrived shortly after. Spotting the familiar green-haired figure in the crowd, he sauntered over with a grin.
"Yo. My dear Fourth Mizukage, you're here early."
Yesterday, he'd found it awkward to use that title. Today, he wielded it like a joke.
Yagura didn't mind and simply nodded.
"Morning, my future leader of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen."
Mangetsu stiffened, as if struck by lightning.
Awkward. Awkward!
He was done playing! Not in front of familiar faces!
"Heh."
Yagura smirked, silently mocking him, then turned his gaze to the boy standing beside Mangetsu, who was observing them with an unusual expression.
He had bright orange hair and jewel-like golden eyes. His ninja gear consisted of a black vest over mesh armor, with weapon pouches secured at his waist and thighs.
"Hello."
The boy took two steps back and introduced himself concisely,
"Onime Kaede."
Tree words. Self-introduction complete.
A little cool, huh?
Yagura blinked, then extended his hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Yagura Karatachi."
Kaede said nothing, briefly shaking Yagura's hand before withdrawing and shifting his gaze elsewhere.
Mangetsu laughed and stepped between them, blocking Yagura's view.
"Don't mind him, he's just like that. Saves his words."
"Mm."
Yagura, however, remained intrigued, his eyes lingering on Kaede's for a moment longer.
This was his first time meeting someone from the 'Demon Eye' clan—a family completely absent from the original timeline.
Kekkei Genkai typically fell into three categories: elemental combinations like Ice Release and Boil Release, specialized bodily abilities like the Kaguya's Shikotsumyaku, and then... the most overpowered category—Dojutsu.
The only known examples in the original timeline were the Sharingan and the Byakugan.
But the Onime clan possessed a Dojutsu of their own—Nijūgan, the 'Double Pupils.'
Looking closely, Yagura could see that Kaede's irises had two concentric white rings.
According to Kirigakure's official records and his grandfather's accounts, this Dojutsu enhanced dynamic vision and countered Genjutsu.
The improved perception wasn't too surprising—both the Byakugan and Sharingan had similar functions.
But detecting illusions?
...
Wasn't Uchiha Obito's control over his original self entirely based on Genjutsu?!
Could this thing actually resist Obito's illusions?!
"..."
That stare was getting a little intense.
Kaede uncomfortably turned his head, zipped up his high collar, and covered the lower half of his face.
Realizing he'd been staring too long, Yagura quickly composed himself. Thick-skinned as ever, he acted as if nothing had happened.
Mangetsu, eager to move things along, suggested, "Let's stop standing around. We should head to class."
"Yeah. We're all in First Year, Class One," Yagura confirmed, leading the way.
After walking for a while, Kaede suddenly spoke. "You're interested? In my eyes?"
Yagura nodded without hesitation. "Yeah. Very."
Kaede gave a small nod.
And then—
His Nijūgan activated.
In an instant, Yagura's world changed.
Everything became sharper, clearer, slower, more transparent.
The world within a 360-degree radius unfolded before him—every movement and stillness visible in detail.
The flutter of a butterfly's wings, the tremor of a flower as a bee landed on it…
The rise and fall of nearby people's chests as they breathed, the shifts in their muscles as they walked, the flow of chakra within their bodies…
"Scared?"
Mangetsu, already used to this, cackled at Yagura's dumbfounded expression.
"Pfft—hahaha!! You look like a total newbie! HAHAHA!"
Kaede, unimpressed, deadpanned, "You reacted the same way the first time."
"Yeah, but no one saw it~" Mangetsu smirked and arched a teasing brow at Yagura.
Yagura ignored him, turning sharply to Kaede, his usually calm expression cracking.
"This… This can be shared?!"
Why the hell hadn't his grandfather mentioned that?!
"Normal Nijūgan can't," Mangetsu answered smugly. "But Kaede's different. He's the first in a hundred years to awaken 'Shared Vision!'"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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