Since genjutsu was her primary field of study, Kurenai Yuhi had a far deeper understanding of it than Might Guy or Genma Shiranui.
And the more she understood, the more she realized just how terrifyingly powerful the illusion Shinno Yamanaka had just cast truly was.
Using a faint, unique fragrance to ensnare his targets without them even realizing it, he had seamlessly pulled them into a genjutsu that manipulated their senses. Within a single breath, he had interfered with their sense of smell, sight, touch, taste, and hearing—without them even noticing they had fallen under an illusion.
This level of deception alone was already beyond the reach of an ordinary A-rank genjutsu!
And then there was that chilling, irrational killing intent—the kind that made it feel as though a real, massive serpent were coiling around them. It didn't just target the five senses, it struck something deeper, something primal—humanity's most instinctive perception of danger buried deep within the genes.
But most importantly…
It was cast on multiple targets simultaneously!
He had managed to manipulate the senses of all three of them at once, keeping their perceptions perfectly aligned without any discrepancies or inconsistencies between them.
This wasn't just an A-rank genjutsu—it was a complex, multi-layered illusion woven around an A-rank core.
The level of control and the sheer effectiveness… it was likely on par with an S-rank genjutsu!
And their squad leader had used such a powerful technique… on three rookie Genin?
When Kurenai considered it that way, she felt even more indignant.
"You look like you're thinking something very disrespectful."
Shinno Yamanaka narrowed his eyes slightly as he leaned in, meeting Kurenai's ruby-red gaze head-on.
"N-no! Of course not!"
Kurenai averted her eyes, vehemently denying the silent complaints she had just been making about her squad leader in her mind.
Shinno smirked. Seeing how easily the three rookies had been distracted by his sudden attack and smooth talking, he knew they had completely forgotten about his morning-long absence.
Kids really were easy to fool.
As he turned to leave the training grounds, he called back to them, "Since you passed the test, we should celebrate the formation of our team. I'll treat you all to some skewers for lunch. Let's go."
"I've decided! I'll walk to the restaurant on my fingertips! If I can't do it, I'll do two thousand kicks as punishment!" Might Guy shouted enthusiastically.
"Sensei said skewers, not barbecue. That means our destination is Sanmaiya."
Genma Shiranui, a senbon clamped between his lips, corrected him lazily.
"Huh? You mean the restaurant run by the Ino-Shika-Cho clans? I heard their prices are insanely high! Just one plate of venison costs five hundred ryō!"
Kurenai's eyes lit up. She quietly decided to momentarily forget about appearances and eat to her heart's content—after all, she had just endured quite a fright.
...
"They seem to have decent mental resilience."
Hearing the three rookies chatting and laughing behind him, Shinno smiled slightly.
Their talent was undeniable.
Might Guy, the most gifted of the three, possessed three special traits: [Burning Youth (Blue)], [Extreme Recovery (Blue)], and [Thick-Browed Kappa (White)].
[Burning Youth] gave him an extraordinary level of self-discipline and an indomitable will. [Extreme Recovery] allowed his body to recover more quickly when pushed to its limits, reducing the risk of hidden injuries. And while [Thick-Browed Kappa] lowered his natural charm and chakra stability, it significantly enhanced his focus and the effectiveness of his taijutsu training.
With these three traits complementing each other, his potential far surpassed that of most shinobi in Konoha.
Kurenai came next, with two notable traits: [Strong Mental Force (Blue)] and [Illusionist (Green)].
The first trait increased her mental strength and capacity, while the second enhanced the potency of her genjutsu. If she developed her abilities properly, she might be able to avoid the infamous 'Itachi humiliates Kurenai' moment in the future.
As for Genma Shiranui, he only had one trait—[Influenced by Peers (Blue)].
Its effect was simple: when learning under skilled guidance, he could significantly accelerate his growth and raise his own limits.
Though he had fewer traits than the others, in practical terms, his potential might not be any weaker than Kurenai's.
With their talent and mindset, Shinno was certain—if he put in even a little effort as their mentor, and none of them died prematurely like in the original timeline, their future achievements would far surpass what was originally expected of them.
But as he looked at the ten-year-old Might Guy, the eleven-year-old Kurenai, and the twelve-year-old Genma…
He let out a sigh.
When he had watched the anime in his past life, all he had seen was passion and camaraderie.
But after spending more than a decade surviving in this blood-soaked shinobi world…
All he could see now was cruelty.
Eleven- and twelve-year-old children…
Back in his previous life, they wouldn't have even finished elementary school.
But in Konoha, kids that age were already being thrown onto the battlefield to fight and kill.
"This damn place… There's nothing to love about it."
Shinno scoffed to himself.
He was long past the age of youthful idealism, the kind that made people rage against the world's injustices. But even now, he couldn't help but ask himself: should he be doing something about this?
Mencius once said: When poor, cultivate oneself, when prosperous, aid the world.
Before, he hadn't had the strength to go against the shinobi world's brutal system. He had been forced to go with the flow, never daring to step out of line.
But now… he had a system.
...
"Five hundred ryō for a plate of venison?! That means a single meal would cost as much as several D-rank missions!"
Might Guy gasped, hopping forward on one hand while using the other to count the potential expenses.
"Forget it. I've heard before that if you don't order the most expensive items, the average price per person is about three thousand ryō. It's roughly three times the cost of Barbecue Q."
"T-three thousand?! That's daylight robbery!"
Coming from a poor family, Might Guy nearly lost his balance in shock, almost crashing headfirst into the ground.
Kurenai stole a glance at Shinno, who had been quiet for a while now.
Seeing his serious expression, she assumed he hadn't realized how pricey Sanmaiya was and had only wanted to treat his team to something nice. Now that he knew the actual cost, she figured he must be just as shocked as they were.
The kind-hearted girl decided to temporarily forgive him for the earlier scare he had given her.
Trying to ease the awkward atmosphere, she hesitantly spoke up.
"Um… Sensei? Actually, I think ramen is really delicious too."
"Hm?"
Shinno was momentarily stunned, but when he realized what she was implying, he burst into laughter.
Reaching out, he ruffled the young girl's hair.
Kurenai's face flushed red as she wrinkled her nose in embarrassment, quickly fixing her hair.
At that moment, Shinno made up his mind.
He would do something.
Not for some lofty, hollow ideal like the Will of Fire.
Not for some impossible dream of world peace.
But simply because today, the sun was warm, the breeze was gentle… and the people he had met were kind.