Konoha cat breeder

Chapter 129: Genjutsu!

"A salamander? Here?"

A shadowy figure landed on the ground, pausing at the sight of a palm-sized salamander wriggling in a small swamp.

"Be careful. There could be danger nearby," another voice warned as two more figures appeared.

The speaker was a young girl with orange-red hair partially covering one eye. She looked so young that she might have been the smallest participant in the Chūnin Exams—practically a child who hadn't even attended a ninja academy.

"Tch, what's the fuss? If it were up to me, this exam would be child's play. We should just cut down everyone in our way. Once we kill them all, the exam will be over," grumbled a tall boy standing next to the girl. He hefted an enormous sword on his shoulder, his shark-like teeth bared in a disdainful grin.

"Jūzō, don't underestimate anyone," the girl replied in a cheerful, almost innocent voice that belied her unnerving tone. "These exams aren't trivial. No village would send weaklings here. Don't let those minor village ninja fool you into thinking otherwise."

Her casual reference to murder sent chills down anyone's spine.

"So, what do we do about this fish? Take it or leave it?" asked the third member of their team, a young man with spiky hair resembling a bullet. His tone was indifferent, but his sharp, shark-like teeth mirrored Jūzō's.

"Chidare, use your ability to test it," the girl instructed.

Chidare rolled his eyes but obeyed.

His body began to melt, transforming into a pool of clear water. The liquid slithered toward the salamander, which remained oblivious to its approach.

When the water enveloped the creature, nothing unusual happened.

"It's safe," Chidare announced as his watery form re-solidified. He reached out to grab the salamander.

But just as his fingers closed around it—

Thud!

A kunai sliced through the air, piercing his arm.

Water splattered everywhere, but it wasn't blood.

Chidare frowned, staring at the direction the kunai had come from.

The small girl and Jūzō were already on guard, the latter gripping his oversized sword in a defensive stance.

Their eyes fixed on three figures perched in the trees: dark-skinned ninja from the Hidden Cloud Village.

"You Hidden Mist folks should back off. We've claimed that salamander," declared the leader, an all-too-familiar face: Dikayi.

"Yo, Hidden Mist! This is Cloud property now! Step aside, you scum—don't ask how!" a smaller figure in sunglasses chimed in, waving his arms dramatically. His voice carried a rhythmic cadence, almost like a rap.

The youngest participant besides the Hidden Mist girl, this was undoubtedly Killer Bee, a rising talent in the Cloud.

The last member of the Cloud trio was a muscular woman whose chest seemed larger than life, exuding an intimidating presence.

"Hidden Cloud," Jūzō sneered, his shark-like teeth gleaming. "You're supposed to be experts in swordsmanship, right? Let's see if your skills are as sharp as your tongues."

He plunged his sword into the ground, burying nearly half of its massive blade into the dirt with ease.

Even Dikayi couldn't help but grimace at the sight.

"Hidden Mist participants: Jūzō Biwa, the next wielder of the Executioner's Blade; Chidare, a genius from the Hōzuki Clan; and Terumi Mei, the youngest and most mysterious competitor in these exams," recited the Cloud woman, holding up a stack of cards.

Hearing their identities revealed, Terumi Mei's lips curled into a faint, calculating smile.

"Why don't we make this even more interesting? Add the Hidden Stone to the mix," came another voice.

Three bulky figures emerged from a nearby rock formation, their heavy footsteps announcing their presence.

The Mist and Cloud ninjas tensed as the new arrivals joined the fray.

"Hidden Stone's participants are Hikariko, Maji, and Kari," the Cloud woman announced again, reading from her cards.

The presence of so many notable ninja in one place raised alarms among the group.

Hidden within the shadows, Tonari, Uchiha Yoshinari, and Nara Yoshino watched the scene unfold.

"This is your idea of fishing?" Yoshinari whispered incredulously.

"Of course," Tonari replied, his tone dripping with amusement. "Look at them—three big catches already. Isn't it exciting?"

"And what's the plan now?" Yoshino asked, a small grin forming on her lips.

"Simple," Tonari said, his voice brimming with mischief. "We lure in even more fish and catch them all in one go."

His plan seemed audacious, yet neither Yoshinari nor Yoshino doubted him.

---

While the groups below sized each other up, another trio arrived on the scene.

"Seems like we're late to the party," remarked a newcomer from the Hidden Sand Village.

This group included Yekura, a Scorch Release user; Gariro, a sand manipulation expert; and Maki, the youngest but sharpest tactician of the Sand team.

Yekura's fiery aura exuded power, while Maki's composed demeanor hinted at his strategic mind.

"Suna's tinkerers are here," Dikayi muttered, his tone dripping with disdain.

Hidden in the shadows, Yoshinari glanced at Tonari. "How did you manage to gather them all here without revealing yourself?"

Tonari smirked, his puppet face almost managing an expression of pride.

"It's simple," he said. "Genjutsu."

"Genjutsu? But you can't even use genjutsu," Yoshinari pointed out, confused.

"Exactly. That's why I didn't use traditional genjutsu," Tonari explained. "Genjutsu manipulates the senses, right? But it doesn't always have to rely on chakra. Subtle psychological hints can guide someone's decisions just as effectively."

"You mean… you manipulated them into coming here?" Yoshino asked, her eyes wide with realization.

Tonari nodded. "All it took was a few carefully placed suggestions and misleading cues. Make one path seem safe and another seem dangerous, and they'll choose the path I want. It's all about creating the illusion of choice."

Yoshinari's eyes widened as he processed the implications. His Sharingan activated involuntarily, its single tomoe spinning rapidly.

A surge of chakra flooded his body as his Sharingan evolved, a second tomoe forming in each eye.

"Double tomoe," Yoshino whispered, marveling at the transformation.

Tonari clapped a hand on Yoshinari's shoulder. "Congrats, Yoshinari. Looks like you've unlocked the next level of your Sharingan."

Before Yoshinari could respond, an explosion shattered their hiding spot.

The group leapt away just in time to avoid being caught in the blast.

All eyes turned to Yekura, her hands glowing with Scorch Release chakra.

"Found you, Konoha scum," she snarled.

Tonari straightened, his puppet form stepping forward with calm confidence.

"Well, well, isn't this a surprise? Everyone from the big five villages gathered in one place. What's the occasion?"

The other ninja didn't share his amusement. Weapons were drawn, and hostility filled the air.

Tonari's expression remained unfazed. "Come now. There's a perfectly good salamander right there. Surely you don't want to waste your energy on us?"

His gaze shifted to Dikayi.

"Right, Dikayi? You promised to share your salamanders with us, after all."

"Wait, what?" Dikayi stammered, caught off guard.

Tonari smirked. "Relax, Dikayi. We're all friends here… aren't we?"

Dikayi's protests were drowned out by the escalating tension as the other teams closed in.

"Guess it's time to reel in the big fish," Tonari murmured, his puppet face betraying a sly grin.

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