Ninja World: Power through Bonds

A moment later, Kurenai was lying on the ground, a dazed grin on her face. A faint shimmer glistened at the corner of her mouth as she muttered dreamily.

"So many mustard octopuses… hehe, so much sake…"

At the sight, Uzuki Yugao, who had been sulking just a moment ago, suddenly burst into laughter.

Kurenai's own illusion had backfired! Though she had lost in her area of expertise, she managed to hold out for a solid two minutes. Compared to her own performance, Yugao started to feel better about herself.

Hizashi looked down at Kurenai's state and let out a weary chuckle. "Denji, release her from the illusion. You've already won."

"Got it," Denji replied. Placing two fingers on Kurenai's forehead, he channeled his chakra to stabilize hers. With her chakra flow restored, the illusion dissolved.

Kurenai blinked rapidly as reality snapped back into place. She blushed furiously, glaring at Denji with a mixture of embarrassment and irritation.

"Little brother, don't you know how to save your sister some dignity? Did you really have to break the illusion like that?" she demanded.

Having her own illusion rebound was one of the most humiliating defeats an illusionist could suffer. It was like getting trounced in a game by a landslide score. Kurenai wanted nothing more than to vanish into the ground. If she'd known this would happen, she would've ditched the genjutsu and gone for a more straightforward fight.

"Little brother?" Denji tilted his head, momentarily surprised by the unfamiliar title. He glanced down at himself and shrugged. "Sure, call me that if you want. No problem here."

Kurenai clenched her fists, her face glowing bright red. She wasn't about to let him off so easily. "Next time, you better watch out. Who knew you'd have such high mental resistance that my illusion wouldn't even work?" she retorted, more annoyed with herself than him.

Her hand darted out to pinch Denji's cheek, but he smoothly dodged, leaving her grasping at air. Frustrated, Kurenai turned to Hizashi. "Sensei, he's impossible!"

Hizashi raised his hands placatingly, suppressing a wry smile. "Denji is right, Kurenai. You were too careless. Never underestimate any opponent. Lesson learned?"

But inwardly, Hizashi was laughing at the absurdity of her request. Did she honestly expect him to scold Denji? Not a chance—especially when he didn't want to end up as a guest of the Root later tonight.

Yuhi Kurenai, having just been scolded by Hizashi, dared not retort, though her large, expressive eyes fixed an annoyed glare on Denji.

Unfazed, Denji returned her glare with a defiant intensity. 

...

[Host has established a teammate bond with Uzuki Yugao. Reward: +1 standard Chūnin chakra unit.]

[Host has established a teammate bond with Yuhi Kurenai. Reward: +1 standard Chūnin chakra unit.]

As Denji stepped off the field to stand beside Hizashi, the system's rewards quietly registered. Denji wasn't surprised by the lack of anything particularly impressive. 

Sure, his two new teammates were undeniably beautiful. But their combat abilities, by contrast, were far from remarkable. No special bloodlines, no exceptional advantages—just average ninjas. 

"This system doesn't care about appearances or names," Denji thought to himself. "It only values what you've got in terms of skill and power."

He sighed and then muttered under his breath, "Still, a good fight's always fun to watch, especially if it's two girls going at it."

Hizashi's brow twitched, his lip curling as he heard Denji's quiet remark. For a moment, he wondered how someone like Danzo could have a grandson whose personality seemed so… well, so different. It was hard to reconcile the shady and scheming elder with this candid and sharp-tongued boy.

Meanwhile, on the training ground, Yugao and Kurenai were squaring off. Their movements were sharp and focused, their intent to prove a point obvious. There was no trivial bickering, no dramatic hair-pulling—just two kunoichi demonstrating their best techniques. They weren't about to let anyone think they were weak. 

No, their message was clear: it wasn't that they were underpowered. Shimura Denji was simply that strong.

Kurenai attempted a more direct engagement with Uzuki Yugao, trying to pinpoint the perfect moment to deploy an illusion technique. 

However, illusions are most effective when used in secrecy and surprise. Once an opponent knows they're up against a genjutsu specialist, they naturally raise their guard, making success far more difficult. 

Unless you had a Sharingan—like those from the Uchiha Clan—allowing you to cast illusions with just a single glance, the task became infinitely more challenging. 

And Kurenai, of course, had no such advantage. 

In the end, she lost. 

Yugao breathed a sigh of relief, silently thankful that she wouldn't be the lowest-ranked member of the team. For her part, Kurenai wasn't too disheartened. She'd come to understand the inherent limitations faced by illusion-focused ninjas. 

The two kunoichi walked back to Hizashi and Denji, who were standing at the edge of the field. 

"You all performed well," Hizashi said warmly. "Between taijutsu, genjutsu, and ninjutsu, we've got a nicely balanced team." 

With three Chūnin and a Jōnin, they formed a formidable squad—elite even by battlefield standards. 

"To mark our team's formation," Hizashi continued, "I'll treat everyone tonight. Let's have a good meal." 

"Sure!" 

"Thank you, Sensei!" 

Yuhi Kurenai and Uzuki Yugao both smiled at the offer. 

Hizashi gave a pleased nod. "Alright, let's head—" 

"How about the barbecue place!" Denji interrupted, his youthful voice full of excitement. "You're a Jōnin, Sensei. Somewhere ordinary wouldn't suit someone of your rank." 

"Wait—" Hizashi felt a cold sweat form on his forehead. But before he could finish his protest, both girls' eyes lit up. 

"Really? Sensei, I haven't had barbecue in so long." 

"Me neither! The last time was ages ago." 

With three pairs of hopeful, eager eyes turned toward him, Hizashi swallowed his initial hesitation. For the sake of his reputation as team leader, he managed a strained smile. 

"Of course, I was already planning on barbecue. Denji just said it before I could." 

"Sensei, you're the best!" 

"Long live Hizashi-sensei!" 

Laughter echoed across the 47th training ground, mixed with faint sighs that no one seemed to notice. 

Walking at the back of the group, Hizashi glanced at Denji, who was already bantering with Kurenai. Despite himself, Hizashi let out a quiet chuckle. 

"You little scoundrel," he muttered under his breath.

...

AN: Thanks a bunch for the awesome reviews, everyone! They really keep me pumped to post more. And hey, if you've got any extra power stones lying around, I won't say no!🤞

Bonus Chapter @100 PS