Chapter 168: Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Jutsu
Horse – Tiger – Rat – Boar—
Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Jutsu.
A standard, high-level Konoha genjutsu. The monstrous bird was instantly dazed; its vision shifted until all that remained was a single, narrow corridor. To its left and right were towering walls. Below was a sea of raging flames, and straight ahead was a single point of light.
After blasting a few sonic waves from the organs beside its beak and realizing the walls couldn't be destroyed, the bird succumbed to the illusion and began flying straight toward the light.
Tonbo Tobitake released his hold on Neji only after the bird had been fully pacified. "You must stay alert when you're in the field," he reminded the boy.
Neji looked at the strange bird flying behind them. It acted as if it couldn't even see them, mindlessly following the eagle's trail. Activating his Byakugan, Neji could see the chakra flow in the bird's brain was irregular.
Genjutsu?
What a terrifyingly efficient illusion—to neutralize such a powerful beast in a single move. Neji estimated that if he had to face it alone, it would have been a long, grueling battle to win.
"So cool!" Lee and Tenten watched the bird following them like a puppet, filled with admiration. Guy gave Tonbo a thumbs-up.
"See that? That is the strength of Captain Tonbo! Also, remember to stay vigilant at all times. This was just a wild beast; if it had been an enemy ninja, that first strike wouldn't have been so simple," Guy lectured, never missing a chance to teach.
"Yes, sensei!" the three replied solemnly.
Tonbo smiled. "By the way, do any of you want a summoning beast? This fellow has some decent strength. For a Genin or Chunin, it would be quite a helper."
The bird was a trivial matter to him, but for lower-ranked ninjas, it was formidable. It had high flight speed, sonic abilities, and was large enough to carry passengers.
"A summon?" They looked back at the ugly bird.
"Summons are a vital supplement to a ninja's power. They can cover your weaknesses. It suits your team quite well," Tonbo suggested.
Though many ninjas raised their own summons, many others captured wild ones.
"It's too ugly, I don't want it," Tenten muttered, unimpressed.
Lee said, "I want to rely on my own hard work and become a great ninja through Taijutsu alone! A summoning beast would only weaken my resolve."
Neji added simply, "I don't need it."
"Fair enough. It'll just be my research subject then." Tonbo didn't push the issue. He had caught it for experimentation anyway; he had only asked as an afterthought.
Whoosh—
Soon, a brilliant azure ocean appeared before them. The clear sky was reflected in the deep blue water. Team Guy looked at the sea in confusion. Why come to the ocean? Are we training in the water? Or on an island?
As they flew further out, the blue turned to a dark, deep navy. The waves began to churn, a chaotic mix of blue, green, and black.
BOOM—CRASH—
The sound of the waves colliding was like rolling thunder.
"We're here."
Tonbo formed a seal and used Eye of the Creator. A massive whale breached the surface below.
"The first exercise: Spirit of the Water. You will dance among the deep-sea waves using surfboards. This won't just train your body control, stamina, and focus—it will also train your ability to face fear. Face your most primal dread."
Five surfboards appeared in his hands; he handed one to each of them. He gave a brief explanation of the techniques and provided a personal demonstration.
Gulp—
All four swallowed hard. They watched Tonbo "dancing" through the massive swells. Occasionally, a wave would explode, sending him flying high into the air before he plunged back down into the surf.
"Teacher, didn't you say you invited him to teach us something new? I don't think this counts!" Tenten's eyes were wide. The endless ocean and the pitch-black depths below made her skin crawl with unsuppressable fear.
"If we get swept away by those waves, we have zero chance of survival, right?" Neji noted.
Guy spoke up: "See that big whale? That's what Tonbo is using to rescue us. I'll set the example."
Even though he was scared too—ninjas could run on almost any terrain, but that did not include the heart of a raging storm at sea—Guy took the plunge.
Zip!
Guy jumped from the eagle, landing on his board. Following Tonbo's instructions, he began to manipulate the board against the waves. He lasted barely fifteen seconds before a massive swell flipped him into the ocean. He tried to use chakra to stand on the surface, but the water was too violent to maintain a foothold.
"Sensei!" The three youngsters cried out in worry.
Thud!
Shortly after Guy went under, the whale surfaced and tossed him back up onto the board.
Tonbo returned to the eagle and said, "Don't worry. My training is perfectly safe... aside from being incredibly dangerous."
Guy gave Tonbo a thumbs-up from below. "Tonbo, this is excellent training! Keep it going!"
"Tonbo-sensei, you better keep a close eye on us!" Lee's teeth were chattering, but he closed his eyes and jumped anyway.
He went straight into the "washing machine" of the ocean. After a few seconds of being tossed around, he was nudged back up by the whale.
Tonbo sighed. "Keep your eyes open and face the fear. Closing your eyes only makes you die faster." He wasn't sure if Lee was brave or just foolishly bold.
"I'm not dead yet..." Lee rolled his eyes so far back he accidentally cosplayed as a Hyuga. The moment he hit the water, he thought it was the end. Even now, his head was spinning from being tumbled submerged.
"No wonder he told us to bring extra clothes... Wait, Lee didn't take his bag off before jumping..." Tenten facepalmed as she watched the soaking-wet Lee.
"Keep going! Lee! Tenten! Neji!"
Splash!
"I won't lose! I'm the man who will become an elite Taijutsu ninja!"
Splash!
"I'm so dizzy... does anyone have medicine?"
Splash!
"Hahaha! I lasted ten seconds!"
Splash!
"As expected... destiny is never truly in one's own hands."
Seeing that the training was on track, Tonbo turned his attention to the captured bird. "Water Spirit" training was useless for him now. Evolution was the priority.
Contact Evolution.
Tonbo activated the jutsu, placing his hand on the creature. Branch-like neural threads began to sink into the bird's body. Countless bits of genetic and organ information were ingested. He filtered for traits beneficial to humans, specifically targeting the sonic organs beside the beak.
Those organs were essentially the bird's "Kekkei Genkai"—a natural ability born of its biology. Analyzing how the organ generated sonic waves would be invaluable for his sound-based genjutsu research.
As for the four training below, he would examine them once they were finished. When they were exhausted, he would step in as a "medical ninja" to check for injuries—allowing him to collect their genetic data naturally and without suspicion. After all, being tumbled by ocean currents for a few seconds could cause internal micro-traumas, right? He was just being a responsible doctor.
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