Chapter 28: Chapter 28 : Genjutsu
The year continued in such a manner. Michi did drill a lot of basics into Fujin, which Fujin absorbed like a sponge. As for the 5 basic elemental jutsus, Fujin didn't bother to learn them for now.
From the 2nd week, Fujin started to leave 2 clones back home to learn Fuinjutsu, this doubled his speed of learning Fuinjutsu. However, in order to not mess up his brain, both clones practiced the same symbol or seal.
1 and half month after the 4th year began, Fujin was done with the basic Fuinjutsu. In this period, he also noted, 'Since both my clones practice the same seal, it doesn't double my speed of learning. After dispelling both of them, I get the perspectives of the clones. Hence the base formed is much stronger, but it comes at the cost of the learning speed. In all I think that my learning speed has increased by around 60%.'
He analyzed for a bit more and concluded, 'The optimal use of shadow clones will be when each of my clones learn different things. However, the one attempt I did caused me an insane headache. So while this ain't the best use I can make of shadow clones, I guess this is the most optimal path for me. I suppose having a sturdier base would be more important than learning speed.'
After learning the basic seals, he decided to learn more advanced seals from the next version which was in section D of the library.
This book had seals to store an element in it. For instance, seals that could seal fire in them. It made him wonder if the seal Jiraiya used to store Amaterasu was such a simple seal.
The element stored could be created with the help of Ninjutsu. However this wasn't a necessity. Elements could be taken from the surroundings as well. Like for water, he could store water from a river in the seal. On reading the seals in the book, he realized, 'It looks like the seals Shikamaru used against Kakuzu are in this scroll. However, I guess what he used wasn't normal water, but instead water that conducted electricity much easier. I guess they put a lot of salts in the water, or maybe something else to increase its conductivity. Anyways, even these don't have much use in combat. It'll require very high creativity to use them effectively.'
He started learning those seals.
3 months after the 4th year began, Fujin managed to perform Great Breakthrough jutsu without any hand signs. In the next month, he managed to do the same for Rock Shield jutsu. However he still had to slam his hands on the ground to perform it.
He decided, 'I should learn to perform Rock Shield jutsu by stamping one foot on the ground instead. So I'll have to learn how to send earth nature chakra underground through my feet instead.'
He thought a bit more and concluded, 'It's difficult. The hand signs for Rock Shield jutsu gathers earth nature chakra into the hands and then it's released into the ground. In order to do it by stamping the foot, I'll have to manipulate the chakra to be released from my feet instead. But if I could learn it, it would be an incredibly annoying defense. I could make a shield with every step while I run backwards. I guess it's worth it, so I'll train later while also trying to create wind bursts through my feet.'
After another month, Fujin decided to start training to use 2 swords at the same time. He bugged Michi to train him with the basics for the same. He then made a point to ensure that a lot of people see him training with 2 swords. His previous sword had deteriorated a lot in these 5 months, so he bought 2 new ones.
He trained for another month, but didn't have any success at reducing the hand signs for Earth Military Movement jutsu to zero. With only 4 months remaining for final exams, he decided to stop training the 2 Earth release jutsus and start learning Genjutsu.
He visited the library and began searching for scrolls on Genjutsu. He found a few scrolls in section 0. Some were just on basic knowledge of Genjutsu which were covered in the lectures, a few on countering Genjutsu and one on learning it. He began reading the one that explained how to learn it. However, the very first sentence startled him. His first thought was 'How straightforward!'
The scroll started by stating, 'Genjutsu requires very precise chakra control and very high intelligence, if you lack either, then don't bother.'
However, he soon became very sceptical, 'Is very high intelligence really needed? After all, Kurenai used Genjutsu on fucking Itachi!'
He continued reading it and analyzed, 'I see, so a Genjutsu is created when a ninja extends their chakra flow through the cerebral nervous system of their opponent to control their mind's chakra, thereby affecting their five senses. In this way, illusions of what doesn't exist can be fed to the opponent.
Genjutsu in itself can be divided into 2 categories. First is creating a whole new environment with Genjutsu. Here the opponent can easily tell that he's under a Genjutsu. Itachi's Tsukuyomi or the Genjutsu Kurenai used on Itachi and Kisame can be included here. The second is just to make a small change, i.e., to plant a small suggestion in the opponent. This is harder to detect, but it isn't as strong as the first one. However, when used at the right moment, this is very lethal.'
The scroll also talked a lot about how to extend their chakra through the opponent's nervous systems and tricks to do it stealthily. It also had a lot of diagrams regarding the cerebral nervous system. He then went to search sections D & E of the library to see if he could get a basic Genjutsu to learn.
However, he received a big surprise. There were over a hundred Genjutsu in just those 2 sections! He was shocked by it and thought, 'Did they put everything that Uchiha and Kurama have here?'
He sighed at the high amount of reading and analysis he'd have to do. In order to not waste too much time, he just began opening the scrolls on the spot and reading the description and putting them back. It still took him over 4 hours to go through all of them.
After reading each and every scroll, he concluded, 'Most of the jutsus here have no combat application. It's just different ways and scenarios of using Genjutsu. I guess someone like Itachi or even Kurenai could easily use these after reading it once.
Anyways, I don't really have any intention to be a master at Genjutsu. With those Uchihas around, it's pretty pointless anyways. I just need to learn ways to counter it and that Darkness Genjutsu that Hashirama or Tobirama created to counter the Sharingan. Though I guess that one is a B or A ranked Genjutsu.
So I guess I should learn a couple. Let's go with rank E Double Vision jutsu and rank D Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing jutsu.
Double Vision makes the opponent see doubles of everything. So it would be useful in putting the opponent under a lot of pressure. And Hell Viewing is the one which Kakashi used on Sakura.'
He then read how Double Vision jutsu is performed. He also read a few scrolls on countering Genjutsu. And then followed the usual protocol and reached a mini-forest.
Genjutsu training couldn't be performed solo. It needed someone to cast the Genjutsu on. Otherwise it's result will be entirely unknown. So he created a shadow clone to practice it.
His plan was, 'I will try to cast a Genjutsu on my clone. Once the clone dispels, I'll get all memories of what was experienced by the clone as well as my ability to cast a Genjutsu. Also, the clone will try to resist the Genjutsu and will try to release it, this way I can train in both casting and countering Genjutsu at the same time.'
To counter Genjutsu, a ninja had two ways. The first being to stop his chakra flow and disrupt it. And the second being to inflict pain upon yourself to break out of the Genjutsu. Stabbing yourself with a kunai, or biting the tongue or any other means were fine too. Of course a shadow clone couldn't use the 2nd way.
He began by trying to affect his clone's cerebral nervous system with his chakra flow. He recalled all the diagrams he had seen and the ways to affect your opponent's cerebral nervous system with your chakra. It required extremely precise chakra control. He didn't have any success on day 1.
He kept practicing it, and it took him 16 days to be able to do it. After another 7 days, he was able to successfully use Double Vision jutsu on his clone. For Double Vision jutsu, after his chakra invaded his clone's nervous system, he had to affect his vision and double all inputs it received. The main point was to ensure that your chakra output is so low that the enemy doesn't sense it.
His clone observed, 'Wow, I can see doubles of everything! 2 of my main body, 2 trees for each one, even every pebble on the ground and the clouds too have doubled. Apart from that, the ground and sky seems normal. I guess because it is so large, I can't make any difference between one or two of them. But, regarding the doubles, I can't see much difference between them. If I hadn't already seen the surroundings, then I would have not noticed most of the things to be doubled. I'd just think that there are more pebbles on the ground, the forests are denser and that there are more clouds in the sky than normal. I'd of course notice the peculiarity of seeing 2 main bodies though. So I guess if I am visible to the enemy while casting this Genjutsu, the enemy would understand that something is wrong. Similarly if there are more than one opponent, then it'll be identified very quickly too. Apart from this, even though my main body did suppress his chakra as much as he could, since I'm a sensor, I could actually sense his chakra trying to influence me.' He then closed his eyes and tried to sense around him, 'I see, since the Genjutsu targeted my vision, only that was affected. If I try to sense, I only sense one main body. So this Genjutsu won't work against sensors.'
The clone then stopped sensing and nodded to Fujin. Fujin took that signal and launched 4 shurikens on the clone. The clone saw them as 8 shurikens and thought, 'I saw both the main body's toss 4 shurikens each on me.' and flickered around to dodge the shurikens. Fujin then used Projectile Control jutsu to have those shurikens chase his clone. Since he could see 8 shurikens, it was a bit tougher to dodge them. After half a minute, the clone used Gale Surge jutsu to disrupt the main body's control over the shurikens. He then used Wind Retrieving jutsu and pulled 2 shurikens towards himself and caught them with each hand. However, he was only able to catch one, while the other disappeared. The clone then dispelled himself and passed all the memories to Fujin.
Fujin analyzed, 'I see. The jutsu isn't as useful as I thought it'd be. The only use is when an enemy is all by himself, and I hide around him and target him with shurikens. Even that will only work if I get him to an unknown place where he won't observe any difference in his surroundings. Also, it won't work against sensors. One very important piece of information I got is that I can sense an enemy trying to influence me through Genjutsu. The question is, did that happen because I am a noob when it comes to Genjutsu, or can every sensor sense this passively. If I can, then this will become an excellent way to counter Genjutsu. All I have to do is disrupt my chakra before the enemy completes his Genjutsu. Of course, there will be limitations for this. I don't think this way would work against Sharingan as it performs Genjutsu with only eye contact. However I could sense Genjutsu cast by others easily and disrupt it mid-way. Who knows, perhaps with practice, it might even counter the Sharingan.'
He then resumed his practice. Only this time, his clone would stop and disrupt his chakra after the Genjutsu was casted. The clone managed to get it done within a day. On the next day, his clone would attempt to disrupt his chakra as soon as he felt Fujin's chakra invading his nervous system. Surprisingly, that only took a few hours to learn.
Happy with the progress, he decided to move on to the next jutsu.
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