Hokage, no one knows better than me how to cultivate talent.

"Sure, what would you like to eat?" Qiu Shui changed into her slippers and readily agreed.

"Whatever, I like anything you make," Yuhi Hong said softly. She knew that Qiushui was a good cook and that everything he made was delicious, and she wasn't a picky eater.

Qiu Shui turned and walked into the kitchen, tied on an apron, and began washing and chopping vegetables. The rhythmic tapping sound came from the cutting board, and the oil sizzled. Soon, a fresh aroma of vegetables wafted from the kitchen.

An hour later.

"Um... Qiushui, how about... we make some meat dishes next time?" Kurenai Yuhi put down her chopsticks, leaned back on the sofa, and said awkwardly.

The vegetarian dishes we just ate—stir-fried seasonal vegetables, cold tofu salad, and mushroom soup—were indeed quite delicious, but as we ate, I felt like something was missing.

As she picked up a piece of green vegetable and put it in her mouth, what came to mind was the dark brown color of braised pork ribs and the oily aroma of stir-fried pork slices.

After the meal, my stomach was full, but I felt empty inside.

"Okay." Qiu Shui was clearing away the dishes, looking indifferent and not at all bothered by the other party's fuss. At least she was still discussing it in a gentle and soft-spoken manner.

"By the way, how's your Naraku-seeing technique coming along?" Kurenai Yuhi asked, remembering the important matter at hand.

"Sigh, I practiced for half a month before and still didn't get anywhere. I couldn't find the feeling at all. I only managed to release it yesterday. It feels much more difficult than ordinary ninjutsu." Qiu Shui sighed and said helplessly.

In fact, he had already learned the illusion technique on the first day. However, Kurenai Yuhi said that if someone could learn an illusion technique in a week, they would be considered a genius, and if they could learn it in a month, they would be considered a normal person. He didn't want to stand out too much, so he decided to take a middle ground and find a safe position between genius and normal person.

"I didn't expect you to have such a talent for illusion magic," Kurenai Yuhi said with a smile.

She had taught illusion magic to others before, and had taught several students. Most of them took a month to barely master it, and many others just couldn't get past the basics no matter how she taught them, so she had to give up in the end. In her opinion, Qiu Shui was already quite good, as she was able to learn it in about twenty days.

"Use this illusion on me and let me see how it works." Kurenai Yuhi stood up, walked to the open space in the center of the living room, and turned to face Akisui.

Qiu Shui walked up to her and stopped, quickly forming hand seals, his chakra flowing smoothly within his body.

"The Technique of Seeing Naraku".

The next moment, Kurenai's eyes suddenly lost their luster, her pupils became slightly dilated, and she seemed to be gripped by something.

But in just a moment, her eyes focused again, her gaze clear as ever, and the illusion was easily dispelled.

"Not bad." Kurenai Yuhi nodded. "Although it's not as powerful as what I use, a regular Chunin would be stunned for at least a few seconds after being hit by your move. If you encounter an opponent who has absolutely no resistance to genjutsu, it will last even longer, enough for you to follow up with a subsequent attack."

She paused, then continued, "I'll teach you another illusion technique called Fox Mind Technique. It's about the same level as Narakumi, both being lower-level illusion techniques used to deal with the mental level."

"The art of the fox's mind?" Qiu Shui repeated the name.

"Yes, the effect of this technique is to make people lose their way," Kurenai Yuhi explained. "Those affected by the technique will lose their sense of direction and wander around in a small area, unable to find their way out no matter how they walk. Although it does not cause direct harm, it is very useful in actual combat. It is quite convenient for delaying time, dividing the battlefield, or trapping pursuers."

She looked into Qiu Shui's eyes and said earnestly, "Once you've learned this, I'll teach you an even higher level of illusion magic."

Next, Kurenai Yuhi began to explain in detail the hand seals for this genjutsu and how chakra should flow and penetrate into the target's sensory nerves during the hand seals. She also specifically emphasized several common mistakes that beginners often make, such as forming the hand seals too slowly, which would lead to an unstable genjutsu, and that outputting too much chakra would make it easier for the opponent to detect it.

Qiu Shui listened attentively, nodding occasionally and asking a question or two now and then, showing both focus and dedication.

I also took out my notebook and started writing and drawing in it, recording key points.

However, he knew in his heart that he could master this technique in a single day as well.

But outwardly, she decided to wait another half a month or twenty days before telling Kurenai that she had finally learned it.

.......

Friday morning, in a typical fourth-grade classroom.

"Sigh, time flies so fast. I haven't done anything, and another month has passed. Next week is exam time again." Yamanaka Ino complained to her deskmate while lying on the table.

"I feel the same way, it feels like the end-of-month exams were just yesterday," my deskmate said, echoing my sentiment. "Ino, you came in fifth place last time, are you planning to try for the top three this time?"

"Forget it, I was just lucky last time, and I haven't studied much lately. I'm just grateful to have managed to stay in fifth place," Yamanaka Ino said, clasping her hands together.

My deskmate seems to have heard this phrase before.

"Here you go." Yamanaka Ino took out a novel.

"The strongest ninja in the ninja world is actually a good-for-nothing boy abandoned by his clan." My deskmate couldn't help but read aloud after taking the book, then his eyes were drawn to the beautifully drawn character on the cover. "Ino, can I borrow it to take home and read?"

"Sure, I've already finished reading it anyway. But remember not to damage it. This book is hard to buy now; bookstores are always short of stock," Yamanaka Ino said generously.

"Thank you, Ino." Her deskmate hugged her and pretended to kiss her to express his gratitude.

"Ino-boo, you're still reading novels when exams are coming up. I'll bet you that I'll let you experience what it's like to not be able to go out and play on Saturdays and Sundays and have to do hard labor for me," Sakura Haruno thought to herself as she overheard their conversation.

Sakura Haruno has kept in mind Ino's request for her to help out at the shop on her days off, and has been working hard for it ever since. She hasn't gone out to play once in the past twenty-odd days. During the day, she either trains kunai throwing or basic three-body techniques, and at night she studies late into the night.

She knew Ino better than anyone else, and just by looking at Ino's demeanor, she knew that the other person was not lying.

Sakura Haruno's lips curled up slightly, her mind already conjuring up images of Ino's miserable state.

Qiu Shui walked in and announced, "Class begins."

"Shikamaru, you're so serious." Choji Akimichi looked at the dense notes in his textbook, his eyes almost unable to keep up.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes at him and didn't say anything.

Do you think I want this?

I'm the class monitor now. If my grades are lower than others, how can I have the face to be the class monitor?

Shusui Choji felt a light tap on his head. Looking down, he saw a crumpled piece of paper. He picked it up and opened it.