Traveling Through Multiple Realms: The Supporting Character's Counterattack

The next morning, at the third training ground.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and the air carried the chill of late autumn.

The three students from Class 10 arrived on time and were warming up.

Kai was running around the training ground at an astonishing speed, kicking up clouds of dust; Ebisu was practicing hand seals silently on the side, striving for precision in every gesture; Genma closed his eyes and concentrated, adjusting his chakra flow in preparation for the upcoming training.

As usual, Baiyun Yeshan's figure appeared on time in the center of the training field.

His gaze swept over the three students, finally settling on Genji, and he nodded slightly.

"Today we will conduct a squad-based coordinated defensive formation drill."

Hayama's voice broke the morning's tranquility, "Suppose we encounter a surprise attack from a powerful enemy genjutsu ninja, how would we respond? Guy, you'll be the vanguard, using taijutsu to disrupt the caster; Ebisu, you'll be responsible for flank protection and preparing to release the hand seals; Genma…"

Ye Shan paused, then looked at Genma: "As the core, after you withstand the first wave of illusion attacks, use your shurikenjutsu to exert mid-range suppression and create space for us to counterattack. Understand?"

"clear!"

The three responded in unison.

When training began, Hayama did not personally perform genjutsu, but instead simulated the harassment tactics of genjutsu ninjas by moving quickly and creating afterimages.

Kai roared and charged forward, attempting to lock onto the "enemy" with his ferocious physical techniques. Ebisu nervously observed his surroundings, his hands trembling slightly as he formed hand seals. Genma, on the other hand, calmly observed Hayama's every move, his hands already gripping several shuriken.

However, after several simulated confrontations, the results were not ideal.

Kai's fierce attacks repeatedly missed, Ebisu made several mistakes in his hand seals under pressure, and Genma pretended to be affected by the illusion and performed poorly.

During a training break, while Kai and Ebisu were discussing tactics, Genma walked over to Shirakumo Hayama, who was wiping his katana.

"Mr. Hayama."

Genma spoke respectfully.

"Um?"

Hayama raised his head and looked at Genma, as if he had already expected him to have something to say. "What's the problem? Your teamwork just now was still too clumsy, especially when you encountered an illusion-type opponent, your reaction was a beat too slow."

"Yes, teacher."

Genma frankly admitted, "I feel that I have obvious shortcomings when dealing with mental attacks like genjutsu. Although I managed to break your genjutsu last time, it was mostly due to the forceful impact of chakra, rather than a true understanding of its principles. I want to systematically learn about genjutsu, at least to know how to effectively defend against and even break it."

Baiyun Yeshan paused slightly as he wiped the blade, his sharp gaze scrutinizing Genma, as if trying to discern his true intentions.

A moment later, he slowly sheathed his katana.

"Illusion..."

Hayama pondered, "It is indeed an important subject that every ninja must learn, especially for a ninja like you who is exceptionally talented but whose attack methods tend to focus on physical objects and energy manipulation. It is crucial to make up for the lack of mental defense and combat capabilities."

He changed the subject, his tone tinged with regret: "However, Genma, you've come to the wrong person. I'm not a ninja specializing in genjutsu. What I've mastered are nothing more than the most common C-rank genjutsu like 'Naraku-sight Technique' and 'Here Is Not the Technique,' which are fine for disrupting combat, but far from sufficient for teaching and in-depth analysis."

Genma felt a slight unease, but he was not discouraged. He simply waited quietly for Ye Shan to continue.

Ye Shan looked at Genma's calm and determined eyes, a hint of admiration flashing in his own.

He continued, "The essence of illusion is to interfere with the opponent's chakra flow using one's own spiritual energy, thereby creating illusions and manipulating the five senses. Skilled illusions can even directly attack the opponent's mental world. To truly master this art, one needs extremely high spiritual energy talent and a systematic inheritance."

He pointed eastward towards the village: "In Konoha, when it comes to mastery of genjutsu, there are two places that cannot be ignored. One is the Uchiha clan; their Sharingan grants them unparalleled talent and ability in genjutsu, but that's a bloodline limit, difficult for outsiders to reach. The second..."

Hayama's gaze became somewhat distant: "It's the mental techniques that the mountain clan excels at, and the more profound knowledge of Yin Release related to them. In addition, Senior Yuhi Shinku, who is also the father of your classmate Yuhi Kurenai, is one of the few non-bloodline genjutsu masters in the village, and his attainments are extremely profound."

Genma's heart stirred. Of course, he knew about the family situation of this future Jonin who specializes in illusion techniques.

"certainly!"

Hayama patted Genma on the shoulder. "Asking Yuuni-senpai directly might be a bit abrupt. I suggest you start with the most basic theory. On the second basement floor of the Ninja Academy's library, there's a secure area containing scrolls about chakra nature transformation, especially Yin-attribute chakra, and the principles of basic genjutsu. Although it's just introductory knowledge, it should be very helpful in building a solid foundation for you. With your current privileges and strength, requesting access shouldn't be difficult."

"Thank you for your guidance, teacher!"

Genji was overjoyed; this was exactly what he needed right now.

"You're welcome."

Bai Yunye's expression turned serious again. "When practicing illusion magic, remember to proceed step by step. Don't rush it, and never become obsessed with illusory power while neglecting the fundamentals. A strong will and a steadfast spirit are the cornerstones to resist all illusions. Alright, rest time, let's continue training!"

"yes!"

In the following training sessions, Genma became even more dedicated.

He silently memorized the information he received from Ye Shan, while focusing even more intently on refining the team's coordination.

After training, Genma did not go straight to extra practice or home as usual. Instead, he said goodbye to Guy and Ebisu and went straight to the Ninja Academy.

With his newly acquired genin qualification and Hayama's vague guarantee, Genma passed the audit smoothly and entered the rarely visited encrypted reading room in the basement of the library.

Unlike the regular area upstairs, most of the scrolls here are old, exuding a faint scent of ink and the atmosphere of time.

Following the index, Genma quickly found several scrolls labeled "Introduction to Yin Attribute Chakra" and "Principles of Basic Illusion Techniques".

He found a quiet corner, carefully unrolled the reel, and immersed himself in it.

The knowledge on the scroll was indeed much deeper than the superficial theories taught in school. It elaborated on the characteristics of Yin chakra—governing imagination, form, and spiritual energy, and serving as the foundation for casting illusions, the Nara clan's shadow techniques, and the Yamanaka clan's Mind Transfer Technique.

Corresponding to the life energy and physical strength represented by Yang attribute chakra, the unity of Yin and Yang is necessary for the creation of all things.

Regarding illusions, the scroll divides them into several levels, from the lowest level, "Fox Heart Technique," which interferes with sight and hearing, to "Naraku-sight Technique," which creates simple illusions, and then to the advanced and powerful illusions that can continuously manipulate and even read memories.

There are many ways to break genjutsu. In addition to the most brutal chakra clash, there are also ways to break free by using one's own strong willpower, using pain stimulation, or having teammates input chakra from the outside to disrupt the rhythm of the spell.

Genma absorbed this knowledge with great eagerness. The extraordinary comprehension brought about by the completion of his soul once again came into play, allowing him to quickly understand and apply what he learned to other situations.

Many previously vague concepts have become clear, and the understanding of chakra has entered a more microscopic and essential level.

"Yin Release, the ultimate application of spiritual energy..."

Genma closed the scroll, a glint of understanding in his eyes. "Perhaps, the direction I take to improve my resistance to genjutsu, and even my future training in genjutsu, is not to imitate the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan, but to deeply explore the spiritual power within myself that far surpasses that of ordinary people after my soul was restored?"

An idea gradually took shape in his mind: he might not be able to learn powerful illusion magic immediately, but he could certainly begin to hone his mental strength, making it solid and stable, as if building a strong mental barrier for himself.

When I left the library, the sun was already setting.

Genma walked home, his heart filled with a new sense of purpose and motivation.

With the Flame Release: Rasengan for attack, Armor Hardening for defense, Body Flicker Technique for speed, and medical ninjutsu already well-established, they have now found a way to compensate for their weakness in genjutsu.

The blueprint for the hexagonal warrior seems to be becoming clearer and clearer.