The dungeon, as a heavily guarded place used to imprison members of the Uchiha Clan, was under strict security. However, Chu Yang had the authority to freely enter and exit.
This was because news of him becoming a direct disciple of both Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju had already spread throughout the Senju Clan.
Chu Yang's status was no longer what it used to be.
So when he entered the dungeon, the guards merely asked a few routine questions.
They even arranged for elite clan members to accompany him as protection.
Before Chu Yang went in, however, the guard still issued a special warning:"Under no circumstances may you endanger the lives of these prisoners. Some of them are bargaining chips meant to be exchanged for captured Senju members."
As the war dragged on, both sides held prisoners, and when things reached a certain point, negotiations were inevitable.
What Chu Yang planned to test wouldn't threaten their lives. If anything, he was the one facing danger.
He gave a brief acknowledgment and stepped into the dungeon.
At the sound of movement, the imprisoned Uchiha turned their heads toward him.
Only then did Chu Yang notice that their eyes were wrapped in sealing-script talismans.
Managing the Uchiha in this manner was a lesson the Senju Clan had paid for in blood.
Aside from suppressing the Sharingan, the sealing techniques on their bodies also prevented them from extracting chakra.
If Chu Yang wanted them to cast genjutsu on him, these seals would first have to be removed.
He turned to the guard beside him and said, "Find someone with the most serious injuries and the least amount of chakra."
The guard immediately looked troubled.
Chu Yang smiled and explained, "I just want to experience Uchiha Sharingan genjutsu."
The guard relaxed and smiled as well. "That won't be a problem."
Before long, the guard dragged out a boy even younger than Chu Yang from one of the cells.
The boy was pale and emaciated, listless and weak, clearly suffering from long-term malnutrition. Even Chu Yang doubted he could squeeze out much chakra at all.
Chu Yang figured the boy must have gone hungry many times during his imprisonment.
He was limp, like a pile of mud.
Chu Yang originally intended to ask for a replacement, but after a second thought, decided it was better to stay cautious. Who knew if the boy was pretending?
Without ocular techniques, it was difficult for an ordinary ninja to accurately judge an opponent's chakra reserves unless there was a vast difference in strength.
"Be careful. I'm removing the seal," the guard warned Chu Yang, then reached out and tore away the talisman covering the boy's eyes.
Without any prompting, the boy opened his eyes and locked his gaze onto Chu Yang.
One single tomoe. One double tomoe.
The moment their eyes met, the hatred-filled glare of the Uchiha boy dragged Chu Yang straight into a genjutsu.
Chu Yang's expression instantly turned vacant and dazed.
The guard's breathing grew rapid. Instinctively, he raised his hand, about to knock out the Uchiha boy who was casting the genjutsu.
"Wait."
A deep, steady voice came from outside, stopping him.
The guard turned his head and was instantly startled, bowing deeply in salute.
The newcomer was none other than Tobirama Senju.
Standing to the side with interest, Tobirama observed for a moment before smiling faintly."This kid is fairly cautious. Surviving on the battlefield shouldn't be a problem for him. My brother even told me not to be too harsh on him—but now it seems unnecessary."
Between the lines, Tobirama was clearly treating Chu Yang as a successor-in-training. The guard's heart jumped—he realized he had underestimated Chu Yang's standing.
Just as the guard was about to speak, the Uchiha boy in his grasp let out a muffled groan and collapsed unconscious.
At the same time, Chu Yang snapped out of the genjutsu.
His eyes regained their clarity, though a trace of lingering fear remained. Even with preparation, Sharingan genjutsu was more terrifying than he had anticipated.
"You're awake? How did it feel?"
"Huh?" Hearing the familiar voice, Chu Yang hurriedly bowed respectfully. "Good morning, Teacher!"
Tobirama replied coldly, "You still remember that I'm your teacher? You went into the dungeon without a word to do something this dangerous. Do you have any idea how terrifying Sharingan genjutsu is?"
Chu Yang quickly explained, "In my past missions, the Uchiha I encountered hadn't awakened their eyes yet. I wanted to experience a real Sharingan firsthand—better to pay tuition now than on the battlefield later."
"Preparing in advance is better than scrambling at the last moment!"
Tobirama, who had been slightly annoyed, let the corners of his mouth lift after hearing this. Chu Yang's mindset suited him perfectly—Tobirama had always believed in planning ahead.
What gave Tobirama the biggest headaches was his brother Hashirama's naive belief that "things will work themselves out."
With that thought, Tobirama no longer intended to scold Chu Yang.
Instead, he asked, "What did it feel like to experience Sharingan genjutsu for the first time?"
"Terrifying," Chu Yang said seriously, recalling the experience. "It's much faster than ordinary genjutsu and extremely hard to guard against. I'd already warned myself to be careful, but I still got caught instantly."
"The most despairing part is that Sharingan genjutsu can't be broken by conventional means. You can only endure it with sheer willpower."
Tobirama nodded. "That's right. So far, when fighting elite Uchiha genjutsu users, aside from avoiding eye contact entirely, there's basically no reliable way to counter it."
"The one saving grace is that genjutsu doesn't have an overwhelming advantage in large-scale wars. The battlefield is the easiest place for genjutsu effects to be disrupted."
Chu Yang suddenly understood. "So outside of small skirmishes or one-on-one fights, genjutsu's effectiveness is actually quite limited."
"Exactly," Tobirama reminded him. "You only need to understand the characteristics of Sharingan genjutsu. Don't go too deep into it—it's not worth wasting your time and energy."
Chu Yang nodded respectfully. "Understood, Teacher."
In truth, Tobirama didn't really believe Chu Yang would stop just because of that advice. In his eyes, this was a young man with very strong personal convictions.
So Tobirama merely gave a few pointed reminders and then left the dungeon.
After Tobirama departed, Chu Yang quietly felt his own Haki.
Under the stimulation of genjutsu, it had indeed grown stronger.
The negative emotions and oppressive scenes within the illusion had stimulated Chu Yang's spirit, causing his aura—or rather, his will—to surge, which in turn affected his Haki.
The hypothesis had been proven.
Beyond that, Chu Yang also discovered that as Wood Release continued to enhance his cellular vitality and strengthen his physique, his Haki would slowly increase as well—just not as dramatically as with genjutsu stimulation.
Excited, Chu Yang let out a long breath. He glanced down at the unconscious Uchiha boy and said expressionlessly,
"Next."
After undergoing three rounds of Sharingan genjutsu trials, Chu Yang's Haki finally broke through.
Not only did his Armament Haki rise to a new level, he also successfully awakened Observation Haki.
(End of Chapter)
thanks for reading, please leave a Power Stone :D