Chapter 78: Stealth
Konoha, Ninja Academy.
Several days had passed, and Iruka finally started to feel that something was off. Lately, he noticed his students had become lively again. When they looked at him, there was no longer fear but laughter and chatter; only when he actually used the Eight Scents of Fire Genjutsu would they show an expression of distress.
However, the moment he turned his back, they were back to joking around, showing none of the lingering misery that used to last for half a day after being hit by the technique. At first, he thought the children had simply adapted and were more resilient than him.
But then, this phenomenon began with the third-year class and gradually spread to the second-years, the fourth-years... eventually, everyone except the first-years—who were still learning the basics—was showing the same pattern.
His instincts as a skilled ninja told him he had to investigate.
Poof!
Iruka used the Transformation Jutsu to turn into a chalkboard eraser and waited quietly. As the class time approached, he prepared to use his Chunin-level intelligence-gathering skills to uncover their secret.
Ring, ring, ring!
As the bell rang, students filed in one by one. Each was exceptionally energetic, though a few looked a bit sleepy.
"Ah, another class with Iruka-sensei today. Great!"
"Yeah, the thought of acting all miserable in front of him is just too funny!"
"Should we keep playing along today? I actually want to skip class and go play outside; Iruka-sensei's trick is useless now anyway."
The laughing voices of the children reached Iruka's ears, providing him with a vital piece of intel: the technique his teacher taught him had been cracked, and he had been "pranked" by their acting for several days. No wonder things felt weird.
"Hey, the board wasn't erased from yesterday. Ryo, you're the only one in the whole third grade who hasn't been punished by the teacher. As a model student, why don't you go erase the board?"
One student suddenly suggested this out of a whim to help the teacher. The boy named Ryo didn't complain; he was indeed a model student who took such tasks seriously. He was one of the few students in the entire academy who had never been punished by Iruka.
Stop, stop, stop! No! Iruka wanted to scream, but he couldn't let them know he was eavesdropping, so he forced himself to maintain the form of the eraser.
Ryo grabbed the eraser. He felt it was a bit heavier than usual today, but he didn't think much of it and began scrubbing the board.
Iruka was in tears. Feeling the friction of his body against the board—especially at the hands of a perfect student like Ryo—made his heart ache even more. If he had known, he wouldn't have transformed into an eraser; a podium would have been better.
Once Ryo finished, he returned to his seat like the others. Seeing the students settled, the eraser suddenly sprouted four legs, intending to scurry out the door.
However, before he could move, Mizuki walked in carrying textbooks. This forced Iruka to halt instantly and retract his legs.
"Hello, class."
"Hello, Mizuki-sensei!"
"Alright, turn to page 27 of Information Categorization. Based on Trace Identification, we will judge a combat scene..."
Mizuki lectured while writing problems and answers on the board. From time to time, he picked up the eraser to clear space. For a split second, Mizuki's hand paused, but then he continued erasing.
Teacher's Office.
"Iruka, what were you thinking? Using Transformation to become an eraser? Hahaha!" Mizuki laughed until his face turned red. Nearby, other teachers overheard and chuckled behind their hands.
"Mizuki, you knew I had transformed the whole time, didn't you?" Iruka complained dejectedly.
Mizuki shrugged. "Well, you didn't say anything! I almost thought an enemy had snuck in!" (In reality, he had suspected it was someone sent by the Third Hokage to monitor him).
"Sigh, I just noticed the students were acting strange and went to gather intel," Iruka said.
"So, did you find anything?"
"Yeah. Those brats cracked my Genjutsu and have been spreading the secret. Except for the first-years who just learned to refine chakra, that move is useless against everyone else!" Iruka lamented. He had only thought of a crude way to block his ears, but the students had already completely dismantled the Genjutsu.
The teachers in the office were stunned. The students? They cracked that annoying Genjutsu? As teachers, they all had the ability to bypass or defend against it, but for a method to spread across the entire school so easily meant it was something else entirely.
"Who cracked it?" Everyone wanted to know which talented kid—or whose parent—was responsible.
Iruka shook his head. "I don't know yet. I only know it started with the third-years."
Ebisu smiled and said, "Haha, consider it a lesson learned. Teaching should be about proper guidance, not using tricks to threaten or force them."
Iruka nodded, feeling that his previous methods were indeed flawed. "Still, there are some truly gifted ones among those kids to be able to crack that Genjutsu. Impressive."
Land of Rain, 3 feet underground.
Rat-Ox-Dog-Dog-Tiger-Dog...
"Super Range Perception."
A deep tunnel extended in a straight line toward the Hidden Rain Village. Tonbo Tobitake fully expanded his sensory ninjutsu, penetrating through three feet of earth to focus on his surroundings.
Endless drizzling rain fell from the sky. Dark clouds cast a gloomy shadow over the entire Land of Rain. Civilians and ninjas in raincoats and boots moved along the roads. Occasionally, Rain Ninjas could be sensed moving swiftly through the downpour. Because the Land of Rain had not joined the Third Great Ninja War, the happiness of the residents was significantly higher than in most other places. Due to the unique environment, most buildings were made of sheet metal, giving Tonbo a "cyberpunk" vibe.
"How is it?" Enkui asked. Beside Tonbo, Enkui acted as the laborer, periodically using Earth Style to open the path as directed. Mibu Shinobu and Murakumo held special scrolls, maintaining a unique barrier that enveloped the four of them.
"We're nearing the Hidden Rain Village. Stay sharp. Shinobu, Murakumo, keep the barrier steady. We can't rule out the possibility that the enemy already knows our location. Be ready for combat at any time," Tonbo ordered.
Even as he spoke, his perception didn't stop for a second, watching for a sudden appearance of the Six Paths, Nagato, or Konan. He wasn't entirely sure if traveling underground while maintaining his custom "Breath-Hiding Barrier" could truly evade the Akatsuki's detection. After all, the Hidden Rain didn't just have Nagato and Konan; their other ninjas were not to be underestimated either.
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