Chapter 3: The Crimson Eyes Woman.
—OoOoO—
Where should he go? He had done everything from training to fishing to eating to lazing around to taking a nap, and then going fishing again. Yet, not even a day had passed. The orange glow on the horizon only confirmed that there was still some time until dusk finally arrived. The people he met along the village road seemed to have their own destinations, and even the small children were running around with something on their minds. And yet, the boy had no idea what to do.
‘I thought about giving this away and just leaving, but a little hanging around might not hurt,’ he thought as he glanced at a box wrapped in cloth.
Toji stuck out his little finger and dug it into one of his nostrils, trying to dig something out to clear the lump there. His haori danced gently in the breeze that blew past him.
“Well, as long as it’s not at the Uchiha Compound, who cares?” the boy muttered.
His eyes darted here and there, glancing at the people of his clan who were staring at him strangely. Whether they were adults or children, they all looked as if they were looking at a pile of vermin littering their streets.
“Not that I care.”
Toji wanted to beat them up, of course. But that wouldn’t solve anything. He had already fought countless times with other Uchiha over things like this. And no matter the outcome, their views on him would never change. The Uchiha were a clan that upheld the traditional values of the shinobi, with the Sharingan as their treasure. For someone who couldn’t even use basic ninjutsu, he was at the lowest level of the class that had never existed before.
“Ah.”
His daydream had unwittingly brought him to the house he was aiming for. It was a traditional house on the outskirts of the Uchiha Compound. It wasn’t particularly large, but it was comfortable enough for two people.
Toji reached for the rope hanging from the side of the house, about to ring the bell to summon the owner. However, by chance, the door swung open with a sliding sound. However, what stood in the doorway wasn’t the figure he was looking for, but a woman in her thirties with short, black hair.
“Oh, Toji-kun? Are you looking for Izumi?”
The boy nodded without saying a word.
“That girl hasn’t come home yet. She had a meeting with her team this morning for a proficiency test.”
“A test? Didn’t she already graduate from the academy?” Toji asked with a confused look.
“Well, it seems the standards for becoming a Genin have become stricter since the war ended. That’s why they’re required to take another exam with their mentor before they’re truly considered worthy.”
“Huh? That’s the first time I’ve heard of it,” Toji replied again.
The woman, Izumi’s mother, seemed to raise her head slightly to search her mind for information.
“Apparently, it was only implemented after Itachi-san graduated from the academy at a very young age, and the Hokage didn’t want to rush into producing new Shinobi in the current era.”
Toji nodded slowly at the explanation. Indeed, Itachi was the last Uchiha in the academy, and perhaps the entire village, to graduate at such a young age. Previously, it was considered normal, given the pressing need for military manpower during the Warring States Period. However, in this current era of relative peace, the need for shinobi was less pressing. Therefore, the academy’s graduation standards were raised to produce better-quality shinobi.
“So, do you want to wait inside?” the woman offered, “Izumi was ranting this morning because you didn’t attend the celebration for her graduation, you know?”
“I’d only ruin the mood if I were there,” Toji replied casually.
The boy then held out the package he had been carrying, making Izumi’s mother stare at the object in surprise.
“Well, this is her graduation present. That brat will only bother me if I don’t get her something.”
The woman accepted the gift with joy. She even stared at it for a moment, restraining herself from opening the package.
“Come inside. Izumi would be very happy to receive this directly from you,” he said.
Toji was delighted by the invitation and greatly appreciated it. However, there was a specific reason why he didn’t want to stay any longer.
“Your household has already received a lot of hatred from others. Izumi’s friendship with Itachi has elevated your standing, but it’ll only make things worse if she hangs out with someone like me too often.”
Right after saying that, Toji turned and left the house without even bothering to say goodbye. He didn’t even bother to glance back at the woman who had always been friendly and treated him without discrimination.
“Not that I care,” the boy muttered.
Meanwhile, Izumi’s mother could only stare at the boy’s departure in silence.
—OoOoO—
Where should he go? Perhaps that was a question that constantly crossed his mind, to the point that he sometimes felt bored. However, the question always appeared, no matter where his feet took him. It wasn’t just a rhetorical question. It didn’t simply contain the essence of self-discovery. More than that, the question always had a literal meaning every time it came to his mind.
Boys his age, both within the clan and outside, were already working in various fields, from the more mainstream like being a shinobi to other civilian jobs. However, even at fourteen, Toji was practically unemployed, jobless, with no specific activities beyond training, and no income to boast of like other kids. It was a bitter pill to swallow.
He might be relatively strong, and that was undoubtedly true, as he was always trained with Guy. However, the Uchiha would always disregard values that didn’t align with their traditional views and would stand in their way if they wanted to advance and pursue a career as a shinobi without their blessing.
That was the Uchiha Toji. Despite all the controversy between him and the Uchiha, it didn’t change the fact that he was unemployed, had no special qualifications for any other job, and constantly spent the money his twin brother earned.
“Boring…, it’s so fucking boring.”
Toji snorted, his eyes scanning the village streets, which were beginning to be lit by lamps and lanterns. The whispering of insects seemed to signal that the moon would soon soar mightily across the sky, taking over the sun’s role.
“Where should I go?”
Normally, Toji would spend his time trying new dishes he had never seen before, even if they used exotic ingredients like bear meat. However, he was starting to get bored with these things, having already explored nearly every food stall.
The smell of alcohol wafted into his nose as he passed a bar, forcing him to pause. He turned his head toward the shop, trying to peek inside through the cracks in the window.
“Alcohol, huh? Should I try it?”
According to Konoha law, he wasn’t yet the minimum age to drink alcoholic beverages. Konoha sets the minimum age at twenty, but some would generally advise against drinking before the age of twenty-one.
“But who cares? They’re shameless enough to send little kids to war, but they set a minimum drinking age for moral reasons?”
Toji snorted softly, amused.
“What a hypocrite.”
—OoOoO—
While Toji had previously gone to the place that served alcohol, it was merely a side dish as their main menu consisted of regular food. However, this was his first time in a bar specifically designed for a drinking party. The inside wasn’t much different from a typical bar, except for the numerous bottles of liquor on every table, and the atmosphere was a bit more boisterous.
“I wonder if every shop is like this, or if there are other places that are more exclusive and quieter?”
Honestly, Toji still wasn’t sure what to do. Drink some sake, of course. And then, what? He didn’t even have a drinking buddy to chat with freely like the other patrons.
As his eyes scanned the room for an empty table, which he found none of, Toji’s attention was drawn to a table occupied by only one person. It was a mature woman with long, black hair who was sitting in a corner, quietly enjoying her drink.
‘It never occurred to me, but why not try these things?’
Having never dealt with women, let alone women who were clearly much older than him, Toji strode with strong confidence. He didn’t let his inexperience show. He walked with his arms crossed, hidden by the sleeves of his haori. Without experience, the only thing he trusted was his instincts.
“Do you mind if I sit here, my lady?” the boy asked.
Toji didn’t need to fake his voice to sound mature. He already had a low, baritone voice, which makes him sound like a real adult, especially considering his tall, muscular build, despite being only fourteen years old.
Regarding the question, the woman didn’t immediately respond. She stared at Toji for a moment without changing her expression, showing off her crimson eyes, as red as the pride of the Uchiha. A few seconds passed, and the woman broke away to survey the entire tavern.
“Well, it looks like all the tables are already taken.”
The woman finally responded, but as soon as she finished speaking, she appeared to be about to leave her seat. However, Toji immediately blocked her path by placing his hand on the table.
“Did you finish already? Come on, stay a little longer. It’s my treat.”
The woman narrowed her eyes at those words.
“Your way of flirting with women is terrible. Besides, I already have a boyfriend,” she said.
That made Toji’s cheeks twitch when he heard the taunt.
“Really? Then why don’t you teach me how to properly flirt with a woman?”
Without waiting for a response, Toji sat down on the seat across from the woman. He drew his katana, complete with its sheath, and leaned it against the wall. He also brushed his haori and yukata, which he had already combed to prevent them from tangling as he sat down.
“The name’s Uchiha Toji. To be honest, this is my first time drinking in such a place, and alone on top of that.”
The woman’s eyes seemed to widen, and she blinked them several times.
“An Uchiha? Well, so you’re a young master, eh? No wonder you never go to a small shop like this,” she replied.
Wrong. It was indeed Toji’s first time in a bar, but it was purely because he was still underage. However, of course, he wouldn’t tell his interlocutor that reason.
“You know that the people of Uchiha also have lives that aren’t much different from other civilians, right?” Toji said.
“You should already know that even the lowest level of an Uchiha still has a better economy than a normal civilian, right?”
Toji smiled at the subtle sarcasm.
“I know that, but it’s purely because of the money circulation that we hardly ever leave our clan’s vicinity,” the boy replied with a shrug, “Or you could say, we make each other richer with our economic system.”
Toji’s mouth felt bitter as he uttered these words, which upheld his clan. However, despite his personal bias, the Uchiha did have a system in place that allowed them to maintain their economy even without frequent contact with the outside world.
It all began with the persecution carried out by the Second Hokage. While not overt, some clan members argued that he had genuine good intentions, which raised concerns that they would be completely ostracised. Therefore, to counter that possibility, the Uchiha, originally a militaristic clan, began implementing economic policies for their own clan.
Income from the Military Police Force and missions from the Hokage still provide the primary support. However, clan heads in each generation have been willing to fund non-shinobi members to open grocery stores, food and beverage stalls, blacksmiths, and even plantations within their territories.
Therefore, the Uchiha’s money effectively remained within the clan’s members. With the substantial influx of funds from military service, the Uchiha’s economic strength and daily needs were significantly enhanced, allowing them to remain independent of the outside world. Furthermore, they were an exclusive clan with a limited membership, meaning they didn’t have a large number of people to support.
“Enough for Uchiha, I just wanna have a relaxing drink right now,” Toji said to change the subject.
The boy looked around the shop, and his eyes met with a waiter who had just delivered an order.
“Excuse me!” Toji shouted, raising one hand, “If you’ve awamori, bring it here!”
His gaze then returned to the woman sitting across from him.
“And you?”
The woman seemed to grunt tiredly. She hadn’t intended to engage with the guy from the start. However, she was also reluctant to leave and find another place just for a drink.
“Some shochu.”
“A bottle of awamori and shochu, please!” Toji shouted, relaying their order to a waiter.
Afterwards, Toji leaned back against the bench with his arms folded across his chest. His eyes gazed at the black-haired woman. At first glance, one might mistake her for an Uchiha, given her striking crimson eyes. However, they weren’t Sharingan. Still, they looked beautiful and captivating.
“So, what’s your name? You’re quite a drinker, huh? You’re alone, but you’ve already finished an entire bottle of sake,” the boy said.
The woman didn’t simply reply to those words. She stared intently at her interlocutor, taking in every feature of the figure sitting before her.
“It’s Yuuhi Kurenai,” the woman replied briefly.
“Yuuhi… Kurenai?”
Toji muttered the name as if he were digging up information from his memory, which caused the woman named Kurenai to raise an eyebrow.
“You’re… Izumi’s mentor?” the boy asked.
The words that came out of Toji’s mouth successfully captured the attention of the person he was talking to.
“You know Izumi?”
“Quite close, in fact. I mean, we’re in the same clan,” Toji replied.
Kurenai, who almost jumped out of her seat, seemed to be trying to control and calm herself down.
“I see….”
A faint sigh escaped the woman. With the last bit of sake left in her cup, she immediately picked it up and downed it completely.
Toji wasn’t a great reader of human expressions, and he never claimed to be. However, sometimes people use clear body language to get a better idea of what’s going on.
“Does that have anything to do with Izumi making you drink alone?” Toji asked.
The woman glanced at the guy briefly before her eyes wandered around the shop.
“Well, that’s one of them, but not all,” she replied, propping her chin on the table with a hand.
“Did she cause any trouble? I can’t imagine that. She’s a good girl, after all.”
Before the woman could reply, a waiter arrived with a tray containing a bottle of awamori and shochu, both soaked in a bowl of ice, and, of course, two cups for them to enjoy the drinks.
“Thank you,” Kurenai said to the waiter.
“You’re welcome. Please enjoy it to the fullest.”
The waiter gave a sincere smile while bowing before leaving them.
Kurenai looked at the two bottles of liquor, watching the water droplets drip onto the green glass.
“It’s not like she’s a troubled girl. It’s quite the opposite. She has a great personality, and she’s also very talented on top of that.”
While saying that, Kurenai took a cup for herself from the tray the waiter brought and, at the same time, shared the other cup with Toji.
“Would you mind pouring my drink? I don’t really like it cold,” the woman said.
Toji frowned. His pride couldn’t take it when someone he didn’t even know ordered him around like that. However, he didn’t want to lose his drinking buddy either. Moreover, the woman before him was so attractive, and it was triggering his puberty.
“Sure,” he replied.
The man picked up the green bottle from the pile of ice, but he left the corkscrew lying on the tray. Or rather, he didn’t need it. With just a flick, the cap came off the bottle.
“Oh, you’re pretty strong, huh? Are you trying to show off?” the woman complimented with a hint of sarcasm.
“Showing off? For what? I’m not that desperate for attention,” Toji said as he poured some shochu into Kurenai’s cup, “Besides, if you’re Izumi’s mentor, that means you’re a Jounin, right? Something like this shouldn’t be something to be admired.”
“Shinobi are human beings at the end of the day. Doing that with your bare hands without using Chakra requires considerable physical strength.”
After those words were spoken, Kurenai picked up the cup filled with shochu. She downed it all in one go, then let out a long sigh.
Meanwhile, Toji was quite shocked by what his conversation partner had just said. His mouth dropped open, and even his hand, which was about to pour awamori into his own cup, stopped in midair. Seeing his reaction, the woman chuckled softly.
“I am a Genjutsu specialist. It is natural for me to be sensitive to other people’s Chakra even though you have concealed yours in such a way as to escape my detection,” replied the woman.
‘I see…,’ Toji reflexively muttered in his mind, ‘She doesn’t know that my Chakra is almost non-existent. Besides, the stereotype of a talented shinobi is so ingrained in the Uchiha that she probably didn’t expect that I actually can’t use Chakra.’
Regardless, the fact that a Genjutsu specialist was sensitive to other people’s Chakra was something he hadn’t heard of before. However, in retrospect, it might make sense. As far as he knew, Genjutsu worked by disrupting the flow of its target’s Chakra by injecting a small amount of the user’s own Chakra into them, thus causing illusions and hallucinations. In short, it created a false reality that affected all five of a person’s senses.
Depending on which chakra system was disrupted within the body, the effects would vary. If the Chakra flowing through the eyes was disrupted, the Genjutsu would affect their vision. If the Chakra throughout the body was disrupted, it means they were trapped in a very powerful Genjutsu.
Therefore, Genjutsu Specialists need high control and sensitivity to other people’s Chakra to ensure their techniques work as expected.
“A Genjutsu Specialist became Izumi’s mentor. Is that a coincidence?” asked Toji.
The boy downed the awamori in his cup. His mouth slurped slowly, trying to find what made the drink so popular. It was a little dry and warm in his throat, even after soaking it in ice for a few minutes. Furthermore, the drink had a slightly odd aftertaste. It wasn’t sweet, nor fruity, but had a savoury rice flavour with an earthy touch.
“Was that your first time drinking awamori?” asked Kurenai, who poured more shochu into her cup.
These words hurt Toji’s pride a little. He wanted to deny it, but knew it would probably be pointless and would only make him look even more unsophisticated.
“Your reaction when you drank it said it all, you know?” the woman added.
“So? You’ve been trying to avoid my question all this time,” Toji replied.
Apart from wanting to change the subject, the guy also wanted an answer to his question.
Meanwhile, instead of immediately responding, Kurenai smiled bitterly as she fiddled with the cup in her hand. Her eyes seemed unfocused, as if she were lost in her own worries. She reached for the shochu bottle again, poured it into the cup, and took a third swig. Or, perhaps even more, considering she had already finished the entire bottle before Toji joined her.
“Izumi, huh?” the woman looked up at the ceiling, her cheeks flushed. “No, you’re right. It wasn’t a coincidence that I was appointed as her mentor. However, that’s precisely what bothers me a little.”
Toji listened to those words silently while taking another sip of his drink.
“Lord Third asked me to be Izumi’s mentor because I’m a Genjutsu Specialist. However, that’s precisely the problem. Uchihas are naturally gifted in Genjutsu, so I don’t know what to do with her,” Kurenai continued.
Seeing his empty cup, Toji poured the shochu back into it. However, the woman didn’t waste a second and downed it immediately, as if she wanted to vent her frustration.
“Thanks,” said the woman.
“Don’t sweat it.”
Kurenai stared at Toji for a few moments before sighing again.
“That was our first meeting as a team, and I gave my team some sparring tests to gauge their abilities. And I don’t think Izumi is even at Genin level anymore.”
‘Of course, she’s not at Genin level. She occasionally joins my training sessions with Guy.’
Those words were only spoken in his mind, as Toji didn’t want to interrupt the woman.
“To be honest, that girl doesn’t rely entirely on Genjutsu. She’s more of a close-range fighter with incredible adaptability, and uses the Sharingan’s unique Ganjutsu only to escape my Genjutsu.”
The stereotype of Uchiha as masters of Genjutsu was certainly not wrong. In fact, aside from Fireball, mastery of Genjutsu was one indicator of whether they were ready to become fully-fledged shinobi. However, the environment they surrounded themselves with also influenced how an Uchiha developed.
Izumi was occasionally seen with Itachi, but it was nothing more than their shared generation and Itachi’s parents’ request for her to be friends. However, when it came to who she spent most of her time with, it was Toji. As such, he had a significant influence on Izumi’s fighting style, which now leans more towards melee combat than a Genjutsu user like most other Uchiha.
“Is this your first time being a mentor? Your reaction says it all, you know?” Toji quipped, taking a sip of awamori straight from the bottle.
Kurenai’s temples twitched as she heard those words being thrown back at her.
“If you want to seduce a woman, don’t you know you shouldn’t say that?” the woman retorted, “Though, I don’t really care because I already have a boyfriend.”
It sounded like a warning to Toji that whatever he said or what he flirted with wouldn’t work on her. However, he didn’t seem to mind it much and instead poured more shochu into Kurenai’s cup.
“C’mon, I’m actually more interested in your character now that I know you’re Izumi’s mentor,” the guy replied.
“What a bullshit,” the woman responded quickly, “Your face is what people call a Playboy.”
She then downed the shochu in the cup in one go.
“Tell me, how many women have fallen for your tricks?” she continued.
“Do you think I’m always out there preying on every woman I meet?” Toji asked, leaning over the table, “And what if I told you that you were the first woman I ever seduced?”
“Well, that’s what every Playboy always says,” the woman replied as she poured shochu into the container.
Despite that, Toji seemed completely unfazed. He simply smiled lightly and shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.
“No woman in Konoha has eyes as beautiful as yours. A pair of crimson gems that resemble the Sharingan. However, it’s precisely because they aren’t the Sharingan that makes your eyes so special.”
Toji paused his words to look at the woman’s face, which seemed to show no change other than her drunken expression.
“And since there are no eyes like yours in the village, no woman can catch my attention except you.”
Kurenai nearly choked on those words. She immediately took a swig from the bottle.
If she were a normal woman, those words would probably have made her giddy. No, it probably wasn’t the sweet words. On the contrary, they sounded like something a boy would say in puberty. However, what truly made a powerful impact was his charming face and voice.
Uchiha Toji had a sturdy facial line with a sharp nose. His eyes weren’t too large, but they weren’t too narrow either. A scar running across the right corner of his lip gives him a wild impression. However, this distinctive feature also made it difficult for others to look away from his mouth.
‘Besides, is this guy crazy? His bottle of wamaori is almost empty, but he shows no signs of being drunk. Moreover, he’s drinking it like he’s drinking plain water.’
Awamori was a liquor with a high alcohol content, around thirty to over forty per cent. Just a few sips could often make you feel high, especially if drunk straight without a break, or even without any food. For this reason, some people mix awamori with plain water, either cold or hot, to reduce the alcohol content and savour the flavour more slowly.
“Put your suspicions aside. If you’re worried about Izumi, you don’t need to overthink it,” Toji said, changing the subject.
However, the man didn’t wait for his conversation partner to respond. Instead, he turned his head to look for the waitress in the shop.
“Excuse me, three bottles of awamori, please! And bring out some of the best-selling snacks here! If you’ve any kushiyaki, give it to me!” Toji shouted, raising his left hand.
The boy then glanced at Kurenai.
“Do you want something? My treat.”
“Just order a slightly larger portion. I’ll eat it once in a while,” the woman said.
“Please, bring lots!” Toji then shouted to the waiter
“Noted it! Please, wait a moment!”
After his order was confirmed, he turned his attention back to the woman before him.
“Three bottles of awamori? Are you crazy?” Kurenai commented.
“What? Wanna try it?”
Toji handed the woman his bottle. There was still some left. It was probably enough for a shot, but since he was drinking straight from the bottle, she seemed reluctant to try it.
Or at least, that was what Toji thought.
“Honestly, I’ve never tried awamori before, but I’m curious how you don’t look drunk at all,” the woman said.
She pointed his cup at the boy, signalling him to pour the remaining alcohol into it.
Without further ado, Toji handed Kurenai her shot. The woman hesitated at first, her eyes lingering on the cup for a moment. However, with a single swift gulp, she drained the entire container.
“Gah! It’s very strong!”
Combined with the two bottles of shochu she had already finished, that one shot of awamori seemed to make the alcohol that had built up in her body explode, making her face flush red instantly.
“And you actually drink this like mineral water?” the woman commented.
“Well, you could say my body is special.”
“What does that even mean?” Kurenai replied, narrowing her eyes.
Truth be told, Toji’s claim that his physique was special wasn’t an exaggeration. Whether it had something to do with his special trait rather than his low Chakra, he wasn’t entirely certain. However, even as a child, he had never suffered from any illness and was always healthy, while Shisui had been plagued by seasonal illnesses.
As if that weren’t enough, things that could cause food poisoning also had no effect on Toji. For example, when he consumed a carton of spoiled milk, he never felt anything unusual afterwards.
“You should cut back on your alcohol intake, you know?” Kurenai said, her voice slightly drawn out, “When alcohol no longer affects you, you might think you have a high tolerance. Well, that might be true, but it’s also a bad sign for your body because you’re not aware and keep taking in alcohol, overworking your liver and kidneys.”
“Really?” Toji said with a raised eyebrow, “Well, if I die from alcohol, that just means I died happily.”
The boy’s indifference made Kurenai sigh. She lifted her head, trying to calm her alcohol-induced headache.
“By the way, you said earlier that Izumi isn’t a Genjutsu Specialist, and that her fighting style is more of an adaptive type?” the woman asked.
Before Toji could answer, a waiter came with his order.
“Thank you for waiting.”
Toji didn’t reply to those words, while Kurenai just smiled, nodding her head.
“That girl has a tendency to be a punching bag at first. She’s the type who isn’t very aggressive, but she’s willing to take risks,” Toji said, opening a bottle with his bare hands. “One-trick pony is the best matchup for her. However, she’ll have a hard time if her opponent can outsmart or simply overwhelm her.”
On paper, a person’s ability to adapt may seem incredibly daunting. After all, humans had reached this stage through thousands of years of adaptation to their environment. Furthermore, those who adapt well tend to possess an unyielding spirit. However, that didn’t mean adaptation was a cheat skill that could be easily abused.
The biggest enemy of those who rely on adaptation was time. If they were too late to adapt, too late to learn all the tricks their opponents had up their sleeves, they would be utterly destroyed.
“That’s why you don’t need to worry just because she’s an Uchiha, has the Sharingan, or already learned a solid foundation in Genjutsu,” Toji continued, “She doesn’t follow the classic traditions of the Uchiha fighting style. If anything, with her fighting style, many aspects need improvement, and you can help her with that.”
The boy concluded his lengthy explanation by downing half of a bottle of awamori. Meanwhile, Kurenai seemed to be contemplating the advice her interlocutor had just offered.
“Want some?” Toji asked, offering the alcohol.
The black-haired woman stared into the boy’s eyes for a moment before she sighed as she handed him the cup.
“From the way you speak, you sound like you know Izumi well,” Kurenai said, watching the boy pour her awamori.
“Of course I do,” Toji replied quickly, “After all, she follows me around a lot and even trains with me.”
These words shocked Kurenai, who widened her eyes in surprise. However, before she could say anything, the boy had already beaten her to it.
“In fact, you could say that her fighting style was influenced by her frequent training with me.”
It wasn’t a lie, but Toji deliberately left out the fact that Izumi not only frequently trained with him but also with his mentor, Guy.
The reason? The boy wasn’t entirely sure. However, considering the woman in front of him was becoming a mentor for the first time, he roughly guessed that she might be around the same age, or even in the same generation as Guy, considering he had also just become a mentor this year. Of course, he could be wrong, and there were other reasons why Kurenai had only become a mentor this year.
Moreover, Toji came to this bar while hiding his age. If the woman were to discover that he was the man Guy had been mentoring for the past few years, his current endeavours would likely fail miserably.
‘I actually didn’t care if she knew my real age. However, when I saw her, my curiosity was no longer just focused on alcohol, but I also wanted to know why so many men were crazy about women.’
“Izumi often trains with you? That surprises me. Your face doesn’t seem to show you care about things like this,” Kurenai said.
“You can ask her directly later.”
The moment the woman mentioned his name to Izumi, Toji’s secret would be revealed, and he would be branded a fraud. But he didn’t care, because he would make sure to prey on her tonight.
“Anyway, why are you drinking alone?” asked Toji as he poured the awamori into Kurenai’s cup, “For me, seeing a woman as charming as you alone in this bar is even more surprising.”
The man gulped down the remaining drink from the bottle. Meanwhile, Kurenai glared angrily at the refilled cup. Whether her gaze was directed at her interlocutor’s insistence on drinking more or for some other reason, no one knew. However, the woman snatched the cup and drank it down roughly.
“This is the first year for my generation to be mentors. These past few days, we didn’t have time to gather because we were busy preparing for the adequacy tests for the students we’ll be mentoring. That’s why we promised to gather tonight.”
The woman paused her words as she picked up and opened a new bottle, then poured the alcohol into her cup.
“Some couldn’t join because they weren’t mentors and had long been Lord Third’s guards. But who cares, right?” Kurenai swallowed the awamori in one go, “One of my friends doesn’t seem to have fully recovered from the war, but that’s understandable since all of his friends died right before his eyes, and even Lord Fourth followed them not long after.”
With her head slightly swaying, the woman mustered up the strength to look at Toji, to make sure that the boy was still listening to her conversation.
“Lord Fourth…, do you mean this is his only remaining student, Hatake Kakashi?” asked Toji.
“You know him?” Kurenai replied with a raised eyebrow.
“He’s very famous, isn’t he? Especially among the Uchiha, where many people are still pushing to take back his Sharingan.”
That was invaluable information, coming from a clan insider himself. It showed that the Uchiha still had some beef with Kakashi, even after all these years.
‘I don’t know why he gave away that information so lightly,’ Kurenai thought with some of her remaining consciousness, ‘But almost all Uchiha are very arrogant, and maybe he thought I wouldn’t be able to do anything even if he told me about that.’
“Don’t get me wrong. I’m not telling you this because I’m looking down on you or anything. Honestly, I don’t care at all about Hatake Kakashi, and those who are pushing to reclaim his Sharingan are only from the older factions.”
Kurenai averted her gaze upon hearing this clarification. Had her expression been too obvious? Was she that bad at hiding her cynicism when she was drunk? Who knew?
“So, you’re drinking alone because you don’t have anyone to drink with?” Toji asked as he nibbled on some snacks. “What about your boyfriend? Didn’t you just say you had one?”
“I do, but he’s more interested in drinking with the head of the Nara clan than spending time with his own lover.”
Kurenai paused as she handed her cup to Toji, signalling him to refill it with liquor. Meanwhile, as she complied, she picked up a piece of kushiyaki with her other chopstick and put it in her mouth.
“We haven’t seen each other much lately because of the long missions Lord Third always gives us. But whenever we have some free time, he goes to the Nara Clan.”
After saying that, Kurenai emptied her cup again in an instant and let out a long moaning sound as if the alcohol had kicked her brain.
“Heeh…,” Toji seemed to mutter with a smirk, “Should I thank your boyfriend for his insensitivity, so I can spend time alone with a woman as beautiful as you?”
“Pfft…”
Kurenai tried to hold back the laughter that was trying to break out as she had just taken another bite of kushiyaki.
“You really have a sweet tongue, huh? I thought Uchihas were dignified and calm,” the woman continued.
Toji shrugged indifferently at the question that was more like a subtle hint.
“Don’t be ridiculous. They’re just boring, old-fashioned people who don’t know how to have fun.”
The guy paused his words as he was about to open his last bottle.
“Oh, come to think of it, the only way they feel happy is by comparing themselves to others and looking down on them.”
“Hahahaha!” Kurenai laughed while holding her stomach, “Those words of yours, are you really an Uchiha, or just someone disguised to tarnish their image?”
“They already have a bad image, you know? Why would I bother trying to bring them down?”
At this point, those words left Kurenai even more astonished. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe the boy. Although her interactions with the Uchiha were indeed very limited, especially as a Genjutsu Specialist, she was often underestimated by them because her abilities seemed insignificant in front of their eyes.
However, of all the Uchiha she knew, they held a deep respect for their clan. Even Izumi, who admitted she was technically a foreigner and only came to the clan after her father died in the Kyuubi incident, still held a sense of pride in the crest that adorned her back.
‘Did he start talking nonsense because he was drunk? But his face looks perfectly fine, though.’
Speaking of drunkenness, it was actually Kurenai who couldn’t handle the alcohol that had accumulated in her system any longer. Her head was spinning, and her cognitive abilities were starting to decline slightly. The only thing keeping her sober was her shinobi instincts.
“Well, maybe that’s just my assessment because I don’t care about them,” Toji continued his words while leaning his back, “Just like you, who gave the first impression of a cold woman, but after we exchanged a few words, it turned out that you were much more pleasant than you seemed.”
“What the hell is that?” Kurenai replied with a snort, “So, you were deliberately badmouthing your clan just to seduce me?”
“Well, can’t you blame me? When you see the most beautiful sight you’ve ever seen, everything eventually turns dull, plain, and boring.”
—OoOoO—
Konoha was a village gracefully hidden amidst a vast, dense forest, seemingly embraced by nature in its serenity. Towering trees surround it, while its ideal elevation made the village appear both sturdy and peaceful from a distance. Despite its dense population and vibrant pace, Konoha’s unique geography created a calming balance. A cool breeze constantly swept through every corner of the village, carrying the scent of leaves and wet soil, keeping the air fresh throughout the day and creating a comfortable atmosphere for all who reside within.
The sound of birds chirping signalled the start of a busy day. Despite that, the sun hadn’t yet fully risen, making the cold air still feel piercing to the skin, providing comfort and warmth that were even more soothing as she snuggled under the covers. However, a pounding headache forced the woman to get out of bed.
“Ugh….”
Stretching lazily, she tried to push away the thick fabric pressing down on her. The occasional “crack” sound could be heard as she stretched her muscles, trying to shake off the fatigue and stiffness. Reluctantly, Kurenai sat up on her bed, letting her consciousness slowly fill her soul.
“What time is it?”
The black-haired woman intended to look for the clock hanging on the wall. However, as she looked around the room, her eyes caught sight of something that made her frown.
“Huh?”
Her clothes were scattered all over the floor, but that was normal considering she had been so drunk last night. What surprised her, however, were the several other pieces of clothing, or rather, a yukata and an unknown haori, scattered along with her clothes.
As if the universe wanted to give her a hint, she felt another movement on her bed, which made the woman reflexively turn her head to the side.
“What the….”
A man sleeping next to her on his stomach caught her eye. His hair was as dark as the night sky, his shoulders broad with firm back muscles, and the iconic vertical line at the corner of his right lip. And by that time she realised, he was clearly not her boyfriend.
Memories that had been vague began to flood her mind. Kurenai held her head, gently massaging her temples, her eyes trembling.
“I did it, with another man besides Azuma?” the woman muttered.
As if still unwilling to accept reality, Kurenai glanced once more at the sleeping boy beside her. She then shifted her gaze down to her own completely naked body, with several hickeys on her chest.
“Shit. Are you completely insane, Kurenai?! How could you bring another man to your bed and do it all night long?!”
Kurenai wanted to curse and foul her own stupidity. She even wanted to bang her head against the wall repeatedly to punish her craziness. If anyone else found out, and worst of all, her own boyfriend saw her bringing another man into her house, it would completely ruin her image.
“You’ll age quickly if your face is always wrinkled like that.”
A soft, deep greeting crept into her ears, accompanied by a touch on her wrist. Kurenai, who wasn’t expecting this, couldn’t help but flinch, her hair standing on end, and she glared at the man.
“Toji! You asshole!”
Despite receiving the reprimand, the guy just chuckled softly as he positioned himself to sit next to the woman, who was still completely naked on the bed.
“Even though we’ve been doing it all night with passion and excitement, your eyes are still as cold as when we first met, huh?” he said.
Toji grabbed the woman’s wrist, brought her back to his broad chest and hugged her tightly.
“Stop it. Let me go.”
Kurenai struggled weakly, but the strength she put in was nothing compared to Toji’s muscles.
“Really? I like it when we’re like this, though?” the boy whispered right into her ear.
The breath that escaped Toji’s mouth, along with the words he spoke, made Kurenai’s entire body shiver.
The man squeezed Kurenai’s breasts and gently played with her nipples, making her moan in pleasure. His mouth began to carefully explore her slender neck, sending small stinging sensations throughout her body.
“S-stop it. I have a meeting this morning with my students to carry out our first mission.”
Toji frowned, his lips pursed in annoyance as if he wanted to grumble. Her students, which meant Izumi would be there too. The name immediately sounded like a forbidden spell. He clicked his tongue softly before finally giving in. His hands reluctantly let go as his muscles began to weaken. The woman slipped away, leaving him still slightly out of breath and flushed.
“I’ll pretend this never happened. So, please get out of here right now,” Kurenai said, still trying to calm herself down.
“Nah, don’t wanna.”
The short reply made the woman’s eyes widen. However, Toji interrupted her before she could say anything.
“You live in a densely populated area. Even at this hour, the streets outside are already bustling.”
The guy peeked through the gap in the window that was covered by the curtains.
“If I go out now, do you want people to know that you brought in someone other than your boyfriend?” the guy asked, smirking.
It was a ridiculous excuse, but for some reason, Kurenai couldn’t muster a single rebuttal. She hated how reasonable those words were. If word of her having sex with a strange man reached Azuma’s ears, it would be disastrous for their relationship.
“So, what do you want?” Kurenai asked with a soft sigh.
Toji casually shrugged his shoulders with an indifferent expression plastered on his face.
“Well, I’ll be here until tonight, I guess?”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” the woman unconsciously raised her voice, “What do you think my house is, huh? Besides, what if Azuma suddenly shows up?”
“A guy who left you alone to have fun with someone else, do you think he’d bother to come here?”
The guy deliberately paused, enjoying the woman’s face twisting with annoyance.
“Just like you, this is his first year as a mentor, isn’t it?” Toji continued, “He’ll probably be busier with his students than with you. Even if he has free time, he’ll try to meet up outside instead of asking you to take him to your place…—.”
Toji paused again. However, unlike before, when he had done it intentionally to tease Kurenai, this time something occurred to him suddenly.
“Wait, why did you immediately think he’d come here? Why didn’t you think he’d meet you and invite you to his place instead?”
Kurenai sighed at the question.
“He’s Lord Third’s son, and he still lives in the same mansion as him. It would tarnish their reputation if he brought a woman who wasn’t his wife into his home.”
“Oooh…,” Toji muttered while rubbing his chin, “So, it’s a big deal for him if his reputation is tarnished, but it’s nothing if your neighbours see you taking in a man who isn’t your husband?”
Kurenai’s throat immediately tightened at the logic presented. Her brows furrowed sharply, but her mouth remained tightly shut, despite her desire to argue.
“Whatever. Just do whatever you want. I don’t have time to argue with you.”
With those words, the woman immediately got out of bed and rushed to the bathroom, preparing herself to face her first mission as a guide and reviewing the material she would teach later.
“Don’t push yourself too hard, Darling. I’ll be waiting for you to come home,” Toji said with a mischievous grin.
To which, Kurenai immediately responded with a death glare.
“Shut up.”
—OoOoO—
Her first mission as a mentor ended quickly. It was simple, simply rounding up stray dogs in a certain area. So easy that Kurenai even cursed herself for being a little nervous on her way to the meeting place.
‘Back in my day, we were ordered to deliver logistics at the border for our first mission as Genin,’ the woman mused, ‘Well, it’s not like we never do trivial jobs like this, but that was only when there was no movement at the border, and that was very rare.’
The war ended about eight years ago. While technically they were still in a Cold War, with nations monitoring each other’s movements, peace has truly been achieved. For Kurenai, born and raised during the Warring States period, such a peaceful scene was still hard to believe. However, seeing children who didn’t have to struggle with dangerous missions makes her realise that peace was truly within their grasp.
‘However, that’s only on the surface. In times like these, the unseen conflicts are even more dangerous, and it’s my generation’s job to maintain this peace.’
“Sensei!”
The black-haired woman flinched slightly when she heard the boy’s voice calling out to her. She opened her eyes, revealing the crimson gems to the world.
“Are you sure we should do this?”
Kurenai, who had previously been leaning against a tree with her arms folded across her chest, slowly walked over to her students.
“My training philosophy is to sharpen your sensory abilities. That way, you won’t fall for someone’s tricks easily, and you’ll be more aware of anything suspicious, especially traps that could trap you in Genjutsu,” the woman said.
“But none of us are specialised in sensor capabilities.”
Kurenai stared at the grey-haired boy without changing her expression. It had been three hours since she began her training session after completing the first mission and writing reports while supervising them. However, none of her three students performed exactly as she expected. Not even Izumi without the aid of her Sharingan.
“But this doesn’t make sense. How can we hit a target that’s only the size of a tennis ball, and you hid it among all those dummies?” another guy complained.
“I told you, didn’t I? I’ve imbued the ball with my Chakra, while those dummies are training equipment mass-produced by the academy.”
Kurenai paused her words as she turned her gaze to the lush trees.
“You must remember the characteristics of my Chakra. That way, you will find the target I hid among them.”
The boys ended up simply grunting at their mentor’s stern response. It made Kurenai chuckle inwardly, and of course, there was no change in her expression at all.
Despite that, her attention was focused on Izumi. Unlike the other students, she didn’t complain. She absorbed her instructions intently and took her time aiming at the targets. In fact, unlike her peers, who seemed to be throwing kunai at random, Izumi only managed eight throws in three hours. Very few, indeed. However, each throw brought her closer to the target Kurenai had hidden.
‘Even without the Sharingan to analyse my Chakra and a thorough training ground, she’s getting better with each attempt. It seems Toji wasn’t lying when he said her adaptability is extraordinary.’
As the man’s name crossed her mind, Kurenai’s face suddenly felt hot, her cheeks flushing slightly. She had probably been so drunk last night that her lust had overtaken her sanity. However, after she was completely sober in the morning, she could remember all the sensations she had experienced the night before.
‘I hate to admit it, but it was the best sex I’ve ever had.’
It wasn’t just Toji’s massive dick, but also how he moved his hips. At first, he seemed like a complete amateur trying sex for the first time. However, after a few moves, he became a true monster in bed. And to top it all off, his stamina and strength were unmatched. He seemed to never tire and continued until the early hours of the morning.
‘This is bad. Just thinking about it makes my pussy twitch.’
“Sensei, I did it, right?!”
Kurenai flinched at the loud, excited shout. Her eyes immediately fell on the lone girl on her team, then shifted to the target about a hundred meters to the southwest.
“That was your ninth shot, wasn’t it?” the woman asked, to which Izumi immediately responded with an enthusiastic nod. “Out of the thousand dummies I scattered around, you managed to hit the only target in nine tries. That’s very good, Izumi.”
The girl seemed pleased with the compliment she received. However, her expression quickly turned to disappointment.
“But I only managed it after three hours. I wish I could have done it faster.”
Kurenai smiled at the annoyance.
“Well, the first step is always the hardest one,” the woman said, patting Izumi on the shoulder. “Besides, you’re used to analysing someone’s Chakra with your Sharingan, aren’t you? For someone who’s used to using their special abilities, this exercise will feel many times harder than it should.”
The Sharingan, as a Doujutsu, didn’t offer the full package as the Byakugan, which could see Chakra flow in detail, penetrate objects, and even see things from a distance. However, the Sharingan still shared the same function, the ability to see someone’s Chakra, though not as detailed as the Byakugan.
“Besides, Toji said that your adaptability is superior, even compared to other Uchiha. So, you’ll definitely master this technique in no time,” Kurenai added.
Izumi was speechless at those words, and could only blink her eyes a few times cutely.
“Toji? You know Toji-kun, Sensei?” the girl finally asked.
“I accidentally met him yesterday and had a few drinks with him.”
“Wait a minute. Drinking? Like, drinking some alcohol?” Izumi asked.
To which, Kurenai responded with a nod.
“That punk….”
Izumi seemed to clench her fists as the curse escaped her mouth, which left the female Jounin confused by her reaction.
“Is there something wrong?”
“Well, I knew he was a problematic brat, but I didn’t expect him to drink even though he’s still underage,” replied Izumi, ending with a long sigh.
Meanwhile, Kurenai looked shocked by the statement.
“Huh?”
“Eh?” Izumi responded while tilting her head.
The black-haired woman immediately pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. Her free left palm faced forward, giving a halting pose as if telling her student to hold back whatever she wanted to say.
“That Toji is… underage? Are we talking about the same Toji?”
“Well, there is no other Toji besides him in my clan.”
Kurenai still seemed dissatisfied with the answer. Or rather, she was trying to deny the facts presented before her.
“A man who is tall and has the build of an adult, and has a scratch on the corner of his lip?”
Izumi nodded at the question, as the physical characteristics mentioned matched the man perfectly.
“For some reason, he has a rapid growth spurt as if his body is trying to reach peak condition as quickly as possible,” the Uchiha girl added some trivia, “But he is only two years older than me. We are practically childhood friends because we often hang out together, even though people think I am closer to Itachi-san.”
Kurenai couldn’t hear what her student said after that. Her mind suddenly went blank, and the networks in her brain seemed to have stopped working. She wasn’t even paying attention to the training of her other two students, who were still trying to hit the target.
‘Two years older, meaning he’s fourteen? I, who’s twenty-two, have slept with an underage boy?’
If her students weren’t here and she didn’t have any dignity to uphold, Kurenai would probably be screaming, wailing like a madwoman under the scorching sun. Cheating on Azuma for a one-night stand was a thing, but sleeping with an underage boy was a very serious crime in Konoha, one that could end her social life instantly.
‘Uuh… please, just kill me already.’
—To Be Continued—
Author Note: Hey guys. How are you? And yes, this story is still alive.
Kurenai is one of my favourite female characters in Naruto, honestly. And it makes me sad when people make fun of her online. I think she's absolutely beautiful and has a top-tier design. So, I'm putting her in Toji's orbit lol. I already said this fic would be a harem fic, and there might be a bit of smut like the one above. Some of the heroines are my favourite characters. However, if you have any requests, please let me know. If possible, I'll find a way to include them.
That’s all from me. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Stay safe and be healthy. See you!