Chapter 54: The Kurama Clan
The teacher stood on the podium, animatedly lecturing on the Essential Outline of the Will of Fire.
Meanwhile, Naruto below listened with a serious face, but in reality, was already about to fall asleep.
Naruto had discovered that the only thing he could really learn at the Ninja Academy seemed to be the Three Basic Academy Techniques.
That is, the Transformation Technique, Body Replacement Technique, and Clone Technique.
The Clone Technique was simply useless for Naruto, who had already secretly learned the Shadow Clone Technique.
And the Body Replacement Technique was purely a sleight of hand; anyone with slightly better eyesight could spot the trick.
As for the final Transformation Technique...
Naruto thought inwardly: "The Transformation Technique is somewhat useful though. Under certain circumstances, it might play an unexpected role."
In summary, the things one could learn at the Ninja Academy were very useful for civilian ninja.
Civilian ninja generally lack ninja experience and can grow quickly through study, closing the distance with clan ninja.
But for Naruto, aside from the Transformation Technique having some use, everything else was purely a waste of time.
However, his purpose for attending the Ninja Academy wasn't to learn in the first place, but to fulfill his promise to Menma-nii.
"Even in this cruel world, there will always be people shining. What you need to do is become the light in their hearts, and then..."
Thinking of Menma-nii's words, Naruto sighed inwardly: "If only Menma-nii allowed me to use Shadow Clones."
But it was just a thought. After all, he knew the origin of his learning the Shadow Clone Technique was suspicious.
If Grandpa Third found out, it would probably arouse his suspicion.
"Old people are so troublesome when they get old. If the Fourth Hokage had survived the Nine-Tails Rampage back then, would things be different?"
Over these years, Naruto had long seen through the true face hidden beneath Grandpa Third's kind smile.
He was an old man with an extremely strong desire for control, lacking a sense of security, and simultaneously greedy for power and status.
He wouldn't allow any unstable factors beyond his control to exist.
Naruto understood that Fox Teacher inside him was one unstable factor.
And Menma-nii, hidden deeper and even more mysterious, was an even greater unstable factor for Konoha.
But...
No matter who Menma-nii was, whether he posed a threat to Konoha, or what his goals were,
None of that mattered to Naruto.
He only knew Menma-nii was Menma-nii, the last ray of light in his heart, his family who was both teacher and friend.
That was enough.
"I won't let anyone hurt Fox Teacher or Menma-nii."
Protecting those he cared about – this was Naruto's bottom line, and the driving force behind his pursuit of strength and knowledge.
However, Naruto didn't know that on the other side of the classroom, two other people were sizing him up.
"So this is the Uzumaki Naruto that brother and father mentioned before?"
Uchiha Sasuke frequently glanced towards Naruto, thinking inwardly with disdain: "Doesn't look any different. And that kind of smile... really irritating."
He thought this maliciously, yet couldn't help feeling a slight sense of closeness towards Naruto.
In a corner near the door, a white-eyed girl kept her head lowered, but had actually activated her Byakugan, silently observing Naruto.
No, observing the chakra within his body.
"This brat is that guy Menma's opposite in this world?"
Big Hinata felt puzzled: "Why does it feel so strange?"
"Why does Big Sister say that?"
Little Hinata kept her head down, hiding the bulging veins around her eyes, while asking silently in her mind.
"That scheming, black-bellied guy – shouldn't his opposite be a silly fool? Why does this Uzumaki Naruto feel somewhat remarkably like Menma?"
...
Meanwhile, Menma, having taken Shisui's eyes, didn't return directly to Naruto's home.
Because within a clan compound on Konoha's border, an extremely strange chakra signature had caught his attention.
"This chakra... so extreme..."
Menma narrowed his eyes slightly, simultaneously using Body Flicker to head that way.
In his perception, it was a rather strange Yin Release chakra.
Moreover, its quality was very high, almost comparable to the Yin Release chakra contained within the Uchiha clan's Sharingan.
In the ninja world, it wasn't actually only those with Six Paths Bloodline who could possess Yin or Yang Release.
Throughout the long course of history, some ordinary ninja, either through diligent training or fortuitous encounters, gradually mastered methods to cultivate Yin or Yang Release.
For example, the Nara clan who could manipulate shadows – they were a secret technique ninja clan cultivating Yin Release chakra.
And the Akimichi clan who could expand their bodies – they were a secret technique ninja clan cultivating Yang Release chakra.
However, ordinary ninja's application of Yin/Yang Release generally only stayed at the secret technique level.
Those who could develop Yin/Yang Release into a Kekkei Genkai capable of hereditary transmission were extremely rare in the ninja world.
Moreover, the Sharingan was a Kekkei Genkai originating from the Ōtsutsuki clan.
Yin Release chakra comparable to it was simply exceedingly rare.
While en route, Menma carefully recalled the plot of Naruto from his previous life and finally remembered a Konoha ninja clan with minimal presence.
The Kurama clan, a family in Konoha Village.
This clan specialized in using genjutsu, possessed a Kekkei Genkai related to genjutsu, and was once a prestigious clan in Konoha Village, a major power alongside the Uchiha clan.
This clan once supplied many talented Jōnin and Chūnin to Konoha Village.
But later, for unknown reasons, fewer and fewer ninja awakened the Kekkei Genkai. The clan gradually declined, becoming one of Konoha Village's unremarkable minor families.
And the Kurama clan's Kekkei Genkai allows the use of genjutsu to manipulate others' five senses, making people exist within a genjutsu space, and those within the genjutsu also suffer real damage.
"This clan actually exists? Genjutsu manipulating the five senses – that's practically a BUG-level ability!"
Interest instantly sparked in Menma's heart, and his figure accelerated further using Body Flicker.
And at this very moment, inside the Kurama clan grounds.
"So this is Kurama Yakumo? Is she the one who awakened the Kekkei Genkai?"
Yūhi Kurenai peered through the window, looking at the girl quietly reading inside the room.
She looked like a very ordinary child, completely unremarkable, even appearing somewhat frail.
But Yūhi Kurenai still frowned.
The more she looked at Kurama Yakumo, the more awkward she felt.
This feeling came out of nowhere, but her intuition as a genjutsu Jōnin gave her an extreme sense of incongruity.
"That's right! Please, you must help us! We really have no other choice!"
Yakumo's parents knelt on the floor, lamenting, "Our clan, every few generations, produces a genius far surpassing their peers. Yakumo is the super genius of this generation, but her condition..."
(End of Chapter)
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