Chapter 27: Illusion Technique – Tree Binding Death

Outside the Great Lake City, the spy, having arrived after a grueling night of travel, wore a look of joy.

Finally, he had made it. As long as he could make contact with his handler, he would successfully transmit the intel back to the village and secure his own safety. Having brilliantly executed his years-long infiltration mission and bringing back such vital intelligence, surely the rewards awaiting him back at the village would be substantial. If luck were on his side, he might even earn the appreciation of the Hokage and be promoted to a Special Jonin.

As for whether he could become a true Jonin, he was self-aware enough to know that with his talent, reaching the rank of Special Jonin through the merit of this deep-cover mission would be his limit. Otherwise, he never would have been sent to Sunagakure to act as a spy in the first place. Still, even a Special Jonin was considered part of the ninja elite, entitled to treatment far superior to that of a mere Chunin. If he could manage to become a Special Jonin, he would be more than content.

Lost in daydreams of a bright future, the spy began searching Great Lake City for the pre-arranged meeting spot. Little did he know, the team of Sunagakure ninja tailing him had also grown excited, already preparing to capture them all alive.

"Heh, looks like the gamble paid off. This guy really does have someone coming to meet him." Determining a target's next move based on their actions was the most basic requirement for any competent Jonin. The spy’s behavior upon entering the city had already betrayed the fact that he had an accomplice.

Arriving at the designated inn, the spy knocked on the door of Yuhi Shinku. He was filled with trepidation; he had arrived earlier than scheduled, and he had no idea if his handler was even there. Fortunately, the outcome was not dire. The door opened to reveal Yuhi Shinku, who had already resumed his standard ninja attire.

The spy was taken aback. "Lord Yuhi Shinku! I didn't expect you to be the one to meet me. My lord, are you alone? I have uncovered earth-shattering intelligence from within Sunagakure."

"What? Is being alone not enough? Never mind, come inside." After confirming that this was indeed his target, Yuhi Shinku stepped aside to let him in. However, the moment he turned, his expression shifted sharply. Without a word, he used the Body Flicker Technique to vanish from his spot.

In that very instant, with a thunderous roar, earth and stone erupted as the wall where Yuhi Shinku had been standing was blasted apart. Had he not reacted quickly, he would have been dead or severely wounded. As for the spy, although he wasn't the primary target, the proximity of the blast sent him flying, slamming him hard against the wall.

"Cough... what... is happening!" Though he had guessed he might have been exposed, he refused to believe it at the bottom of his heart. Or rather, he still clung to the fantasy that the enemy hadn't been led there by him.

Reality, however, was brutal.

"Heh, it was worth tailing you for so long. We really did catch a big fish. Yuhi Shinku, the Jonin from Konoha famous for his genjutsu. Once we capture you alive, we’ll certainly be able to extract plenty of information."

"Choosing to meet near the Land of Rain—what is this? Are you trying to frame the Land of Earth? If you wanted to stage a frame-up, you should have gone closer to the Land of Birds."

"Such clumsy tactics. Is this really the best Konoha has to offer?"

Three shadows emerged from the darkness—the three Sunagakure Chunin. Looking at Yuhi Shinku, who had just narrowly avoided the ambush, there was no disappointment on their faces, only the playful mockery one might show a weak piece of prey.

"So, I've been discovered? To think you could take me down so easily... your thinking is quite naive." As Yuhi Shinku spoke, his genjutsu was already silently taking hold.

"A mere Jonin. It’s not as if we haven't killed one before. Charge! Take him down together!"

Two of the Sunagakure ninja moved to his left and right, sealing off his escape routes, while the third manipulated a puppet to strike at him. Although Yuhi Shinku was renowned for his genjutsu, the three Sunagakure ninja were unwilling to engage him in direct hand-to-hand combat. The puppet master took the lead in the frontal assault, while the other two provided interference, clearly intending to wear him down in a battle of attrition.

On the other side, the Konoha spy gritted his teeth and struggled to his feet, pulling out a kunai to join the fray. Since he had led the enemy here, he was prepared to risk his life to earn Yuhi Shinku a chance at victory. But before he could take a single step, he collapsed to the ground.

"What... is this? Poison? When?" After a moment of shock, the veteran spy realized what had happened. He recognized the poison; it was common among Sunagakure ninja. It wasn't lethal, but it left the victim weak and unable to muster any strength. It wasn't potent, and without an antidote, it would fade in a day or two—faster if one used chakra to purge it—but he clearly didn't have half a day to spare.

"What a fool. We’ve been tailing you for so long; did you really think we wouldn't leave something on you?" the puppet master sneered.

But at that moment, a tree glowing with an eerie red light erupted from the ground behind him. Before he could react, a dozen branches bound him tightly to the trunk. The change was so sudden he hadn't even registered it.

*Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death.*

This was the signature genjutsu Yuhi Shinku took pride in—an original technique he had pioneered.

"What a bunch of fools. You couldn't even see through such a simple stalling tactic."

Yuhi Shinku, still in the midst of the encirclement, smiled. The next instant, he dissolved into a flurry of cherry blossoms and vanished. The boundary between reality and illusion blurred in the puppet master's mind. Even though he knew it was a genjutsu, he couldn't break free. He could only watch helplessly as Yuhi Shinku stepped out from the tree, holding a kunai to his throat.