Naruto: I'm Really Not an Evil Uchiha!

"Not really."

In order to avoid unnecessary trouble, Shimizu straightforwardly denied it.

"I don't believe you," Yūhi Kurenai replied confidently, letting out a self-assured hum.

With a flick of her long, curled black hair, her crimson eyes locked firmly onto Shimizu.

"Why not?" Shimizu retorted, turning off the faucet and pulling a paper towel from the nearby dispenser to dry his hands.

He couldn't fathom why she suspected him. He had always kept a low profile. Only yesterday had his Sharingan awakened—there was no way anyone could know.

"Obito claims he knows genjutsu, yet you're far stronger than he is. You're both Uchiha, after all," Kurenai explained slowly, step by step, closing the gap between them.

"Obito talks big and drags me into it, huh?" Shimizu thought with an inner sigh.

Obito could exaggerate like no one else.

"My father, Yūhi Shinku, is a master of genjutsu in Konoha. I want to see how those of you who rely on your bloodline abilities measure up."

Hearing this, Shimizu finally understood why Kurenai had approached him.

Yūhi Shinku was highly regarded for his genjutsu prowess, arguably unparalleled outside the Uchiha clan.

There were even rumors claiming his genjutsu could not be countered by the Mangekyō Sharingan.

But rumors were just that—rumors.

In this era, only Madara Uchiha had the Mangekyō Sharingan.

As for Fugaku Uchiha, whether he possessed the Mangekyō remained debatable. Official manga and novels made no mention of it; only the anime granted him such an ability.

Regardless, Fugaku was the leader of the Uchiha clan, the head of a major family.

Could a lesser family's genjutsu genuinely outmatch the Sharingan of such a powerful figure?

The Yūhi clan's position was precarious—strong enough to be notable, but weak compared to the Uchiha, whose Sharingan effortlessly trumped civilian ninja genjutsu.

At her age, Kurenai's growing pride and desire to prove herself made her challenge understandable.

"Meet me at the alley by the eastern training ground after school."

With that, Shimizu turned and left without another word.

It was better to resolve this matter decisively than to deal with constant pestering.

The afternoon passed in a blur.

"Kurenaii!"

Sarutobi Asuma, wearing his usual yellow jacket and a lollipop dangling from his mouth, called out excitedly.

He was determined to invite Yūhi Kurenai to walk home with him today and make some headway in building their relationship.

"Asuma..."

Kurenai frowned slightly. She couldn't understand why Asuma was always so insistent.

As the Hokage's son, Sarutobi Asuma was not someone she could afford to offend, despite being younger.

"I have plans today, so I have to leave," Kurenai said hastily, bidding farewell to her peers before heading toward the agreed meeting spot with Shimizu.

"What's gotten into her today?"

Asuma scratched his head in confusion.

He had never seen Kurenai so hurried.

"Huh, doesn't Shimizu usually go that way too?"

Just as Asuma was about to leave, he noticed Shimizu walking in the same direction.

Due to historical tensions in Konoha, Asuma rarely interacted with the Uchiha clan and knew little about Shimizu.

"Let's go, Asuma," a classmate called out, pulling him away from his thoughts.

Shrugging it off, Asuma decided it wasn't worth worrying about. He could talk to Kurenai tomorrow.

The setting sun painted the sky a soft crimson, draping the world in golden hues.

Kurenai arrived at the alley well before Shimizu.

The area, a neglected part of the village, was near an old shop undergoing reconstruction. Workers had already left for the day.

Eager to prove herself, Kurenai imagined her father's pride and how her victory would elevate the Yūhi name.

She waited for a while before Shimizu finally appeared.

Taking a deep breath, Kurenai announced, "I'm starting now."

"Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!"

At her command, monstrous tree-like arms sprouted from the ground, twisting and coiling around Shimizu.

Seeing her illusion ensnare him, Kurenai nodded in satisfaction.

"Wow, I didn't think I could pull this technique off so smoothly today," she mused aloud.

With Shimizu seemingly immobilized, Kurenai grew bolder, stepping closer to examine his face.

Messy black bangs almost obscured his eyes, while the setting sunlight highlighted his sharp, handsome features.

For a moment, she realized Shimizu, who usually kept to himself, was far more attractive than she had imagined.

"Remember, the genjutsu of the Yūhi clan is no weaker than the Uchiha's," Kurenai declared confidently, forming the release seal.

"Release!"

But the tree bindings remained untouched.

"What's happening?"

Panic set in as Kurenai repeated her command.

"Release! Release! Release!"

Yet the illusion refused to dissipate.

Just as she began to fear she had made a grave mistake, a familiar voice whispered in her ear:

"When did you start believing you had cast a genjutsu at all?"

Kurenai spun around, finding Shimizu leaning casually against the alley wall, completely unharmed.

Turning back, she saw no trees—only empty air where her illusion should have been.

"How... how did you do that?"

A chill ran through her, disbelief etched on her face.

The truth dawned on her—Shimizu had manipulated her from the start. She had fallen into his genjutsu, believing she had the upper hand.

If Shimizu had been an enemy with malicious intent, she would already be dead.

"It's nothing special—just the baseline skill of an Uchiha," Shimizu replied, his dark eyes gleaming with an unfathomable depth.

"I... lost. You're... really strong," Kurenai admitted, her tone laced with humility.

Despite her loss, her competitive spirit burned brightly. She believed she could win next time if better prepared.

Noticing her determination, Shimizu smirked and said:

"If you're planning to challenge me again, wear something lighter next time."

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