The Uchiha are indeed a prestigious clan that stands tall in the shinobi world, and their Kekkei Genkai—the Sharingan—is renowned for its unparalleled prowess in genjutsu.
Uchiha Naraku is a shinobi of exceptional insight, and the illusions he crafts are often effective in treating the psychological afflictions of his patients.
A single genjutsu can restore a mentally traumatized shinobi's will to live.
Tsunade returned to her senses from the illusion. Her once-vacant eyes regained their brilliance, and it was clear that her mind had stabilized.
"I am…"
Tsunade murmured softly.
It wasn't that Naraku didn't want to create another illusion of Kato Dan—he simply couldn't. Infiltrating the mind of a Sannin like Tsunade required immense chakra and ocular power. Even for him, it was a strain.
Moreover, crafting a second illusion in such quick succession would feel unnatural—too forced, too artificial. It would only break the illusion's credibility and render it ineffective.
"Live well…"
Naraku whispered. Because he had watched the anime in his past life, the illusion he weaved was accurate and emotionally resonant. His words struck the right chord.
"Mm."
Tsunade responded quietly, but her gaze grew resolute once more. The strength returned to her expression—the spirit of a legendary kunoichi reignited.
She looked carefully at Uchiha Naraku. He was tall, strikingly handsome, and dressed with elegance. His demeanour was nothing like her younger brother, Nawaki…
Yet in that moment, Nawaki's image seemed to overlap with Naraku's. Two figures—one past, one present—merged in her mind.
Tsunade rubbed her eyes, then blinked a few times, an action uncharacteristic of someone usually so composed.
Naraku noticed her behaviour and raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.
"I heard from Uzumaki that you want to send some of your people to Konoha Hospital to study medical ninjutsu?" Tsunade asked, shifting the topic.
"Yes, Lady Tsunade. There are many talented young shinobi within the Uchiha compound. I hope they can learn medical ninjutsu and contribute to Konoha by saving lives."
Tsunade didn't expose Naraku's deeper motives. Instead, she smiled.
"The Medical Corps is indeed understaffed. I've already requested funding from the Third Hokage. Send ten of your people—make sure they're calm and focused types who can handle the rigours of medical training."
Her tone grew more playful as she spoke.
Naraku, though seventeen, was still young. Seeing Tsunade's rare smile caught him off guard.
But Tsunade's expression subtly darkened. From Naraku's slightly dazed reaction, she was reminded of another person—Jiraiya.
Her mood shifted. Her brows furrowed slightly.
"Ahem, thank you very much, Lady Tsunade,"
Naraku quickly regained composure, giving a polite cough. His cheeks flushed slightly—embarrassed at having been momentarily distracted by a beautiful older woman.
He was, after all, a teenage boy. Such things were natural.
Tsunade raised her hand as if about to flick his forehead like she used to do to Nawaki but stopped herself.
"Hmph. Then go make the arrangements. You're dismissed."
"Yes, ma'am."
Naraku bowed and left.
After he was gone, Tsunade stood and walked to the window, gazing out at the village bustling below.
"Nawaki… don't worry about your sister."
---
Konoha Hospital
Psychiatry Department Monitoring Room
Inside the observation room, Naraku and Uchiha Fugaku, along with several Jōnin, monitored the adjacent consultation chamber.
From the very beginning, Naraku had cultivated the illusionary talents of the psychiatric division, even entering as a patient to better understand the system. He had also worked hard to have Uchiha Jiichiro and Uchiha Masao admitted to the department.
The two did not disappoint. True to the Uchiha name, they possessed not only strength but insight. Within the Psychiatric Unit, they had become the most respected genjutsu medical practitioners—far surpassing their peers.
Of course, the more skilled the shinobi, the heavier the burden.
Thus, the most serious trauma cases were directed to them, while less severe cases were handled by other shinobi in training. This helped nurture a well-rounded group of medical ninjutsu users.
In Konoha's shinobi hierarchy, Jōnin were the elites. Most Genin served under others, while Chūnin acted as the reliable backbone of the village.
Promotion to Jōnin required more than strength—it also demanded recognition from other Jōnin. In other words, social standing mattered too. This led many civilian-born shinobi to band together for support.
There were two primary ways to be promoted to Chūnin. The first was through the official Chūnin Exams—a highly competitive process where only a small percentage succeeded.
The second path was through perseverance: completing numerous missions, meeting the performance metrics, and undergoing a simpler evaluation. This was the more accessible path for many.
Still, those who passed the Chūnin Exams often stood out. For example, Jiraiya's student—Namikaze Minato—performed so well that he caught the attention of the Third Hokage.
Hiruzen Sarutobi arranged for Jiraiya to take Minato as his pupil. Though initially hesitant, as he had already begun training Nagato in his search for the Child of Prophecy, Jiraiya eventually accepted. After meeting Minato, he was impressed and taught him everything he knew.
It became one of the most well-known stories in Konoha.
Hiruzen, however, remained concerned about the Sannin. Though they were revered, each had taken different paths. Orochimaru's disciple, Nawaki, had died in battle. Tsunade had trained many but had no true successor.
Only Jiraiya had taken a student to carry his legacy.
"Fugaku, keep watching. I need to return to the Military Police to avoid a backlog of work."
"Understood."
Naraku nodded and exited.
---
Outside the monitoring room, Kurama Ryouta followed Naraku down the corridor and quickly caught up.
"Naraku-sama, please wait a moment."
"Ah, Ryouta-san. Is something wrong?"
Ryouta glanced around, ensuring no one was nearby, then reached into his ninja tool pouch.
Naraku instinctively grew cautious. The motion looked suspicious.
But Ryouta didn't pull out a kunai or explosive tag—instead, he revealed an elegant invitation scroll.
"Naraku-sama, if you have time, please visit the Kurama clan. We'd be honoured to speak with you."
Naraku blinked in surprise. So this was what the secrecy was about. He had been overly alert.
He took the invitation and channelled a small amount of chakra into the scroll. It was plain paper—no traps or seals.
"I see. Thank you, Ryouta-san. I'll make time."