Chapter 54: Chapter 54

“You’ve been hiding quite the secret, haven’t you?” Kurenai teased, nudging Kitazawa with her elbow as she stepped closer. “If we hadn’t sparred today, I’d never have guessed you were this strong.”

“I wasn’t deliberately keeping it from you,” Kitazawa replied, glancing down at her arm. “You just never asked.”

“Oh? So now it’s my fault?” Kurenai shot him an exaggerated eye roll.

“I wouldn’t dare blame you,” Kitazawa said with a smirk, reaching out and gently taking her wrist. “Hold still—I’ll put some ointment on that.”

Kurenai blinked, slightly startled.

Only then did she notice the faint bruise marring the pale skin of her forearm—the one she’d gotten while blocking Kitazawa’s Leaf Whirlwind kick earlier.

“It’s nothing. Just a little bruise. It’ll fade on its own,” she protested, instinctively trying to pull her hand away. But Kitazawa held firm.

“I caused it, so I’ll take responsibility,” he said, tugging her toward the living room.

Yakumo, who’d been sitting on the sofa, rose to her feet, about to speak. But when she saw the scene unfolding, she quickly slapped a hand over her mouth.

Her wide eyes sparkled with curiosity, her gossip-loving heart practically vibrating.

Kitazawa released Kurenai only long enough to head upstairs and fetch the medicine box.

Kurenai gave Yakumo a casual wave. “Kitazawa and I were sparring earlier. I got dinged up a little.”

“Oh…” Yakumo coughed lightly, then peered at her with concern. “Sensei, is it serious? Should I go call a medical ninja?”

“It’s just a bruise,” Kurenai said, lifting her arm so Yakumo could see. “Nothing a little ointment won’t fix.”

Kitazawa soon returned, medicine box in hand.

As shinobi, having a medical kit around the house was as standard as carrying kunai. After all, medical ninja visits at Konoha Hospital weren’t cheap.

“Senseis, I’ve already learned the Truth Extraction Jutsu!” Yakumo announced proudly. “I’m heading up to the rooftop to draw for a bit.”

With that, she scurried upstairs.

“These genius types are a nightmare,” Kitazawa muttered with a faint sigh.

He had his system to rely on—but Yakumo achieved results purely through her own talent.

“True,” Kurenai agreed softly.

She might be considered a prodigy in Genjutsu herself, but even she felt a gulf between her and Yakumo’s natural gifts.

The only ones who could compare were the Uchiha Clan with their Sharingan.

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Kurenai added with a faint smile. “Your talent’s nothing to scoff at either.”

“Let’s not get into that,” Kitazawa said, sitting beside her and opening the medicine box. “Now give me your arm.”

Kurenai undid the white bandage she’d wrapped around her hand earlier. Shifting closer, she extended her arm toward him.

Kitazawa glanced down—and momentarily froze.

They were very close.

Kurenai was kneeling on the couch, leaning forward slightly, and the black mesh of her ninja underlayer at her neckline was clearly visible.

He quickly forced his expression back to normal, focusing instead on the task at hand. He poured a bit of disinfectant onto a cotton pad and pressed it to her bruise.

“Ah—that’s cold!” Kurenai gasped, her breath catching.

“Better cold than painful,” Kitazawa said calmly, continuing to treat her wound, though he couldn’t help noticing the faint, pleasant scent clinging to her.

“Thanks,” Kurenai said, flexing her arm experimentally. “It feels a lot better already.”

Though shinobi were famous for their offensive skills and fragile defenses, their physical resilience was leagues beyond that of ordinary civilians.

“What do you think of Yakumo’s new Genjutsu Jutsus?” Kurenai asked, shifting from kneeling to sitting cross-legged to face him properly.

“The Therapeutic Words Jutsu builds trust with the patient. The Truth Extraction Jutsu uses that trust to uncover the root of psychological problems,” Kitazawa mused. “The next logical step would be a genjutsu to begin actual treatment.”

“Is that the dream therapy you were talking about before?” Kurenai asked, brow furrowing in thought.

“More precisely, dream therapy should be the last resort,” Kitazawa explained. “Ideally, we’d rely on conventional psychological methods first—and use Yakumo’s kekkei genkai to enhance them.”

“How exactly would you combine the two?” Kurenai pressed, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

“Psychological issues often boil down to negative emotions,” Kitazawa said, tapping a finger against his chin. “I think we could develop a genjutsu capable of pinpointing and isolating those negative feelings.”

“That sounds ridiculously complicated,” Kurenai groaned, crossing her arms as if warding off a headache.

“It’s definitely not easy,” Kitazawa agreed with a rueful smile.

“If we had some extra help, it would make things a lot simpler,” Kurenai sighed.

“Unfortunately, genjutsu specialists are rare in Konoha,” Kitazawa said. Then he paused, adding, “Unless we bring in someone from the Uchiha Clan.”

“Ugh, forget it,” Kurenai said at once, waving a hand dismissively. “Dealing with the Uchiha is even more of a headache.”

“Then our only other option might be asking Hokage-sama for assistance,” Kitazawa said, spreading his hands in resignation.

After all, once you reached the level of Hiruzen Sarutobi, there wasn’t a jutsu in the village you didn’t know.

Others of similar caliber to him included powerhouses like Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Lady Tsunade, and Danzo Shimura.

“Let’s only go to Hokage-sama if we truly have no other choice,” Kurenai said, rubbing her temples as though fending off a headache.

“Mm,” Kitazawa agreed, settling into a cross-legged position mirroring Kurenai’s.

The two of them sat facing each other on the sofa, locked in a quiet gaze.

Kurenai propped her chin on one hand, eyes distant as she sank into thought.

A warm midday breeze drifted through the window, gently rustling her hair.

Her gaze fell on Kitazawa, lingering on the determined lines of his face. She felt her heart give an unexpected flutter.

Over these past weeks, she’d discovered a different side of him—a side that was sharp, powerful, and undeniably handsome.

Feeling heat creep into her cheeks, she quickly looked away.

“What’s wrong?” Kitazawa asked, noticing her sudden shift.

“Nothing,” Kurenai replied, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She forced a casual tone as she asked, “Do you have any ideas?”

“I… actually do.” Kitazawa paused, his own heart stirring slightly as he met her eyes. “Are you familiar with the Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Jutsu?”

“Of course,” Kurenai scoffed lightly. “That’s the Genjutsu that forces the target to confront their deepest fears.”

“Exactly. But what if we flipped the script—used it to coax the patient’s negative emotions to surface willingly?” Kitazawa said, a spark of excitement glinting in his eyes. “What do you think?”

“That’s genius!” Kurenai exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. “We could completely modify the Hell Viewing Jutsu for therapy!”

Creating a brand-new Genjutsu from scratch was a monumental task. But modifying an existing one? That was far more manageable.

“Then let’s start experimenting tomorrow!” Kurenai declared, slapping her thigh for emphasis, the soft flesh rippling under her hand.

Meanwhile, at a certain casino in the Land of Fire…

“Please stop, Lady Tsunade!” Shizune pleaded desperately, clutching her purse to her chest. “If you keep going, we won’t even have money for food tonight!”

“I’ll win it all back on this next spin!” Tsunade shot back, glaring at the slot machine like it owed her a personal debt. “Come on… pay up already!”

The reels clattered and spun, finally slowing to a stop. Two sevens…and a single toad.

“DAMN IT!” Tsunade roared, slamming a fist into the machine’s side. “Why is it always that cursed toad?!”

Three sevens was the jackpot. Two sevens meant absolutely nothing.

Shizune buried her face in her hands. “It’s over. We’re going to starve again…”

“Don’t worry. We won’t be starving tonight,” Tsunade said, a sly grin curling across her lips. “Because someone with money has finally arrived.”

“Who would possibly lend us money at this point?” Shizune cried, on the verge of tears.

“Hey!” Tsunade snapped, glaring daggers at her. “Is my reputation really that bad?”

“…” Shizune’s lips twitched as she chose not to answer.

’Of course it is. Don’t you have any self-awareness?’

“Come out,” Tsunade called out suddenly.

A heartbeat later, an ANBU ninja appeared beside her in a swirl of leaves, silent as a ghost.

Without a word, he handed her a letter, bowing respectfully.

Tsunade tore the letter open and quickly scanned its contents.

The message was straightforward: it explained Yakumo Kurama’s situation and the Hokage’s plan to establish a new Psychological Medical Ninja division in Konoha.

“Psychological Medical Ninja…?” Tsunade murmured, an eyebrow lifting in surprise.

Her first instinct was skepticism—but she knew Sarutobi-sensei wouldn’t lie about such a thing.

Tsunade fell silent, her mind churning.

Hiruzen might have claimed he wanted her to oversee this new system, but she knew his true goal all too well.

He wanted to lure her back to Konoha—to treat her hemophobia.

“Tch. Think you can trick me into coming back that easily, old man?” Tsunade snorted, folding the letter as if she meant to toss it aside. “Not happening.”

But then, her eyes caught the last line at the bottom of the letter.

’Konoha Village will fully support the establishment of the Psychological Medical Ninja system—including unlimited funding.’

Tsunade’s hands froze mid-motion.

Her golden eyes sparkled as she stared at the words.

“Unlimited… funding?” she whispered, a dangerous glint appearing in her eyes.

Shizune paled, realizing exactly what was about to happen.

“L-Lady Tsunade…?” she squeaked.

A predatory grin spread across Tsunade’s face. “Maybe… it wouldn’t hurt to check it out, after all.”

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