"You hid your strength well."
Kurenai Yuhi stepped forward and elbowed him. "If we hadn't sparred today, I never would have known you were this strong."
"I never meant to hide anything from you," Kitazawa replied, eyes falling to her arm. "You just never asked."
"Oh? Now you're saying it's my fault?"
Kurenai rolled her eyes.
"I wouldn't dare."
Taking her wrist, Kitazawa said, "Let me put some medicine on that."
Kurenai paused. Only then did she notice the light bruise on her pale arm—left there when she blocked Kitazawa's Leaf Whirlwind earlier.
"It's nothing serious; it'll fade soon."
Instinctively she tried to pull her hand back but found she couldn't.
"I caused the injury, so I'll take responsibility," Kitazawa said, leading her into the living room.
Yakumo Kurama, who had just stood up to speak, quickly covered her mouth when she saw this—though her eyes sparkled with curiosity and gossip.
Kitazawa released Kurenai and went upstairs for the first‑aid kit.
"I got hurt sparring with Kitazawa," Kurenai said off‑handedly to Yakumo.
"I thought you two were—" Yakumo coughed. "Kurenai‑sensei, is it serious? I can call a medical‑ninjutsu specialist."
"Just a bruise," Kurenai said, raising her arm so Yakumo could see.
Kitazawa came back down with the kit. Ninjas always kept one—treatment at Konoha Hospital was expensive.
"Senseis, I've already mastered the Truth‑Revealing Technique," Yakumo announced. "I'll go paint on the roof."
With that, she went upstairs.
"Monstrous talent like that is really discouraging," Kitazawa muttered enviously. He had a system to rely on; Yakumo had only her innate gifts.
"Indeed," Kurenai agreed. Though hailed as a genjutsu prodigy herself, she still felt the gap.
Only the Uchiha with Sharingan could compare.
"Your talent isn't bad either," she added.
"Anyway, give me your hand."
Kitazawa sat beside her and opened the kit.
Kurenai unwrapped the white bandage, shifted closer, and placed her arm before him. Kitazawa glanced at her—and froze. They were very close. Kurenai was kneeling on the sofa, leaning forward; the black mesh under her collar was completely exposed.
Keeping a straight face, he poured disinfectant on the bruise.
"Ah—cold."
Kurenai drew a sharp breath.
"Cold's better than pain," he said, catching a faint whiff of her scent as he finished.
"Thanks."
She flexed her arm; it already felt better. Ninjas might be glass cannons, but their bodies were far tougher than ordinary people's.
"What do you think of Yakumo's new genjutsu?" Kurenai asked, now sitting cross‑legged facing him.
"The Talk Therapy Technique gains the patient's trust; the Truth‑Revealing Technique then uncovers the psychological issue," Kitazawa said after a moment. "The next technique should treat it."
"You mean the Dream Therapy you mentioned?" Kurenai asked.
"More precisely, Dream Therapy is the last resort," he explained. "Standard psychological methods should be combined with Yakumo's bloodline limit."
"How?" Kurenai frowned.
"At bottom, mental illness is a negative emotion," Kitazawa mused. "We could create a jutsu that pinpoints negative emotions."
"Sounds troublesome already," Kurenai sighed, arms folded.
"It is difficult," Kitazawa admitted. "With help it'd be easier."
"Konoha's genjutsu users are scarce," he added. "Unless we ask an Uchiha…"
"No thanks—dealing with the Uchiha is even harder," Kurenai said flatly.
"Then we'd have to ask the Hokage." Kitazawa spread his hands. Someone at Hiruzen Sarutobi's level knew virtually every jutsu—like Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Tsunade, or Shimura Danzo.
"Only if we have absolutely no choice," Kurenai said, rubbing her temples.
"Right."
Kitazawa copied her cross‑legged posture. They sat face‑to‑face on the sofa, staring at each other.
Kurenai rested her chin on one hand, thinking. A warm noon breeze drifted through the window. Her gaze lingered on Kitazawa—he had ideas, strength, and looks. Her heartbeat quickened; she looked away.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"It's nothing." She tucked her hair behind her ear. "Any ideas?"
"I… actually, yes." Kitazawa's eyes lit up. "You know Demonic Illusion: Death Mirage Jutsu, right?"
"Of course." Kurenai snorted. "It manifests the target's worst fear."
"We can flip it—let the patient's negative emotions surface on their own," he said with a smile. "How about it?"
"Genius!" Kurenai's eyes sparkled. "We can totally modify Death Mirage Jutsu. Starting from scratch is hard, but altering an existing genjutsu is much easier."
"Then we begin tomorrow!" She slapped her thigh, making the pale flesh jiggle.
…
A casino in the Land of Fire
"Please stop, Tsunade-sama!" Shizune begged. "You've gambled away our meal money!"
"I'm about to win it back!" Tsunade barked, eyes fixed on the slot machine. "Come on, pay out!"
The reels spun, then stopped: two sevens and a toad.
"Damn!" Tsunade clenched her fist. "Stupid toad!" Three sevens was the jackpot; two meant nothing.
"We're doomed—no dinner again!" Shizune wailed.
"Relax, we won't starve," Tsunade said, eyebrow arched, smiling. "Because the money delivery just arrived."
"Who would still lend us cash?" Shizune asked, bewildered.
"Is my reputation that bad?" Tsunade glared.
"…" Shizune forced a smile—You really don't know?
"Come out," Tsunade called.
An Anbu ninja appeared instantly, silently handing her a letter.
Tsunade opened it. The contents were simple: details on Yakumo Kurama and plans to build a psychological‑medical ninja corps.
"Psychological medical ninja?" Tsunade was intrigued. Her first reaction was doubt, but Hiruzen Sarutobi had no reason to lie.
She pondered. Though the letter said the Hokage wanted her back to lead the new system, the real motive was obvious: treat her hemophobia.
"Trying to trick me back? Not that easy," she snorted.
Then she read the postscript: Konoha would fully fund the project—no spending limit.