"They're back, they're back..."
"That's my brother! He's a Chunin now!"
"Hmph, my daddy is a Jonin! Where is he?"
Outside the gates of Konoha, a massive crowd had gathered. Countless residents watched as the shinobi army slowly approached. Everyone looked at the ranks with anticipation, hoping to spot a family member. Even if they didn't see them, they held onto the hope that their loved ones had simply been reassigned to another unit.
Within the ranks, the shinobi waved to familiar faces among the bustling residents—some to family, others to friends.
"After registering, you are dismissed. Go home and be ready for potential mobilization at any time," Squad Leader Yamanaka Inoichi announced to the shinobi.
"Yes, sir!"
Tonbo Tobitake observed the scene. He saw a black-haired woman with a pregnant belly and a bright smile. When she spotted Inoichi, her face lit up with joy. Inoichi hurried forward, supporting her carefully as if terrified she might trip.
So that's Boss Inoichi's wife? The mother of the future Ino Yamanaka? It looks like she's carrying Ino right now.
He also saw other teammates being greeted by loved ones. Just then, a clean-cut, smiling middle-aged man appeared. He looked to be in his thirties but was missing an arm. Upon seeing Tonbo, he walked over.
"Good lad! Looks like you've grown quite a bit on the battlefield!"
"Dad, don't underestimate me! I'm just like you now—a member of the Analysis Team. And I've even studied under Lord Inoichi," Tonbo said with a proud smile.
This was his father, Tosei Tobitake. He had once been a classmate of the White Fang, Sakumo Hatake, until his arm was severed in battle. Unable to weave hand seals, he retired, which eventually led to Tonbo's birth. The reason the original Tonbo knew so much about Yamanaka Inoichi and admired him was because of the ninja stories Tosei had drilled into him.
"Very good. As expected of my son. You didn't get scolded by your superiors, did you?" Tosei teased. He was very satisfied that his son had inherited his talent.
"Give me a break! Do you think I'm like you? Going to the hospital from memory overload the first time I used Mind Reading? Your son is already a Chunin now."
"What? It really is my superior genes! Hmph... dammit, back then I was only a little bit behind Lord White Fang. Is my son going to be a little bit behind his son too?"
After registering, Tonbo followed his father back home. It was a two-story residential building that followed the standard Konoha architectural style—a blend of ancient and modern, built entirely of wood. Entering the front door, he saw numerous dragonfly trinkets made from various plants hanging around. It felt very warm and welcoming.
Throwing his luggage into his room, Tonbo finally felt a long-overdue sense of relaxation. He collapsed onto his bed and fell fast asleep. Tosei didn't disturb him. Only after becoming a shinobi and experiencing war could one truly appreciate the value of peace. In his own room, Tosei used his dexterous right hand to craft another dragonfly from reeds and hung it on the eaves. The eaves were already crowded with dragonfly models—125 of them, to be exact.
"Ah, it's already the next morning!"
Tonbo stretched, enjoying the first peaceful sleep he'd had in ages. After brushing his teeth and eating a breakfast filled with his father's affection, he headed out.
"Do fish have depressing memories too?"
At Konoha's Training Ground No. 98, beside a wide, flowing stream, Tonbo was performing a jutsu on a palm-sized fish. Under the influence of the technique, the fish's eyes gradually began to show a hint of sadness. However, after only a moment, they returned to their normal, vacant stare.
"It seems Psycho Mind Transmission: Depression still needs improvement."
Having finally settled back into the village, Tonbo had begun a series of ninjutsu experiments. At the top of his list was Genjutsu. After developing Psycho Mind Transmission: Pain on the battlefield—a Genjutsu that forced enemies into a state of agony—he had become thoroughly interested in this field.
The difficulty of Psycho Mind Transmission: Pain lay in grasping a creature's emotional trauma and the physical nerves that generate pain. His theory was that by manipulating the interaction between the target's pain receptors and the brain, he could force the conscious mind to trigger pain signals, thereby causing a real physiological impact on the body. For the most part, his experiments had been successful.
Now, he wanted to develop Depression. This involved using Genjutsu to make the brain send out signals of despair and apathy, creating lethargy in the body's nerve cells to find a opening for a one-hit kill. But clearly, judging by this fish, the effect was only fleeting. He was missing something.
"Yo, young man. Are you practicing Genjutsu on a fish?"
Poof!
Tonbo felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest. The voice came from right next to his ear. If this person meant him harm...
Trembling slightly, he slowly turned his head. He pushed up his forehead protector and peeled back the bandages covering his eyes. An elderly man appeared before him, sporting a pointed goatee.
"Lord Third Hokage!"
Standing there was indeed the Third Hokage of Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi. At this point in time, he didn't have as many wrinkles as he did during Naruto's era, but the signs of aging were clear.
"Haha, no need for formalities. Did I startle you?" Hiruzen chuckled, waving his hand.
Tonbo didn't dare be disrespectful, but he put on a dejected tone. "No... it's just that as a sensory ninja of Konoha, someone reached my side without me even noticing. I've failed the village's training!"
"Hahahaha!" Hiruzen laughed heartily. "I am the Hokage, after all. If I were discovered by a little brat who just left the Academy, then I would be the one failing my teachers' training! Hahaha."
You're not wrong, but this is terrifying! Don't you know you can scare people to death? Tonbo grumbled inwardly.
"Tell me, have you run into a problem with your ninjutsu? I am the Hokage; I can certainly give you some guidance," Hiruzen offered.
Tonbo glanced at him. You know you're the Hokage, don't you have work to do instead of coming out here to scare people? Nevertheless, he spoke up. "Well, there is a small issue..."
He explained the entire theory behind his Genjutsu and the obstacles he was facing.
"I see. While Genjutsu isn't exactly my specialty, I know that humans and fish are different. If you want to fully develop this Genjutsu, you'll have to test it on a real person," Hiruzen advised.
Tonbo nodded. Pain had also been perfected through testing on enemies. Pain receptors and "depression" signals weren't in the same neurological ballpark, which was why he had failed here.
"Ah, it's been a long time since I've moved around. Let me be your test subject," Hiruzen said, unable to resist after seeing how clever the boy was. As he said, since the war began, he had been cooped up in his office every day and hadn't seen action in a long time.
"That... wouldn't that be improper? You are the Hokage, after all."
Despite being excited by the offer, Tonbo maintained his persona, a boy who loved Konoha and cherished his comrades.
"Haha! Where the leaves flutter, the fire shall burn. This is the will the First Hokage and my teacher passed down to me. I have always upheld it, and I hope you can carry it on as well," Hiruzen said, a look of nostalgia crossing his face.
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
Explore Extra Chapters in advance!