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[Konoha2] Chapter 50: Hypnosis Master!
🕑 Added 2025-05-23 18:02:28 +0000 UTCBecause Yakushi Nono was training at the Konoha Hospital, she wasn’t present with the squad.
Hajime and the other two first met up outside the Root base with the squad led by Shimura Daichi, and from there, they headed out beyond the borders of the village.
Outside Konoha—
Shimura Daichi finally spoke to Hajime:
“‘Alpha, the target of this ANBU mission is a merchant caravan. Among them is a former shinobi who withdrew from combat duties after being injured.”
“ANBU has confirmed that he's been using the caravan as cover to leak intel about the village. And… there may be hidden truths about how his former squad all died in action.”
Hajime replied, “He meets with outside forces while traveling with the caravan?”
Daichi nodded. “ANBU hopes to capture the outsiders he's meeting as well. We're backup—just in case things go wrong.”
“That man once had the potential to become a jōnin.”
“Right now, ANBU still doesn’t know exactly when he started leaking information—whether it was before or after his injury.”
Hajime said flatly, “We’ll know once we capture him.”
Daichi nodded and added, “Orders from Lord Danzo: you may fully unleash your Wood Release techniques.”
Underneath the mask, Hajime raised an eyebrow. He immediately understood—Danzo must have already confessed his existence to Hiruzen Sarutobi and secured an agreement to keep him in Root for now.
It seemed his earlier deductions had been spot-on.
Hajime nodded to Daichi. “Understood.”
——
Their group trailed behind an ANBU team, which in turn followed a merchant caravan that had just left Konoha.
The caravan itself looked perfectly normal—protected by hired Konoha shinobi, as was customary.
Over the next two days, the caravan traveled from Konoha to the border of the Land of Fire, stopping at two major cities along the way and constantly exchanging goods.
Despite being under the dual surveillance of the ANBU and Hajime’s group, no suspicious activity was discovered.
That night—
At the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain.
Inside a wooden lodge, as midnight struck on October 19, Hajime’s status panel refreshed right on time.
He immediately checked his permanent status.
Unfortunately, it still only showed [Swordmanship Master]—he hadn’t obtained [Steel Body].
Apparently, the Diamond Body Technique he had developed based on the Earth Spear jutsu wasn’t enough to meet the threshold for solidifying [Steel Body] as a permanent skill.
A bit disappointing.
Still, not without gains—his Diamond Body Technique had progressed nicely. At this point, Hajime could harden his entire body in just three seconds.
While that was still a bit slow, he could initiate it from the outside in.
Just hardening the skin, for example, could be done instantaneously.
Pushing aside his disappointment, Hajime shifted his gaze to the current temporary status:
> Current Status: Hypnosis Master <
> Note: Under this status, you possess master-level hypnotic talent. Once someone is hypnotized, you may do with them as you please. Use with caution—especially with the opposite sex. <
> Refresh countdown: 167:57:57 <
Hypnosis?!
Genjutsu?
A faint smile played across Hajime’s face.
Genjutsu was absolutely one of his biggest weaknesses—he only knew basic genjutsu dispelling, and had no skill in casting it.
But… what was with that note?
Why the emphasis on the opposite sex?
How shameful!
Do I look like that kind of sleazebag?!
Hajime was slightly outraged—but quickly set aside the thought, clearing his mind and thinking seriously about what benefits this new status could bring.
After all, no matter how powerful the status was, it would vanish in seven days.
If he could permanently solidify it during that time, that would be ideal.
Even if he couldn’t, using the status to develop new abilities or jutsu—like how he had created Dual Mind and Diamond Body—would still be a major win.
Especially now, under the effect of [Hypnosis Master], he had been granted innate talent for hypnosis.
However—
“Hypnotic talent... Looks like hypnosis isn’t the same as genjutsu.”
Hajime pondered to himself,
“Genjutsu likely includes hypnosis within its scope. Still, whether hypnosis is part of genjutsu or a separate domain, it clearly enhances my aptitude for illusion techniques.”
“Seven days… Let’s hope this mission ends within that timeframe.”
In his squad, neither Ryo nor Ryoma knew how to use genjutsu—just how to dispel it.
As for Shimura Daichi…
Hajime thought for a moment, then stood and walked to the room where Daichi was resting. He knocked.
“Come in,” Daichi’s voice came from within.
Hajime pushed the door open, sat down, and got straight to the point:
“‘Ten’, you know genjutsu, don’t you?”
Shimura Daichi was slightly taken aback, then nodded.
“My genjutsu skills are average at best. Why?”
Hajime was quite satisfied with that answer.
“I’m here to ask for instruction. I hope you can teach me the genjutsu you know.”
Daichi was stunned.
Wasn’t that a bit... forward?
Seeing his hesitation, Hajime frowned slightly.
“What, you don’t want to?”
“‘Ten’, I am Lord Danzo’s most trusted subordinate—the sharpest blade in his arsenal.”
“His will is my will. When Lord Danzo is absent, my will represents his.”
“My strength is Danzo’s strength—it is the strength of Root.”
“And you, you’re not just part of Root. You’re also from the Shimura clan.”
Daichi’s face twitched.
I didn’t even say no yet—why are you throwing all this at me?
Though… he did make a good point.
“There’s no problem with teaching you. But I only know two genjutsu techniques,” Daichi said smoothly, without the slightest hesitation.
Unbeknownst to him, he had already fallen under Hajime’s silent hypnosis.
Hell Viewing Technique!
Temple of Nirvana Technique!
These were the two genjutsu Daichi had mastered. The former, a D-rank technique, forced targets to witness the thing they feared most. The latter, an A-rank technique, was a mass-scale hypnosis genjutsu.
Under hypnosis, Daichi shared everything without reservation.
Three hours later—
Having learned both techniques, Hajime left Daichi’s room.
Genjutsu... doesn’t seem that hard after all.
——
The night passed uneventfully.
With the rising sun, and after replenishing their stamina and hydration with soldier pills and water, Hajime and the others set off once more, following the ANBU deep into the Land of Rain.
It was now autumn, and the seasonal rain of the Land of Rain was particularly chilly.
Though none of them had raincoats, their hooded gear kept Hajime’s group from getting drenched like soaked dogs.
By midday, the caravan arrived at a small town in the Land of Rain.
Hajime’s squad temporarily took shelter in a nearby cave outside the town.
But they had only been resting for about half an hour when the Root ninja assigned to monitor the town rushed back.
“Captain! The ANBU made their move—but things have gone south. Rain ninja are involved—they’ve been surrounded!”
Shimura Daichi frowned deeply, instinctively looking toward Hajime.
Hajime stood up.
“Ten, you go find the squad guarding the caravan. I’ll take the others and go support the ANBU.”
“Got it!”
Daichi agreed without hesitation.
This was the Land of Rain—enemy territory. Now that Rain ninja were involved, there was no time to delay. Concentrating all available forces to swiftly resolve the battle was the most efficient and rational course of action.
Daichi immediately departed.
Hajime, meanwhile, led Ryo and the others directly toward the battlefield.
(End of Chapter)
