Konoha Hospital

Orochimaru woke from the dream and instantly went rigid.

His cold, razor-sharp eyes swept over his surroundings like blades, filled with extreme vigilance and chilling menace.

The laboratory was empty. The familiar scent of disinfectant hung in the air, and the sky outside the window was still dark.

"So I'm back."

Orochimaru leaned back in his chair and glanced at the clock on the wall.

Only around ten minutes had passed since he fell asleep.

Yet it had felt like at least half an hour had passed in the dream. Clearly, that mysterious "Church of Bones" had a different flow of time from the real world.

Orochimaru forcefully pinched the bridge of his nose, a trace of apprehension and hatred flashing across his stern face.

"Orochimaru, beware of the Third Hokage and Danzo."

This was the first fate "Adam" had revealed to him before he left.

Orochimaru could understand why he needed to beware of Danzo.

As their cooperation deepened, they had already become involved in many special projects expressly forbidden by Konoha.

Though they restrained each other, there was no guarantee nothing would happen in the future.

Although Orochimaru was unwilling to believe such an outcome, White Fang's example was right before his eyes. No matter what, he had to be on guard.

As he pondered, Orochimaru spread open the Scroll again, erased the final passage, and changed it to: "Research into Wood Release has shown promising progress. Several dozen more human test subjects are needed. I hope they may be selected from the death-row prisoners of Konoha Prison. Your disciple—Orochimaru, respectfully."

"Hehehe, fate... then I'll wait and see."

After sealing the Scroll, Orochimaru clasped his hands together. His purple-shadowed eyes half-lidded as unfathomable emotions brewed within him.

The Black Mist receded like the tide.

Uchiha Sōgetsu slowly opened his eyes. The splitting headache made him frown slightly.

In the corner of the room, the brass-colored candlestick that had once been burning had now gone out.

Wisps of white smoke rose from it, releasing a peculiar fragrance throughout the room.

"Maintaining a Sequence 3 dream places too great a burden on my Spirituality." Sōgetsu rubbed his temples with his fingers. Though it could not fully cure him, it at least eased the symptoms somewhat. He let out a heavy breath. "Even ten portions of mental bodies could only sustain the dream for ten minutes."

Hermes' Brass Candlestick was the core of the "dream" he constructed.

An Extraordinary Item crafted from the Extraordinary Characteristic of a Sequence 3 Dream Weaver, it possessed some of a Dream Weaver's abilities. It could weave any dream its holder desired and forcibly pull everyone within a kilometer into that dream. The duration and power of the constructed dream depended on the quality of the mental bodies fed into the candlestick as fuel.

Of course, like every Extraordinary Item, it had two sides, and its negative effects were substantial.

First, while maintaining a dream, it rapidly consumed the holder's Spirituality. If their Spirituality was worn down too severely, the holder would suffer symptoms such as loss of control and madness.

Second, after using Hermes' Brass Candlestick, the holder would experience approximately twenty-four hours of "misfortune."

This misfortune did not refer to "luck" in the ordinary sense. Rather, during that period, everyone within a one-kilometer radius centered on Hermes' Brass Candlestick would have their minds affected and develop an "unexplained hostility" toward its holder.

Sōgetsu guessed that it was likely a characteristic of the Visionary pathway, causing Hermes' Brass Candlestick to broadly overwrite and guide the subconscious mental seas of those people.

In other words, this candlestick "wanted to kill" its holder.

"Just like that damned 0-08."

Sōgetsu grumbled inwardly, casually hid Hermes' Brass Candlestick away, and obediently went to sleep.

The night passed without incident.

As the morning sun rose, Sōgetsu woke naturally. It was a habit cultivated on the battlefield.

As a ninja, he needed to remain alert to his surroundings at all times, whether or not he was on the battlefield. Otherwise, a single moment of carelessness could lead to irreparable consequences.

After getting dressed, Sōgetsu left the Uchiha Residence.

Along the way, people kept casting inexplicable looks his way, faint hostility mixed within them.

I hope today goes smoothly. Knowing what was happening, Sōgetsu could only pray inwardly that nothing would go wrong today as he hurried toward Konoha Hospital.

"Morning, Doctor Sōgetsu~"

"Good morning, Doctor Sōgetsu."

"Doctor Sōgetsu is here?"

Fortunately, Konoha Hospital was far from the Uchiha Residence and outside the overwrite range of Hermes Brass Candlestick.

Otherwise, he really would have had to consider whether he should come in today.

After all, today's "patient" was an exceptionally violent person.

In an office on the hospital's top floor, Sōgetsu straightened himself up and pushed the door open.

Before the floor-to-ceiling window, the newly risen warm sun draped over a woman's shoulders like a soft veil of golden gauze. Her light blonde hair was tied into a ponytail, and though she was nearing thirty, her exquisite face, attractive figure, and skin remained as tender and fair as a baby's.

Her long lashes covered her eyes as they trembled faintly. With her right hand propping up her oval face, she nodded off again and again like a pestle pounding garlic.

She was beautiful.

After seeing her in person, Sōgetsu finally understood why Tsunade had claimed the top spot in adult doujin rankings.

As expected of the queen of adult doujin—Senju Tsunade.

"Ah—"

However, the beautiful scene was shattered when Tsunade woke up.

She let out a yawn with none of a beauty's grace, then stretched forcefully. Her vigorous movement sent her chest surging wildly.

No looking. No looking.

Reciting the mantra inwardly, Sōgetsu kept his eyes on his nose and his mind on his heart. Faced with such "benefits" right before him, he assumed the solemn posture of a meditating monk.

"Ah, brat, you're here." Tsunade lifted her eyelids, half-covering her pink lips, looking as though she had not woken up yet. "Sorry, I played a few rounds yesterday and got back a little late."

A few rounds, huh?

Sōgetsu suppressed the urge to complain and said calmly, "Lady Tsunade, if it isn't convenient to begin treatment today, I can come back tomorrow."

Senju Tsunade barely counted as one of his clients.

As for why only barely?

The reason was simple: this woman could not pay him every time.

"Oh, there's no need for that." Tsunade waved her hand and said carelessly, "Let's do it today. I happened to win big last night!"

Tsunade? Won big?

Hearing this, Uchiha Sōgetsu's brow twitched wildly. Well, damn.

According to the laws of Naruto, whenever Tsunade got lucky, it meant someone was about to have disastrously bad luck—and it was inevitably someone close to her.

"Understood, Lady Tsunade." Still, he only dared to think that to himself. Sōgetsu would never dare say it aloud.

There was no other reason. He was afraid of getting beaten up.

"Sorry to trouble you, brat."

Tenderness surfaced in Tsunade's eyes. She obediently sat up straight and said softly, "If it weren't for you, I'd probably still be trapped in the shadows of the past."

"It's nothing. It's my honor to be able to help you."

A warm, gentle smile hung on Sōgetsu's face as his black eyes slowly turned red and three tomoe emerged. "Are you ready, Lady Tsunade? The treatment is about to begin. Please relax."

"Yes, I'm ready."

A trace of reminiscence lingered deep within Tsunade's brown eyes as her mind gradually emptied.

Genjutsu: Wish Fulfillment!

Sōgetsu pretended to form hand seals as his Sharingan spun rapidly.

But in truth, he secretly mobilized the power of his mind, a sharp gleam erupting from his eyes.

Hypnosis!

Under Spiritual Vision, he could clearly see Tsunade's Mind-Body Gate opening.

Perfect. Let me test just how far a Sequence 6 Psychological Suggestion can go.

Sōgetsu apologized inwardly. His consciousness swam through the depths of Tsunade's mental sea, quietly planting a Psychological Suggestion.

December 4th, sunny.

I don't want to work. I get PUA'd every day and fed empty promises. I'm miserable. Maybe I'll buy a lottery ticket after work. If I win, I won't have to go to work anymore. Also, please give me some follows, recommendations, and investments. A new book needs follow-up reading. Dear readers, have mercy and toss me a little support~