After finishing her assessment of Kurenai, Eri turned to Kazuhiko and gave him an approving smile.
"You've done well lately. Shisui thinks highly of your Psychological Medicine, so I can finally stop wondering if making you a medical ninja was a mistake."
Eri stood and came over to Kazuhiko, straightening her son's collar.
"For the sake of your career, I can also allow you to use your secret technique in exchange..."
Kazuhiko grabbed his mom's hand, feeling a little touched. "Love you, Mom!"
"But there's one condition."
Kazuhiko: Oh no. Maybe I said I loved her too soon.
"Within a year, I don't care who it is—you'd better bring home a wife for me to meet. If you can't, you'll pay back the 150,000 ryō with interest, nine out, thirteen back. And I'll personally arrange a blind date for you."
Kazuhiko sucked in a sharp breath.
Where the hell am I? Is this still Naruto?
What's with the loan shark rates and the blind dates?
"Mom, that's loan-sharking!"
"Mm, I know."
"But we're mother and son, bound by blood~"
"Take it or leave it."
"I'll take it, I'll take it!" Kazuhiko clasped Eri's hand. "I promise I'll get it done! Love you, Mom! You're the most beautiful and open-minded woman in the world..."
"Get out of here and eat."
"On it!"
Hideki brought the fish soup to the table and let out a mournful sigh.
"150,000 ryō... just to meet someone. How many watermelons could that buy..."
Black Charcoal swished her tail, in complete agreement.
"If you like someone, just rub up against them, meow~ That money could buy so many fish, meow~"
Eri's gaze drifted toward the man and cat, and the dinner table fell silent at once.
After dinner, Hideki went to the Hokage Building to post Kazuhiko's mission.
[A-rank Mission: Genjutsu Instruction] [Client: Uchiha Kazuhiko, Genin] [Reward: 150,000 ryō] [Mission Details: Instruct the client in genjutsu techniques for one week] [Additional Condition: The assigned ninja must be Kurenai Yuhi]
As soon as the mission was posted, it caused a stir in the mission hall.
The A-rank mission was so easy it was almost absurd, and many ninjas were eager to take it.
"Too bad it specifies the ninja. Otherwise, you could earn 150,000 ryō just by teaching genjutsu. This kind of mission is a piece of cake!"
"That's ridiculous. And it was posted by a Uchiha ninja? The clan renowned for genjutsu needs someone else to teach them? Is this guy's head screwed on right?"
"Keep your nose out of Uchiha business. What if they're stupid and rich..."
"Does the Uchiha who posted this actually want to learn genjutsu? I can hear his ulterior motives all the way from the village gate. He's trying to get with Kurenai!"
"Shh, keep your voice down. There are Uchiha ninjas over there."
Standing in front of the mission board were two ninjas with the Gunbai emblem on their clothes.
Uchiha Yuto frowned and looked at his younger brother, puzzled.
"Who's Kazuhiko? Do we have an idiot like that in the Uchiha Clan?"
Yuji searched for a mission he could take, looking nonchalant.
"An eighteen-year-old medical Genin. He nearly died on a mission during the war, but even that didn't awaken his Sharingan."
"What an idiot! The Uchiha Clan's genjutsu is second to none. Who does he think he is, letting someone else tell him what to do?"
The bystanders' disparaging remarks about the Uchiha made Yuto seethe with anger.
"Guys like that are the reason our clan's reputation is going down the drain! Just let me catch you!"
After making his threat against Kazuhiko, Yuto strode to the middle of the hall and shouted,
"Who said Uchiha ninjas are stupid and rich? Show yourself! Do you have the guts to take me on?"
Yuji covered his face, wearing an expression of sheer misery. "Not this again..."
He really wanted to turn around and leave, pretending he didn't know Yuto.
But that was his big brother, and he was only a Genin.
If he really left, he was afraid his brother would get beaten up and bullied.
"Sigh~"
Beneath Konoha, at the Root headquarters.
"Eri has made a move."
A Root ninja knelt on one knee and presented the intelligence.
Danzo took the scroll, his brow furrowing slightly.
"150,000 ryō, and she's specified that Kurenai Yuhi teach Uchiha Kazuhiko genjutsu..."
What did it mean to have Kurenai, a Special Jōnin, teach an Uchiha genjutsu?
"What is Eri planning?"
For a moment, Danzo couldn't figure out the purpose behind Eri's actions.
He couldn't understand why an Uchiha Jonin with the Three-Tomoe Sharingan would need someone else to teach her son genjutsu.
A plot!
There had to be something else going on!
"My lord, there's something else."
Another ninja spoke up.
"Eri's Ninja Cat, Black Charcoal, left the Uchiha Clan Compound after the mission was posted. It was headed toward Kurenai Yuhi's residence."
"A Ninja Cat?" Danzo narrowed his eyes. "Is Eri investigating Kurenai Yuhi?"
I knew it wasn't that simple!
You evil Uchiha can't fool my keen Three-Tomoe Sharingan!
"According to surveillance records, Uchiha Kazuhiko has made several public statements about the Hokage, expressing his admiration for Tsunade. His companions have teased him, calling him 'the guy who likes older women.'"
The Root ninja reported without expression.
"Intelligence suggests Kazuhiko may have a mother complex and prefers older women. Considering this mission, I believe his main objective is to use it as a pretext to approach Kurenai Yuhi and pursue her."
Danzo froze for a moment, then let out a cold laugh.
"You're saying Uchiha Eri spent 150,000 ryō and sent a Ninja Cat to investigate, all just to help her son pick up a woman?"
"That's not all. Picking her up is just a pretext. Her true purpose is political. By befriending Kurenai Yuhi, she can also win over ninjas connected to the Yūhi Clan. Though the Yūhi Clan has fallen into decline, it still has a deep foundation."
Danzo fell silent.
This theory fit his stereotyped view of the evil Uchiha.
Trying to win over other clans—those Uchiha really couldn't be trusted!
Remembering the "Psychology Clinic" mentioned in the investigation report, he recalled Genin Kazuhiko, who only knew "talk therapy."
The Three-Tomoe Sharingan beneath Danzo's bandages slowly turned as he spoke,
"A useless wretch without even a Sharingan, hmph. Using a wretch to win over Kurenai Yuhi, a genjutsu-specialist Special Jōnin? Heh..."
In the face of the Sharingan, the whole thing was a joke.
With that, he rose and paced toward the passageway, his tone full of disdain.
"These petty tricks won't stir up any waves."
"My lord, should we increase surveillance on Kazuhiko?"
"No need."
Danzo waved a hand. "Keep working on Shisui. As for the other wretches..."
A mocking smile tugged at his lips.
"Ignore him. Once Shisui joins Root, every secret of the Uchiha will be mine. Then I'll have the Uchiha Clan completely under my control."
"Yes."
The Root ninja disappeared into the darkness, leaving only the flickering candlelight in the underground world.
Meanwhile, in a house somewhere in Konoha.
A black cat sat on the steps, her tail curled elegantly in front of her.
Her amber eyes reflected the figure of a beautiful woman with black hair and red eyes. A few bandages were wrapped around her legs. She was none other than the [leading genjutsu expert in Konoha]—
Kurenai Yuhi.
"Meow~"
Black Charcoal tilted her head and deliberately acted cute for her.
As Eri's Ninja Cat, she knew no woman could resist the "head-patting" trick.
Kurenai fell for it, smiling radiantly at the sight and showing her pearly white teeth.
She bent down and reached out a slender hand to stroke Black Charcoal's head.
Black Charcoal pretended to close her eyes in contentment, feeling very pleased with herself.
Hmph, women.
As she sized up Kurenai Yuhi, she began evaluating Eri's future daughter-in-law—
Her teeth were pretty good, though she was a bit small-chested.
But she had a big butt—she'd be good for bearing children.
Before you continue