The First Experiment

The Hokage Building spent half the day arguing over who would head the department. In the end, both sides reached a compromise.

Konoha would recruit genjutsu shinobi, while Uchiha Nara, as the project's initiator, would serve as a genjutsu consultant for the Mental Health Department.

Uchiha Fugaku, a genjutsu shinobi with a Kekkei Genkai, would also serve as a genjutsu consultant.

Sarutobi Hiruzen reasoned that the two men were leaders of the Military Police Force and couldn't neglect their duties for the sake of the Mental Therapy Department. So he gave them honorary consultant titles without any actual responsibilities.

After Nara and Fugaku pressed their case, he relented and agreed to let two Uchiha elite jonin specializing in genjutsu work at the Mental Therapy Department.

After all, when it came to genjutsu, no clan or jonin in Konoha dared claim their skills surpassed those of the Uchiha Clan.

Otherwise, Nara, as the Uchiha leader, would send someone to challenge them in a heartbeat.

Sarutobi Hiruzen felt rather worn out. After a full day of meetings, even the Shinobi Hero was physically and mentally exhausted.

He glanced at the two men below him. Seeing that they had no further objections, he couldn't help but feel relieved.

"The initial staff for the Mental Therapy Class will be as follows: Tsunade will be in charge, and Jonin Kurama will serve as a staff member. Nara, Fugaku, once you return, send over genjutsu jonin as soon as possible. And don't send anyone who's unqualified."

Even as he finished, Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help reminding them. He had little fondness for the shinobi clans.

"Understood."

"Yes!"

The two men below him nodded respectfully.

Sarutobi Hiruzen waved a hand.

"Meeting adjourned."

Konoha Hospital

The project had been approved by the Hokage and was quickly put into action. Within a week, the Mental Therapy Department had been set up at Konoha Hospital, and all the necessary office supplies were in place.

Today was the Mental Therapy Department's first day seeing patients. Uchiha Nara arrived in a white coat as the department's consultant, ready to conduct a covert experiment on the first group of patients.

Most of the patients in this initial trial were shinobi with records in the Military Police Force's files. Their conditions were severe, and some had even become dangerously unstable.

"All right, I understand what you're going through. Just try to relax."

Nara sat at the consultation desk in his white coat. Seated across from him was the shinobi who had caused trouble with Earth Style last time, a man named Yamamoto Haru.

After his lover was killed, the once-gentle man had begun waking in terror in the middle of the night. Consumed by grief and longing, he had been miserable for a long time. If not for his teammates and captain, he might have taken his own life long ago.

"Yes, Lord Nara. These are things I've kept buried in my heart. Now that I've talked about them, I feel much lighter. I'm sorry to trouble you."

Yamamoto Haru was polite and well-mannered, a far cry from the frenzied man who had recklessly used ninjutsu to attack everyone indiscriminately.

One thing hadn't changed: the dark circles under his eyes were severe, his eyes were bloodshot, and his face was pale. He had clearly suffered from prolonged insomnia and intense stress.

When Yamamoto Haru finished speaking and looked at Nara, he saw a pair of scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan. He froze for a moment, then slipped into the genjutsu.

"Genjutsu: Sharingan!"

Taking advantage of Yamamoto Haru's unguarded state, Nara cast Sharingan Genjutsu. Then he raised his index and middle fingers before his eyes, carefully controlling the illusion.

Inside Yamamoto Haru's illusion.

[At night, Yamamoto Haru was in his bedroom when he suddenly woke with a start and sat up, gasping for breath. He murmured, "Kyoko..."

"Haru, what's wrong?" A woman's gentle voice came from the bedroom.

"You had another nightmare, didn't you?" The woman smiled warmly. There was a refrigerator in Yamamoto Haru's bedroom, just like the one in his kitchen. It was one of his habits. Kyoko opened it and took out a bottle of soda.

Yamamoto Haru's expression shifted. He stared at the woman named Kyoko in disbelief.

After a long moment, Yamamoto Haru's eyes filled with tears.

"Kyoko!"

Yamamoto Haru scrambled out of bed, ran to her, and pulled her into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

Kyoko's smile remained warm. She rested her head against Yamamoto Haru's chest and gently patted his back.

"I came especially to see you, Haru. You have to keep living well. I don't want you to go on like this."

Kyoko spoke softly and lovingly.

At her words, Yamamoto Haru's expression changed. He froze.

Yamamoto Haru slowly let go of Kyoko. Her smile remained unchanged as she lifted a small hand to stroke his cheek.

"Haru, promise me you'll keep living well, okay?"

Yamamoto Haru seemed to understand. His senses returned, and he nodded. "Kyoko, I will."

Kyoko's smile was warm. She patted Yamamoto Haru on the shoulder. "That's a good boy."

Yamamoto Haru was a tall man. His eyes had been brimming with tears, and now they streamed down his face like a broken dam.

"Haru, you have to stay strong. For me, for our team, and for Konoha. Keep living well..."

Kyoko's body turned into specks of starlight and gradually faded away. As she disappeared, she reached out to wipe away Yamamoto Haru's tears, until the last speck of light vanished.

In Yamamoto Haru's previous dreams, Kyoko had only appeared for an instant.

He had never experienced a dream as vivid as this one.

Unlike in his many previous dreams, Yamamoto Haru didn't chase after Kyoko in a frenzy. Though tears streamed down his face, his expression was resolute.

"I'll stay strong! Don't worry, Kyoko!"]

Nara had been watching Yamamoto Haru's condition closely. He saw the blankness in the man's eyes gradually give way to clarity.

Yamamoto Haru stood and bowed to Nara at a ninety-degree angle.

"Thank you, Lord Nara. I'll live well and get back on my feet. I won't let myself fall apart again, because that's what Kyoko asked of me."

"I hope this has helped. If you ever feel distressed or troubled, remember to come back here."

Yamamoto Haru straightened and replied solemnly:

"Yes, I will. But I probably won't need to come back. My team still needs me, and so does Konoha. Thank you again."

With that, Yamamoto Haru bowed to Nara at a ninety-degree angle once more, then turned and left.

In the Surveillance Room, Tsunade, Uchiha Fugaku, Jonin Kurama Ryota, and Jonin Yuhi Shinku watched the footage and listened to the audio. They had observed the entire genjutsu-based therapy session, and it seemed to have worked well.

Since Uchiha Nara had proposed the Mental Therapy Department, he was in charge of treating the first few patients during the genjutsu therapy trial on its first day.

Nara insisted on learning everything about each patient's emotional trauma: what had caused them to become unstable and fall into despair.

Whether it was a lover, friend, or family member, or some other reason, he had to understand the situation thoroughly before casting a targeted genjutsu.

The treatment demanded a high level of skill with genjutsu. First, the illusion had to create the right setting and people. The people in particular couldn't be even slightly inaccurate. They had to be recreated based on photographs.

After treating five patients with genjutsu, Nara wiped the sweat from his forehead.

He had cast genjutsu repeatedly in a short time, and his body was getting tired. He waved at the camera, signaling for someone to come relieve him and take over the experiment.

The various genjutsu treatments on the first day seemed to be working well.

After experiencing the scenes in the illusions, many patients had a noticeable light in their eyes again. They no longer looked lifeless or bloodshot.

Some patients even fell asleep as soon as they finished their genjutsu treatment and thanked the staff.

Long-term insomnia, repression, and emotional torment had worn them down. Sometimes, even sleeping pills couldn't help them get a peaceful night's rest.

Of the five shinobi Nara treated with genjutsu, two collapsed into sleep as soon as they left.

They had set down their emotional burdens, felt their exhaustion, and fallen into a deep sleep...