The Ultimate Genjutsu of Konoha

The one laughing wildly was, of course, Uchiha Retsuo.

In fact, just now, when Danzo had approached, Uchiha Retsuo had already "sensed" him. It was a wave of malice, malicious intent pricking like needles and silently stabbing at the Yin Release Barrier.

At the time, he had been reporting the enemy situation to Sarutobi Hiruzen. The Yin Release Barrier surrounding him had been constantly weakening. In his perception, it was like a block of ice continuously melting, with only a small portion left.

Even so, the malicious intent had still appeared clearly in Retsuo's perception, just like when he had sensed the malicious intent of a Root Ninja at Hokage Rock, near the bend leading down the mountain.

He had not dared to be certain then, but when Danzo released his malicious intent, Retsuo had suddenly thought: wasn't this the legendary Malice Perception belonging to the Nine-Tails?

According to legend, the First Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, Mito Uzumaki, had mastered this ability perfectly. Retsuo still remembered that when the Sharingan in the Nine-Tails' eyes had vanished, an enormous amount of Yin Release Chakra had been discharged into the air. Immediately afterward, his Yin Release Barrier had resonated with it.

Yin Release represented the mind and even the soul. He could never forget the Nine-Tails' stunned expression at the time. Clearly, something had happened between the Nine-Tails' Chakra and his own.

So here was the question: why had Malice Perception been messed with by his own barrier? How did this barrier operate?

While he had been spacing out, the barrier had been stabbed once, twice, three times...

"Hey, hey! Shimura Danzō, can't you ease up a little? Are you a malice-producing machine?"

Retsuo was complaining frantically, but then a voice said beside his ear, "Danzo has always raced against time when playing the villain."

A sudden voice!

The hairs on Retsuo's body stood on end. He hurriedly spun around, but did not see a single hair!

In the distance, the ANBU, Root, and Hokage Guard were diligently standing watch one by one, maintaining strict vigilance. There was no one else nearby at all.

Besides, why did that voice sound so familiar?

Was it Minato? Was Minato still alive?

Retsuo was just about to cry out in surprise when his vision suddenly blurred. Then it began to spin, spin, spin...

When he focused his eyes again, he found himself in a dark and expansive space. Beneath his feet were pitch-black rocks as dark as thick ink. The surroundings seemed vast and empty, but at the edge of his distant field of vision was a brilliantly colored blackness.

Light passed through the dark canopy overhead and shone into the space. It was clearly dark outside, and he had no idea where the light came from. It was cool without being bone-chilling, and Retsuo felt extremely comfortable.

The transparent figure of Minato Namikaze stood before him, smiling.

Retsuo was shocked, and within his shock was a tiny trace of delight.

"Teacher Minato, you?"

Minato looked around. "This space is your Yin Release Chakra Barrier. My current state... is the Chakra my main body left on the Flying Thunder God Kunai, which has merged into your Yin Release Barrier. You happened to be carrying my Flying Thunder God Kunai. This space is incredible!"

Retsuo suddenly understood.

Not everyone could use Chakra this way, but Minato could. He could not only do it himself, he could even leave Kushina's Chakra inside Naruto's body. In terms of using Chakra, only the Sage of Six Paths, Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, was stronger than Minato.

Ordinary Chakra could not possibly achieve this, but perhaps the Chakra used by the Flying Thunder God Mark was not ordinary either?

Actually, this kind of state, resembling a split soul, was not uncommon in the Shinobi World. The Shadow Clone Jutsu was one example. Every clone could think and act independently.

Minato Namikaze was concise, but his expression was urgent. "My main body should already have died in battle, right? And Kushina as well. I can't sense my main body's Chakra or Kushina's."

Retsuo nodded gloomily. "Yes, to seal the Nine-Tails. But your son survived."

Perhaps he had heard the good news, because Minato immediately brightened. A light of hope blossomed in his eyes.

"Naruto was born? That's wonderful! I only knew what happened before I made these Flying Thunder God Kunai. Your Yin Release Barrier is truly miraculous. Ordinarily, Chakra like the Flying Thunder God Mark's couldn't produce the state I'm in now. My main body would have to use a special method for the Chakra to 'come alive.' But it can actually happen inside your Yin Release Barrier. That's wonderful. As for how I pulled you in..."

Retsuo immediately grew excited. "Will you teach me the Flying Thunder God Technique, Fuinjutsu, Rasengan, or Sage Jutsu?"

Minato scratched his head and gave an awkward, embarrassed laugh. "Actually, I was hoping you could let Naruto meet me this way a few years from now. My main body should have left similar Chakra inside Naruto, but knowing my personality, I'm afraid it won't be easy for him to meet me..."

Retsuo thought, You're absolutely right! You really do understand your own operating habits!

It was precisely because Minato had hidden it so deeply that, when Pain had come to Konoha carrying rice, Naruto had just learned that the person in front of him was his own father, the village's Fourth Hokage, and the man who had sealed the Nine-Tails inside him. His first reaction had been a punch straight to the groin, nearly beating Minato to death...

At that moment, Minato Namikaze suddenly frowned. "The Chakra is beginning to run out. As expected, Chakra that hasn't been personally processed doesn't last long at all. Listen to me, Retsuo. Your Yin Release Barrier has immense potential. I feel that its power is no less than the Sharingan's. You must train properly. There should still be quite a few Flying Thunder God Kunai left at my home. Once your training improves, the same amount of Chakra should be able to maintain it for a little longer... Hahaha, I'm not encouraging you to train this barrier just so I can spend a little more time with Naruto after he grows up."

"This barrier is no less than the Sharingan?"

"Yes. I'm not underestimating the Sharingan. This barrier is simply very special. Yin Release is the power of the mind. There are many kinds of barriers in the Shinobi World, but there are almost none composed purely of Yin Release..." Minato suddenly paused. "Have you already awakened your eyes? Is this the Sharingan's ocular technique?"

"I awakened them tonight. But it doesn't seem to be an ocular technique. It isn't activated through these eyes. In fact, I don't even know what it is."

"No wonder." Minato closed his eyes and thought for a moment before saying, "Your potential in Genjutsu is the highest among all the ninjas I've ever seen, although Genjutsu isn't my specialty. This barrier will definitely make you a powerful ninja. You'd better train it together with the Sharingan. Your barrier... this barrier, how should I put it? You should have sensed it too. It possesses an ability similar to Kushina's Malice Perception, and much more besides."

As he spoke, Minato's figure gradually faded. He also realized that he was constantly consuming Chakra, so he hurriedly formed hand seals. Then he carefully sensed the barrier again, and his heart filled with astonishment.

It was not strange for a single ninja to possess a Yin Release Chakra Barrier. The Shinobi World was full of strange things, and Chakra barriers were at least no rarer than Kekkei Genkai. In Konoha itself, the Kurama Clan's Genjutsu heritage had a similar effect.

But in Minato's perception, this space gave his Chakra clone the illusion that it had already truly come alive...

A Chakra clone shared all the knowledge and experience of its main body, so of course he knew what a Chakra clone normally felt like.

"Retsuo, your Uchiha Clan's talent in Genjutsu is the greatest in the entire Shinobi World. But I hope you can figure out how to train this barrier on your own, because I suspect it can be taken away..."

"Just like the Sharingan?"

"Yes. You can let people know that you have a barrier, but you must never let anyone understand how powerful it is. Otherwise, someone will certainly scheme to take it away. Especially Shimura Danzō. He bears all the darkness of Konohagakure. In the past, Kushina often sensed Danzo's malicious intent toward her! He is not only prejudiced against the Uchiha Clan, but also acts without restraint. Unfortunately, I have too little time... There are many things I want to say to Naruto, and I'll have to rely on your barrier. You absolutely must not let anything go wrong."

Uchiha Retsuo thought, Great. I've successfully become nothing more than a tool...

He firmly remembered every word Minato had said. For now, he did not intend to say much. Minato had little time left, and every second was precious.

Minato continued, "I know what you're thinking. If you get the chance, you can learn Fuinjutsu and Rasengan from Teacher Jiraiya. Sage Jutsu cannot be forced. Training in it is extremely dangerous. As for the Flying Thunder God Technique, it's an S-rank Forbidden Jutsu of the village. Whether you can learn it mainly depends on your talent in space. It's incredibly difficult."

"Space... talent?" Retsuo murmured.

"Yes. The Flying Thunder God Technique is essentially a kind of Reverse Summoning Technique. The key lies in sensing the Flying Thunder God Mark from a great distance. Talent is indispensable; hard work alone won't suffice. If you pass that hurdle, the only remaining difficulty is the Flying Thunder God Mark itself. We can talk about it once you're qualified to learn the techniques in the Scroll of Seals. As for your barrier, I feel its value is no less than the Flying Thunder God Technique. From the outside, it's a barrier, but from the inside, it's a space. No, it's a world! Yes, a world. Otherwise, it couldn't possibly make this kind of Chakra materialize."

Minato Namikaze gradually became extremely serious. "Retsuo, Yin Release is a type of ninjutsu that creates form from the formless. It is the foundation of Genjutsu. The highest peak of Genjutsu is being able to transform an entire world into reality. Do you know that?"

Retsuo nodded silently. The complete yet false world created by the Six Paths level Genjutsu, Infinite Tsukuyomi, was precisely such a world.

Minato said gloomily, "Unfortunately, I can't personally guide your training anymore. There's so much I want to teach you. What a shame. You must train your Chakra properly. Chakra is the power that connects people, and it is crucial to your barrier. Your barrier... let me try something!"

As he spoke, Minato continued forming hand seals. More than a dozen seals changed rapidly, and then he slammed his palm down hard!

After a slight tremor, Minato stood up, his eyes shining.

He said excitedly and rapidly, "My guess was right! Once you've mastered the transformation of your Chakra's nature, this place will be a treasure ground for developing Kekkei Genkai. Retsuo, listen to me. The Yin Release within this barrier is controllable! You'll find it extremely easy to train any Yin Release-related Kekkei Genkai. The greatest difficulty in developing a Kekkei Genkai doesn't exist within this barrier! You don't understand yet, and that's fine. Remember my words. In a few years, you'll understand!"

Retsuo hurriedly nodded. He was not as ignorant as Minato imagined. Wasn't the greatest difficulty in developing a Kekkei Genkai figuring out the proportions of the various nature transformations? For example, the ratio of Yin-Yang Release in a Tailed Beast Bomb was eight to two.

What did Minato mean? Could it be...

Just then, Minato grew despondent. "Then it's time for me to leave as well. My Chakra is about to run out."

With that, Minato Namikaze raised his head and placed both hands on Retsuo's shoulders. "I believe you can become Hokage and protect the village we both love. When you're lost, the Shadow of Fire will point you in the right direction. Keep going!"