Chapter 105: A Horrifying Genjutsu
"Because this forbidden technique isn't actually about a genius appearing every few generations. All the information leaked to the outside world is a lie," Kurama Murakumo stated, helplessly revealing the truth.
"Huh?"
A giant question mark flashed through Tonbo Tobitake's mind. Isn't this something that can be debunked with a simple check? He had looked up the records himself; the history of the Kurama clan clearly showed that a genius appeared in every era.
"I wonder if you've noticed something. In all the data you've heard outside, there is only the legend of the Kurama genius, but never the names of those geniuses?" Murakumo poured Tonbo a cup of tea and then filled his own, smiling.
As Tonbo began to recall, a chill slowly crept into his heart. He asked, "This... I pride myself on having a photographic memory, yet I seem to have completely overlooked this issue. I never even gave it a thought. Could this be related to your clan's power, Senior?"
It was terrifying. In his memory, it was exactly as Murakumo said. Given Tonbo's usual logic and methods, he shouldn't have missed such a detail. How could he overlook such vital intelligence?
To achieve the pinnacle of Yin Release nature transformation, he had coveted Kurama Yakumo's ability for a long time. Now, he realized... he had likely fallen under a spell. A Genjutsu's power...
Murakumo looked at his expression and chuckled. "As expected of Konoha's famous Genjutsu Master. You're right. You, everyone in Konoha, and even the entire ninja world are currently under the influence of a single Genjutsu: Genjutsu Reincarnation."
Thump-thump!
Tonbo's heart hammered against his ribs. He felt as if his mind was about to explode. A Genjutsu covering the entire ninja world? Isn't that just the Infinite Tsukuyomi?
Aside from the god-like children of the Sage of Six Paths, could someone else's Genjutsu really be this strong?
"That's... how is that possible? A Genjutsu of that magnitude—putting aside whether it's theoretically possible—even if it could be completed, no one has enough chakra to maintain it. Energy is conserved; to use that kind of power, an equal price must be paid."
Tonbo couldn't believe it. Goddammit, are you guys the actual Otsutsuki? This range is basically a divine Shinjutsu! He was deeply shocked, but a spark of desire also ignited in his heart. If he could learn a Genjutsu of this magnitude, would he finally have the foundation to challenge the Otsutsuki in the future?
And why did the Kurama Clan Head say this technique brought benefits but also severe side effects? Why was it no longer needed after the Hidden Village system was established?
Tonbo even began to weave signs, sensing the chakra within his body. He checked if his cognition had truly been altered by a Genjutsu, activating the countermeasures he had prepared for Kotoamatsukami or Otsutsuki-level mind manipulation.
Thump-thump!
Sensing Tonbo's shock, Murakumo didn't disturb him. He simply sipped his tea leisurely.
When he first learned this truth, he had been just as shaken. He had even doubted his own existence, wondering if he was a phantom created by his ancestor's jutsu. But he knew his ancestor's Genjutsu was unbreakable; without the clan's private records, one couldn't even realize they were under it—and even if they knew, they couldn't dispel it.
Because this was a Genjutsu that bridged the gap between illusion and reality. It was both false and true.
Bang!
Inside Tonbo's heart, an illusory pentagonal cube emerged, beating in sync with his pulse. Usually, his "Heartsteel" technique only released its pulse at set intervals, but now Tonbo took active control.
Bang!
A massive flood of information and memories surged from his heart back to his brain. His memories flashed like a revolving lantern.
From the first moment this body gained consciousness, to wetting the bed as a child, to being a troublemaker at the Academy, to the shock of hearing Kakashi graduated early, to the feeling that he could never be a powerhouse while watching Guy's hot-blooded training...
The start of the Third War when he was eleven... graduating early... his "transmigration" to this world... obtaining his superior brain... the memories he read... the jutsus and Genjutsus he practiced...
The battles, the daily life, chasing his wife, getting married and having kids, spying in the Hidden Rain, researching ninjutsu...
Every memory flooded his mind until the present moment.
"I was right. My oversight regarding the names of the Kurama geniuses was a physical event. Back then, I was confused—since the Kurama bloodline was called 'brilliant,' it was impossible for them to be nameless and only exist as a vague legend."
"The moment I came into contact with the topic, I fell under the spell. Only the memories of 'Kurama Yakumo' from my previous life—which I had backed up in advance—remained untouched."
Tonbo's eyes widened.
Terrifying. Absolute terror. How was it done? Did the Kurama family have access to Otsutsuki methods? This kind of cognition-altering jutsu, active at all times, was more powerful than Kotoamatsukami. It was comparable to a divine Shinjutsu. This was way beyond the "insertion of history" Genjutsu he had been theorizing about.
As expected, his "Heartsteel" project had been the right move.
Heartsteel: A Genjutsu technique that acts as a backup for his own memories, thoughts, and cognition. It creates a space—simultaneously illusory and real—within the heart. Using Mind-Reading techniques, he backs up his true self. Every seven days, it automatically activates to rescan and realign his memories. It was designed specifically to counter Kotoamatsukami, Izanami, or Shinjutsu.
For Tonbo, who could already use Mind-Reading in reverse, this wasn't difficult. He had been on guard for a long time. While "Heartsteel" would be a burden for other ninjas, for Tonbo's superior brain, it was just a process of "reviewing the old to understand the new."
He never expected that, in the end, he would still be schooled by someone else. He had been caught. Horrifying.
"You seem to have realized something?" Murakumo looked at him. Though Tonbo's head was wrapped in bandages, Murakumo could feel his body tremble for a split second. Could he truly sense the anomaly in the Ancestor's Genjutsu?
"Phew... Senior, you're joking. I was just startled by your words. How could anyone cast such a terrifying Genjutsu?" Tonbo exhaled a long breath of turbid air and spoke.
"No, it's real."
"So, what is actually going on?" Tonbo asked.
Murakumo set down his tea and sighed. "In truth, the 'Bloodline Genius' that appears in our family every few generations... is actually Ancestor Kurama Yakumo herself."
"..."
Tonbo had reached his limit for being shocked. No matter what he heard now, he wouldn't flinch. Goddammit. I'm usually the one shocking people. Today, I just wanted to talk about Genjutsu and see Yakumo's 'Real Genjutsu,' and I get flexed on by someone from ten generations ago.
"Every few generations, Ancestor Yakumo is born anew from the chakra within our family members, becoming a real person existing in this world."
"Perhaps one day, you will find that I suddenly have a daughter, and her Genjutsu talent is so strong it's a threat to the village. You won't be confused, nor will you wonder why I suddenly have a daughter. Because in the cognition of the world—including everyone in it—she is a person who truly exists. A real, physical human being."
"She will be recorded in Konoha's confidential archives. They will remember the Kurama clan produced such a genius under the name 'Anonymous,' and then she will suddenly disappear."
"It is only after several generations pass that the influence on the Kurama descendants weakens. Only then, by finding the old records in the clan's secret grounds, does the influence fade for a short period. That is why I am able to tell you this secret now."
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