Chapter 31: A Genjutsu That Can Counter the Sharingan

The establishment of nations and villages marked the dawn of a new era while shaking the foundations of the old. However, if disputes were resolved by immediate conflict, what separated this new age from the Warring States Period?

Konohagakure's stance has always been to resolve conflicts through dialogue. As the Hokage, Senju Hashirama tirelessly worked toward this ideal, though achieving it still seemed far away.

On the borders between nations, peace was a fleeting dream. Territorial disputes were an unavoidable issue, and neither side's border guards were willing to compromise on such matters. Eventually, these tensions would erupt into conflict. The spark for these clashes could be as simple as a fabricated excuse, enough to justify a full-blown skirmish. Each side would position themselves as victims, standing on the moral high ground.

Reflecting on this, it seemed typical of Kumogakure's modus operandi.

When conflicts ended, the aftermath was often messy. With Hashirama overseeing Konoha, Kumogakure had little chance of sweeping things under the rug. However, Kumogakure, being a militant village, had its own straightforward approach to resolving such issues. They might pay reparations—double or triple the usual amount. If that wasn't enough, Kumogakure's shinobi responsible for the attack would commit seppuku or even execute themselves before Konoha's representatives to demonstrate their resolve.

To outsiders, this might seem absurd, but to the shinobi of Kumogakure, it was an honorable sacrifice. They believed that giving their all for the village, even to the point of death, was a duty without regret. Their deeds would be celebrated, and their names immortalized as heroes.

This mindset was precisely why skirmishes often broke out along the Konoha-Kumogakure border.

Every time Senju Momoka thought about this, her teeth clenched in frustration.

"Ugh, the Clan Leader keeps preaching peace to resolve disputes, so the frontlines never truly ignite. What a pity," Momoka muttered.

Kakuzu smirked inwardly at the Senju kunoichi's words, suppressing the urge to respond: 'Wait until your Clan Leader dies. The shinobi world will be consumed by flames of war again, with endless battles that will leave you exhausted.'

But he kept those thoughts to himself, unwilling to spoil the moment.

"Life and death are inevitable. We must look forward, or their sacrifices would be in vain. Anyway, let's change the topic," Kakuzu said casually.

"Fine." Momoka shrugged.

"By the way, I heard your genjutsu is quite impressive. How does it work? Can you teach me?"

"Huh?" Momoka raised an eyebrow, intrigued. Kakuzu's question seemed to catch her off guard.

As a prominent figure in the Senju Clan, second only to Hashirama and Tobirama, Momoka's abilities were unquestionable. Kakuzu had initially assumed she followed the Senju tradition of leveraging their vast chakra reserves. However, he later learned from rumors that she was an exception.

During the Warring States Period, the Senju Clan's primary adversaries were undoubtedly the Uchiha Clan. Despite their immense chakra, the Senju struggled against the Uchiha's Sharingan. Chakra alone couldn't neutralize the effects of genjutsu.

Yet, in the face of these challenges, Momoka had developed genjutsu rivaling that of the Uchiha. Her techniques often protected her clan from the Sharingan's illusions, enabling the Senju to focus their overwhelming chakra reserves on overpowering their opponents.

Thanks to her achievements in combating the Uchiha, Momoka had earned her place as the third-highest-ranking member of the Senju Clan.

Kakuzu's curiosity was piqued. What kind of genjutsu had Momoka mastered to stand against the Sharingan?

"Seems like you've done your homework on me," Momoka said with a soft laugh, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Want to learn?" she teased.

Kakuzu didn't respond, smiling faintly.

"Even if you wanted to, I couldn't teach you," Momoka added with a slight smirk.

Kakuzu wasn't surprised. A shinobi's secret techniques were their lifeline and a source of immense value. Refusing to share them was perfectly understandable, especially a genjutsu capable of countering the Sharingan.

"But don't get the wrong idea," Momoka continued, sensing his thoughts. "It's not that I don't want to teach you—I simply can't."

Her words sparked Kakuzu's interest.

"When I was young, I suffered under the Sharingan's genjutsu. It was a nightmare," Momoka said, her gaze distant. "I scoured my family's archives for a way to counter the Sharingan and eventually found a secret technique in an ancient scroll. I spent ten years mastering it, and now, it's effective against the Uchiha's illusions."

"But," she paused, "there's a catch. This technique requires the unique physiology of the Senju Clan. Even among us, no one else has successfully learned it—not even Hashirama-sama or Tobirama-sama."

"Is that so?" Kakuzu's brow furrowed slightly as he sifted through the implications of these words in his mind. Almost immediately, he reached a conclusion. Momoka's explanation seemed to be the real truth.

It made sense that Senju Momoka wouldn't want to share her secret techniques with outsiders—such a sentiment was understandable. However, after all these years, not a single member of the Senju clan had been able to replicate Momoka's extraordinary genjutsu. Even those who had trained under her for extended periods fell short.

Clearly, this was not simply a matter of bloodline, talent was just as crucial. Without both, it would be impossible to master such powerful genjutsu.

With the discussion on genjutsu seemingly concluded, and seeing that Kakuzu had no further questions, Senju Momoka turned to leave. Just as she was about to vanish, she paused and glanced back at him.

"Actually, I can share one more thing with you—a discovery I made when I reached the pinnacle of genjutsu," she said calmly. "No matter whether it's the genjutsu of the Sharingan or the ordinary genjutsu we practice, in the end, they all converge at the same peak.

"The reason ordinary genjutsu is weaker than Sharingan-based techniques is simple: the practitioner lacks the necessary proficiency. Their energy, spirit, and focus fall far short of their opponent's. That's why their genjutsu cannot surpass it.

"If you're truly interested in genjutsu, I suggest you train in this direction. I believe you'll find the results worthwhile."

With those words, Momoka didn't linger. Her long legs pushed off the ground lightly.

Whoosh!

In a flash, she disappeared, leaving Kakuzu standing in place, silently pondering her advice.

Momoka's reasoning made perfect sense. All roads lead to Rome—some may be longer or shorter, but with persistence and unyielding effort, anyone could reach the destination eventually.

And with eternal life on his side, Kakuzu was confident he'd eventually reach that pinnacle.

However, his current curiosity was more of a passing thought than a genuine desire to pursue genjutsu mastery.

Clenching his right fist and tapping it against his left palm, a trace of bitterness crept into his expression.

"My body… it must be modified further. Without it, I can't train properly."

Kakuzu could never escape the limitations of his own body. The threads that had replaced his natural organs granted him immortality, but at the same time, they robbed him of the ability to train like others. His only path to strength was through seizing the hearts of powerful shinobi, absorbing their abilities to grow stronger.

But how many such shinobi were there to hunt down?

Having five hearts was merely the foundation. To truly grow stronger, he needed to rely on himself.

It wasn't an immediate concern, but Kakuzu knew he had to resolve this issue sooner or later.

"Respected Hokage-sama," he muttered under his breath, a faint smirk tugging at his lips, "when will you let me borrow your cells for a while?"

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