Chapter 61: Secret Techniques of the Mind
Chapter 61: Secret Techniques of the Mind
When Mizuki arrived at Moonlight Hayate's hospital room, the guards didn't make much effort to stop him. After all, he had been frequently involved in the case these past few days, and most of the staff had grown familiar with him.
Judging from the busy medical ninjas moving in and out of the room, it was clear that Moonlight Hayate's condition hadn't improved much.
"How's he doing?" Mizuki asked one of the medical-nin as they hurried past.
"We've managed to stabilize his body for now, but there's still no sign of consciousness. We're struggling just to keep his vital organs from failing."
"Still no way to use Mind-Reading Jutsu?"
"Not until his condition improves. Right now, forcing it could be fatal."
It seemed that without an additional breakthrough, saving Moonlight Hayate would be impossible.
"When will Yamanaka Inoichi be back?" Mizuki sighed.
"He was here just a little while ago. He probably went to get some food, so he should return soon."
"That's good. Let me know when he arrives—I'll be waiting outside."
To be honest, Mizuki was completely drained. The past few days had consumed too much of his energy, but more than the physical exhaustion, it was the mental weight that wore on him. With the Chūnin Exams drawing closer, he couldn't shake the feeling that he hadn't prepared enough.
Taking a seat on a hospital bench, Mizuki leaned back and let his eyes droop. Just a few days ago, Karin had been sitting here, and now it was his turn. He vaguely recalled that the foreign ninja had already left Konoha, making the hospital seem much quieter.
Just as he was about to doze off, he sensed someone approaching. Lifting his head, Mizuki saw Yamanaka Inoichi standing in front of him.
"Ah, long time no see, Inoichi-san." As a junior, Mizuki greeted him first.
"We just saw each other a few days ago," Inoichi replied politely. "By the way, my daughter has been spending a lot of time at your shop lately—hope she's not causing trouble."
"Not at all. If anything, Ino's been a great help."
"You're being too polite. Now then, what did you need to talk about?"
"It's about Moonlight Hayate." Mizuki's tone became serious. "Can we talk somewhere private?"
---
On the rooftop of the hospital, Mizuki and Inoichi stood by the railing, looking down at the bustling streets of Konoha.
"What do you want to say?" Inoichi asked.
Mizuki gazed at the crowd below and spoke in a low voice, "What I'm about to say never happened. If anyone asks, I didn't say a word."
"Hm?" Inoichi's eyebrows twitched slightly. He could tell that Mizuki wasn't just speaking carelessly.
"Three days ago, I reported to the Hokage's office… and I overheard something unsettling," Mizuki said carefully.
"What is it?"
"There's pressure from high-ranking officials—they want Hayate's memories as soon as possible."
"…Even if it kills him?" Inoichi's voice grew cold.
"That's right." Mizuki didn't hesitate in his response. "I assume you already know about this pressure?"
Inoichi didn't respond but remained silent, which in itself was an answer.
"To be honest, I was relieved when Hayate survived. But now, watching him slowly recover, only for our own village to take his life? That doesn't sit right with me."
"…So, you came to me to find a way out?"
"Something like that. I want to at least try," Mizuki admitted.
Hearing Mizuki's words, Inoichi clenched the railing, his knuckles whitening.
"What do you have in mind?"
So he's not completely bound by duty. There's still room to maneuver.
"The Yamanaka Clan's Mind-Reading Techniques—I don't intend to pry, but I need to understand where the greatest risk lies for Hayate."
Inoichi sighed before explaining, "The primary danger isn't physical—it's psychological."
"Psychological?"
"Yes. The human mind isn't a single, flawless entity. Instead, it's made up of multiple fragments of consciousness. At different moments, different aspects of our personality take control. It's why we sometimes do things that surprise even ourselves—going places we never planned to, buying things we regret, or eating foods we don't actually like."
"This is the first time I've heard it explained like this." Mizuki rubbed his chin. He knew this conversation was treading into philosophical territory—discussing the nature of the mind could become infinitely complex.
"Are you saying that, to some degree, everyone has a form of dissociative identity disorder?"
"Not quite," Inoichi corrected. "For most people, their different personality fragments still function as part of a cohesive whole. Even if certain aspects of themselves are suppressed or hidden, their mind remains unified. True mental fragmentation—where parts of the psyche reject or fight against each other—is what leads to conditions like schizophrenia."
"I see." Mizuki still wasn't sure he fully agreed with the explanation, but he considered his own Chakra Constructs—even a bunch of low-level microbes could form a collective consciousness. Maybe Inoichi's theory wasn't so far-fetched after all.
"When the Yamanaka Clan uses Mind-Reading Techniques on an ordinary person, the mental backlash can be severe. Even trained ninjas need to rest afterward," Inoichi continued. "In Hayate's case, however, his body and mind are already severely weakened. His consciousness is in a state of self-defense, which means he has zero resistance left. If I forcibly break into his mind, his psyche will shatter, making recovery impossible. His body will then collapse without its mental anchor."
"…It's that serious?" Mizuki muttered.
"I don't mean to boast, but I can extract information even from a fresh corpse if the brain is intact. But Hayate's condition is… delicate. The moment I break his mental defenses, he's gone."
"So time is our biggest enemy," Mizuki mused.
"Exactly. The higher-ups are growing impatient."
Looking down at the thriving village, Mizuki sighed. He couldn't just hand over sensitive information himself—he had already worked hard to clear his name. But he also couldn't just let Hayate die at the hands of his own people.
He had to do something.
"Inoichi-san," Mizuki said after a long pause, "the issue you're worried about… I might have a solution."
"…What?" Inoichi's eyes narrowed. A chūnin like Mizuki—who wasn't even a mind specialist—was claiming to have a fix?
"I know it sounds ridiculous," Mizuki admitted. "But hear me out…"
---
Read up to 20 chapter ahead of time on patreon.com/Legendryweeb
{please give this novel 5 Star review and power stone}
*Thank you*