Naruto: reborn as an Uzumaki

Ino pushed herself up, grimacing as she felt a sharp pain in her arm. A jagged piece of the flower bed had lodged itself into her skin.

She yanked it out, blood trickling down her arm, and quickly stopped the bleeding using medical ninjutsu. Her first instinct was to chase after Kenshin, but a thought froze her mid-step.

Her mother had been with Kenshin in the office. Why hadn't Suu come after him?

A cold dread crept over Ino as she bolted upstairs. Bursting into Suu's office, her worst fear seemed confirmed—Suu was lying on the floor, blood pooled beneath her head.

"No, no, no!" Ino cried as she ran to her mother, cradling her head and desperately checking for injuries. But to her surprise, there were no visible wounds.

Her hands trembled as she examined Suu again, only to realize something crucial: Kenshin's right eye could heal any injury.

"Kenshin… he must have…" Ino murmured.

She gently shook Suu, trying to wake her, but there was no response. Panic surged as she gathered Suu into her arms and carried her to her room.

Ino worked quickly, cleaning the blood off Suu's head and laying her down in bed. With her father, Inoichi, out, everything rested on her. She returned to the office to clean up the mess, her mind racing.

Suu was always in control of her jutsu, even with the most mentally unstable individuals. What could have gone wrong? How could someone like Kenshin overpower her like this, put such fatal strain on her brain?

Meanwhile, Kenshin sprinted through the streets of Konoha, his thoughts suffocating him. The simulation had done the very thing it was supposed to prevent—it triggered his PTSD.

And unlike in the real world, where he could escape from there, there had been no escape in the mindscape. He had no choice but to face it, the monster he had become back then.

Worse still, Suu, the one person there to help him, had nearly died because of him. And then there was Ino... he had hurt her too, someone who considered him a close friend.

The word devil echoed ceaselessly in his mind, and his focus narrowed to the Hokage's office in the distance. He had one hope left—Tsunade.

She was family, and she had told him he could come to her whenever he needed help. Right now, she was the only person who might be able to help. She was his only hope.

At the Yamanaka residence, Ino returned to Suu's room after cleaning the office. She sat beside her mother, placing a damp cloth on her forehead. Despite being unconscious, Suu's breathing was stable, and there were no signs of external injury. Ino sat back, her mind spinning.

"How did this happen?" she whispered.

From what she observed earlier, Suu had suffered internal bleeding, which had partially come out through her nose.

But it made no sense—Suu was always in control of her jutsu. Even the most unstable minds couldn't overpower her within the mindscape.

Then how could Kenshin have done it?

At the Hokage's office, the midday streets were quiet as Kenshin stumbled toward the building. The open window to Tsunade's office caught his eye, and he saw her and Shizune inside. Without thinking, he jumped through the window, tumbling inside and slamming into a wall with a loud thud.

Startled, Tsunade shot up from her seat. Shizune gasped, her pile of files nearly slipping from her hands.

"Kenshin!" Tsunade exclaimed, rushing toward him.

He stumbled to his feet, his movements shaky and frantic. As Tsunade approached, he collapsed into her arms, holding her tightly. His grip trembled, pure fear emanating from him—not fear of an someone else, but of himself.

"Kenshin, what happened? You're supposed to be in therapy," she said, her voice laced with concern.

Kenshin didn't respond, his sobs wracking his body as he clung to her. Shizune hovered nearby, her worry evident, but Kenshin's breathing only grew more erratic.

For half an hour, Tsunade comforted him, whispering reassurances and stroking his back until his sobs subsided. Finally, Kenshin's body went slack, and he passed out in her arms.

Tsunade carefully shifted him onto her lap, cradling him like a child. She looked to Shizune, her expression firm.

"We're taking him to my room. We can't send him home in this state; it'll only make things worse."

Shizune nodded, peeking into the hallway to ensure it was empty. Tsunade carried Kenshin to her room, setting him down on the bed and pulling a blanket over him. She noticed he was shivering—he'd run out without his jacket.

Turning to Shizune, Tsunade said, "Stay with him. Make sure he doesn't wake up alone."

Shizune looked at her, concerned. "Where are you going?"

"To see his therapist," Tsunade replied, her tone resolute. Without another word, she left the room, adjusting her coat.

Tsunade strode toward the Yamanaka residence, her mind racing. How could this have happened? Suu was the best in her field, capable of handling even the most unstable minds with precision.

Within her jutsu, Kenshin shouldn't have been able to lose control. And even if he had, Suu should have been able to suppress him and force him to calm down. So why had this gone so catastrophically wrong?

Back at the Yamanaka residence, Suu stirred awake, her head pounding as if it were caught in a vice. She squinted against the light, noticing Ino sitting beside her, her face lined with concern.

"Ino…" Suu croaked, grimacing. "Where's Kenshin?"

Ino frowned, shaking her head. "He ran away, Mom. I don't know where."

Suu groaned, lifting a hand to her temple. "Painkillers. I need something for this headache, or my head's going to burst."

"Mom, no," Ino protested. "Let me try to ease the blood flow first."

Suu waved a dismissive hand. "Ino, my blood flow is fine. Check if you want, but the issue isn't something you can fix with chakra manipulation alone. I just need something to dull the pain."

Reluctantly, Ino nodded and placed her hands on Suu's temples, checking her blood flow with medical ninjutsu. As her mother said, there were ruptured blood vessels, and the excess blood pooling in her brain was already beginning to dissipate naturally.

Still uneasy, Ino got up and retrieved mild painkillers from the first aid kit, handing them to Suu.

Suu downed the medicine with a grateful sigh. "Thank you, sweetie."

Afterward, Ino began using her medical ninjutsu to accelerate the process of her body reabsorbing the excess blood in her brain. The technique was precise but time-consuming, and it wasn't until nearly an hour later that Ino finally stopped.

At that moment, there was a knock at the shop's door.

"I'll get it," Ino said, standing and stretching out her sore limbs. She headed downstairs, brushing her hair out of her face.

When she opened the door, her breath caught. Standing there was none other than the Hokage herself.

"H-Hokage-sama," Ino stammered.

"Where's your mother?" Tsunade asked, her tone direct but laced with concern.

"She's hurt," Ino replied hesitantly.

Tsunade nodded, stepping inside. "Take me to her."

Ino bit her lip, glancing upstairs. "She's still recovering…"

"Ino," Tsunade said firmly, her eyes softening. "I need to see her."

Reluctantly, Ino led Tsunade up to Suu's room. Suu was sitting up in bed, the throbbing pain in her head now a dull ache. She looked up as Tsunade entered, her lips quirking into a playful smile.

"Guess I pushed myself too hard, huh?" Suu said with a shrug. "Got a stroke trying to restrain Kenshin in the mindscape. Never thought I'd see the day."

Tsunade's eyes widened. "A stroke? Suu, are you—"

"I'm fine now," Suu interrupted, sitting up straighter. "Ino's been helping me reabsorb the excess blood. There's still a bit of pain, but nothing I can't handle."

Tsunade crossed her arms, concern etched across her face. "What happened? How did this even escalate to that point?"

Suu sighed, brushing her hair back. "His mind… it's stronger than anything I've ever encountered. It's like a double-edged sword. Positively, it's unbreakable. But negatively, that strength makes him almost impossible to restrain. He overpowered me in my own mindscape."

Tsunade's expression darkened. "This isn't good."

"Yes, but nothing I can't handle." Suu agreed, her voice low. She turned to Ino. "Sweetie, can you give us a moment alone?"

Ino hesitated but eventually nodded. "Of course, Mom." She stood and headed back downstairs, closing the door behind her.

Suu leaned back against the headboard, her eyes narrowing slightly as she met Tsunade's concerned gaze. "I tried to use simulations of Akane in different situations. The goal was to slowly help Kenshin understand that Akane doesn't need his protection—not to the extent he believes she does.

The problem is, Kenshin is overprotective to an unhealthy degree. Every time Akane bleeds or gets hurt, he feels like it's his failure. His fault."

Tsunade frowned, crossing her arms. "So you used their memories to show him otherwise?"

Suu nodded. "I wanted him to see that Akane is strong, capable of handling herself. And for the most part, it worked. He was beginning to accept it… until we hit a nerve. I used a scene from their past, similar to the time he hurt Akane. That's when everything changed."

"What do you mean, changed?"

"The simulation warped," Suu said grimly, her hand instinctively going to her temple as if recalling the strain. "The enemy in the scene turned into him—his own distorted image. It was as if his subconscious hijacked the simulation.

He saw himself as some devil-like figure, a twisted manifestation of his self-imposed duty to protect everyone he loves. And in that moment, he felt like he had failed. Completely and utterly failed."

Tsunade's lips pressed into a thin line. "And that's what triggered him?"

Suu nodded. "Yes. His mind spiraled, and the backlash was stronger than I anticipated. But I'm not giving up on. One simulation failed, but it won't happen again. This approach works, Hokage-sama. It's the best and fastest way to help him recover."

Tsunade's expression hardened as she rose from her seat. "No, Suu. Change your approach. That's not a request; it's an order. I won't tolerate seeing Kenshin in that state again, do you understand me?"

Suu's jaw clenched. "With all due respect, Hokage-sama, you don't understand the intricacies of my work. I know what I'm doing."

"I don't care," Tsunade said sharply. "Find another way. Your job is to help him heal, not risk breaking him further. This isn't a debate."

The tension in the room thickened as Suu finally dropped the respectful tone she had been maintaining. "You don't get to tell me how to do my damn job, Tsunade."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden shift in Suu's demeanor, but said nothing. The silence hung heavy between them, as Suu glared at the Hokage, refusing to back down.

Suu's glare intensified as she sat straighter, her voice laced with venom. "I am the best at what I do, and I'll be damned if I let a washed-up brawler—someone who ran away for decades while help was right here—dictate my work."

Tsunade's eyes darkened, her tone ice cold. "What the hell are you trying to say, Suu?"

Suu pressed on, undeterred by the Hokage's growing anger. "Kenshin has spent his entire life trying to protect everything and everyone he has left. He sacrificed his peace, his happiness, even his right to vengeance against Itachi for the sake of his family.

But that selflessness has a consequence. It's turned into an unhealthy need to protect at all costs. And do you know why it's gotten this bad? Because unconsciously, he's been seeking the very thing he gives others—protection. Someone to hold his hand and tell him he doesn't have to do anything anymore."

Suu's voice turned cutting. "And that's why you are the problem."

Tsunade shot to her feet, her hands slamming onto the table. "You think I made a mistake by giving that boy someone to lean on?!"

she demanded, her voice thunderous. "Kenshin has been through hell—more than anyone should ever have to endure. He's family, Suu. Of course, I tried to give him the support he deserved!"

"And that's exactly why his mental health is in shambles," Suu snapped back, unfazed by Tsunade's anger. "You made him dependent on something he shouldn't have had—not in the way you gave it to him."

Tsunade's patience snapped. She grabbed Suu by the collar, pulling her close, her voice low and dangerous. "I've respected you, Suu, because of what you've done for others. But don't think for a second that my respect doesn't have its limits. Watch your tone."

Suu didn't flinch, her eyes sharp and resolute. "Do you think respect matters to me, Tsunade? Let me tell you where you went wrong.

When Kenshin returned to the Leaf after that incident in the Hidden Grass, you took him to Shikkotsu Forest. That was your first mistake. The place where everything started.

Instead of facing his trauma and depression, he was given an escape—a place to run from his problems. And someone like him, who unconsciously seeks that escape, it was the easiest way out."

Tsunade's grip tightened, but Suu didn't stop. "And even there, he made bonds. Bonds with the cat tribe. He protected them, risked everything for them against an opponent he couldn't beat.

His overprotectiveness won that battle, but that time in the forest didn't solve his issues. It only concentrated them. It suppressed his trauma, turning it into a ticking time bomb. That's why the trigger changed. It went from Akane's face to something specific like her blood."

Suu's voice grew heavier. "Then you sent him on that classified mission to the Land of Grass. To save Amaya, the overthrown daimyo. Again, his obsessive need to protect carried him through.

But he couldn't see the toll it was taking on him. And when he returned home, that same day, he saw Akane's blood. That's when his PTSD, which had been brewing all this time, finally exploded."

The room was silent except for the sound of their heavy breathing, the weight of Suu's words hanging thick in the air. Tsunade's grip loosened slightly, her mind racing as she processed what had just been said.

Suu's voice softened, though her words carried even more weight. "Tsunade, he doesn't need what you've been giving him. Not anymore. He doesn't need someone to hold him above the mud and tell him it's okay, that he doesn't have to worry about it.

What he needs is someone to drag him into the mud and tell him it's not scary. That it's okay to fail. To lose. To get hurt. And yes, even to let someone he cares about get hurt."

Tsunade's grip on Suu's collar faltered, her hand lowering slightly. Suu took it as a sign to continue.

"Because that's how we grow, Tsunade. Through falling and standing back up. Kenshin has become one of the strongest shinobi in the world, not because he was shielded from pain, but because he went through hell, endured it, and persevered.

He's here because of the lessons he learned the hard way. And yet, by trying to protect Akane, his mother, and everyone else he considers family, he's denying them that same chance to grow.

He's smothering them with his love, his protectiveness, because he can't see that they're already strong enough to carry themselves."

Suu leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with Tsunade. "He can let them fall, because they will stand back up. He doesn't need to carry the world on his shoulders anymore, Tsunade. It's not his burden to bear.

He can sit down, take a breath, and watch them fall. Watch them rise again. Because they will rise. Akane will rise. Kana will rise. They're just as strong as he is—especially Akane."

Tsunade's eyes softened slightly, though her face remained stern. Suu's words cut deep, stirring memories of her own struggles, her own losses. She hated to admit it, but there was truth in what Suu was saying.

Suu leaned back, crossing her arms. "You've been trying to protect him, to give him peace. I get it, you're family too.

But sometimes, what someone needs isn't peace—it's chaos. It's facing their fears head-on and realizing that they'll survive it. That's what Kenshin needs. And if you keep shielding him, you're not helping him. You're only prolonging the inevitable."

The silence stretched between them, heavy and charged. Tsunade's lips pressed into a thin line, her emotions a storm behind her golden eyes.

Finally, she exhaled sharply, her voice low but firm. "You better be damn sure of what you're doing, Suu. Because if you're wrong…"

Suu interrupted, her tone unwavering. "I'm not. And deep down, you know it too."

Tsunade didn't respond immediately. Instead, she turned toward the door, her fists clenched at her sides. "You've got one chance, Suu. Don't make me regret it."

With that, Tsunade walked out, leaving Suu alone in the room, her expression unreadable.

Suu followed Tsunade out of the room, her movements slow and deliberate. Ino, waiting downstairs, immediately noticed her mother descending the stairs and rushed to her side, her expression filled with concern.

"Mom, you shouldn't be moving yet!" Ino protested, trying to steady Suu.

Suu gently brushed her daughter's hands aside with a soft smile. "I'm fine, Ino. I can't leave a session unfinished. It's my responsibility. Could you please get Kenshin's jacket from my office? And take care of the shop while I go meet my client."

Ino hesitated, glancing at Tsunade for reassurance. The Hokage remained silent, her face impassive, but she gave a slight nod.

Reluctantly, Ino turned and darted toward Suu's office. Moments later, she returned with Kenshin's jacket and a coat for her mother.

"Here," Ino said, handing them over. She looked into Suu's eyes with worry. "But please, don't push yourself too hard."

Suu nodded, placing the coat over her shoulders and holding Kenshin's jacket close. "Thank you, Ino. I'll be fine." She glanced at Tsunade, standing by the door. "Lead the way, Hokage-sama."

The two women left the Yamanaka residence, the silence between them heavy as they made their way toward the Hokage building. Suu finally broke the tension, her voice calm but laced with guilt.

"I owe you an apology, Hokage-sama," Suu said, keeping her eyes forward. "I shouldn't have called you a washed-up brawler or a coward. That was out of line and disrespectful, especially to someone like you."

Tsunade's face remained neutral, though her clenched fists betrayed the storm of emotions she was holding back. After a moment, she responded, her voice steady but tinged with sadness.

"It doesn't matter, Suu. As long as you help Kenshin and ensure his recovery, I'll let it slide. That poor boy…" Tsunade's voice faltered slightly before she continued.

"He's been through more than anyone should ever have to endure. Seeing him cry like that... it breaks my heart. He's family to me, Suu. For family, I'm willing to let a lot of things slide. Even your rudeness."

Suu glanced at Tsunade, her expression softening. "I understand. I promise, I'll do everything I can to help him."

Tsunade nodded, her gaze fixed ahead. "You better."

The rest of the walk continued in silence, but the tension between them seemed to ease slightly.

-----------------------------------

Once again, thank you everyone for your continued support and power stones. And as always, please give me your power stones and comment your opinions. They make a big difference and motivate me to write more.

A very happy new year to everyone that's reading this and I hope you have an amazing 2025. This year was full of ups and downs for me and of course for you all. And I'm glad we were able to meet through this book, it's my only passion project right now and I hope you will stay with me and support me through the rest of the story and journey.