Demonic Illusion: Nirvana Temple Technique — a wide-area hypnotic genjutsu.
Those caught in the illusion would see feathers drift before their eyes.
Their gaze would follow the feathers, and their eyelids would grow heavy, until they sank into slumber.
Yako activated his Sharingan and began studying the technique.
Without the Sharingan, the jutsu required dispersing chakra into the surrounding air to act as the genjutsu medium.
But with the Sharingan, it only required eye contact, the illusion cast instantly.
Sharingan-based casting was more efficient, more precise, and far more deadly.
Unexpectedly, the learning process was smooth.
Within half an hour, Yako had grasped the core of the technique.
Still, without a test subject, he couldn't be sure how effective it would be.
A few hours later, Purple Cat arrived.
"Captain! I mastered Nirvana Temple!" she declared proudly.
Yako raised an eyebrow. 'She picked it up quickly. Her mental energy must be high.'
"Oh? Try casting it on me."
Purple Cat formed three hand seals.
Yako immediately sensed chakra radiating from her body, and before his eyes, it transformed into a flurry of glowing feathers.
His eyelids grew heavy. Drowsiness crept in.
"Not bad at all, Purple Cat. I'm under the genjutsu now… Release."
The difference in their skill was still too wide. Yako dispelled the illusion effortlessly.
Purple Cat deflated. "You could've at least pretended to fall asleep. Just a little?"
Yako shook his head. "If I fake it and you overestimate your genjutsu's power, it might cost you in a real fight.
Don't be discouraged. Let me show you a trick."
He formed the same three hand seals and cast the exact same jutsu.
Purple Cat's eyes widened and then fluttered shut.
Feathers drifted. Her body slumped into sleep.
When she awoke, she was lying alone on the bench in the locker room.
Only Yako sat beside her, reading a scroll.
Startled, she checked herself, feeling for her clothes. She had no memory of how long she'd been out.
Yako didn't look up. "Purple Cat… why are you checking your outfit?
If I were going to do something, I wouldn't wait until you were asleep.
You do know I prefer things… willingly offered."
Her fair ears flushed pink.
"I'm not saying I thought you would… I just panicked instinctively when I realized I lost consciousness under genjutsu."
Yako finally met her eyes. "I'll teach you the real trick to casting Nirvana Temple."
"A trick? Captain, the scroll didn't say anything about that."
"That's because the scroll just gives the textbook version. This trick I figured it out myself."
Purple Cat stared in disbelief. He not only learned it in mere hours, he even refined it?
"I thought I had a knack for genjutsu," she muttered. "I learned it in three hours…"
"Don't put yourself down. It's not that you lack talent, you're just not me."
He placed a hand gently atop her head, pressing a specific spot.
"This area here is your hypothalamus a part of the brain that regulates sleep.
When casting the genjutsu, focus your chakra on disrupting this zone in the target.
The effect becomes far stronger."
Her eyes widened in amazement. "That's… that's real?"
Yako smirked, brushing her still-warm ear with his fingers.
"You reminded me of something. What if I tried putting you under again… and then did whatever I pleased with you tonight?"
"I mean… that doesn't sound bad," she teased. "But if I'm asleep, I won't remember it, will I?"
Yako flipped a kunai from his pouch and lodged it into the locker room door — locking it shut.
"Unacceptable. I want to enjoy the you who's awake and struggling."
"No. I'm saying no."
He sighed dramatically. "When will I finally have my own office? Locker rooms are so inconvenient."
"But locker rooms," she said with a sly smile, "are exciting."
The next morning, Yako left the locker room and made his way to the Division Captain's office to await any possible mission assignment.
If none came by midmorning, he'd have the day off.
Soon, Captain Hippo arrived as well, joining Fox outside the office to wait.
Then the door opened.
Yellow Dog stepped out and said, "Fox. Come with me. We're going to see the Jōnin Commander."
Yako stood at attention, expecting some new assignment.
But behind him, Captain Hippo shot up so fast it startled him.
Yako turned, puzzled. 'Why are you this excited if I'm the one being summoned?'
Captain Hippo couldn't hold it in. "Captain — wait, Fox is…?"
Yellow Dog nodded.
"That's right. Fox is being entered into the jōnin exam.
Work hard. Once your strength reaches the standard, I'll write your recommendation too."
Behind the mask, Yako was stunned.
'What?
I'm… becoming a jōnin?'
Yellow Dog tossed him a scroll, and Yako barely caught it.
Unrolling it, he saw his own name on the official jōnin recommendation scroll.
As they walked, Yellow Dog explained:
"A jōnin promotion must be initiated by the Hokage or a high-ranking advisor, with at least ten jōnin supporting the nomination.
You'll undergo an interview by the Jōnin Commander. If you pass, the Hokage will approve it, and your name will be formally announced at the jōnin meeting.
Your recommendation was personally issued by the Hokage.
Do well. Show them what ANBU are made of. Most of the regular jōnin think we're just assassins: mindless tools.
Change their minds."
"Understood, Captain."
The second floor of the Hokage Tower belonged to the Jōnin Corps.
It housed the commander's office, a 200-person conference hall, and the official assessment room.
In theory, the jōnin council was the village's highest governing body.
In practice, they still had to obey the Hokage.
But to become a jōnin meant entering Konoha's true inner circle.
On the battlefield, all shinobi, regardless of origin, were to follow the orders of the nearest jōnin without question.
Yellow Dog led Yako into the examination room.
Seated on the platform was Nara Shikakaku, with ten jōnin — including Yellow Dog — standing behind him.
Shikakaku was reviewing Yako's file.
"Take a seat."
Yako sat on the lone cushion in the room.
Shikakaku unrolled the scroll.
"Fox. ANBU squad captain. Joined in Year 38 of the Konoha Calendar.
To date, five S-rank missions completed.
The most notable, and declassified, among them: aiding the Water Release Division at the Battle of the White Plains, clearing out enemy puppeteers, and eliminating Tokusa's wife.
During the River Country war, Sunagakure officially acknowledged your codename 'Copper Fox'.
Your mission success rate is extremely high.
Your record qualifies you for jōnin promotion."
He signed the document, then unfurled another.
"Now for the second part, the interview assessment.
I'll ask three questions. You must answer immediately.
Any hesitation counts as failure.
First question:
If the Hokage ordered you to assassinate Mitokado Homura's daughter, how would you complete the mission?"
Yako froze.
That question…
Was that even appropriate?