Konohagakure
In a modest Konoha residence, a Chūnin in a flak jacket stood trembling in front of the sink. His face was pale, eyes ringed with dark circles and bloodshot from exhaustion.
"Kyoko... without you in this world, what's the point of living?"
He muttered to himself, his voice low and heavy with grief, before erupting into a sudden scream.
The Shinobi, fully geared with twin pouches of tools strapped to his back, pulled out a handful of shuriken and flung them wildly. They clattered against walls and furniture, smashing lamps and scattering shards of ceramic.
The sounds of destruction echoed throughout the apartment.
His expression distorted with grief, and he formed hand seals. His fingers ended on the Earth hand sign.
"Earth Release: Rock Pillar Prison!"
A barrage of stone pillars erupted through the multi-story building, surrounding the interior like a cage.
"Run! The Shinobi-sama's lost control!"
Nearby residents, both civilians and Shinobi, fled in panic.
Still trembling, the man panted after releasing the jutsu—but then his anguish deepened.
"Kyoko... this world has no meaning without you!"
He repeated the hand seals, once again ending on the Si seal.
"Earth Release: Earth Stone Dragon!"
The ground trembled. Cracks split through the pavement as a thirty-meter-long stone dragon burst forth from the earth. Its head reared toward the fourth floor, where the Shinobi leapt atop it, intending to escape over the village walls.
"Stop him! Don't let him leave the village!"
Members of the Konoha Military Police Force arrived, having heard the disturbance during patrol.
Fire-style jutsu was too dangerous to use within the village, but a red-haired Uzumaki on duty stepped forward and swiftly formed hand seals.
"Sealing Jutsu: Binding Seal of Karma!"
Black sealing scripts rippled across the ground like living ink, wrapping around the stone dragon and halting its advance.
"You damn Sunagakure cowards!" the rogue Shinobi screamed. "I'll kill you all for Kyoko!"
Grief turned to rage. He hurled kunai at the Military Police and quickly formed new hand seals.
But before he could complete the sequence—
"Genjutsu: Sharingan!"
His eyes locked with a pair of scarlet tomoe. His body froze mid-hand seal, expression dazed and distant.
Uchiha Fugaku stepped from the crowd, his fully matured Sharingan spinning. He had activated the Hypnotic Eye to subdue the berserk Shinobi.
"Remain calm, everyone. The Military Police are handling this. You're safe now."
Turning to his subordinates, he ordered, "Take him into custody."
"Yes, sir!"
---
Konoha Military Police Headquarters
Uchiha Fugaku reviewed the case file while the detained Shinobi sat quietly in a holding cell.
Genjutsu interrogation confirmed he was neither a traitor nor under any Genjutsu manipulation.
A respected Chūnin, his psychological trauma stemmed from the death of his fiancée—Kyoko—during the Third Great Ninja War. This was the third time he had suffered a mental breakdown.
His team captain and comrade were already at the headquarters, vouching for him and pleading for his release.
"Luckily, no one was harmed," Fugaku said gravely. "However, the structural damage to the residence must be compensated, as well as costs for temporary housing for the displaced."
"We'll cover it," the Jōnin teammate replied respectfully.
"My apologies for the trouble," added the Chūnin, bowing.
Fugaku sighed. "You're not the only ones. There have been six such incidents in the past two months. I hope you can help him cope, as his teammates."
"Yes, sir," they responded, equally solemn.
Outside the building, Uchiha Naraku finished reading the report and emerged from the briefing room. He watched the departing comrades, then turned to Fugaku and spoke quietly.
"Cases like this have become far too common since the war. Shinobi losing friends, comrades, and loved ones—only to be thrust into high-stakes missions without time to heal."
Naraku exhaled deeply. "I'm Uchiha Naraku, captain of the Konoha Military Police. I don't know how to console these people. But I do know this—dozens of such cases emerge every year."
He raised his head firmly.
"I intend to petition the Sandaime Hokage to establish a Mental Rehabilitation Division—so that those who've sacrificed everything for Konoha receive not only praise but healing."
The Jōnin, stunned at first, then smiled. "I'm Akita Yuya, a Konoha Jōnin. The annual Jōnin Council is coming up soon. If you bring this to Hokage-sama's attention, my comrades and I will fully support your proposal."
"Thank you for your support, Akita-san."
Naraku bowed slightly, his voice resolute.
"I can't bear to watch so many heroes fall apart in silence. These are men and women who risked everything to protect our village. We owe them more than medals."
"I will raise the issue during the Jōnin Council, not just as Police Captain—but as the Uchiha Clan Head and a Konoha Jōnin."
Akita Yuya was moved. "You have my support, Naraku-sama."
He looked at the man before him with new eyes.
"Weren't the Uchiha supposed to be arrogant and cruel…? This isn't what I expected," he thought.
"Thank you," Naraku replied, bowing again, before turning to leave.
Fugaku, standing beside him, nodded. "Come, let's release the man."
---
In the detention wing, Fugaku opened the cell. The previously hysterical Chūnin was now calm and lucid.
Seeing his teammates, he bowed slightly.
"I'm sorry for the trouble."
"You idiot," the Jōnin grumbled with a sigh. "Let's go."
Fugaku oversaw the release paperwork before seeing them off at the entrance.
Arms crossed, he watched the trio disappear into the afternoon crowd.
Behind him, Uchiha Yakumi approached, carrying a folder. He was Fugaku's aide and second-in-command within the force.
"Chief Fugaku, what are you thinking about?" Yakumi asked.
Fugaku's voice was distant. "Nothing... just remembering. A Shinobi endures…"
Then he shook his head and walked back inside.
Yakumi blinked, confused. "What does that even mean? So profound… As expected of Chief Fugaku."
---