Mist surged.
Blades, blood, screams... Shisui, in the Hiding in Mist Technique, was like he was at home, often faster and more perceptive than the Hidden Mist Village's own people.
Figures appeared, impossible to distinguish between real and fake.
Masahiko understood the origin of the moniker "Body Flicker Shisui"—
This was a reputation carved out blade by blade on the Hidden Mist Village's front lines; no wonder Ao still remembered Shisui's Chakra even after so long.
Shisui's anger and killing intent could still be clearly felt through the screen and images.
A moment later.
Boom!
With a loud bang, a strange sphere rapidly flew towards them from a distance, but Shisui, who was here, instantly vanished.
Shisui landed where Biwa Jūzō was hit.
Shisui landed from above.
"Jūzō..."
He saw Biwa Jūzō's body impaled by fragments of a broken blade; though not dead yet, he was not far from it.
The hilt of the kubikiribōchō still remained, having been flung and smashed against a tree.
Biwa Jūzō struggled to lift his head.
Shisui immediately said, "Don't speak, I'll take you away!"
Biwa Jūzō's lips moved, and then Shisui picked him up and darted out into the thick fog.
Behind them, the Tailed Beast-transformed Yagura curled into a ball, rolling through the forest like a wheel.
Shisui looked back, his Sharingan's tomoe spinning, about to connect and form a special pattern when... a mass of black flames rapidly flew towards them.
The next moment, the flames burned on the giant "wheel," quickly incinerating its entire body.
Yagura let out a wail, his body greatly enlarged, Chakra continuously erupting as he transformed into the Three-Tails' true form.
The next second, layers of coral reef grew on his body, rapidly cracking and scattering in all directions.
Coral stones carrying black flames flew erratically like meteorites, and the ANBU Ninja rushing to rescue them were struck down one by one.
Soon... they were tragically incinerated.
Yagura reverted to his original form, panting heavily, staggering to his feet, his mind seemingly dazed.
He forced himself to say, "Go! Back to the village!"
The few remaining Anbu immediately caught up, took him, and fled towards the Hidden Mist Village; the broken blade stuck in the tree was also taken by them.
A great battle thus ended.
"Body Flicker Shisui, so cool!"
"Goodness... should I say Shisui is too strong, or Hidden Mist Village is too weak?"
"Probably often deals with them? He seems very familiar with the Hiding in Mist Technique."
"Amaterasu is so strong!"
"Yagura is also strong, he survived Amaterasu!"
This was the second appearance of Amaterasu.
Everyone didn't see its drawbacks, and felt it was very strong just seeing it capable of making someone of Yagura Karatachi's level wail and weaken.
Masahiko just wanted to laugh at this.
The theoretical power of Amaterasu was indeed extremely high, but "theory" also needed to be translated into reality.
He continued to scroll down.
Unfortunately, the aftermath in Hidden Mist Village was not shown on the screen; the next scene was his plot to find Orochimaru.
The prelude wasn't edited in, making it seem like he was rushing to trade with Orochimaru, which led to a chorus of boos in the bullet chat.
Fortunately, he was used to it.
Many people exclaimed how good this fight scene was, but Masahiko himself didn't think so—
The current Kimimaro was too green in front of him.
Including the later fight against Kusagakure, in Masahiko's opinion, it had no technical content, purely bullying the weak, but... "Grass! Panda?!"
"Loved it, loved it. A panda as a summoned beast, how bad can Old Thief be?"
"Damn, Old Thief got Kurenai Yuhi and can still pet a panda, why?!"
"I can only watch from afar even with a ticket... I'm so jealous!"
"I want to be a little black fan!"
A panda brought out a crowd of viewers, a group of people envying and hating Masahiko for having a panda as a summoned beast.
Masahiko was also quite surprised to have drawn a panda.
Furthermore.
The last time he summoned it, he vaguely felt that the panda's intelligence was higher than what he simulated in the Training Space, and it definitely understood human speech.
If possible... those pandas might also be trainable.
Karin's departure to the mountain village was glossed over, with the subsequent plot mostly focusing on Naruto and Sasuke's Ninja Academy daily life, and only at the end was there a scene of Masahiko taking a scroll to Danzo.
His scene reporting to Hiruzen Sarutobi was not edited in at all.
The "editor" is causing trouble!
If he could take over the "Root" organization, these scenes might be released; otherwise... whether they are released depends on what kind of villain he becomes later.
Masahiko propped his head, watching the plot while picking up a pen to write a letter.
It had been two or three days since he said goodbye to Karin.
He planned to have the panda deliver a letter to ask about her recent situation.
Unknowingly—
[Popularity Rating: S]
[Comprehensive Assessment...]
[Reward: Intermediate Ninjutsu Random Card]
Intermediate... this level of card could at most draw a B-rank Ninjutsu, but most of these Ninjutsu could be exchanged with Masahiko's current Jonin status.
With the Ninjutsu Training Space, it wouldn't take him long to learn a Ninjutsu; he didn't need these cards.
As for exchanging for a projection... Masahiko looked at the panel.
After a moment of thought, he suddenly had an idea.
Since it was just an Intermediate Card, and he needed Puppet Technique, he might as well exchange it for something related to Puppet Technique.
Hmm... wait a moment.
Masahiko entered the Training Space, trying to exchange for Sealing Jutsu-related projections.
Sealing Jutsu is very difficult to learn.
With one Intermediate Card, there weren't many people he could summon for the strongest Sealing Jutsu-related projections, and their time was very short.
Puppet Technique was different.
This thing was originally just a C-rank Ninjutsu, and there were many summonable options for it.
He exited the Training Space and continued to finish Karin's letter first.
Don't act on impulse!
First, write the letter, try to research knowledge related to puppets, and apply for it, then consider if it's needed... Hokage Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the application form and couldn't help but lean back.
He looked down, then up again... "Masahiko, are you researching Sunagakure in advance?"
Masahiko's words to Homura Mitokado naturally reached his ears, which is why Hiruzen Sarutobi felt that Masahiko might be researching and teaching in advance.
If that were the case, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt it was too far ahead of its time.
After a moment of confusion, Masahiko quickly shook his head and explained, "Of course not. I wanted to research it because of Yakumo and some cases I saw in the hospital."
"Yakumo?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat up slightly after hearing that.
"Hokage-sama, I told you before that Yakumo's condition isn't right; there are signs of kekkei sickness. You must have noticed this recently, right?"
Masahiko's expression was solemn.
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded.
He naturally knew—
An Anbu skilled in medical Ninjutsu followed Yakumo daily to prevent any life-threatening situations from going unaddressed.
He had also gained a lot of information from this.
Especially... Yakumo's mental state and abilities.
Her Five Senses Control was very strong, but Yakumo's body was truly weak, and her mental state was also very dangerous.
Except for those she cared about, she was very indifferent and easily displayed extreme attitudes.
Hiruzen Sarutobi recalled for a moment, then frowned and asked, "What does this have to do with Puppet Technique?"
"Puppet Technique can serve as a substitute, to a certain extent, solving some of Yakumo's shortcomings as a Ninja, and her Five Senses Control is actually quite compatible with Puppet Technique..."
Masahiko explained.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was quickly persuaded.
Because Masahiko gave an example—
Puppet Technique can not only be used in combat but also allow some disabled Ninja to possess the ability to fight and live.
This struck a chord with Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Many of his comrades and subordinates were disabled by war and had to retire from being Ninja, and the few strong ones were barely holding on.
If someone could use Puppet Technique to make prosthetics better and more perfect, it would indeed be ideal.