Rock Lee's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Mizuki's mouth curved into an undisguised smile. The system notification had already sounded.
[ Ding! ]
[ You have taught your disciple Rock Lee the Dual-Tasking Training Method, triggering an 8,888× Return! ]
[ Congratulations, you have gained [Dual-Tasking Talent]! ]
Mizuki sensed that something about himself had changed, but he couldn't quite identify what — the feeling was peculiar.
He crouched down and used two tree branches, drawing a circle with his left hand and a square with his right. What he couldn't do before, he could now accomplish with ease.
"I feel like… just now, I split my consciousness…"
Mizuki was excited. This dual-focus thinking felt incredible!
'Can I now use two jutsu simultaneously?'
Shinobi couldn't use two jutsu at the same time. Each jutsu required controlling chakra within the body to flow along a specific path.
Hand seals helped shinobi control the flow of chakra. Someone like Mizuki, with exceptionally strong chakra control, didn't need hand seals — he could control chakra flow with his mind alone.
But even so, he could only release one jutsu at a time. He couldn't divide his attention. He had to complete one jutsu before performing the next.
'Now that I have the Dual-Tasking talent, can I control chakra along two paths simultaneously and cast two jutsu at once?'
He was eager to test it, but with so many people around, it wasn't convenient. He could only suppress his curiosity for now.
"Lee, I've taught you the method. Go back and practice. Once you master Dual-Tasking, your strength will improve significantly."
After Mizuki left, Rock Lee returned to Guy's side.
Guy didn't ask much, but Tenten asked curiously, "Lee, what did Mizuki-senpai want with you? I saw you holding tree branches, drawing on the ground."
Rock Lee nodded, "Yeah, Mizuki-sensei had me use two branches to draw a circle with my left hand and a square with my right at the same time."
Tenten asked, "What's the point of that?"
Rock Lee replied, "Dual-Tasking! Mizuki-sensei said most people can only do one thing at a time, but if I master it, I can do two things at once. In battle, I'd be as effective as two people. For example, while using the Leaf Great Whirlwind, my hands can throw shuriken at the same time. Facing me would be like facing two enemies."
Tenten's eyes widened, "That… you're kidding, right? One person doing the work of two — how is that possible?"
Rock Lee said, "I'll show you."
He crouched down, drawing a circle with his left hand and a square with his right, completing both smoothly.
Tenten raised an eyebrow, "That doesn't look so hard!"
She crouched down to try, but quickly gave up. She could manage one hand but couldn't attend to the other at the same time — she could only focus on one.
Compared to him, they were on completely different levels.
Rock Lee then used both hands to write different characters on the ground, completing them all with ease.
Tenten exclaimed, "Lee, how are you doing this?"
Rock Lee said, "I find it very simple, actually. It must be natural. Mizuki-sensei said only those who are pure at heart and simple in thought can do it. The smarter someone is and the more complex their thoughts, the harder it becomes."
Tenten was at a loss for words, "Smart people can't do it, but simple people can…"
That made no sense at all.
"Neji, you should try and see if you can do it." Tenten said.
Neji shook his head, "I already tried. Same as you. My attention must be focused on one hand, otherwise neither the circle nor the square will turn out right. Managing both hands at once is impossible."
Tenten turned to Guy, "Guy-sensei, why don't you give it a try?"
Guy's expression became serious. He nodded and tried.
… And he succeeded.
Neji and Tenten exchanged glances, thinking to themselves: indeed, as Mizuki said, smart people can't do it, but simple people can.
Guy stared blankly at the ground, at the circle and square he had drawn. In this moment, he felt as though he had opened the door to a new world.
❊❊❊❊❊
Root headquarters.
Danzō fled back, still reeling in complete bewilderment.
"Why? Why didn't Kotoamatsukami work on him?"
Kotoamatsukami — the ultimate genjutsu! Yet it couldn't control Mizuki?
"What kind of monster is Mizuki?" Fear crept into Danzō's chest.
If Mizuki didn't have bandages on his body, Danzō would have thought he'd also transplanted Sharingan and used Izanagi to negate Kotoamatsukami's effects.
"The loss this time is too great."
Four uses of Izanagi, consuming four Sharingan — Danzō's heart bled.
He'd seized many Sharingan during the Uchiha massacre, but losing four at once still stung. If he'd successfully controlled Mizuki, it wouldn't have mattered.
But he hadn't succeeded.
A total waste.
"Besides losing four Sharingan, Kotoamatsukami is also temporarily unusable." Danzō's face darkened.
Kotoamatsukami had an extremely long cooldown — ten years after a single use.
Though Danzō had transplanted Hashirama cells, which reduced the cooldown significantly, it would still take at least two or three years before he could use it again.
Just as Danzō brooded, a Root ninja appeared before him.
"Danzō-sama, the Third Hokage is coming with a large number of ANBU."
Danzō's expression changed, "Why is Hiruzen making such a show of force?"
Soon, the Hokage's convoy arrived.
"Danzō, hand over Shisui's eyes. They're village property — you have no right to keep them." Hiruzen was direct.
Danzō was alarmed inwardly, but his face remained unchanged. They were both veteran actors — he had at least that much composure.
"Hiruzen, what kind of joke is this? Shisui died years ago, and his body was never found. You're asking me for his eyes? Where is this coming from?"
Danzō denied it to the death.
Hiruzen gave a cold snort and waved his hand. An ANBU member stepped forward. Beneath the mask, a pair of Byakugan stared fixedly at Danzō's right eye.
Someone from the Hyuga clan.
As a Konoha elder and Root leader with high status and authority, Danzō wasn't someone the Hyuga clan dared examine with their Byakugan. Moreover, he spent all day in the sewers like a rat, rarely showing himself, so Hyuga shinobi didn't encounter him often.
Even though Danzō had possessed Shisui's eye for years, Hiruzen had never discovered it. Perhaps he'd long suspected, but out of their friendship, he'd never investigated thoroughly.
But today's matter involved Kotoamatsukami — he couldn't hold back anymore. He directly ordered the Hyuga clan to investigate the secrets hidden on Danzō's body.
Danzō barked, "How dare you! Examining me with the Byakugan — this is insubordination!"
Hiruzen said coldly, "Danzō, do you want to defy me as Hokage?"
Danzō immediately backed down.
He knew he couldn't hide it anymore, "Fine, no need for the Byakugan examination. I'll tell you myself. Yes, my right eye is transplanted with Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan."
No point in denying it anymore.
Hiruzen raised a hand, stopping the Hyuga ninja's examination.
"So Shisui's death was also your doing?"
"No!" Danzō denied it outright, "It was Itachi Uchiha. He killed Shisui with his own hands to awaken his Mangekyō and gave me Shisui's right eye."
He didn't dare admit to this. If he did, his hope of seizing the Fifth Hokage position would be gone forever.
No one would support someone who killed a fellow village shinobi to become Hokage. After all, Shisui was considered a good person in everyone's minds.
Hiruzen remained noncommittal about Danzō's answer. Of course he wouldn't believe this one-sided account, but there was no evidence proving Danzō had killed Shisui.
"Hand over Shisui's eye to me, and this matter ends here." Hiruzen glanced at Danzō's bandaged right arm but didn't pursue it further.
He knew that arm concealed Sharingan, yet he chose to remain silent.
Keeping Danzō around still had its uses — if everything were exposed, everyone would call for his head, and there'd be no one left to take the blame.
"Also, all Root ninja are to assemble at the Hokage building immediately. Danzō, after you hand over the eye, go home and rest!"
Hiruzen left, taking Shisui's right eye and all the Root ninja with him.
Danzō was filled with rage but had nowhere to vent it.
He had suffered greatly at Mizuki's hands, and now Hiruzen had taken advantage of him too, even seizing Shisui's eye.
The blow was simply too massive!
❊❊❊❊❊
The next morning, Mizuki met the merchant caravan at the Konoha village gate for his commissioned mission.
After completing his exit registration, he prepared to leave the village.
Just then, a group arrived from outside. They wore Sunagakure headbands. Mizuki glanced at them and immediately took notice.
This was the group from Sunagakure who had come to participate in the Chūnin Exams. Jōnin Baki, Temari carrying a fan, Kankurō with a puppet on his back, and Gaara carrying a gourd.
Mizuki's gaze lingered on the Sand Boy.
Sensing his stare, Gaara turned, a pair of panda eyes fixed on him.
"You — do you want to die?"
Mizuki chuckled and didn't bother arguing with the bratty kid.
The merchant caravan departed from the village, with him accompanying them as protection.
Standing outside the gate, Mizuki looked back at Konoha — at the iconic Hokage building. After walking some distance, he suddenly gave a cold laugh. A paper airplane appeared in his hand.
"Third Hokage, you've tried everything to kill me, and I've always been on the defensive. This time, let me give you a taste of my retaliation!"
The paper airplane took flight, soaring into the sky like a bird. It passed through Konoha's sensory barrier, speeding toward the Hokage building.
Target: the Hokage's office.
❊❊❊❊❊
T/N: Comment, give me Power Stones, like and favorite, it all supports me and makes me go foward with this. Appreciate my other stories as well, I guarantee the good work!
If you want 20 chapters ahead of this novel for just $2 or enjoy a large catalog of good novels with excellent translations: MrBlackWing (you know where to search)
I'm currently translating another project (for $1.5) where the main character travels through various worlds, like Highschool of the Dead, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, Darwin's Game, and many more, building a massive harem. It will have smut chapters (+18) and spicy images of the female characters. Check it out if you're interested! :)
That's it and happy reading! (-‿◦)