"When performing an escort mission, you must pay close attention to the surrounding terrain. For example, if you are in a forest with many pine trees and one tree of a different species suddenly appears, it is very likely an enemy using the Transformation Jutsu."
"Also, if it hasn't rained for days in the area where you're performing your mission and a small puddle suddenly appears on the ground, it could similarly be a transformation created by the enemy using the Transformation Jutsu."
"In summary, the Transformation Jutsu is a very practical Ninjutsu. I will teach it to you later. Once you learn the Substitution Jutsu in a few days, the next thing to learn will be the Transformation Jutsu. Alright, that's all for today. Go back to eating!"
Two days had passed since the last assessment. For the past two days at noon, Mitsusuke had been giving the students lectures on various emergencies that might occur during missions.
He felt this was much more useful than that 'Will of Fire' nonsense; the Will of Fire couldn't block a Kunai suddenly fired by an enemy.
After finishing his lecture, Mitsusuke leisurely began eating potato chips.
He had bought these chips from Choji. He had to admit, the taste was really good, quite similar to the chips he had eaten in his previous life.
Suddenly, Mitsusuke put down the chips and walked toward the door.
Since the students were all busy eating lunch, they didn't pay much attention to their teacher's movements.
Leaving the teaching building, Mitsusuke came to a tree and, following his habit, lit a cigarette. "Tell me, what do you want? Otherwise, you wouldn't have come looking for me."
"Your perception is indeed strong," Itachi jumped down from the tree to stand before Mitsusuke. "I came to tell you that the Uchiha will take action in ten days. Help me protect Sasuke; I'm afraid those people might do something desperate if cornered."
"Fine. Let me know before you act. I'll hold the Substitution Jutsu assessment that night. As long as Sasuke doesn't leave the school grounds, no one can harm him."
After agreeing to Itachi's request, Mitsusuke asked, "Have you determined the number of people that need to be dealt with? Don't let it be too many. I don't want to see the Uchiha suffer a crippling blow; such an outcome wouldn't be good for Konoha."
"Sigh!" Itachi let out a sigh. "Shisui was right. You're the only one who cares about the survival of the Uchiha; everyone else only cares about whether the Uchiha are obedient."
Ignoring Itachi's lament, Mitsusuke continued, "A few days ago, I felt you come into contact with a very unfamiliar presence. Can you tell me what that was about?"
Itachi's pupils contracted sharply. He hadn't expected his secret to be detected.
However, Itachi soon relaxed. Mitsusuke hid so many things that it wasn't surprising he could sense it.
Taking off his mask and leaning sideways against the tree, he said with a hint of worry in his voice, "I don't actually know that person. He only came to invite me to join an organization."
"I've already reported this matter to the Hokage. He hopes I can go to that organization as an undercover agent. Using this incident as a cover, I will become a Rogue Ninja to mask the truth about the Uchiha coup."
"Since you already know about this, I'll leave Sasuke in your care for the next few years. Help me teach him well; he is the hope of our Uchiha."
Seeing how this 'brother-con' was still only thinking about Sasuke at a time like this, Mitsusuke couldn't help but complain, "Give it a rest! 'Hope,' my foot! I think if you could just face the Uchiha situation properly, you and Shisui would be the real hope of the Uchiha."
"To say something you might not like to hear: Sasuke's ceiling is very high, much higher than yours or Shisui's. But his personality dictates that he won't be able to lead the Uchiha very far. You should do it yourself. When it comes to revitalizing the Uchiha, I still think you and Shisui are more reliable."
Itachi didn't argue with Mitsusuke further. He put his mask back on and left.
It was also possible he simply couldn't win the argument against Mitsusuke, and continuing would be meaningless.
Watching Itachi leave, Mitsusuke walked toward the teaching building, feeling somewhat uncomfortable in his heart.
How should he put it? Seeing his own people about to engage in a life-and-death struggle made him feel helpless and somewhat pathetic. They were all from the same Village; why did it have to come to this?
He had been getting involved in Uchiha affairs a lot lately, and he was starting to feel a bit sentimental.
Returning to the classroom, Mitsusuke sat in his chair. Looking at Sasuke, who was surrounded by girls, he felt he could give the boy some proper training. It could be considered a form of compensation to Itachi on behalf of the Village.
Thinking of this, Mitsusuke stood up and went to Sasuke. "Come with me. I have something to tell you."
"Teacher, Sasuke still..." Sakura Haruno wanted to say something, but she was frightened by the teacher's gaze, and the words died in her throat.
Sasuke was very obedient, standing up and following Mitsusuke out of the classroom.
The two left the teaching building and went directly to a training ground closest to the school.
Mitsusuke walked up to a training post, took off his coat, and tossed it casually onto another post nearby.
"Watch closely. I'll only demonstrate this once. How much you remember depends on your own comprehension."
"Finger Pistol!!!"
As Mitsusuke spoke, his finger struck the wooden post at an extremely high speed.
In the next moment, under Sasuke's watchful eyes, his finger pierced directly into the post. A blast of wind-natured Chakra erupted from the opposite side, punching a hole straight through the entire post.
Withdrawing his finger, Mitsusuke said, "This is a Ninjutsu I created myself. I call it the Finger Pistol. It involves coating your finger with Chakra and striking at an extremely high speed."
"This move not only requires extreme control over Chakra but also requires the user's body to be extremely tough."
"Now, start practicing!"
The Finger Pistol was a Ninjutsu Mitsusuke developed by referencing the Marine Six Styles.
Originally, he wanted to develop all of the Six Styles, but he failed. For some unknown reason, he only managed to develop the Finger Pistol.
Seeing his teacher pierce a wooden post with a single finger, Sasuke looked at Mitsusuke—the man known as the 'disgrace of the sarutobi clan'—with a searching gaze.
Could such a Ninjutsu really be developed by an incompetent person?
Picking up his coat and putting it on, Mitsusuke walked toward the exit of the training ground. "Recall my posture and how I applied force. The advantage of this Ninjutsu is that it can be used with any Chakra nature. Although your fire-natured Chakra doesn't have a piercing effect, it does have a burning effect. I've used it a few times before, and the results were quite good."
Passing by the bushes at the entrance, Mitsusuke pulled Naruto out from inside. "Have you peeked enough, you brat? Hurry up and come back with me to train your Chakra control."
Being lifted up, Naruto finally reacted and began flailing his arms and legs. "Put me down! I want to learn that Ninjutsu too! Teach me, Mitsusuke-sensei!"
"Impossible," Mitsusuke refused flatly. "I won't teach you until you've learned the Substitution Jutsu. Learning the Substitution Jutsu is the minimum threshold for learning the Finger Pistol."