As dusk approached, Masahiko departed from the Uchiha Clan's training grounds.
He had spent the afternoon with Itachi, who had instructed him on the intricacies of motion-based Genjutsu. As Itachi himself admitted, he was not a natural teacher. He tended to gloss over critical details with a single sentence—omissions that, for an ordinary person, made the lessons feel as impenetrable as advanced calculus equations with missing steps.
It was rare to receive guidance from such a master, so Masahiko didn't care about saving face. He seized every opportunity to ask questions, shamelessly pressing for clarification whenever he didn't understand. Unfortunately, Itachi's intuitive method simply wasn't compatible with Masahiko's learning style.
Of course, to ensure the sustainability of this "friendship," Masahiko reciprocated. He imparted some of his own insights regarding the Body Flicker Technique to both Itachi and Sasuke.
Now, jogging along the familiar path, he headed toward his usual rendezvous point. Today was the perfect opportunity to meet with Danzō.
Outskirts of Konoha, Root Base.
Danzō sat in the shadows, his expression cold and grim. "Still nothing?"
"Yes, Lord Danzō," replied Toge, a Root agent. "We have scoured the surrounding areas and the borders. There is no trace of Shisui."
Danzō frowned slightly. "And the Uchiha Naka Shrine?"
"According to the insects' reconnaissance, the shrine has been deserted. The Uchiha clan has been in chaos these past few days; no meetings have been held."
"Is he truly dead?" Danzō muttered to himself.
If that were the case, the situation had become significantly more troublesome. It implied the existence of a hidden third party—a faction that understood Konoha's internal workings intimately. It was likely they had spies embedded within the village, perhaps even deep within the Anbu Black Ops.
A flicker of suspicion passed through Danzō's visible eye. His thoughts immediately locked onto Orochimaru. Yet, he did not rule out other possibilities.
"What has Yagyu Masahiko been doing recently?" Danzō asked abruptly.
"Conducting research and teaching classes. He visited the hospital today; the examination confirmed signs of muscle damage caused by Chakra overuse," Toge reported.
Before Danzō could respond, another Root member hurriedly entered the chamber.
"Lord Danzō, Yagyu Masahiko has arrived. Do you wish to see him?"
having passed his initial vetting, Masahiko no longer needed to wait for a summons; he could approach via his handler directly. Danzō seemed lost in thought for a moment before waving his hand, signaling the others to retreat.
Seconds later, led by Toge, Masahiko entered the secret chamber.
"Lord Danzō," Masahiko said, bowing respectfully. "Subordinate Yagyu has made contact with Itachi Uchiha today. I am here to request instructions for the next phase of my mission."
Danzō's eye opened slightly. "You met with him?"
"Yes." Masahiko proceeded to recount the details of the encounter, carefully curating the narrative.
"What is his attitude regarding Shisui's death?" Danzō asked, his eyes narrowing, his demeanor radiating a chilling coldness.
"He is grieving deeply," Masahiko answered without hesitation. "Sasuke claims that Itachi locked himself in his room yesterday and refused to come out. He only emerged when I arrived."
"Excellent," Danzō said. "Continue to get close to him. Monitor his every move and record every detail."
"Understood!" Masahiko responded. He then hesitated, adopting a look of uncertainty. "Lord Danzō, there is one more matter..."
Masahiko explained his recent research and his desire to pursue Medical Ninjutsu to further his development. Hearing this, Danzō, much like Hiruzen Sarutobi, demanded a demonstration.
Just as he had done before, Masahiko deliberately lost control of his Chakra, inflicting minor damage upon his own body.
A hint of disappointment flashed through Danzō's eye. "The concept is sound, but your technique is abysmal."
"Yes... this subordinate lacks ability," Masahiko admitted, feigning shame.
"Your accumulation of knowledge is too shallow. If you were not a teacher, I would have you come here for special training," Danzō said with a look of regret. "As it stands, your current path is somewhat of a waste of your talents."
"This subordinate would also like to participate, but the Hokage-sama seems to have other plans. He mentioned a specific mission he intends for me to undertake..." Masahiko dropped the bait smoothly.
Danzō straightened up. "He wants you to execute a mission?"
A sharp glint flashed in his solitary eye.
"If there are any further developments, you must report them to me immediately."
"Yes! For the sake of Konoha, I shall dedicate my very life and soul!" Masahiko shouted the slogan with fervent intensity.
Danzō nodded with satisfaction. "Toge, go. Retrieve our training manuals and the medical handbook."
A shadow flickered and vanished into the darkness.
Back at home.
Masahiko maintained a calm exterior, but inside, he was barely suppressing his joy.
It was just as he expected. Danzō might be a ruthless manipulator, but when he needed someone, he paid well.
An Anbu Training Manual.
Although it didn't come with an elite Anbu instructor, Masahiko had the System's training space. He didn't need a live teacher. Furthermore, Danzō's "training" was no child's play; walking into Root meant losing one's autonomy. Even without the Third Hokage's mission as an excuse, Masahiko would have found a way to refuse.
He sat at his desk and began to read earnestly. By the time he finished, it was deep into the night.
The medical handbook contained basic theory and first-aid knowledge—useful, but standard. The Anbu Training Manual, however, was a treasure trove.
It detailed the secret communication signs of the Five Great Nations' Anbu, along with specialized techniques for suppressing one's presence, assassination taijutsu, and sensory enhancement.
For example: How to compress Chakra, how to refine control, and how to expand one's sensing range. These were trade secrets that ordinary shinobi would never have access to.
According to the manual, enhancing sensory capabilities required studying Genjutsu. Genjutsu and sensory perception were both extensions of Spiritual Energy (Yin Release). Consequently, Genjutsu specialists often possessed sensory abilities far superior to the average ninja.
Simultaneously, improved perception allowed a ninja to better handle high-speed combat and reaction times. Of course, there was a ceiling. Against the extreme speed of Kakashi's Lightning Cutter—or worse, the Flying Thunder God of Minato Namikaze—enhanced perception alone was futile without the body to match it.
Reading through the text, Masahiko realized that every line and every sentence implicitly screamed one word: Talent.
He knew his innate talent was mediocre at best.
So...
Masahiko took out a pen and paper. He recalled the abstract lessons Itachi had given him earlier that day and wrote them down, line by line.
Then, beneath them, he wrote a single objective:
Integrate Genjutsu into Taijutsu to achieve a fusion technique similar to the Crow Clone.
Masahiko hadn't unlocked the Genjutsu function module in the System yet. Therefore, he had to cheat.
Inside the Nintaijutsu Training Space.
The [Smart Projection] stared at the plan Masahiko had submitted and fell into a long silence.
Does this... count?
The AI's expression remained wooden. After a minute or two, just as Masahiko was about to give up, it finally spoke.
"This is a combat method that combines Taijutsu with Genjutsu. Theoretically, this does not fall under the category of Nintaijutsu."
"However."
"Based on the data you submitted and the Ninjutsu within your memory, I have identified a Water Style-based Genjutsu."
"This Genjutsu can serve as an extension of Nintaijutsu..."
The Smart Projection began to outline the concept and the method of implementation. However, being a free feature, the projection could not autonomously fill in missing knowledge.
"Utilize the water vapor and Chakra dispersed by Ninjutsu to create a mist capable of refracting light and inducing hallucinations..."
Listening to the plan, Masahiko quickly identified the prototype:
Genjutsu: Steaming Multi-Storied Building.
The signature technique of the Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hōzuki.
Masahiko understood the principles of mirages and light refraction well enough to attempt recreating it slowly.
This is doable!
His eyes lit up. In his mind, he began to connect the dots: Collapsing Torrent, the Water Jellyfish defense, and the Mirage mechanics.
If he could string these three together...
High defense, high impact, and elusive evasion. He would effectively become a "Budget Version" of Tsunade.
"Medical Ninjutsu training—start!"