Thud, thud, thud.
A soft knocking came from the window.
Masahiko opened his eyes in a daze, his head throbbing, the remnants of sleep still clinging to him. Despite the fatigue, he knew he had to wake up. He rose and opened the window to find a ninja bird perched outside, a familiar bamboo tube strapped to its leg.
After he retrieved the message, the bird took flight and vanished. Masahiko unrolled the thin strip of paper.
It read: "Leave the village in secret. Meet at the East Gate."
'Hm?'
Suspicion flared in Masahiko's mind, though his face remained impassive. He pondered the message silently for a moment before moving to prepare. He stuffed two Explosive Tags and four Smoke Bombs into his ninja tool pouch—his newly acquired arsenal.
'It's a pity my accumulated funds are so meager,' he thought pragmatically. 'Otherwise, I'd pack at least a dozen Explosive Tags just to feel secure.'
Ready to move, he glanced at his System interface.
[Shikotsumyaku (In Development): Novice]
It was a subtle change, yet Masahiko had already grasped a portion of the Shikotsumyaku abilities. He could now utilize the bloodline limit to reinforce his own skeleton.
On one hand, harder bones meant he could take a heavier beating, and his own punches would land with significantly more pain. On the other, a tougher skeletal structure allowed him to exert greater explosive power and speed without injury. This was the fruit of his grueling cultivation throughout the afternoon.
Masahiko didn't plan to follow Kimimaro's path of pulling out bones to use as weapons immediately. Instead, he intended to use the Shikotsumyaku to further enhance his physical constitution, maximizing his advantage in Taijutsu.
However, this was only the first phase.
Once his flesh and Taijutsu were sufficiently reinforced, and if the Shikotsumyaku evolved further, Masahiko planned to attempt a technique similar to Kaguya's All-Killing Ash Bones—firing bone projectiles directly into an opponent's body to disintegrate their internal organs. Compared to wielding a bone sword, that method promised far deadlier damage output.
'The Shikotsumyaku is my trump card. It should be reserved for my "Black Robed Man" persona, to solidify the misconception that the character hails from the Hidden Mist,' he decided. 'In Konoha, using the Taijutsu enhancement aspect will suffice.'
With his plan set and his morning routine complete, Masahiko leaped out the window, disappearing into the night sky.
The letter purported to be from Danzō. Masahiko wasn't sure what Danzō wanted, but since the invitation had been extended, he couldn't simply ignore it.
However...
Upon arriving at the designated location near the East Gate, he saw a man dressed in Anbu attire standing silently in the shadows.
Masahiko walked over slowly.
"Who are you, and why have you asked me here?"
"Danzō-sama has a mission for you," the figure replied coldly.
Masahiko let out a cold chuckle. "I'm just a physical education teacher. How could I possibly know Danzō-sama? I only came here to see who would be bold enough to impersonate one of his subordinates."
"..."
The other party clearly hadn't expected this reaction and fell into a momentary silence.
In that split second of hesitation—
A voice suddenly whispered right beside his ear.
"If you don't answer, I'll have to arrest you."
'What?!'
The "Anbu" was startled. He instantly molded chakra to activate the Body Flicker Technique, but before he could take three steps—
Boom!
A surge of chakra exploded. A majestic torrent of water slashed past him, the high pressure stinging his arm. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his sleeve had been torn open.
Masahiko's figure flickered into view for a brief instant before fading and dissolving into the air.
Suddenly, three figures descended from the sky, blades drawn, each one indistinguishable from the real body.
The "Anbu" wove hand seals rapidly, splitting into two clones to meet the assault.
Clang!
Kunai and swords clashed in the dark.
Just as the "Anbu's" Shadow Clone prepared to counterattack the "main body," he heard the whistling of wind from the side. He immediately spiked a smoke bomb onto the ground.
However.
Flames pierced through the expanding smoke, blanketing the entire area in searing heat.
Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!
The "Anbu" rolled away in a sorry state. When he stood back up, his disguise had shifted. He now wore a black robe and a porcelain mask.
Only... unlike Masahiko's usual Fox mask, this one was a Dog.
Masahiko looked at the figure and smiled.
"Have you ever read detective novels?"
"Not interested," the figure replied icily.
Masahiko chuckled low in his throat. "In those stories, some criminals will actively provoke the detective to show off their own brilliance."
He took a step forward, his voice dropping to a smooth, mocking whisper. "I thought that as a top-tier spy, you would be above such psychological needs. I didn't expect you to be a fool, too."
"Right, Yakushi Kabuto?"
Masahiko's voice was quiet, and his smile was radiant, but the name caused the figure to snap his head up.
Although the figure quickly suppressed the reaction, it was too late.
One can only deceive those who do not know.
neither of them spoke further, but the truth was laid bare between them.
Kabuto remained silent for a moment. He didn't confirm his name, but instead asked, "How were you certain I wasn't from Root?"
"You might know I work for him, but you don't understand how I work for him," Masahiko replied indifferently. "He would never assign me this kind of mission. Furthermore, while your imitation of the handwriting is excellent, it wasn't written by the man himself."
"You can recognize the nuances of his handwriting?" Kabuto was genuinely surprised.
"When one's life is on the line, one cannot be too cautious," Masahiko responded.
Kabuto fell silent.
He had to admit it—the man before him possessed unimaginable intellect, easily seeing through both his disguise and his identity.
If this man were to become Orochimaru-sama's subordinate, would there be any place left for him?
A genuine sense of crisis welled up in Kabuto's heart, yet he clearly recognized that in his current state, he was no match for Masahiko.
Moreover, compared to their previous encounter, Masahiko's strength seemed to have undergone a terrifying leap. Was he hiding his power before, or had Yagyū Masahiko improved this much in such a short time?
Kabuto's thoughts were in chaos, but he forced himself to remain calm.
"This meeting is Orochimaru-sama's will."
He produced a scroll and tossed it to Masahiko.
Masahiko caught it effortlessly. Scanning the contents, he quickly understood what it was: the theoretical principles behind the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal.
"Does Orochimaru-sama have any requests?"
"No. He said this is a greeting gift for passing the test, as well as a topic for academic exchange," Kabuto answered.
Masahiko pocketed the scroll and smiled. "Please convey my thanks to Orochimaru-sama. Tell him I look forward to our happy cooperation."
"Cooperation?"
Kabuto froze.
Orochimaru and this man... they were in a partnership?
"Yes. We have no conflict of interest, so we can cooperate fully. You don't need to waste energy plotting against me," Masahiko said with a knowing smile.
The next second, he waved his hand and vanished from the spot, taking the scroll with him.
Kabuto stood alone in the silence.
'Such speed...'
He recalled their brief exchange of blows. A suffocating feeling pressed against his chest, making it hard to breathe.
"Yagyū Masahiko."
Kabuto adjusted his mask, his eyes filled with a mix of dread and appreciation.
And perhaps... a vague, indescribable envy that even Kabuto couldn't quite articulate.
For some reason, in this moment, his mind drifted back to the words Masahiko had spoken to him in the library.
"Don't let the world define you..."
Yakushi Kabuto used the Body Flicker Technique to leave the area, but his mind was too turbulent to settle.
As a spy, he rarely experienced such intense emotions. But this time, feelings and thoughts seemed to be erupting from his chest, though he didn't know exactly what he was agitated about.
He took a long, circuitous route back to his home. Looking at his own face in the mirror, he fell into a trance.
"Maybe... what I envy is that he has a goal, he has ideas. He knows exactly what to do and works tirelessly for it."
"He is firm in his own path..."
"Did he guess it was me even back then?"
Kabuto felt lost. Simultaneously, he felt a deeper fear of the man. His mind began to churn with a new question—
'Just what are Masahiko and Orochimaru planning to do together?'