Inside the courtyard, the perimeter was now entirely surrounded by samurai, with guards posted every five steps to protect the grounds.
Asuma's Shadow Clone arrived quickly.
"Move aside, move aside!"
Masahiko hurried over from behind.
He soon ran to Kitako's side; Kitako was clutching his throat, a vital point, but blood was still gushing out relentlessly.
He formed hand seals, and a mass of water quickly condensed in his hands, taking on a jellyfish-like shape before landing on the wound.
A second later, Masahiko used medical Chakra to assist the treatment.
Once the wound closed, he stopped maintaining the medical Chakra and instead pressed down with both hands to perform CPR.
Kitako's wound improved and stopped bleeding, but his bodily functions were still failing.
A few minutes later.
Watching Masahiko's desperate efforts to save him, Jiraiya, despite his heartache, said softly, "Benefactor, that is enough. Let Kitako go."
He could tell that Kitako was already gone.
Masahiko slumped to the ground nearby, his expression looking quite grim.
After all... he had just gone through the entire process of saving a life, which was quite exhausting.
After standing up, he hesitated to speak.
Jiraiya bowed. "Thank you, benefactor... Everyone, let us give him a proper burial!"
Dongmao broke into loud sobs.
Nanwu and Xidu also looked grief-stricken.
Masahiko sighed and said to Asuma, "Senior..."
"Thank you, Masahiko. I know you did your best."
Although Asuma was only a Shadow Clone, he was essentially identical to the original.
He suppressed his grief.
"Go back and rest first. I will come to thank you in person tomorrow."
"Everyone, please accept my condolences."
...The next day, Kurenai Yuhi was shocked when she heard the news.
It was hard to imagine such a vicious assassination event occurring in Kyoto!
She immediately went to investigate the situation.
After a night, Asuma had become much more haggard.
When he saw Kurenai Yuhi, he forced a twitch of his lips but ultimately couldn't manage a smile.
"Kurenai."
"Asuma, this..."
Looking at their state, Kurenai Yuhi found it difficult to ask questions for a moment.
After a long while, Asuma seemed to realize why she had come and said, "We've discussed it, and we suspect Orochimaru."
"Huh?"
Kurenai Yuhi was shocked and bewildered.
Orochimaru could indeed carry out a swift assassination, but the question was... "Why?"
She was puzzled.
"Orochimaru shouldn't even be here, right?"
Asuma shook his head.
This was also what confused them.
Everyone fell silent.
Kurenai Yuhi frowned and said, "Don't worry. Orochimaru is an S-rank Rogue Ninja of Konoha. I'll find a way to ask what's going on."
"Okay, thank you."
Asuma watched Kurenai Yuhi's departing figure.
He finally had a chance to be alone with her, yet he didn't try to make her stay, his heart filled with utter confusion.
Orochimaru... could it really be him?
...The most famous aristocratic school in Kyoto.
Masahiko brought Naruto here for a visit.
Naruto had been looking forward to it at first, but unfortunately, after a whole morning, he immediately lost interest.
Although the people here didn't know his past, they were all from noble backgrounds and naturally didn't have a very friendly attitude toward Naruto.
After one round, the passion in his heart had faded.
"Teacher..."
"Hmm?"
"I feel like Konoha is still better."
Naruto said in a low voice.
Masahiko smiled and said, "People are bound by emotional ties. Konoha has your familiar companions, while this place does not, so it's normal for you to want to go back."
He looked into the distance.
"It's almost over. Just treat it as going through the motions."
"Okay! When we get back, I want to eat ramen..."
Naruto ran ahead quickly, chattering away.
At a corner, Masahiko quietly formed a seal, and a Shadow Clone vanished into the corridor while Naruto wasn't paying attention.
In a corner of the school, an insect flew over and landed.
Immediately following, a figure dropped down from above.
"Senior!"
"Hmm."
Ji emerged from his hiding place and said, "Last night's operation was very successful. Lord Danzo is very satisfied. He asked me to give this to you."
The other party took out a scroll.
Masahiko took it without asking what it was, appearing to trust Danzo completely.
"For the mission to assassinate the radicals, should I go, or will the organization send someone else?"
It was never wrong to "ask for instructions."
Masahiko waited respectfully for orders.
Ji replied, "The Lightning Release nature transformation Kakashi taught you—what level have you mastered it to?"
"It's passable, but I certainly can't say I'm proficient."
Masahiko answered "truthfully."
Ji pondered for a long time and said, "If we let Kakashi do it, we're worried it would be too clean, which might reveal flaws. Besides, he needs an alibi."
"Then I'll go."
Masahiko responded.
After a brief pause, he said, "If I strike, the target should be Feili. He specializes in Earth Release Ninjutsu, which is easiest to break through with Lightning Release."
"Agreed."
Ji nodded.
Afterward, his expression turned solemn:
"However, we've received news that Orochimaru was spotted in this area recently. He might be in Kyoto. Be extremely careful during your operation."
"I will prioritize safety. The issue is Naruto; you must protect Naruto well."
Masahiko's face was serious.
Ji nodded. "Don't worry. Our people are guarding him 24 hours a day. There won't be any danger."
"That's good."
Masahiko nodded and complained with some frustration, "Naruto is too important. Living right next to me, I don't even dare to sleep at night."
"Regarding Naruto, the Root Squad and Anbu will protect his safety. You don't need to worry. Also, if you need a body double, I can provide assistance."
Ji said.
Masahiko thought for a moment and said, "I might need one tonight. I plan to go and observe personally."
"Fine."
Ji's figure vanished.
Masahiko walked around a bit more. Soon, a snake slithered up from the grass... Night fell.
After a day, Kazuma and the others naturally received the news as well.
He quickly summoned the other five.
Kazuma scanned the other five, his gaze cold and filled with hidden gravity. "Did you really not do it?"
"Kazuma..."
A burly man remained silent for a few seconds before saying, "To be honest, even if we wanted to assassinate him, we wouldn't have the ability."
Upon hearing this, the others also fell silent.
That made sense.
Among the six of them, Kazuma was the strongest, while the others were a few notches below Asuma and Jiraiya.
Never mind a lone assassination; even if five of them attacked together, they might not necessarily be able to kill Kitako under the protection of Asuma and Jiraiya.
Hearing this, Kazuma thought about it and also felt it was reasonable.
Therefore, he was even more baffled—
Besides them, who would kill Kitako at a time like this?
He rubbed the space between his eyebrows.
"In any case, something is wrong. Do not go out randomly. Even if you must go out, it must be at least two or three people together."
Kazuma was somewhat worried... Since it wasn't them, it meant either Konoha or a fourth party had assassinated Kitako.
Regardless of which side it was, the goal was to stir up conflict between them and Asuma and Jiraiya's faction, making them kill each other.
Feili and the other four looked at each other and quickly nodded. "Okay, we'll listen to you."
Kazuma was about to speak when his eyebrows suddenly twitched.
In the next second, he used Body Flicker to rush out, smashing the door in the process.
However.
Outside the door, there was only a ripple of Chakra, after which there was no further sound.
It was a Shadow Clone.
Kazuma frowned.
Could it be them?
A sense of urgency rose in his heart. After returning to the room, he said, "We need to change locations. This place is no longer safe."
...Meanwhile.
On Asuma's side, he also received the news brought by Kurenai Yuhi.
"Orochimaru is indeed in Kyoto!"
"Are you sure?"
Asuma stood up abruptly.
Kurenai Yuhi nodded:
"Yes, Kakashi personally tracked the news. Additionally, we've also discovered traces of the S-rank Rogue Ninja, Uchiha Shisui."
"Uchiha Shisui..."
Although Asuma was in Kyoto, he had also heard the news about Shisui and Itachi's defection.
The strength of those two was not to be underestimated, and their whereabouts had been a mystery after leaving Konoha. He hadn't expected them to reappear in Kyoto... He felt increasingly uneasy.
At this moment, Xidu returned with a cold face. "Kazuma and the others have changed locations."