[Filming for "Naruto: The Prequel" - Episode 4 complete!]
[Editing in progress...]
[Production successful!]
[Total Screen Time: 11 minutes 12 seconds.]
[Screen Presence: 52.9%]
[As a villain, your screen time exceeded 50%. Your remuneration has been significantly increased.]
[Notification: "Naruto: The Prequel" will air tonight at 8:00 PM. The playback function and Danmaku (bullet comments) will be unlocked for you at that time.]
[Please adjust your acting methods and character arc based on the audience feedback.]
'It seems...'
Yagyu Masahiko mused silently. 'The grand finale of this episode is definitely my conversation with Shimura Danzo.'
He quickly composed himself, organizing his thoughts before offering a calm, practiced smile. "It is precisely because of my humble insights that I have earned your attention, Danzo-sama."
"You are a smart man."
Danzo nodded slightly, his expression remaining cold and impassive. "Aside from the Demon Fox and Sasuke, you must also guide Kurama Yakumo well. Ensure she becomes a tool usable by the village."
"Of course. Everything for the village!"
Masahiko rose and bowed respectfully.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile surfaced on Danzo's usually frozen face. "Indeed. Everything for the village."
The elder swept a sharp gaze over him before continuing. "This old man does not mistreat his own. However, for traitors... even if they are from the village, I will show no mercy."
"I have researched your past deeds, Danzo-sama. Your methods align more closely with my own philosophy," Masahiko replied with deferential reverence.
Danzo's eyelid twitched. "Oh?"
He was somewhat surprised, but his gaze remained scrutinizing, observing every micro-expression.
"Everyone worships the Will of Fire, striving to live in the light," Masahiko said, his voice steady. "But they do not realize that people cannot escape their shadows, just as a great tree requires roots deeply buried in the earth..."
He looked Danzo in the eye. "Without the sacrifices made in the darkness, how could there be heroes under the sun?"
Masahiko's answer was delivered with perfect "sincerity."
However, he limited it to just an answer. He didn't add any unnecessary emotional flare. As a veteran of the Anbu, Danzo had seen every manipulation tactic in the book; standard emotional appeals would only make Masahiko look like a clown in his eyes.
To succeed here, he needed to proceed gradually.
Danzo fell silent for a moment before letting out a light chuckle. "You, a mere Chunin, claim to understand the difference between sunlight and darkness?"
He stood up and walked toward the exit.
"Remember this: Your rewards will depend on the value you demonstrate."
"Toge, take him back."
A shadowed figure appeared instantly.
In the next moment, feathers seemed to drift before Masahiko's eyes, and he quickly fell into a deep slumber.
The unconsciousness induced by Genjutsu was different from normal sleep. Masahiko retained a sliver of consciousness, but his mind was chaotic, unable to fully wake. He could feel himself being carried.
After what felt like a long time, he was set down. He immediately attempted to mold his chakra, and soon—
He snapped his eyes open.
"I'm already home? That was fast."
Masahiko pressed his hand against the floor to stand up, but his fingers brushed against something cold and hard. He looked down.
"Hoh!"
It was a katana—or perhaps more accurately, a sword.
Although Masahiko practiced the Dance of the Crescent Moon, he didn't actually own a weapon that suited him. The reason was simple: they were too expensive.
But a gift from Danzo was different.
Products of the Root organization were never of poor quality.
He drew the blade slightly. The steel was exceptionally sharp, featuring a blood groove and the inscription "Aota" engraved near the hilt. [T/N: Aota (青田) Standard Japanese reading for the characters Qingtian. This is an original clan created by the author for this web novel and does not exist in official Naruto canon.]
"A blade from the Aota clan..." Masahiko admired the weapon. "Good stuff!"
When he was teaching himself kenjutsu, he had researched the prices of swords in Konoha. Among the mass-produced blades available on the market, those forged by the Aota clan were the best. Even with his current salary as an Academy Taijutsu instructor, it would take him four or five years of saving to afford one.
Masahiko sheathed the sword and noticed something else tucked underneath it.
He picked it up to inspect.
Three Explosive Tags and one Smoke Bomb.
"Hoh, the organization is generous!" Masahiko's eyes lit up.
Although Explosive Tags were frequently used in the Naruto series, they were incredibly expensive for the average ninja. He usually kept only one for emergencies; he couldn't afford any more. Danzo, however, had casually tossed him three at once.
Masahiko stowed the items in his ninja pouch and checked the time.
By the time he finished eating, it should be eight o'clock.
Blue Star (The Real World).
Masashi Kishimoto sat in front of his computer, resting his chin on his hand as he waited for the refresh.
As the clock struck 8:00 PM, he immediately hit F5. His spirit lifted, but at the same time, a sense of anxiety and restlessness gnawed at him.
He had a gut feeling—tonight's update was going to drop a massive bombshell on him.
Soon enough.
"Finally updated!"
The opening scene was accompanied by only a scattering of bullet comments. But after skipping the few seconds of the intro, a barrage of text flooded the screen.
"Damn! Old Thief Masahiko is punching Naruto hard while taking benefits from the Third Hokage. He's living his best life!"
"It's not just the Third; look at Danzo."
"A slave of three surnames! Total traitor vibes!"[T/N: Slave of Three Surnames (三姓家奴): A derogatory Chinese idiom (referencing Lu Bu from Romance of the Three Kingdoms) used to describe someone disloyal who repeatedly switches masters. Used by the audience to describe Masahiko serving the Hokage, Danzo, and potentially others.]
Sitting before his screen, the man smiled knowingly.
Slave of three surnames...
However, according to his own lore settings, such spies were not uncommon in the Ninja World. Yakushi Kabuto was the prime example.
Wait a minute.
Kishimoto's heart skipped a beat as he fell into deep thought.
'Will this Yagyu Masahiko end up like Yakushi Kabuto? Will he establish a connection with Orochimaru later on?'
As he watched further, his brow furrowed deeper and deeper.
'Another completely unknown character? A new faction?!'
'Fu*k!'
'Can I even continue drawing this broken manga?'
Wait!
"Draw it longer... Right! With him in the story, the plot can be extended significantly!"
"Naruto, Sasuke, Yakumo... Old Thief Masahiko is collecting so many problem students. Is he trying to brainwash them to take over the Ninja World?"
"Damn, so he hasn't even passed the entrance exam yet? That dialogue with Danzo was his initiation rite!"
"This play is 200 IQ. The Old Thief is definitely setting up lines of communication on purpose!"
The Danmaku comments were buzzing with speculation.
After the successive appearances of Mitarashi Anko, Yuhi Kurenai, and Kurama Yakumo, many viewers had switched to calling him 'Old Thief Masahiko'—a mixture of hate and respect for his villainy.
In this short episode, Masahiko felt like he had just weathered a massive cyber-bullying storm.
He wasn't upset, though. They were separated by a dimensional wall; those people couldn't hit him.
Once the episode concluded, the reward subtitles refreshed:
[Popularity Rating: S]
[Comprehensive Assessment...]
[Rank: S-Class Golden Supporting Actor]
[Payment Received: Low-Rank Skill Copy Card, Low-Rank Skill Upgrade Card.]
The moment he received the two rewards, Masahiko knew exactly how to use them.
The Low-Rank Skill Copy Card allowed him to instantly copy a target's Ninjutsu and their proficiency level. However, it was restricted to techniques of C-Rank difficulty or lower, and the proficiency could not exceed 'Perfect.'
Although the range of application was limited, if the target was chosen correctly, the effect could be powerful.
'Skills below C-Rank are basically foundational Chunin-level Ninjutsu, or perhaps some slightly more difficult Taijutsu...'
Masahiko mentally cycled through the skills he knew of.
Genjutsu was ruled out immediately. Taijutsu could be trained and researched on his own, so its priority was lower.
'If we're talking Ninjutsu...'
'The Hidden Mist Jutsu or the Water Clone Jutsu seem to be the optimal choices.'
Masahiko quickly narrowed down his targets.
The Hidden Mist Jutsu could create favorable combat conditions, but the drawback was its heavy Chakra consumption—a cost he might not be able to afford yet.
The Water Clone Jutsu, on the other hand, could help him grasp the nature transformation of Water Style, making it easier to learn other Water Style techniques in the future.
Furthermore, this clone technique was incredibly practical. Combined with the Dance of the Crescent Moon, it could yield miraculous results. It might even provide the breakthrough he needed for his theories regarding standard Clone techniques and the Shadow Clone Jutsu.
And there was one more factor.
The Water Clone is a C-Rank Ninjutsu. Konoha has been at war with the Hidden Mist Village for years; the Academy library contains scrolls that analyze and decipher the principles and hand seals of the technique to help ninja counter it.
As an Academy teacher, he had the clearance to read and borrow these scrolls, giving him a convenient excuse for suddenly "learning" the skill.
After thinking it over three times, Masahiko confirmed his target.
'As for the Low-Rank Skill Upgrade Card...'
'I'll save it. I need to see if it can break through a "Perfect" proficiency skill, or simply keep it as a trump card to boost my strength instantly when I need it most.'