There was no helping it; this was only the beginning.
After getting used to the strange sensation for a moment, Daigan cautiously opened his left eye.
What would it be like to use both left and right eyes together with the high-altitude Third Eye?
In an instant, the scene from above merged with the visual information gathered by his normal binocular vision, primary and secondary indistinguishable—an abstract painting churning through his brain.
Immediately Daigan closed his left eye, and his nearly dizzy brain cleared up a good deal.
"What a hard-to-describe feeling."
This was different from the Byakugan or Yome's enhanced vision; those still used two eyes. But the Third Eye was different—the human brain simply hadn't evolved to process three visual signals simultaneously.
To use it properly, he would have to adjust carefully.
He had to shift from flat binocular vision to three-dimensional spatial imagery, strengthen his spatial awareness dramatically, and the burden on his brain processing visual information would inevitably increase enormously.
Gathering chakra in his brain and around his eye sockets would ease the discomfort considerably, but in return, chakra consumption would also rise.
At present, it looked like this technique needed more practice to master quickly. Otherwise, with so many limitations, it wouldn't be much use in combat.
Beyond that, other applications still needed testing.
Daigan raised his head toward where the Third Eye hovered, gathered Wind Release chakra, and arranged two invisible air lenses nearby, adjusting the focal length and manipulating the flow of light at will. Before long, a simple telescope took shape.
The Third Eye looked through the Wind Release air lenses Daigan was controlling, observing places far away that would normally be impossible to see clearly.
"This really is a nice trick."
With his field of vision broadened considerably, Daigan watched eagerly, taking in sights he never could have seen before.
The rough layout of the entire village of Konoha spread out before him.
The nearby Hokage Rock, the Ninja Academy, and the Hokage's Residence were clearly visible; he could read the sign in front of the Yamanaka Flower Shop perfectly; the expressions of passersby on Teahouse District came right up close; the deserted reservoir in the distance, the bustling theater, the thriving Ichiraku Ramen shop—none escaped the telescope's scrutiny.
Beyond that, even the open-air baths at the Hot Springs District couldn't hide from eyes peering from such a distance.
Of course, Daigan—steadfastly devoted to Temari—would never stoop to something as disgraceful as peeping at the women's bath. He only glanced for a second…
The scenery really is magnificent.
Wait, that's…
A ninja with waist-length white hair, wearing a red outer jacket and a forehead protector marked with the character for "oil," wooden sandals on his feet, was hiding in the corner under the eaves of a hot spring inn, secretly watching the female guests in the open-air bath. A slack, wicked grin played at the corners of his mouth—clearly not any respectable old man.
At his age, doing something so shameful!
Daigan clicked his tongue in disgust and pulled the view closer, wanting a clearer look.
Just then, the bestselling author of the shinobi world, absorbed in his "research," suddenly sensed something and looked off into the distance.
"Not good!"
In his alarm, Daigan dispersed his chakra, and the Third Eye along with all the Wind Release chakra in the area vanished.
That was close. I almost got caught. Are shinobi who reach a certain level of power really that terrifying in their instincts? He sensed danger from so far away…
Letting out a long breath, Daigan lifted his head and looked up at the sky.
There… a barrier. The defenses really are tight.
He hadn't realized it at first; it was only when the technique ended that a faint ripple of power reacted to the dispersing chakra, and Daigan sensed a hint of discord.
Good thing he hadn't pushed it too far. Minor chakra fluctuations were everywhere; it shouldn't arouse any suspicion.
One might not feel it in daily life, but Konoha was ultimately a militarized mercenary organization. Once the peaceful atmosphere was shattered, the fully mobilized war machine would be terrifying.
Still, none of that concerned Daigan for now.
Unless there was an inside agent or a village-level force attacking, such defenses were nearly impossible to break. The power of any individual shinobi was basically negligible.
Having grasped the basic techniques of Secret Technique: Third Eye, Daigan calmly returned to his hospital room, thinking about what to do next.
At the Hot Springs District, Jiraiya withdrew his gaze, looking puzzled.
"Was that the old man and his Telescope Technique? Has he already found me? An old codger past seventy still peeping at the women's bath…"
The muttering powerhouse—one of the Sannin—suddenly turned his head. Down below in the men's bath, beside the hot spring, a soaking-wet blond kid was staring up at him with utter contempt.
The first meeting between the famed Toad Sage of the shinobi world and the Child of Destiny was just that awkward and unpleasant. The image of the "Pervy Sage" was probably branded forever in Uzumaki Naruto's mind.
Three more days passed. As usual, Daigan went to the rooftop garden of Konoha Hospital to practice Secret Technique: Third Eye, surveying changes in the village.
Apart from the growing crowds, there were quite a few shinobi patrolling the streets, some openly, others covertly.
In addition, Daigan spotted several people wearing Sand Ninja forehead protectors—nominally here for official business with Konoha, but actually scouting the terrain. Among them was Sajin, a Chunin he'd met at the Northern Fortress.
It looked like preparations were nearly complete. He didn't know whether this acquaintance of his—one of the few Daigan got along with—would survive.
Sighing, Daigan prepared to head back and rest. Today was the day the medical ninja in charge would examine him.
Under attentive care, his injuries had healed quickly. If all went well, today he'd be able to remove the bandages and splints and manage some basic movement.
Entering the hospital room he'd almost grown used to, Daigan's gaze sharpened.
The vase beside the bed held a fresh bouquet, and on the table sat a card with writing on it.
Daigan glanced at it, then carefully picked it up and read.
"Haruno Sakura… So it's a return gift for Rock Lee."
She'd come to visit while he was on the roof, hadn't seen him, left a message, and departed. It seemed purely social courtesy with no intention of getting closer to him.
That was fine. It would spare him the awkwardness of having to go hard on her when conflict broke out.
Setting the card down, Daigan rested for a while. After dinner, Mitachi—a medical ninja he'd met a few times—gave him a thorough examination. Confirming nothing was wrong, he declared Daigan could do some simple rehabilitation activities.
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