"Holy sh*t, Sasuke's dad isn't even human. Putting that kind of decision on a kid?"
"Itachi is only thirteen!"
"Fugaku is absolute scum. What is Itachi supposed to do?"
"Holy sht!! Wait, holy sht! Don't tell me the man Sasuke wants to kill is actually Itachi?"
The world never lacked for imaginative netizens with wild theories. Many were already using the plot points to speculate that Itachi was the one who annihilated the clan, earning Sasuke's hatred. However, based on Masahiko's observations, these weren't entirely spontaneous guesses from the audience.
According to the tone of certain bullet comments, there were "analysis gurus" in the Real World meticulously dissecting the plot, comparing it frame-by-frame with the original manga. Some had even managed to trace the identity of the mysterious Black Robe Man back to Masahiko.
Naturally, the stream of comments was filled with condemnation for Fugaku. In the original canon, Fugaku had kept his silence until the bitter end, only revealing his heart when Itachi stood before him with a blade. But this version? He appeared even less human, offering no emotional confession whatsoever.
'At least the cards are on the table now,' Masahiko mused. He was genuinely curious about how Itachi would choose to proceed in this version.
After this heavy scene, the episode transitioned to Itachi returning home at night to comfort Sasuke. But immediately after soothing his brother, Itachi didn't stay for dinner. He found an excuse to leave.
The scene shifted. It was late at night.
While the montage briefly showed him sharing a drink under the moon with Yūhi Kurenai, the focus snapped to the outskirts of the village. Itachi was meeting a mysterious figure.
The Swirl Mask Man.
Unlike his demeanor with Shisui, this time, the man in the swirl mask exuded an overwhelming, oppressive aura—posturing exactly as if he were truly Uchiha Madara.
"Have you decided? If I have to do it, I will kill everyone. You know I possess that power."
"I have a question," Itachi said, his expression icy as he looked up. "Why are you so determined to destroy our clan?"
"Have you ever heard my story?" The other party chuckled low in his throat.
Itachi shook his head.
"It is a story of betrayal," the masked man said indifferently. "I have no use for traitors or fools. It is better to wipe them all out."
Itachi gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, then slowly released it. After a brief standoff, he turned and walked away, offering no response to the man's twisted logic.
Instantly, the screen was completely obscured by bullet comments. Masahiko scanned them; while many expressed shock or cheered that their guesses were correct, a significant number were debating the deeper plot.
"So, it really is Itachi? And he's being forced into it?"
"The current situation is: Konoha and the people in the shadows want the Uchiha dead. The Black Robe Man and Shisui want to save them?"
"Wrong. The Black Robe Man isn't that benevolent."
"If the Black Robe Man is that Old Bastard Masahiko, I bet he's just hunting for lab rats."
"+1."
The editors of Naruto: The Prequel were truly talented. In the very next second, they cut to the scene of Masahiko meeting Yakushi Kabuto, transitioning immediately into combat footage. One handed over a scroll, the other accepted it, followed by that damning line: "Please give my regards to Lord Orochimaru."
It looked for all the world as if the two had been conspiring together for ages.
In reality... Masahiko hadn't defected to Orochimaru at all.
Then the scene flashed again. It showed Masahiko meeting Danzō, accepting the mission to "infiltrate Orochimaru's ranks." The context was stripped away, leaving only the shady dealings. However, the scene where he met the Third Hokage was played in full detail.
"That Old Bastard Masahiko... truly sinister and cunning!"
"Good lord. He's playing two sides—no, four sides! That is dark."
"You call this a prequel? In my opinion, just let Old Bastard Masahiko be the main character."
"Ahhh! Hurry up and update, Kishimoto you old thief! I want to read the manga; I need to see Masahiko's plot in the main timeline!"
Although the comments were packed, the scenes involving him had finished for this episode. The rest was a flashback from the Third Hokage's perspective. Judging by the timeline and setting, it was a scene between Hiruzen Sarutobi and Naruto.
The night before, Masahiko had sat down for a chat with the Third. Clearly, before seeking Masahiko out, Hiruzen had spoken to Naruto first.
Naruto was kind-hearted and simple; he didn't harbor deep schemes. From him, the Third Hokage could get the clearest, most direct perspective on Masahiko's character.
The result was naturally... excellent!
Naruto was a bit tsundere about it, refusing to outright admit Masahiko was a "good person," but every word he spoke implied that Masahiko had helped him immensely. There was an implicit, unshakable trust in his tone.
Listening to this, Hiruzen smiled, his expression a mix of relief and nostalgia.
Below the video, the comments naturally returned to criticizing Masahiko as an "Oscar Winner," "Method Actor," and "Sinister Schemer."
Masahiko scoffed at this. 'If I could be the righteous hero, who would willingly risk their life playing the villain? It's all forced by circumstance!'
He wasn't surprised by the Third Hokage's actions. Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't a fool; he would certainly conduct his own investigation and observation. Naruto was just one part of that vetting process.
What concerned Masahiko more was that, judging by the danmu, his reputation in the Real World seemed pretty terrible. He wasn't quite at the level of a supreme villain yet, but he was likely being categorized in the same camp as Orochimaru.
'Fine,' he thought. 'At least the persona is stable.'
Masahiko smiled. As the ending theme song began to play, lines of text materialized before his eyes.
[Popularity Rank: S]
[Comprehensive Assessment...]
[You have sparked intense discussion in this episode, gaining extremely high attention and popularity. Reward remuneration increased.]
[Reward Received: Basic Module Upgrade Card]
'Oh?'
Masahiko's eyes lit up, and he immediately selected to claim it. Information regarding its usage flowed into his mind.
This Basic Module Upgrade Card could be used to upgrade any currently unlocked Basic Advancement Module. For instance, he currently possessed the Taijutsu and Ninjutsu Basic Advancement Modules. Upgrading one would enhance its intelligence and knowledge database. Eventually, modules of the same tier could merge, making the projection's capabilities even more rich and diverse.
"Good stuff!"
Masahiko pondered for a moment before making a decisive choice.
"Upgrade the Ninjutsu Module."
[Loading Advancement Module - Ninjutsu Edition...]
[Load Successful!]
[Advancement Module functions updated. Please explore them on your own.]
The next second, lying in his bed, his consciousness was transported to the white void of the training space. Two options appeared before him:
[Intelligent Projection][Personalized Projection]
"I want a personalized one too, I just hate that I'm broke," Masahiko sighed.
Tobirama Senju was a fantastic research tool, but his appearance fee was exorbitantly high. Masahiko probably wouldn't hire him for ordinary research. Gathering his thoughts, he looked at the first option.
"Select Intelligent Projection."
Soon, the projection version of himself appeared again.
"What can you do?" Masahiko asked.
The figure remained silent for a moment. "I can help you optimize ninjutsu techniques, assist in improving ninjutsu potency, and help you master new Nature Transformations and Shape Transformations..."
The projection rattled off its functions like a waiter reciting a menu.
After listening, Masahiko had a rough idea. aside from the basic ninjutsu capabilities, it could now assist him with optimization work, similar to how the Nintaijutsu module functioned.
'That's quite convenient.'
His gaze swept across the interface panel, quickly locking onto Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu.
This was the only Fire Style ninjutsu he had mastered so far.
"I want to begin training the Fireball Jutsu. Assist me in improving my Fire Style capabilities."
"Understood."
The Intelligent Projection stood aside, analyzing the Fire Style ability like an AI construct. Finally, it reached a conclusion: The most suitable method for Masahiko to improve his Fire Style was to integrate chakra compression techniques into the Fireball Jutsu. Simultaneously, through chakra manipulation, he needed to flexibly control the size and intensity of the fireball.
Following the advice, Masahiko began to cultivate and optimize the technique relentlessly.
After a long time, a ball of fire erupted from Masahiko's mouth. The flames were so condensed that their very color had shifted.
Masahiko altered the continuous output of chakra.
BOOM!
Several paces away, the flames rapidly expanded and swelled. The fireball grew to twice its original size, blanketing a massive area of the white void.
[Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu: Perfection]
'Done!'
A thought stirred in Masahiko's mind. He asked, "Can you assist me in researching Soft Physique Modification?"
"I can."