"What opportunity? To become the Hokage?" "Probably." "With Danzō looking like that, he still wants to be Hokage? Keep dreaming!" "F*ck, Old Thief, quick, stab him in the back!"
Perhaps a younger Danzō could have relied on his looks to snatch up a small fan base in this battle for the Hokage seat, but the elderly Danzō had absolutely zero chance. The bullet comments were overwhelmingly tearing into him. Compared to Danzō, Hiruzen might have had his flaws, but he aligned far better with the audience's moral compass and expectations.
Danzō's clandestine plotting didn't last long. In Masahiko's eyes, the old war hawk was likely caught in a state of hesitation, his mind not yet fully committed to a course of action. One step forward could mean paradise, but it could just as easily lead to the abyss. Taking a step back, however, meant permanently forfeiting that coveted seat.
Masahiko continued to watch the broadcast. For the past month, his own perspective hadn't shown much; the focus had mostly been on Naruto and the others grinding through their training. But there was one major difference—Naruto had a new presence by his side.
His name was Shin. It was a simple name, but he was an incredibly cheerful, gentle boy who loved to smile. He was a year older than Naruto, though he wasn't placed in Neji's class. After bumping into Shin, Naruto constantly sought him out to hang out, train, and spar together. Everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction.
However, watching this unfold triggered some rather unpleasant memories for the audience. After all, this was exactly how Masahiko had first approached Naruto.
Their suspicions were validated just a few scenes later.
The screen cut to Shin, Sai, and another ninja standing in a line, diligently reporting their daily itinerary to Masahiko. This was obviously not standard Anbu protocol. The seemingly radiant, sunny boy was actually a member of Root!
"I'm seriously done. Danzō, this bastard... all his scheming is focused entirely on his own people." "Wait, so in the end, this squad is under the Old Thief's command?" "Good news: they're Masahiko's team. Bad news: Masahiko isn't exactly a good guy either!" "The Old Thief got a promotion under Danzō too? Nice, we're getting closer and closer to the inevitable betrayal!"
The audience never bought into the idea that Masahiko—a man who spent all his time orchestrating plots in the shadows—would ever genuinely submit to being Danzō's loyal subordinate. They heavily preferred the narrative that Masahiko was simply lying in wait, quietly biding his time for the perfect strike.
Meanwhile, on the screen.
"Hokage-sama, do you truly believe he will agree to execute this plan as you wish?" Kakashi stood before the Third Hokage, his expression steeped in worry.
Hiruzen chuckled. "Do not worry, Kakashi. I have never believed he would change his mind over a mere few words."
"Then why did you..."
"There are some things that simply must be said. By speaking them aloud, we maintain a certain tacit understanding. Even if the process does not go entirely as desired, the outcome can still be steered toward our expectations." Hiruzen sighed softly. "Kakashi..."
"Yes." Kakashi stood at attention.
After a brief silence, Hiruzen spoke. "You have dwelt in the darkness for far too long. After this incident is resolved, you will leave the Anbu."
"Hokage-sama!" Kakashi quickly put away his book, his gaze turning solemn. "But what about Root..."
"I intend to hand that over to Masahiko. He is far more suited for that domain than you are," Hiruzen answered.
Kakashi fell silent, his fingers absently tracing the cover of his book. "Masahiko is a peculiar man. Sometimes, I look at him and feel as though I am seeing Minato-sensei. But other times... he feels like Orochimaru."
"Orochimaru was not always the man he is today," the Third replied, the dim lamplight casting a resolute shadow across his aging face on the screen. "I will not allow history to repeat itself this time!"
Watching the screen, Masahiko picked up his pen, deep in thought as he continued to scrub through the footage.
So, Kakashi was retiring from the Anbu. It made sense. In the original timeline, Kakashi had left the black ops by the age of twenty-two. The fact that he was still holding onto the position as the year drew to a close was already a ripple effect of Masahiko's own interference; the Third Hokage wasn't going to let him linger in the shadows any longer.
After all, with Danzō practically on the verge of "rebellion," if none of the Sannin returned to the village, Kakashi was realistically the only shinobi in Konoha with the requisite strength and intellect to succeed as the next generation's Hokage.
Resting his head against his hand, Masahiko quietly dragged the progress bar forward. The subsequent scenes were standard fare—classes, tactical exercises, combat drills...
Wait? Danzō had actually thrown down with Shinnō? And it looked like he had lost the fight.
Masahiko paused briefly to take that in before dragging the bar to the end. The final segment was his own speech to the students. Personally, he thought he had kept it short and sweet—he had known principals and deans in his past life who could ramble on for hours without taking a breath. Yet, the bullet comments still relentlessly complained about him dragging it out.
He skipped to the very end of the broadcast.
[Popularity Rating: A]
[Comprehensive Evaluation...]
[Reward Received: Mid-Rank Optional Skill Card]
Optional? That was a first.
Masahiko stared at the "Salary" drop and quickly grasped the mechanics of the Optional Skill Card. Upon activation, it would randomly generate three distinct skill cards for him to choose from. That was leagues better than a purely random draw. A Mid-Rank card meant he could easily pull a B-rank jutsu, or with a bit of luck, even land an A-rank.
It was worth the gamble! He mentally activated the card.
The next second, three prompts appeared:
[Secret Sword: Moon Shadow]
[Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson]
[Expansion Jutsu]
These three... Masahiko scanned the options, his eyes quickly locking onto the third ninjutsu.
As for the sword arts, techniques like Moon Shadow and Hazy Moon Night were custom-developed by Gekkō Hayate and Uzuki Yūgao, perfectly tailored to their specific, lightweight combat rhythms. Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson was essentially just a Limit-Break variation of the standard Phoenix Sage Fire. Masahiko was entirely confident he could master that on his own without wasting a system reward.
But the Expansion Jutsu? That was the closely guarded secret jutsu of the Akimichi clan. Unless you were born an Akimichi, there was virtually no way to learn it.
Jackpot!
More importantly, if he could master the technique and modify it to suit his specific combat needs, it would grant his "Black-Robed Man" persona an entirely new, untraceable ability.
Masahiko didn't hesitate for a second. Select!
Instantly, the methodology, chakra pathways, and physiological effects of the Expansion Jutsu flooded his mind. He immediately entered a Performance Instance to begin his training.
Naturally, he had no intention of using it like the Akimichi, who expanded their entire bodies or single hands into massive, lumbering targets. His goal was the isolated, rapid elongation of his arms and legs. Paired with his Shikotsumyaku and high-speed kenjutsu, the chakra cost would be negligible, but the tactical utility and range extension would perfectly complement his lethal fighting style.
With the Smart Projection system at his disposal to run simulations, Masahiko wasn't the least bit worried about failing to master it.
Early the next morning.
In a remote mountain village northwest of the Land of Fire, Karin wove a sequence of hand seals and summoned the Iron Eater Beast once more. Shortly after, the Black-Robed Man materialized via the sealing scroll strapped to the panda's back.
Following a brief exchange of pleasantries and a few words of harsh but effective guidance, he departed, heading further north. Karin didn't ask questions, but she couldn't shake the inexplicable feeling of exhaustion weighing down her limbs—far heavier than usual.
'It's probably just excessive chakra consumption from the summoning,' she thought, dismissing the anomaly without a second thought.
'Through precise control, even though the absorption rate is slow, I can silently drain chakra during physical contact.' Masahiko analyzed internally as he walked north, having swapped back to his standard attire. 'In the midst of battle... I can use physical strikes to stealthily accelerate the enemy's physical and spiritual stamina drain without them even noticing.'
He had already grinded his Chakra Absorption Technique up to the 'Mastery' proficiency level. The actual volume of chakra absorbed had improved, though not by a massive margin, which was why he had pivoted toward this deceptive application.
As for the results? Based on his "guidance" session with Karin just moments ago, the effect was phenomenal. Even a highly sensitive sensory ninja like Karin hadn't detected the subtle, parasitic siphoning of her chakra. With further optimization, this could become a devastating asset for wars of attrition.
His main reason for heading north was to negotiate a collaboration with Orochimaru—a joint venture to thoroughly screw over Danzō.
As he approached the Tenchi Bridge in the Land of Grass, he came to a halt. A moment later, Kimimaro dropped silently from the branches ahead. Judging by the erratic spikes in his breathing and aura, the boy had clearly sprinted the entire way.
"Masahiko-sama, are you looking for Orochimaru-sama?"
"Yes. Is he around?"
"Orochimaru-sama has departed for another location. If you need to speak with him, I can summon him on your behalf. Those were his explicit instructions."
"That works. But if it isn't too much trouble, let us head to your base first."