The speaker was one of the ANBU assigned to monitor Seisen. Crouching in grass for so long didn't do much besides make your legs go numb. He didn't even bother with a high-level concealment technique—after a full morning of observation, he'd concluded Shiba Seisen was only around an ordinary chūnin's level.
What could a chūnin really do?
It wasn't like he could overthrow Konoha.
Another shadow whispered, "Honestly… he talks rough, but some of his points make sense. It's practical. Back when I was on the battlefield, I carved my way through with kunai."
"That's because you're built different," the first ANBU shot back. "And using the Hyūga as an example is weird. Hyūga have 'Rotation,' don't they? They can just blow all kunai away."
"But building fundamentals is never wrong. Look at the Uchiha. Their shurikenjutsu is insane."
"And they got massacred."
"That's not what I meant—"
They were still whisper-fighting when they heard a cough.
"Ahem."
Both of them instantly shut up.
Silence returned to the grass.
Elsewhere, farther out, the white-cloaked ANBU sighed quietly and kept his eyes on Seisen.
He had his doubts. The initial intel said Seisen had been hit by a genjutsu and needed investigation—for the caster behind it, and for any subversive behavior.
But after watching for so long… Seisen's teaching, while weirdly styled, generally aligned with Konoha Academy values.
When he said "don't worship secret techniques—build taijutsu and throwing fundamentals," the white-cloaked ANBU even found it… reasonable.
His practical drills were straightforward, too.
Only the tone had changed.
Strange. Off. Hard to describe.
The bell rang. Seisen dismissed his students and walked into the office.
The white-cloaked ANBU continued monitoring.
He formed hand seals, vanished from the distant platform, and infiltrated the office. The two ANBU in the grass moved as well.
Seisen came in, bragged with coworkers for a bit, scratched his ass, then flopped into his chair.
He didn't prepare lessons—why the hell would he? Instead, he pulled out a photo album from the drawer: past graduates.
He flipped through, smiling like a proud aunt.
"Heh-heh. I remember this brat—good at genjutsu, but during the graduation test he got so nervous he turned his transformation jutsu into a genjutsu… I was so pissed—"
As he reminisced, a puzzled look slipped over his face.
"…Did I teach these kids?"
For some reason, whenever he dug too deep into the past, his head started hurting. Maybe he was getting old.
He didn't think too much about it and kept turning pages, pointing here and there, eyes full of nostalgia and longing.
"All those little bastards grew up… None of 'em come back to visit me…"
The white-cloaked ANBU watched in silence. He tried to read Seisen's micro-expressions for signs—performance, deception, cracks.
But everything matched perfectly.
If this was acting, it would take a world-class master of disguise.
Then there was a knock.
Seisen barked "Come in," and Konohamaru rushed in, practically vibrating with excitement.
The white-cloaked ANBU tensed instantly.
Konohamaru was the Third Hokage's grandson.
If an enemy wanted to shake Konoha politically, killing Konohamaru right now would be a perfect trigger.
If Seisen were the enemy…
This was where he'd strike.
The white-cloaked ANBU steadied his breathing, began forming seals slowly, ready to catch Seisen red-handed—and kill him on the spot.
"Konohamaru…" Seisen drawled. "What the hell do you want?"
Konohamaru scratched his head awkwardly. "Seisen-sensei… I did what you said. I stopped practicing that harem jutsu."
Yesterday he'd planned to show off his "results," but Seisen had chewed him out so hard it was legendary—by Konohamaru's own account, his grandpa had never cursed him like that.
Today he'd come to show he was serious—and ask some questions.
"Good." Seisen nodded, then growled, "If you try that crap again, I'll twist your head off and use it as a chamber pot—…Huh?"
He glanced around. The paperwork on his desk seemed to have shifted a few centimeters.
Did I just imagine that?
He had no idea one offhand joke had multiple people's hearts in a chokehold.
Seisen looked back at Konohamaru.
"Got more questions?"
"Yes, Seisen-sensei." Konohamaru nodded. "Lately I've been sparring with Ebisu-sensei using Shadow Clones, and I can't touch him no matter how many of me there are. Sensei, do you have battle advice?"
Seisen froze—then his brow creased, irritation rising.
"You little brat… you didn't listen to a damn word I said?!"
The white-cloaked ANBU's mind raced.
So he's not using force—he's twisting the Hokage's grandson with words?
Fine. Let's hear it.
Konohamaru straightened, ready to absorb wisdom.
"Listen," Seisen said, grin turning sly. "In a fight, it's not just numbers. It's how you use 'em."
"People swarm and still lose all the time. You're still a kid—learn to play to your advantages."
"Take this shadow-whatever clone for example. Don't just rush in like a pack of idiots. Split the work properly. On a battlefield, some people charge, some people fire the cannons, some snipe from range, some cook—"
"Some guys are killing gods on the front line, but the moment the cook doesn't feed them, what happens? They're still hungry, stomach growling!" He chuckled. "See? That's the logic!"
Konohamaru nodded, sold.
"Back to Shadow Clones: next time you fight—one is bait, three feint, five pull out kunai and throw them at the bastard!" Seisen winked. "That's called division of labor."
"Sensei, I get it!" Konohamaru nodded hard, eyes shining like he'd unlocked enlightenment.
And nearby, hidden—
the white-cloaked ANBU fell into long, deep silence.
…
Elsewhere — an unknown space.
In an enormous room, desks and chairs lay scattered, toppled as if abandoned in a rush. Bleached sunlight spilled through a window. In the shadows, a figure hid.
Slowly, she leaned forward.
A strand of pink hair caught the light.
Join my patreon For Early access to Chapter : patreon.com/TheWorldGod
Tiamat 200 Chapter (Final)
Honkai 610 Chapter
Lobotomy 110 Chapter
MushokuTensei 560 Chapter
'Pure Evil' Simulator Chapter Ending
Crossover Fic Blapterue-Eyes Chapter Ending
Harry want to be Hero 200 Chapter
A Clever Life in the Naruto World 250 Chapter