The Naka River flowed in silence, its dark waters rushing downstream. Above a specific section of the river, a murder of crows refused to disperse, hovering ominously over a singular point.
Uchiha Itachi engaged his Body Flicker Technique, vanishing from his position and reappearing instantly on the water's surface.
The camera angle shifted, locking onto the center of the swirling formation of crows. There, wedged against the edge of a jagged reef, lay a corpse. It was charred black, burned beyond recognition.
Itachi walked across the water, but his pace slowed with every step until he was stumbling, his face etched with pure shock. The screen's focus drifted from his horrified expression...
To the corpse.
In the barrage of bullet comments scrolling across the screen, some viewers had already guessed the outcome, yet disbelief still dominated the conversation.
"Didn't he just get saved?"
As Itachi, trembling with overwhelming grief, retrieved the small, distinctive shuriken from Shisui's robes and let out a howl of agony, the comments exploded.
"It really is Shisui. Wow. Just wow. Is this how you want to play it?" "The screenwriter has no heart!" "I don't believe it. It has to be a fake-out. They're toying with us!" "Wait, did Itachi's eyes just change?" "Holy crap!"
In just a few short shots, the sheer density of information and the sudden reversal caught everyone off guard. Although some suspected this was merely a malicious editing trick by the screenwriter to induce despair, the majority of the audience felt a genuine pang of sadness in that moment.
Simultaneously, Itachi's awakening was completely unexpected. This new form of the Sharingan had appeared on Shisui earlier—the eyes that held Kotoamatsukami. But what about Itachi?
Most viewers were simply curious. However, for one particular individual in the Real World, the reaction went far beyond simple curiosity.
Masashi Kishimoto sat before his computer, scratching his head so vigorously he felt he might tear his scalp.
Above the Three Tomoe...
He hadn't even fully conceptualized the next stage for his own manga yet, so how did Naruto: The Prequel beat him to it? And what exactly was going on with this Itachi and Shisui storyline?
He was utterly bewildered. Yet, amidst the confusion, a singular intuition took root in Kishimoto's mind—
That man... it has to be Yagyu Masahiko.
It wasn't that he had found concrete evidence. Rather, from the perspective of a storyteller, Yagyu Masahiko was simply too distinct. In The Prequel, he appeared to blend into the environment, yet upon closer inspection, he stood in stark contrast to teachers like Mizuki or Iruka. His previous interactions with Shisui only reinforced this feeling.
Kishimoto had a vague hunch...
This character has a major role to play later on.
Just as he was pondering this, the screen shifted. Following Itachi's anguished howl, the scene cut abruptly to the perspective of the Black Robed Man.
Before him, Shisui Uchiha was stirring, waking from his coma.
A flashback?
No.
Shisui isn't dead at all!
It was a narrative trick—a specific style of editing and storytelling designed to mislead. Kishimoto sat up straight, his eyes glued to the dialogue between Shisui and the Black Robed Man. As he watched, his heart began to race.
"So that's it!"
"I understand this character now!"
"He must be Yagyu Masahiko. He is a genius unlike any other, but because of his background, he was denied resources. This limitation birthed his philosophy..."
"To break everything down and rewrite the rules. It all fits!"
Kishimoto was trembling with excitement. On a secondary monitor, his concept art for Yagyu Masahiko was already quite detailed, featuring sketches from multiple angles. But previously, he had felt something was off—that the character wasn't quite complete.
Now, he understood.
This character wasn't a standard "villain." He was an antagonist with his own pursuits and ideals. He was still growing, yet he had already revealed a side of himself that was completely unique.
As for the Water Style he used...
This character isn't the 'protagonist,' after all.
Behind the broadcasted plot, there had to be unseen segments—hidden information. It likely involved support from within Konoha. For a character to gain such a massive boost in capability simply by being promoted to a new position...
Genius!
The complete character setting for Yagyu Masahiko finally crystallized in Kishimoto's mind. Ignoring the ongoing episode, he snatched up his pen and paper and began to sketch furiously.
A long while later, a face appeared on the paper—one that seemed respectful and submissive with a bowed head, yet hid an expression of arrogance and disdain in its eyes.
Next to the drawing, he scribbled a tagline: "The Mastermind behind the scenes who overturns everything."
[Popularity Rank: S]
[Comprehensive Assessment...]
[You have sparked heated discussion in this episode, gaining immense attention and popularity. Your Payment Reward has been increased.]
[Payment Received: Special Water Style Random Card.]
Masahiko finished watching the episode as the familiar system text popped up. The difference this time was the additional reward line regarding his popularity spike, and the item itself was new.
"I see. So it grants unconventional Water Style ninjutsu... There's a probability of drawing the Hydrification Technique, though I imagine the odds are low."
Even so, he didn't hesitate to use it.
Currently, Masahiko needed to diversify his ninjutsu arsenal to create a clearer distinction between the fighting style of the "Black Robed Man" and his public persona.
[You have obtained Ninjutsu: Medical Water Style — Water Jellyfish (Suiton: Mizu Kurage).]
Masahiko wasn't surprised. He hadn't held out much hope for the Hydrification Technique. But drawing the Water Jellyfish...
"This actually seems quite useful."
Masahiko looked thoughtful.
His original technique, Collapsing Torrent (Bēngliú), caused a certain degree of muscle damage to his arms with every use. He either had to limit its frequency or optimize his control. But now, this Medical Water Style offered a third path—
Medical Ninjutsu!
Of course, he had considered Medical Ninjutsu before, but Konoha's medical techniques were notoriously difficult. The truly effective ones, like the Mystical Palm Technique or Yin Healing Wound Destruction, were A-Rank difficulty—far beyond his current reach.
This technique, however, had a lower barrier to entry.
After integrating the memories of the jutsu, Masahiko lay back on his bed, his consciousness drifting into the Basic Advancement training space.
The familiar projection of Kakashi appeared.
"Do you know Medical Ninjutsu?" Masahiko asked.
The projection remained silent for a moment before nodding. "I know the basics."
"I've currently acquired a Medical Water Style technique..."
Masahiko explained the principles, mechanics, and hand seals of the Water Jellyfish to the projection. The AI Kakashi listened and fell into a contemplative silence.
Several seconds later, the projection spoke.
"This is a very unique Medical Water Style."
"You are likely aware that the human body is largely composed of water."
"This technique involves infusing chakra with medical properties into the body in a liquid form, allowing it to participate in the circulatory system via blood and bodily fluids..."
"Theoretically, once activated, as long as the chakra created by the jutsu isn't exhausted, it will continue to cycle through the body, autonomously healing injuries."
"The drawback is that it is slow-acting. It provides no immediate relief."
Its casting difficulty was lower than precise arts like the Mystical Palm, but its raw healing output was also inferior to standard medical ninjutsu.
But for Masahiko, it was perfect.
The damage caused by Collapsing Torrent wasn't catastrophic; it was simply accumulated micro-trauma from combat. He didn't need instant regeneration.
Excellent.
In fact, it was practically flawless—
It gave Masahiko an "alibi."
Masahiko's eyes lit up. "Please assist me in mastering it."
Regarding Water Style, he had already mastered the skilled refinement of Water Style chakra, which significantly lowered the learning curve. However, even with that foundation, creating Water Style chakra that possessed medical properties...
The inherent difficulty was still high. It was easily a B-Rank learning curve or higher.
While the projection of Kakashi only possessed basic medical knowledge, that was sufficient to guide Masahiko through the preliminary steps of refining this specialized chakra.
Masahiko immersed himself in the training space, endlessly attempting to distill the essence of Medical Water Style.