"Gotta say, I approve of the Old Thief's face. And that expression... that outfit... he's definitely practiced this. So shady!"
• "Listening to what these teachers are implying, is that lady the Daimyō's wife?"
• "The 'Twin Jades' of the movie title... could it refer to the Daimyō and the Hokage?"
• "That actually makes sense!"
The bullet comments were full of bold speculators.
Everyone was busy guessing the main storyline of the "Twin Jades Arc." From the looks of it, this segment wasn't entirely original content but rather a storyline that had branched off from the main canon. After all, Asuma hadn't appeared in the broadcast prior to this moment.
Although it was just the opening, no one chose to skip ahead. Everyone slowly savored the plot and the visuals.
As the camera panned, the audience gained a deeper understanding of the Ninja Academy—discovering that ninja training encompassed far more than combat, and that the campus itself was vast, with numerous specialized facilities.
Eventually, the Daimyō's wife naturally proposed the idea: she wanted Masahiko to take his students to the capital for an educational exchange with their schools there.
Then, the scene flashed back to a conference room.
Inside, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Homura Mitokado, and Danzō Shimura were in the midst of a meeting. The camera shifted again to reveal Koharu Utatane sitting in the corner.
After a round of debate, no conclusion was reached, and the scene transitioned to night.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Naruto sat opposite each other around a campfire.
"Naruto, you haven't left Konoha before, have you? Do you want to visit the capital?"
"The capital?!"
Naruto's eyes instantly lit up, dancing with excitement. "Yeah! I've never been! Is it huge? Super lively? Grandpa Third, are you taking me?"
"Hahaha. If you want to go, you'll need to pack your things tonight. Tomorrow, you can go to the capital with Masahiko."
"Awesome!"
Cheers resonated across the screen.
The scene was heartwarming, but the audience—possessing the 'God's Eye' perspective—felt a faint sense of unease.
Hiruzen's attitude could be explained as simply wanting Naruto to see the world. However, the vehement opposition from Danzō and Koharu, coupled with Homura's silence, suggested that the Daimyō's wife requesting Naruto's company wasn't as simple as it appeared.
At the same time, certain plot details were dug up by the viewers.
"The Old Thief mentioned before that Naruto is the Fourth's son and carries the power of the Demon Fox inside him. Could that be real?"
• "It's definitely real. Shisui isn't an idiot; mixing truth with lies is the best way to prevent anyone from spotting a flaw."
• "So the Daimyō wants Naruto?"
• "Looks like it."
The discussion was heated. Many viewers even paused the movie to check the relevant plot points in the "Prequel."
The result...
It was true!
In the previous dialogue between the Black Robed Man and Shisui, Naruto's lineage had been briefly mentioned. Combining that with this scene, everyone vaguely guessed the line of thinking shared by the Daimyō and the nobles.
They also understood why Danzō and the others disagreed.
Although the audience didn't yet know the specific settings of the "Nine-Tails" or "Jinchūriki," the fact that he was treated with such caution proved that this was a terrifyingly powerful force.
Few would dare let such power wander around unchecked.
But.
The Third Hokage agreed.
The next day, Naruto actually joined Yagyū Masahiko and accompanied the team the capital.
As the camera lens pulled away from the departing group, the view zoomed in, locking onto the Hokage's Office where Hiruzen Sarutobi held his crystal ball, a look of melancholy on his face.
"Hiruzen, you will regret this!"
Danzō's tone was ferocious.
Hiruzen remained calm, his voice carrying a trace of warning. "Danzō, I am the Hokage. The decision lies with me, not with you!"
Instantly.
"666!"
• "Damn, he finally grew a spine! But I hope the Third's methods are as hard as his words."
• "I guess the old man has tolerated Danzō and Koharu's gang long enough."
• "If it were me, I would've fcked them up ages ago!"
The Third's rare display of overt toughness took everyone by surprise.
Masahiko, watching from the shadows, also found it hard to keep a straight face.
The initial impact of that line was indeed powerful, making the bullet comments even more fervent than before.
Furthermore—
The editing was absolutely criminal.
One second, Danzō slammed the door and stormed out.
The very next second, the scene cut to the city walls of the capital, showing a conversation between Kazuma and Sanjō.
After a few exchanges.
"Danzō is a vicious dog, but even the most vicious dog must obey the Hokage. What's more, Danzō has recently lost the Hokage's trust."
Although the description was accurate, the juxtaposition of the two scenes and the dialogue made everyone crack up.
It was definitely intentional.
Masahiko held back his laughter to avoid looking suspicious to those around him.
The broadcast continued with scenes of Naruto entering the city, followed by the encounter with Asuma in front of the Daimyō's Mansion.
However, since the audience was currently unaware of the relationship between Asuma and Kurenai Yūhi, they didn't pay close attention to Asuma's behavior.
The bullet comments during this segment weren't particularly active.
However.
When the scene shifted to Masahiko and Kurenai chatting warmly, a wave of comments like "Love it" and "I ship it" drifted across the screen.
It wasn't until Asuma arrived at the guest house and met them again that the audience finally sensed something was wrong through the cinematic language.
"I feel like Asuma is acting a bit weird? I can't quite put my finger on it..."
• "The powerless boyfriend vibe?"
• "Sh*t! Bro, you nailed it. That's exactly the vibe!"
• "Yeah, Kurenai's tone earlier sounded like she was very familiar with Asuma, she even said she'd introduce him to Masahiko."
• "Oh my god! So that's what it is!"
Once the truth was pierced, a flurry of "666" and "Heartbroken for Asuma" comments flooded the screen.
Of course.
There were also those condemning Masahiko, and quite a few of them at that.
But.
Those defending Masahiko seemed to outnumber the detractors.
"How can that beardy guy compare to the Old Thief's face?"
• "Exactly, exactly!"
• "The Old Thief is handsome, and his surface persona is so gentle. Who wouldn't fall for that?"
• "Asuma is truly miserable."
Fortunately, Asuma didn't have many fans, and the condemnations weren't serious; most were just people trolling for fun.
Meanwhile.
Just as everyone was immersed in the "Shuraba" (Love Triangle) tension...
The scene shifted to a courtyard.
Creak!
The door opened, and a burly man walked out of the room. Inside, Asuma and the others could be seen.
They seemed to be discussing internal conflicts within the Twelve Guardian Ninja.
Outside, Kitane took out a cigarette.
Right at that moment, a black shadow flashed past. Accompanied by nerve-wracking sound effects, the plot and atmosphere shifted instantly.
The next second, the black shadow struck rapidly.
Kitane counterattacked on the spot.
Asuma, Chiriku, and the others rushed out of the room.
But, in less than thirty seconds, just as the black shadow's body twisted bizarrely to avoid the trench knives and iron staff...
The characters on screen and the bullet comments fell silent simultaneously.
In the next instant, the black shadow vanished in a blur. After a Body Flicker, the attacker landed in front of Kitane in the form of a monk.
Just as everyone thought he had been saved—
Blood sprayed behind Chiriku. A significant amount splattered onto the top of Chiriku's head, dyeing it red.
Blood slid down his face, illuminating Chiriku's bewildered, blank, and incredulous expression, making the scene all the more shocking.
In that instant, the bullet comments exploded:
"???"
• "Holy sh*t! What happened?! He wasn't saved?"
• "Those moves, that footwork! He's so strong, and you're telling me that's just a Shadow Clone?"
• "Is that Orochimaru?"