Hiruzen Sarutobi stood there with a smile on his face.
He didn't make any move, just simply stood there, yet his aura made one hesitate to attack first.
Beside him, Utatane Koharu had a complex expression.
They had all grown old, but even in his old age, Hiruzen Sarutobi still commanded such awe that it was difficult to even think of opposing him.
She sighed softly and looked at Masahiko.
Just as she was wondering if Masahiko would dare to make a move—
He had already flickered away, appearing in front of Hiruzen Sarutobi in an instant using the Body Flicker Technique.
At the same time.
In the pressure points of Masahiko's arm, Chakra erupted violently, forming a rapid cone-shaped water flow that thrust forward like a spear or a blade.
Suddenly, Hiruzen Sarutobi disappeared from the spot.
The one in front of him was just a clone.
Below—
Boom!
The ground cracked open, and Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand reached out from underneath.
Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!
Splash.
The Masahiko who was hit turned into a splash of water.
"A combination of Water Clone and Substitution Technique?"
"His hand signs were very fast."
Homura Mitokado nodded.
Although the two of them were old, their abilities during their prime were not weak, and their insight and understanding of Ninjutsu were very strong.
Yagyu Masahiko was indeed not weak!
They became serious.
After the instantaneous substitution, clones appeared all around, and three figures brandished their blades toward Hiruzen Sarutobi, the slashes like crescent moons.
Konoha Style: Dance of the Crescent Moon!
Under the concealment of the Breath Concealment Technique, the original and the clones even maintained the same Chakra signature, making it impossible to distinguish the real from the fake.
Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately formed hand signs.
Water surged all around, soaring into the sky with a splash and engulfing all the clones, transforming into a fierce Water Dragon.
But at the same time, a fireball was spat out from the mouth of a clone in the corner—
"Great Fireball?"
Homura Mitokado was a bit unsure—this fireball was very small, and the amount of Chakra didn't seem large, but Masahiko's hand signs seemed a bit different from a normal Great Fireball.
Was it improved?
He and Utatane Koharu watched closely.
In the next instant—
Boom!
The fireball collided with the head of the Water Dragon, and the internal Chakra collided chaotically, causing it to explode instantly like an explosive tag.
At the same time, four more fireballs followed in succession.
Five fireballs in a row, each one more solid than the last.
Boom, boom, boom!
The successive explosions blasted the Water Dragon apart, greatly reducing its power.
Under the high temperature, mist filled the surroundings.
Swoosh!
Masahiko held his blade and rushed into the mist along with three clones.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression was grave.
Four of them—
It was Genjutsu.
He immediately released the Genjutsu and used the Kunai in his hand to block toward a blurred direction in the mist, relying on his perception and battle instincts.
Clang!
The weapons collided.
Immediately after, from two positions behind and beside him, the whistling sound of a swinging blade came from one, and the splashing sound of water came from the other.
So this is what it feels like to be in the middle of it.
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and formed hand signs; the soil beneath his feet softened and transformed into a surging Mudslide in the blink of an eye.
The Mudslide surged forward with great force.
The Water Clone bore the brunt and was quickly engulfed by the Mudslide before bursting, but at the same time, a violent Chakra fluctuation came from above.
Hiruzen Sarutobi leaped up and split into two; one went to attack the Shadow Clone of Masahiko swinging its blade from the side, while the other formed hand signs—
It was still the Water Dragon Bullet.
But this time, the flames in Masahiko's mouth were condensed to the point of almost changing color, and he spat them out, allowing them to continuously roll and expand outward.
Finally, his hand signs changed.
Explode!
Within the massive fireball, the Chakra expanded in a disordered, frantic, and chaotic manner, eventually forming a chaotic explosion of sparks.
From the side, a surging heatwave rolled in.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was startled and used Body Flicker to move away quickly while forming hand signs.
One after another, Earth Walls rose up.
Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado, who were watching from the side, also used defensive Ninjutsu to contain this terrifying destructive power within a safe range.
After the continuous fire bombardment—
Hiruzen Sarutobi was fine.
The one on the ground had long since turned into a pile of mud, and his real body emerged from another spot.
Masahiko hurriedly used Water Wave to put out the fire.
However.
After the repeated impacts of water, fire, and earth, this Training Ground was clearly no longer usable.
Beside them, Homura Mitokado couldn't help but say, "Too reckless. Such a large-scale explosion Ninjutsu—what if you destroyed the Konoha Ninja Academy's facilities?"
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have used Fire Release Ninjutsu."
Masahiko quickly apologized.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's old face turned red, and he coughed lightly. "It's nothing, I was the one who told him to use his full strength."
He looked at Masahiko, seemingly wanting to say something but hesitating.
In the end, he still asked, "Did you come up with this technique yourself?"
"It's an improvement I made on the Great Fireball."
Masahiko nodded.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was silent for a while before saying, "You truly have a talent for research. It's a pity I didn't let you come into contact with this knowledge earlier..."
In his view, Masahiko was undoubtedly a genius when it came to researching Ninjutsu.
Regrettably, due to his background, ability, and various other circumstances, the past Masahiko simply couldn't access many Ninjutsu, resulting in a pearl being covered in dust.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at his two old friends.
"What do you two think?
"
"I approve of Yagyu Masahiko temporarily serving as the education class monitor, to be evaluated later based on his performance."
Homura Mitokado stated his position.
He had some work at the Konoha Ninja Academy, so he naturally knew of Masahiko's abilities, and after witnessing the battle just now, he also acknowledged the other's strength.
Utatane Koharu hesitated to speak, finally sighing helplessly, "Is my opposition even useful?"
She looked at Masahiko but had nothing to say.
Whether in terms of strength, creativity, or ideas, the young man before her possessed talent far beyond ordinary people.
Setting aside age and stance, she had no reason to object.
"Then it's settled."
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and patted off the dust, but as he looked at the mess in the Training Ground, his smile suddenly froze.
This outcome was not quite what he had expected.
"This place..."
"Since I was the one who destroyed it, I'll be the one to clean it up."
Masahiko replied immediately.
Hiruzen Sarutobi coughed lightly and stepped closer to pat Masahiko's shoulder.
"Keep it up!"
"Work hard at the academy. In a while, there will be an important mission for you."
He lowered his voice.
Masahiko nodded slightly without speaking.
Hiruzen Sarutobi turned and left.
Homura Mitokado followed closely behind, though Utatane Koharu gave him a complex look.
After leaving the Konoha Ninja Academy and bidding farewell to Hiruzen Sarutobi, she whispered to Homura Mitokado, "It was I who dragged you down."
"What are you talking about..."
Homura Mitokado sighed deeply. "The business between you and Danzo—although I don't agree with it, I can't think of a better decision either."
Both of them knew it well—
Even as the education class monitor, Yagyu Masahiko was different from Watanabe Shōji.
The former was young and had no shackles like a clan, and Hiruzen Sarutobi supported him greatly.
The latter was different.
Clan, family—
All sorts of bonds prevented Watanabe Shōji from acting willfully.
"It's just as well. We're all old, and our thinking isn't as sharp as the young people's. Some things that should be handed over should be handed over."
Homura Mitokado quickly came to terms with it.
Utatane Koharu, however, was dismissive. "They are taking things too much for granted. For the sake of Konoha, we still have to do what we must do."
Homura Mitokado looked at her for a few seconds and finally sighed helplessly, "I don't agree, and I won't get involved in the business between you two."
After saying that, he turned and left.