"Did you come here to collaborate with them, Lord Orochimaru?"
Masahiko asked.
Orochimaru smiled and said, "I have some small business, but I mainly wanted to meet Masahiko-kun. I've heard about some of your recent activities while I was away."
"Compared to you, it's really nothing."
Masahiko said modestly.
Orochimaru said, "Masahiko-kun, I've seen your research. Your talent goes beyond this... Never mind, neither you nor I are people who are easily persuaded."
He let out a light chuckle.
In the next second, Orochimaru licked the corners of his mouth.
"I want to talk to you about a collaboration."
"About Uchiha Sasuke?"
Masahiko asked.
Orochimaru was slightly taken aback and said, "Masahiko-kun... Hehe, you really aren't an ordinary person. You've already understood his value."
"There are still many survivors of the Uchiha Clan, but he is indeed the most valuable one."
Masahiko nodded.
Orochimaru smiled and said, "So, what's your opinion?"
"We are collaborators. As long as the benefits are sufficient, there's nothing wrong with jointly developing valuable items."
Masahiko replied.
A flash of excitement crossed Orochimaru's eyes as he said, "Then... I want to know, why did Danzo kill Shisui?"
"I don't know, but I suspect it's related to the Sharingan."
Masahiko glanced at the distant base. "Normally speaking, Lord Danzo doesn't lack Sharingan, so I believe... the issue lies with Shisui's eyes."
"My thoughts exactly."
The corners of Orochimaru's mouth curled up slightly. "Then, how about we collaborate to explore the deeper mysteries of the Sharingan?"
"I don't mind, but Lord Orochimaru, aren't you afraid of nurturing a tiger only to be bitten?"
Masahiko said, "The more desperate the Uchiha Clan becomes, the more terrifying the power they can unleash. If you have designs on them... you'd better prepare early."
"Thanks for the reminder."
Orochimaru nodded, still maintaining an air of having everything under control.
He looked at Masahiko.
"You know Anko, right?"
"Yes."
"She has a type of mark of mine on her. It can provide powerful strength. If you need it, I can give one to you as well."
Orochimaru licked the corners of his mouth. "This is a gift that no Ninjutsu can compare to!"
"I don't want things I don't understand for now."
Masahiko shook his head. "Is there another price?"
"A sword that suits you very well."
Orochimaru took out a scroll. "I believe Masahiko-kun will have his own way to bring it out and use it."
After saying that, he released the scroll's seal.
A straight-bladed sword appeared.
Judging by its appearance and style, it was exactly the sword that would be given to Sasuke in the future.
Masahiko was somewhat tempted, but he still sighed lightly. "Sasuke is my beloved student, and in the future, he will also be my most capable assistant..."
"Masahiko-kun, greed is not a good habit."
Orochimaru laughed coldly. "However, this is just a down payment."
In the next second, he took out a second scroll.
"This records a special Substitution Jutsu I researched. Additionally, I can also let you sign a contract with the Ryūchi Cave, one of the Three Great Sage Regions..."
"Of course, these require you to further advance our cooperation before I give you the next installment."
Orochimaru said.
Masahiko's smile was brilliant. "Happy collaborating!"
"Happy collaborating."
After Orochimaru finished speaking, he vanished into the earth.
Masahiko could sense rustling sounds around him as snakes slowly retreated.
He walked forward a few steps.
A moment later—
["naruto: prequel" Episode 14 filming completed!]
[Editing...]
[Film production successful!]
[Total appearance time: 7 minutes 12 seconds
Screen time proportion: 34.3%]
[Prompt:...]
...It was nearly eight o'clock in the evening.
Masahiko had already ended his training early.
Sasuke was still outside running.
He wasn't as good as Naruto in terms of physical stamina, but this didn't discourage him; instead, it made Sasuke work even harder.
In the past few days, although Sasuke was staying with Masahiko, it felt to Masahiko as if the boy wasn't even in the house.
However.
The Village was about to provide arrangements.
According to the news he got from the Ninja Academy—
Because Sasuke chose not to inherit the family property, the Village planned to arrange a residence for Sasuke similar to Naruto's, as a form of welfare for an orphan.
The location was near Naruto's place.
Masahiko had reason to suspect that this was done to reduce the burden on the Anbu.
He was also happy to see it happen.
At exactly eight o'clock, the light screen popped up.
In this episode, his related plot proportion was about one-third.
That meant... two-thirds of the plot was unknown to him.
He stared intently at the screen.
After a moment, the screen showed a scene of the street outside his house.
The camera seemed to be from someone's perspective, moving along. Everyone on the street cast sympathetic looks but didn't dare to approach.
Afterward... Masahiko's voice sounded.
This was the scene from the day he took Sasuke to the streets.
"Sasuke's father was the clan leader; he shouldn't be reduced to living on welfare, right?"
"Maybe it was taken for compensation."
"Sigh, looking at it this way, Sasuke is really miserable. He never enjoyed any benefits, only suffered."
"Itachi is a total beast!"
Although it was all daily life, through the lens, everyone could see—
After the Night of the Massacre, Sasuke's life was not easy.
There were those who sympathized.
There were also those who kicked him while he was down.
Going from a beautiful, happy family to being reduced to this state within a few days, Sasuke's experience was truly tragic.
Seeing this, the bullet chats cursing Itachi increased even more.
No one could understand Itachi's art of clan massacre.
Whether it was netizens, Kishimoto, or the villagers and random passersby in the anime, all expressed strong confusion about it.
During this part of the plot, Masahiko mostly provided companionship and talk therapy, and his screen time was purely riding on the scene.
However.
In the next moment—
The camera shifted to a classroom in the Konoha Ninja Academy.
Everyone was in class.
This was a Ninja Theory Class, which was quite dull and tedious. Naruto's head was nodding repeatedly as his eyelids were heavy.
Right then, a loud "Boom" came from outside the window.
Looking out the window, one could faintly see flames and mist.
"What's going on?"
Everyone erupted, crowding toward the window one after another.
Sasuke suppressed his curiosity, but seeing everyone looking out, including the teacher who was frequently distracted, he also slightly left his seat and shuffled over a couple of steps.
The fire had already disappeared.
From his perspective, he could only see a patch of dark clouds.
The camera moved along with his gaze—
It went up into the sky, looking down, and the subsequent scene appeared in the shot.
Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu were using Water Formation Wall and Earth Style: Mud Wall respectively to assist in defense, while in the very center, several layers of Earth Style: Mud Walls formed a fortress.
The outer Mud Walls were completely destroyed, and even a corner of the second layer had collapsed.
It was only the third layer that barely managed to block it.
Even so, when the Chakra dissipated and the Mud Wall crumbled, the mud figure inside was still baked until cracked.
On the outskirts, Hiruzen Sarutobi popped up from underground, looking quite disheveled.
This Training Ground had been repeatedly bombarded by fire, mud, and water, and a large crater had sunk in around the central Mud Wall.
The soil was all scorched black.
If it hadn't been for the Water Formation Wall and Earth Style: Mud Wall blocking the surroundings, even the nearby buildings probably would have been affected.
Ninjutsu of such scale... was incredible!
The camera focused on Masahiko, who was apologizing repeatedly at this time.
Obviously.
The explosion just now was his doing.
"If the original body had been in the center, wouldn't it have been baked dry even if it wasn't blown to death?"
"Isn't Fire Release always 'lots of smoke, no damage'? Why is it so OP?"
"Wait! It's Old Thief Masahiko again!"
"No... dude, are you really refreshing your Ninjutsu list every time you appear? You're totally hacking!"
"Hacks? He's never turned them off!"