Naruto: Starting with Creating a Genius Persona

Chapter 168 Birthday Gift

October 10, Konoha 47.

The eighteenth day since the outbreak of the Konoha-Kumakushi War.

When news of Yotsuki's death reached Kumogakure, the Third Raikage was furious. The next day, he personally led his army to charge into battle again. With his Lightning Release Chakra Mode fully activated, the man was like a moving natural disaster, and Konoha's defenses teetered on the brink of collapse wherever he went.

But they still returned empty-handed.

Minato Namikaze's Flying Thunder God Technique moved like a ghost, constantly entangled in the Third Raikage's movements, preventing the strongest spear from unleashing its full power.

Three days later, the Hidden Cloud Village finally realized that a direct assault would not break through Konoha's defenses.

Instead, they broke up their massive forces into smaller, elite infiltration teams, attempting to penetrate deep into the Land of Fire through various weak points along the long front, with the goals of gathering intelligence, disrupting supply lines, or creating chaos in the rear.

Konoha responded sharply to this.

On one hand, Orochimaru was in charge of the central command, coordinating the overall situation. The main force at the front line built a well-structured defense network, increased the density of patrols and sentries, and compressed the activity space of the Cloud Village infiltration forces.

On the other hand, with Danzo Shimura, who was in charge of intelligence, infiltration and counter-infiltration operations in this field, personally overseeing the battle, an invisible and even more dangerous covert war was also unfolding in the front and rear of the battlefield and in the shadows.

The elite forces of Root and Anbu poured out, engaging in silent battles with the infiltration forces of Kumogakure in the hundreds of miles inland before and after the border.

Konoha's Northeast Headquarters, Command Post.

Shinichi lifted the curtain and walked in.

Under the lamplight, several staff officers were discussing something in hushed tones in front of the map. Hearing the noise, they subconsciously looked up at the door. After seeing who it was, their eyes flashed with admiration.

These days, Shinichi's Fourth Independent Combat Battalion has been almost constantly on the move, like a sharp dagger plunged into the heart of the Hidden Cloud Village, launching continuous attacks.

Today we take down a Cloud Village outpost, tomorrow we wipe out a Cloud Village patrol squad, and the day after tomorrow we destroy a Cloud Village supply depot.

They come and go like the wind, striking once and retreating immediately.

Battle reports were sent back to the command post one after another, and the credits marked on them grew thicker and thicker.

Orochimaru stood in front of the map, turned around when he heard footsteps, and those golden snake eyes fell on him, a smile curving his lips.

"Shinichi-kun has arrived just in time."

"I heard before that during the southwestern battlefield, that Pakura from Sunagakure caused a lot of trouble for Konoha, giving Jiraiya a real headache."

"Now I understand. I imagine the Third Raikage of Kumogakure is feeling the same way Jiraiya did back then."

Shinichi remained expressionless and bowed slightly: "Lord Orochimaru, you flatter me. My humble contribution is entirely due to the cooperation and support of my colleagues on the front lines. If it weren't for their bravery, which prevented Kumogakure from having to worry about the rear, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to go so deep."

"Speaking of which, if Minato-senpai didn't have any more important tasks to attend to, he would probably have done a better job than me if he had carried them out himself."

This time, Orochimaru didn't laugh and tease him about his humility as he usually did.

He paused for a moment, then sighed softly, "After all, it's the Flying Thunder God Technique..."

"What a fascinating ninjutsu! It's just a pity... not everyone can learn this technique."

After a few sighs, Orochimaru looked at Shinichi, and that familiar, unfathomable smile reappeared in his snake-like eyes.

"However, if it's Shinichi-kun, he should be able to master the Flying Thunder God Technique."

"After all, many people in the village believe that Shinichi's talent in developing ninjutsu is no less than that of the Second Hokage."

Orochimaru's smile deepened.

"Even before, Sarutobi-sensei mentioned to me more than once that Shinichi-kun has the potential to become the second Hokage."

"hehe..

Shinichi stood still, his expression unchanged, and said calmly, "Lord Orochimaru is joking. How could I dare to compare myself to the Second Hokage's wisdom? As for the Flying Thunder God Technique, if given the opportunity, I will do my best to learn it and live up to the expectations and cultivation of the Hokage and the village. However, for now, I still need to continue to work hard and dare not presume to compare myself to my predecessor."

Orochimaru didn't speak, but just looked at him for a while, then suddenly said, "Shinichi-kun, is today your birthday?"

Shinichi paused for a moment, then nodded: "Yes, thank you for your concern, Lord Orochimaru."

Happy birthday, Shinichi.

Orochimaru's lips curled slightly as he spoke softly, then he reached into his waistband and took out a scroll.

boom!

A cloud of white smoke exploded, and a long, straight sword appeared in his hand.

The scabbard and hilt are both pure black, without any superfluous decorations or blade patterns. The design is simple to the point of being cold and hard, yet it exudes a solemn and murderous aura.

"Speaking of which, Shinichi has been working so hard these days, making many contributions to the village. As the commander-in-chief, I haven't been able to offer anything decent in return. It just so happens that Shinichi's sword was damaged during the last infiltration mission."

At this point, Orochimaru gently pushed the long, straight sword in his hand forward.

"Then let's give this sword to Shinichi as a birthday present."

Upon hearing this, Shinichi was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Orochimaru to make such a move.

"Thank you, Lord Orochimaru."

The next moment, Shinichi seemed to realize what was happening, and solemnly took the knife with both hands.

"I will certainly make good use of this sword and live up to the gift from Lord Orochimaru."

"Hehe... Go and rest."

"Yes."

Zhen Yi bowed, turned around, lifted the tent flap, and went out.

"What a charming child, hehe..."

Orochimaru said in a low voice, then tilted his head slightly to look at his right sleeve.

A jet-black snake peeked out from the sleeve, its triangular head swaying slightly, its forked tongue flicking in and out, its gaze fixed on the direction Shinichi had left.

"Are you right?"

The black snake didn't speak, but its tail swayed slightly twice, and its vertical pupils remained fixed on the direction of the tent curtain, not looking away for a long time.

Orochimaru's smile deepened as he watched its reaction.

From the first time he met Higashino Makoto, besides sensing a sense of kinship and ambition beneath the mask from that child, there was something else he couldn't quite put his finger on.

A strange sense of intimacy and trust!

This feeling came out of nowhere, even somewhat absurdly.

Orochimaru had lived for so many years and met countless people, but no one had ever given him this feeling.

If he hadn't repeatedly checked his own chakra and confirmed that he hadn't been affected by any genjutsu, he would have almost suspected that he had been influenced by some kind of method.

Now, after several encounters over this period, Orochimaru has confirmed it.

Shinichi Higashino seems to possess a unique aura.

That aura is invisible and intangible, yet it exists so naturally that it can unconsciously generate goodwill and dispel wariness in people.

What intrigued Orochimaru even more was that this aura seemed to extend beyond just humans.

He glanced down at the black snake hidden in his sleeve.

This little thing is usually very quiet; it almost never shows itself except when it's eating or fighting.

But every time Shinichi Higashino appears, it eagerly peeks out like it is now, staring at that direction endlessly.

It was as if something about that boy was attracting it.

Orochimaru reached out and gently stroked the black snake's head.

"You also find him interesting, right?"

The black snake flicked its tongue, whether in response or simply out of habit, was unclear.

Orochimaru withdrew his gaze, licked his lips, and looked back at the map in front of him, his golden snake eyes showing even greater interest.

"hehe....

interesting.

What an increasingly interesting...kind of mine.

Back in his tent, Shinichi finally drew the straight sword Orochimaru had given him and examined it.

The sword is straight and long, its entire body gleaming with a cold, sharp, snow-white light.

Shinichi pondered for a moment, and the next instant, a thought struck him, and he channeled fire-attribute chakra into the blade!

The longsword in his hand seemed to be awakened, emitting a slight hum. The originally snow-white blade turned crimson at a visible speed, like a red-hot iron.

Immediately afterwards, with a loud bang, a blazing and solid crimson flame suddenly rose from the sword, enveloping the entire sword like a ribbon of flame, with the firelight flickering.

Kusanagi Sword!

The same weapon that Sasuke Uchiha held in later generations was now given to him by Orochimaru as a birthday present.

"What a fine sword!"

Shinichi sensed the changes inside the sword. Fire-attribute chakra flowed and was conducted within it without any obstruction or loss. The sword's affinity and conductivity for chakra were exceptional.

What's even more remarkable is that, under such high temperatures and energy infusion, the sword's structure remained completely still, showing no signs of softening or melting, demonstrating astonishing physical strength and elemental resistance.

"I'll call you the Flowing Cloud Sword."

Shinichi dispersed his chakra, the flames went out, and the sword returned to its snow-white state.

Orochimaru has two grass swords, one of which is called the Sky Sword, which is extremely sharp and can extend and retract freely.

Although this Cloth Flowing Cloud Sword does not have these functions, it has two extremely outstanding characteristics: extreme hardness and extreme chakra conduction performance.

In the original timeline, Sasuke Uchiha used this sword to fight from beginning to end, and used it as a vehicle to perform various derivative ninjutsu of Chidori.

Zhenyi sheathed his sword, placed the Bu Liuyun sword beside him, and then quickly formed several hand seals.

boom!

With a soft sound, white smoke rose and then dissipated, revealing a slug, its body crystal clear and the size of an adult, that appeared in the tent, its soft body taking up almost half the space.

"It's Shinichi." The slug's gentle voice rang out. "Is there something... Oh, right, has it come to this day already?"

Before she could finish speaking, she realized what was happening.

A few days ago, when Shinichi summoned her to help treat the wounded in Konoha, she told Shinichi that she had made a promise to summon her again on this date, as she had something to give him.

"Happy birthday, Shinichi." The slug's voice was tinged with laughter. Then, she leaned forward slightly and spat out a small, exquisite storage scroll from her mouth.

"These are gifts from Lady Tsunade, Shizune, and Kurenai. They asked me to give them to you. They miss you very much."

"Thank you for your help, Sister Slug." Zhen nodded and stepped forward to take the still slightly damp scroll.

"No trouble at all. I'm happy to see Shinichi grow another year older and healthy." The slug gently wiggled its antennae. "Well then, I'll head back now. The battlefield is dangerous, so please be extra careful."

"I understand, thank you for your concern."

With a bang, the slug turned into white smoke and disappeared, and the tent returned to silence.

Shinichi unrolled the storage scroll. There were three gifts in total. He first looked at the two gifts for Shizune and Kurenai. Shizune's gift was a portable medical first aid kit that she had personally prepared, suitable for battlefield environments. The medicines inside were categorized and clearly labeled, and there was also a neatly written blessing card attached.

Kurenai Yuhi gave him a hand-knitted scarf in his usual dark color, along with a note that read, "I heard it's very cold in the Northeast, take care of yourself," and "I heard the war is very dangerous, be careful."

Zhenyi looked at them carefully, then put away the two gifts, which were full of the girl's heartfelt wishes.

Finally, his gaze fell on Tsunade's gift: an old-fashioned and heavy ninjutsu scroll.

Shinichi took it out and slowly unfolded it. The first thing that caught his eye was the three large characters "Yin Seal".

Then came a densely packed record of the cultivation principles, steps, chakra circulation path, and sealing construction method of this profound secret technique, complete with illustrations and extremely detailed information.

Inside the scroll, there was a line of familiar handwriting, written by Tsunade herself: "Take a look first, and I'll teach you personally when we return to Konoha."

After watching for a while, Shinichi closed the scroll, placed it on his lap, and turned his gaze to the tent flaps outside the tent, which were fluttering in the cold wind.

I've been in this world for eleven years now.

at the same time.

Cloud Hidden Headquarters, Command Center.

boom!

With a loud bang, the Third Raikage slammed his large hand heavily on the table, causing the intelligence scrolls and maps spread out on the table to jump up.

"Shinichi Higashino..." The Third Raikage's tiger-like eyes swept over the name that had been repeatedly mentioned in the intelligence reports: "Has this kid turned our Kumogakure's rear into a hunting ground for him to rack up battle merits?!"

"We can't let him get away with this! I'm going to personally take action, twist this brat's head off, and avenge him!"

"Lord Raikage, please calm down!" Tsuchida, who had been standing by, immediately stepped forward and advised, "You are the commander-in-chief of the army. You must be in the center, overseeing the overall situation. How can you be held back by a mere brat from Konoha? Doing so would only give Konoha an opportunity to take advantage!"

Seeing that Raikage's expression remained grim, he quickly added, "Moreover, reinforcements are on their way. Troy and Yukito have already set off from the northwest border and are rushing here at full speed. They will arrive at the front lines within three days at the latest!"

Upon hearing this, the Third Raikage's violent emotions calmed down slightly.

Troy, a top-tier Jonin of Kumogakure, is a powerful ninja with the Kekkei Genkai Magnet Release, just like the Third and Fourth Kazekage of Sunagakure. He can perfectly combine this power with his ninja tools and fighting style, making him a top-tier fighter.

Accompanying him was Yugito, the Two-Tails Jinchuriki.

Previously, the two had been stationed on the northwestern border with Aya Yotsuki, the son of the Third Raikage, to be on alert for possible movements by Iwagakure, until it was confirmed that Iwagakure was temporarily holding back.

After the village's offensive against Konoha reached a stalemate, Yozuki Ai remained behind as a precaution, while Troy and Yugito were ordered to bring a group of elite troops from the northwest front to the scene.

The aim is to enhance combat capabilities in this direction and break the deadlock.

"But..." The Third Raikage wanted to say something more, but at that moment, a deep, slightly hoarse voice rang out from the corner of the tent, breaking the solemn atmosphere.

"Uncle, I'll go."

Ok?

The Third Raikage, Tsuchikage, and the other elite Jonin from Kumogakure all turned their gazes toward the source of the sound.

The one who spoke was none other than Brubi, the nephew of the Third Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki of Kumogakure.

"We can temporarily halt our offensive against Konoha these next few days. Our main force can rest and regroup, and I will personally lead the operation to deal with this Shinichi Higashino who keeps harassing us."

"Once Troy and the others arrive, we will launch another large-scale offensive against Konoha. At that time, we will surely be able to break the stalemate and push the battle line into the heart of the Land of Fire."

"Compared to you now...."

"Uncle, I'm fine."

Brubi shook his head.

The Third Raikage looked at him with a complex expression.

Brubi is his nephew, and the "Bi" he personally chose, the "Bi" who was supposed to form a new generation of AB duo with his son Ai.

But this child...

After becoming the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, it seems that his mentality has become problematic, and he has become extremely sensitive.

Even though he was his nephew, he personally gave the order that no one in the village dared to show any disrespect to Bulubi.

But Brubi remained incredibly sensitive; even the most normal glances from his compatriots would make him ponder repeatedly—perhaps it was just his imagination, or perhaps it was true.

But whether it was real or fake, this resulted in the inability to coordinate the Thunder-type Hot Blade, so he had to choose another person to take over the position.

After a moment of silence, the Third Raikage said, "Alright, let's do it your way. I'll have the General Staff coordinate with you on the specific arrangements later."