Naruto: Starting with Creating a Genius Persona

Chapter 186 Meeting the Teacher Openly and Frankly (Prologue)

Meanwhile, deep in a dense forest in the Land of Lightning.

The Shinichi Battalion, having just completed a second attack on Kumogakure and successfully evacuated all its members, is taking a short break in a relatively secluded woodland.

No one spoke, only the suppressed breathing and the occasional sound of drinking water, and the rustling of the mountain wind through the treetops. Everyone seized this precious moment to recover their strength and chakra, bandage their wounds, and check their ninja tools.

"Shinichi."

Yuhi Shinku stepped forward, hesitated for a moment, and then lowered her voice to ask, "Are we really going to attack Kyoto, the Land of Lightning?"

The ninja wars ostensibly adhere to the principle of not involving civilians, but of course, this is often just empty talk.

However, this rule cannot be applied to officials and nobles; this is a truly unspoken rule.

Especially the capital city of a country, the daimyo's prefecture, and the daimyo himself.

The other lawless bounty hunters and wandering ninjas didn't care; they were outlaws anyway, so what did rules matter?

However, ninja villages, especially the five great ninja villages, are essentially military organizations that are dependent on the national system and must follow certain tacit understandings.

To violate it is to overturn the table that all participants have tacitly agreed upon.

"Senior, do I look like such an impulsive person?" Shinichi smiled. He didn't really care about noble names, but it was far from the time to defy the world.

"We don't actually need to go to Kyoto, the Land of Lightning. We just need to make them think that we might be going to Kyoto. Even if they have only the slightest suspicion, they won't dare to take the risk."

"We'll strike where the enemy is most vulnerable and where they can't afford to lose! It's not about actually conquering the area, but about diverting their forces and forcing them to follow our lead."

Kurenai Yuhi remained silent for a moment, seemingly pondering Shinichi's words, before asking, "So, where do we go now?"

"Let's head towards Kyoto," Shinichi replied quickly, clearly having already made up his mind. "But halfway there, we'll turn around and head towards the southeastern coast of the Land of Lightning."

Kurenai Yuhi frowned: "That place isn't what you initially thought..."

He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence, realizing he had asked a stupid question.

After a moment, Kurenai Yuhi shook her head and gave a wry smile: "It's because I didn't get it right."

Seeing that he understood, Shinichi said nothing more, but simply nodded slightly: "Take this time to rest well, Shinku-senpai."

Kurenai Yuhi nodded. He didn't ask anything more, turned around and walked back to his seat, leaning against the tree trunk as if he were resting, or perhaps pondering something.

Shinichi also closed his eyes.

He leaned against a thick tree trunk, his breathing steady and his posture relaxed, seemingly resting with his eyes closed. But deep within his consciousness, countless pieces of information were flooding into his mind from all directions, like rivers flowing into the sea.

The shadow clones of Isshin Seimei were silently speeding across the vast land of the Land of Lightning. Dozens of identical figures were scattered within a range of tens to hundreds of kilometers of Shinichi's original body, each scanning the mountains, forests, rivers, and villages below at top speed.

Deep within their eyes, a silent, shimmering light flowed.

Both [Clarity] and [Lightning Flash] are activated simultaneously, capturing every detail in the path they pass through.

Shinichi knew that the core of blitzkrieg was never just speed, but accuracy!

It means knowing where the enemy is, how many there are, which direction they are heading, and where they will go next.

It means seeing, judging, and acting before the enemy!

It means identifying the weak points or key points in the enemy's defenses and achieving a breakthrough.

Speed ​​is just the surface; accuracy is the essence.

In this respect, Shinichi has a huge advantage.

The combination of "Clarity" and "Lightning Flash" gave him a pair of "White Eyes" that belonged to him.

No hand seals are needed, no chakra is consumed; this ability comes naturally, like breathing, like a heartbeat, like instinct.

Whether he was awake or exhausted, fighting or resting, his eyes were always working, always capturing, always observing.

He and Isshin's shadow clone also possess these eyes.

After the Hyuga clan creates shadow clones, how much chakra do their shadow clones consume when they activate the Byakugan? How long can they maintain their form?

How many restrictions are there?

he does not know.

But Shinichi knew that his shadow clones were not subject to these restrictions.

Each shadow clone is equivalent to an independent sensory node, covering an area, scanning all movements, and then transmitting all information back to the main body upon returning.

The simultaneous operation of dozens of shadow clones is equivalent to dozens of "byakugan" working at the same time.

What does this equate to?

It's equivalent to him being the equivalent of an entire Hyuga Byakugan reconnaissance squad, and even the chakra consumed by creating shadow clones is borne by Isshin clones.

All he needs to do is process this information.

With the blessing of "genius" and "enlightened understanding", his thinking speed has long surpassed the scope of what ordinary people can comprehend.

The massive amount of information brought by these shadow clones upon their return was like a stream flowing into a deep pool, which he quickly filtered, categorized, and integrated.

He could clearly see which roads had Cloud Hidden Patrols, which directions had large-scale pursuers, which areas were safe, and which routes were empty. Zhenyi closed his eyes and remained motionless, but in his mind, a huge dynamic map was rapidly taking shape.

Konoha's Northeast Headquarters, Command Post.

The tent flap was suddenly flung open, and Shimura Danzo strode in, followed by several Root members, all with solemn expressions. He didn't greet them or even glance at the others in the tent, and walked straight to the center.

The staff officers inside the tent all looked up; some stood up instinctively, while others paused mid-air with their pens in hand.

This Elder Danzo was always a recluse and rarely came to the command post. Today, his aggressive appearance was obvious to everyone.

Something's not right.

Nara Shikaku sat behind a desk in the corner, a pile of files spread out in front of him. He looked up, his eyes meeting Shimura Danzo's for a moment, then put down his pen, stood up, picked up a pre-prepared document from the desk, stepped forward, and said, "Elder Shimura! Before carrying out this secret mission, Lord Orochimaru left a letter instructing that if you inquire, this letter should be given to you."

Shimura Danzo stared at him for two seconds, then sneered, "Orochimaru is quite the schemer."

He took the document expressionlessly and unfolded it.

The tent fell silent. Several staff officers lowered their heads and began to attend to their own tasks, their eyes fixed on the maps or files on the table, not daring to look at them for long.

Danzo Shimura stood there, motionless, his gaze slowly moving across the paper.

No one knew what was written in the letter, but Danzo Shimura's face was gradually darkening.

"Good! Very good!"

After reading it, Danzo Shimura crumpled the letter into a ball and slammed it onto the table beside him, the sound echoing throughout the command post.

"That Orochimaru! What does he take war for? His personal testing ground?"

"This is utterly lawless! Completely disregarding discipline! Such a huge mission! He didn't consult anyone, didn't report to the village, didn't even warn me! Does he have any respect for Konoha?! Does he have no sense of rules?!"

No one in the tent dared to speak; they even held their breath.

After giving him a scolding, Shimura Danzo didn't continue. He took a deep breath, turned his head sharply, and fixed his gaze on Nara Shikaku like a knife.

"But this isn't the time to talk about that! Now that Kumogakure has begun its retreat, it means Orochimaru and that kid have successfully completed their mission to incite the Eight-Tails to go berserk and destroy Kumogakure's logistics and medical departments!"

As soon as he finished speaking, several suppressed gasps rose from inside the tent. The staff officers exchanged glances, their faces filled with undisguised shock.

The Hidden Cloud Village retreated? The Eight-Tails went berserk? The Hidden Cloud Village's logistics and medical departments were destroyed?

This was no ordinary tactical victory, but a heavy blow that could shake the balance of the entire Northeast front!

Nara Shikaku's expression changed slightly, but he quickly returned to normal.

Although he had long anticipated that Orochimaru and Shinichi Higashino's mission would be extraordinary, he had not expected it to be so weighty.

Ignoring everyone's expressions, Shimura Danzo stepped forward, staring intently at Nara Shikaku, and said, "Opportunities are fleeting! Now that Orochimaru and that kid have stirred up a hornet's nest in Kumogakure, forcing their main force to retreat, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

"Nara Shikaku! I demand that you immediately order a full-scale attack on Kumogakure!"

Nara Shikaku looked troubled, remained silent for a moment, and then shook his head: "Elder Shimura, I do not have that authority. Military command of the northeastern front currently belongs entirely to Lord Orochimaru."

"Moreover...."

""

After a pause, Nara Shikaku continued, "Furthermore, the news of the Eight-Tails' rampage and the destruction of the Cloud Village's logistics and medical departments hasn't been fully confirmed. Orochimaru and Captain Shinichi haven't returned yet, and Jonin Minato Namikaze was urgently transferred due to the recent events in the Southeast Kirigakure. If the Third Raikage turns around and attacks us again, our army at this moment..."

'

"This is my order!" Shimura Danzo's voice suddenly rose, interrupting Nara Shikaku's next words: "I am an elder of Konoha, and I have the authority to make tactical decisions in emergency situations!"

"Even so," Nara Shikaku shook his head, his tone steady but unyielding: "According to wartime regulations and the appointment issued by the Hokage, the sole supreme commander of the Northeast Army is Lord Orochimaru. Before his return, before he issues clear instructions, and before receiving a direct order from the Hokage, no one has the right to mobilize frontline troops, including you."

He paused, then added, "Elder Shimura, I will immediately have someone contact the village, and the Hokage will arrange for..."

"When will we be able to leave? By the time we get there and back, and are ready to depart, the people of Kumogakure will have already withdrawn from the Land of Hot Springs!" Shimura Danzo interrupted again.

Upon hearing this, Nara Shikaku shook his head: "I'm sorry, Elder Shimura."

The air inside the tent was almost still; the staff officers held their breath, and no one dared to make a sound.

Danzo Shimura stared intently at Shikaku Nara, his gaze cold and sharp as a knife.

Nara Shikaku stood there, sweat beading on his forehead, his posture respectful, but he still showed no sign of backing down.

"Good! Very good!" Shimura Danzo gave Nara Shikaku a cold look, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he only left these three words before turning around and striding out of the command post.

The tent flap was lifted high and fell with a dull thud. Several members of the Root exchanged glances and quickly followed.

The command post fell silent again. Nara Shikaku stood still for a moment, then bent down to pick up the crumpled letter from the ground. After quickly scanning it, he said, "Pass down the order: have the reconnaissance team immediately investigate the movements of Kumogakure at the front lines to confirm whether they are truly retreating. At the same time, immediately contact all our intelligence points in the Land of Lightning and instruct them to find out the true situation of Kumogakure at all costs. Also, immediately compile the current intelligence and transmit it to the village!"

"yes!"

With this kid's skills, he should be able to come back unharmed, right?

Danzo paced back and forth in the tent, his footsteps hurried and heavy, making a dull thud on the ground. His brows were furrowed, his gaze falling on his feet, then on the direction of the tent flap, and then back to his feet.

That kid always acts with discretion and never fights unprepared battles. During the battle in the southwest, he lured away the elite Sunagakure troops on his own. A month ago, he faced the Third Raikage alone and managed to escape unscathed.

but!

Danzo Shimura suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Will the Hidden Cloud Village let this go after suffering such a great loss? Will that brute Third Raikage swallow this insult?

They will definitely hunt him down at any cost, they will surround him like madmen, and when the most dangerous moment comes, given that kid's style, he will definitely...

Make the same choice as your teacher!

Thinking of this, Danzo Shimura suddenly raised his head, and the light seemed to pass through the tent, through the camp, through the mountains and dense forests, and land on the land in the northeast where thunder never stopped.

In a daze, he saw that jungle filled with murderous intent again. His teacher had his back to him, and his figure grew farther and farther away, smaller and smaller, until it disappeared from his sight forever.

A moment later, Shimura Danzo took a deep, extremely slow breath, his chest rising and falling, as if trying to suppress something, or as if he were taking out something he had hidden away for a lifetime, something he had never taken out, something he had almost forgotten.

His face regained its calm, a deeper, more profound calm, as still as the surface of an ancient well.

"Someone come here."

The tent flap was lifted, and a member of the Roots quickly walked in and knelt on one knee.

"Take thirty men and come with me."

"Yes."

Three minutes later, the thirty members of the Root were assembled. No one asked where they were going or what they were going to do. They just stood silently in the morning light, waiting for orders.

Danzo didn't say anything more. He turned around and sped off in the northeast.

Thirty figures followed closely behind, like a silent undercurrent, and quickly disappeared into the morning mist outside the camp.

The wind brushed past my ears, carrying the scent of grass and earth, and the crispness unique to a spring morning.

Danzo remained expressionless, but his pace quickened. He had no idea what he was doing. As a village elder, he was leading thirty men deep into enemy territory without a plan, without backup, and without even a clear direction or objective.

This isn't him; he's never been like this!

He was used to scheming, weighing options, and laying out plans in the shadows, letting his pieces do what needed to be done. He never took risks himself, and never placed his hopes on momentary impulses.

But at this moment, he was running, and he was running faster and faster!

The morning light shone down from the eastern ridgeline, casting a long shadow across the vast land beneath his feet.

He didn't know what he was chasing or what he was looking for; he only knew that he had to go, he absolutely had to!

The wind rushed into his chest, carrying a chill and something he hadn't felt in a long time. Danzo's breathing gradually became rapid, but his steps did not slow down.

In my mind, those images that had been suppressed for decades surged up like a tide.

That night, in the Land of Thunder, in that forest teeming with danger.

In that instant, he said nothing, and in that instant, he did nothing.

And it was in that instant that he lost something forever.

It was something he had spent decades trying to find, using countless methods, schemes, and underworld deals, but he still couldn't get it back.

Shimura Danzo's pace quickened once more!

He suddenly realized that what he wanted to bring back might not be that arrogant, reckless brat at all.

Instead, it was that night decades ago, standing in the jungle, watching his teacher's departing figure, yet ultimately unable to take a single step—that was the young Danzo Shimura.

It was that self who, from that night onward, was forever trapped in that forest, wandering for decades, unable to escape no matter what.

The morning light grew brighter, illuminating the road ahead.

Danzo's eyes suddenly stung, but he didn't blink. He just kept running and running, faster and faster, toward the northeast, toward that land where thunder never ceased.

It was as if if I ran fast enough this time, I could catch up with that resolute figure who turned away decades ago; it was as if if I didn't hesitate this time, I could bring back the person trapped in the forest!

Even if ahead lies the Land of Lightning's forest, teeming with deadly dangers!

Even if this time, he really does fall there forever, then...

Thinking of this, Danzo Shimura's lips curled up very slightly, a rare occurrence, revealing a relieved smile.

Then————

Go see your teacher openly and honestly!