Halfway through the winter break, New Year's Eve—the last day of the year—arrived.
New Year's Eve usually involved two activities: eating soba noodles and staying up late.
In previous years, Kitazawa had basically spent New Year's Eve with Kurenai. But this year was different.
Because they had moved into the Senju Clan's compound and become housemates with Tsunade and the others.
So, naturally, everyone stayed up late together.
As night deepened.
Kitazawa picked up the remote control and turned on the TV.
Shizune came out of the kitchen and placed six cups of water on the coffee table.
"Thank you." Kurenai picked up a cup of water and said with emotion, "It's rare for New Year's Eve to be so lively this year."
"New Year's Eve needs many people; that way, you won't fall asleep early." Shizune glanced at Tsunade as she spoke.
When the two of them stayed up late together, Tsunade often fell asleep before the new year arrived.
"Why are you looking at me?" Tsunade flopped down and lay sideways on the sofa.
"Tsunade-sama, with so many people here, you should pay attention to your image." Shizune immediately reminded her.
"What's there to pay attention to?" Tsunade said carelessly. "Anyway, there are no outsiders."
Kurenai was slightly startled, feeling flattered. After all, Tsunade was the Hokage.
Her words meant that she regarded Kurenai and Kitazawa as confidantes—absolutely part of the Hokage's inner circle.
For many Ninjas, this was an honor they could never achieve in their lifetime.
However, Kurenai also understood the reason. She was basking in Kitazawa's glory.
"The sofa is big; it's fine." Kurenai smiled.
Because six people lived together, Tsunade had chosen the largest room in the Senju Clan's compound.
The living room had three sofas—one large one in the middle, and two smaller ones on either side.
At this moment, Tsunade occupied the left sofa all by herself.
But the remaining sofas were more than enough for Kitazawa, Kurenai, Shizune, Uzumaki Rina, and Karin.
Shizune hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back.
She wasn't talking about space. Rather, Tsunade's uninhibited sideways posture was quite alluring.
It was fine that Kurenai and Uzumaki Rina were women, but Kitazawa was different.
Still, Kitazawa shouldn't be that kind of person. Shizune stopped there and said nothing more.
"Current TV shows aren't very good." Tsunade watched for a while, then yawned as she spoke.
"If you think it's not good, you can set up a Film and Television Department." Kitazawa's heart stirred, and he made the suggestion.
He knew better than anyone how important propaganda was, yet the Ninja World paid little attention to it.
Neither movies, nor television, nor newspapers originated from Konoha Village's official channels.
"Is that necessary?" Tsunade shook her head and retorted.
"Indeed, it's not necessary." Shizune echoed, "As a Ninja, executing missions is the most important thing. TV and movies are only for leisure."
"I think it's still necessary. This Film and Television Department can be responsible for propaganda."
Kitazawa spoke in a serious tone.
"Propaganda for what?" Tsunade was momentarily stunned and asked.
Shizune, Kurenai, and the others also wore puzzled expressions.
"Konoha Village can promote the Will of Fire through film and television." Kitazawa gave an example. "For instance, make a biographical film about the First Hokage-sama."
Tsunade subconsciously sat up and looked at him.
"Although many people in Konoha Village know about the First Hokage-sama, they aren't clear on many of his deeds."
Noticing Tsunade's reaction and knowing she was interested, Kitazawa continued, "Turning it into a movie will help them understand more."
"That's a good idea." Tsunade couldn't help but nod.
"Moreover, Ninja making movies is simpler and more cost-effective," Kitazawa said with a smile.
"Why is it more cost-effective?" Shizune asked curiously. "I remember movie stars' salaries being quite expensive."
"Let me give you a few simple examples," Kitazawa explained how Ninja could be used in filmmaking.
First, the most troublesome special effects could be completely replaced by Ninjutsu.
Second, even an E-rank Ninjutsu could play a god-like role in movies—the Transformation Technique.
For example, to film a movie about Senju Hashirama, the male lead could use the Transformation Technique to become Senju Hashirama.
Not only could it transform into people, but the Transformation Technique could also replace makeup, costumes, and props.
Finally, the Shadow Clone Technique combined with the Transformation Technique would allow a single actor to play multiple roles, achieving the goal of saving money.
"You really… know how to save money." Shizune was deeply impressed.
"I think it's great!" Kurenai's eyes lit up as she smiled. "If we have time, we can act in a movie together!"
"What kind of movie could we act in?" Uzumaki Rina asked in confusion.
"A biographical film about the Fifth Hokage." Kitazawa blinked as he spoke.
"I haven't retired yet." Tsunade rolled her eyes at him.
"Tsunade-sama's biographical film doesn't sound necessary. So many gambling scenes would corrupt children." Shizune complained.
The corner of Tsunade's mouth twitched. She wanted to retort, but couldn't.
"Movies don't have to copy reality directly; artistic processing can be applied." Kitazawa couldn't help but smile. "The gambling can be removed—don't film that."
"You can film it, but I have to win every single bet!" Tsunade suddenly said excitedly.
"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune protested. "Regardless of winning or losing, gambling is wrong!"
Tsunade pouted, secretly thinking that Kitazawa was better.
He not only accompanied her to the casino but also played with her, making her happy both physically and mentally.
"Kitazawa's suggestion is indeed good."
Tsunade's gaze shifted as she spoke. "Then this Film and Television Department will be headed by Kurenai."
"Huh?" Kurenai subconsciously widened her eyes. "Me?"
She hadn't expected Tsunade to entrust such a matter to her.
Although the Film and Television Department sounded unrelated to Ninja affairs, once established, its status and authority would theoretically be on par with departments like the Anbu.
In other words, she would leap into the ranks of Konoha Village's high officials.
Even if not among the very top, she would no longer be an ordinary Jonin.
"Kitazawa, Shizune, and Rina already have departments to manage. If they also handled a Film and Television Department, they'd definitely be too busy." Tsunade explained casually.
Of course, the most important reason was that Kurenai was trustworthy.
Coupled with her relationship with Kitazawa, once Kitazawa became Hokage, she would inevitably become a high-ranking official in Konoha Village as well.
It was only a matter of time.
"I think it's fine." Kitazawa raised an eyebrow.
He thought of the system's mission to form the Konoha's New Three Sannin.
If Sasuke and Naruto wanted to become famous, publicity was essential. Relying solely on natural word-of-mouth would never be fast enough.
And once this Film and Television Department was established, it wouldn't be limited to films and television alone.
For example, it could create newspapers and magazines.
Once computer technology developed, it could even branch into new media. After all, the Internet already existed in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.
In this way, the problem of propaganda could be fundamentally solved.
"Then I'll give it a try." Kurenai hesitated for two seconds, then finally agreed.
First, she didn't want to let down Tsunade's good intentions. Second, she wanted to draw closer to Kitazawa.
If she remained just an ordinary Jonin, the distance between her and Kitazawa would only grow wider and wider.
"You can ask the Anbu for help with recruitment." Tsunade nodded as she spoke.
There were plenty of Ninjas, and some of them didn't enjoy fighting or were interested in movies instead.
By gathering a group like that, the Film and Television Department could be formally established and begin operating.
"Someone can be sent to the Land of Snow."
Kitazawa thought of Koyuki Kazahana and said, "The Daimyo of the Land of Snow used to be a major movie star and has many connections."
The Land of Snow and Konoha Village were already allies.
More importantly, Koyuki Kazahana had become the Daimyo of the Land of Snow entirely thanks to Konoha Village.
If they asked for help, she certainly wouldn't refuse.
"I'll go personally after the New Year!" Kurenai said, full of motivation.
It was her first time serving as a department head, so she wanted to do her very best.
"I can use Flying Thunder God to send you there." Kitazawa nodded.
The six of them chatted while watching TV, and time quickly slipped by until midnight.
Uzumaki Rina and Shizune brought out six bowls of soba noodles from the kitchen.
"Happy New Year!" All six spoke in unison.
After that, they began eating the soba noodles. Finishing the soba marked the end of staying up late.
"Good night." Tsunade glanced at Kitazawa and returned to her room.
"Then we'll go to sleep too. See you tomorrow." Shizune, Uzumaki Rina, and Karin stood up and left.
"Let's go." Kitazawa and Kurenai returned to their room.
The door closed, and he formed hand seals, setting up a barrier around the room.
The barrier served only one purpose—soundproofing.
There was no helping it; once Kurenai got excited, she tended to say all kinds of nonsense.
The night moved into its latter half.
Kurenai, her face filled with exhaustion, had already fallen asleep.
Kitazawa carefully freed himself from her embrace, then activated the Flying Thunder God Technique.
He appeared inside Tsunade's room.
The night was deep, and there was no light in the room.
Kitazawa raised his hand and reached beneath the covers.
The next second, his right hand was clamped tightly between Tsunade's fleshy thighs.
He immediately felt the softness of her leg.
Raising an eyebrow, he didn't pull his hand back. Instead, he reached out with his left hand and grasped her fair, rounded buttocks.
Tsunade let out a muffled groan.
Her legs subconsciously released his right hand, and then she grabbed his wrists with both hands and pulled him under the covers.
Kitazawa was caught off guard and swallowed by the darkness.
The night passed without a word.
---
The second day of the New Year arrived.
Kitazawa and the others went to the nearest shrine to worship and pray for blessings.
Afterward, Tsunade dragged him straight to the Konoha Casino. The New Year holiday was spent amid gambling and brawling.
On the fifth day, the New Year holiday came to an end.
After breakfast, Kitazawa and Kurenai headed for the Hokage Building.
On New Year's Eve, they had discussed the Film and Television Department.
The very next day, Kitazawa had the Anbu still on duty clear out an office inside the Hokage Building.
It was now completely cleaned and furnished with desks, coffee tables, and other necessities.
"How does it feel? Is there anything else that needs to be added?" Kitazawa pushed open the door and asked.
"Not for now." Kurenai shook her head.
"If you need anything, just tell me." Kitazawa then took out another scroll and handed it to her.
"These are the candidates I had the Anbu find for you."
"Thank you." Kurenai accepted the scroll.
"Do we still need to thank each other?" Kitazawa paused, then said, "Recruit people first. Once everyone is assembled, I'll send you to the Land of Snow."
"Mhm." Kurenai then added, "Please cover the Genius Class for me for these few days. I'll return once I'm done."
For now, she had no intention of resigning as the Genius Class instructor. After Kitazawa became Hokage, she would leave with him.
"You can rest assured and leave it to me."
Kitazawa nodded. "I'm heading to the Ninja Academy first. If you run into any problems, have the Anbu inform me."
At the Training Ground of the Ninja Academy, many Genius Class students had already arrived.
"Teacher Kitazawa, Happy New Year!" Naruto and the others greeted him as soon as they saw him.
"Happy New Year," Kitazawa replied with a smile.
"Why are you here alone today?" Maruboshi Kosuke asked curiously.
"Tsunade-sama gave Kurenai a special mission, so I'm covering her classes these past few days," Kitazawa answered.
"I see." Kosuke didn't ask further questions.
Nine o'clock in the morning.
Naruto and the others continued their special winter break training.
"Sakura, Shion, Karin—come here," Kitazawa called out.
"Kitazawa-sensei." The three walked over and looked at him.
Among them, Sakura was the most surprised.
Ever since Kosuke had become the Genius Class instructor, she had been learning Water Release Ninjutsu from him.
Kitazawa had practically ignored her, so being called out so suddenly left her completely puzzled.
Shion and Karin were also slightly surprised, as they still had plenty of Medical Ninjutsu to learn.
"You can pause your previous training for now." Kitazawa smiled. "I'll teach you Chakra Enhanced Strength first."
"Chakra Enhanced Strength?" Sakura instantly became excited. "Is it Hokage-sama's Chakra Enhanced Strength?"
"Is there any other Chakra Enhanced Strength?" Kitazawa asked back.
Sakura smiled sheepishly.
The kunoichi she admired most was Tsunade, and now that she had the chance to learn Chakra Enhanced Strength, she couldn't help feeling emotional.
Although Shion and Karin weren't as excited as Sakura, they were still pleasantly surprised.
After all, this was Chakra Enhanced Strength—a technique unique to Konoha Village's Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, the strongest Medical Ninja in the Ninja World.
"The key to learning Chakra Enhanced Strength lies in chakra control." Kitazawa began his instruction.
His teaching process was divided into three steps.
First, demonstration.
Second, explanation.
Finally, a Shadow Clone would remain behind to guide them continuously.
Sakura, Shion, and Karin had little to worry about when it came to chakra control.
Being able to learn Medical Ninjutsu or Sealing Techniques already proved that their chakra control was excellent.
The only difference lay in the power they would achieve after mastering Chakra Enhanced Strength.
Shion and Karin's Chakra Enhanced Strength would undoubtedly surpass Sakura's.
The reason was simple—they possessed more chakra.
Shion carried the unique shrine power of the Land of Demons.
As for Karin, it went without saying—she was a Ninja of the Uzumaki Clan.
Only Sakura had nothing special in that regard, but her talent was outstanding.
In two years, she would be able to learn the Yin Seal and accumulate chakra through an entirely different method.
After Kitazawa finished teaching them, he headed toward the Forest of Death.
The battle between Sasuke and Naruto had already begun.
Kitazawa watched for a while, then began practicing Wood Release: Wood Human Technique.
He only stopped when an extremely gloomy Chakra suddenly erupted.
Kitazawa's heart stirred, and he immediately used the Body Flicker Technique. In the next instant, he appeared in front of Sasuke.
Their battle had already come to a halt.
Naruto was staring at Sasuke's eyes, his expression filled with shock.
The original Three-Tomoe Sharingan had vanished, replaced by a six-pointed star pattern.
"Kitazawa-sensei." Seeing him, Naruto hurriedly asked, "What's wrong with Sasuke's eyes?"
"It's nothing." Kitazawa shook his head. "This is an advanced form of the Three-Tomoe Sharingan—the Mangekyo Sharingan."
"I awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan?" Sasuke subconsciously looked up.
He had just been beaten again without any way to fight back, and in his fury, a surge of power had erupted, blasting Naruto away.
After that, he had frozen in place, feeling intense swelling and discomfort in his eyes.
"Mm." Kitazawa nodded. "Close your eyes, calm your mind, and you should receive information from the Mangekyo Sharingan."
Sasuke immediately followed his instructions. In an instant, an enormous amount of information flooded into his mind.
It concerned the two ocular Ninjutsu he had awakened after activating the Mangekyo Sharingan, techniques that reflected his inner self.
After absorbing the information, Sasuke couldn't help but look dazed.
A moment later, he suddenly clutched his forehead and burst into maniacal laughter.
"Hahahahaha!" The once-quiet Forest of Death was instantly filled with his laughter.
Naruto scratched his head. He had no idea what Sasuke was laughing about.
But Kitazawa knew. It had to be because of the two ocular Ninjutsu Sasuke had awakened.
He just didn't yet know what kind of abilities they were.
At that moment, three lines of text appeared before Kitazawa's eyes. He felt a surge of exhilaration.
As Sasuke awakened his Mangekyo Sharingan, his system mission had been completed as well.
[Current Mission: Help Sasuke awaken his Mangekyo Sharingan.]
[Mission Reward: Mangekyo Sharingan.]
[Host has completed the mission. Reward issued.]
Kitazawa glanced at the text, then took a step back, raised his hand, and pressed it against his forehead.
The gloomy Chakra surging within him was forcibly suppressed, prevented from leaking outward like Sasuke's.
Mainly to avoid trouble.
After all, Sasuke was standing right in front of him. If this were discovered, it would be extremely difficult to explain.
Kitazawa took a deep breath and began examining the information instilled by the system.
What he cared about most was naturally the Mangekyo Sharingan's ocular Ninjutsu.
After all, the true strength of the Mangekyo Sharingan largely depended on those abilities.
Take Uchiha Obito, for example. Because Kamui was overwhelmingly powerful, his strength had skyrocketed.
It was only his lack of battle intelligence that kept him from being truly invincible.
Kitazawa frowned slightly after reading the information. Because he hadn't awakened any ocular Ninjutsu at all.
[The Host may obtain corresponding Mangekyo Sharingan ocular Ninjutsu by completing related system missions.]
[Additionally, the Host may absorb other people's Mangekyo Sharingan ocular Ninjutsu.]
The text before his eyes suddenly changed.
Kitazawa was momentarily stunned. Did this mean he could possess multiple Mangekyo Sharingan ocular Ninjutsu?
[As fellow students of the Genius Class, you and Sasuke must determine who possesses the strongest Mangekyo in the Genius Class.]
[Current Mission: Defeat Sasuke.]
[Mission Reward: Sasuke's Mangekyo Sharingan ocular Ninjutsu.]
[Do you accept?]
The corner of Kitazawa's mouth twitched. This idiotic system still remembered that he was technically a student of the Genius Class?
Of course, this system's mission had to be accepted.
Even if Sasuke possessed Amaterasu and Blaze Release: Flame Control, he wouldn't be at a disadvantage.
That said, Kitazawa hoped he could awaken different ocular Ninjutsu. After all, those two weren't exactly optimal in performance.
[Detected that the Host possesses one Mangekyo Sharingan. If a pair is gathered, the ocular Ninjutsu can be absorbed.]
After Kitazawa accepted the mission, the text changed once again, and he subconsciously narrowed his eyes.
After killing Danzo, he kept the Mangekyo Sharingan he seized instead of returning it to the Uchiha Clan.
Originally, he had planned to let Sasuke absorb Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan.
But the system's message instantly made him reconsider.
No—there was no need to change the plan. He would only absorb the ocular Ninjutsu.
In theory, the Mangekyo Sharingan itself would still exist.
In other words, he could absorb the ocular techniques, while Sasuke absorbed the ocular power—both were entirely possible.
Kitazawa couldn't help but nod.
He had been wracking his brain over how to get Itachi to hand over the other Mangekyo Sharingan.
And this reason was unquestionably perfect.
To allow Sasuke to awaken the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, Itachi would definitely be willing to give up Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan.
"Sasuke." Kitazawa regained his composure and called out.
Caught in his manic laughter, Sasuke finally managed to suppress his excitement.
He steadied himself and subconsciously glanced at Naruto.
After awakening his Mangekyo Sharingan, his first impulse was to defeat Naruto and avenge the beatings he had endured during this time.
"Sasuke, you've only just awakened your Mangekyo Sharingan and can't control it well yet, so don't spar with your classmates for now."
Kitazawa saw through his thoughts. "You'll naturally have your chance next semester."
Sasuke was briefly stunned, then nodded in agreement. Kitazawa-sensei was right—he hadn't fully mastered his Mangekyo Sharingan yet.
His strength had surged too dramatically, and he needed time to adapt. More importantly, he didn't want to lose to Naruto due to momentary impatience.
He would be far more confident once he had completely mastered the Mangekyo Sharingan.
"Naruto, your combat training ends here." After some thought, Kitazawa continued, "Next, you'll undergo Chakra control training."
Naruto had already achieved partial Tailed Beast transformation. The next stage was Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
Going from controlling a portion of the Nine-Tails' power to controlling most of it required far stronger Chakra control.
And combat training alone would hardly improve that.
"You'll train with my Shadow Clone." Kitazawa formed hand seals and created a Shadow Clone.
"Sasuke, next semester, let's have a battle full of youth!"
Naruto gave a thumbs-up, grinning. He also wanted to fight Sasuke after his Mangekyo Sharingan awakening.
But since Kitazawa had spoken, he didn't insist. Waiting until next semester was fine.
"Hmph. Just make sure you don't cry when you lose." Sasuke replied, brimming with confidence.
"Sasuke."
Kitazawa pondered for a moment, then said, "Let's spar a bit. I want to get a feel for your current strength."
"Should I use my Mangekyo Sharingan ocular Ninjutsu?" Sasuke asked, a hint of hesitation in his voice.
"What?" Kitazawa chuckled. "Do you think I'll lose to you?"
Sasuke quickly shook his head. Although, in truth, he did think so.
The only reason such a bold thought had surfaced was that the Mangekyo Sharingan had given him an overwhelming boost in strength.
"Then come on." Kitazawa stepped back several paces, deliberately opening some distance.
Whether there was a system mission or not, this battle had to happen. After all, Sasuke in his current state was far too arrogant.
That mindset was not conducive to growth. Though, admittedly, it suited his personality perfectly.
In the original story, Sasuke had been even more outrageous.
After awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan, he had charged straight into the Five Kage Summit.
If not for Uchiha Obito, he would probably have become the fastest Mangekyo Sharingan user to die.
The battle began.
Sasuke immediately activated his Mangekyo Sharingan.
Genjutsu: Sharingan!
His eyes flared as terrifying ocular power surged outward.
Kitazawa instantly felt a chill sweep over him.
But he possessed Mangekyo Sharingan Level Resistance, allowing him to completely ignore Genjutsu at that level.
"…?" Sasuke stared at Kitazawa, who appeared entirely unaffected, confusion written across his face.
What was going on? His current Genjutsu was comparable to Yakumo's—so why didn't it work?
Sasuke had no time to think further as Kitazawa had already moved.
Konoha Style Swordsmanship!
Kitazawa activated his Byakugan, lightning crackling around his hand as he charged forward at astonishing speed.
Sasuke's pupils shrank violently. Even with the Mangekyo Sharingan's dynamic vision, he could only catch a vague blur.
Instinctively, he drew the Sword of the Thunder God and raised it in defense.
Clang!
A tremendous force slammed into him. Sasuke was sent flying backward, completely unable to resist.
Kitazawa pressed the attack, closing the distance once more. He used no Ninjutsu—only pure Konoha Style Swordsmanship.
Hatake Swordsmanship! Sasuke hurriedly counterattacked.
But Kitazawa sidestepped with ease.
Another slash followed.
Sasuke was forced to retreat again.
The sound of steel clashing rang out repeatedly.
In just five seconds, Sasuke had been driven back more than ten meters.
For the first time, he realized that seemingly simple Konoha Style Swordsmanship could possess such terrifying suppressive power.
But he also understood—it wasn't the swordsmanship itself that was oppressive.
It was simply that Kitazawa was too fast. So fast that even his Mangekyo Sharingan struggled to keep up.
"As expected of the Mangekyo Sharingan," Kitazawa spoke with a faint smile.
To be honest, Sasuke's performance just now already surpassed ninety-nine percent of the Ninja World.
But to Sasuke, the praise sounded almost mocking. Especially since he had worried earlier that Kitazawa might lose.
The result was completely one-sided. Just not in the way he had imagined.
"Teacher Kitazawa, be careful!" Sasuke took a deep breath and shouted, "I'm going to use my ocular Ninjutsu!"
Kitazawa didn't reply, but his expression grew more serious.
Mangekyo Sharingan ocular Ninjutsu were strange and unpredictable—any one of them could potentially make him stumble.
If he were defeated by Sasuke, it would be a disgrace to his name as a teacher.
That absolutely would not do. Kitazawa's gaze sharpened.
He faintly sensed an extremely subtle ocular power creeping toward him.
If he hadn't activated his Mangekyo Sharingan—or possessed master-level Yin Release chakra nature transformation—he would have struggled to detect it.
Is this Sasuke's Mangekyo Sharingan ocular Ninjutsu? Kitazawa considered it briefly, then chose not to resist.
That faint ocular power landed on his back. Yet it caused no effect. No discomfort at all.
Kitazawa frowned slightly.
From this alone, it clearly wasn't any Mangekyo Sharingan ocular Ninjutsu known from the original story.
Just then, a powerful surge of Chakra erupted violently from Sasuke's body.
His Chakra skyrocketed at an alarmingly terrifying rate.
"He copied my Chakra?" Kitazawa instinctively thought so.
He said "copied" rather than "absorbed" because his own Chakra hadn't diminished in the slightest.
Soon, Sasuke's Chakra stabilized.
Kitazawa raised an eyebrow. That's it?
Although Sasuke's Chakra had indeed surged, it was only a little more than double his previous amount.
Kitazawa had assumed the ocular Ninjutsu copied the enemy's total Chakra, but now it seemed that wasn't the case.
Chidori Senbon!
Sasuke suddenly flicked his wrist.
In an instant, lightning tore through the air. Dense senbon rained down like a torrential storm.
Seeing this, Kitazawa couldn't help but smile. This Chidori Senbon now possessed twice the power and range it had before.
With ample Chakra, the difference was obvious.
Ice Release: Ice Rock Dome of Magnificent Nothingness!
Kitazawa clapped his hands together, and an ice wall more than five meters thick rose instantly.
Every single senbon was completely blocked.
Suddenly, Kitazawa's mind stirred. Within his Byakugan's field of vision, Sasuke had vanished without a trace.
He was certain Sasuke hadn't used the Body Flicker Technique or any similar Ninjutsu.
This felt more like—Space-Time Ninjutsu.
A sharp, piercing bird cry rang out.
Kitazawa turned his head.
Sasuke appeared behind him, his right hand wrapped in lightning, slashing toward his back.
Kitazawa immediately recalled the mark Sasuke had placed there earlier.
Wood Release: Spontaneous Tree Summoning!
As the thought crossed his mind, his arm squirmed. In the blink of an eye, a massive tree burst forth from his back.
"What?!" Sasuke's Chidori slammed into the trunk.
Although it pierced deep into the wood, he knew at once—he had missed.
Kitazawa turned around, looked straight at him, and brought his hands together. Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!
The ground shook violently. Countless towering trees erupted upward in an instant.
Branches and vines surged toward Sasuke like a swarm of enraged serpents.
Sasuke's expression changed drastically as he dodged desperately.
Kitazawa nodded faintly.
At this moment, the power of the Mangekyo Sharingan was on full display. Most Ninjas would have no ability to evade Deep Forest Emergence at all.
In the next instant, Sasuke vanished once more.
Kitazawa turned around immediately.
Sasuke appeared right in front of him.
Their gazes met.
Sasuke couldn't help but widen his eyes. Had he already been discovered?
But he didn't stop because of that. Instead, he directly raised his hand and smashed a Rasengan toward Kitazawa.
"Your ocular Ninjutsu is quite similar to the Flying Thunder God Technique."
Kitazawa had more or less already guessed the effect of Sasuke's ocular Ninjutsu.
It should first engrave a mark on the target, then use that mark to perform spatial movement.
The Mangekyo Sharingan was the eye that reflected the heart.
Thinking about it carefully, it wasn't surprising at all that Sasuke awakened such an ocular Ninjutsu.
Because with this ability, he would no longer fear Naruto's Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.
First, the mark could be placed on Naruto's main body.
Second, the spatial movement would prevent him from being surrounded and overwhelmed by Naruto's Shadow Clones.
Perhaps the awakening of this ocular Ninjutsu had also been influenced by Kitazawa's Flying Thunder God Technique.
After all, the activation method was extremely similar. But whether it was exactly the same, Kitazawa couldn't be certain yet.
As for the other ocular Ninjutsu, it clearly had something to do with Chakra.
Kitazawa was temporarily unsure of its precise effect.
However, the fact that Sasuke awakened this ability was undoubtedly also related to Naruto.
After all, Sasuke often lost to Naruto because of insufficient Chakra.
Rasengan!
Kitazawa spread his five fingers, and almost instantly, a rapidly spinning sphere of Chakra formed in his palm.
The two Rasengan collided head-on.
Sasuke's body was forcibly pushed backward. He quickly drew the Sword of the Thunder God and slashed toward Kitazawa.
But the brilliant lightning was intercepted midway by a massive tree that suddenly erupted from the ground.
Sasuke didn't dare linger. He immediately dodged the vines and branches surging at him from every direction.
Seeing this, Kitazawa no longer held back.
Because there was no need to continue the fight.
Moreover, Sasuke was completely unaware of the Mangekyo Sharingan's side effects, having already used his ocular Ninjutsu three times in such a short span.
If this continued, he would pass out from excessive ocular power consumption.
Yang Release Chakra Mode! Kitazawa extended his hand.
The entire forest instantly went berserk.
Sasuke failed to evade in time and was firmly bound by thick vines and branches.
Just as he was about to activate his Mangekyo Sharingan ocular Ninjutsu again, Kitazawa crooked his finger.
A tree trunk slammed into Sasuke's head, leaving him dizzy.
"Alright. This sparring session ends here." Kitazawa said calmly.
He stepped forward and extended both hands, healing Sasuke.
When Sasuke regained consciousness, his expression was one of utter disbelief toward life itself.
Why had he lost so miserably even after activating the Mangekyo Sharingan?
Fugaku had clearly told him that once the Mangekyo Sharingan was awakened, he would become one of the top powerhouses of the Ninja World.
In the past, Uchiha Madara had been able to fight Senju Hashirama to a standstill precisely because of the Mangekyo Sharingan.
But clearly… something about that story was wrong.
[Current Mission: Defeat Sasuke.]
[Mission Reward: Sasuke's Mangekyo Sharingan Ocular Ninjutsu.]
[Host has completed the mission, reward issued.]
Kitazawa looked at the three lines of text before him, and anticipation immediately filled his eyes.
Soon, an enormous amount of information poured into his mind.
He finally understood the specific effects of Sasuke's two ocular Ninjutsu.
The ocular Ninjutsu of Sasuke's left eye was called Tenjōtōtsuki.
Its effect was to designate a target, leave an ocular power mark on them, and then spatially teleport to the target's side.
It sounded extremely similar to the Flying Thunder God Technique, but there were key differences.
First, it could not transfer other people or objects.
However, where it surpassed the Flying Thunder God Technique in was that it only required a single glance to leave an ocular power mark.
That said, there was a limit to the number of marks—at most, five could exist at the same time.
Second, the ocular power mark could be detected. Of course, this required possessing a higher level of Yin Release than Sasuke.
Even then, removing it took time.
Kitazawa had just tested it himself; with his strength, it would take about half a second.
If it were Itachi or Obito, it would likely take one to two seconds.
Finally, the range of the spatial teleportation was limited to the user's line of sight. It could not be activated beyond the field of vision.
In summary, Tenjōtōtsuki was essentially a weakened version of the Flying Thunder God Technique.
But that did not mean it was weak. On the contrary, it was extremely abnormal.
Aside from a handful of individuals, most Ninjas would be utterly helpless against it.
The ocular Ninjutsu of Sasuke's right eye was called Tengan Baizō.
Its effect was to massively increase one's own Chakra for up to an hour.
The magnitude of the increase depended on the user's ocular power, with a maximum amplification of ten times.
With Sasuke's current ocular power, it could roughly double his Chakra.
When Kitazawa saw this ocular Ninjutsu, he felt as though he had hit the jackpot.
Because this ability was simply too suitable for him.
A tenfold increase in Chakra would practically make him the Ninja with the most Chakra in the entire Ninja World.
Although it only lasted for an hour, if he mastered Sage Art: Wood Style: True Several Thousand Hands, that single hour would be more than enough for him to sweep across the Ninja World.
If it exceeded an hour, however, it would begin to burn the user's lifespan.
Kitazawa stroked his chin thoughtfully.
In his opinion, Tenjōtōtsuki and Tengan Baizō were stronger than Amaterasu and Blaze Release: Flame Control.
At the very least, by next semester, Sasuke would have a real chance of defeating Naruto.
After all, given Naruto's level of Yin Release, he would be virtually incapable of detecting Tenjōtōtsuki.
Combined with Tengan Baizō granting Sasuke a massive Chakra reserve for an entire hour, defeating Naruto was no longer an unrealistic fantasy.
"Sasuke, you don't need to come to the Ninja Academy for now. Stay at home and familiarize yourself with the Mangekyo Sharingan."
Kitazawa dispelled Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence and said with a smile.
"Yes, Kitazawa-sensei," Sasuke replied somewhat dejectedly.
After all, he had just lost far too badly.
"Let's go. I'll take you back." Kitazawa could also use this opportunity to talk to Itachi about Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan.
"Mm." Sasuke nodded.
The two walked toward the Uchiha Clan's compound.
---
"Dad! Brother!" As they neared home, Sasuke couldn't contain his excitement and rushed into the courtyard.
"Why are you being so reckless?" Uchiha Fugaku stepped out, and upon seeing Kitazawa, he immediately scolded Sasuke.
"Dad! I've awakened my Mangekyo Sharingan!" Sasuke declared proudly.
"What did you say?" Fugaku's eyes widened instantly, disbelief flooding his face.
An eleven-year-old Mangekyo Sharingan user? That was something he wouldn't even dare to dream of.
"Look!" Sasuke immediately activated his Mangekyo Sharingan.
The moment Fugaku sensed that terrifying ocular power, all doubt vanished.
After two seconds of stunned silence, he suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha! As expected of my son! Hahahaha!" Fugaku had completely lost all composure.