Anbu.
"Kakashi-senpai, you can't leave! You have to help me!"
Yamato held onto Kakashi, his face full of bitterness.
Although the Anbu had taken action in advance, placing personnel in various locations to supplement the intelligence network, there were still gaps.
It was basically unrealistic to expect a perfect deployment in such a short time.
Moreover... Masahiko's idea was good, but the results were slow to manifest.
Just the matter of the Summoned Beasts alone, who knew when it would be resolved.
If Kakashi, a pillar of the Anbu, were to leave now, Yamato would truly feel like the sky was falling.
"I'm not leaving."
Kakashi sighed silently, "I'm just going out to take a look and get some fresh air."
"You absolutely cannot leave!"
Yamato repeated.
Kakashi nodded helplessly.
As he was walking out, Aoba Yamashiro came walking in excitedly.
"It's a success! It's a success!"
"What's a success?"
"The Summoned Beasts, it's solved! The Summoning Contract Masahiko modified has produced a Summoning Scroll!"
Aoba Yamashiro took out the scroll, still immersed in excitement.
Kakashi froze for a second, then quickly took it and opened it; sure enough, it was the formula for a Summoning Contract.
The first name was none other than 'Aoba Yamashiro.'
Aoba bit his finger and formed hand seals.
Kakashi's pupils constricted, and he quickly said, "Wait!"
But... in the next second, Aoba Yamashiro had already summoned the crows.
Three or four crows fluttered and flew in the air, cawing loudly; luckily, Aoba Yamashiro quickly restrained them before they could cause chaos.
Kakashi and Yamato both breathed a sigh of relief.
With a pile of intelligence documents here, if they were messed up, god knows how long it would take to reorganize them.
Fortunately, fortunately... The two looked at each other, then were secretly surprised.
A Summoning Contract itself wasn't difficult, but that was based on a one-on-one premise with a strong ninja beast; the difficulty of a mass contract with ordinary Ninja Birds was not ordinary!
If it weren't for that, Konoha would have thought of such a substitute long ago; why wait until now?
Masahiko's speed in solving this... was simply too fast!
The two were incredibly shocked, but gradually, they became excited.
The Summoning Contract was solved, which meant their plan and project could be implemented!
"Aoba, thank you!"
No time to lose!
The sooner they determined the effect, ability, and range, the sooner they could apply it to actual intelligence transmission.
Kakashi took the scroll and left.
"Aoba..."
Yamato looked over.
"I still have to train these crows so they know what intelligence transmission is."
Aoba Yamashiro quickly replied and then hurriedly ran off.
Yamato had been no different from a madman lately, wanting to press-gang anyone he saw into helping with the work.
But he was busy too!
The contract was only the first step; there still had to be supporting training.
These crows had previously been trained by him for combat; they had no experience in intelligence transmission and needed to start from scratch.
The workload was also huge... In the Ninja Academy, Sasuke, having Masahiko's promise, was full of energy.
Even during regular classes, he was recalling and pondering the cultivation of Genjutsu, while also figuring out how to hide his progress on the surface.
He didn't understand the deeper meaning of what his teacher said, but... his teacher wouldn't harm him!
"Genjutsu, combat system..."
Sasuke recalled the contents of the notes Masahiko had given him.
In a contest of Genjutsu, he certainly wasn't Itachi's match; to defeat Itachi, he had to find another way and avoid a direct clash of Sharingan Genjutsu.
As long as he avoided direct collision of Genjutsu and used other Genjutsu, even with a huge gap, there could still be some effect.
"Movement, light and shadow, sound Genjutsu..."
Sasuke decided on three directions.
After school, he quickly left the Ninja Academy and went to the training ground to practice.
On the outskirts of the village, a figure wearing a Bamboo Hat came from outside.
He looked up at the distant streets, a hint of reminiscence appearing in his eyes.
A moment later, Itachi, relying on Chakra sensing, walked toward his target.
In the training ground, Sasuke formed hand seals, constantly mobilizing Chakra and spiritual energy to adapt to his Genjutsu abilities.
Suddenly, his eyes narrowed, and he abruptly leaped forward, throwing a shuriken he held in his hand behind him.
Thud, thud, thud!
The figure behind him casually knocked away the shuriken and looked at him with cold eyes.
Fury surged within Sasuke, his breathing becoming heavy, yet he looked only at Itachi's lower body.
"Uchiha Itachi!"
"Sasuke, you've improved; you understand your own capacity and know to revere the strong."
Itachi's tone was calm, "Unfortunately... you're still too weak."
In the next instant, his figure dissipated.
Sasuke's pupils constricted; he instinctively ducked and bowed his head, his hands quickly forming seals.
Body Flicker Technique!
Shuu!
He immediately accelerated.
With a boom—
Smoke spread, obscuring the surroundings.
Itachi adjusted his Bamboo Hat, his expression cold, yet there was a hint of a smile in his eyes.
In the next second, Sasuke suddenly froze.
By the time he recovered, Itachi was already before him.
Boom!
One strike.
Sasuke was kicked flying.
In mid-air, he was seized by the throat by a hand.
In the past, this hand was gentle and would poke his forehead.
But now, the other party's strength was immense, lifting him up directly and slowly bringing him before his eyes.
"Sasuke, as weak as you are, you don't even have the qualification to test my capacity. You..."
Itachi was speaking.
Suddenly—
Bang!
A wave of air erupted, and Itachi retreated with a Body Flicker, but in the next second, Masahiko flickered again, his shoulder erupting with powerful Water Release Chakra.
Boom!
The water flow exploded.
Itachi blocked with Chakra but was still pushed back several steps by the Body Flicker strike.
"Itachi, long time no see. After half a year, are you here to surrender?"
Masahiko stood up but avoided eye contact with Itachi.
Itachi lifted his hat and said indifferently, "It's you. Did you teach Sasuke those techniques?"
"After what you've done... of course I would help Sasuke!"
Masahiko's tone was serious.
Sasuke panted angrily and was about to speak, but was stopped by Masahiko's raised hand.
"Sasuke, step aside."
"But..."
Sasuke wanted to speak urgently.
Masahiko shook his head, "Becoming stronger is a step-by-step process. Right now, you indeed don't have the ability to fight him."
"Yes!"
Sasuke was unwilling, but under various 'teachings' of reality, he also understood the gap between him and the other party.
He was still too weak!
Itachi looked up and said, "What makes you think... you can defeat me?"
"How will we know without trying? If I don't even dare to face a Shadow Clone, then my training all this time has been for nothing."
Masahiko stretched his muscles and bones.
The next moment—
Shuu!
His Body Flicker Technique erupted, and he vanished from the spot in an instant.
Itachi leaped back, and the shuriken scattered around flew toward him under the control of Chakra Threads, and then—
Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson!
Flames enveloped the shuriken, and under the control of Chakra, like a blooming flower, they accurately predicted Masahiko's movement trajectory.
However.
At the moment of proximity, water erupted on the surface of Masahiko's body.
Water mist filled the air, refracting the light of the setting sun.
"Genjutsu? Before these eyes, Genjutsu is useless."
Clang!
The Kunai blocked the blade.
But in the next second—
The soil beneath his feet suddenly cracked under the impact of a large amount of Water Release Chakra. Itachi immediately stabilized himself, but in an instant, several figures split off and surrounded him.
Crows flew out of his sleeves, circling around.
But.
From behind... Bang!
A punch landed.
Itachi looked back, and his body suddenly exploded, turning into brilliant firelight.
"Teacher!!!"
Sasuke shouted in shock and fear.
In the next second, someone patted him on the shoulder.
"What are you howling for?"
Sasuke turned his head, a look of bewilderment on his face.
Just now... "The one in school was just a Shadow Clone."
Masahiko stared into the distance, "My main body only just arrived as well."
"You... were also a Shadow Clone..."
Sasuke's eyes lit up, his small face full of admiration.