That evening, Masahiko ran Naruto for another hour before finally dismissing him. Afterward, he headed to the outskirts of the village to practice the Great Fireball Technique.
As a C-rank ninjutsu, it wasn't particularly difficult to learn.
That said—
Power still depended heavily on chakra reserves and mastery.
Masahiko attempted it more than a dozen times. Thanks to his natural fire affinity, Fire Release came more easily to him than most, but true control remained elusive. The technique never quite reached the level he wanted.
By the time he stopped, his body and mind were both exhausted.
And yet, something felt off.
By all logic, today's footage should've been enough for a full episode.
So why hadn't there been any feedback?
Did the system require progress in other areas?
As Masahiko pondered this, a faint rustling echoed from the woods.
His instincts flared.
He immediately swallowed a soldier pill and activated the Body Flicker Technique at full output—
Whoosh!
His speed surged as he shot toward the village.
But—
Bzz. Bzz. Bzz.
Accompanied by the faint hum of insects, a figure materialized directly in his path.
"Yagyu Masahiko," a cold voice said. "You're coming with me."
At that exact moment—
[naruto: prequel — Episode 2 Filming Complete]
[Editing…]
[Production Successful]
[Total Screen Time: 11 minutes, 51 seconds]
[Screen Time Percentage: 56.4%]
[As a villain, exceeding 50% screen time has significantly increased your remuneration]
[Notification: Episode 2 will air tonight at 8:00 PM]
[Playback and bullet comments enabled]
[Please adjust your performance based on viewer feedback]
56.4%.
Masahiko froze.
Then excitement surged through him.
It worked.
His current strategy was correct.
But that joy vanished almost instantly.
Compared to the reward—
The situation he was in now was far more urgent.
This wasn't about future profits.
This was about survival.
He steadied himself and examined the man before him.
The mask. The uniform.
ANBU.
But stopping him outside the village…
Root.
Masahiko's heart sank.
Moments later, the blindfold was removed.
Dim light flooded his vision. He squinted, waiting for his eyes to adjust.
Then he saw him.
A tall figure stood in the shadows, leaning on a cane. One eye was wrapped in bandages, his presence oppressive and immovable.
So it really is this old bastard.
Masahiko straightened instinctively, allowing confusion to surface naturally on his face.
"You are…?"
"Hmph."
A cold, emotionless chuckle echoed through the chamber.
Thump.Thump.
The sound of the cane striking the floor grew closer. The man's single visible eye locked onto Masahiko like a predator's.
The pressure was suffocating.
After a brief silence, Danzo spoke.
"Recently, you've been targeting the Demon Fox," he said flatly. "Special training. Provocation. Psychological pressure."
He leaned closer, still looking down at Masahiko.
"Tell me your objective. And tell me—who's backing you?"
"I—I have no one behind me!"
Masahiko swallowed hard, panic edging his voice.
"I was raised under the Third Hokage's Will of Fire. As a teacher, I only want to pass that will on!"
Then, as if blurting it out impulsively, he added—
"Besides… teaching kids is like training dogs. If you exhaust them, they won't cause trouble. That's all I was doing—"
Danzo stared at him.
Then he turned away.
A faint smile tugged at his lips, but his voice remained ice-cold.
"The Will of Fire."
"A passable excuse. But hatred is your true motivation."
"Yagyu Masahiko. Seventeen. Civilian-born ninja. Your parents died during the Nine-Tails incident."
Danzo did not believe him.
Masahiko's expression flickered—pain, bitterness, fear—before he lowered his head.
"I don't harbor such thoughts."
"No need to deny it."
Danzo turned back.
"I am not like the Hokage. I do not trust the Demon Fox. And I do not trust you."
He paused.
"A dog," he continued calmly. "An excellent metaphor. Just like a dog, the Demon Fox requires chains, whips, and rules."
Masahiko remained silent.
Danzo seated himself.
"Return to your post," he said. "No matter whose pawn you are, perform your duties properly."
Then—
"Remember this."
"I am watching you."
Darkness washed over Masahiko's vision.
When he woke, it was past nine in the evening.
He'd missed the live broadcast—but fortunately, playback was available.
He sat up.
He was home.
Masahiko froze, then rushed to the bathroom. He locked the door, checked himself carefully—
"No curse seal…"
He exhaled deeply.
"Thank God."
Back in his room, he activated the panel and began watching the episode.
As expected, his total screen time was just under twelve minutes, intercut with Naruto struggling in Iruka's ninjutsu class and Mizuki's weapons lesson.
The final scene cut precisely at the moment the Root operative appeared and said:
"Come with me."
The editing was vicious.
By stripping away all context, the episode made one thing crystal clear—
This guy is trouble.
And the comments reflected it.
"This isn't training, it's bullying. Disgusting."
"Even if it helps Naruto objectively, from his POV I'm furious."
"If I were Naruto, I'd be suffocating."
"But… he's really handsome."
The final shot detonated the comment section.
"ANBU?! Who the hell is this guy?"
"No way the Hokage needs ANBU to summon him."
"I knew he wasn't clean!"
"Villain confirmed!"
Masahiko leaned back, thoughtful.
Good news: his villain role had landed perfectly.
Bad news: too perfectly.
Still—
He'd expected this.
"You can't be a villain without being hated," he thought.
After the episode ended, the familiar summary appeared.
[Popularity Rating: B]
[Evaluation Complete]
[Promotion Achieved: B-rank Golden Supporting Character]
[Reward: Ninjutsu Mastery – Direct Promotion Card]
"Thirty to sixty percent is 'Golden Supporting Character'… over sixty becomes 'Popular Lead.'"
"But the popularity rating is only B."
One rank above passing.
Masahiko sighed, then smiled faintly.
This episode wasn't meant to make him likable.
It established opposition—not charm.
Still, it was a lesson.
A villain needs presence, not just hostility.
As he lay back on the bed, Danzo's words echoed in his mind.
I am watching you.
Masahiko's eyes opened slowly.
"…Was that a warning?"
Or—
"Was he testing me?"