Outside the office.
"Senior, may I come in?"
A smile beamed across Kabuto's face.
Masahiko nodded slightly and said, "Of course. I heard your Chunin Exams have ended?"
"Yes. Regrettably, I didn't pass, but we saw the rules of the Chunin Exams and fought with many people—"
Kabuto smiled, "I only chose to give up at the third stage. At least I didn't hold everyone back."
"Not bad."
Masahiko replied.
Kabuto took out a bag of gifts: "This is a thank-you gift for you."
"No need. I only guided you because I didn't want your efforts to go to waste—"
Masahiko glanced at it.
"Please, you must accept it."
Kabuto bowed deeply, holding the gift with both hands.
Masahiko "reluctantly" accepted. Inside the bag were some gifts, but that wasn't the point. Rather—
After leaning in, Kabuto whispered, "Senior, I heard from Lord Orochimaru that Danzo might take action against the Uchiha tonight. Are you really not tempted?"
"One must recognize their current identity and think clearly about what should and shouldn't be taken."
Masahiko shook his head, "As a teacher at the Konoha Ninja Academy, I shouldn't get involved in this matter."
Yakushi Kabuto sighed with regret, "But that's the Sharingan!"
"You can go; no one will notice a Genin."
Masahiko joked.
Kabuto shook his head and said, "I—don't know what use there would be in taking it."
A hint of confusion appeared on his face.
Was the Sharingan good?
Yes, but its flaws were something Kabuto, as Orochimaru's right-hand man, knew all too well.
Without the Uchiha Clan bloodline, these eyes would be a burden to an ordinary person and wouldn't change anything.
Masahiko gazed at Yakushi Kabuto and smiled slightly: "Do you remember what I said?"
"What you said?"
Kabuto recalled for a long while. Just as he was about to shake his head, he suddenly paused. "Don't be bound by their opinions, just be yourself?"
"Yes. I don't know what you've been through, but from your emotions, you seem very lost, seeking some kind of validation?"
Masahiko invited Kabuto to sit, adopting the posture of a caring teacher. "From my personal perspective, this is unnecessary internal friction."
The next second, he smiled warmly and said, "Sorry, perhaps I've overstepped."
"No, I—"
Kabuto instinctively followed the conversation. Then, the usually calm man behind the glasses showed a trace of bewilderment and stopped talking for a moment.
A few seconds later, he hesitated and asked in a low voice, "Senior, I am indeed a bit... You told me to insist on being myself, but I don't know who I am. What should I do?"
"Kabuto, the smarter a person is, the more likely they are to get stuck in a dead end under the devastation of war."
Masahiko maintained his gentle demeanor. "Because ordinary fools are already working so hard just to survive in war, how could they have time to think so much?"
Kabuto was confused, but he had a faint realization, though he still couldn't quite grasp the point.
Masahiko asked, "Did you start doing spy missions very early on?"
"You—"
Kabuto's expression immediately turned to surprise. "Senior, you must be joking."
After his face changed slightly, he pushed up his glasses, knowing that arguing was pointless.
"As far as I know, you haven't received Danzo's recognition and can't access core information of Root—"
"I mean no harm. In my view, your situation is actually a very interesting subject, a type of psychological and mental illness born from war."
Masahiko answered Kabuto's question calmly and rationally, like a physician. "You are a Medical Ninja; you should understand what I mean."
Kabuto's expression shifted upon hearing this.
Two seconds later, he stood up and bowed slightly, maintaining a surface-level politeness: "Thank you for your guidance. I will think about it."
"It's nothing. I just happen to be researching this area. If you need help, you can come to me anytime."
Masahiko wasn't annoyed; he stood up to see him off with his usual refined courtesy.
Kabuto bowed and left. He appeared calm on the outside, but his repeated action of pushing his glasses revealed his inner turmoil.
"Yagyu Masahiko—"
Yakushi Kabuto took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions and avoid being swayed by Masahiko's words, but soon, he had to admit—
He was indeed moved.
This was the first time Kabuto had fled in such a panicked and helpless state since receiving training from Root.
Even meeting Yakushi Nono hadn't left him so powerless, as if he were being crushed.
Cold sweat unknowingly broke out on his forehead. After wiping it away, his pace quickened.
Upstairs, Masahiko picked up his teacup and took a sip.
People from a spy background are like turtles; poke them a little and they retreat into their shells, terrified of being caught by the enemy.
"It doesn't matter."
"I'm definitely poaching Kabuto, even Orochimaru can't keep him!"
Masahiko chuckled.
Kabuto is an undisputed genius. With his help, Masahiko's career and goals would be much easier to achieve.
After the slight emotional ripple, he put down his teacup and calmly wrote his Lesson plan for the afternoon.
In the afternoon, near two o'clock.
To avoid accidents, Watanabe Shōji didn't agree to the plan of going to the off-campus Training Ground. Instead, based on Masahiko's plan, he cordoned off a large area within the school centered around the Playground.
In this area, they placed obstacles like artificial hills and fake trees.
The Arena had been set up.
Not just the two classes where Sasuke and Neji were, but children from almost every grade would take a look as they passed by.
Everyone is always curious about new things and has an extraordinary enthusiasm.
This was true for Sasuke and Neji, and even more so for Naruto.
However, Masahiko didn't look for Naruto but went over to Sasuke.
"Have you decided on your partners?"
"I've decided."
Sasuke nodded.
Masahiko took out a pen and paper, gesturing for him to speak.
Sasuke replied, "No matter who the opponent chooses, I want Uzumaki Naruto and Nara Shikamaru as my partners."
"Don't want to reconsider?"
Masahiko asked with a smile.
Sasuke shook his head: "No need."
"Hey, I didn't agree to that!"
Naruto was making a fuss nearby, but as soon as Masahiko glanced at him, he immediately shrunk back, muttering something under his breath.
Sasuke's expression remained calm.
Masahiko nodded slightly and walked to the other side, greeting the other side's taijutsu teacher. "Has the list for Neji's team been selected on your end?"
The other teacher looked at Neji with a troubled expression.
Hyuga Neji looked over coldly, his gaze like a hawk staring at Masahiko. Then he said indifferently, "It doesn't matter."
"Do you understand the rules? You can only use things learned in school. Of course, if you can extend or improve the knowledge learned in school, that is naturally within the rules."
Masahiko said.
Neji nodded slightly as an answer.
Masahiko smiled and fixed his gaze on the other taijutsu teacher: "Then, you choose for him. Preferably some of the better ones."
"Understood!"
The other party responded respectfully.
As the school bell rang, the sparring session soon began.
However, Sasuke and Neji's teams didn't take the field yet; as the two strongest teams, they were bound to be the finale.
This meant—
They would definitely have to wait until the end and couldn't leave halfway. After the sparring session, there was a joint Social gathering for the two classes.
As the core of the two strongest teams, the earliest Sasuke could go home would be eight or nine o'clock at night.
Masahiko watched the stage while simultaneously thinking about his actions after nightfall.
It was relatively safe here.
He would use a Shadow Clone from a scroll to replace his main body and preside over the meeting here, while he headed to the Uchiha Clan Compound to act as circumstances dictated.
There were four Shadow Clones stored within the scroll.
Using them in succession would be enough to replace him for the night until his main body returned from outside.
With Masahiko's state after being strengthened by Shikotsumyaku, as long as the main body wasn't seriously injured, he could fully withstand the burden brought by four consecutive Shadow Clones.