Inside the training ground.
Anbu ninjas and Root ninjas entered one after another.
The ninjas from the two divisions seemed to have an understanding among them. Tenzo led the Anbu ninjas in charge of retrieving the Scroll of Seals, while Karin led the Root ninjas in charge of retrieving Mizuki.
"Karin!"
Uzumaki Naruto was happy to see Karin, boasting a little, "I beat a bad guy!"
"Got it, got it."
Karin took out a small vial of blood, fed it to Umino Iruka, and casually praised Naruto, "Anyway, you did well tonight."
For Karin, as long as Akihara Kagura's script went without a hitch, Naruto's actions were deemed satisfactory. Unfortunately, not many people witnessed this act.
"Naruto."
Umino Iruka felt his wounds had healed and gave his student a thumbs up, suggesting, "Let's go eat ramen to celebrate your graduation."
"Eh! Can I graduate now?"
"Of course!"
Iruka messed up his hair and praised him earnestly, "You're a hero of the village, just like the Fourth Hokage who stopped the Nine-Tails crisis!"
The pair walked towards the village.
Only Mizuki was left lying on the ground, lifeless.
"Should this guy be killed?"
Someone glanced at Mizuki, who had been used up.
Karin couldn't be bothered with Mizuki and waved his hand, "Kill this guy, he knows too much. Also, publicize his attempt to incite the Nine-Tails crisis and how Uzumaki Naruto stopped him."
Inside Konoha.
The news of Mizuki attempting to incite the Nine-Tails crisis was exposed, causing a major uproar. All villagers were shocked by Mizuki's thoughts.
Fortunately.
Uzumaki Naruto defeated Mizuki.
"What was he thinking!"
"Did he really want to unleash the Nine-Tails Fox?"
"Did that demon fox Uzumaki Naruto actually do something good?"
"But this was also caused by him, right? If it weren't for him, the village wouldn't have to worry about such crises all the time!"
"That's not entirely true, is it?"
"After all, the demon fox kid did a great deed this time..."
Opinions within Konoha were polarized.
Some villagers believed Uzumaki Naruto saved the village and wasn't a bad kid at heart; others still saw Naruto, the host of the Nine-Tails, as a potential threat that could be exploited in the future.
However...
Uzumaki Naruto's situation has improved a lot compared to the past.
This incident improved Uzumaki Naruto's reputation significantly, with some villagers no longer looking at him with cold eyes. At least he gained some people's recognition.
Uzumaki Naruto was the real beneficiary.
Meanwhile, Akihara Kagura, the unsung hero working behind the scenes, didn't gain much, only receiving a mission reward and some sealing techniques from the Scroll of Seals.
[System Prompt]: [Let Uzumaki Naruto know the truth about the past, enable Naruto to learn the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique for successful graduation, prevent Mizuki from getting the Scroll of Seals, and fulfill Umino Iruka's duty as a teacher. Mission completed, reward: Combined Nature Transformations.]
[Combined Nature Transformations (Allows for the condensation of two or more types of elemental chakra within the body and the simultaneous release of two or more different types of chakra combined together into Combined Nature Transformations!)]
This...
Doesn't it seem a bit illogical?
Even the Third Hokage couldn't perform such Combined Nature Transformations, could he?
Akihara Kagura had witnessed the Third Hokage's Combined Nature Transformations, which involved releasing one jutsu followed by another to create a Combined Nature Transformations.
Akihara Kagura raised his hand, forming a seal, and a small water dragon with lightning encircled his arm. Does this mean he could directly release a combination of Lightning Release and Water Release chakra to form a Lightning Water Dragon Bullet?
If one must say it's useful, this method indeed proves to be effective, enabling Akihara Kagura to perform a complex ninjutsu that far surpasses the Third Hokage. Just by mentioning it, one can acknowledge that Akihara Kagura has already surpassed the Third Hokage; if one insists on dismissing its utility, Akihara Kagura had even mastered a Dust Release composed of three types of chakra...
No, that's not right...
This technique is indeed useful...
Akihara Kagura waved his hand to disperse the Lightning Water Dragon Bullet, lifting his palm as a flame slowly burned on his desk. The wood on the desk was not consumed by the fire but was instantaneously decomposed into atoms by the hidden Dust Release chakra within...
This move... is really great!
Akihara Kagura couldn't help but marvel at the usefulness of this Combined Nature Transformations, which allowed him to employ a wider variety of techniques and even gave him hope for another idea, such as releasing Dust Release from the palms of the True Several Thousand Hands in the future...
This time...
Although the mission was troublesome...
The reward turned out to be quite good?
However...
The real gain was yet to come.
The forbidden jutsu recorded in the Scroll of Seals were quite terrifying.
Akihara Kagura had Karin, who was stationed beside the Scroll of Seals at that time, secretly browse and record the techniques, relaying the names and effects of each to him.
[Spirit Transformation Technique (Konoha's S-rank soul secret technique, which allows one to freely control their spirit body's separation from their physical body, enabling the spirit body to directly enter an enemy's body to kill them. The spirit body can also sense other people's souls, no matter how far away, and its strength is related to the user's spiritual energy.)]
This technique allows for the spirit body to leave the body.
This kind of technique is simply beyond the scope of ninjutsu!
After learning this technique, Akihara Kagura had just considered himself to have acquired a powerful weapon when he discovered a technique capable of countering Spiritualization.
[Soul Imprisonment Technique (Can imprison a person's soul, preventing the soul from leaving their body, and delaying the person's death.)]
This Soul Imprisonment Technique must have been invented by the Second Hokage, Tobirama. This technique can delay a person's death, yet also imprison the user of the Spirit Transformation Technique...
The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, truly is the most terrifying developer in the ninja world, always seeming to invent some bizarre forbidden jutsu.
[Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags (An A-rank infinite explosion ninjutsu, a single explosive tag can continuously summon more explosive tags to carry out targeted explosions on the enemy until the target is eliminated!)]
This technique...
Makes one hesitate to approach.
Its power and cost are incomparable.
For Akihara Kagura, this technique is indeed unnecessary.
[Eight Gates Released Formation (By unlocking the chakra points within the human body, it temporarily grants immense strength by opening the body's restraints. Fully opening all eight gates can instantly grant power surpassing the Five Kage, but it also leads to death due to life force exhaustion.)]
Eight Gates Released Formation!
The legendary strongest physical technique!
This is the most suitable technique for Akihara Kagura, who even thought of combining it with his unique technique after obtaining his Mangekyō Sharingan!
For instance...
The Eight Gates Released Formation in front of him!
Although fully opening the gates might result in death, Akihara Kagura's Mangekyō Sharingan techniques, the left eye's Tsukuyomi, which can pull people into a world of illusion; and the right eye's Yomi, which can turn his own damage into a dream within ten minutes.
This means...
Akihara Kagura can activate Yomi in advance to neutralize the negative effects brought by the Eight Gates Released Formation, a physical technique capable of standing up to enemies at the level of the Six Paths!
Besides this taboo physical technique, there are also some unique genjutsu and sealing techniques.
[Bringer-of-Darkness Technique (A high-level genjutsu that affects vision, creating a dark environment that instantly deprives enemies of light, only the user and their teammates can see within the environment.)]
A bit of a pity.
This genjutsu can only deprive vision.
[Four Red Yang Formation (Requires four individuals with Kage-level chakra to stand at four corners and release the technique simultaneously, forming a barrier from all four directions. The barrier's strength is extremely robust, preventing outside individuals from entering and those inside from escaping.)]
This technique is a must-learn for the Hokage.
Apart from the Hokage, the Hokage's aides and advisors can also learn it because it requires four people to use it.
Sarutobi Hizan never requested Akihara Kagura to learn because Konoha had never encountered an enemy that required the Four Red Yang Formation to deal with, allowing Akihara Kagura, the strongest combat force, to suppress all crises in Konoha.
[Four Symbols Seal (originating from the sealing techniques of the Uzumaki Clan, utilizing the cycle of the four symbols to seal away evil chakra, this seal leaves a mark on the target's body.)]
[Reaper Death Seal (An S-rank sealing jutsu that summons the Shinigami by completing hand seals, sealing the target inside the Shinigami's body. Once the Shinigami is summoned, a pact is made, and the Shinigami will consume the soul of the caster as well.)]
All these are sealing techniques of the Uzumaki Clan.
Originally, Akihara Kagura was not supposed to learn the Reaper Death Seal, but since he possessed the ability to be immune to death for ten minutes through the Limited Yomi, learning this technique was inconsequential.
Of course.
Akihara Kagura also did not intend to use it himself.
This technique is only used as a last resort against enemies that cannot be dealt with, and currently, there are no enemies that Akihara Kagura cannot handle in the ninja world.
The technique of Reaper Death Seal itself is not important.
What's truly important is the method to undo the Reaper Death Seal.
Akihara Kagura considered that his first superior, Orochimaru, seems to be a candidate who could escape the Shinigami's pact, and thought of finding a way to get Orochimaru's assistance in the future.
Besides these techniques…
There's another very important technique.
The Edo Tensei technique.
This technique requires Yakushi Kabuto to perfect it, but Yakushi Kabuto has just left Konoha, and Orochimaru cannot do without the information transmitted by Yakushi Kabuto.
There's no need to rush this matter.
Because in the second half of this year's Chunin Exam, Yakushi Kabuto will definitely return, and Akihara Kagura plans to have Karin join Yakushi Kabuto in passing the Chunin Exam.
"Have you learned the techniques from the Scroll of Seals?"
Akihara Kagura casually asked Karin, reminding her, "Some techniques in there shouldn't be learned, techniques like the Reaper Death Seal are not allowed, got it?"
"Got it."
Karin nodded.
The techniques in the Scroll of Seals are indeed very enticing.
Even when Karin secretly browsed through the Scroll of Seals, she couldn't help but marvel at the powerful techniques within. Currently, she has only learned the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu. The Uzumaki Clan, with their naturally abundant chakra, are very suited for the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu.
"By the way."
Karin mentioned to Akihara Kagura after he was done with his work, "The Anbu have reported, asking Lord Kagura to go to the Hokage Tower, it seems to discuss this season's graduates…"
"What's there to discuss…"
Akihara Kagura felt there wasn't much to discuss, just proceed with the allocation as originally planned, the Third Hokage's allocation method was quite reasonable.
Inside the Hokage Tower.
The list of this year's graduates has come out.
Sarutobi Hiruzen has basically completed the allocation, choosing suitable Jonin instructors for each child based on their talents, including some not so minor troubles.
The new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho, Team 10, instructed by Jonin Sarutobi Asuma.
Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji, and Yamanaka Ino, the allocation of the new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho had no issues, as the Ino-Shika-Cho clans have been following the Sarutobi clan since the Warring States period, with his son Sarutobi Asuma being their Jonin instructor posing no issue.
Team 7, Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, and Haruno Sakura, instructed by Jonin Hatake Kakashi.
These kids were grouped together because Sarutobi Hizan had to do so based on their relationships.
Although Karin from the Root was more suitable than Haruno Sakura, unfortunately, Karin's strength exceeded her teammates, and Akihara Kagura, the leader of the Root, was not willing to release her.
The most troublesome...
Was actually the team with the lowest presence.
"Hyuga Hinata, Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, these children are all proficient in sensory abilities. I plan to group them into Team 8, with the newly promoted Jonin Yuhi Kurenai as their instructor, but Hyuga Hinata comes from the Hyuga Main Family…"
Sarutobi Hizan, upon Akihara Kagura's arrival, presented his dilemma: "You also have a certain understanding of the Hyuga Clan situation. We need someone to inquire about the attitude of the Hyuga Clan head, Hiashi Hyuga, to see if he is willing to let his daughter join Team 8. After all, they highly value the protection of the Main Family, and the Hyuga Clan has its unique training methods…"
This is characteristic of the prestigious ninja clans.
After all, the Hyuga Clan possesses the Byakugan, a source of indispensable sensory ninjas for Konoha, and most of the time, the Hyuga Clan cooperates well with the Konoha higher-ups.
The status of the Hyuga clan's main family is of great importance. Once a member of the main family encounters problems while carrying out missions, it could very likely lead to the dispersion of the Hyuga clan's Byakugan bloodline trait.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was worried that the Hyuga clan might have some objections.
Originally, this matter should have been inquired by Hyuga Hinata's future mentor, Yuhi Kurenai. However, Kurenai's status was not quite sufficient, hoping that Akihara Kagura would help inquire if the Hyuga clan had any special arrangements for Hyuga Hinata.
Akihara Kagura glanced at Yuhi Kurenai, who stood in the office looking somewhat nervous. She was newly promoted to Jonin, directly becoming a mentoring Jonin.
"What about the result?"
Akihara Kagura looked towards Sarutobi Hiruzen: "Lord Hokage, do you wish for the Hyuga clan to be willing or unwilling to let Hyuga Hinata join Team 8?"
"You go ask."
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep puff of his pipe, saying gravely, "We need to consider their opinion, not force them to agree..."
"What does Lord Hokage think?"
Akihara Kagura still stared at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"My opinion..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen pondered for a moment, then spoke his mind: "The child, Hyuga Hinata, may be somewhat timid, which might be related to her family environment. Perhaps a change of environment would be better for her..."
"That makes things easier."
Akihara Kagura nodded, expressing his thought: "If Lord Hokage wishes for Hyuga Hinata to join Team 8 and the Hyuga clan is unwilling, I can persuade them to agree..."
"Oh?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen, seeing Akihara Kagura willing to act gently, nodded in rare satisfaction: "Do not use violent means, do not intimidate Hyuga Hizashi. The Hyuga clan are companions in the village..."
"Don't worry, I have a mature idea, no need for me to take action."
Akihara Kagura, thinking of the intelligence he had heard, proposed his idea: "I heard that among the last batch of graduates, there was a kid named Hyuga Neji who seems to deeply despise the main family of the Hyuga clan. I can entice him to annihilate the entire Hyuga clan, leaving only Hyuga Hinata as the sole survivor. This way, Hyuga Hinata would be able to join Team 8, and she would become stronger..."
"!!!"
Yuhi Kurenai was startled by Akihara Kagura's idea!
Sarutobi Hiruzen, listening, couldn't help but worry. This plan eerily reminded him of something familiar, as if someone had done something similar...
Isn't this Shimura Danzo's tactic!
The former leader of the Root division, Shimura Danzo, had utilized Uchiha Itachi to annihilate the Uchiha clan. This generation's leader of Root is becoming more and more like Danzo!
I merely wished for Hyuga Hinata to join Team 8, to allow that somewhat timid child to change environments and become stronger, not to turn her into an orphan to become utterly strong.
"Perhaps I should talk to Hyuga Hizashi myself."
Sarutobi Hiruzen, with a worried look, put down his smoking pipe and assigned another task to Akihara Kagura: "You should take Hatake Kakashi, the mentoring Jonin of Team 7, to understand the family situations of his future students. You two are old friends..."
"Alright."
Akihara Kagura accepted the task.
[System Prompt]:[New Work Task (Sarutobi Hiruzen), accompany Hatake Kakashi on home visits to understand the family situations of the future Team 7 students.]
This task is quite simple.
Since Team 7 has three students, two of the students are orphans.
Actually, if Hatake Kakashi really wanted to visit the elders or parents of the two orphans, Akihara Kagura wasn't without a way.
It's just...
The method is slightly hellish.
"Haruno Sakura is easy to deal with, her parents are alive..."
"Then I will take Hatake Kakashi to track down Uchiha Itachi."
Akihara Kagura, looking at Sarutobi Hiruzen, volunteered: "Although Uchiha Itachi is an S-rank rogue ninja of the village, he is ultimately the only guardian of Uchiha Sasuke, his brother. We still need to ask him about his brother's graduation assignment..."
"There's no need to be so forceful."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's forehead twitched.
"As for Naruto..."
Akihara Kagura hesitated, then continued: "Last year, I heard there was a conflict between Orochimaru and the Akatsuki organization, resurrecting a deceased ninja. I'll capture Orochimaru..."
"I said, there's no need to force it!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen, feeling a headache, massaged his forehead and said: "Just meet with people in the village, meet with the living…"
~~~
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