Malphegor
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HSU: Ch. 127
🕑 Added 2025-01-09 15:44:40 +0000 UTCAfter leaving Hikari's house, Masashi gave himself a mental thumbs-up.
Haku wasn't asleep.
While he and Hikari were chatting in the living room, that little boy had sneakily come out.
He didn't need the Sharingan for everything—that would be underestimating him.
Throughout the entire interaction, he felt that he had performed exceptionally well.
Not only had he further raised his favorability with Hikari, but he had also established a reliable persona in Haku's eyes. The way the boy had tried to hide his presence while eavesdropping showed both curiosity and caution.
How could that not eventually bring results?
Unlike Karin, Haku was someone who could truly be absorbed as a loyal member of the Uchiha clan. From his memories of the original timeline, it was clear that the boy was the kind of partner who would be extremely dependable once trust was established.
For people like that, Masashi could place 100% of his trust in them.
Kimimaro was another such individual, though unfortunately, he hadn't managed to bring him into the fold.
As for Hikari's feelings, he understood them all too well.
Ultimately, it boiled down to the fact that their initial acquaintance had been at the reception hall, which left Hikari with a sense of inferiority toward him.
In this state, taking their relationship further would do more harm than good. Otherwise, things would have progressed long ago, given all the obvious signals she'd been dropping.
It wasn't as if he couldn't understand them.
Hopefully, things would improve once she met Pakura.
If, by that time, she still had these feelings, he would have no problem accepting them openly. After all, he was unabashedly a carnivore in this regard.
When he arrived at the entrance to his house, Masashi habitually glanced at the house across the street.
It was pitch dark.
Thinking about the upcoming negotiations with Iwa in a month or so, he couldn't help but feel a slight headache. Politics are always more exhausting than combat. At least in a fight, you know where the attacks are coming from.
Dealing with Ōnoki wouldn't be easy.
He could only hope that during this time, Pakura had managed to leave a favorable impression of Konoha on the two children she was looking after.
As for Kurotsuchi, she could be considered a wild card, but Deidara's potential combat abilities could prove invaluable in the future.
With one final glance at the house, Masashi returned home.
---
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
The Fourth Mizukage had achieved his goals in Konoha, leaving both sides satisfied—a true case of mutual benefit.
The Hyūga clan was especially pleased, as Kiri had even voluntarily returned a Byakugan that had been lost in the past.
Some of the credit for this also went to the Uchiha clan, as they had played a crucial role in these developments. Furthermore, their involvement was indispensable in the subsequent collaborations between the two sides.
At the very least, the association responsible for this outcome could only function with the Uchiha clan at its core.
For Masashi, the month he spent as a full-time teacher also allowed him to revisit his own training journey.
One of the advantages of teaching talented individuals was that the teacher could gain new insights as well.
Naruto and Sasuke had extraordinary learning abilities.
Even Karin had displayed remarkable potential.
But the most surprising of all was Haku.
As Masashi had expected, the boy had an innate talent for chakra molding. This meant that he was naturally suited for a fast-paced combat style, capable of quick bursts of power and critical strikes.
He was unlikely to engage in prolonged battles but excelled in finding and exploiting opportunities for devastating attacks, making him a challenging opponent.
This style was akin to that of an assassin, but not entirely the same.
Konoha's last "pace-setter" of this kind had been Minato, who was now the Hokage. The one before him had been the White Fang, who had sadly taken his own life.
Masashi felt that Haku was an exceptionally compatible student for him—much like how Tobirama must have felt when he first saw Hiruzen.
There were so many techniques he could pass on to the boy.
Especially Ice Release.
He firmly believed that this Haku was the same Haku from his memories—one who would undoubtedly awaken the Yuki clan's Ice Release bloodline limit.
Thus, on the last day of the vacation, seeing that all four children had already mastered the foundational knowledge he had taught them, he decided to start their ninjutsu training before he departed.
As always, he chose the grove near the Valley of the End for their lesson.
Compared to a month ago, the four children now carried themselves with far greater confidence and energy.
"Today, I'll teach you a ninjutsu," Masashi announced, watching their eyes light up with excitement.
"A fundamental technique that every ninja must master: the Three Basic Jutsu. I won't be teaching the Transformation Jutsu or the Substitution Jutsu today. Instead, I'll teach you the Clone Jutsu."
Hearing that they were about to learn ninjutsu, the children were thrilled.
None of them thought the Clone Jutsu was unimpressive.
After all, the Clone Jutsu was one of the most iconic techniques of a ninja.
Masashi broke a branch from a nearby tree and used it to draw diagrams on the ground.
After writing down the words "Physical" and "Non-Physical," he drew two lines branching off from "Non-Physical."
"The Clone Jutsu can generally be divided into two types: Physical and Non-Physical clones. Non-Physical clones include only two subtypes: the basic Clone Jutsu you'll learn in the academy, which creates a kind of illusions, and the Illusionary Clone, which falls under the category of genjutsu."
"Teacher, which one is stronger?" Naruto leaned forward eagerly, his eyes fixed on the diagram.
"Clones aren't about being strong or weak. It's about how useful they are," Masashi replied, moving his branch to the "Physical" side of the diagram. "Physical clones, on the other hand, can be divided into four types: Shadow clones, Medium-Based Clones, Transformative Clones, and Specialized Clones."
After finishing his diagram, he gave a meaningful glance at the blond boy.
Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu—a technique that Naruto from the original timeline treated as his bread and butter.
However, shadow clones had many advanced uses.
Unfortunately, Naruto had later focused most of his energy on perfecting the Rasengan, neglecting further exploration of the Shadow Clone Jutsu, which was a pity.
As for Sasuke, who preferred direct confrontations, getting him to use a clone technique was more challenging than convincing him to get married.
Tossing aside the branch, Masashi clapped his hands to signal a pause, letting the children digest the information before continuing.
"Today, I'll teach you the simplest and most common type: the Illusory Clone."
He slowly demonstrated the hand signs for the Clone Jutsu. "Watch carefully. Speed comes later—precision is what matters now."
The four children immediately tried to imitate him, eager to learn. Naruto's fingers tangled slightly, while Sasuke's movements were sharp but rigid.
The hand signs for the Clone Jutsu were simple and involved just a single seal. Even the Shadow Clone Jutsu required only a single cross-shaped hand sign.
However, how effectively one used the technique depended entirely on the individual.
Watching the children diligently practice the hand signs with both hands, he felt gratified.
Some ninjutsu required intricate and challenging hand signs, but the Illusory Clone was relatively straightforward.
With practice, it could be performed with a single hand or even without any signs at all.
Seeing their clumsy attempts at forming the seals, he decided that their next training phase would focus on improving finger flexibility. "Keep practicing. Your hands should flow like water, not move like wooden blocks."
Among the four, Sasuke was the first to grasp the technique, followed by Haku.
Sasuke's quick mastery didn't surprise Masashi, as he had likely been practicing finger exercises long before this.
Haku being the second, however, was unexpected.
But upon reflection, he found it perfectly logical.
In the original timeline, Haku had displayed the ability to perform single-handed seals in front of Naruto and Sasuke, showcasing his exceptional talent for chakra control and his aptitude for refining and improvising hand seals.
Once again, Masashi silently praised his own luck.
He had truly found a gem!
"Good work, all of you," he nodded approvingly. "Remember, mastery isn't just about getting it right once. It's about making it as natural as breathing."
---
Masashi, acting as the official envoy of Konoha, set out on a journey to Iwa.
During the war between Konoha and Iwa, the militant faction of Konoha had been highly active. But when it came time for negotiations, it was entirely up to the dovish faction to step forward.
There was no other way. Except for Kumo, where nine out of ten were hawks and no other option existed, most villages preferred to send dovish representatives for negotiations. While doves might not always be likable, their goal was undoubtedly to achieve peace.
Unless the goal wasn't negotiation but provocation.
In this Konoha delegation, the only one who could nominally be considered a hawk was Masashi himself.
And this was precisely why he found himself with a headache.
He wasn't necessarily an extreme hawk, but the group accompanying him was full of seasoned doves.
Surrounded by a nest of doves, he couldn't help but feel uneasy.
The delegation's chosen route led them through the Land of Grass to the Land of Earth.
After traveling westward across the Land of Grass and passing through the border area between Earth and Grass, the lush greenery began to fade.
Eventually, a vast expanse of rocky desert stretched before them. Rugged and majestic mountains dominated the landscape. The air was dry and scorching, and the intense sunlight bore down on the mountains and the desert plains.
The mountains were yellow, barren of vegetation. The ground was covered in coarse gravel, and walking on it felt like stepping on solid rock.
Both Deidara and Kurotsuchi were part of the delegation, and the two youngsters were in high spirits.
Kurotsuchi's face had grown rounder, while Deidara looked thinner.
At this moment, Deidara felt that Iwa was the most beautiful place in the world—mainly because it was quiet there.
That said, after spending so much time in Konoha, he found the people there to be quite kind, contrary to his earlier assumptions.
Although they were technically enemies, he didn't harbor much resentment toward them.
Staying home all the time truly limited one's understanding of the outside world.
For instance, he had thought the supposedly timid Kusa ninjas were harmless, but they turned out to be rather ruthless—just lacking in skill.
Similarly, he had believed Konoha to be overly aggressive, but they were actually quite magnanimous.
What impressed him the most, however, was the White Ghost.
His power was overwhelming and despair-inducing.
Deidara believed that to contend with such a technique, one would need a level of destructive force beyond imagination.
Among Iwa's arsenal, only the Dust Release fit the bill.
But apart from his master, no one else seemed to have mastered it.
"Look, a lake!" someone in the delegation called out.
Deidara glanced over.
In the distance, a lake appeared, a captivating blue in the middle of desolation.
Indeed, it was the Cold Lake, which meant they were close to Iwa.
"Deidara, is this the way?" Masashi asked.
"Yes. Follow the river, and once we reach a town, we'll be there," Deidara replied.
Masashi nodded and gestured for the delegation to continue.
Since everyone was a ninja, there were no large or small vehicles to slow them down. These were capable men with swift feet, so their pace was reliable.
After passing the lake, the delegation traveled approximately 15 kilometers north along the river. They then came upon an abandoned town.
To the right of the town was a misty mountain range.
As clouds moved across the sky and sunlight shifted, the mountains changed from yellow to black. Winds from the other side of the range carried sand into the air, forming the Land of Earth's characteristic stone rain.
Accustomed to such weather conditions, the group sought shelter in the town to avoid the "rain."
Inside one of the buildings, they looked out the window to see the mountains fading into the distance and the world outside shrouded in chaos, as if they had entered another realm.
The "rain" came quickly and ended even faster. As the winds subsided, the storm ceased.
The group stepped out of the large building, but the air was still filled with swirling dust, unpleasant to breathe. They prepared to continue toward the mountains, only to see a group of Iwa ninjas emerge from the hazy distance ahead.
The Iwa ninjas' gazes first landed on Deidara and Kurotsuchi.
Then their eyes fell on Masashi.
Upon recognizing his face, one especially burly individual among the Iwa ninja stepped forward.
"Welcome, envoys from Konoha. I am Kitsuchi, here to guide you," he said.
His appearance was a perfect embodiment of the stereotypical Iwa ninjas in outsiders' minds.
His face was weathered, with rugged features and piercing eyes. His short hair stood stiff, and as he stood in the wind, motionless, he resembled a boulder rooted to the ground, unshaken by any storm.
This rock-like man had a stern expression.
Kurotsuchi's eyes lit up at the sight of her father.
However, her time in Konoha had taught her restraint.
Several seasoned doves in the Konoha delegation also perked up, ready to showcase their skills.
This wasn't exactly a good habit.
During Hiruzen's time as Hokage, the village had not been particularly stable. Before the White Fang and the Sannin came into prominence, Konoha's strategy had always been cautious, avoiding conflict whenever possible.
To align with this approach, the doves had developed a habit of showering people with flattering words at the first opportunity.
Kitsuchi, however, was no ordinary person. As the son of the Tsuchikage and a ninja of Kage-level strength, he was one of Konoha's key watchlist targets.
Before the doves could speak, Masashi interrupted, "Thank you for your effort. Please, lead the way."
He glanced back at the doves with a helpless expression.
The doves looked a bit sheepish, realizing they had been too eager to act. They were simply rusty; it had been too long since they'd had the chance to perform.
Since the Third Great Ninja War, Konoha had won its subsequent two wars rather decisively. This had left their enemies more eager for peace, rendering the doves' skills somewhat redundant.
Being a dove didn't necessarily mean they were true pacifists; sometimes, it was just a side hustle.
Masashi didn't particularly want these individuals with him but understood it was standard procedure. These seasoned doves had numerous connections, and the Uchiha clan wasn't entirely estranged from them.
During the Uchiha clan's most difficult times, these doves had been among the most supportive.
So, while they were a hassle, he could only accept their presence.
Under Kitsuchi's guidance, the group pressed onward.
As they advanced into the mountains, the air gradually grew more humid.
Emerging from a patch of forest, they were greeted by a vast wetland. Grass grew tall, aquatic plants thrived, fish swam, and flocks of birds soared under the blue sky and white clouds.
The wetlands stretched endlessly into the horizon.
Though Masashi had never been to Iwa, he remembered that the village was built within the mountains at the source of a major river to ensure strong defenses and ample water supply.
Judging by this wetland, the environment was indeed excellent.
He halted, prompting the others to stop as well.
"Would you like to rest here?" Kitsuchi asked, noticing the pause. He assumed Masashi might be admiring the scenery.
"No, the Tsuchikage himself has come. Naturally, I should wait," Masashi replied, his gaze shifting skyward.
Kitsuchi froze momentarily, then quickly understood. Like Masashi, he turned his eyes toward the sky.
