That evening, Masahiko ran laps for another hour. Afterward, he let Naruto off and went to the outskirts to practice Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.
As a C-rank ninjutsu, the Great Fireball Technique was not especially difficult to learn.
But.
Its power still depended largely on chakra and proficiency.
Masahiko tried more than a dozen times. Although his innate affinity made training in Fire Release easier, he still failed to grasp the Great Fireball Technique quickly.
Exhausted in both body and mind, he was also puzzled—
Logically speaking, today’s footage should have been enough to make up an episode.
Why was there no movement?
Did there need to be progress in some other area?
Just as Masahiko was pondering this, a rustling came from the woods. He immediately swallowed a soldier pill and activated the Body Flicker Technique at full speed...
Whoosh!
With a soft sound, Masahiko’s speed surged, and he raced toward the village.
But.
Bzzzzzz!
After the buzzing of insects, a figure gathered in front of Masahiko.
“Yagyu Masahiko, come with me.”
At that instant—
【Filming of Episode 2 of “Naruto: Prologue” complete!】
【Editing...】
【Production successful!】
Total screen time: 11 minutes 51 seconds
Camera share: 56.4%】
【As an antagonist, your screen time exceeded 50%. Your compensation has been greatly increased.】
【Notice: “Naruto: Prologue” will be broadcast at eight o’clock tonight. At that time, playback will be enabled for you, along with danmaku playback.】
【Please adjust your acting and role direction according to the danmaku.】
56.4%!
Masahiko was shocked, and at the same time, he could not suppress his excitement—
It worked!
His current strategy was right!
But that joy was instantly doused by the situation before him.
Compared to the reward, the present circumstances were undoubtedly far more critical.
Compared to future rewards, right now was the moment of life and death.
He calmly sized up the other party: mask, attire—belonging to ANBU.
But someone intercepting him outside the village...
Root.
Masahiko’s heart sank. He understood that he had no choice.
...
The cloth covering his eyes was removed.
Dim light entered Masahiko’s vision.
For a moment, he could not adapt. Only after squinting for several seconds did he finally see his surroundings clearly.
Before him—
A figure leaned on a cane with one hand, one eye wrapped in bandages. Beneath the shadows cast by the lamplight, he appeared tall and imposing.
Sure enough, it was this old bastard!
Masahiko quietly straightened up, a look of confusion appearing on his face at just the right time.
“You are...”
“Heh.”
A low, emotionless, cold laugh echoed through the secret chamber.
Thud!
Thud!
With the sound of the cane striking the floor, the figure before him approached step by step, his single eye staring at him like a hawk.
The immense pressure left Masahiko unable to breathe.
After staring at him for two seconds, Danzo finally spoke coldly. “Recently, you have repeatedly targeted the demon fox—special training, provocation, stimulation...”
Danzo lowered himself, yet still looked down at Masahiko from above. “State your purpose. Who is behind you?”
“I-I have no one behind me. Since childhood, I grew up under Lord Third’s teachings of the Will of Fire. After becoming a teacher, I wished to pass this will on.”
Masahiko swallowed, his tone anxious and fearful.
“Also, I believe that leading students is similar to leading dogs. If you exhaust their energy, they won’t cause trouble, so I...”
Danzo stared at him.
Then he turned around. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, but his tone remained icy.
“The Will of Fire.”
“Not a bad reason. But hatred is your primary driving force.”
“Yagyu Masahiko, seventeen years old, civilian ninja. Parents died in the Nine-Tails’ attack...”
Danzo still did not believe him.
Masahiko’s expression shifted uncertainly, yet quickly turned fearful again as he lowered his head. “I have no such thoughts!”
“No need to hide it. Unlike the Hokage, I do not believe in the demon fox, nor do I believe in you.”
Danzo turned and looked down at him. “Dogs... a very good metaphor. Like dogs, the demon fox also needs the restraints of chains, whips, and rules.”
Masahiko lowered his head and said nothing.
Danzo sat down on a chair not far away.
“Go back. No matter whose man you are, I hope you will carry out your duties.”
“Remember, I am watching you!”
The next moment, a deep wave of drowsiness surged up.
Masahiko went limp and collapsed.
...
When Masahiko woke up, it was already past nine at night. He had missed the initial broadcast entirely, but fortunately, this thing was not a live stream.
He sat up and looked around.
His own home!
Masahiko froze for a second, then hurriedly got up and ran to the bathroom.
After closing the doors and windows and using the toilet, he quietly stuck out his tongue to inspect it.
“No curse mark...”
“Thank goodness!”
Only then did he let out a sigh of relief.
Returning to the bedroom, Masahiko called up the panel, opened the light screen, and began watching.
He skimmed through it roughly.
In terms of content, just as the previous data had shown, he appeared in nearly twelve minutes of the episode, interspersed with Naruto’s performance in Iruka’s ninjutsu class and Mizuki’s ninja-tool class.
The ending cut off right at the moment the Root ninja appeared in front of him and said, “Come with me.”
Moreover.
The editing was truly sinister!
It cut away all cause and effect, leaving only the scene of the ANBU ninja coming to find him. Anyone who saw it would have the same first reaction—
This guy really does have a problem!
And in fact, that was exactly the case.
The danmaku for this episode—
“This is bullying, right? What a turnoff!”
“Although from a God’s-eye view, what he’s doing benefits Naruto, if I were in Naruto’s shoes, my fists would be clenched.”
“If I were Naruto, I’d suffocate.”
“But he’s so handsome!”
There were countless comments like these.
The final shot made the comments explode even more:
“Fuck, ANBU? Who is this now? It can’t be the Hokage summoning him, right?”
“Impossible. If the Third wanted to find him, would he need to go through ANBU?”
“I told you he was no good!”
“Officially confirmed!”
After reading through the comments, Masahiko fell into deep thought.
Good news: his identity as a villain had been established.
Bad news: it had been established too well!
But.
This was also within expectations.
“You can’t have it both ways. As a villain, being maliciously edited is unavoidable.”
Masahiko sighed inwardly.
After that, once the entire episode finished playing, the light screen closed automatically, and familiar summary text appeared on the panel.
【Popularity Rating: B】
【Comprehensive evaluation...】
【Congratulations! You have been promoted to: B-rank Golden Supporting Actor】
【Compensation received: Ninjutsu Mastery Direct-Upgrade Card.】
“Thirty to sixty percent is Golden Supporting Actor. The next tier is called Popular Lead Actor, and it requires over sixty percent...”
“But this time, the popularity rating is only B.”
According to the E-to-S rating scale, a B rating was only one level above the passing line of C.
Masahiko was speechless, but after thinking it over carefully, he was relieved.
In this episode, the work he did took up a lot of screen time, but it really wasn’t likable.
It seemed...
As a villain, aside from “opposition,” one also needed personal charm. Otherwise, if popularity could not rise, the rewards would still be affected.
Masahiko reflected on this while also considering how he should act in the next episode.
Danzo’s intervention had exceeded his expectations.
Although Danzo had not said much, in Masahiko’s view, the last sentence was the true focus of this trip—
“I am watching you!”
Masahiko closed his eyes and lay on the bed, recalling tonight’s experience.
At last, he opened his eyes, astonished inwardly.
Could it be...
Danzo was evaluating him?