Naruto: I Draw Power Into Reality

"Time is money, my friend. Please speak quickly."

Mr. Akaba wanted to skip the pleasantries. Vacation time was precious.

Orochimaru hesitated, clearly struggling to voice his thoughts. After opening and closing his mouth several times, he finally spoke up, "I'd like to ask Mr. Akaba to teach me how to use genjutsu."

"Genjutsu? My technique is actually quite simple — just multiple layers of deception."

Mr. Akaba replied calmly.

"But how could you know the scenes I saw inside your illusion?"

Orochimaru wasn't proficient in genjutsu, but he had studied related literature. Narakami no Jutsu's essence was to disturb chakra and mental state, making opponents see their greatest fears.

How did Mr. Akaba know that he had seen himself being attacked by three people?

"That involves psychological manipulation."

"Psychological manipulation?"

Orochimaru fell into thought.

"I get it now. During this morning's match, my biggest concern was whether you two were bluffing. It seemed like you were attacking Tsunade together, but actually intended to kill me first. So you made this guess accordingly."

"There's some truth to that, but these are just reasons why I could make accurate judgments later. The key point is that during the very first genjutsu, I could see part of the scene."

Mr. Akaba explained.

"The Sakuma clan's Kekkei Genkai?"

A miss is as good as a mile.

When involving bloodline limits, this method wouldn't be widely applicable. Even if he understood psychological and emotional manipulation, he couldn't perfectly replicate the critical first step.

"Sorry, but that's all I can help you with."

Mr. Akaba said.

"No, I should be thanking you, Mr. Akaba. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave first."

Orochimaru felt somewhat disappointed as he stood up and bowed.

After expressing gratitude, he climbed out the window and jumped down to leave.

Mr. Akaba remained silent for a moment, then slightly shook his head before lying down and closing his eyes to rest.

"He seemed really down."

The Shadow Clone remarked calmly.

[Shadow Clone Jutsu]!

He looked at the clone beside him. "Hmm, this will be really helpful for me drawing Orochimaru later."

Focused on work, the clone immediately went back to drawing diligently.

"Speaking of which, we should hurry up and draw the Wave Country arc. There are plenty of ninjutsu and Kekkei Genkai appearing in that arc — we'll have several new secret weapons."

Mr. Akaba whispered to his clone.

"If you're anxious, shouldn't you work together with me?"

"You're right." He performed the jutsu again. Another clone appeared. After performing the ninjutsu, Mr. Akaba sat cross-legged once more to recover chakra.

Inside the room, the two clones exchanged glances silently.

Elsewhere, after leaving the Sakuma clan grounds, Orochimaru passed through a forest.

He saw Jiraiya sitting within the woods, holding a sketchpad in one hand and a pencil in the other, working hard at drawing manga.

"Even Jiraiya has started drawing manga. Is this really more important than ninjutsu?"

"Foolish!"

Orochimaru sneered coldly, about to go inside to mock him.

However...

If drawing manga was so foolish, what did that make him for losing to Mr. Akaba?

He froze, then turned around and left.

From childhood, Orochimaru had always been intelligent and independent-minded, knowing exactly what he wanted. But now, he truly felt lost.

He wasn't angry at Sakuma Akaba for it, but could raw talent really surpass a Bloodline Limit?

Uncertain.

Orochimaru wandered aimlessly until he looked up absentmindedly.

"The Hokage Rock."

At this moment, many people were repairing the Third Hokage's statue on the Hokage Rock, gradually shaping it piece by piece, from nothing to something.

"A proper form of guidance?"

Orochimaru muttered to himself. So *this* was what guidance looked like!

"Maybe I should try it too. What's it like to draw manga?"

He pondered inwardly.

To understand guidance involving human hearts, one must first learn to grasp others' minds. Writing stories is not a bad method.

"No, manga is too cumbersome. What I need is only the story itself."

"Let me give it a try."

"It seems Orochimaru has finally stepped out of his confusion."

On top of the Hokage Tower, the Third Hokage exhaled in relief after monitoring everything with the Telescope Technique.

"Orochimaru isn't as fragile as you think. He's the most suitable person to take over ANBU."

Danzo walked into the office with a confident expression.

Although Sakuma Akaba had exceptional talent and inherited bloodline, Danzo couldn't tolerate his lazy personality. But in Orochimaru, he saw ambition and persistence.

Only ambitious people had the drive to pursue goals—and only then would they become stronger!

"I won't allow you to harm Orochimaru before our agreed time—otherwise!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi erupted with forceful energy, making the entire office feel tense.

"Drop your weak threats. I said a year, so it's a year. Hmph. Don't threaten me."

Danzo chuckled coldly and turned to leave.

Back in ANBU headquarters, he retrieved the manga he'd bought earlier and reread it from the beginning.

Earlier, he had barely skimmed through it before losing interest and returning to Root affairs. Now with free time, and impressed by Akaba's recent performance, he once again felt great curiosity about this book.

"Hmm."

After finishing the first chapter, he gazed at the tabletop pensively.

"Lord Danzo, is this book really that good?"

Seeing even the ANBU Commander reading the manga, a guarding ANBU ninja asked curiously.

"The book itself isn't important. The author matters."

Danzo replied indifferently.

"Oh? You mean your disciple, Sakuma Akaba?"

"Hn."

Danzo hummed briefly, then focused again on the manga.

Chapter Two, Chapter Three...

Soon he finished all five chapters. He closed the book, appearing lost in thought.

"Did you find anything, Lord?"

The curious ANBU officer asked.

"The Tailed Beasts (Bijū) are each village's greatest weapon—and its biggest risk. Konoha has long sealed away the strongest—the Nine-Tails—and thanks to the Uzumaki clan's genetic heritage and sealing techniques, there haven't been any problems. But in his book, the Nine-Tails breaks free, and its heir is an ignorant mixed-blood."

Danzo sneered coldly.

Full-blooded Uzumaki have always had red hair. How could there be a blonde-haired Uzumaki?

"You mean…"

"He believes something will happen to the Uzumaki clan—an event nearly amounting to their annihilation!"

Danzo stated firmly.

"Why? Maybe it's just a story he made up?"

The guarding ANBU became even more confused. The Uzumaki clan lived securely in the Land of Whirlpools—who could possibly strike against them?

Besides, Sakuma Akaba was just a child—how deep could his meaning really go?

"Think first—don't ask pointless questions. And gather his latest reports for me. I want them the instant they come in."

Danzo closed the book and added a final instruction.

"Yes!"

Though puzzled, the Anbu operative still nodded in agreement.

After his subordinate left, Danzo picked up the book again, staring at the opening line on the first page.

"The Uzumaki who bore the Nine-Tails… They'll target the Uzumaki clan."

Danzo spread out a map and pored over it. Akaba's manga was just a story—but it planted an idea in him. He couldn't afford to ignore the possibility.

"A common man is blameless… yet possessing great power invites death."

Mito Uzumaki's powerful sealing techniques and incredible vitality were precisely why she, as the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, was able to live such a long life. By contrast, other jinchuriki from different villages had all met tragic ends.

To threaten a bijū under Konoha's control, one must first cut off the origin of the jinchuriki bloodline.

The Uzumaki clan is in danger!

"Cloud? Mist? Or perhaps another village?"

Danzo fell into deep thought.

This might never come to pass, but as the leader of Anbu—and more importantly, as the founder of Root—he had every reason to prepare for it in advance and lay down strategic groundwork.

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