Konoha cat breeder

Chapter 246: Correct Values

"Setting a 'Caged Bird' seal on myself… Am I the first person in the entire ninja world to do this?" Tonari chuckled bitterly.

Though it wasn't exactly the same as the Caged Bird seal, it was a derivative based on that unique curse mark.

He had already used a simpler version on Kakashi.

In Kakashi's case, the seal primarily restricted the Sharingan's chakra consumption and its strain on his body.

But Tonari needed a more complex solution.

His seal had to achieve three goals:

1. Minimize Chakra Drain: When not actively using the Mangekyō Sharingan, it should consume as little chakra as possible.

2. Balance Yin and Yang: It had to maintain the equilibrium between the Yin and Yang chakras within his body.

3. Concealment: Most importantly, it had to hide the Mangekyō from external detection.

Simple physical concealment, like a mask or Kakashi's forehead protector, wasn't enough.

The Hyuga Clan's Byakugan could easily see through such disguises.

More concerning was Danzo.

Tonari was certain Danzo had already transplanted a Sharingan into his right eye. If Danzo activated it, he'd likely see through Tonari's facade.

While Hyuga clansmen wouldn't dare spy on Tonari without cause, Danzo was another story.

Danzo had already tried to trade Rin for intel about Tonari. Without his foresight, Danzo might have succeeded.

Thus, this camouflage wasn't for the general public—it was specifically to guard against Danzo.

---

Tonari spent three full days refining the seal.

Creating a perfect solution wasn't easy, but his prior experience with Kakashi's seal provided a solid foundation.

"Physical concealment remains essential," Tonari muttered. "The seal alone can't fully mask the chakra flow. I need an object embedded with a chakra-disrupting seal."

Three days later, Tonari finally emerged from seclusion.

He now wore a white, crescent-shaped mask covering the upper half of his right face, seamlessly integrating with his forehead protector.

The mask's upper edge tucked into the protector, ensuring it wouldn't fall off during combat.

"This will do for now. Time to test if I can still use Kamui."

Focusing his Mangekyō Sharingan, Tonari's body distorted and spiraled into the Kamui dimension, vanishing from sight.

---

Outside Konoha.

Tonari reappeared at the village's outskirts.

Kamui allowed him to traverse space, albeit slower than the instantaneous Flying Thunder God technique.

Standing amid the trees, he gazed at Konoha's towering walls.

For most shinobi, walls were hardly an obstacle. But beyond the physical barrier lay an invisible barrier—Konoha's perimeter seal.

Maintained by the Barrier Team, this sensory array detected any unauthorized entries, protecting the village from infiltration.

During peacetime, the barrier operated intermittently. Konoha relied more on patrols by the Anbu and the Konoha Police Force.

But now, in wartime, the barrier remained permanently active.

Only three official routes permitted entry:

1. Konoha's Main Gate.

2. Anbu's Secret Passage.

3. Root's Secret Passage.

Tonari pressed his hand against a nearby tree, etching a Flying Thunder God seal into its bark.

"This mark will be useful later."

Satisfied, he dusted off his hands and casually strolled toward the village gate.

There was no need for stealth.

---

At the gate, Hyuga clansmen with activated Byakugan monitored arrivals, ensuring no disguised enemies infiltrated the village.

Tonari walked straight through the checkpoint and headed to the Hokage's Office to report his mission.

Coincidentally, all three Hokage advisors were present—Danzo, Koharu, and Homura.

Upon seeing Tonari, Hiruzen Sarutobi beamed with unrestrained joy.

"Tonari! You've finally returned! The front-line report arrived two days ago: Konoha's Cursed Cat single-handedly annihilated two hundred Mist ninjas!"

Hiruzen couldn't hide his excitement. He looked prouder than if he had accomplished the feat himself.

For an aging Hokage, nothing brought more joy than seeing the village's next generation rise to greatness.

First, Minato's Yellow Flash had slaughtered fifty Iwa ninjas with Flying Thunder God.

Now, Tonari's Cursed Cat had decimated two hundred Mist ninjas, sparing only Ao to spread the tale.

Thanks to Ao's "accidental" leak, Tonari's legendary feat had already shaken the entire ninja world.

The four Great Villages now feared not one, but two Kage-level threats from Konoha.

---

Tonari nodded silently.

Hiruzen's smile dimmed as he noticed the white mask covering Tonari's right eye.

His brows furrowed, concern replacing joy.

"Tonari… your eye… what happened?"

Tonari touched the mask, his tone calm but distant.

"Injured," he replied tersely.

Danzo's eyes narrowed, scrutinizing the mask.

Beneath his bandages, Danzo's own three-tomoe Sharingan activated, attempting to pierce the facade.

Yet, all he discerned was a layer of sealing inscriptions etched into the mask's interior.

"As I suspected," Tonari mused. "The old bastard really did implant a Sharingan."

Danzo frowned. "Even my Sharingan can't penetrate this seal… What is he hiding?"

Sensing Danzo's gaze, Tonari deliberately glanced at him.

Through the heightened perception of his Mangekyō, Tonari could clearly see the abnormal chakra flow around Danzo's bandaged eye.

"Got you. So it's true."

---

The room fell into an uneasy silence.

"Injured…" Hiruzen echoed, finally understanding Tonari's delayed return.

Given Tonari's advanced medical ninjutsu, a three-day recovery implied permanent damage.

"He must have lost the eye entirely…"

Though a ninja's overall strength wasn't heavily reliant on eyesight, losing an eye remained a significant blow.

Danzo's voice broke the silence, his tone sharp and probing:

"Why does your mask bear a sealing formula?"

Tonari's gaze darkened.

Even Hiruzen, Koharu, and Homura frowned at Danzo's hostility.

From their perspective, Danzo's conduct was over the line.

This mission, after all, had been Danzo's doing.

By coercing Tonari into retrieving Rin, Danzo had effectively assigned him a suicide mission.

Yet Tonari had not only survived but eradicated an entire Mist battalion—at the cost of his eye.

Now, instead of gratitude, Danzo interrogated him like a criminal.

---

Tonari's voice grew colder:

"My eye was cursed. Without the seal, it would suffer uncontrollable necrosis."

Danzo remained unfazed.

"Remove the mask. Let me inspect it myself."

Crack!

The wooden floor beneath Tonari splintered, fissures radiating outward as intense chakra pressure erupted from his body.

The air warped around him.

Even without activating his Mangekyō, Tonari's sheer chakra output distorted the surroundings.

Hiruzen's eyes widened in shock.

"This power… it's beyond what I expected. And he's still a perfect jinchūriki…"

Hiruzen had known Tonari was strong.

But this—this was Kage-level strength.

And if Tonari unleashed the Two-Tails' full might, the consequences would be catastrophic.

---

Tonari's voice cut through the tension like a knife:

"If Councilor Danzo continues this nonsense…"

Before he could finish, Hiruzen intervened.

"Tonari! Calm down. Danzo spoke rashly. Don't take it to heart."

Turning to Danzo, Hiruzen added, "The mission is complete. Tonari, you've done well. Go home and rest. No major missions await you for now."

Though visibly irritated, Tonari exhaled slowly, forcing himself to relax.

"Understood, Hokage-sama."

Without sparing Danzo another glance, Tonari strode out.

---

Outside the office, Tonari immediately sensed the presence of Anbu operatives.

Whenever significant chakra surges occurred in the Hokage's Office, Anbu squads mobilized instantly.

Tonari ignored them and vanished without hesitation.

---

Back in the office, Hiruzen's expression hardened.

"Danzō! What the hell do you think you're doing?! Why do you keep targeting Tonari?!"

His voice thundered with barely restrained fury.

"After all he's done, does he not deserve to be hailed as a hero of Konoha?!"

Danzo, unfazed, responded coolly:

"Everything I do is for Konoha's sake. Inspecting his mask wasn't personal. If his injury is genuine, we should assist him.

"But his excessive reaction was suspicious, don't you agree?"

Koharu and Homura exchanged uncertain glances.

Danzo's logic, while cold, wasn't entirely baseless.

Yet Hiruzen remained unconvinced.

"If it were anyone else, Tonari wouldn't have reacted so strongly. But against you, Danzo? Of course he'd resist."

Hiruzen's gaze sharpened.

"If you demand others remove their masks, remove your bandages first."

Danzo stiffened.

"My injuries were sustained for Konoha…"

"And Tonari's were sustained for the same village."

Hiruzen's voice grew steely.

"I tolerate your secrets because they were earned through sacrifice.

"But Tonari, too, bled for Konoha.

"Respect that. And remember: My silence is not ignorance."

---

Realizing further argument was futile, Danzo relented.

Switching topics, he muttered:

"I've already initiated covert operations against Iwagakure."

Hiruzen's eyes gleamed.

"How soon can we expect results?"

"Six months, at most."

Hiruzen exhaled deeply, emotions swirling within him.

"If Iwa falls, the Third Shinobi War might finally end."

This would force both Sunagakure and Kumogakure to negotiate peace.

Yet peace came at a price.

For Hiruzen, that price was his title.

"When the war ends, I must step down as Hokage."

Decades of leadership had defined his life.

Relinquishing the title left him feeling both empty and relieved.

---

Meanwhile, Tonari didn't return to the Neko Inn immediately.

Instead, he headed straight to the Uchiha Clan District, seeking his two disciples:

Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha.

The boys trained in the Uchiha's private grounds, oblivious to his silent approach.

---

Shisui, older and more experienced, mentored Itachi in kunai and shuriken techniques.

For young genin and fledgling chunin, basic combat relied heavily on:

1. Three Basic Jutsu: Clone Jutsu, Transformation Jutsu, and Substitution Jutsu.

2. Taijutsu: Hand-to-hand combat.

3. Projectile Weapons: Kunai and shuriken.

On the battlefield, they'd supplement these with explosive tags.

Ninjutsu, though flashy, drained precious chakra.

Thus, efficiency dictated strategy.

Tonari watched quietly, appreciating the artistic precision of their shurikenjutsu.

---

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The boys' kunai clashed mid-air, redirecting each other into distant wooden targets.

Shisui demonstrated the multi-stage deflection technique, guiding kunai through multiple collisions to strike impossible angles.

Some kunai even reversed course, striking targets behind the thrower.

Itachi, younger and less experienced, could only manage one collision, while Shisui achieved three with ease.

---

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Tonari applauded, finally making his presence known.

Both boys tensed but relaxed upon recognizing their mentor.

"Tonari-sensei!"

Shisui, ever energetic, sprinted over.

Itachi, though reserved, couldn't hide his joyful smile.

To them, Tonari wasn't just a teacher—he was the bringer of dango, their favorite post-training treat.

---

Shisui's smile faded as he noticed the white mask on Tonari's face.

"Sensei… your eye… what happened?"

"Nothing serious," Tonari replied casually. "Just an injury."

"From the Mist battle, right?" Shisui pressed.

Tonari blinked. "How did you—?"

Shisui grinned proudly.

"Everyone knows! You annihilated two hundred Mist ninjas, sparing only Ao!

"The whole village is calling you Konoha's new hero.

"Some even say you should be the next Hokage!"

Shisui's eyes gleamed with admiration.

Like many Uchiha, Shisui idolized the Hokage position, viewing it as the ultimate embodiment of the Will of Fire.

His enthusiasm had clearly influenced Itachi, who silently nodded, equally inspired.

---

Tonari chuckled, ruffling their hair.

"These boys… So naive, yet so pure."

"War is brutal," he said softly.

"The Hokage title matters less than peace.

"If your leader ensures children like you grow safely and happily, they are a good Hokage.

"But if they demand you sacrifice everything to elevate themselves…

"That leader is unworthy of your loyalty."

---

Itachi, normally quiet, couldn't help but ask:

"Sensei… could there really be such a selfish Hokage?"

Tonari's eyes darkened.

"Have you heard of the Will of Fire?"

Both boys nodded eagerly.

---

Tonari smiled faintly.

"Where leaves dance, the fire burns. The fire casts shadows, nurturing new leaves."

"But if the old leaves refuse to fall, clinging to the branches…

"If they steal nutrients from the young leaves, twisting the tree into something grotesque…

"Then those old leaves become parasites—not protectors.

"Such leaders deserve no loyalty."

---

He had to imprint the right values upon them now.

Shisui and Itachi's original fates were too tragic.

Now that they were his disciples, Tonari would ensure they forged their own paths—free from manipulation.

The boys nodded thoughtfully, clearly pondering his words.

---

Tonari smiled inwardly.

There was no rush. Ideological shifts took time.

For now, he had plenty of time to mold their perspectives.

"With the war winding down, I'll focus on their training. Shisui, Itachi… and my old team—Asuma, Guy, and Kurenai."

---

Tonari's thoughts briefly drifted to Might Duy, Guy's father.

Since Tonari had eliminated the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Duy no longer needed to die.

Without that sacrifice, the Eight Gates technique would remain unknown to Konoha.

But Tonari didn't mind.

"One more potential Kage-level powerhouse alive? I'll take that trade any day."

---

"All right, boys," Tonari clapped his hands.

"Show me your current strength. Impress me, and…"

His smile widened mischievously.

"I'll treat you to three-color dango!"

"Yes, Sensei!" Shisui cheered.

Even Itachi's eyes sparkled with anticipation.

After all…

Nothing motivated a child like dango.

And if one skewer didn't work…

Two definitely would.

---

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