Naruto: I'm really not an evil scientist!

The mind is empty, devoid of evil; the wise possess it, the reasonable possess it, the Way possesses it, but the heart is empty.

The ultimate swordsmanship is not mere technique.

Only a fully enlightened understanding of swordsmanship can be contained in this deserted hall.

Yusuke Takahashi could read ancient characters but not understand their meaning. He looked at his master, who was silently watching him from behind.

"Master... what does this say?"

"It is enlightenment."

"……consciousness?"

"Yes, it's enlightenment." The master stepped forward, silently prayed, and continued, "A divine body is a once-in-a-millennium occurrence. If you didn't obtain it at birth, you probably won't have the chance in this lifetime."

But technology and awareness are more important than that.

“If you wield your sword with that kind of awareness, even gods and Buddhas will lend a helping hand.”

"How can one reach that level?"

"do not know."

"……have no idea?"

"Silly child, if I had known, I would have restored the glory of the samurai long ago, hahahahahaha." The master laughed, but Takahashi Yusuke could feel the infinite helplessness in the laughter.

"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. The ninjas seem to be holding some kind of imperial trial. Anyway, we still have time, let's go take a look."

Two and a half months later, on a huge open space next to Konoha, a massive arena made entirely of yellow earth stood tall.

Konoha is financially well-off and has many skilled fighters; if they wanted to, they could easily build a reinforced concrete fortress.

But Biluhu ultimately chose the loess structure, not to save on the budget, but because the audience liked it.

The Konoha Arena, reinforced with loess, is simple and brutal, exuding a primitive and weathered charm that easily evokes primal impulses in people.

Ah, the interior of the Great Arena wasn't paved, nor were there any bluestone dividers; it was covered with endless yellow sand.

A strong wind blew, yellow sand rose up, and the atmosphere of battle was palpable.

The decor was extremely simple, yet it made the audience feel like they were on a battlefield.

As the loess rolled, they could even see congealed blood and broken teeth; the teeth were part of the atmosphere set, and the blood was the material for the inner four-element seal.

Even the masters of sealing techniques cannot avoid the essential ingredient of blood. Since blood is too conspicuous in the arena, Hiruko deliberately made it more obvious by mixing it in various parts of the arena.

It's so obvious that nobody pays attention to it.

Although this might deter some female relatives from coming, there weren't many interested female relatives to begin with, so Hiruko could accept this loss.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh... The wind howled as the latest battle unfolded in the arena.

These ninjas from other countries have different purposes, methods, and attire, but at this moment they have all come for the title of strongest, for the simple and pure desire to be strong!

Initially, some people wanted to make a quick buck and leave after advancing through the bye, but things changed after the audience cheered, tabloids analyzed, and especially after Birukho tied them to the country.

The ninjas felt they were fighting for a greater cause, and the audience would cheer and encourage even ninjas from their own country whom they didn't recognize.

Ninjas sometimes don't ask for much, just a little respect. Now, besides money, what they need most is direct and sincere encouragement from people.

Ninjas are generally young, and once their passion ignites, it's hard to contain it.

Akai was the best performer.

From Naruto's perspective, Guy is not the strongest among the contestants. Not to mention the senior masters from various villages, there are also a few top-skilled ninjas in the smaller ninja villages who can rival him. After all, he is only Guy with the sixth gate, not Guy with the seventh gate.

However, Guy's combat performance was consistently the best, not only because Konoha's propaganda machine had been focusing on him, but also because he had no bloodline limit and used taijutsu basic attacks from beginning to end.

In a chaotic battlefield, this is definitely a disadvantage. The ninjas are too good at creating chaos. The Ino-Shika-Cho combo, space-time ninjutsu—there's nothing they can't do.

Akai's straightforward fighting style is a disadvantage, but he has an exceptionally strong stage presence.

Most viewers don't understand ninja fighting techniques and prefer to see hand-to-hand combat, which is foolish for ninjas. From a ninja's perspective, being beaten the whole time is a victory as long as they can turn the tables in the end.

Guy usually gathers his chakra, kicks out, and sends his opponent and the summoned mountain-sized summoned beast flying together. It's the most direct combat, the purest power, and the senses are amazing.

With Hiruko deliberately orchestrating a rhetoric involving the navy, many people became fans of Akai, and the initial fan club emerged.

In this era, Guy is truly a top-notch idol. He's always enthusiastic, has no dark thoughts, and strives towards his goals every day, untouched by dirty deeds. Aside from his slightly lower appearance, it seems insignificant given his current power. Even Hiruko thinks Guy is more suitable to be a popular idol than Shisui. Kakashi is already corrupted and would at most be thrown into the position of Hokage.

Of course, there were also those who performed poorly, such as Uchiha Shisui.

Hiruko's arrival affected the timeline, causing many people's fates to deviate from their original trajectory. However, due to Hiruko's favoritism, Uchiha Shisui continued to develop well, becoming stronger and achieving a higher social status than his contemporaries in the original timeline. He just never showed any signs of awakening the Mangekyou Sharingan.

At this moment, he was facing a casual ninja from the Land of Water, not a ninja from the Hidden Mist Village.

Theoretically, the contestants are randomly selected. The host bets on a hot dog and asks the audience to believe in his determination to protect the hot dog. In reality, due to the tacit understanding among the five great ninja villages, none of them want to encounter an opponent before the round of 128.

However, to be honest, it's not exactly a conspiracy. It's a fact that the average strength of ninjas from major ninja villages is stronger than that of those outside, just like clan ninjas are stronger than ordinary ninjas.

In Hiruko's opinion, Shisui could defeat the Jonin in no more than ten moves, because the competition strictly prohibited intentionally killing the opponent, and the gap between the two sides was too large.

However, Shisui performed poorly. When his opponent dodged and attempted to use the Water Dragon Bullet Technique by forming hand seals, Shisui used the Sharingan's cosplay function to imitate his opponent's movements.

Tactically, it's not wrong. The Sharingan is famous, and scaring a country ninja and forcing him to make a mistake is also a tactic, just like when Kakashi fought Zabuza.

But he foolishly completed the Water Dragon Bullet Technique with the opposing ninja, which involved a lengthy set of forty-four hand seals. He was even slower than the opponent, getting himself soaked in water, which made Fugaku's face turn black.

As a prestigious clan in Konoha, the Uchiha clan could not possibly be absent from the competition. Shisui is one of the best among the younger generation, and his performance was indeed disgraceful. The Uchiha clan had high expectations for him.

Hyuga Hizashi from next door has also entered the fray, and his performance is quite impressive. The preliminary rounds are not over yet, and the heads of the major clans are not in a hurry to enter the fray, wanting to gather more information.

"Did I put too much pressure on you...? But the pace of the times is getting faster and faster, and there are more and more powerful enemies. If I can't grow quickly..." Although the only bosses in front of him are Obito and Nagato, Hiruko has always aimed at the worst Six Paths Madara and Kaguya. Without the Mangekyou Sharingan, he doesn't even have the qualifications to join the final battle.

Hiruko sat in the main seat, quietly observing everyone's actions and refining his plan.

At this moment, a member of the secret service came over carrying a tray covered with a red cloth.

Without changing his expression, Beiliuhu opened the red cloth, revealing a pure white snake inside.

The little snake flicked its tongue and spat out a scroll containing information from Orochimaru.

The intelligence was simple: the vengeful Kazeka Nutō had returned with a guy named Hiruko. Orochimaru recognized Hiruko and gave him a serious warning to be wary.

It was similar to the intelligence sent by Kakuzu, only more detailed, and the handwriting was more delicate and elegant.

"Hiruko..." Hiruko didn't care about Feng Hua Nutao's anger. He was going to eliminate the feudal system anyway, and whether Feng Hua Nutao was the older brother or the younger brother, he was on the elimination list.

If they are willing to back down, and both sides can maintain a dignified relationship, he is willing to give them respect.

If you're really that capable, Feng Hua Nu Tao, then go and try implementing Ottoman succession law. If you can go against the tide of history, then Bei Liu Hu will respect you as a tough guy.

But the other one... Hiruko? He appeared so early? Hiruko has some impression of this movie version mini-boss who can devour other people's chakra and turn it into his own.

This guy was quite strong, a contemporary of the Sannin, and they had a good relationship for a time. Unfortunately, he lacked a bloodline limit and couldn't compare to the geniuses of the Sannin. He was left further and further behind, eventually becoming psychologically twisted and completely abnormal. Even a golf club couldn't save him.

Although he was instantly defeated by Naruto's Wind Release: Shuriken in the movie, who isn't instantly defeated in a movie? Even the mighty Golden Lion was knocked away by Luffy.

He claims that possessing all five bloodline attributes would make him an immortal, perfect ninja. He's probably just bragging, like Shennong. Even the Sage of Six Paths was injured and died; how could you expect to achieve that with only five bloodline attributes? True immortality is something only the Otsutsuki clan can do.

In the chaotic, neon-lit cyber battlefield, those ninjas who pursue ultimate efficiency have pushed the fusion of "technology and ruthless skill" to its peak.

They are not only proficient in ancient ninjutsu, but also incorporate cutting-edge technologies such as quantum leap and space distortion into combat, creating cooperative combat systems such as the Ino-Shika-Cho combo, as well as dazzling quantum ninjutsu.

In this battlefield full of unknowns and miracles, any whimsical idea can become reality; imagination is the only limitation.

However, in this torrent of technology, Akai's straightforward and uncompromising close-combat style seems out of place, like a breath of fresh air, but it also becomes a disadvantage for him in complex battlefield environments.

But on that neon-lit, dazzling cyber arena, Akai's powerful performance swept through the hearts of all the viewers like a whirlwind.

Every punch and kick he throws contains awe-inspiring power. Even with professional commentators analyzing it, most viewers still struggle to understand the ninjas' combat strategies based on complex algorithms.

They don't understand those ingenious tactical layouts; they only enjoy watching brutal, soul-crushing confrontations.

This simple and direct fighting style may seem extremely foolish to ninjas who pursue ultimate efficiency, but in the eyes of the audience, it is the purest visual feast.

With Hiruko secretly manipulating public opinion and letting the Navy subtly set the pace, Guy's simple and brutal fighting style unexpectedly won the hearts of countless fans.

The initial fan base was formed quietly and unintentionally. They were inspired by Akai's never-say-die spirit and ignited by his strength and passion.

However, by the standards of this cyber age, Akai is indeed a very high-quality idol.

He was always full of enthusiasm, with no darkness in his heart. Every day he would strive towards his goals, and nothing dirty mattered to him. He was like a clear stream, washing away the dust of this cyber world.

Aside from his slightly less-than-ideal looks, it seems insignificant given his current strength. After all, in this era where strength reigns supreme, looks are just fleeting.

Even Hiruko, the mastermind behind it all, began to wonder if Guy was more suited to be a popular idol than Shisui. As for Kakashi, he was completely corrupted, addicted to power and desire, and could at most become Hokage, enjoying that illusory glory.

However, there was also a ninja who performed poorly on this cyber battlefield, none other than Uchiha Shisui.

Hiruko rotated the holographic projection, focusing his gaze on Shisui's battlefield. This timeline had undergone tremendous changes because of his intervention, many things had become unrecognizable, and many people's fates had deviated from their original trajectory.

However, due to Hiruko's favoritism, Uchiha Shisui did not encounter too many misfortunes. Instead, he continued to develop in a positive direction. Compared to his contemporaries in the original timeline, he was stronger and had a higher social status. Apart from never showing any signs of awakening the Mangekyou Sharingan, he had almost no flaws.

His opponent at this moment was a free ninja from the Land of Water, not a regular soldier from Kirigakure.

In theory, all contestants in this competition had their opponents randomly selected. The host had already staked his virtual credit points when selecting the contestants, and he repeatedly asked the audience to trust his determination to protect his credit.

However, due to a tacit understanding among the five great ninja villages, none of them wanted to encounter strong opponents before entering the top 128, since no one wanted to be eliminated early and lose this rare opportunity to showcase their abilities.

However, to be honest, this isn't exactly a conspiracy. After all, the ninjas trained by the great ninja villages are indeed stronger on average than those outside, which is an undeniable fact. Just like clan ninjas are stronger than ordinary ninjas, this is an advantage of bloodline and resources.

Chapter 374 Cyberpunk Ninja World

In Hiruko's electronic eyes, Shisui's confrontation with that Jonin appeared particularly clumsy.

In his opinion, Shisui could defeat this Jonin in no more than ten moves, since intentionally killing opponents is strictly prohibited in the competition, and that's how big the gap in strength is between the two sides.

However, Shisui's performance was like that of a novice. While his opponent skillfully dodged Shisui's attacks, he rapidly formed hand seals on the virtual keyboard, attempting to summon a virtual projection of the Water Dragon Bullet Technique. Shisui even activated the Sharingan's copying function and began to imitate his opponent's movements.

From a tactical standpoint, this is not impossible. After all, the name of the Sharingan is enough to intimidate the small ninjas in remote areas, making them mistakenly believe that they have the ability to copy ninjutsu at will, thus throwing them into disarray.

This seems to be the same tactic Kakashi used when he fought Zabuza.

But Shisui, like a machine, foolishly followed that stupid Jonin and completed the long forty-four hand seals of the Water Dragon Bullet Technique. His release speed was even half a beat slower than the opponent's, and as a result, he was soaked by the virtual water flow.

Didn't you see how black Fugaku's face was, as if ink could drip from it? As a prestigious clan in Konoha, the Uchiha clan could not possibly be absent from this competition for any reason. Shisui is one of the best among the younger generation, and his performance now is indeed a bit embarrassing. After all, the Uchiha clan has high expectations for him and hopes that he can become the pride of the clan.

Meanwhile, Hyuga Hizashi from next door also entered the fray, achieving remarkable results, like a dazzling star in cyberspace.

The preliminary selection process is not yet over, and the patriarchs of the major families are all holding back, like hunters lurking in the shadows, eager to gather more information and understand their opponents' strength and tactics.

Hiruko sat upright in the control room, the holographic projection flashing before his eyes. He quietly observed the actions of the people below, secretly adjusting his plan in his mind.

He was well aware that this imperial trial was not just a simple competition, but a key to the future direction of Konoha, and a reshuffling of power and influence in the cyber world.