After settling the matter with Tatsuma Aburame, Danzo Shimura shifted his attention back to Simu—or rather, to Yi.
"Your Wood Style ninjutsu... where did it come from?"
Danzo's sharp gaze pierced into Simu's eyes, as if trying to see through them into his very soul.
Simu scratched his head. "I thought of it myself."
"You thought of it yourself?"
Danzo had assumed Orochimaru had given him the First Hokage's techniques from the Hidden Leaf's collection, but he never expected this answer.
Simu nodded obediently. "Yes. Because so many kunai were being shot at me, I couldn't dodge and was very scared. So I just shouted instinctively, and I didn't expect the trees to go bam and come out."
Hearing this, the nearby Tatsuma Aburame's expression turned bizarre.
Scared because kunai were shot at you?
Who was the one just now saying "If it's only at this level, it won't be able to measure my talent"?
Danzo looked at the thick trees around them, then back at Simu.
A thought suddenly formed in his mind: Could this boy actually be a genius?
At that, Danzo made a sudden decision. "Poisonous Insect, starting today, I will personally instruct Jia and Yi."
"Yes, Lord Danzo," Tatsuma Aburame replied. He felt a bitter sting in his heart.
As expected, Lord Danzo still has doubts about me...
Furthermore, with that brat's talent being so exaggerated, would he be replaced in the future? Would he lose his position as Lord Danzo's most capable dog?
The mere thought was enough to make Tatsuma panic, yet he had no choice but to accept the reality.
Root was a place of survival of the fittest; only those with sufficient talent were qualified to be the weapons in Lord Danzo's hands.
Nonetheless, for the time being, Lord Danzo still needed him.
"Alright. Except for those responsible for repairing the grounds, everyone else is dismissed," Danzo ordered.
"Yes!"
Following a synchronized response, most of the Root ninjas vanished instantly.
Root was busy, and they had no time to waste idling here.
Only a single Earth Style ninja remained to repair the destroyed training area.
Danzo then led Simu and Jia to Root's Training Ground No. 2.
Compared to the underground facility, this training ground was outdoors, making it more suitable for Simu and Jia to practice Wood Style ninjutsu.
Indeed, Danzo planned to teach them Wood Style techniques ahead of schedule.
"According to the original plan, you were to undergo a month of training under Dragon... Poisonous Insect. That training included improving your combat skills, intelligence gathering, infiltration, and so on."
"But since you have shown sufficient talent, I will personally train you and teach you the legendary Wood Style ninjutsu."
Danzo spoke with great gravity. As the leader, he was the most appropriate person to pass down these techniques.
After all, this was a prime opportunity to win over their hearts.
"However, while you begin learning Wood Style, do not neglect other skills. From now on, you will learn ninjutsu in the morning, combat in the afternoon, and intelligence gathering and the geography and culture of the Shinobi World in the evening."
Faced with such high-intensity requirements, Jia nodded obediently. "Yes, Lord Danzo."
Simu, however, wore an expression that was three parts confusion, three parts curiosity, three parts innocence, and one part doubt as he asked, "Lord Danzo, why do we need to learn intelligence gathering and the culture of the Shinobi World?"
Danzo seemed prepared for such a question and answered calmly, "Our Root aims to cultivate all-around talents. If you don't master these skills, what will you do when you need to go deep behind enemy lines to obtain intel?"
Simu scratched his head. "To get intel, can't I just knock the enemy unconscious and bring them back?"
Danzo glanced at him. "If you don't understand the local culture or how to disguise yourself, what if you are discovered by the enemy before you can bring them back?"
Simu scratched his head again. "Can't I just kill all the enemies who find me?"
Danzo's tone grew sharper. "Can you guarantee you will definitely defeat every enemy?"
Simu gave a simple, honest smile. "That's why I need to learn ninjutsu."
"Hmm?"
Learning culture = Disguise
Disguise = Not being discovered
Not being discovered = Killing all enemies
Killing all enemies = Learning more powerful ninjutsu
Therefore...
Learning culture = Learning more powerful ninjutsu!
Danzo was stunned; he felt like he had been talked in circles by this boy.
"Fine, fine, fine!"
Danzo's expression became serious, and he asked in an incredibly stern tone, "Since you are so intent on learning ninjutsu, can you ensure you will master every powerful technique?"
"If you cannot master powerful ninjutsu, your strength will not increase, you will not be able to kill your enemies, and you will fail to hide yourself or complete the mission!"
"Do you think you can do it?"
Danzo stared at Simu and tossed a scroll directly into his hands.
He decided he had to knock some sense into this child. While the boy had great talent, as a ninja of Root, he must not aim too high. It was most important to stay grounded and learn the necessary knowledge of a ninja!
The scroll he gave Simu contained the Wood Style ninjutsu left behind by the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
Specifically, it was a detailed version modified by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, through various means of persuasion and coercion.
It recorded the specific chakra flow for the techniques as well as the corresponding hand signs.
Otherwise, given Hashirama's "it just happens" method of casting, no one would ever be able to learn Wood Style unless they reinvented it themselves.
Danzo's goal in giving him this scroll was to make Simu realize how difficult it was.
The First Hokage's Wood Style was not easily learned. If you can't even master one ninjutsu, how can you expect to be invincible under heaven?
Better to give up and learn some other skills.
To be honest, there was nothing wrong with Danzo's logic.
Even with Wood Style cells, mastering the techniques of the God of Shinobi was no easy feat; spending several months on it was completely normal.
Even a veteran ninja like Danzo had spent two months to master his first Wood Style technique.
However...
Simu looked at the scroll in his hand, and a flash of realization crossed his mind.
Having analyzed over a thousand types of ninjutsu, he could absolutely be called a master of ninjutsu.
Techniques that ordinary people struggled with for a long time were nothing more than complex data to Simu's terrifying calculation ability. As long as he knew the principles and the circuits, he could perfectly replicate them by precisely controlling chakra flow and release!
Thus, after a brief minute passed.
He clasped his hands together.
"Wood Style: Great Spear Tree!"