Hayate asked: "What do we need to watch out for?"
Kakashi's expression turned serious as he replied gravely: "Your task is to observe and analyze using your respective expertise! Dissect everything about 'Takamagahara' so Hokage-sama and the advisory elders can understand it more clearly."
Kakashi hadn't chosen these people randomly.
Kurenai was an expert in genjutsu.
Asuma, a former member of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi for the Land of Fire's daimyo, was worldly and experienced.
Guy had a calm mind and unmatched intuition.
Shizune, a medical shinobi, lacked her uncle's Spirit Transformation Technique but had a keen ability to discern spiritual entities.
Anko was not only sharp-witted but also had exceptionally acute perception.
Hayate, with his mastery of Transparency Release, had environmental awareness far beyond ordinary shinobi.
These jounin were either specialists in their fields or highly experienced, making them perfect as testers—or rather, investigators.
After hearing Kakashi's words, the group understood their mission and wasted no more time.
Soon, Kakashi led the first batch of testers to the training ground where Shinji was waiting.
Shinji asked: "Is everyone here?"
Kakashi nodded slightly: "Yes, the first batch is all present."
"Good!" Shinji's gaze swept over the jounin as he instructed: "I'm about to activate 'Takamagahara' on you. Don't panic!"
Asuma scoffed: "Panic? You're underestimating us!"
Kurenai's face hardened: "Shinji, you'd better take this seriously. Not just any genjutsu can affect me!"
Anko licked her lips, teasing: "What an annoying kid!"
Having been saved by Shinji before, Hayate said nothing, only giving a faint nod.
Shinji didn't argue and directly activated "Takamagahara."
In an instant, the jounin found their surroundings transformed. The training ground became a massive stone platform, with a scarlet Sharingan shadow looming overhead.
"How is this possible!?"
"What…"
"Did we fall for it?"
The jounin's expressions shifted dramatically.
Kurenai, the village's genjutsu expert, was especially shocked. She was confident in her abilities—after all, in the original timeline, she had dared to use genjutsu against Itachi. Yet, like the others, she was pulled into "Takamagahara" without the slightest resistance, just as Kakashi had been.
Kakashi, who had been here before, said: "Everyone, stay calm. This is 'Takamagahara'!"
Though the jounin regained their composure, they remained on guard.
Shinji's figure appeared before them: "Everyone, do you want to try a group battle or individual combat training?"
After a moment's thought, Kakashi said: "Can we all choose individual combat training?"
"Of course!" Shinji snapped his fingers.
Instantly, the jounin found themselves transported to separate giant stone platforms, each facing a version of Shinji.
Shinji asked each jounin: "What kind of battle scenario and imaginary enemy do you want?"
Kakashi naturally chose to face Hiruko again.
Asuma, Kurenai, Anko, and Shizune all answered: "Anything."
Guy's choice was "Kakashi."
Hayate chose "Ranmaru."
For those with specific targets, Shinji granted their wishes: Kakashi faced Hiruko again, Guy faced Kakashi, and Hayate confronted Ranmaru, who also wielded Transparency Release.
For those without specific targets, Shinji pondered briefly before assigning enemies.
On Asuma's platform, he looked around, but the surrounding mist obscured the other platforms.
Suddenly, two shadows appeared on his platform.
"The imaginary enemies?" Asuma murmured, turning his gaze toward them.
His pupils contracted as the shadows solidified into two Akatsuki members wearing conical hats and red-cloud cloaks, with the scene shifting to the entrance of a gold exchange.
"Akatsuki, huh…" Asuma smirked.
On Kurenai's platform, a shadow abruptly appeared, catching her attention.
She stared, thinking: This is the imaginary enemy Shinji created? Who could it be?
Within a breath or two, the shadow solidified.
Kurenai's expression hardened as she saw the figure in an Akatsuki cloak, with scarlet Sharingan eyes glowing.
"Uchiha Itachi!? Hmph, a worthy opponent!" Kurenai smiled confidently.
The scene around her shifted from the flat platform to a familiar riverbank.
She paid little attention to the changing environment, focusing entirely on the fake Uchiha Itachi before her.
On Shizune's platform, she frowned slightly at the figure: "That's… Kabuto Yakushi?!"
She found it odd.
Shinji had previously reported to Tsunade that Kabuto was the liaison between Orochimaru and Danzo, and it was Kabuto who had exposed Danzo to Shinji.
So, she couldn't understand why Shinji chose Kabuto, a wanted criminal, as her imaginary enemy.
The scene then shifted to a vast, endless grassland.
On Anko's platform, her body trembled uncontrollably, unsure if it was from anger or excitement.
The figure before her was none other than her former sensei, Orochimaru.
Seeing his mocking expression, Anko grinned: "Well done, Uchiha Shinji. You really get me!"
If there was one unresolved knot in her heart, it was Orochimaru's betrayal.
Orochimaru had been the sensei she admired and trusted, but overnight, he made her the disciple of a traitor in the eyes of others, subjecting her to countless accusations and cold stares.
No one knew that her brash demeanor was a protective facade, or that her relentless training in snake-style ninjutsu was to prove to Orochimaru how wrong he was to abandon her.
So, even facing a fake Orochimaru, she couldn't help but tremble with excitement!
Back on the original platform, Shinji sat on a stone chair, watching screens displaying the jounin battling their imaginary enemies in "Takamagahara."
He chuckled: "Heh, am I being a bit mischievous?"