A Sudden Attack

Hundreds of masks of all kinds hung in front of Sakura, creating a dazzling and overwhelming effect.

The mask and the code name are linked; one mask corresponds to one code name, so Anbu Ninja cannot use the same mask indiscriminately.

Since the mask and code name were to be used for a long time, they could not be changed once chosen. So Sakura carefully selected one. She wanted a mask that looked cool and a code name that was easy to recognize.

Excluding some particularly ugly masks and strange titles, most of the remaining ones were actually quite similar. Although Sakura didn't suffer from decision-making difficulties, too many choices could indeed be overwhelming. After hesitating for a while, the Anbu Ninja waiting nearby couldn't stand it anymore and urged, "Just pick one! Why are women so indecisive!"

Perhaps it was a thought that came to mind when he was strolling around town with his girlfriend.

Sakura's face darkened, and she immediately wanted to retort, "I'm still a girl, not a woman!"

However, she suppressed the urge to complain and randomly chose a strange white cat-face mask with a tag attached that read the code name: Kite.

"I've made my choice," she said, patting the mask to remove the dust.

The mask was made of some unknown material, harder and tougher than ordinary plastic. Sakura tried to bend it, but it only deformed slightly.

"Don't bother trying it. This mask is made of special materials. Besides concealing your identity, it also offers some protection for your face," the Monkey- faced ninja said while registering the mask the girl had removed.

"Put on the mask first."

He watched as the girl put on her mask before solemnly saying, "When the Anbu are on a mission, they cannot reveal their real names, nor can they remove their masks. This is an ironclad rule passed down from the Second Hokage."

"However, even today, this ironclad rule is just a convention. Every ninja has their own habitual movements and Ninjutsu, which cannot be changed, and cannot be concealed even with a mask. As long as one is determined to gather intelligence, finding out which ninja is behind the mask is not a difficult task."

"Just like your mentor back in the Anbu, even if he wore a mask, as long as he used his Lightning Blade, or even just if someone saw his hairstyle and short sword, the enemy could recognize him as the famous Copy Ninja, Kakashi Hatake."

"So this rule is irrelevant now. The mask is merely a marker to identify Anbu; its function of concealing identity is negligible." He glanced at the graceful young woman. "Besides, a ninja like you probably has more distinctive Ninjutsu than your face."

A forced smile appeared on the face beneath the cherry blossom mask.

Indeed, her unique Ninjutsu is unparalleled in the entire Shinobi World. Aside from Water Gun Technique and Ice Release, even when she uses other Ninjutsu, she is instantly recognizable; the exquisite aura emanating from her Ninjutsu has long been part of her character.

Those who truly stay in the Anbu for a long time are mostly highly skilled ninjas who lack distinctive characteristics. They all have the quality of being unrecognizable when they wear masks, which is advantageous for carrying out covert missions.

However, even the longest-serving ninja will eventually quit, and no matter how obscure they seem, they'll become famous eventually. As the saying goes, "People fear becoming famous, just as pigs fear becoming fat, "Anbu especially fears members with too much fame. Are ninjas who wear masks and are indistinguishable from those not wearing them, going on covert missions, as if they want everyone to know Konoha is up to something?

Even the most skilled Anbu wouldn't be able to utilize a ninja like that. That's why a powerful ninja like Kakashi retired from the Anbu after a few years, and this is partly to explain it.

Without a doubt, this Anbu Ninja with the Monkey mask belongs to the type of ninja who is very strong but has no outstanding characteristics. He has probably been in the Anbu for three to five years and is a staunch confidant of the Hokage Faction.

In comparison, Sakura's unique and distinctive Ninjutsu is simply too dazzling.

"So the mask is for protecting ninjas like me," Sakura heard a hint of self-deprecation in her senior Anbu's laughter. "I don't have any original Ninjutsu; I just use common techniques. Even my Anbu colleagues mistake me for someone else when I wear the mask."

He glanced at the girl. "A ninja like you is just going through the motions in the Anbu, nothing more than a superficial experience to enhance your resume."

"Uh... Senior laughed." Sakura gave an awkward laugh.

Although his words were a bit stiff, she could roughly tell that he just didn't quite know how to interact with girls.

She wanted to strike up a conversation with a girl, but didn't want to seem too obsequious, so she could only resort to these barbed words... She had misjudged the situation; this senior member of the Anbu definitely didn't have a girlfriend.

The girl understood this feeling perfectly; she knew some boys would stutter when facing pretty girls, because she had been like that in her past life. However, this ailment had miraculously disappeared; after all, no one felt nervous around her anymore, which was truly a cause for celebration...

"No, that's not true. Anyway, whether you wear a mask or not when you're with your colleagues in the Anbu is up to you. However, it's best to wear one when you're out on a mission. It's standard attire, understand?"

"By the way, the eyes on the mask can be enlarged by cutting them open. If you feel they're obstructing your vision, just adjust them. Then use Chakra to tighten the mask and stick it to your face, and it won't block your vision anymore," he said in a deep voice.

"Oh oh."

Sakura quickly removed the mask and fastened the two rings around the eye holes. There was a specially designed material around the eye holes that could be removed. Sakura widened the ring by herself, then put it back on, using Chakra to firmly attach the mask to her face.

She had been wondering when she put it on that the eye area of the mask was so wide and so far from her eyes, causing half of her vision to disappear. Wouldn't that severely obstruct her vision during combat? She wondered how the Anbu managed to fight while wearing masks. Only now did she realize that the Anbu had such attention to detail in their design.

She shook her head, looked around to make sure there were no other problems, and then announced loudly, "Senior, I've got it."

"Very good. Wearing a mask when on a mission is the first principle of the Anbu." The senior Anbu officer led the girl out of the warehouse. "The second principle is that you can only use code names when on a mission, not your real names. Your code name is 'Tobi,' so from now on I will only call you Tobi, not Sakura Haruno. Similarly, here you can only call me by my code name, Katsura U, not my real name. Do you understand?"

"Understood."

"Of course, both of these rules are established to protect the privacy of Anbu Ninja. If you are the kind of ninja whose features are obvious and who will inevitably be recognized, or if you are the kind of ninja whose strength is so great that you don't need to worry about being recognized, then you can ignore these two rules."

"Next is the entrance exam for the Anbu." Katsura U unlocked a rusty door, behind which was a deep, dark corridor.

Without waiting for the girl to reply, he strode inside.

Sakura ran a few steps to catch up, walked to the side of the Anbu Ninja Katsura U, tilted her head and asked, "What will happen if I don't pass?"

Her hair hadn't been cut for a while, and now it had grown to shoulder length. When she tilted her head, the soft hair slid down her cheeks, blocking her view, so Sakura naturally reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Unqualified?" He glanced at the girl out of the corner of his eye and saw her slender fingers brushing her hair aside. Katsura U saw that her emerald-like eyes were as calm as water, only occasionally Qidian light, and his voice suddenly became even harsher.

"You'll need to undergo training, then retake the exam, and only those who pass can be officially hired."

After walking down a long corridor, the light bulbs seemed to be broken, and the passageway was pitch black.

Katsura U's voice seemed sinister in the darkness. "Someone like you, passing the test isn't difficult. The Anbu's test values your strength and vigilance the most. You're very strong. As long as you stay alert, you'll pass. Follow me; the test location is just ahead."

Reaching the next corner, Katsura U turned right. The road ahead was completely dark, devoid of any light source. He continued, "The test is just past this corner..."

The lingering Amaterasu from the corridor illuminated his face, while the other half of his face disappeared into the darkness around the corner, making his expression appear suddenly gloomy and uncertain.

Sakura followed closely behind him and turned right. The road ahead was so dark that the ground was not visible. After a few more steps, Katsura U was completely enveloped in darkness.

She followed him into complete darkness, and Katsura U, who had just turned the corner, had completely disappeared.

"Senior Katsura U?" the girl called out softly.

However, what answered her was a strange and swift Kunai that emerged silently from the darkness!

Whoosh!

In the pitch-black darkness, the swift, sharp point of the Kunai was already close to Sakura's forehead.

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(How about we post this morning chapter earlier, around midnight, from now on?)