Seeing Shisui’s weary face, Hyuga Kyo reassured him, “Don’t worry, things will turn around.”
Shisui replied, “I hope so.”
The village’s increasing pressure on the Uchiha clan reflected its vulnerability.
The instigator of all this turmoil was Uchiha Obito, who lurked in the shadows, always ready to strike at Konoha.
The current Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was truly overwhelmed.
With age, Hiruzen’s strength had begun to decline from its peak. This was fine because his carefully chosen successor, the Fourth Hokage, hadn’t died unexpectedly.
But everything changed with the untimely death of the young and powerful Fourth Hokage.
The troubles facing Konoha, whether from the external threat of Kumogakure or the internal strife with the Uchiha clan, were repercussions of the Fourth Hokage’s death.
If Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Kushina Uzumaki, were still alive, Kumogakure wouldn’t dare to act rashly, and the Uchiha clan wouldn’t have harbored rebellious thoughts. Many of the misfortunes that befell Konoha could have been avoided.
But the Fourth Hokage was dead, and Konoha was in turmoil.
Glancing behind them, Hyuga Kyo said softly, “We’re being followed.”
Shisui nodded, “Yes, I noticed when I arrived.”
After a brief thought, Hyuga Kyo concluded, “It’s probably Danzo’s Root.”
Team Eleven was directly under the Hokage’s command. Normally, they would be the ones monitoring others, not the ones being observed. If the Hokage didn’t trust them, he would simply revoke their Anbu status instead of assigning another Anbu team to watch them.
Shisui, seemingly unconcerned, said calmly, “I won’t harm the village, so I’m not afraid of being watched.”
Hyuga Kyo countered, “You’re oversimplifying things.”
Shisui, curious, asked, “What do you mean, Senpai?”
“Surveillance is a signal. It not only indicates that Danzo doesn’t trust us but also that he isn’t afraid of us,” Hyuga Kyo said, a slight smile on his lips. “He can distrust us, but he shouldn’t be unafraid of us!”
Shisui had mistakenly believed that Hyuga Kyo’s power with the Giant Tenseigan Chakra was his normal strength. In Shisui’s eyes, Hyuga Kyo was currently the undisputed strongest in Konoha, surpassing the Third Hokage and one of the Sannin, Jiraiya.
Worried, Shisui asked, “Senpai, you don’t really intend to act against Danzo, do you?”
Seeing Shisui’s terrified expression, Hyuga Kyo realized that Shisui couldn’t bring himself to act against Konoha’s leadership. “You don’t need to do anything. Just keep this a secret for me.”
The truth was, those who feared Danzo were the loyal Konoha shinobi who wouldn’t defect. For those who considered defection an option, Danzo was nothing.
In a dense forest outside Konoha.
“Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!”
After releasing a fire jutsu, Uchiha Shinichi fell to his knees, panting heavily. He quickly stood up and resumed throwing shuriken at a distant target.
He had been training rigorously all morning, not pausing even though his clothes were soaked with sweat.
Ever since his failed challenge against Hyuga Kyo, in which Shisui carried him back, Shinichi has become the laughingstock of the Uchiha clan, enduring endless ridicule and doubt from his clan members.
This torment nearly drove him insane.
From that day on, he seldom returned to the Uchiha compound, preferring to train here, using intense training to numb his mind.
From a distance, a masked man sitting cross-legged on a tree branch observed Shinichi’s fervent training and said indifferently, “Is he the one?”
Half of his body emerging from the tree trunk, Zetsu nodded, “I can feel the hatred in his heart.”
As Akatsuki’s scout, Zetsu’s sensory abilities were exceptional, allowing him even to sense the emotions of his targets.
The masked man seemed reminded of something, his tone remaining cold, “Such hatred is still far from enough.”
Zetsu replied, “This is the best candidate that fits your criteria.”
Most Uchiha shinobi served in the Konoha Police Force and rarely left the village under normal circumstances.
Shinichi Uchiha was an exception.
Moreover, Shinichi possessed a three-tomoe Sharingan and the strength of a Special Jounin, with his heart filled with hatred. Upon discovering him, Zetsu immediately reported to the masked man.
After hesitating, the masked man nodded, “Alright, wait here. I’ll go see him.”
With that, the masked man’s body twisted into a vortex and vanished without a trace.
Moments later, he reappeared behind Shinichi, speaking in a deep, hoarse voice, “Young Uchiha, how pathetic you look.”
Startled, Shinichi quickly turned and leaped back, demanding, “Who are you!?”
The masked man chuckled, “Who I am doesn’t matter. What matters is that I can give you what you desire!”
Infuriated, Shinichi shouted, “You think I’m an idiot? I’m Uchiha Shinichi!”
The masked man slowly spread his arms, his tone calm and unchanging, “You are nothing.”
Feeling deeply insulted, Shinichi could no longer hold back. Drawing his short sword, he charged at the masked man.
Seeing the masked man standing still, not evading or defending, Shinichi’s face lit up with a sinister smile.
“Die!”
However, as the blade struck the masked man, it passed right through his body without resistance. The handle’s tactile feedback confirmed that he had hit nothing.
“What…!?”
Before Shinichi could react, the masked man punched him in the stomach.
As he lay on the ground, Shinichi stared at the masked man in disbelief, “I… I clearly hit you. Why… is this genjutsu!?”
Believing he had figured it out, Shinichi’s Sharingan spun rapidly.
The masked man sneered, “You keep calling yourself an Uchiha. Is this all you’ve got?”
Gritting his teeth, Shinichi said, “I’ve broken your genjutsu!”
Standing up, he quickly formed hand seals, “Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!”
A massive fireball flew toward the masked man, scorching a row of trees into charcoal.
After carefully scanning the surroundings and finding no trace of the masked man, Shinichi muttered, “Is he dead?”
Suddenly, the masked man reappeared behind him, placed a hand on his shoulder, and dragged him into a swirling vortex.
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