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"Danzo, no need to be so hasty!" A voice called out from behind him. "Let's discuss cooperation first, shall we?"
As Obito spoke, he swung his ninja sword directly toward Danzo's heart. The strike carried deadly intent, and if Danzo didn't react in time, the blade would end his life in an instant.
"Hmph."
Danzo responded with a cold snort, entirely unfazed by the imminent attack. His attention remained fixated solely on Shisui.
"Damn it, Izanagi!"
Obito growled under his breath. He knew Danzo wasn't reckless enough to ignore the threat for mere greed over the Mangekyō. The only explanation was that Danzo had mastered the forbidden jutsu of the Sharingan—an ability that allowed him to rewrite reality itself for a brief moment.
"I won't let you succeed!"
Despite his blurry vision and weakened state, Shisui mustered his remaining strength. With a swift turn, he narrowly avoided Danzo's grasp, keeping the precious Mangekyō out of reach.
If he hadn't exhausted so much energy tonight, he would have used his Kotoamatsukami, on this high-ranking Konoha official.
But, unfortunately, the opportunity to employ it had slipped away—squandered because of the interference of the enigmatic figure shadowing Danzo.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion echoed, and the dense smoke that had engulfed the area dissipated entirely in its wake.
"Danzo-sama!"
The Root members immediately turned their attention to the aftermath. As they gazed at the empty ground where the explosion had occurred, their expressions shifted between relief, confusion, and a flicker of excitement.
Yet, they quickly masked their emotions, maintaining a stoic demeanor. They let out startled cries before widening their eyes and meticulously scanning the area for any signs of movement.
"What are you staring at?" Danzo's voice was sharp and cold. "I'll deal with all of you when we return."
He cast a piercing glare at his subordinates, especially at those whose expressions betrayed them. With a dark and brooding demeanor, he fixed his gaze on the spot where Shisui had fallen, momentarily lost in thought.
The next morning, dawn had not yet broken.
At the residence of the Uchiha clan leader, Itachi, impeccably dressed, stepped out of his home and immediately noticed a black crow perched on the eaves.
A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Has Shisui sent you with a message for me?"
These crows were their shared companions, often used as messengers. When Shisui and Itachi were too occupied to meet, these birds ensured their communication remained uninterrupted.
Caw! Caw! Caw!
The crow, spotting Itachi, circled him a few times before settling on his shoulder. It extended its left claw, revealing that it was holding something.
For some inexplicable reason, Itachi sensed a note of sorrow in the crow's caw.
"Could it be...?"
Dismissing the troubling thoughts forming in his mind, he extended his hand in response to the crow's signal.
"...Itachi, I entrust the Uchiha name to you!"
From the crow's claw, Itachi retrieved a small object. As soon as he touched it, a familiar chakra surged through him, flooding his mind with vivid, successive visions.
Finally, the images coalesced into a warning before dissipating, leaving Itachi stunned.
"Shisui..."
—
**Somewhere in the Land of Water**
On top of a large tree, inside a tree hollow a seal matrix glowed as if activated or as if it was going to explode.
Swish!!
"Whew, that was a close call.." Toshiro said. Looking at the battered and unconscious body of Shisui on his shoulder. He immediately started treating Shisui with his medical ninjutsu. Simultaneously he created a shadow clone to gather natural energy to enter sage mode to increase his healing power. Due to his increased vitality and prolonged usage of Hashirama cells, he was able to enter sage mode in just 10 seconds.
After administering a few blood and food pills via Shisui's mouth and using his healing jutsu to close the stab wound, which was responsible for the pooling of blood in his lungs, Shisui's condition began to stabilize.
After confirming that Shisui's condition is stable. Toshiro again lifted his clanmate on his shoulder and jumped to another location via the hiraishin.
—-
"Obito, what's our next move?"
White Zetsu's concern was evident. With the fallout between Obito and Danzo, it seemed unlikely that Danzo would now agree to use his influence to act against the Uchiha clan.
"Don't worry. I have a way to make him cooperate with us again," Obito replied confidently.
After a brief pause, a new plan began to form in his mind. Danzo and the Konoha leadership had long harbored mistrust toward the Uchiha clan. All he needed to do was provide them with the right excuse—one that would compel them to act.
"Really, just an excuse is enough," he said, a dark determination in his voice.
With that, Obito signaled to White Zetsu, and the two vanished from sight.
—
On the streets of Konoha, whispers began to spread like wildfire.
"Did you hear?" a housewife murmured conspiratorially to an elderly woman.
"They say Uchiha Shisui, that Shunshin no Shisui, failed to protect the Kirigakure negotiation team. Word is, the team met a mysterious and tragic end within the Land of Fire!"
"Really?" a skeptical voice questioned. "I thought Uchiha Shisui wasn't just anyone. He's an elite jounin and a war veteran. How could someone like him make such a serious mistake?"
"It's true! But there's more to this than meets the eye," the housewife whispered conspiratorially, glancing around to ensure no one else was listening. Lowering her voice, she continued, "I heard the Fourth Mizukage has gathered a large force near Konoha's border because of this incident. They're demanding an explanation!"
"What?"
The other woman gasped loudly, her shock evident. She was clearly not the calm type, as her shopping bags tumbled to the ground in her distraction.
"Where did you hear this? Tell me everything!" she pleaded, her panic unmistakable. Her son was serving in Konoha's border troops, and if war broke out with the Land of Water, he would be in grave danger.
Before the news of Shisui's death could fully circulate in Konoha, an even more alarming rumor sent shockwaves through the village, igniting widespread fear and speculation.
As public opinion intensified, more damning rumors about the Uchiha clan began to circulate.
Some claimed that the Uchiha were behind the Nine-Tails incident a few years ago. Others alleged that the last war with the Cloud Ninja was instigated by the clan.
Now, the annihilation of the Kiri's negotiation team was being blamed on Uchiha Shisui's poor leadership, with accusations that his incompetence led directly to the disastrous outcome.
There were also widespread reports of violent law enforcement, corruption, and other misconduct within the clan. The allegations seemed to multiply by the day.
—
Meanwhile, in the Land of Water's frontline camp, Mei Terumi had just returned from her mission in the Land of Fire when she was handed an urgent scroll.
"Has the Yondaime Hokage completely lost his mind?" She muttered, her fists tightening with audible cracks as she scanned the contents.
The scroll bore a shocking directive: to prepare for an all-out war against Konoha before even returning to Kirigakure.
For a moment, I almost thought I was hallucinating.
"I think even if the Yondaime isn't outright insane, he's definitely on the verge of it," muttered Mangetsu, standing next to her. He rolled his eyes at his sister's complaint but quickly shifted his focus back to Genko Hozuki, who stood nearby.
Truth be told, he preferred spending time with Genko and indulging in their shared interests over dwelling on troublesome matters.
"Ahem!"
Mangetsu's unabashed gaze made Genko's cheeks flush with warmth. She felt conflicted—happy, yet a bit exasperated.
When they were alone, she didn't mind letting him have his way. But why did he have to make her so self-conscious in front of others?
"Mangetsu... now's not the time for this. We need to focus on business!"
She felt genuinely flustered under his unrelenting gaze. After clearing her throat twice, Genko noticed that Mangetsu showed no intention of toning down his behavior. Her expression darkened as she began to scold him.
"Yes, yes, I hear you!" Mangetsu replied, though his tone was far from sincere. The adoration practically radiating from his eyes was enough to make Mei Terumi, seated at the head of the room, feel like rolling hers.
'Do these two have no shame?' Mei thought irritably. 'They're glued to each other all day, flaunting their affection without a care in the world. And I'm here—single. Have they ever considered my feelings?'
"I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing," interrupted Ao, sensing the awkward atmosphere in the room.
"Oh? Enlighten me, Ao~" Mei said, tilting her head slightly, her interest piqued.
During their retreat from the Land of Fire, Mei had made an unexpected discovery: Ao, in addition to his formidable Byakugan, actually had a sharp mind to match.
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