Chapter 116
2-in-1-chapter
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Rēn sneered.
Shisui had no rebuttal. After reading Danzō's memories, he had little confidence left to defend his former self. Back then, he truly had been naive to the point of foolishness. Fortunately, Rēn had been there to rein in his reckless ideas, leading their clan onto a new path.
"How long are we staying here? When do we return to the village?"
Shisui tried to change the subject.
Though he admitted his past foolishness, Rēn's sharp tongue was still as painful as ever.
"Return? What nonsense are you spouting? Just because the war's over doesn't mean we pack up and go home. Don't forget, the Mist still owe us reparations! If we leave now, some of them might get stupid ideas. You strike while the iron's hot. If we don't bleed the Mist while we can, we'd be betraying the clanmates and comrades who sacrificed their lives."
Behind them stood the camp the Mist had helped rebuild.
The original Mist encampment had been obliterated by Yagura's Water Colliding Wave. Fortunately, much of the supplies remained, and with shinobi mobility, erecting a new camp was no challenge—especially with fewer than forty Konoha shinobi present.
In this decapitation mission, twenty‑three Konoha Jōnin had fallen.
Their recovered bodies lay in three tents within the camp. Among them were four who bore the Uchiha fan crest. Four Uchiha Jōnin had died— the eldest twenty‑seven, the youngest only nineteen.
The reason so many had died was simple: they had been too reckless.
Proud Uchiha charged at the front, naturally drawing the Mist shinobi's focus.
Even if one Uchiha could fight two Mist shinobi of equal rank, once surrounded by three, four, or more, unless they could break through in desperation, they could only fall in desperation. That only four had perished despite such recklessness was itself proof of the Uchiha clan's fearsome strength.
Shisui had faced the combined assault of Mangetsu, Zabuza, and Kisame. Other than Uchiha Chihaya, locked in an intense struggle with Ringo Ameyuri, nearly every Uchiha Jōnin had faced two or more Mist shinobi at once.
Four Uchiha had died in this battle.
In exchange, the Mist suffered over ten Jōnin casualties. Counting the Chūnin and Genin, the number likely neared a hundred. Uchiha Akitarō alone had more than twenty lives to his name. By contrast, Shisui, the so‑called "failure," had only taken down a few small fry, with no truly weighty kills. That was why Rēn mocked him so coldly.
Rēn had not chosen to unleash Susanoo and simply sweep the battlefield. The Uchiha Jōnin were not children who needed him to spoon‑feed and wipe after them. On the battlefield, death was normal. If the Uchiha clan's Jōnin still needed their clan head to guard them every moment, then such a clan might as well perish early.
Without tempering, raw iron could never be forged into a sharp blade.
Even Shisui, after mourning the sacrifices of his clansmen and comrades in his heart, quickly turned his attention to the matter Rēn had mentioned.
"Don't tell me… we're going to Kirigakure?" Shisui asked cautiously.
"At least you're finally thinking clearly." Rēn looked toward the distant Mist camp. "The situation in Kirigakure is complicated. Yagura Karatachi, the Fourth Mizukage, has been under the control of that man claiming to be Uchiha Madara for years. At present, most of Kirigakure's power is in the hands of their so‑called 'Master.'
"To see through the contracts we signed with Yagura, we must personally go to Kirigakure and meet this Master. It's said he is an elder from the same era as the First Hokage. Also, the Byakugan taken from the Hyūga clan is in Kirigakure. We promised to help the Hyūga recover it, and we cannot break that promise. Furthermore… we must investigate any traces that 'Uchiha Madara' may have left in Kirigakure."
At the mention of "Uchiha Madara," Shisui's expression grew grave. The one who had orchestrated the Nine‑Tails rampage, manipulated the Fourth Mizukage, and started this war was the man he most wanted to eliminate. Those who plunged the world into chaos for ambition or selfish desire were the ones he despised most.
"Rēn, did you gain anything before?" Shisui asked softly.
Unlike Yagura, who neither could nor would pursue the truth, Shisui, knowing Rēn's character, did not believe the tale about the impostor self‑destructing with explosive tags, leaving not even ashes behind.
"That man who claimed to be Uchiha Madara is not Madara. But… it can be confirmed that he is deeply connected to Madara. I told you before—he is skilled in space–time ninjutsu. Now I can tell you something new: one of his companions possesses the strongest Transformation Jutsu and Stealth Technique in the entire shinobi world."
Rēn did not admit to any gain, but used the opportunity to give Shisui new intelligence.
"As for the Transformation Jutsu, it perfectly disguised itself as the Fourth Mizukage. So many Mist shinobi, yet none of them saw through it. Shisui, be cautious. Do not let familiarity breed carelessness. A dagger from behind is far more dangerous than a Fireball Jutsu from the front."
"A Transformation Jutsu with no flaws?" Shisui frowned.
If only he had a specimen to study—he would have liked to see just how formidable this so‑called strongest Transformation Jutsu was. After all, one of Shisui's great passions was developing new techniques. He had single‑handedly expanded and enriched the arsenal of Uchiha‑style kenjutsu.
"As for the Stealth Technique, it allows the body to merge into earth and vegetation. While the jutsu is active, all traces of chakra and presence are severed from the outside world. At present, I don't know of any way to track their movements. In short, Shisui, be careful when traveling alone. If you see someone entirely white, or half black and half white, do not take them lightly."
Shisui nodded.
It sounded terrifying, indeed something to beware of… Wait? Traveling alone? Was this a warning for when he executed solo missions—or did it carry another meaning?
"There's something I want to ask of you."
"…What is it?"
Shisui sighed inwardly. So it did carry another meaning.
"Before that, let me ask you a question. Shisui, have you heard of the Six Paths Ninja Tools?" Rēn posed a strange question—so strange that Shisui could not guess what favor it might lead to. With no answer after some thought, he could only focus on the question.
The Six Paths Ninja Tools?
They were said to be treasures from the legends of the Sage of Six Paths, each with mysterious powers. Whether the Sage himself truly existed was difficult to prove.
But in reality, there were indeed a few objects known as the Six Paths Ninja Tools. Truth be told, few people still knew the name. Most were lost during the First Shinobi World War, when Kumogakure misplaced nearly all of them. By now, many young Cloud shinobi might not even know of their existence.
Shisui knew of them because, while developing new techniques, he often browsed the clan library. In the chaotic notes left by his ancestors, he had seen references to the Six Paths Ninja Tools. Most entries were boasts of his forebears' "glorious deeds."
For example: one top expert of the clan who slew an enemy clan head left the note, "The Red Gourd of the Six Paths Ninja Tools is useless." Another clan head, after a great victory, recorded: "The Bashōsen is far inferior to the Uchiha fan." There were quite a few such notes.
"Rēn, do you mean those few ninja tools of Kumogakure?" Shisui asked.
"Exactly."
Rēn nodded. "Since you know of them, that saves me the explanation. And by now you've probably guessed—the matter I want to entrust you with concerns the Six Paths Ninja Tools. I want you to help me search for them." He looked Shisui in the eyes, his tone deadly serious.
The evening glow broke through the clouds, falling upon Shisui and casting a faint warmth over his pale cheeks. The orange-red light reflected in his ink-black eyes as he looked at Rēn and asked softly, "If I remember correctly, hasn't the Six Paths Ninja Tools been lost for a very long time?"
The Six Paths Ninja Tools had been lost since the First Great Ninja War.
Buried in history together with the Second Hokage of Konoha and the "Gold and Silver Brothers" of Kumogakure, the tools had never resurfaced. Over the years, Kumogakure had never given up searching for them, yet neither the Second nor the Third Great Ninja Wars had seen their return, proving the village had still not reclaimed the lost treasures.
"I found a trace of a clue in the memories of the Third."
Rēn spoke as if it were nothing, but his words made Shisui's eyes widen. To say he had found something in Sarutobi Hiruzen's memories—despite having long since extinguished his respect for the Third Hokage—was shocking. After all, Hiruzen had still been the Hokage, not someone like Danzō.
To pry into the Hokage's memories… the act itself bordered on sacrilege.
"Don't worry. Sarutobi Hiruzen was ruthless even toward himself. His mind had many seals set up. What I managed to glimpse was less than one percent. Things like the Scroll of Seals—I saw none of that. I had originally hoped to find Flying Thunder God.
Shisui, I believe you have a very good chance of mastering the technique."
Shisui's emotions were easy to read, and Rēn was not lying. In Hiruzen's mind were numerous powerful seals. Many secrets vanished together with the self-destructing seals. What he had obtained were only scattered fragments of lesser importance.
Among them was a clue about the relics of the Sage of Six Paths.
After the death of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, the peace treaty among the Five Great Nations gradually fell apart. The First Great Ninja War erupted, claiming the lives of four Kage, including the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.
Tobirama had encountered Kumogakure's Gold and Silver Brothers also known as the "Two Lights" during an alliance ceremony with the Raikage.
The Second Raikage was killed on the spot. Though known as the "Fastest Shinobi of the Ninja World," Tobirama, for reasons unknown, did not retreat immediately. Instead, he stayed behind to cover his disciples and subordinates escape. The details of that final battle were lost to history. All that was remembered was that the fastest shinobi of the age had fallen, and Kumogakure's Two Lights ended their legendary lives as well.
In truth, Tobirama had dragged his heavily wounded body back to Konoha using the Flying Thunder God. But the injuries dealt by the Two Lights were fatal beyond recovery. Only the Senju clan's formidable vitality had allowed him to make it back alive.
Even then, he had no time to leave a will or arrange his affairs. He only left his disciples two parting sentences before breathing his last.
From Hiruzen's perspective, Rēn had seen Tobirama's final words:
"Little Monkey… I left Ginkaku at sea. Kinkaku won't live much longer either. They… huff… they're no longer a concern. From now on… huff… the future of Konoha is yours!"
The final battlefield between Tobirama and the Kinkaku had been at sea.
Why at sea? For one who wielded the Flying Thunder God, it was hardly surprising. Or perhaps, to draw the brothers away and protect his disciples and men, Tobirama had deliberately chosen a direction away from Konoha.
Knowing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen had secretly investigated his teacher's final battlefield. The scene of Kumogakure's Two Lights wielding the Six Paths Ninja Tools to kill the Second Raikage left a deep impression on him. To say he had no interest in the Six Paths Ninja Tools would have been a lie.
But unfortunately, his investigation yielded nothing.
The sea was vast. After exhausting countless manpower, he had only managed to eliminate some possibilities, narrowing it down to an island in the Land of Water. Soon after, the Second Great Ninja War erupted, leaving no time or resources for further searches.
Until now—
This long-buried memory in Sarutobi Hiruzen's mind had once again been unearthed by Rēn.
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