Chapter 40: Final Warning to Shisui
Training Ground 3 was deep within the woods.
A whoosh echoed as a kunai pierced through layers of branches and leaves, precisely hitting the bullseye on a distant tree trunk. Uchiha Shisui's figure darted through the forest at high speed, leaving only a series of blurry afterimages, moving too quickly for an ordinary person's retina to even perceive.
Shisui finally stopped, his chest rising and falling slightly with his breath. The meeting with the Third Hokage ignited hope in his heart. Using Kotoamatsukami to stop the Uchiha coup was the only way Shisui could think of to prevent bloodshed among his comrades and clan members.
"I must trust Hokage-sama. The Uchiha and the Village will soon achieve peace!" Shisui whispered to himself. This was not just for the Uchiha, but for the entire Village.
"Trust?" A voice, without any warning, eerily drifted from the shadows behind Shisui. "Do you trust Hiruzen Sarutobi, or that cold position called 'Hokage'?"
Shisui's muscles instantly tensed; he spun around abruptly, the three tomoe in his eyes spinning rapidly as his Mangekyō Sharingan instantly activated. Uchiha Akira stood there silently.
"Elder Akira?" The crimson pattern in Shisui's eyes slowly faded.
"Your Body Flicker Jutsu has indeed become faster, Shisui," Akira slowly stepped out of the shadows. "But your vigilance is disappointingly lacking."
Shisui's brows furrowed slightly. "Elder Akira, I don't understand what you mean."
"The air doesn't smell right. Rotting roots, and that undisguisable, nauseating malice." Akira's gaze swept across the seemingly empty dense forest around them. "Some eyes have been glued to you."
Shisui's heart tensed, and he immediately heightened his sensory abilities to the maximum. A moment later, he shook his head in confusion. "I didn't detect any unfamiliar Chakra… Perhaps, it's the Anbu sent by Hokage-sama to protect me."
"Anbu?" Uchiha Akira let out a faint chuckle. "Do you think it's the Anbu under Hiruzen Sarutobi, or the 'Root' nurtured by Danzō?"
"Danzō-sama…" Shisui's expression visibly became complicated. He was, of course, aware of Danzō's deep-seated prejudice and hostility towards the Uchiha Clan. "Elder Akira, you're overthinking things. I've already reached a consensus with Hokage-sama, Danzō-sama, he…"
"Danzō will not hesitate to gouge out your eyes." Akira directly interrupted Shisui.
Originally, Akira didn't want to meet Shisui, but for this Uchiha genius, it would be too heartless if he didn't even give him a warning in the end, something Akira felt he couldn't do. If he warned Shisui, and he still ended up walking towards his original fate, then Akira would have nothing more to say; everything would be his own choice.
"Shisui, placing your hope on the benevolence of others is the most foolish thing to do in this world."
"This isn't benevolence, it's trust!" Shisui's emotions fluctuated noticeably for the first time, and his voice rose accordingly. "The Uchiha and the Village have reached this point precisely because of a long-standing lack of fundamental trust! I must do something to change this tragic situation!"
"So you're prepared to offer your eyes, and even your life? How powerful is Kotoamatsukami? Telling Hiruzen Sarutobi about it in its entirety, what's the difference between that and actively offering a piece of fresh meat to a hungry wolf's mouth?"
Shisui's body trembled violently. "No, Hokage-sama isn't that kind of person!"
"Shisui, wake up. Do you truly understand the Third Hokage completely? Do you think Danzō knows about your Kotoamatsukami now? Do you really believe Hiruzen Sarutobi can completely suppress him? Don't be naive, those two are just two sides of the same coin."
"No!" Shisui almost instinctively retorted. "Hokage-sama personally promised…"
"Promises are worthless in the face of absolute power." Uchiha Akira's voice carried a deep weariness. He couldn't persuade Shisui at all. "Stop now, Shisui. It's still not too late to leave Konoha immediately."
Leave Konoha? This option had never appeared in his life.
"If you don't leave, you will only become the first meaningless sacrifice. Your death, your eyes, will only accelerate the destruction of the Uchiha Clan."
Shisui fell silent. Reason told him that Elder Akira's words were the cruel truth. But the conviction burning deep within his heart prevented him from agreeing with what Akira said. He couldn't escape, and he would never escape.
Seeing the struggle and almost fanatical stubbornness in Shisui's eyes, Uchiha Akira stopped trying to persuade him. Some paths, only when one personally reaches the edge of the cliff, will they realize there is no longer a way forward.
"Since you have made your choice… then remember one thing." Uchiha Akira slowly turned around. "If the path ahead is a cliff, do not hesitate, turn back. If there's no way back… then drag your enemy down with you."
Akira's figure flickered and disappeared from the spot.
Shisui stood alone, unmoving for a long time. He shook his head vigorously, trying to shake off the ominous premonition from his mind. Ultimately, Shisui chose to believe in the Will of Fire, choosing to believe in the Third Hokage, who was hailed as the "God of Shinobi."
It… must be right.
Shisui composed his surging emotions and walked in the completely opposite direction from the Uchiha Clan Territory. He wanted to go to the Naka River to clear his head, letting the cold river breeze blow away the distracting thoughts in his mind. Additionally, Shisui had arranged to meet Itachi there.
In a dark, damp underground area. A Root ninja knelt on one knee.
"Reporting to Danzō-sama, the target has left Training Ground 3. During that time, he had a brief contact with Uchiha Akira, and their conversation lasted approximately 10 minutes."
Danzō's single eye, wrapped in bandages, snapped open, emitting a terrifying gleam. Uchiha Akira! He actually appeared!
"What did they talk about?"
"The distance was too far to hear clearly. But it could be observed that the target's emotions seemed to fluctuate quite a bit. Uchiha Akira then left on his own."
Akira's appearance was a major unexpected variable in Danzō's plan. Did Akira perceive something? Would he warn Shisui? If Shisui listened to the warning, would he change his original plan and turn against the Village?
"Where is the target now?"
"He is heading alone in the direction of the Naka River."
The Naka River. That place was secluded, and after nightfall, it was completely deserted. It was an excellent location to take his eyes. The opportunity was right before him, fleeting. If Shisui truly believed Akira's warning, then after tonight, such a perfect opportunity might never be found again.
He would take a gamble! He would gamble that Shisui's naive idealism would outweigh Uchiha Akira's warning!
"Uchiha Shisui did not return to the Uchiha Clan Territory, nor did he go to the Hokage Tower for protection, which proves he hasn't become completely suspicious! Issue my command! All squads, proceed to the designated location immediately! Barrier team, you must seal all escape routes along the Naka River at the first opportunity! Remember, I only want his eyes!"
"Yes!" The Root ninja's figure flickered and disappeared from the spot.
Danzō slowly stood up and walked to a large wall. On the wall hung a detailed map of Konoha Village. His finger pressed heavily on the location of "Naka River" on the map.
"Shisui, for the future of Konoha, please die."