Late at night, in a secluded room at the Konoha ANBU headquarters.
Shisui had rushed back to the village without stopping for rest, driven by duty and grief. Now, he gently placed Kimura's body on the stone platform in the center of the room and turned away, his shoulders heavy with exhaustion.
"I'll leave him to you," Shisui said quietly to an ANBU operative standing nearby. He prepared to depart for the Hokage's office to report on the mission's outcome.
"Understood," the ANBU replied with a nod.
Suddenly, the operative's eyes shifted toward the doorway, and his demeanor changed instantly. He turned and bowed respectfully.
"Hokage-sama, Yoruki-sama, Captain Itachi!"
Minato, Uchiha Yoruki, and Itachi—who had recently been promoted to squad leader—had already arrived at the threshold.
Shisui turned, lowering his head slightly in deference. "Hokage-sama, Yoruki-sama," he acknowledged before offering Itachi a tired smile. He had heard from the ANBU operative earlier about his friend taking over as an ANBU captain.
The three entered the room with measured steps. As the ANBU operative withdrew and closed the door behind them, they immediately noticed the profound sadness lingering in Shisui's eyes.
Minato's gaze moved past Shisui to Kimura's motionless form on the stone platform. A flicker of sorrow passed through his deep blue eyes.
He approached Shisui, placing a comforting hand on the young man's shoulder. "You needn't blame yourself for your companion's death," he said gently. "I assigned you this dangerous mission. If anyone bears responsibility, it's me for my failure as Hokage."
"No," Shisui protested, his composure finally cracking. His voice emerged hoarse with emotion. "This isn't Hokage's fault. The decisions made were mine alone. I should face whatever consequences come."
"Rather than drowning in grief, you should channel that energy into completing the mission," Uchiha Yoruki interjected solemnly. "That would truly honor your fallen comrade."
How could any leader remain completely unmoved when their operatives perished? Yet the shinobi path was fraught with peril. The day one became a ninja was the day one accepted the possibility of death.
To dwell excessively on sorrow was merely escapism.
"Yes, sir!"
Shisui's trembling expression hardened with renewed resolve at Yoruki's words, even as tears traced silent paths down his face.
His black pupils suddenly transformed, crimson flooding into his irises. The three tomoe began rotating slowly, then merged to form an entirely new pattern under the shocked gazes of those present.
"Mangekyō Sharingan?!"
Minato and the others exclaimed in unison.
Uchiha Yoruki understood better than most what awakening the Mangekyō meant for its wielder. Kimura and Shisui had been close friends and partners in ANBU for many years. His sacrifice had catalyzed Shisui's evolution into this legendary dōjutsu.
"What happened after we lost contact with you?" Minato asked, regaining his composure quickly. His familiarity with the Mangekyō's secrets allowed him to move past the initial shock.
So it's finally recovered, Shisui thought to himself. During his journey back to Konoha from the island in the Land of Water, he had been unable to reactivate the Mangekyō despite numerous attempts. The ocular energy consumed by "Kotoamatsukami" had been truly staggering.
Lifting his gaze to meet the eyes of his leaders, Shisui recounted everything that had transpired over the past months, withholding nothing from his report.
"Kotoamatsukami? An ocular power that can fundamentally alter another person's thoughts?"
Even formidable shinobi like Minato and Uchiha Yoruki couldn't hide their astonishment at what they were hearing.
Itachi's surprise manifested openly on his normally composed face. Though he had awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan himself and excelled in genjutsu, the ability to manipulate another's thoughts so completely was almost beyond comprehension.
In a very real sense, Kotoamatsukami represented an invincible power.
After a thoughtful pause, Minato inquired, "After using Kotoamatsukami, were you unable to maintain the Mangekyō state for a period of time?"
Uchiha Yoruki had experienced something similar after his confrontation with Nagato, though in that instance, Nagato had used the Rinnegan's power to forcibly suppress his dōjutsu.
For Minato, who had spent years researching ways to mitigate the Mangekyō's side effects, the implications were concerning.
If it were merely a temporary inability to use the Mangekyō, with a transitional weakening of ocular power, that would be manageable.
"After we conclude here, you will immediately report to Konoha Hospital for a complete physical examination with Lady Tsunade," Minato instructed.
To Minato's heightened perception, Shisui's chakra signature seemed unusually subdued, though it didn't display typical signs of simple exhaustion.
The Mangekyō could indeed grant its wielder tremendous power, but the price it extracted was equally significant.
Shisui was both his disciple and subordinate—Minato refused to leave his health at risk.
After brief hesitation, Shisui nodded in agreement.
"You handled this mission exceptionally well," Minato continued, his tone shifting to one of approval. "Barring unforeseen complications, it should prove successful."
The plan Shisui had devised, utilizing his newly awakened ability, appeared virtually flawless. If Shō's Byakugan could identify the individual manipulating the Fourth Mizukage from the shadows, their control over the Hidden Mist Village would crumble.
The person controlling Kirigakure was almost certainly the masked man who had attacked Konoha years ago.
This masked figure, along with the black-robed individual and others like Kakuzu, Sasori, and newer recruits such as Deidara, represented a force that had already surpassed the Hidden Mist Village in strength.
However, their activities had been conducted with the utmost secrecy for years. Even if the truth were revealed, the Hidden Mist Village would likely emerge relatively unscathed.
If Kirigakure suffered a significant blow, the masked man and his allies would become the focus of intense scrutiny throughout the shinobi world. According to Minato's analysis, this would create immense obstacles to whatever grand plan they intended to implement.
For the sake of preserving its reputation, Kirigakure would undoubtedly conceal the fact that their Mizukage had been manipulated by outside forces.
Following their conversation, Minato, Uchiha Yoruki, and Shisui proceeded to Konoha Hospital.
Tsunade conducted a comprehensive examination, with results that weren't available until midnight.
Holding the medical report in her hand, she regarded the three men before her with grave seriousness. "The reason Shisui's chakra appears abnormal is due to extreme chakra depletion, which has significantly reduced cellular activity throughout his body."
Uchiha Yoruki and Shisui didn't fully grasp the medical terminology, but Minato—who had once assisted Tsunade in developing her medical techniques—understood the implications all too well.
Tsunade fixed her gaze on Shisui intently. "In the future, you must avoid using this Mangekyō Sharingan technique if at all possible."
Her voice dropped lower, more solemn. "Based on my findings, using this ocular technique not only consumes massive amounts of visual prowess and chakra—it actively shortens your lifespan."
Both Uchiha Yoruki and Shisui reacted with visible alarm.
Minato's expression darkened as well. After a moment of contemplation, he addressed Shisui with firm resolve. "Effective immediately, Kotoamatsukami is classified as a forbidden technique. You are prohibited from using it again unless absolutely necessary—when no other alternative exists."
Shisui recognized Minato's protective intention. He had no desire to rely excessively on this power anyway. It was an ability granted to him through his best friend's death—Shisui would use it solely to protect Konoha when truly needed.
He nodded in acceptance, and Minato's expression softened slightly. "Take proper rest in the coming days. I'll entrust you with arranging support for Kimura's family."
When ANBU operatives died in service, they couldn't follow the normal village procedures. Their names would never be engraved on the memorial stone that commemorated fallen heroes.
They lived in shadow, and they died in shadow—unsung heroes whose sacrifices remained known only to a select few.
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