"Hado No. 96 — Ittō Kasō!"
At the very moment Yuki Yoru pierced through his chest, Uchiha Shisui's hand shot out and clamped tightly onto Yoru's arm, locking him in place to ensure he couldn't escape the next strike.
At the same time, the reiatsu he had condensed to the limit burst out. The strongest Hadō he currently possessed was released in that instant.
"What—?!"
A flash of surprise flickered in Yoru's eyes.
In the next second, a column of fire burst from the ground. Centered on Shisui and Yoru, it surged into the sky like the end of the world. The ground cracked open under its force.
The flame pillar looked like a giant blade. It pierced straight through Kirisumi Island, and the heat engulfed everything. Even space began to burn and twist.
"Wh-What is that…?"
Across the battlefield, countless Hollows stared in horror. That fire didn't just threaten to destroy them—just being near it might reduce their spiritual bodies to ashes.
As the firestorm died down, a lone figure hovered in the air.
Shisui stood panting in midair, left arm limp at his side, eyes cold and razor-sharp.
Hadō No. 96: Ittō Kasō—the highest-level Kido he could cast. Not only the most advanced spell he had mastered, but also the single most destructive.
Its power was terrifying. To use it, one had to burn their own limbs to cinders as a sacrifice, summoning a blade of hellfire capable of incinerating anything in its path. Even among the current captains of the Gotei 13, only a rare few could use this forbidden spell.
For an ordinary soul, casting this spell would mean sacrificing an entire limb.
But Shisui was far from ordinary.
In just a few breaths, the wild reiatsu around him began to settle. The gaping hole in his chest rapidly regenerated. Even the arm that had turned to charcoal was restored to its original state.
High-Speed Regeneration—a trait possessed only by Hollows.
"Using the rapid regeneration gained through Hollowfication to amplify your output… The Uchiha's combat instincts really are exceptional."
The calm voice only deepened the gloom in Shisui's eyes.
As the flames faded, a figure stepped out from the inferno—completely unharmed.
Shisui's pupils shrank. He clenched his fists.
"Even Ittō Kasō… didn't work?"
"Don't be too surprised," Yoru said, smiling gently. "Your power is like a rushing stream—but when that stream crashes into the sea, how many waves can it really stir?"
He glanced at Shisui's partially Hollowfied form.
"Still, your performance was impressive. At the very least, you're now strong enough to swing your blade against beings from beyond this world."
"Welcome back, my Second Division Captain."
"…You bastard."
Shisui's expression was complicated as he stared at Yoru. Even after all the killing intent he had unleashed, this man could still speak so calmly, so naturally, about coming back to the team?
Was he not afraid? That Shisui might poison the pot—become a traitor to all of Soul Society?
Or… did Yoru simply see him as insignificant?
Maybe that was it.
Even at full power, he hadn't managed to so much as touch Yoru's robes.
The gap between them was like heaven and earth—like the bright moon and a firefly.
"What a joke…" Shisui laughed bitterly. "Should I be grateful for your mercy?"
"If you mean it sincerely, then yes—I'd look forward to that."
"…Hmph."
Shisui's Hollowfication test was officially deemed a success.
Once in that state, his combat strength increased across the board—several times over, in fact. However, there was a significant downside: his rationality and cognitive control dropped sharply.
Still, if that loss could be managed, Hollowfication might become a simple, raw power-enhancement tool—nothing more.
For now, large-scale testing wasn't an option. Even Shisui, equipped with the Rinnegan, had nearly lost control. It was easy to imagine how poorly the other captains might fare.
But Yoru wasn't in a rush.
Upon returning to the Kirigakure, he submitted Shisui's experimental report to Uzumaki Hiromi, along with a small reward: Shisui only needed to assist Hiromi's lab with a short round of follow-up Hollowfication research.
Once that was done, Shisui left to return to the Uchiha compound within the village.
But before he could get far, a fiery red figure blocked his path.
"…You're…"
He stared at the familiar face. His eyes widened.
"Lady Kushina?!"
"Let's talk."
Uzumaki Kushina stood in front of him. Though still youthful in appearance, Shisui's eyes revealed a quiet fatigue that didn't escape her notice. She sighed softly.
"Let's talk about Konoha. And about… us."
"This..."
Shisui froze for a second, but quickly understood. Kushina wasn't just referring to the two of them.
There were others involved in this meeting.
But who?
Without another word, he followed her lead.
In truth, the two of them were already fairly familiar with each other—not only because Shisui had once stood shoulder to shoulder with Namikaze Minato as one of Konoha's "Twin Stars," but also because there had once been another Uchiha under Minato's command:
Uchiha Obito.
Despite what Obito had become—his identity and actions now steeped in controversy—back when they were all still in Konoha, Shisui and Kushina had shared no small number of interactions.
The two walked one behind the other. Although they weren't shunpo-dashing, their pace was certainly not slow.
Before long, they arrived at Kushina's residence.
The door opened, and inside—several familiar figures.
Shisui blinked in disbelief.
"Lady Tsunade… and—Lord Orochimaru?!"
"Uchiha Shisui," Orochimaru drawled, licking his lips. His vertical pupils glittered with unhidden curiosity. "The true genius of the Uchiha clan. I've reviewed all the experiment logs since the Fourth Hokage took office. Without you, Kirigakure's progress in both Kekkei Genkai and soul experiments probably wouldn't have been so rapid."
"…Thanks for the compliment, I guess."
Shisui's mouth twitched. Orochimaru's tone had the unmistakable bite of sarcasm, but he also understood the man's nature.
As one of the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru wasn't someone who indulged in low-level mockery. He was entirely, singularly obsessed with scientific experimentation.
Still—when had Orochimaru joined Kirigakure? During the period when Shisui was undergoing Hollowfication?
He wasn't sure. But if Orochimaru was here now, one thing was certain:
This infamous Konoha rogue had already found a new identity.
And oddly enough—Shisui couldn't sense any spiritual energy from him.
Which meant Orochimaru hadn't yet become a Shinigami.
"I honestly thought you might miss this historic moment," Tsunade said, eyeing him from head to toe. "Your spiritual energy is steady, but there's something else—a faint trace of violent, negative energy… Looks like you've succeeded, haven't you?"
"Mm. You could say that."
Shisui nodded, settling down on a tatami mat inside the room.
There was no need to hide it. His Hollowfication was no secret among the Shinigami. In fact, Yuki Yoru had never made any effort to cover it up.
Now that Shisui had returned in one piece, it was obvious that the experiment had been a success.
"The fusion of Hollow and Shinigami," Orochimaru muttered, his long tongue flicking out again. "A Shinigami's body wielding the power of Hollows… Just thinking about it is fascinating. And your eyes…"
He leaned forward, eyes narrowing.
"Shisui-kun, would you allow me to research you?"?"
The Rinnegan.
It was the reason Orochimaru had once joined Akatsuki—drawn by its immense potential and the power of Nagato's eyes.
Unfortunately, even now that he had settled in Kirigakure, he'd only come into close contact with Nagato a few times.
Nagato's own explanation was simple:
Though we may both serve Akatsuki, mortals should keep a respectful distance from gods.
"Research..."
Shisui's expression darkened. He looked up.
His Rinnegan gleamed, overflowing with unfiltered killing intent.
Seriously?
Uzumaki Hiromi had the full backing of Yuki Yoru. She was the Head Researcher of the Kirigakure, overseeing all soul experimentation. The Shinigamification of their entire division—Shisui included—was essentially her responsibility.
If she researches him, he wouldn't complain.
But Orochimaru? A rogue ninja from Konoha who hadn't even become a Shinigami?
What gave him the right?
"What piercing eyes…" Orochimaru murmured, utterly unfazed by Shisui's killing intent. Instead of shrinking back, he only leaned in closer—eyes glinting with an unsettling light.
He could sense something strange about Shisui's Rinnegan. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but…
It felt stronger than Nagato's.
Was it because chakra had been replaced with Reiryoku (spiritual power) after becoming a Shinigami?
Orochimaru's curiosity blazed, almost uncontrollable. He wanted to begin experimenting immediately—but luckily, his survival instincts overruled his scientific fervor. With great effort, he forced himself to stay calm.
Even so, he never took his eyes off Shisui—not for a second.
The sheer hunger in Orochimaru's gaze made Shisui's skin crawl.
He resisted the urge to punch the man through the wall and instead turned to Tsunade.
"Lady Tsunade. You mentioned something about a… major event?"
"The Hokage election," she said casually. "They're choosing the Fifth Hokage. And thanks to you, odds are high the next one will be from your Uchiha clan."
The words themselves were perfectly logical, with clear tone and structure.
But when strung together…
There was something oddly unsettling about them.
An Uchiha Hokage…
Fugaku-sama… have you finally taken that step?
When the conflict between Konoha and Kumogakure erupted, Shisui had already begun the Hollowfication process. He hadn't known what was happening in the outside world, but deep down, he had a feeling.
Back then, he had agreed to undergo the transformation to help Konoha survive its greatest threat.
And now, it seemed the village hadn't just made it through…
It had flourished.
Could the Uchiha clan… finally stand tall again?
"Yo—looks like everyone's here."
With a sudden voice, Yuki Yoru appeared in front of the group in a flicker of spiritual light. His tone was casual and playful, the corners of his mouth curved into an easy smile.
"A proper reunion of old friends like this? That's rare. Sure, we all live under the same roof now, but to meet openly like this? I'd say that's worthy of celebration."
"And with such a good show about to start… how about some snacks? Sunflower seeds? Dried fish? Pickled squid?"
The four others gave him varying looks.
Tsunade snorted and slapped her hand on the table.
"Less yapping. Set things up properly. As for snacks—I already had my elite prepare everything."
"S-Sorry I'm late!"
A small, breathless voice came from the doorway.
Shizune stumbled in, arms full of bags and boxes, her cheeks flushed from rushing.
"I brought roast chicken—your favorite, Lady Tsunade—plus some sake and ramen…"
Tsunade's eyes lit up with satisfaction. Kushina let out a cheerful laugh as she reached out to take the bags from her.
Inside were more than just meat and alcohol—several whole fish, a collection of fresh fruit, and even…
A portable charcoal grill?
"This is fresh Mist silver pomfret and fatty oilfish from the Land of Water," Shizune explained, still panting. "I figured we could grill them. I also brought apples and eggs…"
Shisui blinked in surprise. Even Orochimaru gave a rare approving snort, the corners of his mouth twitching upward.
After all—
Who could resist a feast right before the curtain rose on a major event?
As Shizune quickly got to work preparing the food, and the atmosphere in the room grew increasingly relaxed, Yuki Yoru's expression shifted subtly.
He glanced around at the scene.
Tsunade. Orochimaru. Kushina. Shizune. Shisui.
…A Konoha reunion… right in front of me?
Do they think I'm invisible?
"You've got some nerve throwing a Konoha old-friends reunion party right in front of the Fourth Mizukage!"
Yoru cleared his throat dramatically and stepped forward.
"Alright, alright—step aside, amateurs. If we're watching a live broadcast, then we're doing it my way…"
"With hot pot!"
To everyone's shock, Yoru waved a hand and pulled out a massive copper pot directly from a storage scroll. He then followed it with a brick of beef tallow hotpot base and dozens of pre-sliced, flash-frozen meats that clattered to the ground in sealed containers.
Each piece of meat had been frozen with Hyōrinmaru's ice, perfectly preserved and unspoiled. Once tossed into boiling soup, it was as fresh as if it had been sliced seconds ago.
With a gentle push of chakra, the fire lit.
The pot began to boil.
He didn't care if the Hokage election had started or not—he was getting his beef fix first.
"Mmm~ That's the stuff."
Two slices of fatty beef went down.
Yoru closed his eyes in satisfaction, chewing slowly as the others looked at him in mute disbelief.
He cleared his throat again and waved a hand, summoning a spiritual projection screen in midair.
"Alright—showtime."
He had long ago scattered monitoring microbes across key positions in Konoha. Now, thanks to that, the screen floating before them displayed a crystal-clear image of the Hokage Tower.
Ultra high definition. Blue-ray quality. VVIP-level clarity.
On the screen, figures began to gather—familiar faces, long unseen.
And one by one, the expressions of the people in the room began to shift.
Nostalgia. Sorrow. Fondness. Bitterness.
Each face brought back memories—good and painful alike.
Crunch.
The sudden crisp sound of an apple being bitten into broke the silence.
Everyone turned.
Orochimaru was chewing calmly, a fresh apple in hand.
Yoru gave him a side-eye. Among the people present, Orochimaru was the only one who had betrayed Konoha outright.
The pale Sannin froze, then—with visible reluctance—pulled another apple from the bag and tossed it to Yoru.
Crunch. "Mmm… sweet enough."
Yoru accepted the offering without comment and took a bite.
His eyes returned to the glowing screen.
On it, several figures had stepped onto the platform atop the Hokage Building.
And as Sarutobi Hiruzen, acting once again as Interim Hokage, began his speech…
The election for the Fifth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village—
officially began.