Takuma Genji stared at Lee's departing figure, then looked down at the scroll in his hand. For a moment, his mind was blank. He had received his answer—finally—and could die without regret.
He knew his end wasn't far away. A veteran of the Third Great Ninja War, he had long retired, tired of the endless fighting. But before dying, he wanted an answer.
As his gaze fell upon the scroll Lee had given him, his mind replayed the man's words—the "martial arts" that pushed the limits of Taijutsu, unlocking the body's hidden potential… perhaps even extending life itself.
A smile crept across his weathered face.
"It seems this old man can still fool around for another three hundred years," he murmured, amused.
Why die when you can live?
A faint chuckle escaped him before his figure vanished into the dense forest, leaving behind only a trail of laughter that slowly faded among the trees.
On Naruto's side, his father-in-law was showing no mercy. Hyūga Hiashi's power exceeded that of most Elite Jōnin—but he was still a step short of the Five Kage.
Naruto fought him casually, hands in his pockets, his movements light and unhurried. To the onlookers, it was impossible to tell who held the upper hand.
But no one was paying attention anymore. The battlefield had erupted into chaos; combat raged in every direction.
From the rooftops, Shisui watched Naruto and Hiashi exchange blows and couldn't help but smile. Yet, there was something strange about Hiashi's chakra—it felt… familiar.
"So that's it," Shisui murmured. "Lord Naruto doesn't want to go all out against his father-in-law."
Still smiling, he leapt from the rooftop, drawing his katana in a single fluid motion. Three Konoha shinobi charged toward him, fury twisting their faces.
Just impotent rage.
A flash of white light.
Before they could even blink, three crimson lines appeared across their throats. A heartbeat later, fountains of blood erupted as their bodies crumpled to the ground, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Hahaha! Your swordsmanship's improved again!"
Zabuza's voice came from above. He crouched low on a nearby eave, a grin tugging at his lips. Those three weren't weak—Shisui's growth was terrifying.
Boom!
A powerful Ninjutsu struck the spot Zabuza had just occupied, obliterating the rooftop in a cloud of smoke and debris.
Zabuza chuckled coldly, swinging the massive Kubikiribōchō in one hand. He didn't slash—he smashed. The attacker was crushed outright, ribs snapping under the blow, before Zabuza's blade neatly slit his throat.
"Not bad yourself," Shisui said lightly. "How about we go back and have a spar?"
Zabuza visibly shuddered. Of all the people in Umbrella, there were only two he refused to spar with besides Naruto—Izumi and Shisui.
Naruto's strength was absolute; facing him meant confronting an overwhelming, godlike presence, as though the world itself bore down on you.
Izumi, on the other hand, wielded Fire Release, Genjutsu, and the Uchiha clan's sword arts with deadly precision. Nothing extraordinary on its own—until her Mangekyō Sharingan activated. Then she became a storm of flame and illusion, her "ordinary" style turning into an all-encompassing nightmare.
And Shisui? He was worse. His Genjutsu was so subtle it made even veterans sweat. His swordsmanship, honed through martial arts, had grown sharper than ever—and combined with his Body Flicker Technique, he was practically a ghost on the battlefield.
The fusion of speed and sword turned him into a reaper. Against Genin or Chūnin, they might as well not exist.
Even compared to the famed Konoha White Fang, Shisui's potential far surpassed his. Both wielded killing swords, but Shisui's bloodline gave him a future that Sakumo could never reach—unless White Fang had abandoned the path of chakra itself.
Zabuza rolled his eyes. "No thanks. I don't feel like dying to your ghostly sword art today."
Shisui chuckled. He'd expected that answer.
After all, nobody wanted to spar with him anymore—not since he'd created the Shun Sword Art.
Now, the only one in Umbrella who could truly defeat him was Naruto… though "defeat" might've been too kind a word. Against Naruto, Shisui was the one getting thrashed.
He sighed. "Guess I'll have to keep reaping fodder for fun."
The battlefield wind howled in reply, carrying with it the laughter of the two men—ghosts dancing amidst the chaos of war.
He had merged the principles of the Body Flicker Technique with his swordsmanship—creating a style that emphasized blinding speed and afterimages. Because of this eerie illusionary effect, Zabuza and the others often called it "Phantom Sword Art."
His movements were as elusive as ghosts, and his sword strikes just as haunting. Combined with the subtle Genjutsu that Shisui occasionally employed, this made him one of the most troublesome opponents to face.
At this moment, Naruto had grown weary of clashing with Hyūga Hiashi. After a series of tests and careful observation, he was nearly certain—Hiashi was under the influence of Shisui's Kotoamatsukami, the same Genjutsu that Danzō had once wielded with Shisui's stolen eye.
"Can Shisui dispel it…?"
The thought struck Naruto and refused to leave. This was his father-in-law—there was no way he'd let someone as vile as Danzō manipulate him like a puppet.
"Four-Limbs Sealing Technique!"
Naruto's clawed hand pierced through Hiashi's defense. In an instant, glowing sealing formulae spread across the Hyūga patriarch's body, locking his arms and legs in place.
It was a Sealing Technique once used by Tsunade, designed specifically to immobilize opponents by sealing their chakra flow through the limbs.
Under Hiashi's furious glare, Naruto grabbed him by the collar and soared toward Shisui's position.
Behind them, Zabuza intercepted the oncoming Konoha shinobi, his massive blade cleaving through the air like a phantom.
Naruto set Hiashi down gently and turned to Shisui.
"Shisui, I think he's been hit by Danzō's Kotoamatsukami. Can you undo it?"
Shisui raised an eyebrow, his expression calm but serious.
"Oh? Let's see."
His Sharingan spun open, its tomoe reflecting the restrained fury in his gaze. After a few seconds of observation, he frowned.
"You're right. There's a trace of Mangekyō chakra here—he's definitely been controlled by Kotoamatsukami."
Shisui crossed his arms, speaking more to himself now.
"Though this Genjutsu is similar to my left eye's ability, there's a difference. This one enforces mind control, while mine plants commands—subtle suggestions that people obey without realizing it."
"If I use the remaining power in my Mangekyō, I should be able to release it."
Shisui's Three-Tomoe Sharingan began to turn slowly, transforming into the intricate pinwheel of his Mangekyō. Despite being artificial, his eyes—crafted from the same lineage as his original—were far stronger than an average Mangekyō Sharingan.
A pulse of red chakra flared between his fingers as he pressed his hand to Hiashi's temple.
Pain flickered briefly across Shisui's face. His brows knitted together as his ocular power poured into Hiashi's chakra network.
He had long suspected there might be a way to evolve his new eyes—to surpass the limits of his former ones—but it remained a faint, distant hope.
"Is it done?" Naruto asked anxiously.
Shisui nodded, though his expression was tight with strain.
"Yes… but it wasn't easy."
Naruto exhaled in relief, though his gaze lingered on the pain etched across Shisui's face. Dispelling Kotoamatsukami, even for him, was no simple matter.
Hiashi's eyes glazed over for a moment. Then his pupils refocused as fragments of memory rushed back in disjointed flashes—Danzō, manipulation, betrayal.
"How… how could I have done such things?!"
His voice trembled with disbelief. The weight of realization settled in his chest like a stone.
A lifetime of honor and reputation—stained by another man's will.
...
TN:
⚒️ Pa-treon-com/LordMerlin (Support me! 😊)