Chapter 165: Kidnapping Uchiha Shisui
Danzō’s withered fingers were tightly clutching an eyeball that had just been gouged out from its socket, still attached to nerves and warm blood threads, belonging to a Mangekyo Sharingan!
That eyeball trembled slightly under the moonlight, and in its scarlet pupil, the pinwheel-shaped pattern had not yet completely faded!
His face showed no expression, only the single eye under the bandages flickered with a greedy light like a beast seizing a treasure!
“Move!” Danzō’s hoarse voice rang out like a death knell!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The shadows around the Buddha hall instantly boiled!
Twelve Root Ninja wearing animal masks shot out from all directions like bloodthirsty hunting dogs!
Kunai, shuriken, and poison-coated senbon tore through the air, emitting a dense death screech!
Yuruma Aburame’s sleeves suddenly billowed, and a dense swarm of parasitic insects surged forth like a breached black flood, producing a scalp-numbing buzz as they blanketed the sky toward the staggering Shisui!
Fū Yamanaka’s mental impact struck like an invisible heavy hammer, smashing fiercely into Shisui’s spirit sea wracked with sharp pain and chaos!
The net of death instantly closed in!
Sharp pain assaulted the nerves like a tsunami, and the hollow of his right eye brought visual impairment and intense dizziness.
But the battle instinct etched into his bones and the name of “Body Flicker” saved Shisui’s life at this moment!
Facing the deadly attacks coming from all directions and the suffocating insect swarm, Shisui instantly ignited with mad resolve!
He endured the heart-wrenching agony, forcibly twisting his body at an impossible angle, his hands forming seals at a speed that left afterimages!
“Si – Wei – Shen – Hai – Wu – Yin!”
Chakra burned, compressed, and roared wildly amid the sharp pain!
“Fire Style: Majestic Dragon Fire Technique!”
He sharply inhaled a full breath, his chest expanding like a bellows! Aiming at the densest frontal direction of the insect swarm and attacks, he spat it out fiercely!
“Boom——!!!”
A ferocious massive orange-red flame dragon formed instantly, carrying terrifying high heat capable of incinerating all directions and a deafening roar!
The blazing dragon head roared ferociously, distorting even the air with its scorch!
The flame dragon crashed headlong into the surging black insect swarm and the sky-full of ninja tools with overwhelming momentum!
“Water Style: Water Formation Wall!”
“Water Style: Water Turbulent Wave!”
“Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!”
Several Root Ninja with extremely quick reactions instantly formed seals!
Cold water streams spurted from their mouths or hands, rapidly weaving into several thick water walls in front of the flame dragon, while two roaring water dragons collided head-on!
Sizzle——!!!
A deafening roar accompanied an explosive burst of towering white mist!
Scorching flames fiercely collided and annihilated with the cold water streams!
Terrifying high-temperature steam spread outward in a ring shape like an explosive shockwave!
Broken stones and rubble were flung into the air, and dry grass instantly turned to charred remains!
Dense scalding white mist instantly engulfed a range of dozens of meters, obscuring all sight!
The Buddha hall ruins trembled violently amid the savage clash of elements, as if on the verge of total collapse.
“Cough cough…” Danzō waved his sleeve to dispel the oncoming scorching steam and dust, his single eye fixed deadly on the churning white mist, his face ashen enough to drip water.
Yuruma Aburame and Fū Yamanaka quickly moved to his side, their eyes under the masks equally grave.
The white mist gradually dispersed in the night wind.
At the spot, aside from a charred crater melted by high heat, a few burned insect corpses, and scattered ninja tools and cold water stains on the ground, where was the shadow of Uchiha Shisui?
“Pursue!” Danzō squeezed an icy word from between his teeth, his withered fingers trembling slightly from extreme anger and frustration.
“He’s badly injured, lost his last eye! He can’t have gone far! Seal off all paths to Konoha and the Uchiha Compound! Dig three feet into the ground if you must, and drag him out for me! Dead or alive!”
“Yes!” Cold responses echoed amid the ruins.
The twelve dark shadows split into several groups like arrows loosed from bows, instantly merging into the vast and dark mountain forest outside Konohagakure Village, launching a silent and deadly hunt.
Meanwhile, at the downstream Naka River far from the Buddha hall battlefield, inside an extremely concealed cave deep within the mountainside.
The air was damp and cold, the light dim, with various precision experiment instruments arranged, permeated by the scent of disinfectant.
A figure in a white lab coat stood quietly at the lab bench, operating various precision instruments to research Hashirama Cells on the table.
It was one of Uzumaki Menma’s shadow clones.
This base had once been one of Orochimaru’s bases outside Konohagakure Village, and after Orochimaru’s defection, it became Menma’s base.
However, researching Hashirama Cells and Wood Release ninjutsu was secondary; the base’s primary function was surveillance.
“Situation.” Another shadow clone walked out from the passage.
The shadow clone conducting the experiment also raised its head, brows furrowing slightly!
A sharp gleam like a hawk’s flashed deep in the black pupils!
Kagura Shingan! Activate!
Without hesitation, it quickly formed hand seals, a faint golden light flashing briefly at the brow center.
The Uzumaki Clan’s unique super-strong perception secret technique.
Invisible mental perception spread like the most precise radar waves, centered on the cave, ignoring barriers of rock and trees, instantly expanding and scanning at high speed toward the Buddha hall direction and the broader surrounding area!
Countless miscellaneous chakra light points reflected instantly in his mental vision like stars in the night sky.
Konohagakure Village’s massive chakra aggregate was like a warm sun, while sparse weak light points representing beasts or scattered patrol ninja dotted the forest outside the village.
And in the direction of the Buddha hall ruins, the perception focus quickly locked on!
There lingered violent energy turbulence: the scorching heat of flames, the coldness of water flows, and the sharpness of Wind Release slicing air interwoven and annihilating, outlining traces of a recently ended brutal battle.
Even clearer were over a dozen chakra signatures emitting coldness, deathly stillness, and thick killing intent, like vultures in the night, splitting into groups and moving rapidly in different directions to search.
And on the flank of this flock of killing intent “vultures,” about several li away in the depths of a dense forest, a chakra light point was flickering extremely weakly and unstably.
That light was like a candle in the wind, flickering on and off, filled with pain, disorder, and a sense of… forcibly torn emptiness!
What made Menma’s shadow clone’s eyes narrow was that at the “head” position of that life-force representing chakra light point, the energy node representing powerful eye power, which should have been brilliant like a dark red star, was now completely dim!
The shadow clone narrowed its eyes slightly, cold light circulating within.
“Uchiha Shisui… ambushed by Danzō?” Menma’s voice rose lowly in the silent cave, carrying a cold insight into all things.
“Shimura Danzō… couldn’t hold back after all, made a move on Kotoamatsukami.”
Another shadow clone began forming hand seals.
“I’ll notify the main body. You be careful; Root’s search should arrive soon.”
With that, this shadow clone turned into a puff of smoke.
Deep in the forest.
Uchiha Shisui staggered in escape, long since lost the elegance and speed befitting “Body Flicker.”
Sharp pain clung like a maggot to the bone; every heartbeat felt like it would reopen the torn eye socket.
Sticky warm liquid had long soaked half his face, congealing into cold stark blood scabs.
His vision plunged into absolute, suffocating darkness, thicker than the deepest night.
The hollow of his right eye brought piercing dizziness and imbalance; every breath tugged at a fiery pain deep in his chest.
Chakra rampaged wildly inside his body like a wild horse broken free; every attempt to gather it brought needle-like stabs in his meridians.
Fortunately, having lost his left eye to Uchiha Hikari over a year ago, Shisui quickly adapted to the darkness of losing his right eye.
Relying solely on vague memory and perception of subtle air flow changes, he arduously discerned direction.
Rough tree trunks became his only support, each touch leaving dark red palm prints.
The thick blood scent spread like an invisible signpost behind him, attracting the Root Ninja hunting him.
He could not return to the Uchiha Compound.
This wretched appearance, this stolen Mangekyo Sharingan—if seen by clan members, it would be like tossing a bomb into a volcano on the verge of eruption, detonating it completely!
The fragile balance painstakingly maintained by Clan Head Fugaku would shatter instantly; towering hatred would drown reason, leaving no room for turning back the Uchiha Clan’s rebellion, and all of Konoha would plunge into a sea of blood!
Danzō’s vicious scheme had already half-succeeded.
Itachi… only Itachi!
Shisui thought of that secret training ground where he and Itachi often met, the place bearing their countless spars and confessions of confusion—it became the only straw he could grasp in his abyss of despair.
He must hold out until there!
He must inform Itachi of everything that happened tonight, Danzō’s despicableness and the Uchiha’s desperate straits!
Drawing on the deep impression of the forest terrain in his memory, Shisui endured inhuman pain and dizziness, stumbling toward the training ground.
The blood scent grew thicker, stamina draining rapidly, steps floating as if treading clouds.
Behind him, that cold deathly chakra oppression was closing in quickly!
Like countless venomous snakes locking onto the dying prey in the darkness.
He could almost hear the faint buzz of Yuruma Aburame’s parasitic insects, almost feel Fū Yamanaka’s mental perception enveloping like an invisible spider web.
Ever clearer!
The shadow of death had already pressed against his back!
Just as he neared despair, preparing to burn his last chakra for a desperate last stand—
Whoosh—!
A sound of air breaking tore through the forest’s deathly silence!
Sharp as a ghost wail!
Shisui’s remaining battle instinct issued a frantic warning!
Though blind, the sound’s origin, speed, and terrifying power far exceeded ordinary ninja tools!
No kunai or shuriken!
He wanted to dodge, but his severely injured body and intense dizziness slowed his movement by a fatal instant!
A cold, tough force carrying an indescribable heavy texture, like a living golden serpent, instantly wrapped around his waist, abdomen, and arms!
The touch was not the roughness of rope, but some chain imbued with vast chakra!
The chain was covered in dense ancient runes, flickering with golden light; a seal power so oppressive it suffocated invaded his meridians, deadlocking his already chaotic internal chakra!
Moreover, an invisible gravitational field enveloped his whole body, making him feel as if instantly cast in lead, unable even to lift a finger with ease!
“Urgh!” Shisui let out a muffled grunt; his body was forcibly constricted and bound by this sudden terrifying force, immobile!
Unprecedented horror instantly overwhelmed the sharp pain!
What ninjutsu was this?!
Never seen before!
Such bizarre power, such terrifying seal effect!
“Tsk tsk tsk…”
A low voice with obvious mocking tone abruptly sounded not far in front of Shisui.
The voice, muffled through some mask, was somewhat nasal yet clearly carried a condescending amusement.
“Look who this is? Konoha’s ‘Shisui the Teleporter,’ legendary Mangekyo Sharingan wielder—how did you end up this pathetic? Like a bird plucked of its pretty feathers?”
Shisui’s heart sank to the bottom.
Though blinded, he couldn’t see Shura’s figure, but that unique voice, that abyss-like heavy terrifying pressure enveloping him—all proclaimed his identity.
Shura!
How could he be here?!
In the forest around Konoha?!
“Danzō old dog’s handiwork is, as always… crude.” That voice continued, with undisguised mockery, as if appraising a damaged artwork.
“Originally left you one pretty right eye, yet he dug it out so brutally—such a waste.”
The cold chain tightened slightly, bringing suffocating oppression.
Shisui endured humiliation and sharp pain, lifting his hollow eye socket to “gaze” futilely toward the voice’s direction in the darkness.
“What do you want?” Shisui’s voice was hoarse and dry, carrying post-injury weakness, yet still striving to maintain final calm.
“What do I want?” Shura’s voice carried exaggerated amusement, as if hearing something funny.
“Of course… offer a little help, like…” He paused, tone turning to a devil’s temptation.
“‘Kidnap’ you from these annoying flies? Take you out of Konoha, out of the Land of Fire, to a place Danzō’s dog paws can’t reach? How’s that for help?”
Kidnap him?
Leave Konoha?
Shisui’s thoughts raced.
Falling into Danzō’s hands meant certain death.
But returning to the compound, his wretched state would surely ignite the clan’s fury, triggering the Uchiha Clan’s rebellion!
But if falling into this mysterious “Shura’s” hands…
Though equally an unknown abyss.
At least, the other had no immediate intent to kill him.
Shisui’s mind flashed to the girl he had fought before, Uchiha Hikari.
Perhaps related to her.
Shura’s appearance, while plunging him into danger, also tore a faint crack in the desperation.
A crack that might preserve his life and avert total explosion of conflict between the village and Uchiha Clan!
As long as alive, there was still hope to pass intelligence to Itachi!
For Itachi, for Uchiha, for Konoha’s slim chance at peace!
In a flash, countless thoughts collided.
Behind, Root Ninja’s cold killing aura seemed already at arm’s length!
“Fine!” Shisui nearly bit out the word from his throat, with desperate resolve.
“I’ll go with you! As long as… not into Danzō’s hands!”
“Wise choice.” Shura’s voice carried satisfied triumph.
