Chapter 146: Shisui: “itachi, What Have You Done?” Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami!
“Is it… already no chance? It had only just begun, and it’s already over… Hah! Sorry, Shisui, I failed your expectations, I couldn’t cut out the cancer on Konoha.”
“The cancer on Konoha has grown to a point where I alone couldn’t eradicate it at all. I actually already found an ally, but I didn’t expect it to still be too late…”
“So, the Ninja World really does have the Pure Land. I can feel my soul being called by a place, it’s guiding me to walk in that direction.”
Uchiha Itachi muttered to himself while blankly letting his gaze wander in all directions.
He found that all around was nothing but void, with only himself standing there alone.
He looked down at his palms, and images of Father, Mother, and Sasuke flashed in his mind.
“Sorry, Sasuke. I wanted to teach you Shurikenjutsu one more time after all this ended. I wanted to hear you sincerely call me ‘big brother’ again.”
“Unfortunately, no chance. Maybe decades or centuries later, we’ll meet again.”
As Uchiha Itachi walked, he suddenly raised his head in shock, because not far ahead, there was actually a figure standing there.
Uchiha Itachi’s eyes gradually widened, unable to hide the shock on his face, a name blurted out: “Shisui?!”
The figure standing ahead was none other than Uchiha Shisui.
“Itachi, I thought I’d have to wait for you here for at least several decades.”
The real-world Shisui had lost both eyes a year ago, one taken by Danzo, the other given to Uchiha Itachi by him.
But in this place, Shisui revealed a pair of perfectly intact eyes, smiling at Uchiha Itachi.
“Looks like you failed just like me.”
As Shisui spoke, he watched Uchiha Itachi walking toward him, saying nothing harsh, but patted Itachi’s shoulder with a smile: “Don’t worry, even without us, others will step up. That’s Konoha, our fallen leaves will become nourishment for the new generation, the new generation will inherit our will. Sometimes, you need to believe in the wisdom of the new generation.”
Uchiha Itachi felt the touch of the pat on his shoulder, slowly taking a deep breath to hide the sourness at the tip of his nose.
He asked Uchiha Shisui: “You… have you been waiting for me there all this time?”
“Yeah!”
Shisui sighed: “I couldn’t rest easy about you, after all, when I left, you were only ten, or eleven? You were too young, how could I rest easy about you?”
“In the end, unexpectedly… you died even younger than me.” Shisui guiltily scratched his head: “Ah, maybe it’s because I entrusted my eye to you that I harmed you…”
“By the way, can you tell me what exactly happened? Here, it’s hard for me to see your situation.”
Uchiha Itachi fell silent.
Moments later, he said: “I believe the cancer that turned Konoha like this is the Uchiha Clan, and Uchiha Ikeizumi. I tried to save Konoha in my own way, so I decided to cooperate with the man in the Akatsuki who calls himself ‘Uchiha Madara’.”
Hearing this, Shisui’s face visibly showed a few hints of shock.
“I made two plans. The purpose of the first plan was to kill Uchiha Ikeizumi and thoroughly destroy his Absolute Justice. Because the threat of Absolute Justice to Konoha is no less than the radical ninjas in the Uchiha Clan.”
“The purpose of the second plan…” Uchiha Itachi paused, then continued: “Was to wipe out the entire Uchiha Clan. The Uchiha Clan, either occupied by radical thoughts in their heads, or washed of their will by Absolute Justice.”
“Plus the way the Uchiha Clan awakens their eyes inherently carries a certain radical nature, making it itself the biggest destabilizing factor in Konoha.”
“Only by removing these two above can the two biggest cancers be thoroughly cut out, achieving true peace in the village.”
“Unfortunately…”
Uchiha Itachi shook his head: “I wasn’t a match for Uchiha Ikeizumi, before I could strike… he killed me.”
Uchiha Shisui froze in place.
He stared blankly at Uchiha Itachi.
“Then…” Shisui stammered: “What about the Mangekyo I gave you? The Kotoamatsukami I gave you?”
Uchiha Itachi took a deep breath: “I originally wanted to use it to implant Kotoamatsukami on Sasuke, making Sasuke loyal to Konoha for the rest of his life. Oh… forgot to tell you, for the Uchiha Clan, I planned to leave Sasuke to revive a new Uchiha.”
“The new Uchiha Clan built by him branded with Kotoamatsukami will be one forever loyal to Konoha and the Hokage, just like the Hyuga Clan.”
Shisui opened his mouth: “Kotoamatsukami… for… Sasuke? For a… six or seven-year-old child?”
“Itachi…”
Shisui said in a daze: “What are you doing? I left that eye for you to use it to protect Konoha, to change the Uchiha coup will. Not for you to wipe out the Uchiha Clan and then implant it in Sasuke, to control a six or seven-year-old child…”
The smile on Uchiha Itachi’s face froze.
Shisui murmured: “How could you be sure that Sasuke, a child, could revive the Uchiha Clan with only him left in the future? Why make Sasuke bear such pain? Itachi, you… what exactly are you doing?!”
Shisui found he couldn’t keep up with Itachi’s thought process.
He racked his brains but couldn’t figure out why wipe out the entire Uchiha Clan? Why target Ikeizumi’s Absolute Justice?
What kind of thought process, what kind of world-shocking wisdom could come up with this way to save the village?
“Itachi, you…”
Shisui opened his mouth, not understanding but with some concern, pointedly asking.
“…did you get stimulated or something?”
Uchiha Itachi was stunned.
Why wouldn’t Shisui acknowledge his resolve? Clearly Father had complete faith in his resolve, clearly Father would be gratified by his choice.
Shisui…
Has he changed?
……
Present world.
Konoha.
“Susanoo!?” Seeing that extremely massive crimson Susanoo built like piled lava, Uchiha Fugaku suddenly took a deep breath.
His stern face involuntarily showed a bit of horror: “It has the scent of lava, this is Ikeizumi’s Susanoo! Armored Susanoo? What form is this?”
“Has Ikeizumi’s Mangekyo Sharingan grown to this extent? Is he trying to catch up to Uchiha Madara from back then?”
At this moment, the horrified Fugaku thought of an even more serious problem.
“Then who was the other Susanoo just now that got split in half?!”
In Uchiha Fugaku’s impression, in the past decade, only a few in the entire Uchiha Clan had awakened Mangekyo Sharingan.
One was himself, one was Shisui, one was Ikeizumi.
The other Susanoo definitely wasn’t his, Shisui had passed away long ago, Ikeizumi’s was this extremely tall Susanoo.
“…Itachi!!!”
Fugaku suddenly jolted, his rush forward also suddenly slowed. Fugaku’s face showed some blankness and astonishment.
Was that really Itachi?
If it really was Itachi, then with Itachi’s Susanoo split in half by Ikeizumi’s Susanoo with one slash, what was Itachi’s condition? Or rather… could he still be alive?
Fugaku’s heart tightened.
……
“That is…” On the other side, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was handling things and rushing to the scene with Anbu Ninjas, also stopped, his turbid eyes filled with intense shock.
“Child’s dad, if I remember correctly, that’s the Uchiha Clan’s Mangekyo Sharingan secret technique, right?”
A sudden voice made Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately turn to look.
Not far away, there was actually a Jiraiya! The one speaking was Sage Shima standing on Jiraiya’s shoulder.
Sage Shima continued: “Seems like it’s called Susanoo? I’ve seen a ninja called Uchiha Madara use it.”
Jiraiya’s heavy voice sounded: “If it’s really a Mangekyo Sharingan secret technique, then this should be Ikeizumi’s. Because that massive thing has armor all over, and the huge ninja sword in its hand, you can see lava flowing. His dojutsu has perfectly fused with his bloodline limit.”
Then, Jiraiya turned his head, looking toward Sarutobi Hiruzen and the group of Anbu Ninjas.
Jiraiya raised his voice: “Old man, I thought you were targeted by Ikeizumi, turns out I overthought it.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen: “…”
Sarutobi Hiruzen was silent for a moment, he deeply looked at the mountain-like Susanoo, couldn’t help taking a breath.
If Ikeizumi really used this ability against him, the Third Hokage, in a one-on-one… Sarutobi Hiruzen found he really had few counters. This massive thing had exceeded the scope of ordinary ninjas, Ikeizumi had definitely stepped into the “Kage” level.
Moreover.
Among the “Kage” level, Ikeizumi was top-tier, probably only his younger self could clash with him.
His current aged self indeed had no full confidence to fight such a Uchiha Ikeizumi.
In other words, his repeated tolerance of Ikeizumi, even suppressing the hatred of two child-killing grudges…
Was the correct choice.
Otherwise, if Ikeizumi with such power caused chaos in Konoha Village, the destruction would absolutely not be less than the Nine-Tails Demon Fox. That would be a second Night of the Nine-Tails, possibly even more terrifying than the Night of the Nine-Tails damage, because today’s Konoha was much weaker than back then.
……
Now.
Everyone in Konoha fixed their shocked gazes on that Susanoo like a god descending.
A few recalled similar records in certain scriptures.
But the vast majority, including ninjas.
Didn’t know what it was.
“What monster is this? Could another Night of the Nine-Tails be happening?”
A slightly older Konoha Chunin had a face full of tension.
He had recalled the terrifying scene of the Night of the Nine-Tails.
The person next to him swallowed: “Don’t scare me! If it was like the Night of the Nine-Tails, the village should sound the alarm, right? No alarm yet, should be no problem?”
“Never mind that, first take family to shelter to avoid, in case something really happens tonight!”
“Is this a jutsu a ninja can use? What ninjutsu is this? Akimichi Clan’s Expansion Jutsu?”
“Hiss! Expansion Jutsu shouldn’t be this big, right?”
……
“Inoichi, this should be… the Uchiha Clan’s secret technique, right?”
Nara Shikahisa asked Yamanaka Inoichi.
Yamanaka Inoichi nodded slightly: “Seems like it’s called Susanoo.”
Choza Akimichi said: “Susanoo, the Akimichi Clan’s family scriptures recorded this dojutsu. An ancestor of the Akimichi Clan saw Uchiha Clan ninjas use Susanoo, but I remember the Susanoo in the scriptures wasn’t this big.”
Choza Akimichi exclaimed: “Such power is enough to affect the tide of a large-scale war, and such power is held in only one person’s hands.”
Saying that.
Choza Akimichi looked at Yamanaka Inoichi: “Inoichi, looks like you really led us to the right choice. Ikeizumi showing this power already qualifies him to run for the next Hokage.”
“If we add our three clans’ power, if Ikeizumi wants to become the Fifth Hokage, it seems there’d really be no difficulty. The only obstacle might be whether the Third Hokage is reluctant to let go of power.”
Yamanaka Inoichi shook his head: “Ikeizumi isn’t the type to be Hokage. Not that he lacks qualification, if he became Konoha Hokage, he could definitely make Konoha Village even more glorious, even bring Konoha back to the First’s peak military strength.”
“But his ambitions aren’t there. The position of Konoha’s Fifth Hokage would only bind him in Ikeizumi’s eyes. His eyes aren’t just on Konoha, his eyes hold the entire Ninja World.”
Choza Akimichi apologetically scratched his head: “Instead, I was the one with small vision.”
“Don’t worry.”
Yamanaka Inoichi said: “With Ikeizumi’s personality, if the Third Hokage steps down and really selects a Fifth Hokage, Ikeizumi will definitely interfere in this Hokage election, he’ll definitely push for someone who believes in Absolute Justice to be Fifth Hokage.”
“That way, Absolute Justice and the Will of Fire can truly fuse together. By then, Absolute Justice can borrow Konoha’s power to quickly spread throughout the Land of Fire.”
“Even Absolute Justice can extend tentacles to other ninja countries, other ninja villages, even the entire Ninja World.”
“This is Ikeizumi’s vision.”
Nara Shikahisa with hands in pockets sighed: “Only someone with such ‘ambition’ like Ikeizumi would we feel at ease with. If it were someone else, we’d worry if they want to rule the Ninja World, become the top person in the Ninja World.”
……
Inside the Uchiha Clan Compound, Mikoto’s pretty face had a trace of worry.
Although there was some disagreement with Fugaku at the dinner table.
But he was her husband after all, and her husband was now heading to such a dangerous place, she naturally worried.
“Mother, what is that?!” Sasuke’s childish voice carried shock and confusion.
“Susanoo.”
Uchiha Mikoto took a deep breath, said: “That’s a dojutsu recorded in our Uchiha Clan’s scriptures, very few in the entire Uchiha Clan can use this dojutsu.”
“Because…”
She paused, continued: “Rumor has it, the prerequisite to activate Susanoo is possessing Mangekyo Sharingan.”
“Mangekyo Sharingan…” Sasuke was stunned, immediately thinking of something: “Could that Susanoo thing be created by Teacher Ikeizumi using Mangekyo Sharingan?!”
Mikoto shook her head: “Not sure.”
But she was certain something big would happen tonight.
Or something big had already happened, even already ended.
……
On the other side… Uchiha Izumi, protecting the unconscious Mitarashi Anko to avoid her being affected by battle aftermath, was staring dumbfoundedly up at the gradually disappearing Susanoo.
She heard Senior Kijiro’s voice nearby: “First time seeing Lord Ikeizumi use this jutsu. Before, Lord Ikeizumi only mentioned it to me, but I’d never seen him use it.”
Senior Kijiro glanced at the shock on Izumi’s pretty face.
Extended a cat paw to pat her pant leg.
Then said to Izumi: “Don’t worry! This is Lord Ikeizumi’s jutsu. That Uchiha Itachi kid just used Susanoo too, but unfortunately his Susanoo compared to Lord Ikeizumi’s is one in the earth, one in the sky. Not on the same level at all.”
Listening to Senior Kijiro, Izumi stared blankly at the long trench along a Konoha street extending outside the village—this was slashed out by Senior Ikeizumi’s jutsu with one strike.
The trench extended from here to outside the village, even slashing a exaggerated gap in Konoha’s edge wall.
Probably extending over a kilometer.
“This is…”
“The power of Absolute Justice!”
After steadying her mind, the girl immediately asked Senior Kijiro: “Senior Kijiro, so what about Uchiha Itachi now?”
“Already dead.”
This sentence wasn’t said by Senior Kijiro, upon hearing this cold familiar voice, Izumi hurriedly looked, seeing unscathed Uchiha Ikeizumi slowly walking over.
Uchiha Ikeizumi held a scroll in his left hand, pinched a raven in his right, indifferently said: “The ninja sword in my Susanoo’s hand is a weapon fusing Lava Release, dojutsu, and chakra, with scorching lava-like temperature, and volcanic eruption-like shocking impact on slashes.”
“When the ninja sword split his Susanoo and touched Uchiha Itachi’s fragile body, he had already lost his life, every cell in his body vaporized. Dying under Susanoo’s blade is a luxurious funeral for him.”
“He got off easy.”
Hearing this, Izumi felt a faint abnormality in emotions. In her heart, she was angry at Uchiha Itachi’s stupidity, and had killing intent toward his act of willingly falling into the abyss of sin.
But in the end, when she returned to the Uchiha Clan with Mother back then.
Uchiha Izumi’s only friend was Uchiha Itachi.
“Hah…”
Izumi slowly exhaled, the confusion in her eyes and abnormal emotions in her heart dissipated after just two short seconds.
Lord Ikeizumi for Absolute Justice, to make the Ninja World better, even executes blood relatives who committed crimes with his own hands.
Thinking this way, there was nothing pitiable about Uchiha Itachi.
He was someone who had been on the battlefield, he surely knew clearly that once a decision is made, one must pay the price for it.
For someone as stupid and evil as him, who wouldn’t listen to advice.
Death might be his best destination.
Moreover…
In the eyes of many Uchiha Clan members, Uchiha Itachi’s death would probably only make them cheer. Because Uchiha Itachi living one more day would make them fearful one more day, after all Senior Ikeizumi’s prophecy had too much influence.
“Kid! Where’s the enemy!”
The sudden voice drew the attention of the two and one cat.
The first to arrive was actually Lady Tsunade.
Lady Tsunade leaped directly from not far away, landing heavily on the ground, cracking the cement beneath her feet extensively.
“Lady Tsunade, the enemy is already dead.” Senior Kijiro answered Lady Tsunade’s question for Uchiha Ikeizumi.
“Dead?”
Lady Tsunade silently dropped her just-assumed battle stance, coughed dryly without embarrassment, then said to Uchiha Ikeizumi: “What villain did you run into in Konoha this time? Worth making such a big commotion? Just saw you summon such a huge thing, thought you were gonna destroy Konoha.”
“Uchiha Itachi.” Uchiha Ikeizumi said the name.
“Hm?” Lady Tsunade was stunned, then immediately reacted: “No way, Uchiha Fugaku’s eldest son, that Uchiha white-eyed wolf kid who wants to wipe out the Uchiha Clan?”
“Right.”
Lady Tsunade was dazed for half a second.
She walked over, patted Ikeizumi’s shoulder: “The Uchiha Clan having you, who knows if it’s their fortune or misfortune.”
Uchiha Ikeizumi said: “Fortune for the good, misfortune for the evil.”
“You kid can even boast about yourself.”
Lady Tsunade “tsk”ed: “But strictly speaking, that’s fact, not really boasting.”
“By the way.”
She puzzledly looked down at the scroll’s raven in Uchiha Ikeizumi’s hand.
“What’s this?”
“Fire Sealing Scroll.” Uchiha Ikeizumi casually tossed the scroll to Izumi, startling her to hurriedly catch it: “Inside is sealed a mass of black flames, one of Uchiha Itachi’s Mangekyo dojutsu: ‘Amaterasu’. It’s a flame that won’t extinguish unless the target is burned to ash. Take it as your trump card.”
Izumi was stunned, hurriedly said: “Thank you, Senior!”
“Lord Ikeizumi, this raven…” Senior Kijiro suddenly exclaimed: “One of its eyes…”
Lady Tsunade and Izumi both looked at the raven’s eyes.
“This seems like…” Izumi widened her watery eyes: “Sharingan? But how is the Sharingan this pattern? Unless, this is a Mangekyo Sharingan!!!”
Lady Tsunade raised a brow: “Mangekyo?”
“Senior, is this Uchiha Itachi’s eye?” Izumi boldly asked.
Uchiha Ikeizumi said: “No.”
“Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami, Absolute Justice’s ‘gift’.”
In plain words: “Dropped” after executing Absolute Justice.
Otherwise, with Uchiha Ikeizumi’s Susanoo slash, even a steel raven wouldn’t survive.
At the moment his words fell, footsteps entered everyone’s ears, Sarutobi Hiruzen had finally arrived with a large group of Anbu Ninjas.
Sarutobi Hiruzen heard Uchiha Ikeizumi’s last words.
—Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami!
“Old man?” Lady Tsunade glanced at the tardy Sarutobi Hiruzen, then at the dense Anbu Ninjas, bluntly asked: “This formation… here to support Ikeizumi? Or to guard against Ikeizumi?”
Sarutobi Hiruzen: “…”
……
……
