Feeling the powerful killing intent emanating from Itachi Uchiha, both Mikoto Uchiha and Izumi Uchiha found their breathing constricted, as if their hearts were being tightly squeezed.
This was the terrifying aura cultivated from countless killings!
In the original story, Orochimaru merely had to look at Sasuke to immobilize him with killing intent. Standing beside Kakashi made the latter break out in cold sweat.
At this moment, Mikoto and Izumi were merely feeling uncomfortable. Their reaction was already commendable.
"You two handle the one with the Executioner's Blade."
"I'll take care of Itachi Uchiha."
Since Itachi had murderous intent, Shishou stepped forward beside Mikoto and Izumi, not wanting the two women to take further risks.
Itachi had many lethal weapons; even a slight mistake could cost them their lives.
Mikoto and Izumi pursed their lips but eventually nodded in agreement.
"Hmm?"
"It's you!"
Seeing Shishou's distinctive stubble and his 180 cm height, both Itachi Uchiha and Zabuza Momochi were taken aback.
The killing intent from Itachi subsided.
He recognized Shishou as the user of the Flying Thunder God and Wood Release techniques.
Since that was the case, Shishou couldn't possibly be a member of Root.
Danzo would never tolerate subordinates stronger than himself.
"Water Release: Exploding Water Shock Wave!"
Without explanation, Shishou launched a water jutsu, charging towards Itachi and Zabuza.
Seeing Itachi and Zabuza separate, Shishou rushed towards Itachi while Mikoto and Izumi charged at Zabuza.
"Who are you?"
"Why does your subordinate have Sharingan?"
"What is your goal?"
Because Shishou possessed the Flying Thunder God and Wood Release, Itachi was uncertain whether he was a friend or foe.
Itachi had learned from Akatsuki's intel that Shishou wielded deadly poisons and venomous insects, along with the Flying Thunder God and Wood Release techniques.
Thus, Itachi immediately distanced himself from Shishou, maintaining a gap of over twenty meters and never staying in one spot for more than five seconds.
Boom, boom, boom!
At the same time, Itachi continuously tested Shishou with shurikens attached to explosive tags, causing a series of explosions.
Shishou pursued while Itachi evaded.
In their chase and retreat, Itachi and Shishou gradually moved away from the battlefield of Zabuza, Mikoto, and Izumi.
"What the hell..."
Seeing Itachi constantly keeping his distance and refusing to engage directly, Shishou was a bit baffled.
Had he become so powerful that even Itachi needed to employ a kiting strategy against him?
"Wood Release: Wood Bind Technique!"
Shishou pressed his hands to the ground, causing countless vines to sprout and quickly span the twenty-meter distance, aiming for Itachi's feet.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Itachi leaped high, using the opportunity of a backflip to unleash a fire jutsu that incinerated the pursuing vines.
Then, with a flick of his right hand, he planted a shuriken with an explosive tag on Shishou's path to hinder his advance.
Swish, swish, swish!
As Itachi landed, three shurikens flew towards him.
"Got you!"
In the next second, Shishou appeared behind Itachi, reaching out to grab him.
Itachi dove forward, narrowly avoiding Shishou's grasp.
While diving, Itachi twisted his body and lifted his right foot, using the sturdy sole of his shoe to push Shishou into the air.
Then, Itachi formed hand seals with one hand.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
Seven or eight fireballs spewed from Itachi's mouth, engulfing Shishou in midair.
"Impressive! No wonder he could go head-to-head with Sage Mode Naruto."
These fluid movements were truly remarkable!
But no matter how skilled you are,
I will overcome with raw power!
"Water Release: Super Water Dragon Bullet!"
A massive water dragon materialized in front of Shishou, blocking Itachi's fire jutsu and charging towards Itachi with unstoppable momentum.
Infused with Shishou's immense water chakra, his water dragon bullet was several times larger than the one used by Mei Terumi.
Yes, Shishou's innate chakra nature was water, and after awakening the Uchiha bloodline, he gained fire nature as well.
Boom!
Facing the roaring water dragon, Itachi naturally wouldn't confront it head-on. He dodged while simultaneously throwing ten shurikens with explosive tags, which hit the water dragon and exploded.
Boom!
The water dragon shattered, causing a light rain to fall.
In the drizzle, Itachi kept retreating and moving quickly, always wary of Shishou's Flying Thunder God technique.
Swish, swish, swish!
Ten shurikens flew towards Itachi, only to be deflected by an equal number of shurikens thrown by him.
However, against the Flying Thunder God and venomous bugs, no amount of skill or tactics could prevail.
In the next moment, Shishou appeared beside Itachi again, reaching out to grab him.
During their earlier contact, Shishou had marked Itachi's shoe sole with the Flying Thunder God seal, and the shurikens were just a distraction.
Finding no way to avoid it, Itachi turned to look at Shishou, his Sharingan spinning.
"Genjutsu: Shackling Stakes Technique!"
In the next second, Itachi's genjutsu had no effect on Shishou and backfired, causing Itachi to become paralyzed.
"Genjutsu: Reflection of the Inner Mind!"
Itachi quickly recovered but was grabbed by Shishou's right hand in that instant.
After several swift leaps away, Itachi took out a kunai, ready to sever his own hand, but noticed the poison on his hand had stopped spreading and turned into bugs that flew back to Shishou.
Itachi looked at Shishou's Sharingan in confusion and said:
"You are an Uchiha!"
If he weren't an Uchiha, he wouldn't have been able to reflect the genjutsu back at him.
Moreover, Itachi knew those eyes weren't ordinary Sharingan.
Wood Release, Flying Thunder God, strange poisons, Sharingan.
Just how many secrets did this person have? Who was he?
"Itachi, interested in a chat?"
Shishou's Sharingan spun rapidly, finally forming a pattern as he looked at Itachi.
Until Itachi's value was fully exploited, Shishou had no intention of killing him.
Even if Itachi were destined to die, it should be at the hands of Mikoto or Izumi, allowing one of them to awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan.
So, Shishou decided to take a page from Naruto's book and employ the "Talk-no-Jutsu."
After all, the Uchiha clan's emotional vulnerability was notorious.
Madara was talked down by Hashirama, Obito was talked down by Madara, and Itachi was talked down by the Third Hokage, Danzo, and Obito.
Sasuke had it the worst, being talked down by Orochimaru, Itachi, Obito, Naruto, and even Hashirama, repeatedly switching sides, making it quite laughable.
As expected, Mangekyou Sharingan!
Seeing Shishou's Mangekyou, Itachi squinted and nodded.
He did want to know Shishou's purpose in seeking him out.
"Let's go check on their fight."
"Hopefully, Zabuza isn't dead yet."
As one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Zabuza was an elite jounin, but he wouldn't fare well against the combined forces of Mikoto and Izumi.
"Don't worry about that."
"Zabuza is quite skilled at handling multiple opponents."
Itachi glanced at Shishou and followed from a distance, maintaining a gap of over twenty meters.
Upon reaching the battlefield of Mikoto, Izumi, and Zabuza,
Shishou found the area shrouded in thick mist, with the occasional clash of weapons ringing out.
In the center of the mist, Mikoto stood on a stone pillar, keeping a vigilant eye on the fog below, obviously preventing Zabuza from escaping.
Standing in the shadow of the high ground, Shishou pointed to Mikoto below and said to Itachi beside him:
"That's your mom!"
Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 300 at patreon.com/Betek.
Please remember to add this chapter to your library and follow for more updates. I'll add an extra chapter for every 25 Power Stones or new Patreon members. Additionally, this is the most challenging novel I translate, so your support is crucial for maintaining high-quality and frequent updates. If you'd like me to prioritize this novel over my other works, please support me on Patreon at patreon.com/Betek.
"What did you say!"
Itachi Uchiha turned his head sharply to look at Shishou.
For some reason, perhaps because of the way Mikoto had looked at him earlier, Itachi began to believe Shishou's words a little.
"I won't allow you to insult my mother!"
Itachi turned fully, his crimson eyes glaring at Shishou, the three tomoe in his Sharingan spinning rapidly, and a surge of killing intent emanating from him.
He would never allow anyone to insult his mother!
Even if he had killed Mikoto Uchiha with his own hands...
Feeling Itachi's killing intent, Shishou stroked his chin, thinking: If you knew how close I am to her, could you really kill me?
"You, who killed her with your own hands, what right do you have to say that to me?"
Shishou stared at Itachi, deliberately provoking him.
Sure enough, pain flickered across Itachi's eyes, and his face lost its usual cold demeanor, becoming more animated with emotion.
At the same time, Shishou, with his Mangekyou Sharingan activated, could clearly sense the increasing power in Itachi's eyes.
Tsk, tsk, tsk, the more pain and emotional upheaval, the stronger the power of the eyes. Damn this Sharingan ability!
"After you killed her, I secretly revived her. No one knows she exists."
"Now, to prevent you and Sasuke from killing each other, to kill you, the clan's murderer, she's been working very hard."
Shishou continued to provoke Itachi, sprinkling salt on his wounds.
However, Itachi had calmed down, looking coldly at Shishou. "What are you trying to achieve by telling me all this?"
"As the one who wiped out the Uchiha clan, I wouldn't mind killing them again."
"You'd have to be able to do that first," Shishou replied, giving Itachi a sidelong glance.
"Stop pretending. I know why you wiped out the clan and that you joined the Akatsuki to spy on that masked man."
"Itachi, you don't want Sasuke to grow up in pain, ending up alone and homeless, right?"
Itachi looked at Mikoto below, pressing his lips together.
After Shishou's prompt, the more he looked, the more he believed that was indeed his mother.
Thinking of his gentle and kind mother, who had now embarked on a dangerous and bloody path of revenge because of him, Itachi closed his eyes in pain.
He didn't know how Shishou knew these secrets.
But hearing Shishou's words, thinking about Sasuke's future, Itachi began to waver, doubting his past choices.
"How can I trust you?"
Itachi asked quietly, his lips barely moving.
"Because of this," Shishou said, tossing a photo of Tsunade in Konoha to Itachi.
Itachi was a firm believer in the Will of Fire.
What is the Will of Fire?
Simply put, it means Konoha above all!
As long as Shishou could show his intention to support Konoha, he could gain Itachi's trust.
And in the ninja world, without photo editing technology, the authenticity of a photograph was very high.
"Looks like you really are from Konoha."
"And you're familiar with Lady Tsunade..."
Itachi sighed, recognizing the angry yet clearly friendly expression Tsunade had in the photo, rather than one meant for an enemy.
He also noticed several Konoha shinobi in the background, confirming the photo's authenticity.
No wonder Shishou had saved Tsunade when she had a blood phobia attack.
Considering these points, Itachi temporarily believed Shishou.
Of course, the main reason was that Itachi felt he couldn't win against Shishou, who could use Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees.
"Thanks to Black and White Zetsu, Tsunade has overcome her blood phobia and returned to Konoha. With the Two Sannin and the Third Hokage, Konoha is well-guarded. You should feel relieved about Konoha."
"And don't worry about Sasuke's safety. With me here, no one can harm him."
Shishou caught the photo Itachi tossed back and continued speaking.
"Now tell me, what's your purpose in talking to me?" Itachi said, still looking at Mikoto below.
If possible, he didn't want Sasuke to carry his sins for the rest of his life.
Already a double agent for Konoha and the Akatsuki, Itachi didn't mind becoming a triple agent.
"I need you to cooperate with me on a few things." Seeing that he had persuaded Itachi, Shishou's mouth curled into a smile. "In return, I'll protect Sasuke and Konoha."
Itachi looked at Shishou for a while before finally nodding. If even someone as powerful as Shishou was protecting Sasuke, he had nothing to worry about.
Of course, Itachi could also interpret Shishou's words as a threat.
A few minutes later.
"Is that girl an Uchiha as well? Who is she?"
After hearing Shishou's requests, Itachi was preparing to leave but asked about the girl.
"She's just an Uchiha girl who awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan during the clan massacre and is determined to avenge her family." Shishou replied casually.
"I see."
With that, Itachi leaped off the high ground. After casting a deep look at Mikoto, he found Zabuza, half covered in blood, in the thick mist.
"Zabuza, we're leaving."
"That guy is strong. I'm no match for him."
Itachi said calmly as he reached the hiding Zabuza.
"Itachi, even you can't beat him?" Zabuza was shocked.
In his mind, Itachi's strength, while not quite equal to the Akatsuki leader, was close.
If even Itachi couldn't handle this guy named Shishou, how terrifying was Shishou's strength?
"Yes, we need to leave quickly." Itachi said, leaping out of the mist.
Without hesitation, Zabuza followed Itachi in retreat.
"Pant, pant."
Izumi Uchiha panted heavily, her eyes scanning the thick mist around her, alert for a surprise attack from Zabuza. She had identified his weaknesses and was confident she could defeat him if he showed himself again.
After Zabuza left, the mist quickly dissipated. Izumi was slightly stunned before Mikoto jumped down from the stone pillar and began treating Izumi's wounds.
Izumi had insisted on dueling Zabuza, so Mikoto had only kept an eye on the mist to prevent his escape.
"Let's go check out your ancestral shrine."
After Izumi's wounds were tended to, Shishou approached the two women, smiling.
"Mm."
Mikoto and Izumi nodded in unison and followed Shishou towards the shrine.
Shishou didn't mention the outcome of his confrontation with Itachi, and neither Mikoto nor Izumi asked.
Upon entering the shrine, Shishou and Mikoto began examining the murals on the walls, while Izumi stood guard at the entrance.
Itachi must have had a purpose for coming here.
However, he hadn't shared it with Shishou.
"This seems to be a record of significant events in the Uchiha clan's history from the Warring States Period..."
After a few minutes of examination, Shishou had a thoughtful expression.
"What is this?"
Suddenly, Mikoto exclaimed in surprise.
"What is it?"
Shishou moved to Mikoto's side to inquire.
Even Izumi at the entrance turned her head upon hearing Mikoto's exclamation.
"This appears to record the approximate location of the Uchiha clan's heirloom, the Totsuka Blade and Yata Mirror..."
Mikoto held a broken stone tablet, wiping the dust off it, her eyes sparkling with hope.
If she could obtain these two artifacts, she would have the confidence to end the Sasuke-Itachi conflict...
Itachi doesn't have these artifacts yet?
Shishou was stunned, then remembered Itachi using what seemed like an ordinary Susanoo sword in his battle against Orochimaru, not the Totsuka Blade.
Mikoto clutched the stone tablet to her chest and began searching the ground for other fragments.
"Izumi, come help quickly."
Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 300 at patreon.com/Betek.
Please remember to add this chapter to your library and follow for more updates. I'll add an extra chapter for every 25 Power Stones or new Patreon members. Additionally, this is the most challenging novel I translate, so your support is crucial for maintaining high-quality and frequent updates. If you'd like me to prioritize this novel over my other works, please support me on Patreon at patreon.com/Betek.
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT