Capítulo 43: 43 - Breaking the Chains of Destiny
Accepting Kakuzu gave Shin even more confidence to resist the impending, fateful disaster.
Kakuzu wasn't only a reliable fighter; he was also an excellent ninjutsu teacher. A true master of all five elemental releases was hard to come by in these times.
In Shin's view, Akatsuki's use of Kakuzu in the original story was too conservative; this workhorse of the ninja world could be squeezed for much more value. The original timeline wasted his potential. He's worth far more than just being a bounty hunter.
Moreover, through their exchanges, Kakuzu provided an unexpected discovery.
"You're saying you found someone strange near our base on your way here?"
"Yes, I can't quite describe him, but he was... unusual." Kakuzu's eyes narrowed as he recalled the encounter. "I couldn't feel any heartbeat from his body. Nothing like I've ever sensed before."
He revealed he could sense other people's heartbeats, as if not caring about giving away his own secrets. His eyes studied Shin's face carefully, searching for any reaction.
After all, he had no way of knowing how much the young ninja understood about him; he even suspected Shin might already know about his ability to steal hearts.
His composure was unnatural for his age, almost as if he'd lived another life.
Sure enough, Shin didn't show the slightest surprise at this ability. He merely nodded, as if cataloging the information for future use.
Kakuzu shot him a look. You really are suspicious. How much do you know about me? The decades of experience had taught him to be wary of those who knew too much.
But soon, Shin's unexpected reaction redirected Kakuzu's attention.
"A person with no heartbeat…" he pondered for a moment, as if in thought, then suddenly stood up. "Where did you see this person? Take me there! Right away!"
What kind of person would have no heartbeat? Unless they weren't a person at all.
Kakuzu was still clueless, assuming it was just a typical mystery to solve. But when he led Shin back to the place where he'd seen that heartless stranger, he began to realize things might be more complex.
"How can this be? I saw him here just recently; why is there not a single trace left?"
Despite his fifty years of ninja experience, he couldn't find any traces or signs left by the person. His fingers brushed the bark of trees, checked the soil, searched for any disturbance in the natural flow of the forest.
Nothing.
Using sensory abilities turned up nothing either.
Finally, Shin confirmed it. "It's likely White Zetsu." It doesn't matter if Kakuzu knows—his sensory abilities could come in handy.
Normal people wouldn't have had enough time to erase every last trace in such a short period. But if it was White Zetsu, it would make sense, as there would never have been any traces to begin with.
The forest itself could have been his body, every root and branch his eyes and ears.
White Zetsu's Mayfly Technique was a remarkable ability, allowing him to merge seamlessly with plant roots and the earth, effectively becoming part of it and erasing all signs of his presence.
During this time, his aura was completely cut off, making it undetectable by anyone.
He probably didn't expect Kakuzu to be able to sense human heartbeats, so he had carelessly revealed himself within Kakuzu's range for a moment.
At the time, neither White Zetsu nor Kakuzu thought much of it. The encounter had seemed meaningless, just another strange occurrence in a world full of mysteries.
But returning to the site now, Kakuzu realized how strange the situation was. His decades of experience screamed that something was very wrong here.
"Who exactly is this White Zetsu?" his eyes narrowed as he scanned the treeline. "Can he really leave no trace at all?"
Shin nodded, his expression solemn. "Yes, be careful with this being. Let me know immediately if you find him again."
He didn't say more, not wanting to risk White Zetsu overhearing if he was nearby. The trees themselves could be enemy ears.
Shin had little hope that Kakuzu could find White Zetsu again. The creature was too careful, too experienced at staying hidden.
Unexpectedly, this piqued Kakuzu's curiosity even more. The old bounty hunter had never backed down from a challenge.
"There will be another chance," Kakuzu growled. "I didn't pay attention before, and that guy… he likely didn't notice me either."
Shin's earlier attempt to mystify had hit the mark unexpectedly. The mystery had caught the veteran ninja's attention like a fish on a hook.
Kakuzu, already wary and intrigued by Shin, grew even more curious when he saw how seriously the boy treated White Zetsu. His motivation shot up.
Two days later, to Shin's surprise, Kakuzu actually managed to track White Zetsu again. The old bounty hunter's experience proved its worth once more.
Shin wasted no time, immediately setting off and taking Konan and Sanda with him. The urgency in his movements told them this was no ordinary pursuit.
"Why these specific locations?" Konan whispered as they moved through the shadows.
"Watch the patterns," Shin replied softly. "Our enemy is methodical. They always are." Nagato's too valuable to risk. Besides, they're probably watching him.
Following Kakuzu's lead, the three headed into a remote mountain forest in the Land of Rain. Although they didn't find White Zetsu, they did observe some suspicious ninja.
These ninjas were disguised, dressed as simple woodcutters without forehead protectors. However, their nimble movements and cautious steps gave away their true identities. No woodcutter moved with such practiced silence.
"Why are there people here in such a remote area?" Konan whispered, her paper butterfly scouts drifting silently above them.
Kakuzu made a quick judgment. "They're probably ANBU. See how they move? Too disciplined for regular shinobi."
Shin quickly guessed who they might be. Root's signature. Danzō's already moving his pieces. The board is getting crowded.
Suddenly, Kakuzu lowered his voice, alerting them, "Careful. That heartless monster is here."
Moments later, a seemingly ordinary Ame ninja appeared, leaping from tree branches before landing on the ground, showing a normal-looking male face. His movements were perfect, his mannerisms flawless—too flawless.
Sanda's eyes widened as he whispered, "I've seen him before—he's one of Hanzō's men." His hand unconsciously moved to his weapon pouch.
Shin took a deep breath and whispered back, "He's probably not anymore." He's already replaced one of Hanzō's men. How many others?
It was White Zetsu's transformation technique.
In the Fourth Great Ninja War from the original, White Zetsu had absorbed a ninja's chakra to perfectly impersonate them, infiltrating the Allied Shinobi Forces to wreak havoc.
Every gesture, every word, every habit—perfectly copied.
He hadn't expected such a scene to unfold here in the Land of Rain so fast.
Hanzō, Black and White Zetsu, and Danzō's Root—the three forces had inevitably converged. All the players were gathering.
Each player moved according to their own agenda, yet all seemed to dance to an unseen conductor's baton. Was Anāhata the one wielding it, the being who had bound him to this system?
The system's predicted outcome unfolded before his eyes. Attack now? Retreat? Every choice had consequences, and all of them seemed to lead to death.
Just like the gears of fate, locking into place, crushing any ant that dared to resist. The metaphor had never felt more real, more suffocating. This confirmed to Shin that he had no escape. The pieces were all in position, the trap nearly complete. He could only try to overcome them.
The cliff behind, enemies ahead. The system's prediction is taking shape.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he was about to act when a puff of white smoke appeared beside him. Ayumi revealed herself at his side, leaning in close to whisper.
"Shin, other allies from Sora-ku are lurking nearby. They haven't noticed us yet. I came here specifically to warn you."
More players in the shadows. How many enemies are there?
"Who?" he asked softly.
Ayumi glanced at Kakuzu and stayed silent. With deliberate slowness, she delicately lifted her front hoof to cover her left eye.
Shin understood instantly.
A one-eyed ninja cat—Shisui's companion.
Shin and Ayumi, silently communicating in code, quickly realized they were on the same page. We need to move fast.
Konan caught on and asked, "Is it someone you know, Shin? Should we get out of sight?"
Without much hesitation, Shin replied, "Let's fall back. Ayumi, can you keep us from being noticed?"
He had no intention of meeting Shisui just yet; the identity of 'Shin' had no connection with him, and it might cause trouble to meet now. Instead, he planned to go back to the Sora-ku and meet with Shisui later to find out what he was doing in the Land of Rain. He would do so under the identity of 'Aizen'.
"My stealth and detection skills are among the best in Sora-ku," Ayumi said proudly, her tiny trunk held high.
Reliable elephant!
Unable to resist, Shin scratched behind Ayumi's ears, making her flap them contentedly as she leaned into his touch. Her trunk curled in happiness as she accepted a piece of mango. Then, with agility and silence, she leapt onto a nearby branch, testing its strength before motioning for the others to follow.
Shin led the other three along the path Ayumi selected, moving away quietly and unnoticed.
Soon afterward, he sent a message to Shisui through Sora-ku requesting a meeting. The reply came swiftly, and that very night, he met the concerned Shisui in Sora-ku.
"Aizen, I'm so glad you're alright. I've been wanting to see you."
Shin was momentarily taken aback, surprised to find how deeply Shisui's concern for him had grown over time. It seemed that even on the battlefield, the Uchiha clan's position in the village had not improved.
Shisui seemed lonelier than ever and had come to rely heavily on him. Dark circles under his eyes spoke of sleepless nights and endless worry.
Lowering his head briefly to adjust his expression, Shin looked up.
"It seems our thoughts align, Shisui. I've been looking for you too. Recently, some people from Konoha have come to the Land of Rain."
Shisui's face darkened. The change was instant—like watching storm clouds gather over a clear sky.
"I know. Those people are from Root. I wanted to warn you about them… be careful."
Shin looked intently at Shisui, discerning his genuine sincerity. Confident this well-intentioned soul wasn't trying to manipulate him, he put on a look of concealed bitterness and began his act.
"Your warning is a bit late. Those people from Konoha have already reached an agreement with Hanzō-sama." Shin let his shoulders slump slightly.
"What do they want?" Shisui immediately took the bait.
It seemed he had infiltrated the Land of Rain earlier in the day to investigate Root's actions. He was learning, finally growing beyond the version in the original story, starting to actively seek out the truth.
Too bad, Shisui—escaping Danzō won't mean escaping me.
"Root is cooperating with Hanzō-sama to eliminate Akatsuki from the Land of Rain. In exchange, he has agreed to help the Root leader eliminate his competition for the Hokage position."
Shin's words ignited Shisui's emotions.
"What? Danzō… he would conspire with outsiders to eliminate his own people?"
In reality, Shin had no idea if Danzō was even in the Land of Rain or what agreements he may have with Hanzō. But it didn't matter—what mattered was that Shisui believed him.
He then sighed deeply, adding a touch of melancholy, letting his gaze drift to the distant mountains visible through the village gates.
"Shisui, I feel so lost."
"Akatsuki... they've shown me hope, vitality, a future. They genuinely strive for the Land of Rain, for this very soil on which I was born. I believe in their ideals; I want to do something for my country… But I can't betray Hanzō-sama."
"Shisui, this is very painful for me."
These words struck right at Shisui's heart. Lost, struggling, caught between two warring factions, unable to decide… it all resonated deeply with his own inner turmoil. Instantly, he felt a connection.
In his eyes, Aizen was practically a mirror image of himself. His eyes reddened, and his three-tomoe Sharingan activated.
"I understand you," he said.
Shin only shook his head gently.
"Don't try to find me again."
"If, one day, I'm forced to oppose Konoha, or if I fall to a Konoha shinobi, please don't resent the Land of Rain or the young members of Akatsuki. We all just chose to pursue our ideals. None of us regret our choices."
He went on, saying many more things about the Land of Rain in an almost nostalgic tone, subtly planting in Shisui's mind the notion of Akatsuki as a just and innocent organization.
"Enough. Don't say anymore. I'll save you. I'll find a way to stop Danzō's schemes."
"Trust me, I will save you."
At that moment, Shin noticed Shisui's Sharingan spinning rapidly, on the verge of evolving into the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Is Shisui ga—Oh no, am I going to be the trigger for his evolution?
If only the Land of Rain were closer to Konoha...
Imagine, on a bright, clear morning, Shisui opens his door to see my body pinned high on the Hokage building's outer wall, blood dripping down like a painting... What a beautiful tragedy that would make.
That would make for a perfect Mangekyō moment.
"Are you truly willing to help me?" Shin asked softly, feigning disbelief.
Shisui bit down hard, closing his eyes once before finally saying, "Yes, Aizen, I understand your pain. This time, let me be the one to support you."
Shin smiled warmly. "Thank you, Shisui. Could you tell me what you know about Root's activities?"
Blind to the trap, Shisui disclosed various secret details about Root and Konoha. And with that, Shin had managed to throw another wrench in the wheel of fate.
Now, he would wait for the right moment to shatter the chains of destiny. And fortunately, that moment wouldn't be too far off.
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Tomorrow, I'm releasing 'How to Survive as an Uchiha.' The main character is an Uchiha clan member who's already achieved jonin rank and is older than Shisui. The story focuses on slice-of-life elements and clan politics. While not exactly a villain, the MC is more of a laid-back opportunist. He doesn't hide his power and is willing to kill if it benefits the clan and his situation.
I'll release 2-5 chapters tomorrow, followed by 2 chapters daily for the next week. Monday will feature a mass release of 5-10 chapters, depending on how many I can write by Sunday.
Hope to see you there!
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86/100 reached for bonus chapter.
If we somehow reached the top 10, which is so unlikely: 2 chapters/day for 1 week.
Consider leaving comments and reviews!
Advance Chapters: p@treon.com/Malphegor
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