"A Genjutsu cast on himself…" Shikaku muttered. He felt another headache as he thought, 'Akatsuki… Everything about them is troublesome.'
He said, "That sounds like the forbidden Izanagi jutsu of the Uchiha clan?"
Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "Izanagi? What does it do?"
Even though Fujin knew very well what that jutsu did, he hadn't encountered any scroll mentioning it. Hence, he could only feign ignorance despite being one of the most knowledgeable about the technique.
Shikaku explained, "It's a very powerful jutsu that the caster casts on himself. It blurs the line between reality and illusion. It's quite complicated and even I don't know how it works, so I'll just explain the effects.
From the moment this jutsu is cast, any damage the Uchiha ninja takes is reversed when the duration of this Genjutsu ends. Even if they die, they'll be back in the same condition they were in at the moment they cast Izanagi. However, it comes at the cost of an eye as they forever lose the eyesight of the eye that casts Izanagi."
Surprise appeared on Fujin's face as he muttered, "That's an incredible jutsu… Even though the cost is high, losing an eye is better than losing their life. Is there any way to counter it?"
Shikaku answered, "There is one jutsu which is called Izanami. It was created to counter Izanagi. Unfortunately, it was created by none other than the Uchiha clan and needs a Sharingan to cast. And, it also costs the eye. So, only Kakashi could use it, if we knew how to use it.
So, the only available option is to kill them twice or thrice depending on how much they're willing to sacrifice. The only good thing is that they'll be much weaker once they lose both eyes, especially if it's the Mangekyou Sharingan. Did he have a Sharingan in the other eye?"
Fujin answered, "Not sure. The mask was covered with dense seals, blocking all my sensing techniques. Since the mask only had one eyehole, his left eye should have an issue. Even if it were the Mangekyou, he would only have one Mangekyou Sharingan left in the worst-case scenario. If that was his only Sharingan, he's no longer a big threat. Unfortunately…"
Shikaku completed Fujin's words, "Your instincts feel that isn't the case."
Fujin nodded. It wasn't his instincts since he knew Obito had normal Sharingan in his left eye, but it didn't matter. Shikaku wouldn't overlook the instincts of a ninja of Fujin's caliber.
Shikaku sighed tiredly. He had another troublesome matter to handle. Even so, he was glad that Fujin brought this information. It was better to take precautions than be caught off guard by someone with such a troublesome ability.
After thinking for a while, Shikaku asked, "How do you think you would have fared without your Wind Domain technique?"
Fujin thought for a bit before answering, "Not so good. I would have still been able to defend myself and counterattack, but my position would be very passive and vulnerable. A single mistake could have been fatal for me while landing a single attack would have been an uphill task. Without a technique like Wind Domain, I'd consider him a greater threat than the Third Tsuchikage and Fourth Raikage.
Perhaps only someone with a Space-Time mastery like Lord Fourth could take him head-on. Maybe Jiraiya-sama's Senjutsu could stand a chance too but he'll be quite passive too. If Grandpa recovers completely, then he may have another way too. Speaking of him, is he up?"
Shikaku answered, "Not yet. Still, you're increasing my headache further. An opponent of this level. If he was indeed the one behind the Nine Tails' assault, then he's a huge threat for us. No, the fact that he is in the Akatsuki is already a big threat."
Fujin said, "Now you know why I said he's a bigger threat than Orochimaru and Sunagakure. Also, he wasn't a normal member of Akatsuki."
Shikaku raised an eyebrow and asked, "What do you mean?"
Fujin answered, "Neither Sasori nor Deidara recognized him. As you can see, he wasn't wearing their cloak or the ring either. It was when that plant-like member called Zetsu appeared and said that he was a part of their organization that those two trusted him.
This should imply that he's one of their secret members, perhaps one of the founding members too. And, we may need to take that plant-like being more seriously too. It knows more about Akatsuki than someone like Sasori, meaning it should be higher up the chain of command."
Shikaku nodded and asked, "Exactly how many Akatsuki members did you battle?"
Fujin answered, "I basically just battled two. This guy appeared after I had set up my Wind Domain and was about to trap them. He was more focused on escaping than attacking me. Zetsu didn't fight either and just escaped through underground once my Wind Domain closed in on them."
Shikaku thoughtfully said, "That's better. Still, it was too risky. You should have returned to the village immediately after the clash. His ability is just too convenient to assassinate. Your life could have been at risk if he attacked."
Fujin replied, "On the contrary, I stayed out longer hoping he'd sneak attack me. The reason I marched out to the Land of Wind, along with pressuring Sunagakure, was to lure him out. I even left myself open several times. If he tried, I would have had an opportunity to kill him for good. Unfortunately, he didn't show up…"
Fujin sighed like he had missed an opportunity. Shikaku's eyes twitched as he thought, 'I should have guessed. This is in line with his personality. If someone is troublesome, the best way to deal with them is to kill them right away. Since he took such a risk, it seems he has the confidence to kill him again. So, that's one possible counter.
The only question is, how do I ensure that this masked fellow attacks only Fujin or Jiraiya-sama instead of others… I should also increase Lord Third's protection. If he had made a move against Lord Third, our arrangements would have fallen short...'
His chain of thoughts was broken when Fujin asked, "Anyway, why hasn't he healed by now? Did they still not return?"
Shikaku sighed and answered, "They returned just yesterday. Lady Tsunade is experimenting in the Torture & Interrogation Department to prepare for healing Lord Third's soul. The process is quite risky and she doesn't want to take any risks…"
Fujin placed his chin on his palm as he thought for a bit. He muttered, "I didn't think it'd be so complicated. I'll give her a hand later. Along with helping the old man, it'll also deepen my understanding of the soul. But first…"
Fujin yawned, "I need some sleep. Expecting his sneak attack, I haven't had a proper sleep in weeks…"
Shikaku's eyes twitched once again, this time in annoyance. Ever since the attack on Leaf, he hadn't had a single complete and undisturbed sleep. Recalling the ordeal Fujin put him through, he said, "You shouldn't let your guard down completely. With his abilities, attacking you inside your house wouldn't be difficult."
Fujin chuckled as he got up and began walking away, "If he does that, then we can rest easy."
Fujin couldn't care less if none of his seals could stop Obito from entering. As long as he entered, he would experience hell trying to escape alive. As annoying as Obito's ability was, he was no Hashirama or Madara. Fujin was fully confident in chasing him around for 5 minutes inside Konoha.
Shikaku thought, 'So those seals are still under his control… Considering how many there are, I assumed he lost track long ago. Keeping track of tens of thousands of seals… Too troublesome.'
Just as Fujin was about to leave the room, Shikaku said, "Don't forget you have to be present for the victory parade."
Without turning around, Fujin replied, "There won't be any more fighting or talking. Ask Hoka or Sensei to disguise themselves as me. Don't send anyone for me, I won't answer my door."
Fujin disappeared as soon as he was done speaking. Shikaku muttered in annoyance, "He disturbed my sleep but doesn't want to be disturbed himself… Still, this is good. I still have time to return to my house and take another nap…"
As soon as Shikaku had that thought, an Anbu Captain entered the room and reported, "Shikaku-sama, Lady Tsunade said that the prisoners on death row may not be enough for her. She wants you to immediately work with Ibiki and decide who else can be experimented on."
'...'
Without uttering a single word, Shikaku just stared at the Anbu Captain.
"Shikaku-sama?" The Anbu Captain asked, puzzled at Shikaku's unresponsiveness.
Shikaku sighed and thought, 'They just won't let me sleep…'
Shikaku could only respond, "Alright, I'll look into it. Tell her that I had asked the army to bring back bandits alive. So, we'll provide as many prisoners as she needs."
The Anbu Captain nodded and flickered away. Even though the rays of the Sun fell on Konoha, the houses around the Torture & Interrogation Department continued to be tormented by horrendous screams!
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