Having pinned Arashi against the tree, the masked man's hand reached towards the boy's face, his fingers poised to pluck out the coveted Rinnegan.
"Huh?" He paused, a flicker of surprise crossing his masked features.
"Hmm? Shisui of the Body Flicker, is it?" His voice echoed through the forest, a chilling rasp that sent shivers down Arashi's spine.
"Caw!" Arashi's body dissolved into a flock of crows, their sharp beaks pecking and clawing at the masked man, distracting him momentarily.
'Hmph, I already knew it was risky coming for him head-on,' the masked man thought, his single visible eye narrowing. 'I guess I should go after him either way. They already know I'm here.'
He turned his attention to Shisui, unfazed by the swirling crows.
"Who are you?" Shisui demanded, his voice filled with protective fury. "And what do you want with Arashi?"
"Isn't it obvious?" The masked man chuckled darkly. "The Rinnegan. No child should wield such powerful eyes. I'm simply going to take them from him."
Shisui stepped in front of Arashi, his tanto ablaze with a protective fire. "Anyone who wants to pick on Arashi will do it over my dead body."
He flickered through the air, his movements a blur as he unleashed a series of fireballs towards the masked man.
"Uchiha Style: Halo Dance!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! The waves of fire exploded, engulfing the masked man in a fiery inferno.
"I'm sure that can be arranged too," the man's voice echoed, seemingly unaffected by the flames. He charged forward, his body phasing through the fire as if it were mere smoke.
'What? I'm sure I hit him,' Shisui thought, his brow furrowing in confusion.
The masked man lunged, a chain snaking out from his sleeve towards Shisui. But with a practiced flicker, Shisui evaded the attack, the chain grasping at empty air.
"What did I expect?" the masked man mused, his voice laced with amusement. "You've truly mastered that Body Flicker Technique, haven't you?"
Shisui gritted his teeth, his Sharingan analyzing the situation. 'He speaks with such arrogance, and just by fighting him, I can already tell he's holding back. And the way he fights... he passed right through me earlier. What kind of jutsu is that?'
'Whatever it is, it's making him immune to all physical attacks. That's why my Halo Dance didn't hit him.'
Shisui flickered behind the masked man, his tanto aimed at a vital point. But the blade passed harmlessly through the man's form.
Again and again, Shisui attacked, his movements a blur of speed and precision. But each strike met with the same result - his tanto phasing through the masked man's intangible body.
Okay, let's refine this intense and pivotal scene!
The masked man's grip tightened around Shisui's neck, his sinister intent clear. "You're becoming a nuisance, Shisui Uchiha." With a cruel smirk, he withdrew a kunai from his pocket.
"Hold this for me."
The kunai plunged into Shisui's leg, a sharp cry of pain echoing through the cavern.
"I wasn't planning to kill you," the masked man chuckled, "but oh well."
"Shisui!" Arashi's voice, thick with desperation, filled the air. In a blinding flash, he swapped places with the masked man, his Rinnegan blazing with a fierce, violet light.
The masked man stumbled back, momentarily disoriented. 'Huh? What a strange jutsu… Even he doesn't have that... Such a strange Rinnegan.'
His single visible eye narrowed, focusing on the young Uchiha who now stood protectively in front of his wounded brother.
"Arashi, get out of here!" Shisui gasped, his voice weakened by blood loss.
"I'm never leaving you!" Arashi declared, his resolve unwavering. "I'll do whatever I can to save you, Big Brother. I'll never leave your side!"
As he spoke, Arashi felt a surge of power coursing through him. 'This feels much like that day... the day I awakened my Rinnegan...'
He felt a warmth spreading from the back of his neck, flooding his eyes with newfound energy. "I can feel my power grow," he murmured, his voice filled with both awe and trepidation.
A single tomoe materialized in each of his Rinnegan, their pattern shifting and evolving. The masked man's eyes widened in surprise.
"How peculiar," he mused, a hint of fascination in his voice. "An evolving Rinnegan... Oh well, let's see what else is unusual about these eyes..."
Arashi channeled more chakra into his Rinnegan, their glow intensifying. 'This technique will probably take a large amount of chakra,' he thought, 'but I don't care. I will save Shisui!'
As he prepared to unleash his power, a surge of energy coursed through his body. An aura of violet and black lightning crackled around him, illuminating the dimly lit cave.
'I feel like... I can do anything!'
He shifted his stance, his gaze locked onto the masked man.
The masked man, sensing the shift in power, tensed. 'This jutsu seems to be a speed enhancement type,' he analyzed. 'Hmph, even if it is, nothing can touch me for four more minutes...'
He gripped his sickle-chain tightly, ready to strike. "Very well then, let's dan—"
BOOM!!!
In the blink of an eye, a flash of light erupted, sending the masked man hurtling through the cave wall with such force that he vanished from sight.
"I got him!" Arashi exclaimed, his voice filled with a triumphant roar.
But the victory was fleeting. His heart hammered in his chest, and a wave of pain wracked his body.
"Ugh..." He clutched his chest, collapsing to the ground. "My body... it's... painful."
He looked at his hand, horror filling his eyes. His skin was cracked and bleeding, a network of fissures spreading across his flesh.
Whoosh!
Itachi arrived, his Sharingan scanning the scene. "Shisui!" he called out, rushing to his friend's side.
But Arashi was nowhere to be found. Itachi's gaze fell upon Shisui, who lay propped against a tree, his leg bleeding profusely.
"You've lost a lot of blood," Itachi observed grimly, kneeling beside his friend.
Itachi's face paled as he assessed the severity of Shisui's injuries. He had never seen his friend so battered and broken.
"What happened here?" he asked urgently, his voice tight with concern.
Shisui grimaced, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "It was... that masked man," he managed to say. "He attacked me and Arashi. I tried to fend him off, but I couldn't beat him... And then Arashi, he..."
Shisui's eyes darted around the clearing, searching for his brother. "Where is he?!" He attempted to stand, but a sharp pain in his leg forced him back down. "Argh!"
"Itachi, find Arashi," he urged, his voice laced with desperation. "Follow that trail of lightning. I'll be fine, but if he's been taken..."
Itachi nodded, his Sharingan activating as he surveyed the surroundings. 'Something is burning nearby. Something... I can smell it. And that sound... I can hear the faint crackling of sparks.'
He followed the trail, his senses guiding him through the dense undergrowth. He soon found Arashi lying on the forest floor, his body twitching as arcs of electricity danced across his skin. His clothes were singed and torn, his fists and legs covered in blood. Even his eyes, once so vibrant, now leaked crimson tears.
Arashi's vision blurred, but he could make out a shadowy figure approaching him. A hand reached out, and he instinctively flinched.
"Shisui?" he whispered, his voice weak and raspy.
"It's me," Itachi's gentle voice reassured him. "I'm here to help you."
Relieved, Arashi allowed himself to be lifted into Itachi's arms. He clung to him, his body trembling with exhaustion.
"Itachi," he managed to ask, his voice barely a whisper, "what happened to Big Brother Shisui?"
Itachi hesitated for a moment, then answered, "You saved him."
A weak smile touched Arashi's lips. "I saved him?" he repeated, a sense of accomplishment briefly overcoming his pain. "Awesome."
And with that, his eyelids fluttered closed, his body finally succumbing to the toll of the battle. He surrendered to the darkness, the comforting warmth of Itachi's arms his last sensation before sleep claimed him.
----------------------------------------
Meanwhile, far away in a rain-soaked village, the masked man crashed into a river, the impact sending ripples through the murky water.
'What... was... that?' he groaned, clutching his head. His vision swam, and his senses reeled.
He looked down at his chest, his breath catching in his throat. A gaping hole pierced his torso, crackling with residual lightning.
"My body... in pain," he rasped, disbelief mingling with a dull ache. "Even with Hashirama's cells... I can still feel this... How...?"
His shattered mask lay forgotten in the mud, a testament to the force that had sent him flying miles away from his quarry.
"That punch..." He struggled to comprehend the sheer speed and power of the attack. "How did it go through Kamui? It was so fast... I didn't even have time to react... and what is this...?"
He wiped his brow, his fingers coming away wet.
"Is this... blood...?" His single visible eye widened in shock.
"It is..." He tried to rise, but his body trembled, wracked with pain.
"He didn't go for the head," he realized, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. "If he had, I would be dead. That punch... he must be able to move through dimensions with speed alone..."
A grudging admiration mingled with his fear. "It's no wonder it was so powerful," he muttered. "Hmph, all that power wasted on a mere child."
He leaned back against the riverbank, a twisted smile forming on his lips.
"Ahahahah! Arashi Uchiha, huh?"
'What a kid,' he thought, his mind already calculating. 'After I recover, I'll be sure to keep a close eye on him.'
----------------------------------------
A week later...
Arashi awoke with a groan, his vision blurred and disoriented. The room was bathed in sunlight streaming through an open window. He raised a bandaged hand to shield his eyes, then froze. The bandages, the cast on his leg, the IV bag hanging above him... 'Konoha,' he realized with a sinking heart.
'Why am I here? Where's Shisui?'
"Hey, guys! He's awake!" Naruto's exuberant voice shattered the quiet.
'That voice can only be his.'
Arashi turned his head, his vision slowly clearing. Naruto stood beside his bed, a wide grin plastered on his face. "You really gave us a scare, you know!"
"Honestly, how can you let this happen?" Sasuke entered the room, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "You're such a loser."
Arashi's heart swelled with a mixture of relief and warmth. 'The only good thing in this place is them.' He returned their smiles, his gaze searching the room for two familiar figures.
"Huh?" he asked, his brow furrowing. "What happened to Big Brother Shisui and Itachi?"
"Big Brother took Shisui to the hospital as soon as you all arrived," Sasuke explained. "After that, they were taken to see the Hokage. I haven't seen them since then. It's been a few hours, though. I'm sure everything will be alright. Even my father is there."
Arashi's smile faded, replaced by a gnawing worry. 'I have to get out of here. Shisui could be in trouble because of me.'
"Hey, your eyes are different," Naruto observed, leaning closer to peer at Arashi's face.
"Yeah, Naruto's right," Sasuke added. "You have a tomoe in your eye. It's just like the Sharingan."
"Hey, Tsuki," Shikamaru's voice interrupted their observations, "it was great seeing you again, but I better go. If I don't, my mom will scold me for staying late. It's such a drag..." He waved goodbye and left, Choji following close behind.
"Me too! See you around, Tsuki!" Choji called out as they exited the room.
'Of course... That name...' The familiar nickname, once a source of comfort, now sent a shiver down Arashi's spine.
"Sasuke, how long have I been in the hospital?" Arashi's voice was weak, barely a whisper.
Sasuke's expression turned somber. "One week ago, you, Shisui, and Itachi arrived," he explained. "Shisui was badly wounded and unconscious too. You were carried by Big Brother because you were completely drained of chakra. You only had a little left, just enough to keep you alive but immobile."
Sasuke hesitated, then continued, "I heard the doctors say you had burns all over your body, even some internal damage. They'd never seen anything like it and didn't expect you to survive. Naruto and I came to visit you while you were unconscious."
"I see..." Arashi's brow furrowed, a wave of guilt washing over him. 'Shisui... Itachi... They're all in trouble because of me...'
He tried to clench his fist, but his hand barely responded. His body felt weak and fragile.
(Edited on: 21/09/24)