Over the next two weeks, Shishou spent his days at the base using his Mangekyō Sharingan to rapidly evolve the Rainbow Caterpillar, Healing Worm, and Armored Beetle. At night, he continued to deepen his relationship with Hyuga Natsu.
During this period, each of the three types of insects underwent several evolutions, but none achieved special evolution, leaving Shishou slightly disappointed.
On May 31, Konoha Year 60, after bathing at the base, Shishou stepped out of the bathroom.
"Master," Hyuga Rimei said, blushing as she handed him a robe.
Because her room was right next to Hyuga Natsu's, her sleep quality had not been great recently.
"I will be leaving for a while. You and Natsu should focus on mastering the sensory technique," Shishou instructed as he put on his robe.
Hyuga Rimei and Hyuga Natsu had successfully learned the sensory technique but were not yet proficient.
"Yes, Master," Rimei responded respectfully.
Nodding, Shishou's figure vanished from the spot. Shortly after, Natsu emerged from the bathroom, blushing as she looked at Rimei.
Rimei sighed and pulled Natsu towards the training room. "Let's continue practicing."
"Yes, ma'am," Natsu replied.
...
Outside Konoha Village in the Land of Fire.
"You're late," Uchiha Itachi said as Shishou appeared.
"I was a bit busy," Shishou shrugged, standing thirty meters away from Itachi. "You called me here. It seems you're ready?"
The preparation he referred to was Itachi's readiness to enact the "Asagiri's Return Home" script.
"You seem very wary of me," Itachi observed, noting Shishou's distance.
"I'm only cautious of Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan ability, Kotoamatsukami," Shishou replied with a light laugh.
Not sure if Kotoamatsukami could still control him, Shishou thought it best to be careful.
"You really do know I possess Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan," Itachi sighed after a moment of silence, abandoning a certain idea.
If Shishou knew about Kotoamatsukami, his behavior made perfect sense. But how did he know?
"I want you to take Sasuke as your disciple," Itachi stated directly.
"Why?" Shishou raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Because you're strong," Itachi's reason was simple yet convincing.
"You should know that my identity prevents me from openly teaching Sasuke," Shishou said, rejecting the idea. He wasn't ready to reveal his identity in Konoha, as it would spoil much of his fun.
"As a trade, I'll give you Shisui's eye," Itachi continued, "and I will follow your orders, even to my death."
When Itachi mentioned facing death calmly, his expression was serene, as if it wasn't his own life he was giving up.
Itachi was truly dedicated to Sasuke's wellbeing.
Shishou was surprised, not expecting Itachi to go this far. If Itachi obeyed him, helping Uchiha Mikoto and Uchiha Izumi awaken their Mangekyō Sharingan would be much easier.
Additionally, Kotoamatsukami was a very useful tool.
"Alright," Shishou nodded after some thought, agreeing to take Sasuke as his disciple. Sasuke was practically his stepson, and Mikoto would likely want him to be Sasuke's teacher anyway.
"Once Sasuke officially becomes your student, I'll give you Kotoamatsukami," Itachi said. "Until then, I'll follow your orders."
Itachi clearly didn't intend to hand over Shisui's eye right away, keeping a safeguard.
"I understand," Shishou replied. "Let's start the plan I mentioned earlier. I'll make some preparations."
"See you at the Uchiha compound in half an hour," Shishou said before disappearing, reappearing at the mansion in Fire City.
Closing his eyes to sense the surroundings, he walked towards the room with the hot spring.
"Mikoto, your figure is so good," Anko said enviously, soaking in the hot spring next to Mikoto.
Although Anko's figure was also good, it couldn't compare to Mikoto's.
"Yeah, Mikoto doesn't look like someone who has kids," Pakura added. "I've been here for two or three years, and Mikoto still looks the same as she did years ago."
"It's like she's eternally young," Pakuras tone was a bit jealous.
"Hehe, you two haven't changed either," Mikoto laughed.
Anko and Pakura paused. They realized that their own physical conditions and appearances hadn't changed either.
As ninjas, they were very sensitive to their physical states, quickly reaching this conclusion.
Outside the room, Shishou overheard their conversation and rolled his eyes. His Mangekyō Sharingan ability, Takaamahara, could accelerate and pause biological growth.
After obtaining his Mangekyō, he used it to freeze the aging of the women around him. Although it didn't grant immortality, it could keep them youthful indefinitely, similar to the effects of the Yin Seal.
So aging wasn't an issue.
"Ahem," Shishou coughed as he entered the hot spring room, "I've locked your biological growth, allowing you to stay young forever."
Mikoto and Pakura stared at him in disbelief.
"You can make someone stay young forever?" Anko was equally shocked.
If other women knew this, they'd swarm Shishou.
"Wait," Pakura suddenly realized, "Why are you here? Get out!"
She hurriedly covered herself with a towel and threw a fireball at Shishou.
Laughing, Shishou dodged the fireball, appeared beside Pakura, and playfully pinched her.
Then he moved to Mikoto, scooped her out of the spring, and disappeared with her.
"Tch, up to no good again," Anko muttered, pouncing on Pakura. "Let's try it too, Pakura."
Despite being teased by Shishou, Anko was increasingly curious about those things.
Blushing from Shishou's playful pinch, Pakura glared at Anko.
"Get off!"
...
In Mikoto's room, Shishou tossed Mikoto onto the bed, groping her until she was flushed and breathless.
"Let's go. Today, I'll take you to see Sasuke," Shishou said with a smile, standing up.
"You're awful! Making me feel like this before seeing Sasuke," Mikoto glared at him, getting up to straighten herself.
Soon, Shishou and Mikoto appeared at the Uchiha compound.
Sasuke had just finished school and was running home.