"Ugh!"
As the battle ended, Shisui fell to his knees, clutching his eyes. Crimson blood trickled down from the corners of his eyes.
"Shisui?" Kagetsu and Anko instantly appeared at his side.
"I'm fine," Shisui muttered, his Mangekyō Sharingan fading away, revealing his dark pupils. But it wasn't just his eyes—his entire body was wracked with intense pain.
Kagetsu quickly jabbed a syringe into his neck and pushed the liquid inside.
Almost immediately, Shisui felt his deteriorating condition improve rapidly. The sharp pain in his eyes was soothed by a cooling sensation, and the agony faded.
His previously blurry vision became clear again.
"This should stabilize you for now. Once we're back at the lab, I'll conduct a full diagnostic on your condition," Kagetsu said as Shisui stood, releasing his hand from his eyes.
Shisui nodded, asking no questions about the syringe or the subsequent examination.
Thanks to the cooperation of the Uchiha clan, the Technology Development Department possessed comprehensive data on Uchiha physiology.
Everything from the single tomoe Sharingan to the Mangekyō had been extensively studied by Orochimaru and Kagetsu.
Before this, the most advanced and powerful kekkei genkai data in their hands had been the Wood Release of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
It was no secret within Orochimaru's team that the First Hokage's cells could mitigate some of the side effects of the Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan.
The only true challenge was balancing the powers of these two legendary bloodlines.
Suddenly, a mass of white material surged from Shisui's body, expanding rapidly in the wind. It took the form of a humanoid creature, completely white and monstrous in appearance.
"Wood Release and natural energy, huh?" The white creature, now separated from Shisui, barely touched the ground before being trapped by a shadowy bind.
"What is that?" Anko, startled by the sudden appearance of the strange being, almost struck it with her flaming fist.
"Shadow Neck Binding!"
A pitch-black arm extended along the creature's white body, snaking up to its neck and gripping tightly.
Crack!
The creature's head slumped lifelessly.
"It seems to be some kind of parasitic ninjutsu," Kagetsu murmured, eyeing the unexpectedly revealed White Zetsu with mild surprise. Without hesitation, he retrieved a spare storage scroll and sealed White Zetsu's corpse inside.
From his somewhat hazy memories, Kagetsu recalled that White Zetsu's body bore a peculiar resemblance to Shin's, both seemingly linked to Wood Release techniques.
He had long desired to study a White Zetsu, but until now, he had never encountered one in person.
Was it because of his contact with the Akatsuki trio?
Or was it linked to Uchiha Shisui?
Kagetsu pondered the reasons for being targeted and parasitized by White Zetsu. After some thought, those seemed like the only two plausible explanations.
To be cautious, Kagetsu used natural energy to examine both his and Anko's bodies, confirming there were no anomalies.
The only one parasitized was Shisui.
"What about him? Should we take him back to the village?"
Anko, who had been watching Kagetsu seal the strange creature's corpse into the scroll, glanced toward Kakuzu, still standing motionless on the other side of the field.
"Let Nekomata (Two-Tails) handle it and bring him back."
While speaking, Kagetsu activated the sealing technique on his abdomen with chakra. As he pressed his palm to his stomach, a small, agile blue cat-like beast emerged and landed gracefully.
"You sure love bossing me around," Nekomata grumbled, stretching briefly before trotting toward Kakuzu.
The black shadow domain unfurled as Nekomata leaped, spreading like a dark curtain to envelop Kakuzu, who offered no resistance. Moments later, both vanished from sight.
A puddle of black shadows flowed back swiftly, merging seamlessly into Kagetsu's own shadow.
Upon returning to Konoha, Kagetsu and his team went straight to the Hokage's office to report the mission. After reviewing Kagetsu's submitted report, the Third Hokage suddenly asked, "How are they?"
The Third Hokage's abrupt and seemingly unrelated question didn't confuse the three before him—Kagetsu and his teammates understood immediately who he was referring to.
"Well… you could say they match Jiraiya-sama's tastes quite well," Kagetsu pondered for a moment before replying, earning a raised eyebrow from the Hokage.
"Jiraiya's tastes?" The Third Hokage's mind wandered to his perverted former student, whose silhouette was often spotted loitering near bathhouses. His expression tightened slightly at the thought.
"Kind, and advocates for peace," Kagetsu explained. "Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan. Among them, Yahiko is the core of the group. His personality and principles are somewhat similar to Minato-san."
"That's quite high praise!" The Third Hokage was visibly surprised. He hadn't expected Kagetsu to hold Yahiko in such high regard.
As one of the rising stars among Konoha's new generation, Namikaze Minato was often viewed as the epitome of perfection.
With immense strength, a humble demeanor, and a magnetic charisma, Minato's passion for the village and the Will of Fire burned brightly.
To his enemies, he was a fearsome figure of death, while to his comrades and the villagers, he was a source of admiration and respect.
For Kagetsu to compare Yahiko from the Land of Rain to someone like Minato was enough to pique the Third Hokage's interest further.
"It's just their personalities that are similar," Kagetsu clarified. "In terms of strength and vision, he's nowhere near Minato-san at this point."
"Even so, that's impressive," the Third Hokage remarked with a slight smile. He didn't dismiss Kagetsu and his team after they finished their mission report. Instead, he set aside his paperwork, stood up, and walked to the office window.
Gazing at the scenery outside while puffing on his pipe, he appeared lost in thought for a moment before speaking again.
"You said their Akatsuki organization has already grown to a certain size and influence?" he asked abruptly.
"Yes," Kagetsu replied earnestly. "Shisui, Anko, and I visited their base. They've gathered around a hundred ninjas and are steadily growing.
"In the Land of Rain, Yahiko's advocacy for peace resonates deeply. His vision naturally attracts those weary of war and those yearning for peace."
The Third Hokage nodded thoughtfully, listening closely as Kagetsu shared his observations.
****
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