Anko leapt nimbly to the side, giving the two on the training field enough space to fight.
After forming the Seal of Confrontation, Shisui activated his Sharingan in an instant, locking his gaze onto the opponent—Kagetsu. But it seemed Kagetsu had expected this, as his eyes remained tightly shut.
He's closing his eyes to guard against my Sharingan?
Shisui jumped back several times, pulling four kunai from his pouch and gripping them between the fingers of both hands. But he didn't launch an attack just yet.
Even though they had never fought each other before, they were teammates. Just as Kagetsu knew Shisui's moves well, Shisui also had a good grasp of what Kagetsu was capable of.
Clang! Clang!
With a swift movement, Shisui threw the four kunai high into the air. As they flew, the blades collided mid-air, changing direction unpredictably, making it hard to tell their trajectory as they sped toward Kagetsu.
This was a signature Uchiha technique: kunai throwing enhanced by the precision of the Sharingan.
Thanks to the Sharingan's exceptional perception, the kunai and shuriken could collide multiple times mid-flight, constantly changing direction and catching the enemy off guard.
Though it might seem flashy, it was remarkably effective. Even if the enemy hid behind an obstacle, Uchiha kunai could curve around and hit them from unexpected angles.
Shisui didn't hold back. He knew that this level of attack wouldn't pose any real danger to Kagetsu.
Whether it was the defensive power of Kagetsu's "Armor Mode" technique or his mastery of medical ninjutsu, Kagetsu could keep himself safe.
This was just a probing move—an initial test to see how Kagetsu, with his eyes closed, would defend himself.
The next moment, both Shisui and Anko—who stood at the edge of the training field watching intently—saw it.
As the four kunai neared Kagetsu, his shadow suddenly surged up like the tentacles of an octopus, wrapping around the kunai mid-air and stopping them in their tracks.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
With a sharp sound, the shadow-tentacles flung the four kunai back at Shisui with lightning speed.
Shisui quickly unsheathed the short sword on his back, and with the dynamic vision of his Sharingan, he deflected each kunai with precision.
Without wasting a moment, Shisui didn't remain in place. He dashed forward, leaving a blur behind as he circled around Kagetsu, searching for an opening.
Is he using sensory ninjutsu?
Shisui noticed that, despite having his eyes closed, Kagetsu kept his body facing Shisui at all times, never exposing a vulnerable side. The shadow's strange movement from earlier also lingered in his mind.
Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!
While running, Shisui quickly formed a series of hand seals. The moment he completed the last seal, he stopped and unleashed a massive fireball that roared along the ground, heading straight for Kagetsu.
Without missing a beat, Kagetsu took a quick step back to dodge.
Suddenly, a few smaller fireballs shot out from within the Grand Fireball. Each fireball contained a shuriken, their intense heat bursting into Kagetsu's view.
The distance between them was so close that the firelight swirling around the shuriken illuminated Kagetsu's face with a warm glow.
Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Crimson Claw.
It was clear that Shisui hadn't just used one jutsu earlier—he had actually combined two! Using the cover of the Grand Fireball, he had hidden another technique within.
However, in the next moment, a black barrier suddenly rose right in front of Kagetsu, brushing past his nose as it shot upward. The four heated shuriken struck the barrier and were swallowed into it without a trace.
Behind Kagetsu, the sound of rushing wind cut through the air. Shisui had already closed in using the Body Flicker Technique, appearing right behind him.
Just as the tip of Shisui's short blade pressed against Kagetsu's back, a dark shadow surged up and blocked the blade in the nick of time.
Realizing his strike had failed, Shisui vanished instantly, reappearing ten meters away. The moment he flickered out of reach, black, thorny flowers exploded from Kagetsu's back. The sharp thorns nearly pierced Shisui's vital points.
Although Shisui escaped quickly, a thin cut still appeared on his cheek from a stray thorn.
"You're different today, Kagetsu," Shisui said cautiously, narrowing his eyes at the seemingly harmless shadow coiled around Kagetsu. "Your shadow technique… it's not like before."
In the past, no matter what, Kagetsu always needed at least one hand sign to use his shadow-based jutsu. But now, it seemed like he no longer needed signs at all.
This made his jutsu much faster, especially in close combat, making him a more dangerous opponent.
What concerned Shisui more was that Kagetsu's shadow now behaved like a living entity. Not only could it follow Kagetsu's will and activate jutsu instantly, but it also reacted on its own to block incoming attacks.
Was this really a one-on-one fight?
Shisui evaluated the growing threat of the shadow silently in his mind.
But Kagetsu didn't give him any more time to think. The shadow at his feet stretched out at high speed, chasing after Shisui.
With his Sharingan active, Shisui evaded the shadow in an instant, putting more distance between them.
Normally, an Uchiha would dominate against an opponent with their eyes closed. But Kagetsu had clearly prepared for fighting against the Sharingan.
His shadow and keen sensory abilities now replaced his vision, rendering illusions—the most fearsome power of the Sharingan—completely useless against him.
And, as it turned out, Kagetsu was also a master of close combat, just like Shisui.
In past training sessions, once someone like Anko got close to Kagetsu, it was game over. Under the influence of his shadow techniques, no matter how skilled she was in close combat, she had no chance to display her abilities.
Shisui dodged the chasing shadows while counterattacking, using shuriken and ninjutsu to test his ideas and gather more information about the mysterious "Kagetsu's Technique."
After several rounds of testing, Shisui realized that the shadows had become a perfect combination of offense and defense. Whether it was physical attacks or chakra-based ninjutsu, the shadows always shielded Kagetsu at the most critical moment.
Especially under the observation of Shisui's Sharingan, he noted that Kagetsu's chakra reserves remained abundant.
Shisui narrowed his eyes slightly.
Fire Release, Wind Release, Water Release—none of them worked. The shadows were like an unbreakable shield, blocking every lethal blow aimed at Kagetsu.
Should I try a high-frequency attack?
The thought of using a new technique he had just developed crossed his mind. But before he could act, something abruptly clamped around his ankle, locking him in place.
Shisui instinctively looked down. A hand made of earth was gripping both his feet tightly.
When did this happen?
In the next moment, black, vein-like lines spread from the mud hand and merged into his legs.
Shisui immediately felt a strange numbness—he had lost control over his feet.
Meanwhile, the shadow beneath Kagetsu's feet slithered toward Shisui's own shadow, intertwining with it. In an instant, countless black lines raced across his body, locking him down.
Just as Shisui prepared to release his chakra and break free, a kunai appeared at his throat, its tip lightly pressing against his skin.
Kagetsu stood in front of him, weapon in hand, calm and in complete control.
****
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