"Shisui?!" Akira's ethereal form quivered with a subtle energy.
Seated cross-legged, Shisui seemed to sense something. He lifted his head, his vacant gaze fixed in the direction of the disturbance.
Seeing Shisui's lifeless expression, Akira frowned and thought, Has this kid gone brain-dead?
Fortunately, after staring blankly at Akira for a long moment, Shisui's dull eyes gradually regained their spark.
"Akira-senpai..." Shisui's spiritual form trembled faintly as he spoke.
Relieved that Shisui still retained some awareness, Akira let out a breath. "Do you remember what happened?"
Shisui furrowed his brow, recalling the events. After a pause, he replied, "I remember. The enemy with the Rinnegan suddenly attacked and effortlessly crushed the border defense forces..."
Pain and worry clouded his face as he murmured, "The Rinnegan's abilities are overwhelming. Ninjutsu was useless against him. My Body Flicker Technique was completely countered by his repulsive and attractive forces... He even had the power to extract souls from our shinobi with ease."
His voice faltered as he added, "I barely escaped having my own soul ripped out. In desperation, I had to push myself to use Susanoo in battle... I don't know how many of our comrades managed to escape."
"What's the situation now, Akira-senpai?" Shisui anxiously turned to Akira for answers.
"It's been almost half a year," Akira replied. "Thanks to your desperate resistance, most of the border forces survived. You can rest easy."
Shisui let out a sigh of relief, a faint smile forming on his face. But as he glanced down at his current state, realization dawned. His expression grew apologetic as he said,
"I'm sorry... It seems this is as far as I go. I've caused trouble for you and the others, Akira-senpai."
At this, Akira interrupted him firmly. "The Uchiha Clan needs your strength, Shisui. You can't die yet."
Shisui froze and gave a helpless smile. "But Akira-senpai, you know my situation. Using Susanoo pushed my mind and body far beyond their limits. I'm practically half-dead already."
"Even if Lady Tsunade returned, it wouldn't make a difference," he added, his voice tinged with bitterness. "Does the clan have some miraculous way to heal injuries like mine?"
"You guessed correctly," Akira said, nodding with certainty.
Shisui blinked in surprise before a thought occurred to him. "Akira-senpai... this isn't some ordinary method, is it? It must involve some technique the village forbids. Otherwise, you wouldn't be the one coming to me about this."
"You're sharp," Akira acknowledged, gazing deeply at Shisui. "It's not a forbidden technique, but it is unconventional. I need to explain it to you first."
"Your condition is dire," he continued. "Your life force is on the verge of depletion, and you're being kept alive solely by the clan's medical equipment. The only way to save you is to transplant a type of cell I acquired by chance."
"A cell you acquired?" Shisui's confusion deepened. The situation wasn't unfolding as he had expected.
Akira nodded. "Yes, it's a cell I obtained from a strange, humanoid lifeform. These cells are brimming with vitality."
"If it doesn't involve crossing the village's lines, the clan should go ahead," Shisui said, visibly relaxing. "But is there some kind of risk?"
"Not exactly a risk," Akira explained. "But after the transplant, there's a chance you'll gain the ability to use Wood Release."
"What? Wood Release?!" Shisui was stunned, his voice rising. "What kind of lifeform's cells can grant Wood Release upon transplantation?"
Judging by Shisui's reaction, Akira realized he wasn't aware of the experiments Konoha had conducted in the past to recreate Wood Release through Hashirama Senju's cells. It was a relief. Shisui, though strong, was still young and ignorant of many of Konoha's dark secrets.
That's a good thing, Akira thought. He had no intention of revealing the true nature of the cells to Shisui. If Shisui found out later, it could always be passed off as ignorance on Akira's part.
"Have you ever seen a creature like this?" Akira asked, projecting an image of White Zetsu beside him.
"I've never seen anything like it," Shisui replied, shaking his head. Then, as if struck by a thought, he asked, "Does it have anything to do with Uchiha Madara, the one who attacked the Fourth Hokage? He could also use Wood Release, right?"
"Highly likely," Akira affirmed.
"I see..." Shisui nodded slowly, understanding why Akira had approached him in person rather than proceeding with the transplant directly.
If the procedure succeeded and he awakened Wood Release, the consequences of discovery would be severe. Wood Release was once exclusively Hashirama's domain. Now, only two individuals wielded it, and both were enemies of the village—one of whom was the Uchiha Clan's former patriarch, Madara.
For the Uchiha Clan to suddenly produce another Wood Release user would undoubtedly raise suspicions of collusion with Konoha's enemies. Worse, it might lead the higher-ups to suspect that the Uchiha Clan was behind the Nine-Tails' attack on the village.
Shisui shuddered at the thought. Such suspicions could destroy the clan. His lifelong goal had been to foster peace and integration between the Uchiha and Konoha, not to deepen the rift.
"I understand," Shisui said solemnly. "If the transplant is successful and I gain Wood Release, I'll keep it a secret. I won't let anyone find out about this."
Hearing this, Akira felt reassured. Shisui's imagination had led him exactly where Akira wanted. For the sake of peace between the Uchiha and the village, Shisui would take the secret to his grave.
"Wise men sometimes need a bit of misdirection," Akira thought to himself.
"If you awaken Wood Release," Akira advised gravely, "use it sparingly, and never disclose the details of your treatment to the higher-ups. Some truths are better left unsaid. Human nature is unpredictable."
Shisui took a deep breath and nodded firmly. "I understand. I won't let the clan become a target of suspicion."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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