Chapter 220

"Perfect ninja?" Mei Terumi murmured, her brows knitting slightly beneath her bangs. Ao's description had given her plenty to consider, and it seemed this mission was far more challenging than she had anticipated.

"The most problematic aspects of Uchiha Shisui are his genjutsu and Body Flicker Technique," Ao continued, his tone marked with a mix of frustration and lingering awe. "In our last mission, we were forced to retreat solely because of his genjutsu."

Mei's eyes sharpened. "Tell me more about that," she prompted.

"Yes, ma'am," Ao replied without hesitation. He knew that earning Mei's trust—and staying on her good side—was his only safeguard against the growing hostility of his companions. Revealing every detail he knew was his best option.

"During our last encounter, Shisui used genjutsu in a way that was almost impossible to counter," Ao explained, his voice taking on a reflective tone. "We didn't even make direct eye contact with him. In fact, he was outside our line of sight entirely. Yet, my subordinates were already ensnared in his illusion before they could even react."

His words hung in the air, painting a vivid picture of Shisui's formidable and unpredictable abilities. Mei's expression darkened slightly as she processed the information. This mission, she realized, was not just a challenge—it was a high-stakes gamble against one of Konoha's most fearsome shinobi.

Recalling the harrowing experience of their last encounter, Ao's eyes quivered involuntarily, betraying the depth of his unease.

Uchiha Shisui had left an indelible mark on him, a fear etched into his memory. What stood out most vividly was the emerald-green glow of the Sharingan's power as seen through his Byakugan. Even though it was just a distant glance, it was an image he could never erase.

And then there were Shisui's genjutsu techniques.

"Even in hindsight, I couldn't find any clues," Ao admitted, his voice tinged with frustration and awe. "We had no idea when he cast the illusion or how we ended up ensnared in it. It was seamless—impossible to detect."

"A master of Genjutsu," Mei Terumi mused, her expression hardening. Ao's words conjured memories of another Uchiha encounter, with Toshiro. His genjutsu had also been imperceptible, leaving their team vulnerable and struggling to defend against attacks that seemed to come from nowhere.

"When we move tonight, make sure team members don't stray too far from each other," Mei instructed firmly, her sharp tone cutting through the tension. "They must stay close enough to watch each other's backs. We can't afford to let anyone get isolated."

Her words served as a reminder of the gravity of their mission. Against an opponent like Shisui, even the smallest misstep could prove fatal.

Still uneasy with the current plan, Mei Terumi turned to Ao and gave a pointed instruction. "Ao, with your Byakugan, you must closely monitor your teammates during the fight. Pay special attention to any abnormalities and act immediately if something seems off."

Even with the precaution of assigning groups of three to watch over one another, Mei felt the strategy might still be insufficient. If their opponent deployed a large-scale genjutsu, it could incapacitate everyone simultaneously.

Fortunately, the village had sent Ao, a Byakugan user, for this mission. Without his advanced visual prowess, the casualties in a confrontation against the Sharingan could spiral out of control.

"Uchiha, huh?" Mei mused, her tone contemplative. "If I recall correctly, they're considered the strongest clan in Konoha..."

Having made the initial preparations for the mission, Mei began to connect the dots between the gathered intelligence and the political landscape of the Mist. Her sharp intuition led her to identify a critical aspect of this operation—one that could influence not just their mission but the balance of power itself.

"I never imagined that Konoha, a village built on the core principles of the 'Will of Fire,' would face internal strife akin to what happened in Kirigakure," Meii remarked, her tone a mixture of helplessness and thinly veiled schadenfreude.

It seemed she had been reflecting on the similarities between the two villages, and the revelation offered her some twisted solace. If even Konoha, with its lofty ideals, could suffer such turmoil, perhaps their own plight didn't seem as isolating.

The sentiment wasn't his alone. The other bloodline ninjas in the cabin shared a similar reaction, their initial fear and unease softening into a strange camaraderie. Misery, as it often does, found comfort in the misfortune of others.

—

"Han-san, what are they up to?"

On the road, Shisui kept pace with the Mist Ninja negotiation team, his sharp gaze catching subtle movements that piqued his curiosity. He approached the Han's envoy, his question framed with polite intrigue, though his tone carried an undercurrent of wariness.

"Ah! My apologies! So sorry!"

"Perhaps my team has grown a bit lax—they haven't been on a long journey like this in quite some time," the Han explained, attempting to excuse his team's blunder.

Crack!

Just as his words trailed off, a Mist ninja perched on a tree branch misjudged the pressure of his footing. The branch beneath him splintered loudly, forcing him to launch himself hastily to another branch to recover his balance.

Witnessing yet another slip-up from his team, Han sighed, his expression tinged with embarrassment. "It could be that we're deep in the Land of Fire, where the threat level is low. Or maybe having someone like Shisui around to protect us has made them complacent."

As if on cue, his words were punctuated by the awkward fumble of yet another subordinate, compounding the Jonin's discomfort.

"Apologies, Shisui-san," Han said with a sheepish smile. "These guys are more administrative talents than combat-ready ninjas. Back in the Mist Village, they rarely participated in battles. Their skills are average at best, and this blundering display... well, it's rather shameful."

"Is that so?" Shisui replied evenly, his sharp gaze lowering to the trail they had left. As a master tracker, the disarray was hard to ignore. He frowned slightly, scanning the path behind the group.

The Mist ninjas had been moving with little regard for stealth or precision. The ground was littered with evidence of their passage—deep footprints, cracked branches, and trampled foliage. The sheer number of disturbances left behind was staggering.

This wasn't how ninjas traveled. Even academy students on their first missions displayed more discipline.

Administrative ninjas or not, Shisui couldn't reconcile their lack of training. 'It doesn't add up,' he thought to himself. 'Even non-combat personnel should be taught the basics of moving discreetly.'

With his sharp vision, Shisui could tell that, despite their clumsy behavior, the Mist ninjas weren't entirely weak. Most of them appeared to have skills comparable to an average Chūnin, though their discipline left much to be desired.

"You there, pay more attention when traveling! Don't disgrace the name of Kirigakure!"

Clearly annoyed by his subordinates' lack of professionalism, Han barked at the group, his tone sharp with frustration.

"Yes, sir!"

A chorus of responses echoed through the air, their synchronization almost comical given the earlier lack of cohesion.

Over the next stretch of their journey, the Mist ninjas did make an effort to reduce the mess they left behind. However, despite the improvement, minor slip-ups continued to occur—broken branches here, misplaced steps there.

"Ishii, take your team to the rear," Shisui commanded calmly as he moved to the rear of the group, "and cover up the traces they've left. While you're at it, set up some misleading markers to throw off anyone who might be tracking us."

It was a pragmatic decision, one born of experience, and Shisui's steady tone belied any impatience he might have felt.

Although the Mist ninjas had made an effort to restrain themselves, the trail they left behind was glaringly obvious to someone of Shisui's tracking expertise. To his trained eyes, the signs of their passage were practically beacons, impossible to ignore.

'This won't do. We need to address it, or we'll regret it later,' Shisui thought grimly.

"Understood!"

Ishii, having noticed the issue himself, responded swiftly. He signaled to his team, gradually slowing their pace as they allowed the rest of the group to move ahead.

"I hope this is enough," Ishii muttered as he and his companions began masking the trail, laying false tracks, and obscuring as many signs of their passage as possible.

Yet, despite their efforts, Shisui knew it was a losing battle. A group of 20 to 30 people moving through dense forest left a trail far too conspicuous to hide completely. Against a skilled tracker, such attempts would only delay the inevitable.

Watching these efforts from a distance, the Han remained silent. His sharp eyes caught Shisui's actions, but rather than offer criticism or advice, he merely smiled faintly and continued forward, his demeanor unruffled. As if nothing had happened.

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