Chapter 33: Illusion  

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Under his green tights, Might Guy's physique might not appear strong, but when he exerts his strength, his muscles seem ready to burst out at any moment, almost tearing the fabric.

Kisame let out a sinister chuckle and swung his massive Samehada towards Might Guy with tremendous force, sending him flying backward.

Might Guy, however, became more excited! He hadn't expected that Kisame, despite his unassuming appearance, could possess such power!

But then again, appearance and strength don't always correlate.

No time to overthink!

Konoha's Green Beast is ready to unleash his power!

Every cell in Might Guy's body was jumping with joy; they were all eager for battle!

Might Guy took his stance, his voice booming as he declared:

"Eight Gates Released Formation... Seventh Gate, Gate of Wonder... Open!!!"

Might Guy's body was instantly enveloped in a green aura, steam rising from his skin as his power surged.

Realizing the situation was dire, Kisame leaped into the nearby river and quickly began forming hand seals.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

The river water coalesced into a massive dragon that surged towards Might Guy.

Guy could feel his blood boiling with excitement! With swift, powerful punches, the friction between his fists and the air generated flames that flew towards the water dragon.

Water and fire collided, resulting in an explosion of steam. Through the dense mist, Samehada began to sniff out Might Guy's chakra, locating him amidst the vapor.

But before Kisame could react, a green blur broke through the steam and delivered a devastating kick to Kisame.

"Youth never fades!!!"

Kisame had no time to counter; Might Guy's kick connected with his chest, sending him flying back. However, Kisame wasn't injured. After rolling twice in the water, Samehada quickly latched onto Guy's leg, its sharp scales digging in.

Kisame immediately began forming hand seals once more.

"Water Release: Five Feeding Sharks!"

The river water transformed into ferocious sharks with razor-sharp teeth, all rushing towards Might Guy.

But at that moment, a figure wearing an ANBU mask in the shape of a fox descended from the sky. The masked figure unsheathed a short sword and swiftly cut through the water sharks, turning them into harmless vapor.

The figure then expertly lodged the sword between the scales of Samehada, forcing the sentient sword to release its grip on Might Guy.

Might Guy glanced at the newcomer and recognized him immediately. "Kakashi, you're here!"

Kakashi nodded. "Yeah, leave this to me. The ANBU reinforcements will be here soon!"

Just as Kakashi was about to engage Kisame, everything around him shattered like broken glass. In an instant, Kakashi found himself immobilized, a kunai pressed against his throat.

In the distance, Might Guy was still fighting Kisame, but now Kakashi realized it wasn't real. It was all an illusion.

Shisui had Kakashi completely under his control, his voice cold and detached as he whispered into Kakashi's ear. "We have no intention of fighting Konoha. Tell Might Guy to stop, and Kisame and I will leave Konoha peacefully."

Kakashi had once served alongside Shisui in the ANBU and had admired Shisui's abilities. But now, seeing Shisui as a member of the Akatsuki and without his eyes, Kakashi was unsure of what Shisui was truly capable of. Reluctantly, Kakashi agreed. "Okay."

Kakashi signaled Might Guy to stop, and Shisui called out to Kisame. "Kisame, that's enough. We've drawn enough attention. It's time to go."

Kisame grinned, his sharp teeth flashing. "Didn't think the fight with the green spandex guy would get this intense."

As they prepared to leave, Kisame turned to Might Guy. "Remember my name, green spandex guy... Hoshigaki Kisame! You're an opponent worth respecting, and I look forward to our next showdown!"

After Shisui and Kisame left, Kakashi took a deep breath, feeling a cold sweat trickling down his back. If Shisui had wanted to kill him, he'd be dead already. It had been three and a half years since Shisui's defection, and in that time, Kakashi couldn't even begin to fathom how much stronger Shisui had become.

In a forest outside of Konoha, a figure moved swiftly, finally stopping when he spotted two figures in black robes adorned with red clouds.

Shisui's ears twitched as he sensed a familiar presence approaching.

"Itachi, you're here."

Itachi jumped down from a tree branch, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions as he gazed at his former best friend.

Kisame chuckled, "Oh, Shisui's little brother?"

He swung Samehada toward Itachi, but Itachi's eyes flashed with the red of the Sharingan as he parried with a kunai.

"Shisui, are you really not coming back?" Itachi asked, his voice tinged with sadness.

Shisui shook his head. "No, the Akatsuki suits me well, and I believe in their cause."

"In this world, as long as there are nations and a ninja system, conflicts and wars will never end. The Akatsuki's goal is to gather all nine Tailed Beasts, seize the greatest power in the ninja world, and use it to enforce peace through strength, just as Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama did long ago."

Itachi merely nodded, unable to fully grasp the depth of Shisui's beliefs. Itachi's concerns were more immediate—peace between the village and the Uchiha clan. The broader conflicts of the ninja world were beyond his current focus.

Itachi and Shisui had always been close, their bond strong enough for Itachi to unlock the Mangekyo Sharingan when Shisui had given his eye.

"Itachi," Shisui continued, "You still have one of my eyes. Use it to do what you believe is right. Even though I've lost my sight, I see things more clearly now than ever before."

As they spoke, Kisame, seemingly oblivious to the gravity of their conversation, was busy striking at the air, believing he was still in a fight.

Shisui turned to Itachi, smiling softly. "Itachi, stop teasing Kisame and release the genjutsu."

Itachi smirked but said, "No, I'll leave that to you. Until we meet again."

With that, Itachi disappeared into the shadows.

Shisui shook his head, amused. "Itachi never changes, always wanting to challenge me."

Shisui stepped closer to Kisame, and within five meters of him, the genjutsu automatically dissipated.

For Shisui, casting genjutsu didn't require his eyes; sometimes, chakra alone was enough.

Kisame's vision cleared, and he looked around in confusion. "Mr. Shisui, your brother's gone."

Shisui chuckled. "Kisame, you were caught in Itachi's genjutsu. His illusions are superior to mine now."

Indeed, without his eyes, Shisui's genjutsu had limitations, while Itachi still possessed the formidable Tsukuyomi, second only to Kotoamatsukami.

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