CHAPTER 41

In the dense, dark forest surrounding the Nanhe River, Naruto observed Shisui's deteriorating physical condition and offered his assistance, leading him toward the riverbank. Shisui, weakened and in a critical state, followed cautiously, unaware of Naruto's true intentions.

Naruto had spent weeks preparing for this moment, analyzing Shisui's movements and the vulnerabilities surrounding his prized Sharingan, Kotoamatsukami. This powerful genjutsu, capable of rewriting a person's will without their awareness, was a threat not only to Danzo Shimura and the Third Hokage but to anyone who might stand in its path. Naruto knew its existence was intolerable to the powers within Konoha, including Danzo, who had already claimed one of Shisui's eyes. Even more, Naruto felt the need to act decisively, believing his fate could not be left in the hands of others—not Danzo, not Itachi, not even Shisui himself.

To deceive Shisui, Naruto avoided directly impersonating Itachi Uchiha. Instead, he crafted a disguise, posing as a nondescript Uchiha to exploit Shisui's fading awareness. Mimicking Itachi's fighting style with precision, Naruto adopted the fluid and deliberate techniques characteristic of the Uchiha clan to keep Shisui's suspicions at bay.

Before they reached the Nanhe River, Naruto abruptly stopped and turned to Shisui, his expression clouded with feigned concern. "Shisui, did your mission fail?"

Shisui nodded, his voice heavy with despair. "I tried to use Kotoamatsukami on Captain Fugaku to stop the coup, but Danzo intervened. He took my right eye, believing he could end the conflict on his terms."

Naruto averted his gaze, hiding his intentions. "What will you do now?"

"I've failed," Shisui sighed, the weight of his ideals crushing him. "I'll end my life to ensure my Mangekyo Sharingan and its power don't fall into the wrong hands. I entrust my will and my dreams to you."

As Shisui reached toward his remaining eye, preparing to offer it to Naruto, he hesitated. "Do you remember our promise?"

Naruto stepped closer, feigning sincerity. "Of course I remember."

But Shisui's instincts flared. He stepped back, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "No, you're not Itachi. He wouldn't need to disguise himself with a transformation jutsu in front of me. Who are you?"

Naruto remained silent, allowing his Rasengan to form swiftly in his palm. With Shisui's body already weakened, the attack landed directly, incapacitating him. The world went dark for Shisui as his remaining eye was taken.

Dispelling his transformation, Naruto looked down at Shisui and sealed his chakra pathways with a precise strike, employing the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist technique. "I never said I was Itachi," Naruto stated coldly. "You simply assumed. Twice in one day, Shisui—you've been deceived."

Naruto retrieved Shisui's remaining Sharingan, placing it carefully into a glass vial. He smirked. "It's a shame for someone as sharp as you to lose both Mangekyo Sharingan in a single day."

Shisui, bound and stripped of his abilities, could only glare in silent fury. His mind raced with regret. If only he still had his vision, he could have destroyed the Sharingan before they fell into the wrong hands. The power of Kotoamatsukami was too dangerous to leave to chance.

Naruto ignored Shisui's growing dread, looting the incapacitated Uchiha of his belongings. Among Shisui's effects, Naruto found a suicide note, carefully prepared in anticipation of the worst. Naruto laughed softly. "Even in death, you planned everything out. I almost feel bad."

Kyuubi's voice echoed in Naruto's mind. "Naruto, the Uchiha is still alive. Remember the dignity of a Jinchuriki."

Naruto glanced inward, suspicion flickering. "Are you reminding me to finish him off?" But he said nothing further, focusing instead on his spoils. Shisui's equipment and the funds he carried would sustain Naruto comfortably through his academy days, freeing him from reliance on the Third Hokage.

After securing Shisui, Naruto carried him toward a hidden base he had prepared in the Forest of Death. Shisui, alive but helpless, was left under the watch of a shadow clone. The original Naruto returned to the village, eager to maintain appearances as an ordinary student.

Meanwhile, on a cliff overlooking the Nanhe River, Itachi Uchiha waited anxiously. Shisui had not appeared, and the looming clan meeting to discuss the coup threatened to spiral into chaos. Without Shisui's intervention, violence between the Uchiha and Konoha seemed inevitable. Itachi's thoughts were interrupted by a disturbance in the river below—a headless corpse, clad in a Konoha uniform, drifted downstream.

Rushing to inspect the body, Itachi confirmed it wasn't Shisui, though the resemblance heightened his unease. Shisui was missing, and his absence cast a dark shadow over the events to come. Though Itachi couldn't know it yet, Shisui's fate would mark the beginning of a tragedy that would shape Konoha's future.

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