CHAPTER 305

The Missing Shisui

A dark forest loomed over them.

Naruto, sensing Shisui's weakened condition, led him toward the Naka River.

For half a month, he had been waiting—watching, listening—memorizing the landscapes around Konoha. This was where he would claim Shisui Uchiha's legendary Sharingan.

There was no other choice. Kotoamatsukami, the most powerful genjutsu, was too dangerous to be left unchecked.

Danzo Shimura and the Third Hokage had deemed Shisui's power intolerable. Naruto agreed. A technique that could manipulate one's will without detection was a threat to any shinobi, even himself.

Shisui had no reason to attack Naruto, but Danzo and Uchiha Itachi were different. If either of them turned against him, he would be powerless. He had to seize control of his fate.

To deceive Shisui—who possessed unparalleled perception—Naruto did not transform directly into Itachi. Instead, he adopted the appearance of an unremarkable Uchiha, blending into the clan's ranks. He mimicked Itachi's posture, his gait, and his signature use of the Uchiha's fluid combat style, reducing Shisui's suspicions.

As they neared the Naka River, Naruto stopped and turned to Shisui with a measured gaze.

"Shisui, did your mission fail?"

Shisui, looking weary, nodded. "I intended to use Kotoamatsukami on Captain Fugaku to stop the coup, but Danzo did not trust the Uchiha. He ambushed me and stole my right eye. He intends to handle the coup in his own way."

Naruto averted his eyes deliberately. "What will you do now?"

Shisui exhaled softly. "Without my right eye, I can no longer stop the coup through genjutsu. I've decided to end my own life. My death may serve as a warning, and I entrust my remaining Mangekyō Sharingan—and my ideals—to Itachi."

As he spoke, Shisui reached toward his left eye, preparing to remove it.

At that moment, Naruto suddenly interjected, "Before you do, do you remember our agreement?"

Shisui paused. "Of course."

Naruto took a step forward.

Something felt off.

Shisui instinctively leaped back, eyes narrowing. "No… You're not Itachi. Itachi wouldn't disguise himself in front of me. Who are you?"

Naruto did not answer. Instead, a Rasengan roared to life in his palm.

Before Shisui could react, the sphere of chakra slammed into his weakened body. His vision blurred, his limbs went numb, and his last remaining eye was torn from him.

As he collapsed, Naruto released his transformation, revealing his true form. While sealing Shisui's chakra points with precise Gentle Fist strikes, he spoke in a neutral voice:

"I never claimed to be Uchiha Itachi. That was just your assumption."

With a calculated pause, Naruto placed Shisui's remaining Mangekyō Sharingan into a glass container. He smirked.

"But you were surprisingly easy to deceive. Tricked twice in a single night. Both of your eyes… stolen."

Shisui, his vision stolen, his chakra sealed, felt a deep, creeping horror. "Who… are you?"

Though Naruto had mimicked the Uchiha's style flawlessly, the chakra-sealing techniques were unmistakably tied to the Hyūga's Gentle Fist. Not as refined as the clan's elite, but far beyond that of a mere novice.

Naruto ignored the question. His shadow clone searched Shisui's belongings, quickly uncovering a suicide note. Scanning it, Naruto chuckled.

"You even wrote a farewell letter? Convenient. This way, even if I kill you, the world will still think you took your own life."

Shisui remained silent, his face unreadable. But inwardly, he cursed his own failure. Had he destroyed Kotoamatsukami when he had the chance, it would not have fallen into the hands of an unknown enemy.

No one understood the terrifying power of that genjutsu better than he did. If not for dire necessity, he would never have used it at all.

While Shisui wrestled with his thoughts, Naruto inspected his spoils.

Shisui had been one of Konoha's strongest jōnin, and his equipment reflected that. Expensive kunai, rare seals, and a hefty sum of ryo—more than enough to sustain Naruto until he graduated from the Academy without relying on the Third Hokage's meager stipends.

Kurama's deep voice rumbled from within his mind. "Naruto, the Uchiha is still alive. You should be more mindful of your image as a Jinchūriki."

Naruto side-eyed the fox. "Are you telling me to finish the job?"

Kurama remained silent.

It didn't matter. Some things were best left unspoken—like why Naruto knew Shisui would be here tonight, or why he had chosen this moment to strike.

Kurama didn't question it. He simply attributed it to Naruto's heightened analytical skills.

For now, their goals aligned. Both sought to leave Konoha, and that was enough.

After securing his belongings, Naruto smirked. "With this much cash, we can have a real feast. By the way, Kurama, can tailed beasts even eat?"

The fox mused, "I've eaten humans before. But eventually… I was the one eaten."

Naruto blinked. "Tailed beasts are weird. Half chakra, half flesh… What even is chakra, anyway?"

Kurama crossed his arms. "Chakra is chakra. Don't overthink it."

Naruto chuckled and exited his mindscape.

Back in the real world, he glanced at the immobilized Shisui, debating whether simple restraints were enough.

No, he wouldn't let Shisui die so soon. Not before extracting every last ounce of use from him.

Lifting the fallen Uchiha onto his shoulder, Naruto moved toward the Forest of Death. His temporary hideout there would serve as the perfect holding cell.

Leaving a shadow clone to stand guard, Naruto hurried back to the village.

After all, despite having bested one of Konoha's strongest warriors, he still had to attend class the next morning.

---

Meanwhile, at the Naka River

Uchiha Itachi stood on the cliff, waiting.

Shisui was late.

Back at the Uchiha compound, the clan meeting was underway. If Shisui did not arrive soon, the coup they had feared might become inevitable.

If war broke out between the Uchiha and the village, there would be no true victor.

The other great nations would take advantage of Konoha's internal strife, launching an invasion.

Itachi's thoughts were interrupted by an object floating down the river.

As he focused, his eyes widened.

A headless body, clothed in a Konoha jōnin vest, drifted in the water.

It looked disturbingly similar to Shisui.

His heart clenched. Without hesitation, he leapt from the cliff, landing gracefully by the riverbank. He pulled the corpse from the water, examining it closely.

The build was similar, but the scars, skin tone, and facial structure were all wrong. This was not Shisui.

Itachi exhaled, tension loosening. His worst fear had not come true.

And yet…

Shisui had vanished.

No body. No message.

Nothing.

Itachi's unease deepened.

Somewhere in the shadows, unseen by all, another force had intervened.

Shisui's fate remained unknown.

For now.

Visit patreon.com/Akeyno to get 30+ chapters