116-120

*Chapter 116: Capturing the Uchiha Clan's Prosperous Future*

“Damn it!”

Inside the Water Prison, White Zetsu, disguised as Yagura, tried to use the Mayfly Technique, but failed. Every drop of water in the Water Prison contained Yagura’s chakra—no, it was Yagura’s chakra transformed into water, cutting off White Zetsu’s connection to the earth and plants.

In this bizarre environment, suspended between heaven and earth, White Zetsu realized that escaping unnoticed was no longer an option.

Yagura was rapidly approaching.

The Fourth Mizukage moved through the water with agility, swimming like a fish.

“You can’t escape!”

Though they couldn't speak underwater, the intense killing intent in Yagura’s purple eyes conveyed his emotions. After being controlled by Uchiha Obito for so long, his fury and desire for revenge were unimaginable. If possible, he would tear Obito apart.

But he couldn't.

Even if he found Obito, Yagura wasn’t confident he could win. If he fell under someone’s control again, he'd rather die. Fortunately, this imposter was not Obito.

This gave Yagura hope for a fight. If luck was on his side, he might even capture the imposter and extract some valuable information.

Water Style: Water Fang Bullet!

While pondering the possibility of capturing the enemy, Yagura attacked with no hesitation. In this environment, his B-rank Water Style technique carried the power of an A-rank Great Waterfall Jutsu and had superior penetrating force.

After releasing the attack, Yagura focused on the imposter, eager to see what tricks this enemy had up his sleeve.

“Boom!”

To Yagura’s disbelief, the towering wooden figure raised its hand, extinguishing the Water Fang Bullet and effortlessly breaking the Water Prison. Out of nowhere, it began to rain over the entire island, as if the sky had cracked open.

Yagura floated in the air, staring at the massive wooden figure before him, a deep sense of powerlessness washing over him. "What kind of monster is this?" he thought. The one-eyed Uchiha was already overwhelming, and now someone who mastered the supposedly lost Wood Style appeared.

How was he supposed to fight this?

If he could tap into the power of the Three-Tails, maybe he could stand a chance.

The size difference was too vast. Yagura wasn’t sure how to combat something so colossal. His secret techniques, designed to subdue tailed beasts, might be ineffective against this giant wooden figure.

“Thankfully, I’m not alone,” Yagura muttered under his breath.

In the next moment, a deep crimson light illuminated the sky.

Susano'o, clad in demonic armor, swung its sword, decapitating the wooden figure with a single stroke. The head soared into the air, the clean cut silently testifying to the sword’s sharpness.

This was a calculated strike, long in preparation by Uchiha Sougen. An ambush.

White Zetsu had been too focused on escaping the Water Prison, his will to fight weak. Though aware of Sougen’s presence, White Zetsu never expected Susano'o to be unleashed so suddenly.

Normally, battles didn't unfold like this. Even Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju would exchange taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu before summoning their respective ultimate techniques.

No one starts with their strongest move.

Caught off guard by Sougen’s strike, White Zetsu missed his chance to flee and was sent flying into the sky alongside the wooden figure’s head.

Then—

Sougen dismissed Susano'o and soared into the clouds atop his dark hawk, chasing after the airborne White Zetsu.

Wood Style: Piercing Technique!

Surrendering wasn’t in White Zetsu’s nature. His arm sprouted sharp wooden spikes, launching them at Sougen like bullets.

“Pointless.”

Sougen, standing on the hawk’s back, removed the fan from his back.

With a powerful swing, a storm erupted, scattering the wooden spikes. The Uchiha Flame Fan, carved from the branches of the God Tree, absorbed chakra and converted it into wind. This allowed Sougen to deflect enemy attacks and return them with increased force—a technique known as Uchiha Reflection.

White Zetsu cycled through techniques—Wood Style, Wind Style, Lightning Style, Water Style, Fire Style, even Earth Style—but none could stop Sougen. At best, they momentarily slowed his approach.

This couldn't go on. White Zetsu was out of options. His momentum had faded, but he needed a little more time to reach the ground and use the Mayfly Technique to escape. He was cornered.

Realizing this, White Zetsu’s expression turned odd. Though his face resembled Yagura's, fear flickered in his eyes as his right hand pulled out a stack of explosive tags from his pouch.

But instead of throwing them at Sougen, he stuck them to his own body.

No matter how humanlike they seemed, White Zetsu was not human. In their minds, the orders of their superior—Black Zetsu—were above all else, even life itself.

White Zetsu had received orders: if captured and escape became impossible, they must self-destruct to leave nothing behind.

Since the integration of Hashirama’s cells, White Zetsu’s value had skyrocketed. His cells could regenerate limbs and restore the Mangekyo Sharingan. After Obito’s defeat at Sougen’s hands, Black Zetsu emphasized this command even more.

“Trying to self-destruct?”

Sougen sneered. “You can die if you want, but your body belongs to me!” Deep crimson Susano'o reappeared, though only its ribcage and skeletal arms manifested.

Susano'o’s hand reached out, grabbing White Zetsu. Black seals coiled around Susano'o’s fingers, binding White Zetsu as soon as they made contact. The binding seals rendered White Zetsu immobile.

This was the Curse of Self-Imprisonment, a sealing technique Sougen had learned from Danzo’s mind.

But this seal wasn’t enough to fully trap White Zetsu. White Zetsu’s innate resistance to seals allowed him to regain control of his body.

However, just as he prepared to detonate the explosive tags—

Why wasn’t there an explosion?

White Zetsu’s thoughts were interrupted as his world spun. He saw his headless body clutched in Susano'o’s hand and realized he had been decapitated.

“You can die, but you won't damage my prize,” Sougen declared, catching White Zetsu’s head.

Though White Zetsu's disguise had dissipated, his pale head remained heavy in Sougen’s hand.

Ignoring the unsettling sensation, Sougen gently placed White Zetsu's body onto the back of the dark hawk, using a fan to blow away the explosive tags, which detonated harmlessly in the air.

With a precise swing of the fan, Sougen demonstrated his mastery over it.

After sealing White Zetsu’s body into a scroll, Sougen smirked. This precious research material could be key to the Uchiha clan’s future prosperity.

“An abundance of Mangekyo Sharingan... Now that’s something to look forward to!”

(End of chapter)

Chapter 117: Another Defeat!

Terumi Mei rubbed her eyes hard, then closed them and silently counted to three before opening them again. The massive wooden figure, resembling a temple's arhat, was still right before her eyes. This wasn't an illusion, nor had anyone cast a genjutsu on her. The wooden figure was real.

"Wood Release?"

"Wasn't that supposed to be a lost art?"

Terumi Mei muttered softly, placing her hand on her forehead in disbelief.

She wasn't the only one. Anyone with a basic understanding knew what Wood Release signified. From the name, it seemed similar to other Kekkei Genkai like Boil Release, Lava Release, or Ice Release. However, the man named Hashirama Senju, who had never lost a battle, had elevated *Wood Release* to a legendary status in the ninja world, thanks to his overwhelming power.

Even today, the legend he left behind deeply influenced the shinobi of the land.

"What is going on? Wasn't the Mizukage supposed to be here? Why is there Wood Release? Is this Konoha's doing?" Uttered a pale Hozuki Mangetsu, his voice faint and weak. He had just survived two powerful Fire Release: Dragon Flame Jutsu attacks from Uchiha Shisui, and the fact that he wasn't dead was a testament to his remarkable ability to escape death.

"It was *Enma* Uchiha Sougen who cut off the wooden figure's head earlier," Zabuza Momochi retorted.

His voice was also weak, and compared to Hozuki Mangetsu, who just looked pale, Zabuza was in worse shape. Thick bandages covered his chest and right arm, placed by the few medical-nin in Terumi Mei’s team. The Village Hidden in the Mist wasn't like Konoha, where medical-nin were plentiful.

He had survived two strikes from Uchiha Shisui, and though his life hung by a thread, he had made it through.

Among the three, only Kisame Hoshigaki was in somewhat decent condition, thanks to his chakra reserves, which were ten times greater than the average shinobi. His mastery of Water Release and teamwork with Mangetsu and Zabuza had allowed him to retreat safely from Shisui. Of course, this was also because Shisui hadn't pursued them relentlessly. Otherwise, survival might not have been possible.

"If it’s not Konoha, then who could it be?"

Though he didn’t voice it, Mangetsu felt something was off, just as Terumi Mei had sensed. He squinted his eyes, focusing on the approaching figure of the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura.

"Mizukage-sama?"

Terumi Mei noticed Yagura as well. She quickly formed hand seals, adopting a defensive stance. "Please don’t come any closer. Until we verify your identity, forgive me for my caution."

With the issue of the two Yaguras still unresolved, how could they trust this one?

"... You're quite cautious. That's a good habit," Yagura said, halting his steps. He looked at Terumi Mei, recalling the girl who had once followed the previous Mizukage to learn. She was the heiress to one of the village's two bloodline clans.

He also saw Mangetsu, considered a genius by the Hozuki clan and destined to restore the clan's former glory. Zabuza Momochi, too, though from a small family, had changed the way the Hidden Mist conducted its ninja graduation exams by killing all his classmates to ensure his own graduation.

Then there was Kisame Hoshigaki, one of the Hidden Mist’s most promising Anbu, and the next wielder of the sword Samehada—had it not been taken by Uchiha Sougen.

Yagura's expression softened as he looked at the group before him.

"You’ve all grown," he murmured, almost nostalgically. "You’ve done well. But now, we don’t have time to talk. Terumi Mei, use your authority to tell every surviving Hidden Mist shinobi to stop fighting the Konoha shinobi. We... have been defeated."

The word "defeated" was painfully dragged from his lips.

In that moment, Yagura began to understand why the Third Mizukage had stepped down so soon after the Third Great Ninja War and passed the title to him. He had once thought it was simply old age. Now, he realized it had been the Hidden Mist’s defeat in that war that had sapped the life from the Third Mizukage.

Admitting defeat was an unbearable humiliation for a Kage. Even in death, the memory of failure would remain.

Though Yagura thought he was prepared, the bitter taste in his mouth told him otherwise. He could barely bring himself to speak, but he knew he had no choice.

"Move quickly. We’ve shed enough blood. Any more would be meaningless. We’ve lost."

His face was filled with anguish, but for the sake of the village, for the sake of the Hidden Mist’s future, he was prepared to give everything.

Life, soul, honor... there was nothing he wouldn’t sacrifice.

"Defeated?" Zabuza repeated, his eyes wide. His anger flared like a fire, and his bandaged arm bled again from where the wound had reopened. But he didn’t seem to notice.

"Mizukage-sama, are you saying we've been defeated again?"

Zabuza’s tone was accusatory. He had always believed he would change the Hidden Mist, even if it meant attempting a coup in the future. His ambition and love for the village ran deep.

Yagura avoided Zabuza’s burning gaze, looking instead at a puddle on the ground. Pain and frustration welled up inside him. "Yes. We’ve lost. We’ve lost to Konoha again."

Zabuza clenched his fists tighter, trembling with rage.

"Zabuza, stop!" Terumi Mei snapped. "Mangetsu, Kisame, what are you standing there for? Keep him in check!"

Mangetsu and Kisame moved to flank Zabuza, making sure he didn’t do anything reckless. Like Zabuza, they were also seething with frustration, but Terumi Mei remained the most composed. Despite the sting of defeat, she had already ordered the lower-ranked ninja to retreat, understanding that the Hidden Mist needed to preserve its strength.

"Mizukage-sama, have you not regained control?"

A dark ink hawk swooped down from the sky, landing before them and transforming back into a pool of ink. Uchiha Sougen approached Yagura and said casually, "Need help? Seems like your authority isn't holding up well. Want me to take out that angry guy without eyebrows?"

Everyone bristled at the casual remark. How could the Mizukage be so familiar with the Uchiha? Was this really Yagura? Or had he betrayed the village?

"No need for that," Yagura replied calmly. "By the way, is that imposter dealt with?"

"Of course," Sougen lied without hesitation. "Too bad there’s no body left—he blew himself up with explosive tags."

Though Yagura would have liked to investigate the imposter further, the immediate priority was ending the battle.

"If he's gone, then so be it," Yagura sighed. He then turned to Sougen and said, "Uchiha clan leader, please rein in your Konoha shinobi. Continuing the fight would only lead to more pointless deaths. We've lost this time."

And with that, Yagura bowed his head.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 118: Uchiha's Rebound*

In front of many of his village’s ninjas, the Fourth Mizukage bowed his head to the ninjas from Konoha. Even though they weren’t entirely sure whether this Yagura was really their Mizukage, looking at the small figure bowing down gave them an uneasy feeling that it truly was the Fourth.

The Mist ninjas felt a stifling sensation in their chests, their breathing becoming heavy with frustration.

"Have you truly given up even your last shred of dignity and honor for the sake of the village?"

Sougen lowered his gaze at this person, who had been his 'chess partner' for what felt like a long time. This was the first time Yagura had bowed to him, and as the Mizukage no less. With a sigh, he remarked, "If the old geezers in our village had even half your sense of responsibility, maybe things wouldn’t have gotten so ugly."

Then—

Sougen's expression turned serious as he asked once more for confirmation:

“Mizukage-dono, does the Mist Village admit defeat?”

"...Yes."

Yagura closed his eyes, his expression bleak, but he nodded in agreement.

“I hope Mizukage-dono keeps his word. Otherwise, my wrath will burn the Mist Village to the ground,” Sougen said, turning around to glance behind him. Standing there was Zabuza Momochi, appearing in an instant using the Body Flicker Technique, injured arm raised and hands already weaving seals. “Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!”

This was the strongest offensive jutsu Zabuza, hailing from a small clan, could muster.

Fueled by the fire of extreme anger, he squeezed out the last bit of chakra he had, unleashing a torrent as if a waterfall were crashing down. This attack wasn’t aimed solely at Uchiha Sougen—Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage, was also within its reach.

“Stop! Fool!”

Yagura shouted, furious.

Zabuza, this madman—was he so eager to die that he would attack a monster like Uchiha Sougen now? If he wanted to end his own life, he could just quietly slit his throat! Attacking Sougen—did he want the war to continue? Did he want to see Sougen rampage through the Mist Village before he was satisfied?

“Suigetsu! Kisame!”

Terumi Mei was equally enraged.

How could these two not keep an eye on an injured Zabuza? What kind of incompetence was this? Though she didn’t say it, her expression conveyed the sentiment clearly.

Suigetsu’s face grew even paler, but without saying a word, both he and Kisame began weaving hand signs at the same time.

Sougen, meanwhile, removed his Uchiha Flame Fan. Watching the raging torrent surge toward him, he flipped the fan and planted it in the ground like a shield. It stood firm against the onslaught—not just holding the line, but absorbing the attack!

Water-style techniques can be employed in two main ways. The first involves using large amounts of chakra to generate water, enabling combat in dry environments. Yagura’s earlier Water Wave technique was one such jutsu, designed to create a favorable battlefield. The second method utilizes natural bodies of water—like seas or lakes—mixing chakra into the water to control it in battle.

At this moment, Zabuza had used the first method.

Though they were on an island surrounded by water, there was no significant source of water nearby for Zabuza to use, so he had to drain his nearly depleted chakra to generate this massive torrent.

However—

Despite its grand display, the torrent was useless. The water was a transformation of Zabuza’s chakra, and unlike the solid nature of Earth-style techniques, Water-style chakra is absorbed quickly. Half a second after the torrent began, all the water was drawn into the Uchiha fan like a vortex.

“Let me show you... Uchiha Rebound!”

Gripping the fan tightly in his right hand, Sougen swung it toward Zabuza with all the force of the Great Waterfall Technique he had just absorbed. A cold, powerful storm swept out from the fan, stripping the very earth beneath it and crashing forward with the weight of a tidal wave. It wasn’t merely wind; it felt like liquid in motion, combining the agility of wind with the density of water, resulting in devastating destructive power.

Zabuza, the target, had not expected this.

Sougen's counterattack was too fast.

The injury to Zabuza’s right arm slowed his hand signs, leaving him no time to use the Body Flicker to escape. He could only watch as the terrifying storm approached. Surprisingly, he didn’t feel much fear—just a deep regret that he wouldn’t live to see his dream of reforming the Mist Village come true.

“Water Style: Water Wall.”

Kisame quickly formed hand seals, extracting a large amount of chakra to raise a sturdy water barrier in front of them. However, the barrier crumbled in an instant under the force of the storm.

Suigetsu, using his clan’s secret Water Formation technique, transformed into a massive water creature to shield Zabuza and Kisame, but even he felt the terrifying power of Sougen’s fan firsthand. Though his liquid body didn’t feel pain, the way the storm ripped his form apart was a chilling reminder of how dangerous the attack was.

As his form was blasted into pieces, Suigetsu understood why this technique had been created to counter tailed beasts. Even though his ancestor who created it failed to defeat the Nine-Tails, forcing it to use its Tailed Beast Bomb was an achievement in itself.

Sougen had destroyed his defense with a single swing of the fan. The storm threw Suigetsu, Zabuza, and Kisame into the air, rolling them into a heap before they finally stopped far away.

“I don’t want to see this happen again,” Sougen warned, closing the fan. “This was just a warning. Next time, people will die.”

Yagura let out a breath of relief. It was fortunate Sougen had spared them; Kisame, Suigetsu, and Zabuza were the future of the Mist Village. If they had died, it would have broken his heart.

“Thank you, Clan Leader Uchiha, for your mercy.”

“Spare me the formalities, Mizukage-dono. You should hurry and reclaim your power, or I’ll doubt your ability to fulfill our agreement. And if you can’t uphold your end, I might have to visit the Mist Village as an unwelcome guest.”

With that, Sougen took out a radio from his pouch, ignoring Yagura’s grim expression. He tuned it to a prearranged frequency and transmitted the order to stop fighting to the Yamanaka clan’s Jonin. Using their Mind Transfer technique, the Yamanaka clan spread the command to every Konoha ninja still alive on the island.

Yagura quickly called his sensing ninjas to verify the presence of the Three-Tails sealed within him, ensuring that he truly was the Fourth Mizukage. Once the confirmation was made, Terumi Mei led the Mist ninjas in kneeling before Yagura, signifying that the fighting had finally stopped.

Konoha ninjas began gathering at the center of the island, while the Mist Village's lower-ranking ninjas retreated south as per Mei’s earlier orders. Only the Jonin followed them to the center, where two groups, wearing different headbands, stood across from each other—tensions high.

But as they watched Uchiha Sougen and Yagura shake hands, they all knew—

The war was over!

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 119: Have You Heard of the Six Paths Tools?*

Dusk settled, and smoke rose into the sky.

Only a little over an hour had passed since the war ended, and the nameless island had returned to its former tranquility. Perhaps because the war ended so quickly and suddenly, the reactions of the Mist Shinobi weren't very intense. Extreme loyalists like Zabuza Momochi were clearly in the minority. Most of the Mist Shinobi didn't seem too emotional about the war’s conclusion.

To be more precise, many of them were already numb.

Life in the village wasn’t much better than life on the battlefield. The constant internal strife was even more brutal than external wars. Walking down the streets, they wished they had eyes on the backs of their heads to avoid being stabbed in the back. Living in such an environment had long since made their emotions numb and cold.

Few felt the so-called shame of defeat.

Especially the low- and mid-level shinobi, who were treated like cannon fodder. Whether they won or lost, what mattered most to them was that the war was over. It meant they wouldn’t have to die anytime soon. If they were lucky, they might live a little longer. As for how long, they could only leave it to fate.

"Is the war... really over?"

Shisui Uchiha stood at the entrance of the camp, looking at the Mist Shinobi camp not far away. He couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of absurdity. The war had ended just like that. It had been less than a month since the Mist Village formally declared war, and now it was over.

In his understanding, wars were supposed to be like the Third Great Ninja War—a drawn-out, years-long conflict with thousands of shinobi clashing on the battlefield.

“What’s wrong, Shisui? Not satisfied and feeling nostalgic for the glory days of the Third War?” Suguru strolled over, teasing him.

“Don’t joke about that. The sooner wars end, the better. I know you probably think I’m naïve and foolish, but I’ve never liked war. On the battlefield, people’s lives turn into cold, lifeless numbers, and I hate that feeling.”

"Well, at least you know you’re naïve and dumb."

Suguru sneered.

Shisui couldn’t argue with him. After reading Danzo’s memories, he didn’t have much confidence to defend his past self. Back then, he truly had been foolish, but fortunately, Suguru had been there to stop him from acting on those stupid ideas, guiding the clan toward a new path.

“How long will we stay here? When do we return to the village?” Shisui tried to change the subject.

Though he acknowledged his past foolishness, Suguru’s sharp tongue still stung.

“Return?”

Suguru shot him a sidelong glance.

"What kind of nonsense is that? Just because the war is over doesn’t mean we’re heading home. Don’t forget, the Mist Village still owes us compensation! Leaving now would give some of them the wrong idea. We need to strike while the iron is hot. If we don’t squeeze the Mist Shinobi for everything they’ve got, it would dishonor our fallen comrades."

Behind them lay the camp, built with the help of the Mist Shinobi.

The original Mist Shinobi camp had been wiped out by a single Giant Water Shockwave from their Mizukage, but fortunately, many supplies remained. With the Mist Shinobi’s quick actions, rebuilding the camp wasn’t difficult, especially since there were fewer than forty Leaf Shinobi left.

During this assassination mission, 23 Leaf Jonin had perished.

Their bodies now rested in three tents in the camp. Four of them were from the Uchiha clan. The oldest was 27, and the youngest was just 19.

The reason so many had died was due to their recklessness.

The proud Uchiha charged at the front, drawing the Mist Shinobi’s attention. Even though each of them could take on two shinobi of equal strength, they were overwhelmed when faced with three, four, or even more enemies. If they couldn’t rise to the occasion, they perished. The fact that only four Uchiha died, given their recklessness, was a testament to their strength.

Shisui himself had been surrounded by Mist Village elites like Mangetsu Hozuki, Zabuza Momochi, and Kisame Hoshigaki. Almost every Uchiha Jonin was outnumbered by at least two Mist Shinobi.

In this battle, the Uchiha clan lost four members.

In exchange, the Mist Shinobi suffered over ten Jonin casualties. If you included the lower-ranked shinobi, that number was close to a hundred. Uchiha Akio alone claimed over 20 lives, while Shisui—labeled as “useless”—had only taken out a few weaker enemies and had no significant kills. This was the main reason for Suguru’s mockery.

As for why Suguru hadn’t used his Susanoo to sweep the battlefield... the Uchiha Jonin weren’t helpless children needing their leader to spoon-feed them. Death was a natural part of war. If the Uchiha Jonin required Suguru’s constant protection, the clan would be better off destroyed!

Without undergoing tempering, iron cannot become a sharp blade.

Even Shisui only mourned his fallen comrades briefly before shifting his focus to what Suguru had said.

“Are we really going to the Mist Village?” Shisui asked tentatively.

“You finally caught on.” Suguru looked toward the Mist Shinobi camp in the distance. “The situation in the Mist Village is complicated. The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, has been controlled for years by someone claiming to be Madara Uchiha. The real power now lies with their ‘Elder Master.’

"For the contracts we signed with Yagura to be enforced, we’ll need to personally visit the Mist Village and meet this Elder Master. He’s said to be from the same era as the First Hokage. There’s also the Hyuga’s Byakugan to recover. I promised to help the Hyuga Clan get it back, and we must also investigate any clues Madara might have left behind.”

At the mention of “Madara Uchiha,” Shisui’s expression became serious. This was the man responsible for the Nine-Tails Incident, the manipulation of the Fourth Mizukage, and the instigation of this war. He was the person Shisui most wanted to eliminate—someone who disrupted the peace of the world for his own ambition.

“Suguru, did you find anything earlier?” Shisui asked softly.

Unlike Yagura, who didn’t want to dig too deep, Shisui knew Suguru’s personality well. He didn’t believe for a second that the so-called imposter had self-destructed using explosive tags without leaving any traces.

“That guy wasn’t Madara Uchiha, but he was closely linked to him. As I told you before, he was proficient in space-time ninjutsu. I’ve got a new piece of intel for you: his partner is the best at transformation and stealth in the ninja world.”

Suguru didn’t admit to finding anything but took the opportunity to give Shisui some new intel.

“They can perfectly disguise themselves, fooling even the Fourth Mizukage. None of the Mist Shinobi saw through it. Shisui, be cautious. Don’t let your guard down, even with people you think you know. The dagger from behind is deadlier than the fireball in front of you!”

“An unbeatable transformation jutsu?” Shisui frowned.

It was a pity there wasn’t a sample to study; he would have loved to examine this transformation technique Suguru called the strongest in the ninja world. One of Shisui’s hobbies was developing new jutsu, and he had greatly enriched the Uchiha clan’s kenjutsu techniques on his own.

"As for the stealth technique, they can blend into the earth and plants, severing all ties to the outside world while using it. I don’t know how to detect them yet, so be careful when you’re out alone. If you see someone entirely white or half black and half white, don’t take them lightly.”

Shisui nodded.

That sounded like a dangerous ability. Definitely something to be cautious about… Wait? Out alone? Was this advice for when he was on solo missions, or was there another meaning?

“I have a favor to ask.”

“...What is it?”

Shisui sighed internally. As expected, there was more to this.

“Before that, let me ask you something, Shisui: have you heard of the Six Paths Tools?” Suguru asked a seemingly strange question. Shisui couldn’t figure out what Suguru was getting at, so he focused on the question.

Six Paths Tools?

Weren’t those mythical objects from the legend of the Sage of Six Paths, said to possess various wondrous powers? Whether the Sage of Six Paths actually existed was hard to confirm, but there were indeed a few items in the ninja world known as the Six Paths Tools. That being said, very few people knew about them nowadays. Since the First Great Ninja War, when most of the Six Paths Tools were lost by the Cloud Village, even the younger generation of Cloud Shinobi probably didn’t know the name.

Shisui had come across the name while researching new jutsu. He frequently visited the Uchiha clan’s library, where he found mention of the Six Paths Tools in the chaotic notes left by their ancestors. Most of the notes were filled with boasting about their “glorious achievements.”

For example, one of the top warriors of his era wrote, “The Six Paths Red Gourd is useless.” Another note, after a major victory, said, “The Bashōsen is far inferior to the Flame Fan.' There are quite a few such records like this.

'Sougen, are you referring to those ninja tools from the Hidden Cloud Village?' Shisui asked.

'That’s right.'

Sougen nodded. 'Since you know about them, that saves me the trouble of explaining. At this point, I think you’ve guessed it—I’m asking you to help me with something related to the Six Paths Ninja Tools. I hope you can help me find them.' He looked at Shisui and said very seriously.

(End of the chapter)"

Chapter 120: Shisui + Flying Thunder God =?

The sunset pierced through the clouds, casting a warm glow on Shisui's pale face. The orange hues reflected in his eyes as he softly asked, "If I remember correctly, hasn’t the Six Paths Ninja Tools been lost for a long time?"

The Six Paths Ninja Tools had been lost since the First Great Ninja War.

They were buried in history along with the Second Raikage and the Second Hokage of Konoha. Over the years, Kumogakure (the Village Hidden in the Clouds) never gave up searching for the Six Paths Ninja Tools, but neither the Second nor the Third Great Ninja War saw their reappearance. It seemed that the village still hadn’t recovered their lost treasures.

“I found a clue in the Third Hokage’s memories.”

Sougen casually dropped a bombshell, leaving Shisui stunned. What did he mean by discovering clues in Hiruzen Sarutobi’s memories? Even though Shisui no longer held the same respect for the Third Hokage, spying on a Hokage’s memories—especially one who wasn’t like Danzo—still felt highly improper.

“Don’t worry. Sarutobi was pretty tough on himself; he set up plenty of seals in his mind. I only managed to glimpse a fraction of his memories, and I didn’t see anything related to the Scroll of Seals. I was hoping to find the Flying Thunder God technique though. With your skills, Shisui, I’m pretty sure you could master it.”

Shisui’s emotions were easy to read, and Sougen wasn’t lying. Sarutobi’s mind was protected by powerful seals that destroyed many secrets before he could access them. Only bits and pieces of relatively unimportant information remained.

One clue led to the Six Paths Ninja Tools.

After the death of the First Hokage, the peace treaty among the Five Great Nations gradually broke down, leading to the First Great Ninja War. Four Kage, including the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, lost their lives during that brutal conflict.

Tobirama met his end during an ambush at a peace summit with the Raikage, where he was attacked by two legendary warriors from Kumogakure.

Both the Second Raikage and Tobirama, known as the "Fastest Ninja," died in that battle. However, Tobirama, despite his abilities, didn’t flee immediately but instead stayed behind to cover the retreat of his students and subordinates. The exact details of his final battle remain unknown.

In reality, Tobirama used the Flying Thunder God technique to return to Konoha with severe injuries. But the wounds inflicted by Kumogakure’s two legendary warriors were fatal, and it was only thanks to the Senju clan’s strong vitality that he even made it back.

Tobirama barely had time to leave two final messages before passing away. Sougen saw the memory through Sarutobi’s eyes: “Little monkey, I left Ginkaku at sea. Kinkaku won’t last long either... They are no longer a threat. From now on, Konoha is in your hands!”

The final battle between Tobirama and the brothers Kinkaku and Ginkaku took place at sea.

Sougen wasn’t surprised—Tobirama, as the master of the Flying Thunder God technique, would logically lead the enemy away from Konoha to protect his students. Sarutobi had secretly investigated this battle, where the brothers killed the Second Raikage using the Six Paths Ninja Tools. This left an unforgettable impression on Sarutobi. He was deeply interested in those tools.

Unfortunately, his investigation bore no results.

The sea was too vast, and after expending significant resources, all Sarutobi could do was determine that the tools might be on one of the islands in the Land of Water. However, the outbreak of the Second Great Ninja War left him no time or manpower to pursue the matter further.

Until now—

This memory, long sealed in Sarutobi’s mind, had been unearthed by Sougen.

Shisui didn’t know how to respond.

The Flying Thunder God technique certainly piqued his interest. As a master of the Body Flicker Technique, Shisui was fascinated by space-time jutsu. However, in the past, he never had access to such elite techniques. No matter how great the merits of the Uchiha, they were never granted access to the Scroll of Seals.

To Sougen, it made sense. The Scroll of Seals contained forbidden techniques developed by the Second Hokage, and it had nothing to do with the Uchiha. If he were in Sarutobi’s shoes, Sougen might have made the same decision.

“Although I didn’t manage to get the Flying Thunder God technique from Sarutobi’s mind, Konoha today isn’t what it was in his time. With your contributions, and if I pull a few strings, you should qualify to access the Scroll of Seals. Then, you might have a chance to learn the Flying Thunder God technique.”

Sougen continued.

Uchiha Shisui, famed for his mastery of the Body Flicker technique, combined with the Flying Thunder God technique—what would that lead to? Sougen was eager to find out.

Shisui was left speechless. He coughed lightly and said, “Let’s discuss the Flying Thunder God technique later. If I don’t have enough merits, I’ll earn more. You want me to search for these Six Paths Ninja Tools? Are they in the Land of Water?”

“There’s a possibility! Honestly, I’m not sure if they’re there or if Kumogakure already found them but haven’t found a suitable user, like the brothers Kinkaku and Ginkaku. Maybe that’s why they’ve kept them hidden.”

Even Sougen’s memories weren’t omniscient.

Much had been lost to time, and many events were distorted by history. The past could only serve as a reference, not a guide.

“There’s also a chance they haven’t been found. The Land of Water is controlled by Kirigakure, and Kumogakure can’t act openly there. There are many possibilities. I can’t say for sure. You should just go and give it a try.”

“If the tools are still there, I’ll bring them back.”

Shisui readily agreed.

The task seemed much more manageable than the risky plans to overthrow the Hokage. Even if it seemed like a personal request from Sougen, it felt like a welcome change.

Sougen handed him a scroll. “This contains all the places where the tools might be. Check those areas, but if you can’t find anything, don’t worry. This is just my personal request, not a clan order. If you don’t want to go, just let me know.”

“You’re only asking me that now?” Shisui laughed as he accepted the scroll.

He carefully put it away, then Sougen added, “I’ll find a reason to let you operate freely, but Kirigakure will send people to track and monitor you. Be cautious of them and of the enemy lurking in the shadows.”

“I’ll be careful,” Shisui nodded seriously.

Though he didn’t consider Kirigakure much of a threat, he knew he had to be wary of the enemy claiming to be Uchiha Madara and their allies.

“Good!”

Sougen nodded lightly.

Shisui was his best bet to recover the Six Paths Ninja Tools—if they still existed and hadn’t already been taken.

(End of Chapter)