41-45

*Chapter 41: Extortion (Please vote for me!)*

Tsunade landed on the hospital rooftop and frowned at the sight of the destroyed wall.

But when she saw Shiro, she got so angry her teeth itched, though she was helpless to do anything about it!

However, spotting Uchiha Sasuke on the ground gave her a bit of satisfaction, as if she had found someone to vent her anger on.

"Hey, kid! What are you doing, using such dangerous jutsu in a hospital?!"

Sasuke, shouted at by Tsunade, looked annoyed. It wasn’t like he wasn’t used to people trying to boss him around, but Shiro was one of the few he listened to. This strange woman was definitely not on that list!

"In a ninja battle, some collateral damage is unavoidable!" he retorted.

Tsunade sneered, her eyes flashing with killing intent.

"Alright, kid, since you say you're a ninja, let's have a little sparring match!"

Shiro’s heart skipped a beat.

When Naruto and Sasuke fight, the damage is limited to small areas.

But if Tsunade joins in, with her monstrous strength, the entire hospital might be reduced to rubble!

"My dear Lady Tsunade, why are you picking a fight with a kid? Come on, calm down," Shiro said, patting Tsunade’s back soothingly.

Thankfully, her anger subsided after a while.

"You call him a kid, but aren’t you the same age?" Tsunade teased.

Shiro was speechless. Physically, he was indeed just twelve years old, but his mental age was way beyond that.

"Alright... let’s just forget about this incident," Shiro suggested.

"Oh, no, no, that won’t do," Tsunade smirked. "Who’s gonna pay for the hospital repairs? You? You’ll have to cough up the cash!"

Shiro’s face twitched. Just a moment ago, she was calling him a kid, and now she was asking him to foot the bill. He had never met such a shameless adult!

"Well, if you don’t want to pay, you could come with me and pull off a few jobs. You know, after the attack on Konoha, everything costs money," Tsunade said slyly.

Shiro rolled his eyes at Tsunade.

Even as Hokage, she was still thinking about gambling! It’s a miracle she hadn’t bankrupted the village already!

"Fine, I’ll pay!" Shiro sighed.

Tsunade’s face fell with disappointment, but she quickly grabbed Shiro and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"You’re the best! Fixing the walls should cost around 5 million ryo!"

Shiro nearly spat blood. He cursed Tsunade endlessly in his heart as she took the money with a satisfied smile.

"Oh, by the way, about that bushy-browed kid, the diagnosis is out. To increase his chances of recovery, we’ll need two ninjas to perform the Healing Palm Technique simultaneously, and I’ll extract the broken bones one by one. So, I need your help!" Tsunade said.

Shiro’s expression turned serious.

Rock Lee was one of the few ninjas Shiro truly respected. Even without chakra, Lee had managed to keep up with others through sheer hard work and persistence. In his first fight against Gaara, he had almost crippled him!

Since it was just a small task, Shiro couldn’t refuse. He would just have to delay his plans to leave Konoha for a few days.

"Alright, when’s the surgery?" Shiro asked.

"Tomorrow. I’ll have that little Hyuga girl come find you!" Tsunade replied.

"Got it!"

With that, Tsunade stormed off as quickly as she came, taking 5 million ryo with her!

Speaking of 5 million, Shiro suddenly remembered he still owed TenTen 10,000 ryo.

Shiro wasn’t the type to avoid paying debts, so he decided to pay her back before leaving the village.

"Sasuke! Wait for me at our usual spot. I’ll be there soon!"

Sasuke’s spirits lifted as he flashed Naruto a smug look before saying,

"Don’t worry! I’ll be there!"

Shiro made his way to Rock Lee’s hospital room, planning to leave the money with him for TenTen. However, when he got there, the door was locked, and there were anxious voices inside.

He could hear TenTen’s voice too!

Shiro shrugged. Since he had nothing better to do, he decided to wait outside.

But waiting around quickly got boring, so Shiro began folding the paper money he was going to give TenTen.

Shiro was an expert at paper folding.

Back in kindergarten, his paper frogs and cranes had won the hearts of countless girls. It was only later that Shiro realized his peak in life had been during kindergarten.

About five or six minutes later, the door opened.

Might Guy and Neji Hyuga were the first to exit, followed closely by TenTen.

"Shiro, what are you doing here?" Guy asked, looking at him with gratitude.

If it weren’t for Shiro bringing Tsunade back, Rock Lee would have been on crutches for the rest of his life.

"Ah, I’m here to see TenTen."

"TenTen?" Guy paused and then, seeing the folded money in Shiro’s hand, he understood.

"I see! I see! Neji, let’s go!" Guy laughed heartily, grabbing Neji by the neck and dragging him away despite his reluctance.

Shiro watched Guy in confusion, completely failing to understand his logic.

He turned to TenTen, whose face had gone bright red.

"W-Shiro-kun, w-what do you need me for?" she stammered.

Shiro smiled and handed her the money.

"Nothing much. Just paying back the money I borrowed from you last time."

As he looked down, he realized what he had done.

Oh no! What have I done?!

The money he was holding had been folded into a heart shape!

Now Shiro understood why everyone had been acting so strange!

"Oh, you didn’t have to come all the way just for 10,000 ryo," TenTen said, a little flustered.

Shiro’s face twitched.

10,000 ryo was about 1,600 yen. Only Konoha’s wealthiest could make such a statement!

But the heart-shaped money made things way too easy to misunderstand!

"Uh, sorry, let me change that," Shiro said, trying to take the money back, but TenTen snatched it out of his hand.

"Money’s money! This will do just fine!" she said with a smug smile.

Shiro was at a loss. What TenTen said wasn’t wrong, but she was holding the money like it was something precious, even sniffing it gently every now and then.

This was bad.

If this kept going, TenTen was definitely going to misunderstand!

Actually, she probably already had!

"TenTen... maybe we should swap it for another bill?"

"No way! It’s mine now, and I’m not giving it back!" she said with a triumphant grin.

"Well, uh, I guess I’ll be going then," Shiro said, awkwardly backing away. If he stayed any longer, there’d be even more misunderstandings. Better to make a quick escape!

As he fled, TenTen watched him with a hand over her mouth, giggling.

"Shiro-kun is so shy!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 42: Stealing the Chidori Stream Technique

Shiro hurriedly returned to the Uchiha clan's training grounds, as if fleeing from something.

However, upon arriving at the training grounds, he immediately noticed something was wrong!

The area was littered with battle marks, and traces of lightning-style chakra still lingered on the trees.

"Sasuke?"

Shiro started to panic.

He had sworn to Itachi Uchiha that he would protect Sasuke. If something went wrong now, who knows if that crazy brother might cast Tsukuyomi on him!

"Kiba! What do you mean by this?"

"What do I mean? You know very well! Lord Hokage assigned me here to wait for you, and sure enough, you showed up!"

"That damn woman! Just because I destroyed one wall, does she have to be so petty?"

Following the voices, Shiro looked over and saw Kiba Inuzuka and Sasuke Uchiha facing off.

Although Kiba was already covered in wounds, he showed no signs of backing down!

On the other hand, Sasuke looked composed, showing almost no signs of injury despite just recovering from a serious illness. His face was filled with arrogance!

Shiro knew Sasuke was fighting someone, but why?

They used to be in the same class. Even though they were placed in different squads after graduation, they were still friends!

And judging by their fighting intensity, they weren’t just playing around!

"Stop! Stop it! What are you two doing?"

Both Sasuke Uchiha and Kiba Inuzuka looked relieved when they saw Shiro.

"Shiro, quickly subdue this guy! For some reason, he suddenly attacked me with a do-or-die attitude!"

"Sasuke, stop pretending! The Hokage ordered me to guard this place and figure out who the traitor in Konoha was! I never expected it to be you, Sasuke Uchiha!"

Shiro twitched. He didn’t know the full story, but he was certain Tsunade had something to do with it!

"Kiba! Sasuke is not a traitor. Let's talk this out first!"

Kiba's eyes sharpened instantly, glaring at Shiro as if he were facing an enemy.

"So, you're in on this too! Has the Uchiha clan fallen so low? Don’t worry, I'll capture both of you and hand you over to the Hokage, then plead on your behalf!"

Shiro forced a bitter smile.

That idiot Hokage probably didn’t even know she gave such an order.

But who knew Kiba was so stubborn?

"Kiba! Look into my eyes, and you'll see that I’m a good person!" Shiro opened his Sharingan, not wanting to drag this on any longer.

"My eyes?"

Kiba instinctively looked into Shiro’s eyes. Even Akamaru, his dog companion, glanced up.

But as soon as Kiba and Akamaru made eye contact with Shiro, a wave of drowsiness overwhelmed them!

Their heads drooped, and both collapsed to the ground, snoring loudly.

"Finally sorted that out!"

Sasuke walked over, glancing at the unconscious Kiba in confusion.

"What’s the Hokage’s deal? Is she trying to kill me? Is it because of that guy?"

Watching Sasuke get lost in his thoughts, Shiro couldn’t help but sigh. "I think the Hokage is an idiot."

"An idiot?"

Sasuke chuckled softly, but then his eyes lit up as he turned toward Shiro.

"Shiro, please make me stronger! I’ll do anything, as long as it helps me kill that man!"

Shiro’s eyes brightened at Sasuke’s request.

In truth, Shiro's knowledge of chakra and ninjutsu basics was probably worse than even Konohamaru’s.

The reason he could use so many techniques was entirely due to the system!

Bringing Sasuke into his training wasn’t about truly teaching him.

It was about guiding Sasuke toward certain ninjutsu, so that Shiro could "steal" the technique by observing its development!

Shiro coughed twice, suddenly becoming serious.

"I’ll point you in the right direction. For example, Chidori—it can be released from the hand, but have you ever thought about releasing it from your entire body?"

Sasuke rubbed his chin, deep in thought. After a few minutes, his eyes lit up, and he began forming hand seals.

Suddenly, arcs of electricity flashed across Sasuke's body, but they quickly dissipated!

*Ding! Detected Lightning Release: Chidori Stream! (5% Progress)*

Shiro was ecstatic. As expected, just by guiding the right person in the right direction, he could gain mastery over the technique!

Having succeeded in this, Shiro immediately adopted the demeanor of a strict teacher, staring at Sasuke with a serious expression.

"Good! You’re on the right track!"

Sasuke beamed with pride at Shiro’s praise and quickly resumed forming hand seals!

Electric arcs flickered again, but they disappeared almost immediately.

*Ding! Detected Lightning Release: Chidori Stream (11% Progress)*

Shiro could barely contain his joy. If Sasuke kept this up, it was only a matter of time before he mastered the "Lightning Release: Chidori Stream!"

As for whether Sasuke could master it, that would depend on his talent!

"Next, should I have Sasuke learn Chidori Sharp Spear or Chidori Senbon? This is such a tough decision!"

Sasuke performed Chidori seven times in a row.

Each time, he managed to release it for just a second, but it didn’t achieve anything.

By now, Sasuke was exhausted, breathing heavily from using so much chakra.

*Ding! Detected Lightning Release: Chidori Stream (51% Progress)*

"Shiro, can you show me the full technique once? It would help me avoid unnecessary mistakes!"

Shiro’s smile froze, and sweat began to drip from his forehead.

He didn’t know how to perform Chidori Stream!

If he could, he wouldn’t need to "steal" it from Sasuke!

Shiro coughed twice, then sternly replied, "Sasuke, I’m disappointed. If you want to defeat him, you must innovate! If you just copy others, you’ll forever live in someone else’s shadow! Defeating him will be impossible!"

Sasuke shuddered and looked at Shiro with even more gratitude.

"You're right! I was being lazy! I’ll keep practicing!"

Watching Sasuke continue his Chidori Stream training, Shiro wiped the sweat from his brow.

Thankfully, Sasuke was still young and easy to fool!

Otherwise, he would’ve been exposed by now!

*Ding! Detected Lightning Release: Chidori Stream (67% Progress)*

*Ding! Detected Lightning Release: Chidori Stream (78% Progress)*

*Ding! Detected Lightning Release: Chidori Stream (99% Progress)*

After one last attempt, Sasuke collapsed, his hands trembling, too exhausted to lift them.

"1%! Just one more time!"

"Huh? Shiro, what did you say?"

"I said keep going! You’re almost there!"

*Chapter 43: Angering Kakashi*

Shiro suddenly became anxious.

He was just 1% away from mastering the Chidori Stream, but at the critical moment, Uchiha Sasuke faltered.

This left Shiro feeling frustrated and eager.

"Sasuke, how about you try again? Only by pushing your limits and surpassing yourself can you become stronger! Only then can you defeat that man!"

Exhausted, Uchiha Sasuke's eyes suddenly lit up, and he struggled to get back on his feet.

"You're right! If I can't surpass myself, how can I surpass Itachi!"

After saying this, Sasuke formed a few hand signs, and arcs of electricity surged around him, resembling the cries of countless birds.

Ding! Chidori Stream identified!

Shiro was overjoyed. Finally, he had learned the Chidori Stream!

Now, Shiro also had a defensive type of jutsu!

In close combat, this could give him an edge.

Shiro, pleased, looked up to see red markings creeping over Sasuke’s body, quickly spreading across him.

"Curse mark!"

This was the power bestowed upon Sasuke by Orochimaru!

In this state, Sasuke's strength could increase dramatically.

But at the same time, it was also Orochimaru's way of controlling Sasuke!

As long as the curse mark remained on Sasuke, he could never escape Orochimaru's grasp.

The moment he let his guard down, Orochimaru could strike and take advantage of him.

Sasuke could become a mere tool for Orochimaru!

Thus, the curse mark was like a ticking time bomb!

Shiro watched Sasuke's painful expression but wasn’t too concerned.

For now, the curse mark didn’t pose any immediate danger; in fact, it even had some benefits.

At that moment, the arcs of electricity on Sasuke’s body showed no signs of fading; in fact, thanks to the curse mark, he had directly mastered the Chidori Stream!

Once Sasuke had stabilized, Shiro stroked his chin and smiled.

"Sasuke, want me to teach you the next move?"

"Sure!"

"Sure, what sure?! You’re doing this all wrong!"

A figure descended from the sky, pressing four fingers against the back of Sasuke’s neck without hesitation.

In an instant, the curse mark on Sasuke retreated rapidly, and before long, he returned to his usual state.

Ding! Sealing Jutsu: Evil Sealing Method identified!

Without the curse mark's power, Sasuke collapsed. Kakashi Hatake, who had been standing nearby, quickly caught Sasuke and gently laid him on the ground.

"Shiro! What do you think you're doing?"

Even though Kakashi wore a mask that covered his face, and a forehead protector that hid one eye, his anger was unmistakable.

Ding! Choice mission triggered!

1. Answer Kakashi honestly! Reward: Lightning Blade!

2. Ignore Kakashi! Reward: Intermediate Sage Body!

3. Anger Kakashi with harsh words! Reward: Mangekyō Sharingan!

Shiro’s heart skipped a beat, and then he was ecstatic!

He hadn’t expected such rich rewards for this mission!

Whether it was the Lightning Blade, the Intermediate Sage Body, or the Mangekyō Sharingan, these were all things Shiro had dreamed of!

But since he could only choose one, he had to think carefully.

First, there was the Lightning Blade.

It had immense power in one-on-one combat, and since Shiro already had lightning chakra, he could maximize its potential.

But Shiro already had the Chidori and the Rasengan.

Both were powerful single-strike techniques, so choosing the Lightning Blade would be a bit redundant.

Next, there was the Intermediate Sage Body!

In terms of overall value, this had the highest rating!

It could greatly increase Shiro’s chakra reserves, as well as his reaction time, perception, and physical strength!

If he could reach the Advanced Sage Body level, he could even enter Sage Mode instantly!

However, at the moment, this conflicted with the Strength of a Hundred Seal technique!

The Strength of a Hundred Seal allowed for the release of stored chakra in an instant, effectively doubling one’s chakra reserves! It also temporarily enhanced all abilities!

It was like a simplified version of the Sage Body!

So that left only the Mangekyō Sharingan!

With the Mangekyō Sharingan, Shiro's perception and genjutsu abilities would be greatly enhanced!

He could see through an opponent's moves more easily, offering endless possibilities in battle!

Most importantly, he could use Tsukuyomi!

Previously, during a battle with Uchiha Itachi, Shiro had stolen Tsukuyomi. However, since he hadn’t yet awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, he hadn’t been able to use it!

"I choose option three!"

Shiro’s eyes suddenly began to ache, and not long after, two lines of blood trickled down his face!

Wiping away the blood, Shiro thought, since he had chosen the path of looking cool, he would stick with it all the way!

Power could be gained slowly, but looking cool was a lifelong mission!

As for the third option's task, Shiro had already thought it through.

Provoking Kakashi like this would definitely push him to act!

While Kakashi was indeed an elite Jōnin and one of the best, he had just recovered from a serious illness.

His strength was likely only half of what it normally was!

So if Shiro faced him carefully, he stood a good chance of surviving!

Besides, he planned to leave the Leaf Village soon, so he didn’t have to worry about the consequences.

With a cold laugh, Shiro turned to Kakashi.

"Sensei Kakashi, as strong as you are, you’re terrible at teaching! Sasuke’s goal is clear—he wants to kill Itachi! With how well you know Itachi, how long do you think it will take Sasuke to do that?"

Kakashi didn’t respond, simply staring at Shiro. After several seconds, he finally spoke slowly:

"Itachi Uchiha is powerful and ruthless. Sasuke won’t be able to surpass him anytime soon. My mission is to protect Sasuke until he’s ready to kill Itachi."

"Fool! You’re such a fool! You’re incapable of training Sasuke, and now you won’t even let me do it? Do you have any idea how much Sasuke wants his revenge?" Shiro finished, glancing eagerly at Kakashi.

But to his surprise, Kakashi didn’t react, his usual deadpan expression revealing nothing.

"Sasuke now has Naruto and Sakura. It’s time for him to let go of his hatred. That way, he can live a happier life, don’t you think?"

Shiro scratched his head in frustration.

No matter what Kakashi said, he didn’t react emotionally, as if he had no feelings at all!

Other than his initial anger, there was no visible emotion!

If this continued, Shiro’s mission would fail, and he would lose the Mangekyō Sharingan he had just obtained!

At that moment, Shiro suddenly thought of Uchiha Obito, and an evil grin spread across his face.

"No wonder Obito hated you, thought you were worthless!"

Kakashi’s pupils shrank, and he immediately spoke up: "What did you say?"

Shiro smirked. Since bringing up Uchiha Obito had worked, he decided to push further.

"I said Uchiha Obito is still alive, and it’s because of people like you that he resents the Leaf Village—and you in particular!"

"Shut up! Don’t you dare speak another word!"

(Author’s note: Come on, where are my recommendation votes? If you don’t give me any, I’ll cry!)

*(End of Chapter)*

Chapter 44: Crushing Defeat

Kakashi Hatake let out a furious shout and charged at Shiro with incredible speed. Shiro's expression grew serious.

Though Kakashi was still weak from recovering from a serious illness, as an elite Jonin, he undoubtedly had some unpredictable and deadly moves up his sleeve!

However, Shiro held two key advantages in this fight against Kakashi!

First, Kakashi was famously low on chakra. After using just a few jutsu, he would run out of energy. Meanwhile, Shiro, with his beginner-level Sage Body and the Hundred Healings technique, completely overwhelmed Kakashi in terms of chakra.

Second, while Kakashi also had a Sharingan, it was only in one eye. And it was only a three-tomoe Sharingan, while Shiro had already upgraded his to the Mangekyō Sharingan!

As Kakashi charged forward, Shiro didn’t back down. Instead, he stepped forward to meet him!

Bang!

Their fists collided, and both men were forced back two steps.

Kakashi's face turned pale. He looked at Shiro in disbelief. "How is it possible you can keep up with my speed? And that strength... who are you?"

Shiro chuckled proudly.

The punch he'd thrown was just an ordinary one. If he had used his full strength, Kakashi's arm might have been shattered!

Even so, just that simple punch had drained all the color from Kakashi's face, showing how serious his injuries were.

"Konoha! Shiro!"

Kakashi's voice turned cold. "If you're not going to explain yourself, then I'll drag you to the Hokage!" With that, he lifted his forehead protector, revealing the blood-red Sharingan in his left eye.

Shiro smirked dismissively. "Taking me to the Hokage? He's on my side! You're only making trouble for yourself."

"You think you're the only one with a Sharingan?"

In an instant, Shiro’s pupils turned blood-red, and three tomoe swirled in each of his eyes.

Kakashi frowned slightly.

The last time he'd seen Shiro, his Sharingan had only had two tomoe. How had it evolved to three in just a few days?

"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Kakashi became serious, summoning four shadow clones that attacked from different directions.

"Who doesn’t know that jutsu? Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Shiro summoned four clones of his own to meet Kakashi’s head-on.

"Don't get cocky, kid!" Kakashi growled, quickly forming hand signs. Nearby, the lake began to stir, forming a small whirlpool that rapidly expanded.

"A Water Dragon Bullet? Really, you're going to do all 44 hand signs for it? You’re falling for Zabuza’s old tricks!" Shiro taunted, as his hands flew through signs at lightning speed.

In less than a second, a massive water dragon shot out from the lake, heading straight for Kakashi.

Kakashi’s eyes widened, and he immediately stopped his own jutsu, grabbing Sasuke Uchiha from the ground and jumping to safety.

"How is he so fast?" Kakashi muttered.

"You’ve seen someone faster!" Shiro smirked wickedly.

Kakashi's heart raced.

Shiro's hand-sign speed was extraordinary, and on top of that, he had simplified the Water Dragon Bullet technique by skipping several signs—a feat only elite ninja could pull off!

The only other person Kakashi had seen perform at this level was Itachi Uchiha!

"Fast hand signs, but your combat experience is lacking!" Kakashi's voice echoed just as a kunai pressed against Shiro's back.

"Now, are you ready to talk about Obito?"

"Sure," Shiro said with a smile, though his voice echoed from a distance.

Boom!

Shiro's body swelled before exploding into smoke!

Kakashi tried to dodge, but a sharp pain shot through his body, making it impossible to move in time.

Struggling, Kakashi crawled to his feet and glared at Shiro.

"You've been hiding your strength well. With power like that, no one knows what you're really after. What do you want with Konoha? What do you want with Sasuke? Are you after his eyes?"

Shiro's smile grew more arrogant. He had nearly taken down Kakashi, known for always fighting evenly with his opponents. Even though Kakashi was weakened, this still proved Shiro’s terrifying power!

"I'm not after anything bad. Why are you making me sound so evil?"

Kakashi's expression darkened. "If you won't talk, don't blame me for being ruthless!" Biting his thumb, he quickly performed hand signs.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

A huge symbol appeared on the ground, followed by a cloud of smoke. When it cleared, several dogs stood beside Kakashi, each one wearing a Konoha forehead protector.

"Kakashi, why did you summon us? Who’s the enemy?" one of the dogs, a Pekingese, asked.

"Him!"

"What? This kid? He's barely twelve! You're telling me he did this to you?"

"Don’t underestimate him. He’s much more dangerous than he looks!" Kakashi warned.

"Fine!"

As the Pekingese got ready for battle, Kakashi raised one hand into the air and held the other in front of him.

Ding! Recognizing the jutsu: Hidden Mist Technique!

Suddenly, a thick mist rolled in from nowhere, blanketing the entire area.

"A Hidden Mist technique with ninja hounds?"

Shiro chuckled, unfazed. His hands moved to form signs.

Suddenly, the sound of chirping birds echoed through the mist.

"Chidori, huh? Still just a twelve-year-old kid! In this mist, you’ll never hit anyone. And the sound of your Chidori will only give away your position!"

Kakashi drew a kunai, preparing to capture Shiro.

Just as he was about to move, one of his dogs let out a howl of pain.

"Kakashi, don’t come closer! This kid’s jutsu is weird!"

"What’s happening?" Kakashi’s heart sank.

He hadn’t expected Shiro to be this strong. If he were at full strength, this fight would’ve been easy.

But now, fresh out of a serious illness, his body couldn’t keep up. He felt drowsy and disoriented, his mind sluggish.

"I can't fight him head-on. I need backup!"

Kakashi blew a whistle from his pocket, summoning a hawk that had been perched in a nearby tree. It circled overhead, waiting for help to arrive.

"Good. Now I just need to hold out until help comes. No matter what, I’ll capture this kid alive. He knows too much about Obito."

Kakashi stood, ready to move to a new hiding spot. But just then, a pair of blood-red eyes appeared right in front of him.

"Gotcha!"

---

(End of chapter)

Chapter 45: Tsukuyomi

Kakashi Hatake shuddered and quickly tried to dodge.

However, the red pupils in front of him began to spin continuously, and soon the surrounding white mist gradually turned blood red.

Kakashi wandered alone in the blood mist and suddenly noticed a figure in the distance.

“Shiro, I finally found you!”

Kakashi cautiously walked over, but upon getting closer, he realized the figure was a woman.

And she looked very familiar.

“Rin...”

Kakashi rubbed his eyes in disbelief. The comrade he had killed with his own hands, Rin Nohara, appeared right in front of him!

“Kakashi, what are you daydreaming about? Hurry up!”

Kakashi’s body moved involuntarily, heading toward Rin.

Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed by, its hand crackling with lightning—Chidori!

Blood splattered!

Chidori struck Rin’s heart with deadly precision!

A man dressed in a black cloak with red clouds picked up Rin and wept bitterly.

“Kakashi! Why did you kill Rin? Why?!”

The voice felt strangely familiar to Kakashi, but he couldn’t recall the man's name.

Then, the man turned his head.

In his right eye was a Sharingan, the symbol of the Uchiha clan! But his left eye was empty!

“Kakashi! Why did you kill Rin? Give me back my eye!” The man charged toward Kakashi like a madman.

He grabbed Kakashi, reaching for his left eye!

With a surge of intense pain, Kakashi fainted.

Soon, he woke up, still surrounded by the blood-red mist.

…

Kakashi didn’t know how many times he had watched Rin die before his eyes or how many times that man had killed him.

But finally, the blood mist started turning white.

In front of him, only a pair of Sharingan eyes remained.

Kakashi collapsed to the ground, gasping for air to ease the fear in his heart.

“Tsukuyomi, huh? I didn’t expect you to know that eye technique too! You’re quite the monster, the likes of which I’ve never seen before!”

“Of course! Do you think I’m qualified to teach Sasuke now?”

Shiro responded calmly, but suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his eyes, followed by a stream of blood.

However, a cool sensation soon enveloped his eyeballs, and the pain disappeared, leaving a feeling of relief.

Thankfully, his system could repair it. Otherwise, overusing the technique would have ruined his eyes for good.

Still, Shiro didn’t dare to use it recklessly. If any permanent damage occurred, that would be a lifelong problem.

Looking down at the collapsed Kakashi, Shiro grew more pleased.

Although Kakashi was far from being at his full strength, this still proved how strong Shiro had become!

With this level of power, leaving the Hidden Leaf Village would feel much safer.

Defeating Kakashi with Tsukuyomi was just one of Shiro’s mischievous whims.

After watching Itachi Uchiha use Tsukuyomi so impressively for so long, now that Shiro could use it himself, he couldn’t resist trying it out!

As Shiro was basking in his self-satisfaction, a green figure suddenly flashed by. Shiro instinctively raised his hand to block, but a powerful force sent him flying.

“Kakashi, are you okay?”

“Gai! Don’t look into his eyes, this kid is really strong!”

Might Guy didn’t know who this person was, but since they had beaten his longtime rival Kakashi so badly, they couldn’t be weak!

Shiro twitched his mouth.

He had no intention of fighting Might Guy!

Guy and Kakashi were of similar strength, but if Guy opened the Eight Gates, he could reach Kage-level power!

Shiro didn’t want to fight a monster like that.

More importantly, there was no reason to fight!

“Guy-sensei, it’s me! Don’t attack!”

“Oh? You even disguised your voice to sound like the adorable Shiro, but I won’t be fooled!”

Shiro almost spat out blood.

Even though he was happy to be complimented, what’s the point of praising him and then attacking?!

“Guy-sensei, take a closer look! It’s really me, Shiro! If I’m injured, who will treat Lee tomorrow?”

Hearing the name "Lee," Might Guy hesitated for a moment but then burst into laughter again.

“You even impersonated his voice well! But you won’t deceive me. I’m too clever!”

Shiro clenched his fist.

If he could beat Might Guy, he would’ve punched him right then!

He had thought Tsunade was stubborn, but Guy was even worse!

“Enough pretending! Take this kick!”

Might Guy leaped high into the air and aimed a flying kick at Shiro.

Shiro had no intention of taking that hit.

Guy was a man who could nearly kick the story to an end! Even though he wasn’t using the Eight Gates, Shiro still had a deep fear of him!

Shiro dodged, but Guy’s relentless attacks gave him no room to breathe!

Even though Shiro was highly skilled in taijutsu, he was no match for a pure taijutsu master like Guy!

Suddenly, Guy unleashed a kick, and Shiro had no way to avoid it! He could only watch as Guy’s foot came flying at him!

But just then, a figure descended from the sky, forcing Guy back in an instant!

Shiro turned to see who it was—none other than Tsunade!

“Guy, what are you doing to Shiro? Don’t you know he’s under my protection?”

Hearing Tsunade’s voice, Might Guy instinctively looked up.

“Tsunade-sama, why are you here?”

“If I hadn’t come, would you have beaten Shiro to a pulp?” Tsunade shouted, scaring Guy into taking several steps back.

“Uh... I think there’s been a bit of a misunderstanding!” Guy laughed nervously.

He was afraid Tsunade might change her mind and refuse to treat Rock Lee!

Shiro coughed awkwardly.

It would be hard to explain why he had incapacitated Kakashi.

Seeing Shiro’s expression, Tsunade rolled her eyes and then gave him a hard slap on the head.

“Enough! The important thing now isn’t figuring out who’s right or wrong. Let’s heal Kakashi first.”

Might Guy quickly laughed along.

It was obvious Shiro was feeling guilty, but Tsunade wasn’t holding it against him.

Yet, when it came to even the smallest misunderstanding with Guy, she was all about fighting and yelling!

But Guy didn’t dare say a word.

After all, Tsunade was now officially the Hokage.

Guy gave Kakashi a moment of silence.

“What kind of jutsu injured Kakashi? It looks familiar.”

Shiro awkwardly coughed again.

“Tsukuyomi.”

Tsunade’s face lit up with joy instead of anger. She grabbed Shiro’s face and examined his eyes carefully, as if she had found a treasure.

“You’ve awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan! Well done!”

Barely conscious, Kakashi overheard Tsunade’s praise. A surge of frustration overwhelmed him, and he passed out completely.

(End of Chapter)