Stop Evolving

Rage surged straight into his brain, completely erasing the reason he had possessed in the past. Looking at the three figures lying in pools of blood, Shisui felt an unprecedented fury.

"What about Kakashi? Is he dead? Does he even deserve to be a guiding Jonin?!"

The masked man had not left. He had intended to quietly watch Kagami die, but before Kagami could fully succumb, he found himself facing a formidable enemy.

"I thought Kakashi would be the first person besides me to see this scene. I never expected it to be you."

The masked man had stayed there to prevent anyone from arriving and rescuing Kagami. With injuries like Kagami's, he would certainly die without treatment, but with treatment, that might not be the case.

The three-tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly, eventually transforming into a pair of Sharingan with four blade-like markings.

That was Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan.

His scarlet eyes fixed fiercely on the masked man and the bloodstained blade in his hand.

"Whoever you are, you must die today!"

The Mangekyō beneath the mask rippled faintly.

"Body Flicker Shisui, fighting me will do you no good."

Shisui's face twisted viciously.

"Do you think I'm trying to kill you for some benefit? You must die today!"

The masked man fell silent for a moment, then abandoned his original plan to watch Kagami die and shook his head slightly.

"You can't kill me, Body Flicker Shisui. I have no intention of fighting you either. I'm leaving."

A streak of fire flashed past and pierced straight through the masked man's body, yet did not harm him in the slightest.

Then a vortex appeared, carrying the masked man away at high speed.

Not long afterward, Kakashi arrived. The masked man had cast a genjutsu on him, causing him to take a long detour without realizing it. That was why he had arrived so late.

Shisui picked up the bloodstained Kagami from the ground. With his back to Kakashi, he spoke without looking back.

"Kakashi, you don't deserve to be a guiding Jonin. Go back to the Anbu."

With that, Shisui vanished with Kagami.

Kakashi stared at the pool of blood before him, his breathing nearly stopping. Once again and again,

what greeted him was searing pain.

Kakashi stepped forward and carefully picked up Saito Daisuke's corpse.

"Shisui was right. I don't deserve to be a guiding Jonin."

Itachi silently emerged from the darkness and picked up Suzuki Genji's corpse.

"Kakashi, let's go."

Kakashi clearly noticed that Itachi had quietly stopped calling him "senior." Although Itachi showed no visible anger, the deliberate distance he kept was unmistakable.

Kakashi could say nothing to that. He gave a bleak smile.

"Let's go."

With that, the two vanished.

Not long afterward, the masked man appeared there. Looking toward Konoha, he spoke silently in his heart.

You can't save anyone, Kakashi. Just like Teacher Minato, all you can do is kill them.

The next day, Konoha Hospital.

Kagami slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the ceiling.

He turned his head. Shisui was sitting there. Pressing his lips together, Kagami spoke.

"Shisui, am I still alive?"

Shisui nodded.

"Of course."

"Then what about Genji and Daisuke?"

Kagami received no answer, only silence.

Several seconds later, Kagami seemed to understand. He turned his head back and stared blankly at the ceiling, lost in thought.

"I'm sorry."

Shisui suddenly spoke, guilt in his eyes.

"Kagami, I failed to keep my promise this time. I said I wouldn't let you awaken those eyes, but..."

Kagami shook his head.

"It's not your fault, Shisui."

He placed his hands around his eyes and personally felt them again. Only then did Kagami finally understand how much pain it had taken to awaken those eyes.

When he had first arrived in this world, Kagami had still dreamed of making a name for himself in the shinobi world with these eyes. But now, he only wanted them to remain forever at the one-tomoe stage. Really, truly, please don't evolve any further.

Please.

Seeing Kagami's hand caressing the area around his eyes, Shisui could not help speaking with heartache.

"It must hurt."

Kagami smiled, though it looked almost like he was crying.

"Yeah, Shisui, it hurts so much. These eyes hurt so much. I really, really don't want them..."

Outside the window, Itachi and Kakashi stood there like two ghosts, silently watching what was happening inside the room. Neither spoke. They remained locked in deathly silence. Both had experienced something similar, so they understood that kind of pain. To outsiders, it might seem like nothing, but to the person enduring it, it was often unbearable.

Shisui held Kagami's hand and smiled faintly.

"For the time being, stop being a Genin. Don't take on any missions. Let me teach you."

Kagami froze.

"Didn't you say before that you didn't have time, Shisui?"

Shisui interrupted him and smiled unconcernedly.

"No. I have time now."

He has time now? Is that possible? Shisui had probably decided to force time out of his schedule to teach Kagami.

"Okay."

Kagami still agreed. He was not a machine but a human being. It was impossible to consider everything rationally. At that moment, he truly needed some time to calm down.

Besides, he had another purpose. He wanted to keep an eye on Shisui—keep a close eye on him. Just as Kagami had thought, he truly did not want his eyes to evolve any further.

After a while, a hospital nurse entered. Shisui used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished. Shisui still could not be seen by others at present. If Kagami's condition had not been so critical before, Shisui would not even have met Kakashi.

Evening.

On the opposite bank of a waterfall, Shisui asked Itachi flatly,

"Where is that masked man?"

"His ability is very unusual. I can't locate him precisely, and I don't know how to kill him either."

"Is that so?"

Shisui sighed. He understood Itachi well. Itachi was an extremely rational person. If he said someone could not be killed, then it was basically impossible to kill that person.

"Kagami is too young."

"What are you trying to say, Shisui?"

Shisui spoke in a pleading tone.

"Itachi, if... I mean, if something happens to me, I hope you'll protect Kagami. Can you promise me?"

Itachi denied it.

"There is no 'if.' Nothing will happen to you."

A trace of sadness appeared in Shisui's eyes.

"Didn't you see what he was like today? Promise me. I'm really afraid—afraid that one day, he'll still be too young. He'll need time to grow, and before then, someone must protect him."

This time, Itachi remained silent for a long while before speaking.

"I'll protect him, but not after something happens to you. From today onward, I'll do everything I can to protect him. I promise you, Shisui. But remember this too: nothing will happen to you."

Shisui smiled in relief.

"Mm... Of course."

Hmm... This book might get a new cover over the next few days, so keep an eye out and don't mistake it for another one. (** )