Sign

"Ah, this? Don't worry about it."

Shisui's smile was gentle, as if nothing had happened. It was just like usual; they were still in the familiar training ground, and Shisui was still teaching him ninjutsu.

"Kagato, come on, let's spar one more time."

"Shisui-bro, what are you saying? What's most important right now is you..."

Kagato started to speak anxiously.

But Shisui interrupted him.

"Spar with me. If you still consider me your big brother, then fight me one last time."

Kagato looked at Shisui's serious face and knew he couldn't refuse. The night wind brushed against Kagato's face, and under the moonlight, Kagato assumed a fighting stance, his shadow cast on the ground trembling slightly.

"Attack me with all you've got."

Body Flicker Technique! Kagato instantly appeared beside Shisui and threw a punch.

But Shisui kicked Kagato away first.

"Too slow! I told you to attack with all you've got. Are you looking down on your big brother?"

Indeed, Kagato's speed just now was far too slow. Let alone Shisui, even a Genin could have counterattacked.

"Bu-but..."

Kagato looked at Shisui's closed right eye, unsure of what to say.

"Attack me with all you've got!"

Shisui repeated himself, his tone serious once more.

This was the first time Kagato had ever seen Shisui emphasize the same thing twice so seriously. He bit his lip, and with no other choice, Kagato unleashed his full power.

"Shisui-bro, Uchiha Kagato, reporting for duty!"

Body Flicker Technique!

This time, it wasn't the slow, leisurely pace from before. This time, even Itachi's Three Tomoe Sharingan almost couldn't track Kagato's movements!

Kagato's usual speed was actually a form of self-suppression. Because if Kagato moved too fast, his own eyes might not be able to keep up with his body's speed, meaning he wouldn't be able to see objects clearly. In such a case, excessive speed would become a hindrance.

Therefore, Kagato had always suppressed his speed. But with the appearance of the Sharingan, this speed was finally unleashed. This was also why Kagato could use an Instant Clone after activating his One Tomoe Sharingan.

Now, Kagato's Sharingan had reached Three Tomoe. The speed he had previously suppressed was completely unleashed. Even his Three Tomoe Sharingan might fail to track Kagato's movements if he wasn't paying attention.

"Very good! Now, facing you is Konoha's Shisui the Body Flicker, reporting for duty!"

Shisui blocked Kagato's arm with his own.

"This is more like it. This is your true strength."

The next second, a second Kagato appeared on Shisui's other side, attacking him.

"Body Flicker Technique!"

Both Itachi and Shisui were shocked. They hadn't expected Kagato to have already learned this technique.

Shisui's smile widened. This way, he could be even more at ease.

Shisui immediately retreated, avoiding the pincer attack from Kagato and his Instant Clone.

For some reason, in this battle, Shisui didn't use the Instant Clone, the Mangekyo Sharingan, or any ninjutsu. He was holding back the entire time, yet even so, Kagato could only fight him to a draw.

Itachi watched quietly from the side.

Three figures dueled at extreme speeds beside the cliff, their movements sharp and fierce. To anyone else, it would have been a spectacular match. But to Itachi, the scene was simply sorrowful.

Finally, as time passed, the battle took a turn. Kagato landed a punch on Shisui's right cheek. Shisui could have dodged this punch, but unfortunately, due to the loss of his right eye, Shisui's field of vision was greatly reduced, and he didn't notice it in time.

"Shisui-bro! I..."

Kagato instinctively started to apologize. Shisui had only recently had his right eye removed, and this punch must have hurt him terribly.

"No need to apologize. You won this battle."

There was no pain on Shisui's face, only relief. Through this spar, Shisui was finally at ease.

"Do you remember our promise? I told you before that when you defeated me, I would give you a gift."

As he spoke, Shisui reached out, removed his left eye, and handed it to Kagato.

"At first, I said I'd give you my tanto, but you said that since I'd already mentioned it, the surprise was lessened. So, I said I'd think of a new gift for you. Here, this is the gift I thought of. This eye can use Kotoamatsukami, a ninjutsu that can permanently alter another person's will. It might not be of much use, but it's a gift from your big brother, so you can't dislike it."

Kagato shook his head repeatedly.

"Shisui-bro, I don't want this gift, I don't! Please take it back. I want your tanto, I want your tanto! You've already lost an eye, how could you... how could you..."

Shisui smiled slightly, and then a crow flew over, ate the eye in Shisui's hand, and then flew to Kagato's shoulder.

"That's why I told you not to dislike it. Even if you truly dislike it, as a gift from your big brother, you'd better accept it properly! I made a contract with this crow for you before; it's a crow I raised. From now on, it will be your summoning beast. I didn't tell you before because I originally planned to wait a while longer, until you came out of your shadow, and then I would start teaching you Crow Clone Jutsu. At that time, I would tell you about the summoning beast I gave you.

It's just that now, it seems I don't have time to teach you Crow Clone Jutsu. If you want to learn it in the future, have Itachi teach you. Oh right, what's our win-loss record?"

Kagato spoke with a choked voice.

"910 losses, 1 win. If you reverse it, it's exactly your birthday, Brother Shisui, October 19th. I remember it very clearly."

During his last semester at the Ninja Academy, Kagato used Shadow Clones to attend classes while he trained his main body daily. As a result, the number of times he sparred with Shisui increased dramatically.

Shisui closed his eyes, using his senses to approach Kagato. He ruffled Kagato's hair.

"Ah, is that so? I'm very happy. I'm very happy to have met you, my little brother. Kagato, do you remember? We made two promises. The first was that if you defeated me, I would give you a gift. The second was that I wouldn't let you awaken your Sharingan. While I kept the first promise, I broke the second. If you want to hate me, you can. I'm an incompetent older brother. The so-called Shisui the Body Flicker is just a useless ninja in front of his younger brother. But, promise me this: even if you can't protect the Uchiha, even if you can't protect the village, in the future, never lay a hand on the Uchiha or the village! Can you promise me that?"

Shisui was afraid. He feared that Kagato's hatred for Danzō would spill over and harm Konoha. This was not what Shisui wanted to see. If Shisui had more time, he would have guided Kagato slowly, but he didn't have time. He could only use a promise to stop Kagato.

"No, no, how could I ever hate you, Brother Shisui?"

Kagato was sobbing uncontrollably. The more Shisui acted like this, the more he realized what Shisui was about to do.

"Then promise me."

Shisui smiled faintly. He had to get Kagato's response before he could rest easy.

"I, I promise, Brother Shisui. I won't lay a hand on the Uchiha or the village, never. Brother Shisui, can you please take your eyes back? Seeing them like that, I'm so scared."

This time, Shisui smiled brilliantly. He ruffled Kagato's hair with great force.

"This is the last time. I have to give it a good ruffle, haha."

In the end, this man named Uchiha Shisui still cared deeply for his village, his clan, his best friend, and his brother.

Afterward, Shisui walked to the edge of a cliff, his back to it, facing Kagato and Itachi.

"You both are smart enough to understand the situation with the Uchiha and the village. The current situation is already critical. If I die, perhaps things will change. If a change truly occurs, then you must seize this opportunity. I've also left a will. It's wonderful to see you both one last time! In the future, protect the village and the Uchiha for me."

As he spoke, Shisui began to back away.

"Wait, Shisui!"

"No! No! Brother Shisui! Please don't, Brother Shisui, you're the only family I have left. Please don't leave me. I-I really have nothing left..."

The first words were spoken by Itachi, and the second by Kagato. All of Kagato's weakness was exposed at this moment. He couldn't bear it, he truly couldn't bear to lose someone important again.

Shisui looked at Kagato, and in a daze, he saw the day Kagato fell in the snow, struggling to get up. He didn't know what to say to Kagato. He thought of countless words, but in the end, Shisui didn't speak them. He still smiled. In the end, Shisui still believed he should face Kagato with a smile. He wanted to leave Kagato with the best possible memory. After all, he was the older brother; how could he cry in front of his younger brother?

"Kagato, it's not snowing today, it's not cold."

Kagato extended a hand towards Shisui, wanting to grab him, shaking his head continuously.

"It's cold, I'm really cold, Brother Shisui. Can you come here?"

Shisui smiled and shook his head.

"Don't stop me, Kagato, Itachi. Meeting you two is the greatest fortune for Shisui the Body Flicker. My most precious friend, my most proud younger brother. Lastly, I have one wish. Can you help me?"

Kagato's voice trembled as he spoke.

"Brother Shisui, tell me."

Shisui smiled faintly and leaned backward.

"Help me take care of the two most important people to me. One is named Uchiha Kagato, and the other is Uchiha Itachi. Thank you."

Shisui fell, his figure disappearing below the cliff. No one saw that as Shisui fell off the cliff, two streams of tears flowed from his eyes. How could an older brother cry in front of his younger brother? Now that Kagato couldn't see him, he could cry.

Kagato, Itachi, I really, really wish I could live happily with you both. I can't bear to leave you, but the village needs my death, the Uchiha need my death, and the eyes of you two also need my death. Shisui the Body Flicker died with great meaning. I am satisfied, truly satisfied. From now on, it's up to you, my best friend and my most proud younger brother.

Itachi stood stunned at the edge of the cliff, staring blankly at Shisui slowly disappearing below.

Kagato, like a madman, jumped down without hesitation.

"Crack!"

At the critical moment, Itachi grabbed Kagato's left hand.

"Let go of me!!!"

Kagato roared at Itachi.

Itachi shook his head.

"Kagato, it's useless. If you jump down, you'll die too."

Kagato's body trembled uncontrollably.

"Last year in November, I lost a comrade. In December, I lost my parents. And now, in January, you want me to lose my only remaining older brother? That's my only support..."

Itachi's eyes were filled with pain. He slightly averted his gaze, unable to bear looking at Kagato.

Kagato ignored him. He drew the short sword he carried. If Itachi was holding his left hand, he would cut off his left hand!

"Clang!"

A kunai blocked the short sword Kagato swung at his own left hand.

Itachi pulled Kagato up with great force and yelled.

"Do you think Shisui jumped off the cliff hoping you'd follow him to your death? Did he give you his last eyes so you'd follow him to your death? You idiot!"

The scolding brought Kagato back to his senses.

It wasn't snowing today, but it was exceptionally cold, so cold that Kagato lost all sensation. There wasn't a trace of blood here, yet both Kagato's and Itachi's eyes were bloodshot.

Itachi's had a pattern of three blades, while Kagato's pupils were hollow in the center, enclosed by a circle. Two sharp points extended from the sides of the circle to the edge of his pupils, connecting to the circle. A similar sharp point extended downwards from the circle to the edge of the pupil, making a total of three sharp points. Around these sharp points, in the empty spaces, were hook-like shapes similar to Obito's Mangekyo Sharingan, though these were thinner.

Both of them activated their Mangekyo Sharingan. These eyes brought not only power, but also nightmares.

Kagato stared blankly for a long time, then looked at Itachi.

"Is there a way down to the bottom of this cliff?"

"You're going to..."

Itachi looked at Kagato, realizing something.

After overcoming many dangers, Kagato and Itachi arrived at the bottom of the cliff, where a river flowed.

Kagato stepped into the river, his face blank. His Three Tomoe Sharingan spun continuously, as if searching for something.

Night had fallen, and the river water was cold, but Kagato didn't seem to care.

How could this river water be colder than the snow from a few days ago? How could it be colder than the wind above the cliff just now?

Gradually, his hands and feet turned purple from the cold, but Kagato desperately searched downstream.

"Where is it? Where is it? Brother Shisui!"

Help me, help me.

No one noticed that the child with the blank expression was silently screaming for help in his heart. He had broken down, utterly despairing. He could no longer feel even a sliver of light; he had lost everything. He desperately wished, oh how he wished, that Shisui would appear by his side again, ruffling his hair and asking him how his training went today.

Help me, Brother Shisui.

The next morning.

Kagato finally found Shisui's body on a bank somewhere. For the first time, he smiled from the bottom of his heart, a satisfied smile.

Kagato walked over, picked up Shisui, and whispered to him.

"Brother Shisui, let's go home."

That day, Shisui carried Kagato home. Today, it was Kagato's turn to carry Shisui home.

Home, home.

Hello, friends! The "sign" here can be understood as a "signpost." This is an opening theme from Naruto. When this theme played, Naruto lost Jiraiya, and Sasuke lost Itachi. I believe Shisui held the same significance for Kagato as Itachi did for Sasuke and Jiraiya did for Naruto.

With the end of this chapter, this tragic storyline officially concludes. We will be leaving Konoha in the next chapter. Thank you to all my friends for sticking with it. I know this section was quite heavy, and I'm very grateful!