Konoha! (Please recommend and collect!)
Shisui was not at all pretentious. He was an extremely cheerful and optimistic person, while Aoba had always believed in treating those who respected him with even greater respect, taking revenge for the slightest grudge, and repaying even the smallest kindness a hundredfold. That was more or less the kind of person he was.
So the two of them unexpectedly hit it off. They sat down on the ground and chatted about their shared topic—Itachi.
"Itachi has always been very worried about you, but he hasn't been able to come out lately, so he's been asking me to help find out how you're doing. After learning that someone in the clan had done something like that to you, he felt extremely guilty and blamed himself. But that's just how Itachi is. He hides everything in his heart and refuses to share it with anyone." Shisui did not mention that Itachi had awakened his Sharingan because of this incident. He felt that Itachi should be the one to tell Aoba, and besides, given Itachi's personality, he probably would never reveal the truth in this lifetime.
"Don't worry. I separate one matter from another. Itachi is Itachi, and other people are other people. But with that guy's personality, he'll probably take the initiative to keep his distance from me in the future. If you ask me, he just thinks too much. It clearly wasn't his fault, yet he still insists on taking responsibility for it. The next time I see him, I'm definitely giving him a beating!" Aoba had a blade of foxtail grass clenched between his teeth. His tone was clearly annoyed, but the smile on his face was exceptionally bright.
"You really do understand Itachi. You haven't even known each other for that long." Shisui could not help sighing after hearing Aoba's reply.
"Some people can become friends at first sight, while others can never become friends in their entire lives. It has nothing to do with how long they've known each other. It depends on whether they get along."
Looking at the other boy's relaxed, lazy manner, Shisui suddenly froze. How had he casually come up with something so philosophical?
Shisui clearly agreed with the sentiment. Human emotions were indeed not something that could be measured simply by adding up how long two people had known each other, because human emotions were the most complicated thing in the world.
"By the way, when you go back, pass a message to that guy Itachi for me. Tell him that if he doesn't come find me the moment his confinement ends, I'll go straight to the Uchiha compound to find him! You don't need to say anything else. He should understand."
"You really are something... If Itachi hears that you're going to the Uchiha compound to find him, he'll probably sneak out overnight." Shisui was both amused and exasperated, but he had to admit that this guy's strategy was crude and simple. With Itachi's personality, he would definitely come.
"Hehe, when dealing with a taciturn blockhead like him, you have to use harsher methods. Otherwise, he really will keep avoiding me." A trace of smugness appeared on Aoba's face.
Shisui laughed happily along with him. As the saying went, there was always something that could subdue anything. Before this, he had never imagined that someone could keep Itachi completely under control. This trip had not been a waste.
Thus, the two troublemakers launched into an intense discussion on "how to reform Itachi's gloomy personality." Whenever they reached an especially exciting point, they even imagined Itachi's bewildered, wryly smiling expression. They were thrilled.
"You're not bad. I'll give it a try when I get back." Shisui was still reluctant to end the conversation. He treated Itachi like his own younger brother, and what activity could be more fun than messing with his little brother?
"You're not bad either. No wonder that guy Itachi acknowledges you."
The two bumped fists, exchanged a glance, and burst into laughter!
"Do you come here to train every day? The taijutsu you used just now doesn't seem to belong to any Konoha school."
Aoba nodded indifferently. "I just practice randomly when I'm bored. When you get down to it, isn't taijutsu just hand-to-hand combat? I'm good at fighting. When I first arrived in Konoha, some people at the orphanage picked a fight with me. I took all ten of them down by myself and beat them until they cried for their parents. Then I was locked up."
By the end, an extremely frustrated expression had appeared on his face, making Shisui laugh.
"Although I'm not qualified to boss you around, creating your own taijutsu style isn't that simple. Also, as you said, taijutsu is meant for close combat, so practicing only against a wooden training dummy will produce results very slowly. If you want to improve faster, you need to experience real battles yourself. That's the only way to draw out your potential to the greatest extent, and you'll also be able to incorporate your techniques into actual combat."
"Otherwise, beating Itachi will be far too difficult. His strength has already far surpassed that of a Chunin." Shisui offered his advice with complete sincerity.
Aoba could naturally sense the sincerity in Shisui's advice, and it was indeed very good advice.
But without the stupid system issuing a mission, he could not exactly go around causing trouble and picking fights with people everywhere, could he?
Ding!
Bronze-class Death-Seeking Mission issued! Mission Name: Konoha Hundred Man Killer! Description: Deliver comprehensive punishment to bratty children, so Mom will never again have to worry about me getting beaten when I go out! (If you want it, just say so! Isn't this what motivation is for? Here you go!) Requirement: Defeat one hundred people (under ten years old) Time Limit: One month Reward: Bronze Treasure Chest x1, Beginner Skill Card x1 Failure: Heard that old saying? You beat the young, and the old come running. So, are you scared?
"Cough, cough, cough..."
The sudden notification made Aoba cough violently. What the hell? It could generate a mission like this too—and it was even a Bronze-class one!?
But after carefully evaluating the risks and the difficulty of completing the mission...
Damn!
This would not be easy!
He really was afraid that beating the young would bring out the old.
At present, he was not even a Genin. At most, he could bully people his own age.
Looks like he would have to think this through carefully...
"What's wrong? Why did you suddenly start coughing? Are you sick?"
"I choked on my saliva. I'm fine..."
Tsk!
Aoba spat out the foxtail grass he had been holding in his mouth.
"I should get going. I'll pass on your message. Until next time." Body Flicker Shisui stood up from the ground in one smooth motion, then vanished with a whoosh after finishing his words.
The power of his Body Flicker Technique was already beginning to show. Aoba insisted to himself, I'm not jealous. I'm not jealous. I'm not jealous!
He dusted off his behind and stood up as well. Then, with a thought, he recalled the [Perception Eye] that had merged into the ground.
He had discovered Shisui's spying precisely because of the feedback from the [Perception Eye]. If the feedback had indicated that the other party harbored malicious intent toward him, he definitely would not have exposed his hiding place.
Actually, he had originally thought it was Jonin Mikawa, who was worried about him, spying on him. He had put on that little show partly to show off.
He had never expected to show off a Body Flicker Shisui instead...
Fortunately, Shisui really was as cheerful, optimistic, and approachable as Aoba remembered.
Combined with Itachi as their shared topic, their first meeting had gone quite pleasantly, and Shisui should have been left with a fairly good impression.
Another powerful ally!
P.S. I'm begging everyone for recommendation votes! There have been so many big-name authors releasing books this month. Please give me some comfort!
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