Metamorphosis (Seeking Follows)

Chapter 17: Metamorphosis

"Shisui, we're in trouble this time."

On the battlefield, Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Shizuka, and Uchiha Makoto stood back-to-back.

Surrounding them on the perimeter was a squad of Kirigakure Anbu hidden within the dense fog!

Blood was already trickling from the corner of Uchiha Shizuka's mouth, and there was a deep, visible gash on her arm.

Crimson blood flowed continuously from the wound, yet she was still struggling to hold on.

"I will find a way to get everyone out of here!"

Shisui frowned as he scanned his surroundings, his heart filled with immense anxiety, yet he still spoke to reassure them.

"You heard the commotion just now; the other Kirigakure ninja have already left this area, which means our reinforcements have arrived. You have to hold on!"

"Stop dreaming, brat."

However, no sooner had his words fallen than a voice rang out from within the thick fog.

"You won't have any reinforcements. All that awaits you is death!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

Following the sound of that voice, countless kunai flew toward them from all directions in an instant.

Shisui's scarlet Three Tomoe Sharingan spun slightly. Just as he prepared to raise his blade to deflect the kunai, his expression shifted: "Watch out, scatter!"

Through his Sharingan, he clearly saw that each of those kunai had an explosive tag attached to it!

Boom, boom, boom!

Violent explosions rang out incessantly, the rising smoke mixing with the thick fog to make it impossible to see what was right in front of them.

"Cough, cough, cough."

Shisui stood up, coughing, holding his ninja blade in front of him as his scarlet eyes scanned everything around him.

He admitted that he had been careless during this operation.

Having just arrived on the battlefield, he had been assigned an important reconnaissance mission, which had made him very happy.

What made him even happier was that his team included Uchiha Shizuka, an older sister figure who had looked after him since he was a child in the clan.

Although he wasn't familiar with Uchiha Makoto, he knew the man was a veteran who had spent several years on the battlefield; even though Makoto seemed somewhat annoyed by him, Shisui still respected him greatly.

Their mission had started off very smoothly, but that success was nothing more than a trap set by the Kirigakure ninja.

Although Uchiha Shizuka had warned them that something seemed wrong, Shisui had ultimately chosen to press forward at Uchiha Makoto's insistence.

He had wanted to improve the team's internal dynamics, but that choice had been the beginning of a nightmare for them!

Over the past few days, they had been pursued by the Kirigakure ninja to the point where they couldn't return to their lines.

Even worse, once he revealed his Three Tomoe Sharingan, Kirigakure had even deployed Anbu to intercept and kill them.

And now, they were being pushed to the brink of total despair!

Damn it, if I hadn't chosen to be reckless, this situation wouldn't have happened!

Shisui gritted his teeth inwardly, maintaining his guard.

However, the next moment, his expression changed again. Almost instantly, he spun around, his short blade slashing out.

Clang!

A crisp sound of metal clashing echoed through the fog. The blade of the Kirigakure Anbu was only a few inches away from him, but he had blocked it with precision!

"Not bad."

The Kirigakure Anbu spoke calmly, increasing the pressure on his blade so that Uchiha Shisui couldn't move.

"But what about next?"

The Anbu's words made Shisui freeze. He quickly looked back, only to see another Anbu leaping high into the air, his ninja blade descending rapidly toward him!

But just then, a figure suddenly appeared between him and the Anbu, using their own body to shield him.

"No!"

Shisui roared, the Three Tomoe in his eyes spinning rapidly as he attempted to use a genjutsu to control the Anbu.

He had seen clearly that the person blocking the blow behind him was Uchiha Shizuka, the sister who had always taken such good care of him!

However, his genjutsu had no effect. The Kirigakure Anbu's blade fell steadily, and Uchiha Shizuka's body stiffened slightly before slowly collapsing toward Shisui.

In that moment, Shisui felt the world spinning. A suffocating sensation spread through his chest.

If only I could have controlled him.

If only my genjutsu had been stronger.

If only I could have kept them from fighting us in the first place.

If...

If only...

Amidst that heart-wrenching despair, Uchiha Shizuka's body collapsed behind Shisui, and the three tomoe in Shisui's eyes began to spin frantically.

"Quick... run," suddenly, a voice weak to the point of fading reached Shisui's ears: "I'm sorry I can't look after you anymore, little brother Shisui."

The listless voice gradually ceased, and at that moment, Shisui felt his heartbeat accelerate rapidly.

Memories of how Uchiha Shizuka had cared for him since childhood flooded his mind; although they were not biological siblings, he had long since regarded Uchiha Shizuka as his own older sister.

He could not accept what was happening now, he would never be able to accept it!

He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes slightly, tears streaming slowly down his face, and at this very moment, a power of extreme strangeness began to brew within his eyes.

"You..." Suddenly, Shisui opened his eyes, and the three tomoe within them merged completely into one: "Damn you!"

Hum!

Yet just then, the sound of something piercing the air rang out, and the next moment, the Anbu standing before him went completely rigid.

Crimson blood seeped through the clothes at his left chest; he tried to turn his head back in disbelief, but ultimately, he collapsed onto the ground.

"Enemy attack! Watch out!"

The Kirigakure Anbu who had been holding his ninja sword against Shisui saw this scene and immediately realized what was happening.

He truly hadn't expected that a team of twelve Kirigakure ninja, including two jonin, had actually been wiped out!

But whether he believed it or not, the scene before him told him that those Kirigakure ninja had indeed been defeated, or perhaps even killed.

As an Anbu, he knew clearly what he had to do in this situation; although he had no way to finish off this Uchiha brat, he had to retreat.

Moreover, he vaguely sensed that something was wrong with this Uchiha brat.

"That aura... it's as if a ferocious beast has been released from its cage."

The Anbu thought with a sense of unease; he instantly drew his ninja sword and leaped backward, performing hand seals with one hand simultaneously.

"Water Style: Water Colliding Wave!"

A torrent of water like a waterfall rushed fiercely toward Shisui, his goal being to force Shisui back so he could make a clean escape.

"Hmm?"

But the next moment, his face hidden beneath the mask shifted violently, for he clearly sensed a burst of chakra, and someone had already arrived at his side!

Almost by instinct, his body twisted into an irregular movement, but the attacker was far too fast.

"Ah!"

The Anbu let out a miserable scream; he had indeed dodged the fatal wound from the kunai, but the blade had still slashed fiercely down his face.

In an instant, he felt his right eye fill with blood, and at that moment, it seemed to lose its light entirely.

Fortunately, he had managed to put some distance between them, which was enough for him to flee quickly, and his remaining left eye caught a glimpse of his attacker.

It was another young boy with scarlet eyes, and three tomoe were slowly spinning within them!