Demonification

The pungent scent of disinfectant flooded his senses, and his gradually clearing vision revealed a monotonous white.

"Where am I?"

Arata Uchiha moved his body, attempting to sit up, only to find he could not muster an ounce of strength; his frail body felt as if he were recovering from a grave illness.

"Go report to the Clan Head: the sinner, Arata, has awakened."

A voice grinding with teeth-clenched hatred echoed in his ears.

It was laced with undisguised disdain, much like the way he himself loathed Itachi.

The plan to eliminate him had failed.

In that duel, he had gambled everything and revealed all his trump cards, yet he had still fallen short of the outcome he desired!

When that dark green Susanoo stood before Itachi Uchiha, no one could have understood the despair in Arata's heart.

However, if given the chance to do it all over again, he would still make the same choice.

Even if he knew he would fail.

But there is a fundamental difference between doing and not doing.

Because this was the moment, just before the Night of the Clan Massacre, when his strength was closest to Itachi's.

However, since the clan had not executed him on the spot, nor thrown him into a cage to rot, and had even allowed him to be hospitalized for treatment, it meant there had been a turn of events.

Someone had protected him.

"Was it Uncle Yashiro?"

"It could only be Uncle Yashiro."

Arata felt certain in his heart, and his feelings of resentment were forcibly suppressed; things had reached this point, and he could only look forward.

Although he did not know what price he would have to pay, as long as he was alive, there was hope.

"Task Panel."

While waiting for his sentence, Arata called out silently.

He had experienced Itachi Uchiha's genjutsu firsthand; his own Single-Tomoe Sharingan was simply incapable of resisting it.

To break through this shackle, he could only rely on the Scroll of the Hundred Demons or the Yin-Yang Record.

The demon Juzu, which had appeared in the summoning tasks, was a shikigami with dispelling effects, but he had failed to obtain the summoning materials before their spar, which was why he hadn't been able to call it forth.

However, as Arata browsed the tasks, an eye-catching message caught his gaze:

"The real-time task has ended prematurely due to force majeure; completion progress is fifty percent, rewards reduced."

"Rewards obtained: Intermediate Summoning Charm *1, Skill compatible with the host's performance in this battle *1."

"Skill determination: Demonification!"

This was... the real-time task, "Breaking the Shackles"?

Arata was clearly stunned. According to his own logic, he had been defeated, so the task should have failed as well.

Yet, that mention of "force majeure" had turned the situation around.

Force majeure must refer to Shisui; after all, his Body Flicker Technique combined with Susanoo was simply unsolvable.

This compensation made his depressed mood feel slightly better. An intermediate charm could be used to summon a Nightmare-rank Demon Fox or a Lord-rank Hyakume; either demon would bring him an increase in strength.

As for Demonification, it seemed to be an ability belonging to Nezuko Kamado.

[Demonification]: Borrow the power of an evil demon to stimulate all potential within the body. Attack and speed are doubled; duration depends on the user's constitution.

When borrowing this power, one harbors an absolute fear of the sun, while one's own emotions are dampened and replaced by a craving for slaughter.

After the effect ends, the user enters a weakened state; the duration depends on the user's constitution and the length of the activation.

(Please use this power with caution -- Tanjiro Kamado)

After reading the skill description, Arata's eye twitched, and his powerless hands clenched slightly at that moment.

A powerful augmentation skill!

Although it came with certain limitations and side effects, they were entirely within an acceptable range.

Moreover, as long as he could grow stronger quickly, what side effect could he not endure?

After waiting a short while, the door to Arata's private room opened again. He recognized the visitor: the leader of the younger generation of the clan, the culprit who had ruined his plans, the genius known as the Body Flicker: Shisui Uchiha!

Arata truly had not expected that the clan would send him!

No.

He should have expected it.

The other party was the clan's strongest genjutsu master; wanting to interrogate him or extract information would be simple for him.

"Arata Uchiha, I am now reading the clan's punishment for you."

"First, you are stripped of the right to receive clan resources from this day forward; second, you are forbidden from joining the Military Police Force for life; third, you are forbidden from participating in clan gatherings for life; fourth, once you can move, find me at Naka Waterfall."

Shisui's voice was calm, devoid of the hostility and disdain that filled the guards outside.

After speaking, he looked at the cold youth lying on the hospital bed with eyes full of confusion; he knew Itachi's talent and potential better than anyone, yet today, he had nearly capsized in the gutter before a clansman three years his junior.

Such a result truly caught him by surprise.

However, this mystery would eventually be unraveled by his own hand.

Throughout this time, Arata did not utter a single word, merely listening in silence.

To other clansmen, punishment from the clan might be a devastating blow; whether it was the allocation of resources, participation in daily assemblies, or entry into the Military Police Force, all signified one's status and influence within the clan.

To be stripped of all three meant that, aside from possessing the Uchiha surname, one was completely ostracized by the clan in every other aspect.

But Arata truly did not care about any of this.

The savings he had accumulated were enough to cover his expenses, and after being promoted to genin, he could take on bounty missions; none of these difficulties were real problems.

The most important thing now was how to deal with Shisui Uchiha.

"Alright, you should get some rest for now."

"Also, you had better think about how to brush me off over these next few days, otherwise, there is no guarantee that Uncle Yashiro won't be implicated; he has looked quite aged lately."

Watching Arata Uchiha, who showed absolutely no desire to communicate, Shisui decisively ended the conversation, waved his hand, and walked out of the hospital ward; he was truly in no rush at all.

And the moment the other party left, Arata curled his fists, trembling.

This guy was far more troublesome than Itachi.

At the same time, the mission panel added a new entry:

[Stage Mission: Genjutsu Initiation]

Mission Description: Genjutsu can defeat an enemy without a trace.

Completion Condition: Gain the recognition of Shisui Uchiha.

Mission Reward: Random Genjutsu *1

Mission Status: Incomplete

"Why?"

"Why must it be me who has to learn from that person?"

Arata bit his lower lip hard.

However, Naka Waterfall?

That seemed to be a place where clansmen rarely went; if he could seize the opportunity to wipe him out there, would he be able to obtain a new pair of eyes? Eyes capable of countering Itachi?

After all, Shisui's Sharingan was the most powerful genjutsu in existence right now!

A frantic thought surged through his mind.

But such a thought lasted only for an instant.

Not to mention whether he could successfully take down Shisui, even if he could obtain that guy's Mangekyō Sharingan, what use would it be? In this world, there was no medical ninja he could trust.

Furthermore.

Just as the other party had said, if he were to make any suspicious moves, he would inevitably implicate Uncle Yashiro.

He was not a cold-blooded animal like Itachi; he could not bring himself to disregard everything just to satisfy his own selfish desires.