Demonification

The sharp smell of disinfectant surged into his nostrils. His vision gradually cleared, revealing a drab white room.

"Where am I..."

Arata tried to shift his body and sit up, only to find he couldn't muster any strength. His weakened body felt as if he were still recovering from a serious illness.

"Go report to the clan head. The sinner, Arata, has regained consciousness."

A voice rang in his ear, thick with bitterness.

It carried undisguised contempt, just like the hatred he himself felt toward Itachi.

The assassination plan had failed.

In that duel, he had risked everything and revealed every card in his hand, yet still failed to achieve the outcome he wanted!

When that dark green Susanoo appeared in front of Itachi Uchiha, no one could have understood the despair Arata felt.

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

Even knowing he would fail.

But choosing to act and choosing not to were fundamentally different.

Because this had been the closest he had ever come to matching Itachi's strength before the Night of the Clan Massacre.

However, since the clan hadn't killed him outright or locked him away to waste away, and had even let him stay in the hospital for treatment, that meant things had taken a turn.

Someone had protected him.

"Was it Uncle Yashiro?"

"It could only have been Uncle Yashiro."

Arata was certain of it. He forced down his frustration; things had come to this, and all he could do was look ahead.

He didn't know what price he'd have to pay, but as long as he was alive, there was hope.

"Mission panel."

As he waited for judgment, Arata summoned it silently.

He had experienced Itachi Uchiha's genjutsu firsthand this time. His One-Tomoe Sharingan alone couldn't possibly withstand it.

If he wanted to break through that barrier, he would have to rely on the Scroll of the Hundred Demons or the Yin-Yang Record.

Juzu, the yokai in the summoning mission, was a Shikigami with the ability to dispel effects. But before the duel, Arata hadn't obtained the summoning material, so he hadn't been able to summon him.

As Arata reviewed his missions, a striking message caught his eye:

"Instant mission ended early due to force majeure. Completion: 50%. Rewards reduced."

"Rewards received: 1 Intermediate Summoning Talisman, 1 skill suited to the host's performance in this battle."

"Skill assessment: Demonification!"

Was this the instant mission, Break Through the Barrier?

Arata was clearly taken aback. By his reckoning, he had lost the fight, so the mission should have failed as well.

Yet the words "force majeure" had turned the outcome around.

The force majeure must have been Shisui. Body Flicker combined with Susanoo was practically unbeatable.

The compensation eased his heavy mood a little. The Intermediate Summoning Talisman could summon either a Nightmare-class Demon Fox or a Lord-class Hyakume. Either yokai would make him stronger.

As for Demonification, that seemed to be one of Nezuko Kamado's abilities.

[ Demonification ]: Borrow the power of demons to unleash your full potential, doubling your attack and speed. Duration depends on the user's constitution.

While drawing on this power, you will have an absolute fear of the sun. Your emotions will also be dulled, and you will become consumed by a desire to kill.

Afterward, you will enter a weakened state. Its duration depends on how long the power was used and the user's constitution.

(Use this power with caution.—Tanjiro Kamado)

After reading the skill description, Arata's eye twitched. His limp hands curled slightly into fists.

A powerful enhancement skill!

It came with a few limitations and side effects, but they were entirely manageable.

Besides, if he could grow stronger quickly, what side effect couldn't he endure?

A short while later, the door to Arata's private room opened again. He knew the visitor: the leader of the clan's younger generation, the one who had ruined his plan, the prodigy known as the Body Flicker—Shisui Uchiha!

Arata truly hadn't expected the clan to send him.

No.

He should have expected it.

Shisui was the clan's strongest genjutsu master. It would be easy for him to interrogate Arata and coax information out of him.

"Arata Uchiha, I'll now read out the clan's punishment."

"First, you are stripped of the right to receive clan resources from now on. Second, you may never join the Military Police Force. Third, you may never attend clan gatherings. Fourth, come find me at Naka Waterfall once you can move."

Shisui's voice was calm, unlike the hostile, contemptuous voices of the clan members standing guard nearby.

After he finished, he looked at the cold young man lying in bed, puzzlement filling his eyes. He knew Itachi's talent and potential better than anyone, yet Itachi had nearly been defeated by a clan member three years his junior.

The outcome had truly surprised him.

But he would eventually uncover the answer.

Arata didn't say a word. He simply listened in silence.

The clan's punishment might have been a devastating blow to other clan members. Whether it was the allocation of resources, everyday gatherings, or joining the Military Police Force, each represented their status and influence within the clan.

To have all three taken away meant that, aside from carrying the Uchiha name, the clan rejected him in every other way.

But Arata didn't care about any of it.

The money he'd saved was enough to cover his expenses, and once he became a Genin, he could take on bounty missions. None of those difficulties mattered.

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

"All right. Get some rest."

"One more thing. You'd better think about how you're going to give me the runaround. Otherwise, you might end up dragging Uncle Yashiro into this. He's been looking a lot older lately."

Seeing that Arata had no desire to talk, Shisui ended the conversation without hesitation. He waved and left the hospital room, in no hurry at all.

Only after Shisui was gone did Arata curl his trembling hand into a fist.

That guy was far more troublesome than Itachi.

At the same time, a new mission appeared on the mission panel:

[Stage Mission: Introduction to Genjutsu]

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

Completion Condition: Earn Shisui Uchiha's recognition.

Mission Reward: 1 random genjutsu

Mission Status: Incomplete

"Why?"

"Why does it have to make me learn from him?"

Arata bit his lower lip.

But Naka Waterfall?

It seemed like a place few clan members visited. If he took the chance to kill Shisui, could he get a new pair of eyes? Eyes that could stand up to Itachi?

After all, Shisui's Sharingan was currently the most powerful genjutsu!

The frenzied idea surged through his mind.

But the thought lasted only an instant.

Even if he could kill Shisui, what good would taking his Mangekyō Sharingan do? There was no medical ninja in this world he could trust.

Besides.

As Shisui had said, if Arata made any suspicious move, he would inevitably drag Uncle Yashiro into it.

He wasn't a cold-blooded person like Itachi. He couldn't ignore everything just to satisfy his own desires.