Ultimate Mangekyō

"Sorry for the wait, Shisui."

Arata quietly appeared on the lake within the clan grounds. As gentle ripples spread outward, his slightly apologetic words slipped out.

"You're hurt?"

"Was it the Nine-Tails or the Akatsuki Organization?"

Shisui Uchiha paid no attention to how long he had waited. Instead, he keenly detected the bloody scent lingering around Arata and then spotted the wound close to the vital area of his chest.

An exceptionally cold aura immediately poured from him. His voice no longer held its usual warmth, and his fiercely protective attitude suggested he would grab his blade and settle the score the moment he learned who was responsible.

Hearing this, Arata felt the warmth of being cared for well up deep inside him, while his expression grew a little awkward.

Pressed for time, he had only used Dark Chakra to heal the wound and forgotten to deal with the blood on his clothes. That was what had worried Shisui.

Still, changing course before his return, using the power of his little sun, Hiyoribo, to save Shizune's life, and taking a slash from Ino Yamanaka along the way had all been spur-of-the-moment decisions. They had also severed the bonds between them—or, more accurately, the entanglements—once and for all.

After all, the former had persuaded Tsunade to help him in the Land of Hot Water, allowing him to gain some standing there. The latter's entire family had fallen into a difficult position because of him. As a member of the Uchiha Clan, he knew how hard such circumstances were to endure.

Arata could not easily ignore any of that.

But from this point onward, there would be no reason for mercy when they met again.

"It's fine. Getting hurt was my own fault. Sorry for worrying you."

"By the way, which would