The Eyes of Shisui

"Lord Mangetsu, can I really be your eyes?"

On the road, a young boy asked timidly.

Hōzuki Mangetsu smiled and said, "You can not only be my eyes, but also my friend. We will help each other."

Granny Sansho did not disappoint him; she successfully concocted the Curry of Life, allowing the dying Ranmaru to be reborn.

However, the kid was quite stubborn, and Hōzuki Mangetsu had to spend a lot of breath to guide him.

A friend!

Tears flashed in Ranmaru's eyes.

"So, I still have such a great purpose in living."

He had finally found the meaning of his existence.

To help others!

Perhaps this was the answer he found most satisfying.

Hōzuki Mangetsu also tried to teach him some ninjutsu. Ranmaru learned very diligently, and with the help of his Red Eye, his progress was rapid.

By the time they left the Land of Rivers, Ranmaru already possessed the strength of a genin, and to Hōzuki Mangetsu's surprise, Ranmaru was actually a genjutsu-type ninja.

The Red Eye was a fusion of the dual functions of the Byakugan and a regular Sharingan, and it could cause significant interference to ocular-jutsu users.

After settling Ranmaru outside the village, Hōzuki Mangetsu immediately returned to Kirigakure.

In another year, the Uchiha clan would be wiped out in Konoha, and there was one thing Hōzuki Mangetsu was most interested in: the Mangekyou Sharingan of Shisui Uchiha.

That Kotoamatsukami, known as the strongest genjutsu, could control the target without them even realizing it, and it only required eye contact to be cast.

This was undoubtedly the strongest genjutsu in the world of Naruto.

Shisui's eyes had always been one of the greatest treasures in the ninja world.

They were also a treasure Hōzuki Mangetsu was determined to snatch, even though it seemed he couldn't use them yet.

However, Shisui Uchiha was also a master at the super-kage level; if the current Hōzuki Mangetsu were to face Shisui, he would basically be killed in an instant.

This time, he had gained the Red-Eyed Ranmaru, which greatly boosted his confidence.

The Red Eye could interfere with the insight of the Sharingan; as long as Shisui could not see his true form, the Kotoamatsukami genjutsu would naturally be ineffective against him.

However, his own strength alone was not enough; he had to leverage the power of multiple parties.

Hōzuki Mangetsu remembered that in the near future, Ao would lead a team to the border of Konoha to carry out an investigation mission, only to run into Shisui's squad, forcing Ao to flee without a fight.

Not long after Shisui Uchiha returned, his eyes were gouged out by Danzo, and after entrusting the other eye to Itachi for safekeeping, he committed suicide.

Therefore, if one wanted to obtain Shisui Uchiha's eyes, this was the only opportunity.

"Little Hozuki is back. How did the mission go?"

In the office of the Fourth Mizukage, Terumi Mei leaned against the wall, looking at Hōzuki Mangetsu with a charming gaze.

Sister Mei!

Hōzuki Mangetsu smiled, though he remained vigilant against this femme fatale.

Terumi Mei would eventually become the Fifth Mizukage, so she was naturally a ruthless person; Hōzuki Mangetsu would certainly not be fooled by her seductive face.

"I have already covered for you regarding the Mizukage; as long as you handle him carefully, there won't be any slip-ups."

The femme fatale whispered a few words of advice before flashing away from the corridor.

Taking a deep breath to calm his mood, Hōzuki Mangetsu pushed open the door of the Fourth Mizukage.

"Fourth Mizukage! Your subordinate has completed the mission and returned safely!"

Hōzuki Mangetsu said respectfully.

Before him stood a tall desk and imposing furniture, and sitting in the office chair was a short man—none other than the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura.

"Mangetsu, you've worked hard!"

Yagura said indifferently.

Hōzuki Mangetsu lowered his head to look at his own feet.

In truth, the Fourth Mizukage was the most tragic existence; not only was he a jinchuriki suffering from the Byakugan, but even after becoming Mizukage, he was under the control of Obito, and was even controlled again after being brought back by Impure World Reincarnation.

However, as a puppet of the ultimate boss, Kaguya Otsutsuki, Obito's strength was still incredibly formidable.

The current Hōzuki Mangetsu was no match for him, and he did not want to attract Obito's attention.

There was one thing Hōzuki Mangetsu had always been suspicious of.

Ao was one of the few sensory ninjas in Kirigakure, and he possessed the Byakugan, the strongest eye for insight in Konoha, capable of distinguishing the flow of chakra and acupuncture points; seeing through the fact that the Fourth was being manipulated shouldn't have been difficult. But why had it never been exposed?

Now, Hōzuki Mangetsu could be certain.

It wasn't that Ao hadn't seen it, but rather that he had endured in silence, allowing the Fourth to persecute the bloodline clans and drive away the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

All of this was to ensure that Terumi Mei could successfully ascend to power.

After leaving the Mizukage's room, Hōzuki Mangetsu immediately returned home.

Shui Yue'er and Chojuro had gone out on a mission; with Terumi Mei and Ao looking after them, the two would naturally not encounter any danger.

After tidying up briefly, Hōzuki Mangetsu immediately left the village, having already confirmed that Ao was about to head to the Konoha border to carry out a mission.

Before long, they would cross paths with Shisui's squad.

Under the cover provided by Terumi Mei, Hōzuki Mangetsu had accepted a remote mission, which would perfectly mask his secret journey to Konoha.

For this assassination of Uchiha Shisui, he had to prepare a foolproof plan.

After evading the Anbu's tracking, Hōzuki Mangetsu arrived at a remote location.

"You brat, you actually dared to come?"

A cold, sinister voice rang out.

Orochimaru's figure slowly emerged from the ground.

He had been lurking here for quite some time.

Hōzuki Mangetsu smiled and said, "I am cooperating with Mr. Orochimaru in good faith; why wouldn't I dare to come?"

Orochimaru snorted and said nothing more.

After learning the secret to awakening the Mangekyou Sharingan from Hōzuki Mangetsu last time, he had immediately contacted Danzo to verify it, and it was preliminarily proven that Hōzuki Mangetsu had not lied.

The awakening of the Uchiha's Mangekyou did indeed require hatred; the stronger the hatred, the greater the chance of awakening the eyes.

"What business do you have calling me here this time?"

Orochimaru asked calmly.

Although this brat had taken one of his Kusanagi Swords, he had traded it for the secret of the Mangekyou, so he hadn't exactly come out at a loss.

"Naturally, there is a deal I would like to collaborate on with Mr. Orochimaru."

Hōzuki Mangetsu said with a beaming smile.

A deal?

Orochimaru let out a dry laugh and said, "Your smile is incredibly treacherous; you must be up to no good. Speak, I won't do anything without a profit."

Hōzuki Mangetsu smiled slightly.

"As far as I know, a pair of Mangekyou Sharingan has appeared in the world."

What?

A sharp glint flashed in Orochimaru's eyes as he stared fixedly at Hōzuki Mangetsu.

"You should know the price of lying to me!"

He said in a sinister tone.

A snake emerged from his sleeve.

Hōzuki Mangetsu waved his hand and said, "We've known each other for so long, have I ever lied to you?"

Orochimaru snorted.

In truth, the two had not known each other for very long.

Hōzuki Mangetsu could tell from his expression that his guess was not far off the mark.

Orochimaru was obsessed with the bodies of the Uchiha Clan; there was no reason for him to be completely ignorant of Uchiha Shisui.

As a youth full of positive energy, Uchiha Shisui must have revealed his abilities to the upper echelons of Konoha early on.

Otherwise, who else would have known about his Mangekyou and Kotoamatsukami?