Boom!
As chakra of all five nature types exploded, the entire valley shook like it had been hit by an earthquake. Rocks burst apart, and the terrain changed with them—the V-shaped valley was blasted directly into a U-shaped one.
The dust from the explosion was quickly beaten down by the rain. Hiruzen Sarutobi had nearly exhausted his chakra using this S-rank jutsu.
"No one has ever survived this move."
Hiruzen panted as he looked toward the center of the explosion and muttered to himself.
The rain seemed to be trying to help Hiruzen see the center. It fell harder and harder until he saw the figure there: Uchiha Shisui, completely unharmed, walking slowly toward him from a distance.
"How could this be?" Hiruzen murmured. His voice was instantly swallowed by the wind and rain.
His pupils suddenly contracted as he remembered the battle between the First and Uchiha Madara. At once, he understood.
"So that's how it is. Even I have reached my limit..."
His expression turned somewhat despondent, but soon a resolute light rekindled in his eyes. He straightened his back.
"But for the sake of the Will of Fire, for the sake of Konoha, I have to eliminate a threat like you! Even if it costs me my life!"
Once Uchiha Shisui had come within suitable range, Hiruzen swiftly formed Hand Seals without hesitation, his hands moving like afterimages.
As he moved, the air around him seemed to churn. An ancient, mysterious power began to gather.
In an instant, the enormous phantom of a death god slowly appeared behind him. A sinister aura radiated from its body. It held crimson prayer beads in one hand and a white blade in the other.
"Hmph. That so-called death god behind you is a spirit too, isn't it?"
Uchiha Shisui looked up at the phantom behind Hiruzen. The corner of his mouth lifted in a disdainful sneer.
"Third, if this is your final trick, then I'm afraid I'm disappointed."
Uchiha Shisui shook his head slightly, his voice laced with mockery.
"This is nowhere near enough to hurt me. Eightfold Hell!"
With that, the Sharingan in Uchiha Shisui's left eye appeared. Blood tears ran from its corner, and purple-black Karma Flame instantly ignited on the death god's left hand.
The death god's hollow, vicious gaze locked onto Uchiha Shisui. It seemed to pour out boundless fury at the one who dared to defy it.
The next second, it swung its sharp white blade without hesitation. With a sharp crack, it severed its own arm, which was wrapped in purple-black Karma Flame.
Black smoke billowed from the stump, mingling with the rain to form a scene of utter eeriness.
Hiruzen had been watching the death god behind him intently. When he saw its sudden move, he was stunned.
The instant the death god's blade fell, Hiruzen felt a piercing pain rise from the depths of his soul. He couldn't help crying out.
He could clearly feel the spiritual energy in his arm rapidly vanishing.
His face filled with disbelief, his eyes clouded with confusion and shock. He couldn't understand why the death god had begun hurting itself when he hadn't even performed the crucial step of seizing Uchiha Shisui's soul.
Moreover, his soul was closely connected to the death god. The pain from its injury had been transmitted to his soul without the slightest loss, subjecting him to unimaginable torment in that brief moment.
The death god seemed to realize that the strange power of the boy before it could hurt it. Without another moment's hesitation, it quickly vanished. It wasn't willing to risk its own life for a single soul.
"How could this be? The Dead Demon Consuming Seal failed!"
Hiruzen dropped to one knee and looked at Uchiha Shisui in confusion, as if he wanted to hear the answer from him.
"Third," Uchiha Shisui said, looking down at Hiruzen. A mocking smile played on his face. "Before killing someone, a ninja should always learn about their target's abilities."
He slowly shook his head, his eyes full of amusement.
"You thought you knew all my tricks, but unfortunately, your arrogance was your undoing."
With that, Uchiha Shisui lifted his foot and stomped Hiruzen firmly into the ground with irresistible force.
"You... If you're going to kill me, then do it!"
Hiruzen's face was pressed hard against the muddy ground. Rainwater mixed with mud flooded his mouth and nose, making it difficult to breathe.
But he still forced himself to endure it, gritting his teeth as he squeezed out those words. Even though he was now a prisoner, the dignity of the Third would not be trampled.
"No. I'll let you live for now."
Uchiha Shisui spoke indifferently. He glanced down at Hiruzen beneath his foot, a trace of disdain crossing his face, then abruptly turned away. His figure quickly faded into the rain.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished from the wrecked battlefield, leaving Hiruzen alone in the mud. All he could hear was the rain fading into the distance and his own ragged breathing.
"Third! Quickly! Over here!"
Just as Hiruzen's consciousness began to fade, an urgent shout pierced through the layers of rain and reached his ears.
In a ruined village in the Land of Rain, the clashing of ninja tools could be heard faintly over the rain. Cries and furious shouts rang out now and then.
Uchiha Shisui walked slowly along the road beneath a hat. He had come to join the Akatsuki, which was only just beginning to make a name for itself in the Land of Rain.
"Who's there?"
Just then, two ninjas wearing black robes and Amegakure Forehead Protectors spotted Uchiha Shisui. They drew their Kunai and demanded sharply, "Who are you?"
"Don't be nervous. I heard the Akatsuki is recruiting ninjas. I was wondering if I might have a chance to join."
Uchiha Shisui tilted up his hat, revealing his stern face.
One of them saw that the man wanted to join them and relaxed. He spoke slowly.
"Welcome aboard. But you'll need to come with us to meet Lady Konan. Only after she approves you can you truly become one of us."
The other spoke up as well. "Our Akatsuki exists to build a world without war, a world of peace. Since you share our convictions, please come with us."
Uchiha Shisui nodded slightly. He turned and stepped across the muddy ground, following the two Amegakure ninjas.
The three ran through the rain. Raindrops struck them and splashed in all directions, but did nothing to slow them down.
In less than half a day, they finally reached their destination. A hidden underground cavern came into view, its entrance cleverly concealed by lush vegetation and the rain.
The two ninjas stopped first. After checking that Uchiha Shisui was behind them, they led him into the cavern.
Unlike the dim, damp place Uchiha Shisui had imagined, the interior had been renovated beautifully. The walls were dry, and warm yellow light illuminated the cave, making it feel cozy.
As soon as Uchiha Shisui entered, the members inside turned to look at him. They only slowly relaxed once they saw he wasn't wearing a Forehead Protector.
"Come with me. Lady Konan and the leader are in the room inside."
Uchiha Shisui nodded and followed the member leading the way.