You Who Guided My Way Are Also the One I Want to Protect

"Hayato, I promise you: the secret of Kotoamatsukami won't be revealed to anyone but you."

Shisui held out his fist, stopping it in midair. A warm smile flickered in his eyes as he looked at Hayato. "But if one day you find yourself in a predicament with no way out..."

"Please remember to tell me, because... you who guided my way are also the one I want to protect."

Hayato quietly watched Shisui's fist hanging in the air. Only when Shisui was nearly overcome with anxiety did he finally move.

Smack!

Their fists met with a crisp thud.

There were no grand declarations, only the raindrops that kept falling and the thunder that never ceased.

Their footsteps never slowed as they headed toward Konoha.

They had been investigating for so long, and Konoha was still far away. Besides, they had both only just awakened their Mangekyo, and before long they were already feeling drained.

"Let's find somewhere to rest for a while."

Hayato spoke, and Shisui nodded. They found a nearby place and prepared to take a short break.

The distant echoes of battle were barely audible here. Shisui gathered some wood, lit a fire with Fire Style, then came and sat beside Hayato.

Both of them closed their eyes to rest. Their battle with Orochimaru had drained not only their bodies, but their minds as well.

This was their first time facing a Kage Level opponent. Surviving the encounter intact was already an incredible stroke of luck.

"Hayato."

Just as Hayato was closing his eyes and familiarizing himself with his Mangekyo abilities, Shisui's voice reached him.

Hayato opened his eyes and saw Shisui sitting upright, looking at him.

"What is it?" Hayato asked softly.

"Do you think Lord Jiraiya can win this battle?" Shisui asked, concern plain on his face.

If Orochimaru's defection couldn't be stopped, then Konoha's situation would hardly be enviable.

The public schism among the Sannin alone would be enough to stir thoughts in the minds of the other great nations.

Another war might not break out, but small-scale attacks would only become more frequent.

And when Konoha could no longer stop those attacks, the great nations would bare their fangs.

Hayato didn't answer right away. There could only be one outcome to this battle: Lord Jiraiya would be injured, and Orochimaru would defect for good.

Given their strength, that was almost inevitable unless they used their trump cards.

It could only end that way. If either of them truly died, Konoha's situation would become even more difficult. Perhaps that was why the Third Hokage didn't want to escalate the conflict.

Besides, Orochimaru was exceptionally hard to kill. Even if Jiraiya used Senjutsu, he probably still wouldn't be able to keep him there.

"Probably... Lord Jiraiya will be injured."

Hayato didn't say who would win. He only hinted that Jiraiya might be hurt.

Shisui was taken aback, then fell silent.

After a long while, the torrential rain outside finally stopped. Shisui stood up. "Hayato, let's go take a look."

Hayato wasn't surprised. From the moment Shisui asked, he'd guessed that Shisui would want to go back and check.

"Let's go."

The two traveled in silence, moving swiftly through the trees.

They didn't stop until they neared an area where black smoke was rising.

Hayato scanned the surroundings, then spotted someone leaning against a tree.

They took a few quick steps and went straight to him.

Jiraiya looked especially bedraggled, but aside from a little blood at the corner of his mouth, he seemed to have no other wounds.

Just as expected...

Neither of them had gone all out. It had only looked like a fierce battle.

"Lord Jiraiya," Shisui said softly, about to say something when Hayato grabbed him and shook his head.

Whatever they asked now would be inappropriate, and given Jiraiya's condition, he was unlikely to answer anyway.

"Lord Jiraiya, let us help you back."

Hayato stepped over to Jiraiya, and Shisui quickly joined him.

"Thanks. I didn't expect you two to see me looking this pathetic," Jiraiya said self-deprecatingly.

Shisui shook his head again and again. "Lord Jiraiya, you've always been my role model."

He meant it. Shisui had always looked up to Jiraiya, who had once been the Fourth Hokage's teacher.

At that, Jiraiya just smiled without replying.

The three of them continued in silence. Shisui had wanted Jiraiya to rest, but Jiraiya refused.

When they were nearly at Konoha Gate, they spotted a group of people dressed as Anbu in the distance.

Shisui was just about to approach when Hayato reached out and stopped him. When Shisui looked at him, Hayato said nothing, only shaking his head subtly.

They weren't Anbu. They were Root.

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes and waited for them where he stood.

"Lord Jiraiya, by order of the Third Hokage, Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Hayato are to come with us."

The Root operative in front bowed slightly, then looked toward Shisui and Hayato.

Hayato stood behind Jiraiya without moving, but his chakra was already tightly focused. If the people in front of him made a move, he would act at once.

"Go back and tell Danzo not to reach so far."

Jiraiya's expression had already turned cold. Ignoring the Root operatives before him, he turned to Shisui and Hayato. "Come on. You're coming with me to the Hokage Building to report on this mission."

Hayato lowered his eyes, his gaze flickering.

He hadn't expected Jiraiya to openly call out who these people were.

Shisui was initially taken aback, then understood and glanced sideways at Hayato.

So Hayato had known from the start?

"Lord Jiraiya, please don't make this difficult for us," said the lead Root operative. There was no way he would let the two Uchiha who had just returned from Orochimaru go back with Jiraiya.

"Then tell Danzo to come see me!"

Jiraiya was already furious over Orochimaru's defection. Now that Root had dared pull a stunt like this, he was even less inclined to show them any courtesy.

"Let's go."

With that, Jiraiya ignored the people in front of him and led Hayato and Shisui toward Konoha Gate.

"What do we do?" one of them asked the lead Root operative.

"Go back and report to Lord Danzo." After saying this, the leader used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished.

Following behind Jiraiya, Shisui glanced back at the Root operatives, who had already disappeared. He wanted to ask Hayato what was going on.

But he noticed Hayato's fingers moving slightly.

It was one of the Uchiha Clan's coded signals. Seeing it, Shisui could only suppress his questions and continue following Jiraiya toward the Hokage Building.