Shisui in Peril! Kamizuki Yu Descends with Justice: Danzo, Your Account's Gone!

Kamizuki Yu's figure had recently appeared frequently around the outskirts of the Uchiha Compound. Though his meetings with Fugaku, Itachi, and especially Shisui were all held late at night, they had still failed to escape certain watchful eyes.

Beneath the Hokage Building lay Root's dark and gloomy base.

Danzo Shimura sat upright in the seat of honor, with a masked Root ninja kneeling before him.

"Kamizuki Yu... Uchiha..." Danzo's knuckles lightly tapped the tabletop, each sound seeming to strike directly against the heart.

"According to reports from our informants planted within the Uchiha Clan, that brat Shisui appears to intend to use those special eyes of his to influence Lord Hokage and the higher-ups, hoping to resolve the Uchiha issue peacefully."

Another Root ninja added in a hoarse, emotionless voice.

Danzo gave a cold snort. "Resolve it peacefully? Naive. So long as the Uchiha's fangs remain, the Hidden Leaf will never know peace. Those eyes of Shisui's are rare treasures. Rather than wasting them on such pointless matters, they should serve me and contribute their strength to the Hidden Leaf's 'greater good.'"

A flash of greed passed through his lone eye.

"You are wise, sir."

"Pass down the order. Prepare to act. I will personally take those eyes." Danzo's tone allowed no argument.

He could wait no longer. Kamizuki Yu's involvement had filled everything with uncertainty. Before anything else happened, he had to seize complete control of Shisui, this crucial chess piece.

In a remote forest, moonlight was shredded into fragments by the dense canopy.

Shisui Uchiha moved swiftly through the woods alone. Tucked against his chest was a secret order bearing the Hokage's seal, commanding him to come here immediately for a confidential meeting.

His heart was filled with doubts. Why here? Why in the dead of night? Why was he alone?

But when he thought of the village and the clan's future, and of the possibility that this might prevent conflict, he forced down all his unease.

This was an order from the Hokage. He had to obey.

The moment he stepped into a relatively open clearing, the air around him seemed to freeze.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—"

Dozens of dark figures shot out from the shadows. Kunai and shuriken gleamed coldly beneath the moonlight, sealing off every possible route of retreat.

Root ninjas!

Shisui's pupils contracted. He activated the Body Flicker Technique and narrowly evaded the first wave of attacks.

"Shisui, surrender without resistance. I shall take your eyes."

An icy voice came from ahead. Danzo Shimura slowly emerged, several Root elites following at his side.

"Lord Danzo! Is this the Hokage's will?" Shisui sternly demanded as he warily dealt with the assault.

"The Hokage is occupied with countless matters. There is no need to trouble him with such trivial affairs. For the stability of the Hidden Leaf, certain sacrifices are necessary." Danzo's expression did not change in the slightest.

Shisui's heart sank. So it really was a trap.

He abandoned all remaining illusions. His Mangekyo Sharingan snapped open, and a turquoise Susanoo skeleton appeared, blasting several Root ninjas away.

"The power of Kotoamatsukami truly is tempting." Beneath the bandages wrapped around Danzo's arm, several Sharingan flickered in and out of view.

Battle erupted in an instant.

Relying on the Body Flicker Technique and the power of his Mangekyo, Shisui held his own against the many Root ninjas and Danzo himself for a time.

But he knew his chakra was being rapidly depleted. The enemy had superior numbers, and Danzo, that old fox, was watching him like a tiger.

Lord Advisor... Kamizuki Yu's figure flashed through Shisui's mind.

Before Shisui had left that day, Kamizuki Yu had given him an extremely tiny metal piece.

"If you encounter a crisis you cannot resolve, crush it." Kamizuki Yu's words had been calm at the time, yet they carried a reassuring strength.

Itachi had also sought him out in private, passing along some of Kamizuki Yu's speculations and warnings. He had told Shisui that Danzo might make a move and that he should be careful in all things.

Though Shisui had been grateful at the time, he had never imagined the situation would deteriorate to this extent.

Now, it seemed that Lord Advisor had seen through everything long ago.

Danzo observed the battle. Shisui's strength had exceeded his expectations, but this was as far as it went.

He seized an opening. His right hand formed a claw and shot straight for Shisui's right eye!

Shisui reacted with incredible speed, twisting aside while simultaneously unleashing Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.

Danzo neither dodged nor defended, allowing the flames to swallow him whole.

The next moment, the flames dispersed. Danzo stood unharmed in the same spot, while his arm had already pierced through Shisui's shoulder blade.

[Izanagi]!

Shisui let out a muffled groan. The agonizing pain nearly made him lose consciousness.

"Fine eyes. What a pity—they'll soon belong to me." Danzo's other hand reached for Shisui's Mangekyo, which shone with an unusual light.

Now!

Using the last of his strength, Shisui fiercely crushed the miniature signal device hidden in his sleeve with his left hand.

The faint sound of the metal piece breaking was imperceptible amid the fierce battle.

Yet in the next instant—

Boom!

A streak of golden light abruptly tore through the night sky, as though the God of Thunder had descended.

Kamizuki Yu's figure suddenly appeared in the center of the battlefield, placing himself directly between Danzo and Shisui.

With one hand, he caught Danzo's withered arm reaching for Shisui's eye.

Crack.

The sound of bone breaking rang out clearly.

"Argh!" Danzo cried out in pain, his body rapidly retreating as his right arm twisted at a grotesque angle.

"Danzo, you've overreached!" Kamizuki Yu's voice was icy, devoid of any warmth.

He did not even turn around to look at Shisui behind him.

"Kamizuki Yu!" Danzo clutched his broken arm, his expression so dark it seemed ready to drip water.

How had this bastard appeared here?! And so quickly!

"Lord Advisor!" Shisui was overwhelmed with surprise and joy. The moment he saw Kamizuki Yu, his tightly wound nerves finally relaxed slightly.

"Rest easy." Kamizuki Yu calmly spoke two words.

Then, his hands rapidly formed seals.

"Wood Release: Nativity of a World of Trees!"

Rumble—

The earth shook violently. Countless enormous trees erupted from the ground and grew wildly. Their thick trunks twisted and lashed like giant pythons, instantly scattering, entangling, and binding the surrounding Root ninjas.

Screams and cries of alarm rose one after another.

The once-impenetrable encirclement was swept clean in an instant by the terrifying Wood Release.

The surviving Root ninjas stared in horror at this ninjutsu, which seemed like a divine miracle, unable to summon even the slightest will to fight.

Only then did Kamizuki Yu turn around and walk to Shisui's side to inspect his injuries.

His shoulder blade had been pierced through, but fortunately, his eyes remained intact. The light in his Mangekyo had merely dimmed somewhat from the fierce battle and extreme mental strain.

"You all right?" Kamizuki Yu handed him a green pill.

Shisui took it and swallowed it. A warm current quickly spread throughout his body, and the pain from his wound eased considerably. "Thank you, Lord Advisor. I... I'm fine."

"You old bastard, you've coveted the Uchiha's eyes for more than a day or two." Kamizuki Yu turned toward Danzo, a trace of mockery in his tone.

"How does [Modified Kotoamatsukami] sound? Don't you want to experience it personally?"

Kamizuki Yu was purely bluffing. Though he had deciphered the stone tablet and gained permission to use [Modified Kotoamatsukami], he had no intention of abusing it.

Danzo's expression grew even uglier. Kamizuki Yu even knew about this?

Just how many of the Uchiha Clan's secrets did he know?

No, this was not the time to think about that.

Kamizuki Yu's strength was unfathomable. That Wood Release technique just now had far exceeded the records of the First Hokage.

There was absolutely no chance of victory in a direct confrontation.

"Kamizuki Yu, are you openly making an enemy of the Hidden Leaf? Shielding Uchiha traitors?" Danzo tried to use righteousness to pressure him.

"Traitors?" Kamizuki Yu chuckled, as if he had heard some huge joke. "Do you really not know who the traitor is?"

"Or are you, the 'King of Scapegoating,' planning to pin some new crime on the Uchiha Clan again?"

In his previous life, he had heard plenty about Danzo's "glorious deeds" of shifting blame.

"This ends here today. If you dare touch another Uchiha, next time, it won't just be one arm that gets broken."

Kamizuki Yu's tone was calm, yet it carried a chilling killing intent.

Danzo's lone eye stared fixedly at Kamizuki Yu. Then he looked around at the forest, ravaged beyond recognition by the Wood Release, and at the Root subordinates bound within it.

He knew that tonight's plan had failed completely.

And he had provoked someone he absolutely should not have provoked.

"We're leaving!" Danzo decisively gave the order. The few remaining Root ninjas supported him as they prepared to retreat in disgrace.

"Wait." Kamizuki Yu spoke.

Danzo's body stiffened.

"When are you returning the Sharingan you dug out?"

Danzo did not turn back. His figure disappeared into the depths of the forest.

Shisui watched the direction Danzo had left, his heart filled with complicated emotions.

He turned, about to thank Kamizuki Yu.

Kamizuki Yu waved a hand. "Leave this place first."