Giving the Akatsuki a little shock of plagiarism

There wasn't a single true idiot in the shinobi world.

On his way home.

Shinji arrived at that conclusion.

But the moment Shinji walked through the door, he found Nobihi kneeling in the living room, his big backside sticking up in an apologetic pose. The sight made his blood boil.

"Of all the things you could learn, you picked that dogshit dogeza!"

Bam!

Shinji kicked Nobihi over and snapped, "Pack your things and get ready. You're coming on a mission with me in half a month. We'll be gone a long time!"

Nobihi was completely bewildered. "Huh?"

"What do you mean, huh? Go!"

"Oh... yes!"

A smile quickly blossomed on Nobihi's face, as though his hatred for Uchiha Itachi had vanished without a trace.

But Shinji knew.

This kid...

He had the frightening sort of personality that let him bare his heart to anyone, while no one knew what he was actually plotting inside.

Not one of them made life easy!

"I'm so tired..."

Shinji let out a breath.

He lay back on the couch and stared blankly at the ceiling.

"Something doesn't feel right... did I forget something?"

Whoosh!

Shinji abruptly sat up on the couch, his eyes widening.

"Where's my apprentice?!"

"Nobihi, get to bed early. Get up early tomorrow and wait for me at the Training Ground. We're starting special training!"

The Konoha Military Police Force.

Yawning, Shisui watched out of the corner of his eye as Shinji lifted the young girl's shirt and placed his hand against her. He made a face as though the sight burned his eyes.

Kei Uchiha kept his gaze straight ahead.

Szz—

The Sealing Jutsu was complete.

Shinji glanced at Shisui. "What's with that face? Want a beating?"

"Fine, fine, fine! You dragged me out of bed in the middle of the night, and now you're talking to me like that? I'm remembering this grudge!"

"Shh!"

Shinji glared at Shisui. "Quiet! We'll talk outside!"

In the hallway.

Shinji looked at Shisui. "We're leaving on a mission in half a month, to the Land of Rain. Hiruzen Sarutobi wants to see me and Uchiha Itachi fight to the death with his own eyes."

"Itachi went to the Land of Rain?"

Shinji nodded. "An organization called the Akatsuki. Get your things ready over the next few days, hand over your work at the police force, and come with me."

Shisui looked puzzled. "Hiruzen Sarutobi wants you and Itachi to kill each other as fellow clansmen, and you're actually going along with it? That isn't how you usually operate..."

Shinji Uchiha grinned. "Of course, I have my own objectives."

As he spoke.

Shinji pulled a mask from inside his clothes.

Shisui paused. "What's that?"

"For you!"

Shisui examined it in the dim light. It was identical to the one Shinji had given Uchiha Izumi, snow-white all over, but with a different character written on it.

"Hàn?"

"That's right. Bixi, a mythical beast. It champions justice, speaks up for what's right, distinguishes right from wrong, and judges impartially. It represents authority. A good fit for your personality."

Shisui turned the mask over in his hands and asked uncertainly, "Is this mission going to be dangerous?"

"No."

Leaning against the railing, Shinji said quietly, "I want to borrow your eyes. If necessary, you'll have to use your dōjutsu once!"

"Kotoamatsukami?"

Shisui's brows drew tightly together. If a dōjutsu warranted a special mention from Shinji, Kotoamatsukami was the only one he could think of.

"Changing someone's will? Isn't that a little too..."

Shinji waved a hand with a smile. "Don't worry. Once you meet that person, you'll definitely change your views and your thinking. Trust me."

Still baffled and dubious, Shisui asked, "Then... what about the police force?"

"Kei will fill in, and Uchiha Izumi will stay behind. In her current state, she isn't suited to coming with me to see Uchiha Itachi." Shinji looked at Kei Uchiha, who had remained silent throughout.

"Thanks for the effort, Kei. You'll have to maintain the Transformation Technique for several months, possibly half a year. Have Uchiha Izumi stay with you, but she mustn't be seen by outsiders."

Kei Uchiha frowned. "Why does she need to stay with me?"

"To protect you!"

"Tch..."

Kei Uchiha wanted to say something, but couldn't get it out. His expression darkened. "Having a little girl protect me. What an enormous humiliation..."

Shinji patted his shoulder. "Look on the bright side."

"Also, take good care of Yakumo. If she wants to go home, let her. Tell her that by the time I return, I'll have a way to cure her."

"All right."

"Okay."

Shinji clapped his hands. "Kei, go get some rest!"

Watching Kei leave, Shisui turned to Shinji. "Anything else?"

"Of course."

Shinji pointed at Shisui's mask. "I gave you that mask so you could conceal your movements and keep your identity hidden. Understand?"

Shisui looked speechless. "Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"Also..."

Shinji smiled.

"You'll be appearing as a member of another organization. If you get a chance to act, make as big a scene as possible. The kind that shocks the entire shinobi world."

Shisui started. He had guessed something. "You want to..."

"That's right."

Shinji patted Shisui's shoulder. "This is your organization. Our organization!"

Shisui glanced at the mask, then looked up. "What's the name?"

"What do you think of Nine Sons of the Dragon?"

Shisui frowned deeply. "Nine Sons of the Dragon? Who's the dragon?"

"Obviously... me."

"Get lost!"

"Then you come up with one?"

"...I don't even know what you're planning to do with this organization you randomly founded outside the village. How am I supposed to name it?"

Shinji slapped his forehead. "Our organization's purpose is obviously peace in the shinobi world! Idiot!"

"Oh, then how about... Peace Dove?"

"Get lost!"

Shisui gave an awkward smile. "That isn't quite right. Then what do you suggest..."

"Actually, I've already decided."

Shinji gave a strange smile. "Dawn! The Dawn Organization!"

"...Are you serious?" Shisui looked at him as though he were an idiot. "You just said Itachi joined some organization called the Akatsuki. Doesn't this count as plagiarism?"

"Plagiarism?"

Shinji gazed up at the night sky. "The Akatsuki wants to bring daybreak to the shinobi world... what we want is to bring light to the entire shinobi world and welcome a true dawn!"

"..."

Shisui frowned at Shinji. "You know what the Akatsuki wants to do?"

"Of course."

"What?"

"I'm not telling you!"

"..."

Shisui said irritably, "So, leader, how about letting me see your mask?"

"You'd better not look."

Shisui was puzzled. "Why?"

"I'm afraid it'll hurt your feelings." Shinji smiled and pulled a mask from inside his clothes. A single large character stood alone on it—God!

"?"

Shisui looked like an old man on the subway staring at something incomprehensible on his phone.

"All right, enough messing around. Go back and rest. Get yourself refreshed."

Shinji narrowed his eyes. "Get ready to give the shinobi world a little shock courtesy of the Dawn Organization."

Whether Shisui could shock the shinobi world remained to be seen.

But a dozen or so days into the intense special training he was putting Uchiha Nobihi through.

Shinji received a little shock from the news delivered by the Hokage Building.

"What did you say?"

With the back of his blade, Shinji knocked down Uchiha Nobihi, who was already covered in bruises and had launched a sneak attack from the side. Then he thrust his standard-issue Uchiha tachi into the ground.

He looked at Uchiha Chiba before him.

Uchiha Chiba said helplessly, "That's what the ANBU told me. They said Kirigakure's delegation would arrive in Konoha soon, and asked the Clan Head to attend a meeting."

"Kirigakure? Are you sure you heard right?"

"It was Kirigakure!"

"All right, understood. Go get on with your work. I'll be there shortly."

Shinji watched Chiba leave and frowned. "That dear filial son... what's he trying to pull now?"

"Starting a war between Konoha and Kirigakure?"

Shinji Uchiha couldn't make sense of it. "What's the point? Another war would finish Kirigakure for good, unless the entire Akatsuki joins the fight and helps Kirigakure wage war on Konoha. But Nagato leads the Akatsuki. Can Obito manage that? Is he going to awaken the White Zetsu army ahead of time and start a shinobi world war?"

"No... without Kabuto joining him, he'd just be throwing them away, and exposing himself in the process."

"Tch. I'll have to wait for word from Uchiha Itachi. Hopefully he doesn't end up like he did in the original timeline, completely forgetting Konoha and becoming the Akatsuki's model employee while undercover..."

After some thought.

Shinji stopped wasting brain cells, bent down, and tossed the unconscious Nobihi to the Uchiha watching at the Training Ground.

"Take him home. I'm going to the Hokage Building."

The moment he arrived at the Hokage Building.

A tumult of arguing voices came from inside.

Shinji was baffled. Kirigakure was already that useless, so what were they arguing about? Whether they were coming to ask for peace or war, just meet them head-on.

What was there to argue over?

Creak.

Shinji opened the door.

The meeting room instantly fell silent.