"Oh?"
As the officials and the Daimyō trembled and shifted into position to kneel before Nobihi, a gentle voice suddenly reached every ear.
"Lord Nobihi, should I kneel too?"
Shisui jerked his head up toward Nobihi, relief flashing across his face...
Nobihi froze. Then he sprang to his feet and stood straight as a post.
"...Nii-san, why are you here?"
Shinji appeared silently behind Nobihi.
He laid a hand on Nobihi's shoulder. "I was afraid. Afraid you'd swallow the Chakra Fruit, lose your humanity and all human feeling, then come up with some plan to destroy the entire Shinobi World..."
Nobihi turned his stiff neck slightly toward Shinji's smiling face. "Nii-san, I didn't..."
Smack!
Nobihi's head snapped sideways. His cheek burned as he looked up at Shinji in disbelief.
"Nii-san, you..."
Smack!
"You didn't?" Shinji smiled at him. After the slap, he rested his hand on the top of Nobihi's head.
He rubbed it gently.
With his other hand, he pointed at Shisui, pinned to the pillar.
"Who is he?"
Shisui paused, helplessness crossing his face. "Shinji, let it go. Nobihi just..."
"Shut up!"
Shisui's mouth twitched. "..."
Shinji glared at him, then turned back to Nobihi with a smile. "Tell me, Nobihi. Who is he?"
Nobihi stared at Shisui's condition, his stomach dropping.
"He's... he's Shisui..."
"Oh?"
Shinji stroked the top of Nobihi's head.
Still smiling, he said, "That's not what I heard earlier. Isn't he Shisui Uchiha? Weren't you sick of him? Hadn't you put up with him long enough? Didn't you enjoy attacking him with Yin-Yang Release Black Rods?"
Shisui saw Nobihi's stunned expression and sighed. "Shinji, let it go. Nobihi gained tremendous power all at once. He couldn't control himself because he isn't mature enough yet."
"Nobihi, Nobihi..."
Shinji ignored him. He watched Nobihi's dazed face,