A Little Taste of Plagiarism for Akatsuki

In the Shinobi World, no one was truly a fool.

On the way home,

Shinji came to that conclusion.

But the moment he stepped inside, he found Nobihi kneeling in the living room, his backside sticking up in an apologetic pose that made Shinji's blood boil.

"Of all the things you could learn, you picked that damn Dogeza!"

Thud!

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

Nobihi stared at him, stunned. "Huh?"

"Don't 'huh' me. Go!"

"Oh... yes!"

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

But Shinji knew better.

This kid...

He was the terrifying sort who could speak from the heart with anyone while no one knew what he was plotting inside.

Not one of them gave Shinji a moment's peace!

"I'm exhausted..."

Shinji let out a breath.

He sprawled on the sofa and stared blankly at the ceiling.

Something's not right... Did I forget something?

Shinji shot upright on the sofa, eyes wide.

"Where's my apprentice?!"

"Nobihi, get some rest. Wake up early tomorrow and meet me at the Training Ground. You're getting special training!"

At the Konoha Military Police Force,

Shisui yawned and watched Shinji lift the young girl's shirt and place a hand on her, his sidelong glance turning into a grimace.

Uchiha Kei kept his eyes straight ahead.

Hiss—

The Sealing Jutsu was complete.

Shinji glanced at Shisui. "What's that look for? Want a beating?"

"Oh, sure! You drag me out of bed in the middle of the night, then talk to me like that? I'll remember this!"

"Shh!"

Shinji glared at Shisui. "Keep it down! We'll talk outside!"

In the hallway,

Shinji turned to Shisui. "We leave on a mission for the Land of Rain in half a month. 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. "There's an organization called Akatsuki. Wrap things up over the next few days, hand over your work at the Konoha Military Police Force, and come with me."

Shisui looked baffled. "Hiruzen Sarutobi wants you and Itachi to kill each other, and you're going along with it? That doesn't sound like you..."

Shinji Uchiha grinned. "Of course not. I have my own reasons."

With that,

Shinji pulled a mask from his robe.

Shisui paused. "What's this?"

"It's for you!"

Shisui studied it in the dim light. It looked exactly like the one given to Uchiha Izumi, pure white all over, but the character on it was different.

"Hàn?"

"That's right. Bixi, a Mythical Beast that stands up for justice, speaks out for what's right, distinguishes right from wrong, and judges fairly. It represents authority. Suits you perfectly."

Shisui turned the mask over in his hands. "Is this mission dangerous?"

"No."

Leaning against the railing, Shinji said quietly, "I want to borrow your eyes. If the need arises, you'll have to use your Dōjutsu."

"Kotoamatsukami?"

Shisui frowned deeply. If Shinji had singled out a Dōjutsu, that was the only one he could mean.

"Changing someone else's will? Isn't that a bit..."

Shinji waved a hand and smiled. "Don't worry. Once you meet that person, you'll change your mind. Trust me."

Shisui was thoroughly confused. "Then... what about the Konoha Military Police Force?"

"Kei will take over. Uchiha Izumi will stay behind. Given her condition, she shouldn't come with me to see Uchiha Itachi." Shinji looked at Kei Uchiha, who had remained silent throughout.

"Thanks for taking this on, Kei. You'll need to maintain the Transformation Technique for several months, maybe even half a year. Keep Uchiha Izumi with you, but don't let outsiders see her."

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

"To protect you!"

"Tch..."

Kei Uchiha opened his mouth, then thought better of it. His expression darkened. "Being protected by a little girl... What a humiliation."

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

"And 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."

"Okay."

"That's settled."

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

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

"Of course."

Shinji pointed at Shisui's mask. "The mask means you're to hide your movements and keep your identity secret. Got it?"

Shisui gave him a flat look. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Also..."

Shinji smiled.

"You'll appear as a member of another organization. If you get a chance to make a move, make it big enough to shock the entire Shinobi World."

Shisui started. He had an inkling of where this was going. "You want to..."

"Exactly."

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

Shisui looked at the mask, then raised his head. "What's it called?"

"How about the Nine Sons of the Dragon?"

Shisui's brow furrowed. "Nine Sons of the Dragon? Who's the dragon?"

"Me, obviously."

"Get lost!"

"Then you come up with something."

"...I don't even know why you suddenly founded an organization outside the village, or what you plan to do with it. How am I supposed to name it?"

Shinji slapped his forehead. "Our organization's goal is peace in the Shinobi World, obviously! Idiot!"

"Oh. Then how about... Peace Dove?"

"Get lost!"

Shisui gave an awkward laugh. "Okay, that's not great. What do you suggest?"

"I already had a name in mind."

Shinji smiled strangely. "Dawn. The Dawn Organization!"

"...You're serious?" Shisui looked at him as if he were an idiot. "You just said Itachi joined an organization called Akatsuki. Isn't that plagiarism?"

"Plagiarism?"

Shinji gazed into the night sky. "Akatsuki wants to bring daybreak to the Shinobi World... We'll bring light to the entire Shinobi World and welcome the true Dawn!"

"..."

Shisui studied him with a frown. "You know what Akatsuki wants to do?"

"Of course."

"What?"

"Not telling you!"

"..."

Shisui said irritably, "So, Chief, let me see your mask."

"You'd better not."

Shisui looked puzzled. "Why?"

"I'm afraid it'll hurt your feelings." Shinji chuckled and pulled a mask from his robe. It bore a single, enormous character: God!

"?"

Shisui stared at him, utterly unimpressed.

"All right, enough messing around. Go home and rest up."

Shinji narrowed his eyes. "Get ready to give the Shinobi World a little taste of the Dawn Organization."

Whether Shisui could shock the Shinobi World remained to be seen.

But more than ten days into the grueling special training he had begun for Uchiha Yehuo,

news from the Hokage Building gave Shinji a little shock instead.

"What did you say?"

Shinji swung the back of his blade into Uchiha Yehuo, who had tried to ambush him from an angle despite already being battered and bruised, knocking him down. He drove the standard-issue Uchiha Tachi into the ground with a sharp thunk.

Then he looked at Uchiha Chiba.

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

"Kirigakure? You're sure you heard right?"

"It's Kirigakure!"

"All right, I understand. Get back to what you were doing. I'll be there soon."

Shinji watched Chiba leave and frowned. What's that dutiful son up to now?

Trying to start a war between Konoha and Kirigakure?

Shinji Uchiha could not make sense of it. What would be the point? One more war and Kirigakure would be finished. Unless all of Akatsuki joined forces to help Kirigakure attack Konoha. But Nagato leads Akatsuki. Could Obito pull that off? Is he planning to awaken the White Zetsu army early and start a war across the Shinobi World?

No... Without Kabuto joining him, he'd be throwing them away for nothing and exposing himself.

Tch. I can only wait for word from Uchiha Itachi. I hope he doesn't do what he did in the original timeline—forget Konoha entirely and become Akatsuki's most dedicated undercover operative...

After a moment's thought,

Shinji stopped racking his brain. He bent down, picked up the unconscious Nobihi, and handed him to a Uchiha watching from the Training Ground.

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

He had barely reached the Hokage Building

when the sound of a heated argument came from inside.

Shinji found it bizarre. Kirigakure was in such a sorry state, so what were they arguing about? Whether its people had come seeking peace or war, they could simply deal with it.

What was there to argue over?

Creak.

Shinji opened the door.

The meeting room fell silent at once.