Curse Printing Technology
Facing the mysterious scroll that had suddenly appeared on the table, Shisui's eyes narrowed in thought.
From the intricate kunai markings and the familiar technique embedded within, it was unmistakably the Flying Raijin Jutsu—the signature space-time ninjutsu of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. Shisui knew that under Menma Uzumaki's command, there were already skilled practitioners of this jutsu. However, he wasn't sure how their mastery compared to his own abilities.
Unrolling the scroll, Naruto took a cursory glance at its contents and let out a cryptic smile. "Something major has happened in Konohagakure recently. One of the legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, has replaced Hiruzen Sarutobi as the new Hokage. Meanwhile, due to the exposure of human experimentation at Root, Danzo Shimura has defected from Konoha."
Hearing this, Shisui stiffened, his emotions tangled in a complex mix of disbelief and inevitability.
When the Uchiha clan had still been part of Konoha, they had done everything in their power to resist the village's oppressive leadership. Yet, no matter how fiercely they struggled, the Third Hokage and Danzo's Root organization remained immovable. Instead, it was the Uchiha who were gradually pushed into a corner, exiled from their own home.
But now, after their forced departure to Uzushio Village, within a mere two years, both Hiruzen and Danzo had fallen.
The remnants of the Uchiha hadn't even needed to take revenge.
Naruto observed Shisui's inner turmoil and spoke with an air of detached amusement. "You think this is surprising? To me, it's simply the natural course of events. To Konoha and its Hokage, the Uchiha were always outsiders."
"We were outsiders…"
Shisui repeated the words softly before sighing with resignation. As much as he loathed to admit it, Menma was right.
After the Ninetails Incident and the clan leader's defection, the Uchiha had long ceased to be considered true villagers of Konoha. They had become a faction under constant surveillance, monitored not just by the Hokage's office but by nearly every ninja in the village.
Under such conditions, their former clan head, Fugaku Uchiha, had still dared to plot a coup to seize control of the Hokage seat. Naturally, such ambitions only served to accelerate their downfall.
Now, having left Konoha behind, the village had not improved in their absence. Instead, internal conflicts shifted towards the Hokage's administration, making Jiraiya's coup surprisingly effortless.
Menma-sama was right. This world had only worsened. The Third Hokage had his faults, but the Uchiha's past leadership had been no better.
Setting aside Shisui's personal contemplation, Naruto resumed reading the letter. In it, Kakashi Hatake detailed Konoha's current predicament: the Third Hokage was under house arrest, while Danzo had fled to the Land of Wind.
Jiraiya and Tsunade wouldn't kill Hiruzen, but Danzo and the remnants of Root were another story. They were a formidable hidden danger, possessing enough military strength to rival a small ninja village. Danzo's collection of Sharingan, coupled with his mastery of Kotoamatsukami, made him a dangerous adversary, ranking at least boss-level in terms of threat.
However, Danzo was nothing if not calculating. Understanding that both the Land of Earth and the Land of Water were unsafe, he had instead fled to the Land of Wind, the weakest of the Five Great Nations.
Shaking off his wandering thoughts, Naruto turned back to Shisui and asked, "Since Danzo has defected, are you interested in reclaiming your eye?"
Shisui's eyes lit up, and he immediately responded, "Master Menma, do you intend to hunt down Danzo?"
Naruto shook his head slightly. "I don't intend to waste time on him. This revenge is yours to take. After all, he betrayed you."
Shisui hesitated, feeling both moved and conflicted. He wanted revenge—to end Danzo with his own hands.
But without his Mangekyō Sharingan, his power had declined significantly. Even before, at his peak, he had no certainty of defeating Danzo.
After all, Danzo wielded Kotoamatsukami, had multiple elite Jonin as guards, and was infamous for his Izanagi-powered endurance in battle.
Pondering this, Shisui ultimately shook his head. "I lack the strength for revenge at this moment. Perhaps when the next generation of Uchiha matures, we can finally put an end to Danzo."
"Not necessarily," Naruto countered with a smirk. "There's still room for the Jonin of our village to grow."
Pausing for a moment, Naruto continued, "Since my last return from Ryūchi Cave, I've had people research the Curse Mark Sealing Technology derived from Senjutsu. Even if you lack the innate talent for Sage Mode, you can still utilize fragments of natural energy."
"As my follower, if you're willing, you can become one of the first experimental subjects."
Shisui instinctively recoiled at the idea of becoming a test subject, but in the end, he chose to trust Menma. There was no way he would be harmed.
Once Shisui nodded in agreement, the two left the Uzushio Village Office and made their way to the Uzumaki Temple.
The once-sacred shrine, formerly dedicated to rituals and festivals, had long since been converted into a research laboratory by Uzumaki Ashina. Numerous technicians moved about, conducting various experiments.
As Naruto and Shisui arrived, the temple guards quickly stepped aside to let them pass. Soon, they stood before the old patriarch of Uzushio.
The elderly Uzumaki glanced at Shisui before turning his attention to Naruto. "To what do we owe the honor of the leader's presence today? I had begun to wonder if you had forgotten us entirely."
Nearby, Karin adjusted her glasses with a smile. "Menma-sama must be busy. He'd never forget about Grandpa and me."
Noticing Karin wearing shrine maiden robes, Shisui turned to Naruto and asked hesitantly, "Menma-sama… Is Karin a boy or a girl?"
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you present during the household registration?"
Scratching his head, Shisui sighed. "It's hard to tell, considering Haku also exists…"
With that brief comedic aside, Naruto got straight to the point. "Old patriarch, I brought Shisui here for a Curse Mark transplant. He's one of the three strongest ninja in Uzushio, so he should be resilient enough to handle it."
Despite his natural distrust of the Uchiha, Ashina nodded and led Shisui into the operating chamber.
After about ten minutes, Ashina emerged, with Shisui following behind.
Naruto immediately noticed the newly engraved markings on Shisui's arm and asked, "How does it feel? Any signs of rejection?"
Shisui flexed his arm, evaluating his condition. "There is some rejection, but it's within tolerable levels. Once I activate the mark, I feel a surge in chakra, and my speed and strength increase, but the effect isn't overwhelming."
This result was within Naruto's expectations.
For Chunin and Genin, the Curse Seal was a powerful boost, but for elite-level ninjas, it was more of an enhancement rather than a game-changer.
Still, for someone like three-tomoe Shisui, whose strength neared Kage-level, the seal provided a slight edge.
Much like Sasuke's Curse Mark in the original story, which brought him to a level comparable to Akatsuki, this seal would give Shisui an important advantage in future battles.
What Uzushio Village needed most, however, wasn't just high-end fighters—but a strong core of Jonin to expand their influence and dominance.
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