No matter what Danzo wanted to say or do…
Shisui wasn't the least bit worried.
He had inherited the Will of Fire from Uchiha Kagami and always put Konoha first. He acted with integrity and a clear conscience.
There was no way the head of Root could truly threaten someone like him.
After about seven or eight minutes of travel, Shisui arrived at a clearing, led by the ninja disguised as Anbu.
And just as he'd suspected—
The one who had secretly summoned him here, who had been waiting all along, wasn't the Third Hokage.
It was Shimura Danzo.
He stood there, leaning on a cane with one hand, dressed in a dark haori, expression calm and composed.
"You've arrived, Shisui."
As soon as Shisui was brought forward, Danzo finally spoke.
Then, with a subtle glance at the four ninja, he issued a silent command. All four gave a slight nod in response—then vanished instantly.
In the next moment, only Danzo and Shisui remained in the clearing.
"Danzo-sama," Shisui narrowed his eyes slightly and cut straight to the point. "Why did you summon me here under the Hokage's name?"
"For Konoha," Danzo replied, deliberately lowering his voice.
"I know you've always been prejudiced against me."
"You think my version of the Will of Fire is not as pure or noble as Hiruzen's."
"But..."
"There are no true villains in this world. I'm simply protecting what I believe is important, in my own way."
"And for me, what's most important—is the village."
Shisui raised an eyebrow but didn't respond.
He simply stared at Danzo with cold, watchful eyes.
Seeing Shisui remain silent, Danzo continued speaking on his own.
"That's why I hope you can consider the bigger picture."
"For the sake of the village—do something important."
Finally revealing his true motive, Danzo laid it out plainly.
Shisui asked calmly, "What is it?"
"Eliminate Uchiha Kaze."
Danzo spread his left hand wide. His cane fell to the ground with a soft thud.
The moment the words left his mouth, Shisui's brows furrowed deeply.
"He's the one who killed the Cloud ninja leader," Danzo continued, eyes gleaming as he spoke with feigned righteousness. "If we want to quell this incident, the simplest way is to hand over Kaze."
"Besides, you know full well that Kaze has no real sense of the Will of Fire. Just like the rest of the Uchiha, he's obsessed with clan pride and power."
"If we let someone like him grow unchecked, he'll become a threat to Konoha sooner or later."
"So why not eliminate him now—while his wings haven't fully spread? End the danger in its cradle."
"Doing so would both remove a hidden threat and settle this international crisis. It's a win-win."
The unspoken message was clear: Shisui was the best candidate for the job.
He and Kaze were both Uchiha.
He had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Even though their genjutsu might be equal under normal circumstances, once Shisui activated his Mangekyō, his genjutsu could easily overpower Kaze.
Killing or capturing him would be just a matter of thought.
Not to mention—they were of the same clan. Kaze wouldn't be on guard against Shisui.
That would make the strike even easier.
"All of this... is for Konoha," Danzo concluded.
Before ending, Danzo didn't forget to give Shisui one last reminder.
The reason he was asking for Shisui's help wasn't out of selfish ambition—it was truly for the future of Konoha.
"You've interacted with Kaze before. You should know clearly in your heart what kind of attitude he has toward both the Uchiha clan and the village."
But no matter how reasonable Danzo tried to sound…
No matter how passionate and righteous he made his case seem…
Shisui simply couldn't accept such a crazy idea.
"Danzo," he asked instead of answering directly, "is this order from the Hokage himself, or just your own personal opinion?"
Danzo's reply came without hesitation.
"The Hokage is like a leaf bathed in sunlight—he lives under the gaze of the village. There are things he cannot do, and things he must not know."
"But I am the root in the darkness."
"Shisui, isn't your own path of the ninja also about supporting peace from the shadows?"
Danzo paused before continuing, "From a certain perspective… we're not so different."
"As long as you eliminate Kaze, I'll shoulder the blame."
His gaze was firm, and for once, his words weren't entirely lies.
There was even a strategic benefit to having Shisui carry out the task.
Because he too was Uchiha.
If Shisui were the one to strike, the hawkish faction within the clan wouldn't turn their anger toward the village.
If everything went smoothly, this plan could accomplish three goals at once:
—Suppress the Uchiha.
—Quell the political unrest caused by Kaze's actions.
—And fracture the trust between Shisui and the Uchiha clan.
This was Danzo's true scheme.
It wasn't just a win-win—it was a threefold strike.
But no matter how persuasive Danzo sounded, Shisui was no fool.
After hearing everything, he let out a soft, helpless sigh.
"Danzo-sama, I'm afraid I must refuse."
"I serve under the direct command of the Hokage, not Root."
"Without Lord Hokage's explicit orders, I won't make a move against anyone."
"And furthermore…"
Shisui's gaze turned sharp, and his tone grew colder. "Danzo-sama, I hope you won't summon me like this again in the future."
"If Lord Hokage finds out about your little schemes…"
"He won't let it slide so easily."
"Consider this a warning."
This wasn't just a refusal—it was a direct warning.
Danzo had overstepped by bypassing the Hokage and trying to issue secret orders to a member of the Hokage's own Anbu.
It was a blatant breach of authority.
"Just as I thought…"
But Danzo showed no surprise at Shisui's answer. He simply shook his head slightly.
As if he had expected this outcome from the start.
In truth, the "order" he gave Shisui wasn't just a mission—it was a test.
If Shisui agreed to take out Kaze, Danzo would not only trust him but even assign Root agents to assist.
But now, it was clear…
Not only was Kaze untrustworthy—
Even Shisui was no longer someone he could rely on.
"You were never truly on Konoha's side, were you?"
He narrowed his eyes, voice thick with scorn.
"It makes sense, though. Someone like you, who's awakened Susanoo…"
"Why would you willingly stay hidden in the darkness, quietly nurturing Konoha from the shadows?"
"You've been eyeing the Hokage's seat this whole time, haven't you… Shisui?"
As he spoke, Danzo suddenly launched a surprise attack.
With a sharp stomp of both feet, he sprang forward—his left hand forming a clawed grip as it lunged straight for Shisui's eye.
In truth, ever since Danzo learned that Shisui had awakened Susanoo, the idea of seizing his Sharingan had been brewing in his mind.
Letting such overwhelming power remain in the hands of an Uchiha? Someone as paranoid as Danzo could never rest easy with that.
His offer to let Shisui eliminate Kaze was never just a mission. It was his final test.
But…
Shisui had failed to take that chance.
Too bad for Danzo.
Smack!
Just as Danzo's fingers came within half an inch of Shisui's eye—
Shisui's arm shot up like lightning, his hand clamping down firmly on Danzo's wrist.
In the same instant, his normally dark eyes turned a vivid crimson red, and three tomoe began spinning wildly.
No hesitation.
No mercy.
Facing Danzo's bloodlust, Shisui countered with his Sharingan's most direct answer—a genjutsu strike.
With a soft thud, the would-be attacker's knees hit the ground.
Danzo—who'd charged in full of menace just moments before—was now kneeling before Shisui.
Eyes wide. Breath caught.
Trapped in the illusion before he even knew what hit him.
One glance. One genjutsu.
Crushed in an instant.
(T/N: Holy Shit, this was a little unexpected. Like what, Shisui decided to strike back, though why do I get the feeling that he will be more complacent after this which will lead to his death. Well only one way to find out. Also hope you enjoyed the chapter.)
50 Stones = One Extra Chapter
100 Stones = Two Extra Chapters
200 Stones = Three Extra Chapters
Keep the power stones coming.