Chapter 109: Naka Shrine

Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Naka Shrine

Hyuga Kagami was dressed in a casual kimono, his right hand tucked into the fold at his chest. With a languid expression on his face, he strolled leisurely down the street, looking for all the world as though he were simply out for a pleasant walk.

Shisui followed closely behind him, matching his pace step for step, his brows clouded with worry.

"Senpai, why do you want to see Shinichi?"

After hesitating for a while, Shisui finally voiced the question that had been troubling him.

Kagami replied indifferently, "Nothing in particular. I just want to confirm his current state."

"His state!?" Shisui looked confused and pressed, "What state?"

Kagami, however, changed the subject. Lowering his voice, he instructed, "Later, listen for my code phrase. If I say ’So it was you’ to anyone, immediately use Kotoamatsukami on them. Don’t hold back. Use the full power of your ocular prowess!"

Shisui was startled upon hearing this.

"Senpai, Kotoamatsukami is a forbidden technique capable of manipulating another person’s will. How can we use something like that so casually?"

Kagami glanced sideways at Shisui before shaking his head with a sigh.

"If you’ve never even considered using Kotoamatsukami in battle, then why did you go through the trouble of revealing its secret in the first place?"

Shisui fell silent.

This time, Kagami stopped beating around the bush and said directly, "I suspect Uchiha Shinichi may have already come into contact with the mastermind behind all this. So when we go there, there’s a chance we might run into the mastermind himself!"

For Obito, who possessed Kamui, Konoha was practically his own backyard. He could come and go as he pleased.

If Shinichi really had caught Obito’s attention, then it wasn’t impossible that they might run into Obito while visiting him.

And right now, Obito might not know the secret of Kotoamatsukami.

So if they really did encounter him, this would be the perfect opportunity to deal with Obito once and for all!

Shisui smiled, clearly not taking the possibility seriously.

"Senpai, you must be joking. Shinichi is being held in the detention room of the Police Force headquarters. How could the mastermind possibly appear there?"

In Shisui’s opinion, the security around the Police Force headquarters was no weaker than that of the Hokage Building.

No matter how powerful the mastermind was, there was simply no way he could infiltrate the detention room of the Police Force headquarters without anyone noticing.

Kagami didn’t bother explaining. He simply said, "It’s just a precaution. Anyway, remember this: if we really do run into the mastermind, don’t hold back. And don’t waste time with pointless probing attacks. Use Kotoamatsukami immediately—and use your full ocular prowess."

After a brief pause, he added, "There’s a good chance the other party also possesses a Sharingan. If you don’t go all out, you might not be able to control him."

...

Police Force Headquarters — Detention Room

"A false world..."

Uchiha Shinichi slowly mulled over the masked man’s words, a trace of confusion in his expression.

By now, Shinichi already knew that he had awakened a powerful ocular power beyond the three-tomoe Sharingan.

Yet the realization brought him not the slightest trace of joy.

Instead, he had sunk into profound self-blame and loneliness.

Because it was only at the moment he was thrown into the detention room that he belatedly realized something.

The one responsible for the death of the person he loved most was neither the Root ninja nor the mastermind behind the scenes.

It was himself!

Everything had happened because of him!

And it was at that very moment that he truly awakened those cursed eyes.

A moment later, Uchiha Shinichi clenched his fists tightly and said,

"I have to thank you for showing me what the village truly is... and what the clan truly is.

"But you still have to die!"

The masked man folded his arms across his chest. Speaking in the same deep, gloomy voice as always, he said,

"Go to Naka Shrine. On the stone tablet inside the secret chamber, you’ll find the truth of everything!"

With that, the masked man made no attempt to fight Shinichi. His figure simply disappeared into a twisting vortex.

Without knowing what ocular abilities Shinichi’s Mangekyō Sharingan possessed, even the masked man wasn’t completely confident that he could defeat him.

After all, the ocular abilities of the Mangekyō Sharingan were extraordinarily varied. There was no telling whether Shinichi’s ability might just happen to counter his own.

Therefore, he had no intention of taking the risk of fighting Shinichi inside the Police Force headquarters.

Besides...

He had already accomplished his objective.

With his own hands, he had brought forth a Mangekyō Sharingan wielder filled with hatred toward both Konoha and the Uchiha clan.

Even if he couldn’t bring Shinichi under his command for the time being, Shinichi’s existence alone brought him nothing but benefits.

Staring at the spot where the masked man had disappeared, Uchiha Shinichi’s expression turned gloomy.

Shinichi had originally thought that after obtaining the Mangekyō Sharingan, he would finally be able to see through the masked man’s bizarre ability.

Yet even after the man disappeared right before his eyes, his Mangekyō Sharingan still couldn’t detect the slightest clue as to how he had done it.

"Just who the hell is he?"

Deactivating his Mangekyō Sharingan, Uchiha Shinichi murmured again,

"Naka Shrine..."

...

By the time Hyuga Kagami arrived at the entrance of the Police Force headquarters, the Uchiha coming and going around him were all casting hostile and curious glances in his direction.

Shisui said somewhat awkwardly, "Senpai, please don’t take it personally."

Kagami smiled but said nothing.

In truth, Kagami’s reputation within the village had practically been built by stepping on the Uchiha.

It had begun when he defeated Shisui during the promotion match for Special Jonin. After that, he had successively defeated Uchiha Shinichi and Uchiha Hiiragi when they came to challenge him.

That string of victories over members of the Uchiha clan had made him one of the outstanding figures of Konoha’s younger generation—and a frequent topic of conversation among the villagers.

After all, any clash between the two great clans, the Hyuga and the Uchiha, was bound to attract attention.

It was precisely because of this that Danzo, who had always targeted the Uchiha clan, had personally approached Kagami and invited him to join Root.

Otherwise, for someone who was merely a Special Jonin like Kagami, Danzo might not have bothered to approach him personally.

Thinking about the bad blood between Shinichi and Kagami, Shisui felt a headache coming on. He could only warn Kagami in advance,

"Senpai, Shinichi probably has some misunderstandings about you. So if he says anything inappropriate later, please try to forgive him."

Kagami nodded.

"Don’t worry. I won’t lower myself to argue with him."

Shisui breathed a sigh of relief before leading Kagami into the Police Force headquarters.

After obtaining Clan Head Fugaku’s permission, Shisui and Hyuga Kagami went directly to the detention room where Uchiha Shinichi was being held.

Seeing Shinichi sitting in a corner of the room with his head lowered, Shisui hurriedly said,

"Shinichi, I came here this time because I want to explain what really happened."

Shinichi indifferently raised his head and glanced at Shisui before shifting his gaze toward Kagami, who was standing beside him.

Afraid that Shinichi might suddenly do something reckless, Shisui immediately stepped in front of Kagami.

After all, the reason Shinichi so often secluded himself outside the village to train was precisely because he wanted to defeat Kagami and wash away the humiliation of his previous loss.

Shisui had heard plenty about this while in the Uchiha clan compound.

Yet, unexpectedly, Shinichi’s gaze didn’t linger on Kagami for long.

He quickly looked away, once again returning to that cold, unapproachable demeanor that seemed to warn everyone to keep their distance.

"Something’s wrong!"

Kagami and Shisui exchanged a glance...