Chapter 239: Susanoo vs. Susanoo

Chapter 239: Chapter 239: Susanoo vs. Susanoo

Konoha reacted with remarkable speed this time. From mobilizing the suppression force to finally setting out, the entire process took less than half a day.

The Uchiha clan participating in the operation went even further, deploying the vast majority of their elite clan members, including Clan Head Fugaku and Shisui. The sheer scale of their mobilization drew more than a few sidelong glances.

After several days of travel, the main force arrived in the area where Uchiha Hiiragi had previously encountered members of Kamigami.

At this moment, Danzo, acting as the overall commander, pointed his cane at the large map spread across the ground and announced the detailed deployment for the suppression operation.

"Jiraiya, you’ll lead the First Division and handle the search to the west..."

"Shikaku, you’ll lead the Second Division and handle the search to the south..."

"Hizashi, you’ll lead the Third Division and handle the search to the north..."

"Fugaku, you’ll lead the Military Police Force and handle the search to the east..."

Jiraiya and the others all acknowledged their orders.

This deployment had already been discussed and settled during the meeting at the Hokage Building, so no one had any objections.

After finishing the deployment arrangements, Danzo briefly glanced at Shisui, who had not shown himself for quite some time, then immediately withdrew his gaze. In his somewhat hoarse, low voice, he continued, "We cannot rule out the possibility that their sudden appearance this time is part of some other scheme. So exercise extreme caution during the search, and make sure communication between the divisions remains open at all times!"

Jiraiya, unusually wearing a serious expression, added, "According to our intelligence, a new member of Kamigami appeared this time. The pattern on his mask depicts a raging wind. Judging by the connection between Kamigami members’ mask patterns and their codenames, I suspect this newly appeared member is most likely a Wind Style shinobi. So everyone should prepare a battle plan for facing a Wind Release user beforehand."

Everyone nodded upon hearing Jiraiya’s words.

Having a battle plan and having none at all could lead to completely different outcomes when encountering a powerful enemy. For shinobi, gathering intelligence and devising an appropriate battle plan were matters of vital importance.

After the meeting dispersed, Fugaku and Shisui returned to the Uchiha’s temporary camp.

Gathering all the clan’s elite jonin together, Fugaku drew a large circle on the map with his finger and said, "This entire area is the region our Uchiha are responsible for!"

One of the Uchiha elite jonin frowned. "Isn’t the terrain in the area assigned to us a little too complicated? Especially around Birdsong Cliff. It’s either jagged cliffs and boulder fields or swamps and mud pits. How are we supposed to search a place like that?"

Fugaku’s expression darkened slightly. "Danzo assigned it."

Shisui, however, was secretly delighted.

The fact that Birdsong Cliff fell within the Uchiha’s search area was obviously a good thing for him. He immediately volunteered, "Clan Head, leave the Birdsong Cliff area to me."

Fugaku nodded.

In terrain as complicated as Birdsong Cliff, either he had to take responsibility for it personally, or he could only entrust it to Shisui, who possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan. If it were handed over to any of the other clan members, he truly wouldn’t feel at ease.

With the deployment complete, Konoha’s suppression force quickly sprang into action. Large numbers of Konoha shinobi spread out methodically in every direction, like an enormous net being cast open.

Shisui’s group was merely one inconspicuous point within that vast net.

Including Shisui, a total of eight people had been assigned to search Birdsong Cliff. The three Uchiha jonin under Shisui’s command formed the main search force.

The remaining four consisted of two Root shinobi, one Aburame jonin responsible for reconnaissance, and one Communications Team shinobi responsible for maintaining communications.

Before long, Shisui’s eight-man group entered Birdsong Cliff, a region filled with strange rock formations and treacherous terrain.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

Amid a succession of sharp sounds cutting through the air, Shisui and the others landed atop a massive boulder.

Standing at its peak and surveying the surroundings, Shisui felt somewhat uneasy.

Judging by the timing, today was already the day he and Hyuga Kagami had agreed upon. Shisui therefore knew that Kagami had most likely already arrived at Birdsong Cliff.

But that only made him even more uneasy.

Even now, he still couldn’t figure out exactly how Kagami intended to disguise himself as ’Homura.’

However, with things having already reached this point, all he could do was trust Kagami.

Uchiha Hiiragi, who had previously encountered the members of Kamigami, was also one of the three Uchiha jonin accompanying Shisui on this mission. He walked over to the Aburame jonin and asked, "Have you detected anyone suspicious nearby?"

The Aburame jonin stared solemnly in one direction and said, "All the kikaichu I sent in that direction lost contact with me in an instant."

Shisui took a deep breath. "Let’s go. We’ll check it out!"

After circling around two swamps, Shisui’s group abruptly stopped in their tracks.

Directly ahead of them, atop a massive rock jutting toward the sky, two figures stood silently.

Uchiha Hiiragi was the first to shout, "It’s them!"

To Uchiha Hiiragi, those two figures couldn’t have been more familiar.

Over the past few days, he had replayed the scene of ’Homura’ freezing him with nothing more than a single glance countless times. His heart was filled with unwillingness and humiliation!

Shisui also looked toward the enormous rock jutting into the sky in the distance, wondering inwardly, "Just who is that person wearing the ’Homura’ mask?"

Whoosh...

Bang!

While Shisui was still secretly speculating, the Root shinobi behind him had already fired a signal flare into the sky.

The moment the signal flare was launched, the two distant members of Kamigami flickered into motion. With only a few leaps across the scattered rocks, they landed directly in front of Shisui and the others.

"Tch. I didn’t expect you people to actually find this place!"

After clicking his tongue, Hyuga Kagami, wearing the ’Homura’ mask, fixed his gaze on Shisui and said in a teasing tone, "I didn’t get the chance to gouge out your eyes last time, yet this time you’ve actually delivered yourself right to me. Good. Saves me the trouble of going to Konoha to find you!"

Shisui was stunned for a moment before quickly playing along. "Surrender now. You won’t be able to escape!"

"Escape?"

Kagami chuckled softly.

As he activated Susanoo, he said,

"Why would I run?"

In an instant, a golden phantom projected outward from Hyuga Kagami’s body.

First came the bones, one after another. Then came the meridians, followed by muscle, until finally, it transformed into a complete upper-body giant!

"Susanoo!?"

Shisui was startled and instinctively blurted out, "Who are you?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Shisui himself realized what was going on.

A battle between Susanoo and Susanoo was the perfect way to clear himself of suspicion. Although he had no idea who the person impersonating ’Homura’ before him actually was, now was clearly not the time to get to the bottom of it.

And so, Shisui hesitated no longer and activated his own Susanoo.

In an instant, an emerald-green Susanoo towered into the air!

Staring at the two colossal Susanoo facing each other, one of the Root shinobi accompanying Shisui murmured in disbelief,

"Th-This... is the power of the Uchiha’s Mangekyo Sharingan?"