"It seems my only chance of escape lies with those Mist Ninjas!"
Shisui cast a quick glance at the shadowy forest ahead.
One of his main reasons for using the exploding tag earlier was to catch the attention of the Mist Ninjas. If they joined the fray, their presence could create enough chaos for him to slip away from the relentless pursuit of the Root ninjas.
"Finally, I've found you!"
After being chased relentlessly for five or six kilometers, Shisui's keen Sharingan picked up faint blue chakra flickers in the distance. The unmistakable glow marked the presence of Mist Ninja.
Without a moment's hesitation, Shisui veered toward the figures, leading the large group of pursuers right behind him.
"Damn it!"
Glancing back at the approaching wave of Konoha Anbu, Mei wasted no time issuing her command.
"Retreat!" she ordered sharply, motioning for the Mist Ninjas to fall back.
Although they were elite jounins, facing such a large contingent of Konoha Anbu left them at a disadvantage. Mei couldn't shake the suspicion that this entire situation might be a scheme orchestrated by the Fourth Mizukage.
"Are they still on our heels?" she asked grimly, her expression dark as she turned to Ao. Her mood was nearing its breaking point.
"Yes!" Ao confirmed.
"The Konoha Anbu seem singularly focused on Uchiha Shisui, but..." he hesitated briefly before continuing, "we can't seem to shake them off."
After scrutinizing their pursuers through his Byakugan, Ao added, "It's clear those Konoha ninjas have no good intentions toward us either."
Mei's eyes narrowed. "Have everyone prepare for a large-scale Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
Mei deeply regretted her decision to bring her subordinates to investigate the situation. If she had refrained, they wouldn't be caught in such a precarious predicament.
Her frustration intensified as her gaze fell on Uchiha Shisui, who was now only a hundred meters behind her. Her eyes burned with an intensity that resembled molten lava.
That infuriating man—catching her glare—had the audacity to smile back at her. Damn him.
Despite Ao's earlier warning and her efforts to maneuver around Shisui and the pursuing Konoha ninjas, her attempts were in vain.
Like an unshakable shadow, Shisui clung to them relentlessly, bringing the Konoha Anbu in tow and effectively crashing into their formation.
Evading them had become impossible.
"Enough!" Mei finally snapped, her expression grim. After a moment of contemplation, she ordered, "Relay the message—prepare to scatter and break through!"
If she had any other choice, Mei would never have ordered her team to disperse. But with Shisui in their midst, those Konoha ninjas would inevitably keep tailing them.
Rather than being used as bait to further the enemy's agenda, she decided it was better to have her subordinates scatter. While this decision could make it more challenging to regroup and evade Konoha's pursuit later, it would increase the chances of more Mist Ninja surviving and making it back.
"Understood!"
—
"Danzo-sama, the Mist Ninja have split up!"
The thick night air, combined with the spreading mist, had reduced visibility in the forest to less than ten meters.
Yet, Danzo's operatives found their leader with unwavering precision.
"Keep tracking Shisui. He is our primary target," Danzo ordered coldly. "As for the Mist Ninja, assign a team to trail them, but do not prioritize engagement."
Danzo's frown deepened as he pressed for more information.
"What's the status of the sensing unit? Have they lost track of Shisui?"
The unfolding situation was far from what he had anticipated.
According to his original plan, Shisui should have been thoroughly ensnared in their trap, leaving no chance for escape. Their overwhelming numbers alone should have been enough to eliminate him.
But Shisui's response had been unexpectedly decisive. Upon spotting Danzo, he had immediately activated Susanoo, creating a breach in their encirclement. Then, with calculated precision, he slipped into the Mist Ninja's formation.
This maneuver had significantly complicated the pursuit.
Danzo's expression hardened as he issued his next command.
"Inform the sensing unit that if they lose track of Uchiha Shisui, they might as well not bother returning to Konoha."
The oppressive darkness, thick fog, the unpredictable Mist Ninjas, and the ever-elusive Uchiha Madara introduced layers of uncertainty to Danzo's already precarious operation.
Had Shisui been given too much attention?
As Mei divided her forces and Danzo ordered his subordinates to remain vigilant, a subtle presence lingered on the periphery of the chaos.
Perched on a jagged rock not far from the massive pursuit force, a small crow—no more than 30 centimeters in size—fluttered its wings before settling down.
Caw, caw!
The bird twisted its neck sharply, its beady eyes scanning its surroundings. Finding nothing amiss, it seemed to relax, its movements oddly deliberate, almost human-like.
The crow's tucked left claw unfolded, releasing a small scroll—a mere ten centimeters long and two centimeters in diameter. The scroll unraveled gracefully as it fell to the ground.
With its task incomplete, the crow moved with precision, smearing the dark red blood on the tips of its claws across the intricate spells etched into the center of the scroll.
Then, with measured precision, he infused the scroll with his remaining chakra.
Bang!
A burst of white smoke erupted, revealing a disheveled figure emerging atop the now-spent scroll.
Huff!
As soon as he materialized, Shisui collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily.
"That was too close! Even the summoning scroll gifted by Toshiro-senpai is completely used up now."
He carefully retrieved the now-useless scroll from the ground, handling it with reverence. Turning his attention to the crow perched beside him, Shisui reached out, his fingers uncurling to reveal a small handful of sunflower seeds.
"Kuro, you've really outdone yourself this time," he murmured warmly.
"Caw, caw!"
Kuro's raucous caws filled the air, but Shisui didn't seem the least bit irritated. Instead, he gently stroked the bird's sleek feathers, a soft expression of gratitude and calm washing over his face.
Compared to the fickle and often treacherous nature of human interactions, Shisui found a sense of solace in the simplicity of bonding with animals.
"Speaking of which, I owe some thanks to those Mist Ninjas. Without their large-scale Hidden Mist Jutsu, I wouldn't have had the chance to summon you," he mused.
Initially, he had hesitated to use summoning as an escape tactic. In the chaotic battle just moments ago, calling Kuro would have only made the crow an easy target for the relentless Anbu.
Yet, against all odds, the intense combat and the Mist Ninjas' inadvertent cover had provided him the perfect opportunity to slip away.
"Go on now, Kuro. Our work here is done," Shisui said softly, watching the bird finish the last of its sunflower seeds.
With a simple gesture, he released the crow from its summoning, letting it take flight into the night. Rising to his feet, Shisui exhaled deeply before vanishing into the shadows once more.
"Toshiro-senpai," he thought to himself with a faint smile, "your mastery of ninjutsu truly defies imagination."
As Shisui walked through the dense forest, his thoughts lingered on the scroll he had just used. He couldn't help but marvel at Toshiro's ingenuity in integrating the summoning Jutsu into such a compact scroll.
The process involved a masterful blend of ninjutsu, fuinjutsu, and intricate seal work. Truly remarkable.
What impressed him most was the simplicity of its activation—requiring nothing more than a direct input of chakra. The convenience and efficiency were unparalleled.
"Who's there?"
Shisui's sharp instincts kicked in as his grip on his ninja sword tightened. In an instant, the blade gleamed under the faint moonlight, slicing through the air toward a figure behind him.
A hand had silently emerged, moving as if to rest on Shisui's shoulder.
"How sharp!"
Though his strike narrowly missed its target, the mysterious figure remained undeterred. Undaunted by the lethal blade that now aimed for his heart, the man pressed forward with unwavering resolve.
--------------------------------
AN: Check out my P@treon For +60 extra chapters.
Thank You For your Support!!
[email protected]/noviceauthor777