The next morning dawned soft and pale, sunlight spilling gently through the thin canopy above Waterfall Village. Mist still clung to the treetops, and the distant rush of the great waterfall hummed like a heartbeat. The sound had become familiar to Sasuke — constant, calming, yet a reminder of the endless flow of time.
He stood near the clearing beside the riverbank, the air around him cold and damp. His clothes were still stained faintly with dust and sweat from the previous day, but his eyes burned with renewed resolve. The dagger in his hand pulsed faintly, the steel seeming to breathe with him.
Shisui stood several paces behind, his arms folded loosely across his chest. The faint wind brushed his dark hair, and his lone Sharingan glimmered under the filtered morning light. He didn't speak immediately — he simply watched as Sasuke took position, his movements deliberate, focused.
Without a word, Sasuke took a deep breath and raised the dagger. The metal caught the light — and the faint hum of chakra filled the air once more.
He began with Wind Release.
The chakra around the dagger shimmered, almost invisible but sharp, cutting through the air with a faint hiss. Each swing drew small streaks of wind that whipped the grass and sent ripples dancing across the nearby water. His breathing steadied, his focus unwavering.
Then — he switched.
Lightning crackled to life, faint blue sparks crawling along the dagger's edge. The air buzzed and split, the smell of ozone filling the clearing. Sasuke's small arms trembled as he poured his chakra into the blade, feeling the sudden weight and intensity of the transformation.
Then, in a single, fluid motion — he switched back to wind.
The sparks faded, replaced again by silent, slicing air. Then lightning again — then wind. Faster. Faster.
Shisui's lips curved in quiet admiration. He's adapting faster than I expected.
Sasuke's chakra flared again as he swung. Wind sliced across the ground, sending dust spiraling upward, immediately followed by a flicker of lightning that split the air in the same motion. The alternating energies strained his body — his chakra pathways were still young, not fully accustomed to such dynamic switching — but Sasuke refused to stop. Sweat rolled down his temple, and his breath came heavier with each motion.
"Good," Shisui finally said, stepping forward. "Feel the transition. Do not force it — breathe through it. Chakra is alive. If you rush it, it'll bite back."
Sasuke nodded, panting, his knuckles whitening around the dagger's grip. "Again," he whispered.
Shisui tilted his head slightly, watching him reset his stance. There was no arrogance in Sasuke's tone — only determination. It reminded Shisui of a much younger Itachi… the same focus, but without the shadow of guilt that had weighed his cousin down.
You're free of that burden, Sasuke, Shisui thought quietly. Let me keep it that way.
Hours passed.
The clearing bore the marks of relentless effort — scorch marks from lightning, cuts along the stones and trees from wind strikes. The boy's chakra flared wildly at times, uncontrolled bursts tearing into the soil, but each time, he steadied, learned, refined. The air itself trembled under the pressure of his progress.
Finally, Shisui raised his hand. "Stop."
Sasuke stumbled to a halt, chest heaving, his body slick with sweat. His legs shook, yet his eyes — those sharp, dark eyes — refused to lower.
Shisui stepped closer and crouched in front of him. "You're getting it. Slowly. The switching—" he reached out, lightly tapping the dagger "—takes control, not just power. Each nature must have its rhythm. You cannot treat them the same way. Wind flows — it's freedom, movement. Lightning strikes — it's speed, destruction. Balance them, and they'll serve you."
Sasuke tried to speak but could only nod, panting heavily. "I… understand," he managed, though his voice trembled.
Shisui smiled faintly, brushing a strand of hair from the boy's forehead. "You're doing better than you realize."
He rose and turned, stepping a few paces away. "Now rest for a moment. Then we'll begin again. I'll throw some stones into the air — your task is to cut them. Alternate between wind and lightning with every swing. The key is smoothness — not just hitting the target, but flowing between natures."
Sasuke wiped his sweat with the back of his sleeve, nodded once, and straightened. "Understood."
The training continued into the late afternoon.
Shisui hurled stones at different speeds and heights — small, irregular, unpredictable. Sasuke's blade blurred in motion, his chakra dancing erratically at first, then with growing rhythm. One stone split cleanly in half under a wind-coated strike, another shattered into dust as lightning pulsed through the dagger's edge. A third missed entirely, grazing his cheek as it fell harmlessly into the water.
Each failure made Sasuke grit his teeth harder. Each success lit a brief, fierce spark in his chest.
Shisui observed silently, occasionally calling out corrections, but mostly letting the boy's instincts lead. It was how shinobi learned best — through feel, through emotion, through the raw feedback of the world around them.
When the final stone split perfectly — half scorched, half sliced clean — Sasuke dropped to his knees, gasping for breath. His chakra reserves were nearly empty. The dagger in his hand dimmed, its hum fading to a low whisper.
Shisui approached, crouched beside him again, and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Enough, Sasuke. You did it."
The boy tried to answer, but his words came out slurred, exhaustion taking hold. Within seconds, his body swayed — and he collapsed against Shisui's chest.
That night, the sound of the waterfall filled the small wooden hut they had taken as shelter. Sasuke lay fast asleep on the bed, his breathing even and deep. His hand still clutched the dagger loosely, as if afraid it might be taken away.
Shisui sat beside him for a long while, silently watching. The candlelight flickered, throwing warm shadows across the boy's face. There was a rare peace there — one Shisui hadn't seen since the massacre. For all the pain, for all the hatred buried in Sasuke's heart, tonight… he looked like a child again.
"You really are growing fast," Shisui murmured, a faint smile touching his lips. "Itachi would have been proud of you… and terrified of how quick you're catching up."
He reached forward, gently pulling the dagger from Sasuke's hand and setting it aside. Then, pulling the thin blanket higher over the boy, he stood and turned toward the door.
Outside, the night air was cool and heavy. The moon hung high, silver light pouring over the water and treetops. Shisui leaned against the railing, gazing at the horizon where the forest met the sky. His breath came slow, measured — but then, suddenly, he coughed.
The sound was sharp. Violent.
A dark stain bloomed against his palm — crimson, thick, unmistakable. Shisui exhaled shakily, eyes narrowing as he glanced at the blood.
"…Tch." He wiped it away against his sleeve, but more followed, spilling from the corner of his lips. His body trembled faintly from the effort. The poison that had lain dormant for months was stirring again — aggravated by his chakra usage.
Still, there was no panic. Only quiet resolve.
He fumbled inside his cloak, pulling out a small, round vial filled with faintly glowing green liquid. One of the last doses of the rare medicine He had acquired from a distant merchant. Without hesitation, he uncorked it and drank.
The burning in his chest dulled almost instantly. His breathing steadied, though a dull ache lingered behind his ribs. Shisui leaned back, closing his eye, the moonlight washing over his weary face.
"I won't… fall. Not yet," he whispered to the empty night. "Not while you still need me."
He turned his gaze toward the window, where faint light from the hut spilled across Sasuke's sleeping form.
"Rest easy, little brother," he murmured softly, a faint smile curving his lips despite the pain. "Tomorrow, we start again."
The night wind carried his words away, lost beneath the distant thunder of the waterfall.
**Power Level**
Sasuke — 7,700 → 7,850
Shisui (with medication) — 39,200 → 40,000 (temporarily stabilized)
**End of Chapter 28**