Chapter 7:
"When Sarada and I were attacked by that kid, Shin Uchiha, it was that lump of flesh who used a space-time ninjutsu to escape with him."
As the adult Shin Uchiha left, the longsword lodged in Naruto's abdomen also lost his control. Naruto pulled it out of his body and handed it back to Sasuke.
With the blade gone, Naruto's wound was instantly healed by Kurama's chakra.
"You should've told me this intel earlier!"
Sasuke said as he took the sword from Naruto.
"I forgot, okay?"
Naruto scratched his head sheepishly.
"Even after becoming Hokage, you're still a total idiot."
Sasuke gripped his sword tightly, reminding himself that this man was Konoha's Hokage, and no matter how pissed off he was, he couldn't stab him.
"Your fighting instincts are getting dull too. You couldn't even dodge a simple attack. Idiot. Shameful."
Even Kurama, dwelling inside Naruto, looked down on him.
Naruto replied to the beast inside him, "Come on, Kurama, don't say that..."
Sasuke urged him, "Hurry up and activate Sage Mode. We need to find Sarada."
"Got it. Watch me—Sage Mode!"
Strange markings appeared at the corners of his eyes, and his pupils turned into those of a toad.
"...No good. I can't sense her. Either she's gone too far away, or she's escaped into a barrier. I can't feel Sarada's chakra at all."
...
"Flaming Cloud Evil God, where are we?"
Sarada hid behind Uchiha Itachi, speaking nervously. Although Itachi wore the same outfit as the adult Shin Uchiha, she instinctively felt that he wouldn't hurt her.
Maybe it was because Itachi had saved her during the attack by the younger Shin Uchiha.
"Flaming Cloud Evil God, what's with all these identical kid versions of Shin Uchiha?"
Being stared at by a group of children with identical faces, each possessing three-tomoe Sharingan, sent chills down Sarada's spine.
"Clones, most likely."
Itachi, who had seen much in his time, instantly understood the situation.
"That's right. They're all clones cultivated using my teeth and nerves. This was valuable knowledge passed down to me by my teacher, Orochimaru."
"Don't let those two escape."
"If they try to flee, kill the brat immediately."
That was the order given by the adult Shin Uchiha before he left.
"Yes, Father."
Surrounding Sarada and Itachi were countless identical white-haired child clones—young Shin Uchihas.
"What do we do, Flaming Cloud Evil God?"
Sarada trembled with fear, clutching Itachi's robe tightly.
Itachi looked around and said, "They were ordered to prevent us from leaving. So, as long as we stay put, you'll be safe."
Hearing that, Sarada felt a bit more reassured. "What about you?"
"I could easily leave on my own. But bringing you with me complicates things. Shin Uchiha clearly sees us both as enemies. If I escape alone, they'll definitely attack you. So I'll stay with you until your father arrives."
Itachi had made his decision. Trying to escape with Sarada would only put her at greater risk, so staying was the safest option.
He believed Sasuke would come to rescue his daughter—and Naruto would surely be right behind him. With the three of them together, getting Sarada out would be much easier.
"Summon Jutsu: Grandma Knock's Chatroom."
If seeing the young Shin Uchiha clones made Itachi merely suspicious that they were under Shunhi's command, then seeing the adult Shin Uchiha in an Akatsuki cloak confirmed it.
[Grandma Knock's Chatroom]
Uchiha Itachi: Shunhi, I've encountered an enemy in an Akatsuki cloak—he's covered head to toe in Sharingan.
Uchiha Shunhi: Covered in Sharingan? The only one I can think of who'd do that is Orochimaru... Wait, if he's got that many Sharingan, they must be worth a ton! Itachi, I'm ordering you to bring back every single one of them.
Uchiha Itachi: Shin used a space-time jutsu to transport Sarada and me to what looks like his headquarters.
Uchiha Shunhi: Wait, if you're in his HQ, then bring back the tech he used to clone Sharingan too if you can.
Uchiha Itachi: Got it.
[Uchiha Itachi has left the chat]
After this exchange, Itachi was more convinced than ever that Shin Uchiha was indeed a former subordinate of Shunhi who had betrayed him. As for the whole "sell the Sharingan for money" bit—it was clearly just a cover story Shunhi had come up with on the spot.
"Not sure if Itachi can handle this alone... I better go myself. Besides, with this lifesaving ultimate jutsu, I've got nothing to worry about."
"But I don't have much strength on my own. I'd better bring Sasuke and Naruto along—hope they're still nearby."
He opened the [Clone Tool Management Log] and checked Uchiha Itachi's movements for the day.
"Hey, Boss Shunhi, where're you off to?"
Chōchō Akimichi, who had just dropped by for some ramen, saw Shunhi locking up the shop.
To Chōchō, Shunhi's ramen, burgers, and chips were equally beloved comfort foods.
"Just heading out for a bit. We'll be open again tomorrow as usual."
With the rise of burgers, traditional foods like ramen were losing ground. To Shunhi, Chōchō was the biggest spender at Konoha's Ichiraku Ramen's second location.
"Alright then, guess I'll grab a burger. See you, Uncle Shunhi!"
Shunhi waved with a smile. He recalled when Naruto used to call him "Uncle" and he'd protest furiously. Now, with Chōchō calling him that, he couldn't even muster a response—only a deep sense of nostalgia.
Standing just outside the Hidden Leaf Village.
"Nuclear Release: Nuclear Chakra Mode."
With his hands pressed together in a seal, Shunhi maintained the stance for a full 100 seconds, converting all 100 points of his internal nuclear energy into 1,000 points of chakra.
"Alright."
The moment he spoke, his eyes changed. The whites turned yellow, and the irises and pupils morphed into a shape resembling a small fan—overall, his eyes now looked exactly like the nuclear radiation warning symbol.
"Oh, right—activate [Inconspicuous Survivalist Set with 100% Identity Concealment]."
Once activated, Shunhi's head transformed into that of a husky, tongue lolling uncontrollably. The nuclear radiation symbol remained eerily visible in his wise-looking dog eyes. His outfit also changed into a classic black suit.
"And this."
He pulled out another system-drawn item.
[Black Sunglasses That Absolutely Never Fall Off Your Face]
"Perfect. Time to head out."
He placed the black shades on his husky head, hiding the transformation in his eyes caused by nuclear chakra mode.
As someone who loved to play it safe, the only reason Shunhi was willing to take such a risky trip was because he'd acquired not just the ability to replicate Sharingan for profit—but also the legendary escape jutsu: the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Each use of the Flying Thunder God required 100 chakra points. Even if he converted all his nuclear energy, he could only use it ten times.
Before departing, Shunhi had already planted a kunai inscribed with the Flying Thunder God seal in his shop. If anything went wrong, he could instantly teleport back to the Hidden Leaf.