Chapter 37 — Uchiha Shisui
After drawing two vials of blood, Hiruko returned to his quarters to pack his belongings.
He planned to move into the Hyūga Clan's encampment — after all, to study and unravel the Caged Bird Curse Seal, he needed ready access to test subjects and reference points. Living among the Hyūga made everything far more convenient.
Meanwhile, Ritsu finished checking the contents of his gear pouch — ration pills, explosive tags, smoke bombs, and other essentials — before once again reminding the two elders to fully cooperate with his teacher's requests.
Only then did he step out of the command tent.
The moment he emerged, he saw Hyūga Akiha waiting by the entrance.
He paused for a second, thinking, then waved her over.
"Akiha, come here."
The girl jogged up to him immediately.
"Ritsu-ni— uh, Clan Leader! What is it?"
Ritsu chuckled. "You don't have to call me that. Just like before is fine."
He reached out and ruffled her hair affectionately.
"Still haven't figured out the Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists, huh?"
"Of course not! That technique's ridiculously hard! You think everyone's a genius like you, Ritsu-nii?"
At the mention of it, the girl's face instantly fell, frustration clouding her features.
"Don't be discouraged," Ritsu said with a grin. "Once I get back from this mission, I'll teach you personally — step by step. I promise you'll master it.
Oh, and one more thing — soon, everyone will be assigned to different combat squads for active missions. When that happens, make sure the elders help you find a reliable team. And once you're on the front lines — stay sharp. Don't act recklessly."
"Relax, Ritsu-nii! I'm not some rookie."
"That's exactly why I'm worried," he said with a sigh. "It's the talented ones who take the biggest risks. Anyway — stay safe. I've got a mission to run."
He waved goodbye to his younger cousin and walked off.
Outside the encampment, a young man from the Uchiha clan was already waiting for him.
Black hair, dark eyes, the Konoha forehead protector gleaming faintly under the sun. His features were sharp but not cold — a rare softness to his gaze, even with the stoic set of his face. He wore the Uchiha's navy-blue combat gear, a short blade strapped diagonally across his back, the hilt peeking over his right shoulder.
This was Uchiha Shisui, known throughout the shinobi world as Shunshin no Shisui — Shisui of the Body Flicker.
The Uchiha clan's brightest prodigy.
Konoha's deadly dagger aimed at the Mist.
A name that sent terror rippling through enemy ranks.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Shisui," Ritsu greeted with a warm smile.
"Ritsu-senpai — no, I should say Clan Leader Hyūga now, shouldn't I?"
Shisui replied politely, voice calm and respectful. "I only just arrived."
His demeanor was humble, almost gentle — completely lacking the usual arrogance so common among his clan.
Ritsu waved a hand dismissively. "No need for formality. Just call me like you always have."
He stepped forward and gave Shisui a friendly pat on the shoulder.
He and Shisui weren't strangers.
They had fought side by side on the Eastern Front for years, cutting down Mist-nin again and again. Because of the Byakugan's overwhelming tactical utility, Ritsu frequently teamed up with various squads—and Shisui had been one of his most reliable partners.
They'd hunted Mist-nin together more than once, and a genuine sense of camaraderie had formed.
"So then, Ritsu-senpai," Shisui said with a gentle smile, "I'll be counting on your guidance again."
Shisui was only fourteen—one year younger than Ritsu—so he naturally addressed him as "senpai."
Looking at Shisui, one could truly understand what a real prodigy was.
"Guidance? Me?" Ritsu laughed. "Let's be real—just like old times, we'll be relying on you to massacre those Mist-nin. I'll support from the side."
He waved a hand. "Alright, let's move. If the Ishigoryu front collapses because we're late, we'll both get chewed out."
Ritsu slipped easily into command—as naturally as breathing.
"Yes, Ritsu-senpai."
Shisui didn't mind being directed at all. His temperament was so mild he barely resembled an Uchiha—at least, compared to the clan's usual arrogance.
Of course, he didn't mind because Ritsu had already proved through countless battles that he could lead. With Ritsu coordinating the field, Shisui could simply unleash himself.
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At the Same Time — Inside Aburame Ryōma's Tent
"Kaido," Ryōma asked calmly, "do you understand what you're to do at the Ishigoryu Mountain line?"
"Find an opening and shoot an arrow into Hyūga Ritsu's back."
"…What nonsense are you spouting?"
Ryōma looked helplessly at the kneeling subordinate before him.
"Your mission is observation. Gather intel on Ritsu. Understand?"
"But Lord Danzō ordered us to kill him."
Ryōma's brows tightened.
"Yellow Flash struck twice and still couldn't kill him. You think a sneak attack will?"
His tone sharpened.
"You think your little trick will escape those Byakugan eyes? Do you really believe his overthrow of the Hyūga Main House was just luck?"
Yamanaka Kaidō's mouth shut instantly. With Minato Namikaze himself as the comparison, he couldn't possibly claim superiority.
"Think back on Lord Danzō's actual instructions," Ryōma continued coldly.
"He said Ritsu must die a reasonable, untraceable death—killed by Mist-nin. Not a single hint can point back to us. The Leaf must not be implicated."
He tapped the table with a gloved finger.
"Killing Ritsu yourself and framing Mist-nin is theoretically an option… but the battlefield is chaotic. Leaving behind even one clue is enough to doom us. If something goes wrong, you and I will be executed as scapegoats."
Ryōma paused, voice low and serious.
"So the only acceptable outcome is:
Hyūga Ritsu dies at the hands of actual Mist-nin.
Do you understand?"
"…Yes, I understand."
Kaidō bowed his head, the yellow ponytail at his back swaying.
"Good. Then depart immediately."
Ryōma handed him a document.
"You will infiltrate Ishigoryu as a medical-nin. Do your job. No theatrics. And use your clan's jutsu to track Ritsu's every move."
Kaidō accepted the mission and left.
Left alone, Ryōma returned to his desk.
His rank came with authority, but it also came with endless administrative duties.
Neither he nor the insects in his body sensed the pale, ear-shaped growth clinging to the bottom of the desk—a strange, white fungus-like entity.
It slipped silently into the ground.
Leaving behind no trace whatsoever.
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