Konoha Forest of Death.
Shisui leaned against the wall of an abandoned hide-out, gazing at the moon and star-strewn sky above.
After some crude medical treatment, the damage to his eye socket was slowly mending.
Most of the toxin in his body had been drawn out and carried away as he refined his Chakra.
A little longer and he should be fully recovered—yet…
His mind remained outside these walls, worried about his clansmen… about Itachi.
He dared not leave.
Shisui knew too well that Konoha was crawling with Danzo's men.
Earlier he had encountered that faction and, for the greater good, let them go.
He never expected that, in the end, they would nearly kill him.
Eyes closed, he could not hold back the emotions spilling out.
Just then he opened his eye; a single three-tomoe Sharingan spun into view. A faint rustle in the shadows snapped his body taut.
He had stayed on edge like this the entire day.
Every breeze seemed a threat, every leaf an enemy.
Clutching a Kunai, he waited; still, no movement came from outside.
Gradually he relaxed.
Yet in that very instant—
A strange sound came from the wall behind him.
Shisui shot away, vanishing into the night. Where he had crouched now stood a man in a spiral mask.
''Shunshin Shisui… what a sorry sight.''
The stranger chuckled and melted back into the darkness.
Shisui fled without stopping, leaping two ridges before halting inside a hollow tree.
With his lone eye he stared hard into the blackness.
Root squad?
No.
That sensation didn't belong to Root, nor did it feel like any Earth Release technique.
A Chakra so perfectly contained… a secret jutsu?
Or something entirely beyond his knowledge?
Shisui closed his eye, quietly sensing every movement around him.
Without warning he drove his Kunai backward—thunk—burying it in the trunk.
Thud!
The blade passed through a flickering silhouette.
Shisui's pupils shrank; he instantly Shunshin'd backward, his tomoe whirling into the Mangekyo's shuriken pattern.
As he was about to activate Kotoamatsukami, the intruder exclaimed,
''A Mangekyo Sharingan? No wonder Danzo wants you dead. Whatever its power, the cost must be steep. How can you be sure this is my real body?''
''You're not one of Danzo's. Who are you?''
Shisui drew a fresh Kunai from his pouch.
The spiral-masked man merely smiled.
''Someone saving you. Your eye's been patched up, but the work's crude; leave it too long without a replacement and the nerves will atrophy.''
Shisui stayed silent.
The masked man went on, ''Don't you hate Konoha?''
''…''
Shisui kept quiet, mind racing.
At length he replied, still guarded, ''That's none of your business.''
''Wise to be wary of strangers. Let me give you a gift.''
With a light laugh he set down a sealing scroll.
''It's a stray Sharingan that drifted out of the village. Might come in handy. And…''
He added with a low chuckle,
'For free, a bit of news: I'm not the only one with loose eyes. Danzo, Orochimaru—even the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama—collected them.''
''Since you don't trust me, implanting that eye is up to you.''
With that he vanished.
Shisui's face darkened, thoughts churning like storm-tossed waves.
Danzo and Orochimaru experimenting on Sharingan was no surprise; he had even guessed the jutsu—
Izanagi.
But…
That the Second Hokage had studied the Sharingan as well…
After several seconds he used wire and Chakra to reel the scroll in.
He stared at it, torn.
The stranger was right: his treatment was too rough, risking permanent damage when a new eye was finally grafted on.
To keep the optic nerves alive he needed an implant—
But who could he turn to?
…The next morning.
After class Yagyu Masahiko hurriedly dismissed the students and headed straight for Konoha Hospital.
On the playground Ino grumbled, ''Teacher's off his game today—hardly cracked a smile.''
''Probably got something on his mind.''
Shikamaru yawned, listless. ''Better that way; when he's chipper we end up with weird assignments.'
''I heard the social-practice course was his idea.''
A gloomy voice cut in.
Choji jumped, nearly dropping his chips.
He shot the newcomer a wounded look and sighed silently, 'Shino, next time give a little warning, will you?''
''Seriously creepy,''
Ino agreed, then rounded on Shino. ''What's wrong with social-practice? It's brilliant—how can you object?''
''…''
Shino, exasperated, finally said, ''I'm not objecting, just stating a fact.''
''All right, off to class.''
Shikamaru trudged toward the room, looking half-asleep.
Ino jogged up and whispered, ''Shikamaru, let's skip!''
???
Shikamaru and Choji stared, horrified, then shook their heads in unison.
If they ditched, they'd get a scolding at worst.
But anyone who let Ino tag along would face far worse.
Ino pouted: ''Fine, I'll go alone—and I'll say you put me up to it.''
''Women are such a pain,''
Shikamaru sighed. ''Word is the teacher visited the hospital yesterday…''
''Thanks, Shikamaru—I won't sell you out!''
Ino beamed and dashed off.
Choji gaped at Shikamaru.
Shikamaru shrugged. 'Let her run. Even Uncle Inoichi can't rein her in, let alone us.'
Head down, he headed for class… At Konoha Hospital.
Kanpo paced, application in hand, too restless to see patients.
Medical Water Release… Reports said it lacked the finesse of true Medical Ninjutsu, yet in combat it excelled.
More importantly—
Whoever joined the project and produced results might seize the initiative for promotion.
The old chief of the medical squad was up for advancement. Why shouldn't the next chief be me?
Eyes blazing, Kanpo traced the name on the form: Yagyu Masahiko.
He pulled the matching file from the stack.
''The arm…''
He jumped up and bolted for the surgical wing.
There he spotted a familiar, handsome Ninja seated by the door.
Kanpo brightened and hurried over.
''Are you Teacher Yagyu?''
''Hello.''
Masahiko rose and nodded.
Kanpo bowed. ''I'm Kanpo, medical squad and Research Department, Konoha Hospital.''
Only then, voice trembling with excitement, he said, ''I saw your application in Research—could we talk?''
''Of course, but right now I—''
''I'll look it up for you!''
Kanpo answered at once, then added pleadingly,
''Though my medical knowledge is limited…''
''We can exchange ideas; that's what matters.''
Kanpo replied instantly.
''Very well,''
Masahiko 'reluctantly' agreed.