In the next instant, Samehada (Shark Skin) bristled, its scales standing on end to pierce Shigeo's palm. It tried twice to gouge him, but failed—its strength couldn't match his grip.
At the same time, the living blade felt its own chakra draining away. This youth could absorb chakra too.
"Chii—chii!" Samehada let out a displeased chatter.
The sight startled Baki and another Sand ninja nearby. Their opponent's weapon was… alive.
Kisame was surprised as well. In all his years wandering the shinobi world, it was the first time he'd heard Samehada make that unnerving sound. He dashed in again. He had to save his partner-blade.
Shigeo kept siphoning Samehada's chakra. Kisame threw everything at him—single-handed punches and feints, back-kicks, diagonal sweeps, Mizu Bunshin (Water Clone), Suirō no Jutsu (Water Prison Technique), Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu (Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique)—the lot.
But without Samehada in hand, none of it stuck. Shigeo slipped past every rush. Even the Water Prison failed to hold him. In the chaos, Shigeo snatched Kisame's true body by the thigh with one hand.
Then he planted his other hand on Samehada again and drew harder—now draining both blade and wielder.
"Chii—chii—!" Samehada complained again, as if scolding its master's poor performance.
Sweat beaded Kisame's brow. This guy wasn't like those Sand shinobi at all. "Who are you?" he demanded.
"You don't qualify to know."
With Shigeo's flat reply, the blade in his grasp vanished—Samehada dispelled. Kisame's chakra plummeted; the Shōten no Jutsu (Body Double Technique) collapsed. He toppled to the ground and reverted to the sacrificed host body—thirty percent of his chakra now flowing inside Shigeo.
"That's… a Sand shinobi!" the ally beside Baki shouted, staring at the corpse.
Baki's frown deepened. If this man hadn't suddenly switched targets, he and his comrades would likely already be dead.
His gaze fixed on Shigeo. This person was terrifyingly strong. He'd ended the fight in under two minutes.
Kisame's projection had failed. On the other side, Chiyo, another Sand ninja, and Temari had all been caught in genjutsu. They hadn't expected Itachi's illusions to no longer require eye contact—after these years of growth, even a casual finger could trigger Genjutsu (Illusion Technique).
Compared to Kisame's brawl, Itachi hadn't even begun to "fight," yet Chiyo's group had already lost.
In the vast cavern, before the Gedō Mazō (Demonic Statue of the Outer Path), nine Akatsuki members continued Genryū Kyū Fūjin (Nine Phantom Dragons Sealing Technique).
Kisame's avatar returned to his fingertip perch and wavered. "That one uses Mokuton (Wood Release)," he reported.
Pain's brow twitched. Konan asked softly, "Could it be Shigeo?"
Kisame shook his head slightly. "Doesn't look like him."
"Only Itachi remains outside," someone murmured.
"Heh…" Zetsu chuckled. Others might trust Itachi, but he did not. Even if the stranger was related to Shigeo, what of it? Itachi was still a crucial piece.
And among the Akatsuki, barring Pain, Itachi's abilities were considered the most dangerous.
"How much longer?" Deidara asked.
"About half an hour."
"Should be fine," someone answered. They had another barrier, after all.
Outside, Baki and his comrade poured chakra into Chiyo's team. The three jolted awake from the illusions, still shaken—the visions had been that terrifying. Even conscious, the dread clung to their bones.
Five pairs of eyes fixed on Uchiha Itachi. Tension thickened the air.
Having erased Kisame's body double, Shigeo turned his head. He caught the faint furrow in Itachi's brow—and in his mind's eye, he almost saw the vial of restorative serum sitting unused in a scroll, nearing its expiry date.
Interest lit his eyes. He called out, "Hey, kid. Got the guts to fight me one-on-one?"
Silence fell. Chiyo let out a quiet breath; she'd wanted to ask for his help but hadn't found the opening.
Baki no longer dared look down on Shigeo. If that blue-haired brute hadn't changed targets, they'd already be corpses.
Shigeo wasn't trying to help Sand. He was trying to help Itachi—for example, by shoving a dose of restorative serum into him. If Itachi wouldn't use the medicine on his own, Shigeo would apply it himself. Let's see him dodge that.
"Kid?" The corner of Itachi's mouth twitched upward. He turned toward Shigeo. It was deliberate provocation.
"Do you dare?" Shigeo walked forward twirling a twig, his whole bearing light and irreverent.
Itachi glanced at the five in front of him, then back at Shigeo. "What do you want?"
He could feel it—Mokuton chakra. Itachi's genjutsu would be near-useless on this one.
No wonder, in the old tales, Uchiha Madara had repeatedly fallen to the First Hokage. If Sharingan genjutsu could not bite, many advantages vanished.
"Taijutsu (Hand-to-Hand). How about it?" Shigeo proposed. With taijutsu, he could close the distance he needed.
Though he smiled, a crushing aura rolled off him, pressing on every heart present.
Temari tugged Chiyo's sleeve and pointed at the ravine, meaning clear: they needed to seize a chance to rescue Gaara.
Meanwhile, Zetsu's split body slid through the branches, shifting from the vantage that had watched Kisame to a new nest overlooking these two. He peered between leaves.
Is that really Shigeo? In today's shinobi world, only he used Mokuton, right?
If it was him, why fight Itachi? They were friends. So… was this man not Shigeo?
Questions spiraled.
"Taijutsu? Fine," Itachi said lightly. Blood-red eyes gleamed with a chilly light. He raised his hand; the ring engraved with "朱" flashed, a black-lacquered nail crooking in a taunting beckon.
It had been years since they'd tested each other. Today was an opportunity.
Shigeo smiled and burst forward. The twig in his hand whipped like a baton, wind hissing around it. His body blurred like lightning, too fast to follow.
"Bang—bang!" Impacts thudded through the air. One shadow black, one gray—they were little more than smears of motion.
Leap, snap-kick, hook, elbow, thrust. Pivot, sweep, scissor—strike and counterstrike.
Shigeo was fast, but Itachi's Shunshin (Body Flicker Technique) was famous, and with the Sharingan he read movements before they happened.
Evenly matched, their clash only grew fiercer.
(End of Chapter)
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