Kawasaki finally let out a long breath of relief. He had rushed back nonstop from outside the village, not resting for even a moment. At least Shisui's life was saved.
And now, his strength had grown—his new power was the best insurance for survival. Time to claim the Mangekyō.
As soon as he accepted it, a cold, eerie energy flowed into his eyes.
So this is Yin Release chakra?
And Susanoo is already unlocked?
What kind of eye techniques will I have?
The gathered Uchiha who had come with Kawasaki to rescue Shisui exploded in fury when they saw Shisui's empty eye sockets.
"Damn it! They stole an Uchiha's eyes?!"
"To wound Shisui like this—we won't forgive it!"
"Elder, who attacked him?!"
Along with the enhanced vision, Kawasaki's sensory perception had also sharpened. He suddenly turned toward the woods behind them.
From the forest came the sound of rapid footsteps. In an instant, four masked ANBU in white cloaks burst out.
The lead operative froze at the sight: Shisui, his target, lay on the ground receiving medical treatment—surrounded by a crowd of furious Uchiha.
Why were so many of them here?!
He signaled for his team to halt.
"Root!"
The Uchiha clan members' eyes narrowed sharply. They knew this organization well. Almost immediately, everyone realized—Root was behind Shisui's attack!
Blades were drawn as the Uchiha charged forward in rage.
The Root squad leader's heart sank. Among the dozen Uchiha, at least three wielded three-tomoe Sharingan. There would be no reinforcements in time.
Still, Danzo's will had to be carried out to the end. He gave the order, and his team charged forward with suicidal resolve.
The Root operatives shifted formations constantly, making their intent difficult to read.
The Uchiha launched the first strike.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Flames roared forth, serving as a feint while two Uchiha darted in close. Others hurled shuriken in a deadly barrage.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
The Root team quickly raised a wall of stone to block both fire and steel, then countered by tossing dozens of explosive tags.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The blasts sent the Uchiha scattering, smoke and debris flying. Both sides suffered injuries, but the Root operatives pressed on, bloodied yet relentless.
Suddenly, the Root squad leader was cleaved in half—only to vanish in smoke.
Shadow Clone?!
With a thunderous crack, he erupted from underground, his body covered in sizzling explosive tags, and lunged straight for Shisui's unconscious form.
"Die with me!!"
Only Izumi and Kawasaki were close enough to defend. The others were too far.
The explosion tore through the riverbank with deafening force.
"Elder!"
"Elder!"
But as the smoke cleared, a colossal golden skeleton stood firm, shielding both Shisui and Izumi.
Chakra surged outward like a storm, scattering the blast.
Kawasaki stood in the center, arms crossed, Mangekyō Sharingan spinning in his eyes.
"This… what is this?!"
"S-Susanoo!"
"Could it be… the legendary power of the gods?!"
"Elder has awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan?!"
…
Kawasaki grinned inwardly. Looks just like a Gundam—so damn cool. If only it were the Eternal Mangekyō so I wouldn't go blind…
For now, he shut his eyes, deactivating the power. His vision had only just ascended, and he still didn't fully understand his eye techniques. But thankfully, Susanoo was unlocked early.
Back at the Uchiha compound, battle-ready clansmen gathered in droves, donning armor and weapons.
Fourth Elder Yohei's throat went dry. How many Uchiha will die tonight? Can we really succeed?
The ordinary clansmen were restless, nerves fraying at the thought of fighting the entire village.
Third Elder Takuya, however, could hardly contain his excitement.
"Clan Head! All fighters are assembled. Please give the order!"
Fugaku clenched his fists tightly.
"Wait until Elder Kawasaki returns."
Surely by now, Konoha had already begun to move.
Just as Fugaku expected, the moment the Uchiha began mobilizing, the news leaked. The surrounding buildings swarmed with ANBU surveillance.
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen quietly set down his pipe.
"What is the situation now?"
"Report: All Uchiha combatants are mobilized. Elder Kawasaki and thirteen others are missing. Shisui and Itachi are also unaccounted for."
Hiruzen fell silent, unwilling to have come to this point. It seemed Shisui had failed—or worse.
With a weary sigh, the Third Hokage made his decision. His face hardened with resolve. He shrugged off his Hokage robes, revealing combat gear already prepared underneath.
"Pass the order: Konohagakure is now in a state of emergency!"
"Summon all clan heads, gather every jōnin and elite jōnin—surround the Uchiha compound!"