Chapter 12: Healing
The following night, deep in darkness.
Blue-white electrical light flickered intermittently in the dim cave, casting overlapping shadows of two figures onto the jagged rock walls.
"Hiss—"
Fine currents moved like living creatures between Yu's fingertips.
His palm hovered over Shisui's blood-soaked bandaged eye sockets, magnetic field lines penetrating the gauze to stimulate damaged optic nerves. In the faint light, bulging veins could be seen at Shisui's temples.
"This is... a new type of Lightning Style medical jutsu?" Shisui clenched his jaw, his voice trembling slightly from the tingling electric sensation.
Yu glanced at his spasming fingers and imperceptibly lowered the current frequency. "Yeah, unfortunately I'm not very skilled at it." Magnetic force flowed along the ocular meridians. "This will take some time."
Magnetic field power could indeed regenerate flesh and bone, but its effectiveness on others was less than thirty percent. And shadow clones couldn't use magnetic field power, making them useless for healing assistance.
He remembered those magnetic field masters from his previous life who could resurrect the dead with a wave of their hand, and couldn't help frowning. His current power couldn't even regenerate eyeballs directly—he'd have to start by repairing the optic nerves.
"This next part might hurt a bit. Bear with me." Yu stopped the treatment, adjusted his condition, and prepared to fully restore the eyeballs. Unlike the optic nerves, the eyeball portions had to be healed in one go—he couldn't slowly guide them like knitting a sweater.
Shisui nodded slightly, his left hand unconsciously gripping the nearby rock, knuckles white from excessive force. Suddenly, intense stabbing pain struck, his whole body convulsed, nearly hitting the rock wall.
"Don't move!" Yu pressed down on his shoulder, the magnetic field instantly contracting into a fine net that firmly restrained Shisui's somewhat chaotic form. "Almost there..." He narrowed his eyes, electric arcs faintly flickering in his pupils.
In the shadows deep within the cave, several bats were disturbed by the energy fluctuations and flew off in all directions, wings flapping frantically.
"Done." As the last bit of cornea repair was completed, Yu exhaled deeply, staggering back half a step. Excessive mental energy consumption made his vision go black, forcing him to support himself against the rock wall to remain standing.
Inwardly he thought this was more exhausting than fighting Itachi—requiring prolonged, precise control over flesh regeneration direction. One careless moment could cause things to grow wrong, and Shisui might end up with cross-eyed Mangekyo Sharingan.
Shisui slowly removed the blood-stained bandages. His newly regenerated optic nerves were extremely sensitive; even the cave's minimal light made tears stream down his face. He lightly touched his new eyes, wincing at the stinging sensation. But when he hazily saw Yu's pale complexion, he couldn't help being stunned.
"Are you... alright?"
Yu supported himself against the rock wall and stood up, forcing a smile. "I'm fine. But you—your new eyes are too fragile. Put the bandages back on."
Shisui nodded solemnly, rewrapping the blood-stained bandages and tying a firm knot behind his head. "I will remember this debt."
"Forget the empty thanks." Yu casually brushed dust from his sleeves and spoke seriously. "Help me with something."
Shisui's form stiffened slightly, his brow unconsciously furrowing beneath the bandages. "If you want to unite the clan members in rebellion..."
"What are you thinking?" Yu snorted, his gaze turning toward distant Konoha. "I want you to secretly protect the elderly, weak, women, and children who evacuated the village." He paused, then added as a reminder, "That bastard Danzo might not spare them."
Shisui was silent for a moment before solemnly promising, "I will protect them well."
"Also," Yu suddenly pressed his hand on Shisui's shoulder, "keep your survival secret for now."
"Alright." Shisui agreed briefly. For a life-saving favor, such a request wasn't excessive. Besides, he genuinely needed time to sort through his thoughts.
Yu's mouth curved into a smile as he patted Shisui's shoulder. "From now on, we're allies." He pulled out a yellowed scroll from his chest and handed it over. "I'm entrusting the clan members outside the village to you."
The scroll detailed evacuation routes and temporary camp locations, the ink still fresh.
Shisui took the scroll, his slender fingers carefully folding it into a small square before treasuring it inside his inner lining.
"Shisui," Yu gazed toward the cave entrance, his voice gentle, "we're all just ordinary people. Many things... are destined to be incomplete." He turned to look at Shisui. "Being able to protect some people within our capabilities is already enough."
Shisui keenly caught the deeper meaning in those words and asked heavily, "Yu, do you think the Uchiha and the village are... destined never to reconcile?"
"That's right. Even if you successfully suppress the opposition within the clan this time, can you suppress it forever?" Yu's voice carried a chill. "Moreover, can you ensure Danzo won't persecute the Uchiha again? Can you guarantee Konoha's leadership won't continue their hostility toward us?"
Shisui clenched his fists. "But once war breaks out, blood will flow like rivers. With the Uchiha's strength, we couldn't possibly defeat all of Konoha..." Having spent years executing missions in ANBU, he knew better than anyone Konoha's terrifying hidden power.
Yu didn't deny it, saying helplessly, "Yes, but most of the clan members remaining in Konoha are hardliners. Words are meaningless to them, just as you can't convince Danzo."
In Yu's view, most Uchiha ninja were barely at chunin level with a few jonin. Aside from the two anomalies Itachi and Shisui, they could hardly pose any major threat to current-day Konoha. If Konoha hadn't pushed them too hard, the Uchiha would never easily rebel.
"Are you also a hardliner?" Shisui asked. Given the strength Yu had displayed, if he wanted to leave Konoha, probably no one could stop him.
"No." Yu's eyes darkened. "I don't want to fight Konoha..." His voice grew low, "but I must stay. Fugaku is the clan leader and my adoptive father—he can't leave Konoha first. Since he's chosen to fight to the death... I can only stand by his side." As if suppressed too long, Yu rarely opened up, letting his words flow.
"Honestly, I've long felt it's meaningless for the Uchiha to stay in Konoha."
"Since we'll never be accepted, why continue staying here? Just to prove ourselves? To protect Uchiha honor?"
"This so-called Will of Fire... is simply ridiculous. It's just a group of wanderers who found shelter, but inside it's full of dirty schemes."
Shisui listened silently, feeling inexplicably heavy-hearted. Yu wasn't just denying Konoha—he was rejecting the pride the Uchiha clan held sacred.
Was he himself also doing nothing but useless work, as Yu said?
"Shisui, you previously..."
Before he could finish speaking, Yu's form suddenly froze.
Bang!
With an explosive sound, his figure instantly vanished from the spot, leaving only a deep footprint and spider-web cracks spreading across the ground. Yu had already become a blur, racing toward Konoha at incredible speed.
He'd received information from his shadow clone:
His clone left in Konoha had been eliminated by Itachi?!
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