CHAPTER 229: 229. SHISUI’S MANGEKYŌ SHARINGAN

"Hanekawa!"

Sarutobi Asuma’s slightly surprised voice rang out. "What are you doing here?"

"Of course, I came to find you," Hanekawa sighed. "It’s really not easy to meet you guys."

Kakashi’s father, Sakumo Hatake, and his ninja squad were responsible for ambushes and harassment missions, so they were rarely at the Konoha main camp.

Hanekawa had to ask Tsunade for help to find out that they would be returning today.

"No choice," Asuma laughed heartily. "Our squad is carrying an important mission now!"

His tone carried a hint of pride.

After so many years of war, he was no longer the rebellious teenager he once was.

But he still enjoyed showing off in front of his comrades.

"Looks like you’ve improved a lot," Hanekawa smiled. "Want to have a spar?"

"Huh? No, no way!"

Asuma’s smile stiffened as he quickly refused. "I don’t have time! Next time, for sure!"

His strength now surpassed that of an average Chūnin, and with a few more years of experience, becoming a Jōnin was practically guaranteed.

Although he had progressed quickly, Hanekawa had improved at an almost inhuman rate.

Asuma wasn’t stupid.

A spar? That would just be a one-sided beatdown!

"Are you sure you don’t want to?" Hanekawa asked curiously. "Didn’t you love sparring with me before?"

"That was before!"

Asuma suspected Hanekawa was just messing with him. "I’m a mature man now. There’s no need for pointless sparring!"

"No need?"

A voice interrupted. Uchiha Shisui stepped forward, speaking up.

Behind him stood Shizune.

She looked just like in the original series—short black hair, dressed in standard ninja combat attire.

"You came at the right time!"

Asuma’s eyes lit up. "Hanekawa is looking for a sparring partner, and you’re way more suitable than me!"

Shisui blinked, not quite understanding what was happening.

"Hanekawa, you don’t even know how strong Shisui is now. I can’t even compete with him anymore!" Asuma said with deep emotion.

Not long ago, their squad had fallen into a trap set by the Hidden Cloud Village, and even the Two-Tails Jinchūriki, Yugito Nii, had shown up.

Just when Asuma thought they were doomed, Shisui suddenly erupted in power, activating his Mangekyō Sharingan.

With the cooperation of Sakumo Hatake, their squad managed to seriously injure the Two-Tails Jinchūriki.

Shisui instinctively glanced at Hanekawa.

To be honest, he really wanted to spar with him.

Because from childhood to now, he had never once beaten Hanekawa.

But now, he had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and gained unimaginable power.

Of course, Hanekawa was no slouch either—capturing the Four-Tails and killing the Third Mizukage proved how terrifying he was.

But until they actually fought, Shisui refused to believe he would lose.

"We’ll spar after we finish talking business," Hanekawa didn’t refuse.

The reason was simple—he wanted to gauge Shisui’s strength.

After all, only with enough power could he help Hanekawa take down the Fourth Raikage and Killer Bee.

Hanekawa knew that Shisui in the original series was incredibly strong.

But this was the Third Shinobi War era, so Shisui might not have reached his peak yet.

The only way to know for sure was to fight.

"What business?" Asuma asked curiously.

Even though they were on the same battlefield, their missions were different, so they rarely interacted.

This was the first time Hanekawa had actively sought them out.

Shisui and Shizune also looked at Hanekawa with curiosity.

"This is something I need to discuss with Uncle Sakumo," Hanekawa said, clearing his throat.

"...?"

Asuma looked confused.

What was so important that the Hokage’s son wasn’t allowed to hear?

"You’ll find out from Uncle Sakumo later," Hanekawa added, then asked, "Where is he now?"

"He went to the command tent to report his mission. He should be back soon," Asuma replied, suppressing his curiosity.

"Our teacher is back."

At that moment, Shisui spotted Sakumo Hatake in the distance and reminded them.

"Hanekawa, long time no see."

Sakumo walked up and greeted him first.

"Uncle Sakumo, I have something important to discuss with you," Hanekawa said directly.

"Come inside," Sakumo’s tone turned serious.

The two of them entered the tent, while Asuma, Shisui, and Shizune sensibly stayed outside.

"Uncle Sakumo," Hanekawa got straight to the point, "I hope you will support my Sensei in tomorrow’s Jōnin meeting."

"Support?"

Sakumo Hatake’s heart stirred as he asked, "What exactly does your teacher want to do?"

As one of the commanders of the Land of Frost battlefield, he was naturally aware of Tsunade’s situation.

It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great either—most of her assigned missions were relatively insignificant.

"She’s preparing to take action," Hanekawa nodded. "But the specifics will only be clear when the time comes."

He couldn’t outright say that they were planning to take Orochimaru’s authority.

Because, in a way, that was already bordering on rebellion.

"I understand. That won’t be a problem."

Sakumo Hatake agreed without hesitation.

The reason was simple.

He owed Tsunade and Hanekawa an enormous favor.

Back when his failed mission led to severe criticism, it was Tsunade and Hanekawa who stepped in, even traveling to the Fire Country’s capital to resolve the situation.

Of course, the most important reason was that he didn’t believe Tsunade would do anything to harm Konoha.

"Thank you, Uncle Sakumo," Hanekawa sighed in relief.

Though he was confident that Sakumo’s personality would lead him to agree, there was always a chance of rejection until the words were spoken.

After a bit more conversation, Hanekawa left the tent with him.

Immediately, Sarutobi Asuma, Uchiha Shisui, and Shizune rushed over.

"Don’t be impatient—you’ll find out tomorrow," Sakumo said with a smile as he saw their eager expressions. "I won’t intrude. You guys talk."

"So secretive," Asuma muttered.

"Hanekawa-senpai, shall we spar now?" Shisui was more concerned about the fight.

"I’m watching!" Asuma instantly got excited.

In his eyes, both Hanekawa and Shisui were already among the strongest ninjas in the world—their spar would surely be an incredible sight.

Shizune didn’t say anything, but her expression revealed her interest.

"Let’s go somewhere quieter," Hanekawa said as he turned toward the outskirts of the camp.

The three of them hurried to follow.

"Are we going this far?"

Half an hour later, Asuma finally couldn’t hold back his curiosity.

Shisui, on the other hand, was deep in thought.

He had a feeling Hanekawa had figured something out.

"This spot will do," Hanekawa finally said, closing his eyes and using his sensory abilities to confirm that no one was around.

"Alright," Shisui felt a surge of anticipation.

"Asuma, Shizune, keep watch for us. Make sure no one comes near," Hanekawa instructed. Then, after a brief pause, he added, "No matter the outcome, you must keep this sparring match a secret."

Shisui had the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Hanekawa had Wood Release and possibly his Lightning Chakra Mode.

Even if they didn’t necessarily need to use their trump cards, he preferred to be cautious. At the very least, the information had to remain hidden for the next couple of days.

He trusted Asuma and Shizune—after all, they had grown up together, and he knew their character well.

"Huh?"

Asuma was baffled.

Anyone who overheard this conversation would think they were plotting something that could decide Konoha’s fate, rather than just a spar.

"Hanekawa is right," Shisui agreed.

"Fine," Asuma finally understood their concerns.

They would likely use their strongest techniques—ones they didn’t want to reveal yet.

For example, Shisui’s Mangekyō Sharingan.

But judging by the situation, Hanekawa also had some hidden aces.

"Let’s begin," Hanekawa said, facing Shisui and forming the Seal of Confrontation.

"Be careful," Shisui’s eyes flared as three tomoe spun into existence.

He drew his ninja blade and swung.

Uchiha Style: Flame Blade Leap!

His chakra ignited into searing flames, sending a blade of fire slicing through the air.

At the same time, Shisui vanished from sight.

Water Release: Water Formation Wall!

Hanekawa clapped his hands together.

A towering wall of water surged up, blocking the incoming flame slash.

The collision of fire and water created a thick mist.

Through the mist, Shisui suddenly appeared behind Hanekawa.

Uchiha Style: Solar Halo Dance!

He slashed three times in rapid succession, sending three blazing chakra-infused blades hurtling forward.

Just as they were about to strike Hanekawa—

The ground trembled.

A massive stone hand erupted from beneath, opening its palm.

The three fire blades slammed into it, leaving deep scorch marks.

Shisui leaped high into the air, his blade flashing down toward Hanekawa’s neck.

Clang!

Hanekawa turned, his Thunderfire Sword blocking the strike. With a powerful push, he forced Shisui back.

The sheer strength made Shisui’s expression shift slightly.

He retreated, his Sharingan spinning furiously.

Genjutsu: Sharingan!

Hanekawa suddenly found himself frozen in place.

Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!

Uchiha Shisui seized the opportunity and exhaled three massive fire dragons.

The heat waves surged forward.

Sweat formed on Hanekawa’s forehead.

But in the next second, his body dissolved into a pool of water.

His B-rank trait, "Seven-Attribute Special Jōnin," granted him a 100% resistance to Yin Release, allowing him to instantly break free from the genjutsu.

With their target gone, the three fire dragons shot into the distance.

Shisui’s eyes narrowed as he thrust his ninja blade toward the puddle on the ground.

Konoha Great Whirlwind!

Hanekawa reverted to his true form and delivered a kick toward Shisui’s wrist.

Shisui didn’t dare to take it head-on. He twisted his wrist, redirecting his blade toward Hanekawa’s thigh.

Hanekawa swiftly retreated, his movements becoming unpredictable.

Konoha Style: Willow!

His Thunderfire Sword flickered, filling the air with sword shadows.

"This technique won’t work on me anymore."

Shisui easily saw through Hanekawa’s illusions with his Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

A flash of cold light—

From within the illusionary sword images, Hanekawa’s real Thunderfire Sword emerged, its trajectory incredibly intricate.

Under normal circumstances, Shisui should have been unable to react.

But now, he remained composed. With a precise and tricky angle, his ninja blade deflected Hanekawa’s sword.

The sound of clashing metal echoed continuously.

The two began a fierce swordplay duel.

Hanekawa started to feel some pressure.

In the past, he had always overpowered Shisui with superior speed and strength.

But now, his speed was ineffective against the Sharingan.

Of course, that was just his normal speed.

"Hanekawa is still as strong as ever," Sarutobi Asuma muttered as he watched their exchange.

"But Shisui is different now," Shizune said seriously. "If this were before, he would have already fallen behind."

"That’s true," Asuma nodded. "Against those eyes, Hanekawa’s movements are being read completely."

"But I still think Hanekawa will win," Shizune said after some thought.

"Neither of them has shown their real strength yet," Asuma added, eyes glued to the fight. "The exciting part is about to begin."

A sharp metallic clang rang out.

Once again, Shisui was forced back by Hanekawa’s sheer power.

He shook his wrist, feeling a dull ache.

"Even with the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, I can barely keep up with your movements," Shisui admitted. "Hanekawa-senpai, you’re terrifyingly strong."

Though he mentioned the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, in truth, his Mangekyō Sharingan granted him far greater perception.

And yet, even with this advantage, the fight remained this difficult.

No wonder Hanekawa had managed to capture the Four-Tails and kill the Third Mizukage.

"Hanekawa-senpai," Shisui’s tone grew serious. "Have you heard of the Mangekyō Sharingan?"

"I’ve heard a little," Hanekawa nodded.

"It seems you already have your suspicions," Shisui said.

Without further hesitation, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly, distorting into the shape of a shuriken.

"This is the Mangekyō Sharingan—the final evolution of the Sharingan," Shisui explained. "But my dōjutsu is rather special, so I can’t use it directly."

Hanekawa raised an eyebrow.

This was clearly Kotoamatsukami.

He was curious—could Kotoamatsukami even affect him?

Kotoamatsukami was an ability that could invade the target’s mind undetected and permanently rewrite their will.

Its only drawback was its extremely long cooldown time.

There was also speculation that the left and right eyes had different cooldowns, though the original story never clarified it.

Hanekawa believed that Kotoamatsukami might not work on him, thanks to his A-rank trait, "Infiltrator," which allowed him to forge false memories.

While memory and consciousness weren’t the same, they were closely related.

"Go ahead," Hanekawa said, looking at Shisui.

Even without using Kotoamatsukami, activating the Mangekyō Sharingan provided Shisui with a massive boost in power.

Fortunately, Hanekawa still had his B-rank trait’s Yin Release resistance, so he wouldn’t be completely defenseless.

Genjutsu: Mangekyō Sharingan!

Shisui’s eyes gleamed as an invisible wave of mental energy struck Hanekawa.

Even though he was prepared, Hanekawa was still immobilized for half a second.

By the time he lifted his gaze—Shisui had vanished.

Water Release: Water Formation Wall!

Without thinking, Hanekawa formed hand seals.

A water wall surged around him.

But before it could fully rise, Shisui was already in front of him.

Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!

Hanekawa exhaled a water dragon toward Shisui.

The water dragon struck—but Shisui disappeared into an illusionary afterimage.

Phantom Body Flicker Technique.

The name of the technique flashed through Hanekawa’s mind

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