Taking the Blame

Chapter update is here.

Find a quiet spot, turn the page, and let’s see what this story has been hiding 🌙

✦

Naoki pulled his thoughts back and looked at the Truth-Seeking Ball he was toying with in his hand.

At its core, a Truth-Seeking Ball should be a highly compressed sphere of chakra. Its nature included Yin Release, Yang Release, and chakra from the five basic elemental natures.

In theory, a Truth-Seeking Ball possessed the ability to alter all matter.

That meant its essence surpassed ordinary ninjutsu based on a single chakra nature, kekkei genkai created from two chakra natures, and even kekkei tota created from three chakra natures.

It was a qualitative difference. Aside from a few exceptional cases, Truth-Seeking Balls were almost impossible to answer.

Precisely because of that, a thought had crossed Naoki's mind after he mastered Tenseigan Chakra Mode.

If he still could not smoothly master the Uzumaki Clan's sealing arts, then perhaps he could use a Truth-Seeking Ball in Tenseigan Chakra Mode to force his way through the Fourth Hokage's seal on the Dragon Vein.

After today's attempt, however, he dismissed that idea.

First, sealing arts in the shinobi world were simply too strange and unpredictable.

Almost anything known to exist could be sealed. Powerful Tailed Beasts and monsters, the undead products of the Reanimation Jutsu that existed between life and death, even intangible things such as souls - none of them were exceptions.

Even Kaguya Otsutsuki, the so-called progenitor of chakra, could not escape being sealed.

Because of that, Naoki could not say for certain that his Truth-Seeking Ball would break through the Fourth Hokage's seal on the Dragon Vein.

Second, judging by how much chakra it cost to move a Truth-Seeking Ball, even if his Truth-Seeking Ball could truly break the Fourth's seal, he would almost certainly drain all the chakra in his body afterward.

Once the Fourth's sealing technique failed, the Dragon Vein's massive chakra would erupt.

At that point, even if Naoki had mastered every sealing formula on the artificial Tailed Beast scroll, he would only be able to stand there and watch if he had no chakra left of his own.

In that state, there was no possible way he could subdue the vast amount of Dragon Vein chakra after it broke free.

And if he could not steal the Dragon Vein's chakra in a very short window, the chakra reaction from the unsealed Dragon Vein would inevitably alert the nearby major shinobi villages.

Sunagakure, in particular, was practically right next door.

If that happened, Naoki would have failed to gain the prize and drawn trouble down on himself for nothing.

While Naoki was quietly thinking the matter over, he suddenly sensed a chakra signature rapidly approaching. He immediately withdrew from Tenseigan Chakra Mode.

Before long, a shinobi dressed as ANBU landed in front of Naoki and said, "Lord Hokage summons you."

Naoki nodded and followed the ANBU out of the Forest of Death, making his way to the Hokage Building.

After entering the Hokage's office, he discovered that the Third had not summoned only him. The other three members of ANBU Team Eleven were already there as well.

Once everyone had arrived, the Third set down his pipe, swept a sharp gaze across the four members of Team Eleven, and asked, "Did your Team Eleven conceal anything in the report about your secret mission?"

Kakashi's expression tightened.

He thought the Third was referring to the fact that he had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, so he felt rather guilty.

Team Eleven had already reached an internal agreement on that matter. For the time being, they would keep it secret.

No one knew what the Uchiha Clan might do if they learned that someone outside the clan possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan. Because of that, everyone in Team Eleven, including Shisui, who was himself an Uchiha, was willing to hide Kakashi's Mangekyo Sharingan to avoid provoking the Uchiha into something extreme and worsening the conflict between the clan and the village.

Guy lowered his head at once, unable to meet the Third's gaze. He also thought the Third was referring to Kakashi's Mangekyo Sharingan.

Naoki and Shisui remained much calmer. Both of them knew the Third was most likely referring to Naoki's strike that erased an entire valley and slaughtered hundreds of Kumogakure shinobi.

Seeing the four members of Team Eleven remain silent, the Third threw the intelligence he had received from Danzo in front of them and said gravely, "Read it yourselves."

After Kakashi and Guy read the report, both froze. Then they looked at Naoki and Shisui in astonishment.

During the battle in the valley, Naoki and Shisui had been the ones covering the rear. Afterward, neither of them had ever described the details of that battle to Kakashi and Guy.

So when Kakashi and Guy saw phrases such as "the entire valley was leveled" and "several hundred shinobi left without remains" in the report, their shock could easily be imagined.

Naoki flipped through the intelligence and thought, 'So it was this after all.'

Shisui suddenly stepped forward and said, "Lord Hokage, I did this. I omitted it from the mission report because I wanted to hide my Mangekyo Sharingan."

The Third did not speak. Instead, he turned his assessing gaze toward Kakashi, the captain of Team Eleven.

Shisui quickly explained, "Captain Kakashi was unconscious at the time, so he did not know."

Only then did the Third nod. He picked up his pipe and took a draw.

In the Third's view, if anyone in Team Eleven possessed the strength to wipe out several hundred Kumogakure shinobi in one night, it could only be Shisui after awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan.

As for Kakashi, Naoki, and Guy, the Third acknowledged that all three were excellent shinobi, but he did not believe they possessed Kage-level strength.

"Since the matter has been made clear, do not bring it up again." After setting the tone, the Third continued, "Team Eleven performed very well this time and made a major contribution to the village. The village has decided to reward each of you with an additional opportunity to learn an advanced ninjutsu. You do not need to decide immediately. Once you have thought it over, you may come to me at any time."

The four members of Team Eleven answered in unison, then filed out of the Hokage's office.

After walking out of the Hokage Building, Guy immediately asked, "Shisui, did you really take down more than a hundred Kumogakure shinobi by yourself?"

Shisui glanced at Naoki, then nodded to Guy.

At that moment, Kakashi said quietly, "Thanks."

Although he was stunned by Shisui's strength, Kakashi was even more grateful that Shisui had helped keep his Mangekyo Sharingan secret.

Shisui shook his head. "I only did it for the Uchiha Clan."

When Shisui learned that Kakashi had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, even he had felt a surge of negative emotion. If that news leaked and reached the Uchiha Clan, the consequences were almost unimaginable.

The four chatted for a while longer. Then Guy dragged Kakashi away for a spar, while Naoki and Shisui walked toward a quiet place.

Naoki glanced thoughtfully behind them, then said in a low voice, "Thank you."

Shisui sighed softly. "They already fear me anyway. One more thing will not make much difference..."

✦
✦
✦

Ready for more?

The next chapters are already waiting on my Patreon, along with early access, previews, and extra story updates 🗝️

https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheBacklotFanfiction