C24

"Don't rush. Take a moment to rest," Tenno said, his smile tinged with embarrassment. He hadn't expected the mission to be quite so troublesome.

Despite Itachi Uchiha's impressive Fire Style prowess and the array of Fire Style jutsu he had released, it still wasn't enough to meet the system's quota for Fire Style energy absorption.

Tenno was grateful for Itachi's timely aid. Alone, he might have taken much longer to wrap up the mission.

Itachi's features relaxed a touch. Silently, he settled into a cross-legged position, closed his eyes, and began to restore his chakra.

An hour later, Itachi's eyes snapped open, and he dove back into the techniques he had been practicing.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

The day slipped by as he cycled through the jutsu. Tenno, looking on with growing boredom, fought the urge to doze off.

Just as Itachi considered surrendering to fatigue, a sharp sound pierced the air—the kunai had finally broken! A rush of triumph surged through him, and he almost jumped up in a burst of joy, feeling as though he had conquered a herculean task. However, the typically composed Itachi quickly subdued the impulse, allowing only a faint smile to surface.

Then, a thought crossed his mind. "Why did I even use Fire Style to burn the kunai?"

At that instant, Tenno, spurred by the system's alert, leapt up and patted Itachi on the shoulder with an ease that suggested a deeper bond. "You really did it!" he cheered.

But Tenno wasn't put off by Itachi's internal musings. To him, anyone who offered help was a comrade.

"Thanks," Tenno said with a broad smile. "I'll catch you up on everything that's happened with Shisui."

With that, Tenno recounted his experiences with Shisui Uchiha to Itachi.

As Itachi listened, his expression turned thoughtful, his gaze clouded with the persistent whispers of Shisui Uchiha's demise.

In the original tale, Itachi was the last to see Shisui alive. Shisui had entrusted his Mangekyo Sharingan to Itachi, entrusting him with its protection.

Itachi thought to himself, "We're not that close, are we?"

Tenno, unfazed by Itachi's internal musings, was an easygoing person who considered anyone who had helped him a friend.

"Thank you," Tenno said with a smile. "I'll tell you everything about my encounter with Shisui."

He then shared with Itachi the details of his previous meeting with Shisui Uchiha.

Itachi listened intently, his expression pensive.

Tenno noticed Itachi's troubled look. It seemed he couldn't let go of the rumors surrounding Shisui's death.

In the original story, Shisui's last encounter before his death was with Itachi, to whom he entrusted his Other Gods Sharingan for safekeeping before jumping off a cliff in an apparent suicide.

However, Itachi's reaction suggested that things might not have played out as they did in the story. Otherwise, he would have a clear understanding of Shisui's death instead of seeking clues from Tenno.

"When was the last time you saw Shisui?" Tenno asked.

"At Shadow Rock," Itachi answered honestly. "He said he was going to see Lord Hokage."

Itachi kept silent about what happened next. That was a secret between the village and the Uchiha clan.

Tenno nodded, understanding. Even without Itachi's elaboration, he was well aware of the deteriorating relationship between the village and the Uchiha.

After a moment of thought, Tenno smiled reassuringly at Itachi.

"I don't think Shisui is dead," he stated.

"What did you say?" Itachi asked, startled.

Shisui was both his mentor and friend, an irreplaceable person in Itachi's life.

The idea that Shisui might still be alive sparked a glimmer of hope in Itachi.

"As long as we haven't found his body, we can't conclusively say he's gone, can we?" Tenno said with a smile.

"His disappearance must have a purpose. Just keep faith in him," Tenno advised.

"Mm," Itachi nodded, a newfound resolve taking hold.

The candid words from Tenno seemed to clear the fog of doubt that had been weighing on Itachi's heart.

The thought that Shisui might still be alive reignited hope and courage within him.

For now, he would continue to observe and follow the path that Shisui had set before him.

After parting ways with Itachi Uchiha, Tenno headed home to begin working on the Concealment Mask blueprint he had acquired. It was a three-star difficulty weapon that required a significant amount of materials, but fortunately, collecting them was a breeze. Within a few days, Tenno had everything he needed.

The forging process came naturally to Tenno. Having previously crafted a three-star Sun Chakram Blade, he found forging the Concealment Mask of the same difficulty level to be less daunting than anticipated. Along with his dedication to crafting ninja tools, Tenno continued to refine his foundational Body Technique and his swordsmanship with the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi and Sun Chakram Blade.

Hearing that there was a possibility Shisui Uchiha was still alive, Itachi Uchiha's spirits lifted.

"If we haven't found his body, we can't conclude he's dead, right?" Tenno said with a smile.

"His disappearance must have a reason, and all you need to do is keep believing in him," Tenno advised.

"Right," Itachi nodded in agreement.

For some reason, although the young man named Tenno had only spoken a few simple truths, they had the power to dispel the negativity that had been building up inside Itachi.

The thought that Shisui might be alive reignited hope and courage in Itachi's heart.

For now, he decided to continue observing and acting according to the plans Shisui had shared with him before his disappearance.

After parting ways with Itachi, Tenno returned home and began crafting the Concealment Mask blueprint he had acquired.

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