Zoro's words caused an awkward smile to appear on Shisui's face.
Strictly speaking, this was the first ti Uchiha Shisui had truly co into direct contact with Zoro face-to-face.
Yet for so reason, Shisui could vaguely sense a subtle hostility coming from him.
Maybe it was only his imagination.
Shisui laughed bitterly inwardly.
The reason he had challenged Zoro today was actually very simple.
He rely wanted to determine whether the rumors spreading throughout Konoha were true or false.
After all, a ninja's combat style often reflected the personality hidden beneath the surface.
Through battle, he believed he could roughly understand what kind of person Zoro truly was.
"Well?"
Seeing Shisui remain motionless for so long, Zoro glanced casually at the three swords hanging from his waist.
"Don't tell you're waiting for to attack first?"
Honestly, Zoro was worried that if he made the first move, the battle might end instantly by accident.
Killing intent?!
Shisui's pupils suddenly contracted.
A mont ago, he had clearly sensed a faint trace of killing intent.
His heart trembled as he stared at Zoro, who outwardly appeared completely calm and harmless.
Disbelief surged through his mind.
That had to be an illusion… right?
Brother Zoro wanted to kill him?
Impossible.
Absolutely impossible.
Shisui hurriedly shook his head, forcefully throwing those chaotic thoughts out of his mind.
Taking a deep breath, he pulled out a kunai and lowered his body into a combat stance.
"Brother Zoro, please guide ."
Shisui was not arrogant enough to believe he could actually defeat Zoro.
So in his eyes, there was nothing wrong with Zoro fighting him using only one hand.
"Body Flicker Technique: Phantom Flash!!"
Two tomoe spun within Shisui's Sharingan as his hands rapidly ford seals.
In an instant, several afterimages split away from his body.
Five figures rushed forward simultaneously, making it impossible to distinguish the real body from the fakes.
Even if the afterimages were struck directly, they would not disappear imdiately.
In the future, this very technique would allow Shisui to beco famous throughout the shinobi world and earn the title:
Shisui of the Body Flicker.
Several black kunai appeared between Shisui's fingers almost like magic.
Two afterimages leapt high into the air while rapidly forming hand seals.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!!"
The blazing flas wrapped around the kunai as they shot toward Zoro at terrifying speed.
At the sa ti, the remaining afterimages on the ground coordinated perfectly, throwing shuriken from different angles.
The spinning projectiles scattered through the air like heavenly flowers, sealing off nearly every direction around Zoro.
If this had been the Zoro from three years ago, perhaps such an attack would have created at least a little pressure.
But now?
Zoro's gaze did not change in the slightest.
Clang.
Only a sharp tallic sound echoed through the arena.
A cold flash flickered through the air—
And every incoming kunai and shuriken instantly dropped onto the ground.
The surrounding clansn were stunned.
Many Uchiha even activated their Sharingan imdiately, trying to clearly capture the mont Zoro drew his sword.
Unfortunately, their efforts were completely useless.
"As expected of Young Master Zoro… that draw speed is terrifying. Did anyone see it clearly?"
Several clansn with activated Sharingan hurriedly questioned the people around them.
"No… too fast."
One of them shook his head with a bitter smile.
"If I hadn't heard the sound of the blade leaving its sheath, I would've thought Young Master Zoro never even drew his sword."
Unlike the surrounding clansn, who were filled with admiration and amazent, cold sweat had already begun appearing on Shisui's forehead.
For the first ti, he truly experienced the oppressive pressure carried by Konoha's greatest genius.
Just like everyone else, if he had not heard the unsheathing sound himself, he genuinely would not have known Zoro had attacked.
And more importantly—
Zoro had knocked down every single kunai and shuriken coming from multiple directions in an instant.
What kind of terrifying perception and execution speed was required to accomplish sothing like that?
"Co on. Continue."
Zoro spoke calmly, though a trace of disappointnt seed to appear in his eyes.
"Didn't you challenge ?"
Looking at Shisui, who was already being suppressed by pressure alone, Zoro even began suspecting the boy might surrender in the next second.
The disappointnt in Zoro's eyes caused Shisui's heart to tremble slightly.
What was happening to him?
Why had the thought of retreating actually appeared in his mind just now?
Perhaps Zoro's pressure was simply too overwhelming.
Or perhaps Shisui genuinely could not see even the slightest possibility of victory.
But no matter what—
None of that was a reason to back down.
"Thank you."
Shisui wiped away the thin layer of sweat on his forehead and revealed a faint smile toward Zoro.
After only this brief exchange, he had already realized one thing.
Zoro was absolutely not the cold-blooded and heartless person described by the rumors outside.
However—
The mont those words left his mouth, a terrifying sword storm suddenly roared toward him without warning.
One-Sword Style: Calamity Bird!! (Yakkōdori!!)
The violent slash instantly engulfed all of Shisui's afterimages before tearing past the side of his body.
Boom!!
The entire arena shook violently.
A massive trench was carved straight across the ground, as though the arena itself had nearly been split apart by a single strike.
The fierce storm scattered Shisui's hair wildly.
The shock and disbelief in his eyes were exposed clearly before everyone present.
He had never expected Zoro to attack while he was distracted.
That single mont made him realize that his earlier judgnt had been completely wrong.
"A real battle isn't a place where you can afford to lose focus."
Zoro coldly returned his blade to its sheath.
"The enemy won't stop attacking just because you got distracted."
Looking at the stunned Shisui, Zoro lightly leapt backward and returned to stand beside Muneyoshi.
Today's fight could also be considered a warning.
Hopefully, in the future, Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan would not end up being dug out so easily by that old bastard Danzō.
"I… lost."
Shisui revealed a bitter smile filled with resignation.
Looking at the enormous trench carved beside him, he understood very clearly—
If that attack had landed directly on him, he would already be dead.
"It's alright, Shisui. Don't lose confidence."
From the viewing platform above, Fugaku spoke the comforting words he had prepared in advance.
"You're already extrely talented. In the future, I believe you'll also beco soone the clan can take pride in."
It wasn't that Shisui was weak.
It was simply that Zoro was far too strong.
"Yes, Clan Head."
Shisui respectfully bowed toward Fugaku.
But when he raised his head again, a lonely look could still be seen in his eyes.
Perhaps the enormous gap between himself and Zoro had left him feeling powerless.
Or perhaps he felt helpless about the rumors currently surrounding Zoro throughout the village.
Without saying anything further, Shisui quietly turned and left alone.
He had very few friends to begin with.
His overly mature personality made him seem completely out of place among children his own age.
"Now then…"
Fugaku slowly stood up and looked toward the surrounding clansn.
"Since the clan competition has ended, we will proceed with the clan eting. Everyone, follow inside."
The surrounding Uchiha imdiately beca serious.
Aside from the monthly etings held regularly, there were only two ways for a clan eting to be initiated.
The first was by direct order of the Clan Head.
The second was through a joint request submitted by the clan's shinobi.
Clearly, today's eting belonged to the latter.
Very soon, inside the wooden eting hall, one Uchiha shinobi after another arrived wearing the green uniforms of the Konoha Police Force.
Other than a handful of special cases, those qualified to participate in the clan eting were essentially the backbone and core strength of the Uchiha Clan.
"Then…"
Fugaku sat at the head position and slowly spoke.
"The Uchiha Clan eting officially begins. If anyone has sothing to say, speak freely."
A heavy and tense atmosphere instantly filled the entire hall.
Looking at the increasingly serious expressions around him, Fugaku could only sigh helplessly inwardly.
What was coming would co eventually.
However—
Fugaku's gaze unconsciously shifted toward Setsuna of the Hawk Faction, then toward the expressionless Muneyoshi sitting nearby.
Please…
Don't co up with so outrageous proposal and make things difficult for .
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