'Ninja way?'
Kaze, who had just been ready to fight, suddenly froze.
He had honestly never really thought about that question.
After all, he wasn't originally from this world, and he definitely wasn't some by-the-book ninja.
Until Shisui had asked him that question so seriously, the concept of a "ninja way" had never truly crossed his mind.
And now, caught off guard, Kaze fell into momentary silence.
Still, just because he hadn't given it much thought didn't mean he was completely unfamiliar with the idea.
The ninja way—a personal creed, a form of spiritual conviction, a belief system unique to each shinobi.
So then…
What exactly was his conviction?
'To do whatever it takes to survive in this world?'
Kaze considered that.
But almost immediately, he shook his head. That didn't feel right.
Sure, before he'd obtained the power of the Thunder Fruit, he'd spent plenty of time stressing over how to survive the Uchiha Massacre.
But now?
Now that he'd become a Thunder Fruit user, he had the power to protect himself—even in a world as dangerous as this.
If survival were his only goal, he could've just disappeared. Gone rogue. Abandoned Konoha.
Find some remote corner of the world, lay low for a decade or so.
Wait for the Fourth Great Ninja War to blow over, then live out a carefree life.
Honestly, that didn't sound half bad.
So then…
Why did he choose to stay?
Why was he willingly involving himself in the political tension between the Uchiha clan and Konoha's leadership?
Why was he playing this game with Shisui?
Why had he told Fugaku all those things, convincing him to act?
If his so-called ninja way was just about staying alive, then what was driving him to do all of this?
"Kaze?"
Shisui studied Kaze carefully, a small crease forming between his brows.
He hadn't expected his question to actually make Kaze pause and think so deeply.
"…That's a good question."
After about half a minute of silence, Kaze's thoughts returned to the present.
He looked up, meeting Shisui's gaze, and the corners of his lips curled into a subtle smile.
"Shisui, you really asked a great question."
"My ninja way is…"
"My heart and actions are as clear as a mirror—everything I do is justice."
(T/N: Holy Shit! Is this a Jojo's reference!? NGL I like this.)
He didn't speak loudly, but each word rang with undeniable clarity and strength.
It's worth noting: this line wasn't something Kaze had come up with himself.
It came from a series called JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, specifically from Part 7.
It was the iconic quote of a character known as the President—a major antagonist.
And yet, when Shisui had asked about his ninja way, this very line had flashed into Kaze's mind like fate.
Sure, in the original story, the line carried a bit of ironic weight—given the character's background and motivations.
But for Kaze?
It felt like the most honest, accurate expression of his inner truth.
Whether it was manipulating Shisui…
Or convincing Fugaku with carefully chosen words…
Or even scheming to wrest power from Konoha's higher-ups…
Kaze didn't feel even a shred of guilt.
In his mind, he was doing what was right.
He believed that—without a doubt—he was the one standing on the side of justice.
"…My heart and actions are as clear as a mirror—everything I do is justice?"
For a moment, Shisui's eyes went wide—wider than they had ever been before. His pupils trembled violently, and the words echoed from his lips like a mantra.
In Shisui's mind, the worst-case scenario was that Kaze's ninja way would be something typical of most Uchiha:
Like "My ninja way is to become the strongest in the ninja world!"—something predictable, something arrogant.
So that was Kaze's ninja way—not only did he believe he had a clear conscience, but he even claimed that everything he did was justice.
How utterly…
Arrogant.
"...Sigh."
Shisui let out a helpless sigh.
As expected, aside from himself and Itachi, none of the other Uchiha clan members could break free from the narrow bounds of the clan's perspective.
They just couldn't grasp the vision and ideals behind the Will of Fire.
At this point, Shisui felt words were meaningless.
His expression turned steely, eyes narrowing with resolve.
With a powerful push from his heels, he launched himself backward into the air—smooth, precise, a seasoned combatant preparing to go all in.
At the same time, his hands flew up in front of his chest. His fingers blurred into motion, forming hand seals at such incredible speed that afterimages flickered around them—it looked like five or six sets of hands were weaving signs all at once.
In the very next instant, a surge of chakra poured into his lungs.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
With a roar, chakra ignited into flames—coalescing into a massive fireball, three to four meters across, hurtling through the air with terrifying heat and force. The very air around it rippled with rising heatwaves as it screamed toward Kaze.
'So this is the power of the man called Shunshin no Shisui…'
Kaze's eyes narrowed.
He didn't move—not yet.
Blue lightning crackled violently across his body, dancing from his shoulders down to his fingertips.
The heat slammed into him, sweat immediately forming and trailing down his cheeks.
In the past, he would've avoided this attack without hesitation.
But now…
His Sharingan spun with crimson light gleaming in his eyes as the tomoe locked onto every movement of the incoming fireball, analyzing it, deconstructing it, calculating his response down to the smallest detail.
A powerful urge surged within him.
The need to win.
To dominate.
To show that he wasn't just some wild card in the game of shinobi.
Planting his left foot firmly, Kaze slid his right leg back slightly, coiling his body like a spring, channeling every ounce of focus into his next move.
His right hand clenched into a fist.
Electricity surged to it.
He compressed the lightning tighter and tighter until it writhed like a living thing around his knuckles.
The glow of his attack swallowed the firelight.
And then—he stepped forward.
Not to dodge.
But to strike.
He launched his fist straight into the oncoming inferno.
BOOOOOOM!
A blinding explosion of light and heat erupted as Kaze's lightning-infused punch collided with the fireball. The jutsu shattered instantly—breaking apart into dozens of smaller fireballs no bigger than a fist, scattering in all directions like sparks in a storm.
One punch.
He broke it with one punch.
"…What the hell."
Shisui froze midair, staring at the aftermath with wide, disbelieving eyes.
"What just happened…?"
He hadn't sensed any chakra fluctuation from Kaze's attack.
It had felt like raw physical power—taijutsu, maybe.
If not for the blazing lightning that had filled the sky, he would've thought Kaze had simply punched through it with brute force.
But then a thought surfaced.
Wait…
Back during the fight with Aburame Torune at the Hokage Building—he hadn't sensed any chakra then, either.
At the time, he'd chalked it up to the fight ending too fast.
But now, with everything laid bare before him, one truth became undeniable:
Kaze was hiding something.
'Is this… not Lightning Release…?'
Shisui's brows drew together in confusion.
His mind raced, trying to piece it all together.
But then—
A whisper reached his ear, soft but unmistakably close.
"Shisui… when you're fighting me, you really shouldn't get distracted."
Shisui's heart skipped a beat.
His blood ran cold.
The voice had come from behind him.
His eyes widened in alarm.
Somehow, in the very instant he had destroyed the Great Fireball, Kaze had also vanished from view—and now stood behind him.
His Sharingan whirled, but it was already too late.
That speed…
That silence…
It could only be one thing.
Body Flicker Technique!
(T/N: What do you think of the reworked fight scene? Let me know it its good or I can improve future fight scenes. Also hope you enjoyed the chapter.)