Chapter 366

Chapter 366: Chapter 366

Itachi and Kakashi watched Shisui intently as he rubbed the back of his neck. When he finally spoke, his voice was a barely audible whisper.

"It will take my summon some time to reverse-summon me. I never did it before because of that, so please forgive the delay." He then looked at me, his eyes latching onto mine as if I were an oasis in an endless desert. "Please, just continue."

I coughed into my fist, deciding to save my sensei from any further humiliation. "I will give you a more detailed explanation on the Flying Thunder God jutsu stages and mechanisms. But first, you need to experience that sensation of reverse-summoning. You will understand what spatial travel actually feels like and how chakra interacts with it. I need you to observe that transition very closely with your Sharingan. Analyze the jutsu, track the chakra flow, and comprehend how it is utilized."

The trio’s playful demeanor instantly vanished, replaced by the hardened focus of elite ANBU operatives.

"Next will be the hardest part," I continued, tapping the chalkboard again. "After observing and understanding the reverse-summoning process, you will be taught the specialized fuinjutsu that makes the Flying Thunder God jutsu work."

I paused to let the heavy theoretical talk sink in. "You will use that fuinjutsu to create a highly evolved spatial equation that defines the exact spatial location of both you and your target. You will utilize the core principle of reverse-summoning to activate the connection that equation creates and then teleport yourself directly to the mark without tearing yourself apart. I will teach you how to build that equation when you reach that level."

A fierce determination settled over their features, burning brightest in Kakashi’s visible eye. I grinned, happy with what I saw.

"So, please bring your summons out. Ask them to reverse-summon you just like Shisui-sensei did, and this time really observe how it works."

Kakashi did not hesitate, moving with lethal efficiency. He bit his thumb, weaving the signs in a blur before slamming his palm against the wooden floorboards.

"Summoning Jutsu"

A thick plume of smoke erupted. As it cleared, a miniature pug wearing a blue Konoha headband and a custom vest stood on the floor.

"Hey, Kakashi," a remarkably deep, gruff voice rumbled from the tiny dog.

The sheer contrast almost broke my composure, and I let out a poorly disguised cough to hide my laugh. The little pug somehow sensed my mocking energy, turning his head to eye me with profound irritation.

Kakashi ignored the exchange. "Please reverse-summon me, Pakkun. I need to learn a new technique, and feeling the spatial shift would help a lot."

The pug let out an annoyed huff. "Fine, but you will have to pay me for this."

Kakashi agreed with complete seriousness. "I will make sure to purchase the freshest, best bones I can find in the market."

Pakkun grunted his approval, evidently pleased with the offer, before disappearing in a small cloud of vapor. Kakashi immediately pushed up his forehead protector, revealing his closed left eye and the jagged scar running vertically down his flesh. His eyelid snapped open, blazing with the crimson light of the Sharingan. A split second later, he vanished from the room without a trace.

Itachi stepped forward next. Carrying himself with the quiet, unsettling composure of a war-hardened shinobi twice his age, an attitude of experience that had only increased since he joined ANBU and completed so many missions, he fluidly went through the same hand seals and pressed his bloodied thumb to the floor.

A single, large crow materialized from the jutsu. It hopped once, fixing Itachi with its beady, frighteningly intelligent black eyes. The bird let out no caws and made no demands. It simply stared at the young Uchiha in absolute, eerie silence, and then, without a single word, it dissolved back into the ether to prepare the jutsu from the other side.

"Do you communicate telepathically or something?" I asked, genuinely curious about the bizarre display.

Itachi offered a soft, mysterious smile. His dark eyes shifted, the three tomoe of his mature Sharingan spinning to life in a powerful red hue. Before I could press him for an answer, he disappeared into thin air.

Now only Shisui and I remained in the room. I looked at him and he looked at me and I looked at him and he looked at me and I looked at him and he looked at me.

He finally slumped forward, burying his face in his hands in utter, soul-crushing defeat.

We spent the next few minutes drinking tea in excruciating silence. I stared blankly at the wall, doing my absolute best to save whatever was left of my sensei’s dignity, if anything was even still there.

Eventually, with a sharp crack of displaced air, Kakashi reappeared. A heartbeat later, Itachi materialized beside him. Both possessed deeply contemplative expressions, their eyes distant as they processed the profound sensation of spatial manipulation.

I spoke with a clear voice. "Good. Now, record the details you observed with your eyes. The flow of chakra, the transition of the physical space, write it all down. It will become very useful during the testing stage."

Kakashi and Itachi quickly produced small notebooks and began to write. Beside them, Shisui’s expression grew darker and darker with every scratch of their pens against paper. The two eventually finished, turning to stare intently at him.

Sensing their gazes, Shisui let out a long, heavy sigh. "Let’s just continue to the next step."

I unrolled a large sealing scroll across the low table. "This contains a few of the base seal formulas Lord Fourth used to construct his jutsu. I have already broken down each seal’s meaning and function next to it and diagrammed how they combine with other seals to form a functional formation. Study them very well. These foundational seals will be today’s lesson, with more advanced ones coming in future sessions."

I tapped the parchment for emphasis. "At the end, there will be both a written exam to evaluate your memorization and a verbal assessment to test your comprehension. Furthermore, you will have to keep reviewing these during your downtime on missions or while stationed in the village."

"Alright," Shisui said, his demeanor shifting instantly. "Time to impress you all with my comprehension and memorization skills." Eager to reclaim his honor, he leaned over the scroll, his face locking into a mask of absolute, unwavering focus as he began to copy the contents.

The three were not called Konoha’s greatest prodigies for nothing. They proved themselves by processing the dense fuinjutsu theory at a terrifying pace. To my pleasant surprise, they weren’t shy about asking questions, something I deeply appreciated as an instructor. My begrudging shadow clone returned with snacks and drinks, settling a surprisingly relaxing, academic atmosphere over the room.

But as the minutes ticked by, a bead of cold sweat rolled down my back.

My eyes widened as I watched their pens fly across their notebooks. They were moving entirely too fast. It made me seriously question my own talent for fuinjutsu.

Eventually, Shisui placed his pen down first. He stretched his arms high above his head, letting out a satisfying pop to break the physical stiffness of his intense focus. Kakashi and Itachi finished shortly after, closing their notes in unison.

"Excellent," I said, collecting the master scroll. "Let us start with the paper test first."

Shisui cracked his neck. A supremely confident grin returned to his face as he cast a challenging look toward Kakashi and Itachi. "Time for me to shine."

He eagerly snatched up the paper test. He clicked his pen, fully prepared to secure a perfect score in record time. He pressed the tip of the ink to the paper and suddenly froze.

His Sharingan flared to life on pure, involuntary instinct. A look of profound, helpless betrayal flashed across his eyes just as a localized spatial distortion warped the air around him. With a loud pop, Shisui vanished into thin air, successfully reverse-summoned away by a turtle that had finally finished weaving the jutsu.