"Ishiki." Shisui's expression was tight with internal struggle, but after a moment of hesitation, he spoke. "You… really haven't touched any Sharingan?"
"Why would you even ask that?" Ishiki raised a finger and pointed at his own eyes. "Isn't it obvious?"
Both his eyes were Saint's Eyes—completely different from the Sharingan. Moreover, it was common knowledge that outsiders who transplanted a Sharingan couldn't hide it. It would remain perpetually activated.
Unless, like Shimura Danzō or Kakashi, they kept it covered, the Sharingan couldn't be hidden. That alone should've answered the question.
Shisui pulled a sealed file from his robes and handed it over. "This was passed to me by someone from Root."
Curious, Ishiki tore it open. Inside were documents accusing him of being connected to the Disappeared Abilities Incident. He flipped through them once and immediately spotted holes in the logic—but some fabricated parts came disturbingly close to the truth.
For instance: the theory that the Perverted Ghost was Ishiki Kujo's Summoning Beast, capable of stealing chakra and Kekkei Genkai to feed back into its summoner. It claimed Ishiki's rapid rise in power was due to this predatory ability—he had allegedly consumed the powers of seventeen people to reach his current level.
Later pages alleged that Ishiki conducted secret experiments in an abandoned wing of Konoha Hospital, developing a "Bio-Electric Golden Disc" capable of stimulating primal combat urges. Supposedly, he released these creatures into Root, causing massive casualties, and then again into the Maximum Security Ward, triggering inmate deaths as a form of psychological warfare to deter the Third Hokage from taking action against him—forcing him instead to assign Inuzuka Zawa's team to monitor Ishiki.
In summary, the dossier painted Ishiki as the thief of the Uchiha's Sharingan and an existential threat to the village.
Danzō never outright said "assassinate," but every line screamed it.
Some pages even bore the official Hokage stamp, warning of the danger Ishiki posed to both Konoha and the Uchiha. It even claimed that the rumors surrounding the Uchiha stemmed from Ishiki, and that the Sharingan seen during the Nine-Tails Night might've been a false flag operation orchestrated by him to deflect suspicion and redirect public hatred onto the Uchiha clan.
Ishiki couldn't help but laugh reading it.
Danzō clearly knew Shisui well. He knew how to wield the Hokage's name for manipulation. But he'd miscalculated a few things.
First: the visible, permanent nature of transplanted Sharingan.
Second: Ishiki and Shisui had once been on the same team. They shared memories. Bonds.
Even if they weren't close, Shisui could feel Ishiki's goodwill toward the Uchiha.
Now, with Ishiki hailed as a war hero across the village, there was no way Shisui would believe Danzō's twisted narrative.
"Give this to the Third Hokage." Ishiki didn't even bother slandering Danzō.
There was no point. A rat hiding in the dark wasn't worth addressing.
With just that one sentence, Shisui's final hesitation evaporated.
"Ishiki, you should be careful."
He didn't say it outright, but Ishiki knew what he meant.
Ishiki simply smiled and nodded. He knew—whether Danzō made the first move or not, Ishiki would absolutely deal with him. Soon.
Even if he couldn't draw a perfectly suited Stand for the task, Scary Monsters was already more than enough.
Danzō had become an obstacle in Ishiki's path.
On the final night of May, as he basked in the final sensations of Weather Report, Ishiki's mind turned again to the Saint's Corpse.
He had a strong gut feeling that even if he did nothing, the relics would still eventually find their way to him—pulled by Fate. But if he simply waited, he risked being overtaken by enemies who got to them first.
The danger of powerful Stands falling into already powerful hands couldn't be ignored.
So what he needed now—desperately—was intel. He needed to know where unusual events were occurring, or where special ninja might be active.
He resolved to gather intelligence.
He had decent relationships with Inuzuka Zawa's team, and Orochimaru as well. He could rely on them to keep an ear to the ground. This kind of information didn't even need to be kept secret.
He could also turn to bounty boards and information brokers outside the village. But that would cost ryo—and he wasn't exactly flush with cash.
Up until now, he'd never really thought about how to make money in this world.
And he wasn't about to go assassinating daimyo or extorting nobles for ryo, either. Not because those ideas weren't effective—but because that kind of money always left a paper trail.
If it came out, he'd become the sworn enemy of the entire shinobi world.
Back in his old life, Ishiki wasn't some Machiavellian genius. He wasn't born to scheme. He'd just been a regular office worker.
So suddenly transforming into some master manipulator after reincarnating? Not happening.
He had some plans for his future, sure—but when it came to navigating politics and economics, he was still green.
This was a new battlefield he'd have to grow into.
Besides, asking Orochimaru's network to gather info was too slow. The fastest option was to use Konoha's intelligence infrastructure.
Given his current status as a war hero, if he were to be honest with the Third Hokage about his needs, Hiruzen Sarutobi would probably support him.
After all, all he wanted was information about paranormal events or unusual ninja. Nothing treasonous.
And if anyone did suspect ulterior motives? Let them investigate. Ishiki wasn't worried.
He sighed, massaging his temple.
"I really wasn't cut out for this crap. Maybe I really was meant to just be some white-collar salaryman."
And then, as if on cue, the voice he'd been waiting for echoed in his head.
[This month's Stand draw is available. Drawn Stand: Yo-Yo Ma. Would you like to replace a current ability?]
[Replacement options: The Fool, Scary Monsters, Weather Report. If you replace a relic-bound ability, the previous one will be stored in the corresponding Saint's part.]
"…Hah?"