No one knew how much time had passed.
"Such audacity..."
Ringo supported herself against the wall with one hand, recovering her strength.
Kiyoshi's skills were indeed formidable. The unleashed Lightning chakra was a sight to behold for Ringo.
At the same time, she further solidified her belief that Kiyoshi was the most different Uchiha.
Kiyoshi had already left. She looked at the mess on the ground, her face flushing red.
She used ninjutsu to clean up all the traces.
Inside the wooden door, Raiga frowned deeply.
The pain was subsiding, and his consciousness was regaining clarity.
Just now, what was that sound of Lightning chakra erupting outside?
And a Water Release ninjutsu as well.
Could it be that those two had a conflict?
A glimmer of anticipation arose in Raiga's heart.
Infighting was good. That way, he would have a chance to escape.
Kiyoshi had severed his hands, but a hand had grotesquely grown out of his chest.
After getting out, he might still be able to continue being a ninja.
"Hee hee hee..."
Raiga couldn't suppress his laughter.
"You're not getting any food tomorrow!"
Hearing the sound from inside, Ringo's cheeks burned at the thought of what Kiyoshi had done.
Now, hearing Raiga's laughter annoyed her.
Kiyoshi was responsible for research and finding creatures with the White Snake for experiments, while she was responsible for guarding and providing the food and drink here.
Her original goal was simple: to cooperate with Kiyoshi, cure her illness, and then be done with each other.
But now that such a thing had happened, Ringo's thoughts were in turmoil.
When a person's social circle is very small, anyone who barges in will leave a mark.
It was as if Kiyoshi had taken a mop, dipped it in ink, and splattered it everywhere.
"So troublesome..."
Ringo murmured.
But the corners of her mouth revealed shark-like teeth.
This kind of contact...
In the dark and indifferent Kirigakure, she had never been experienced this kind of thing before.
...
The sun in the sky quietly slipped westward, and faint specks of light began to gradually brighten in the darkness, with countless stars hanging across the night sky.
"Fugaku, is it truly something even I can't know?"
Mikoto gently bit her lip, her eyes filled with tears, her voice so low it could barely be heard in the night wind.
In the past few months, she had been acting everywhere with the clansmen, defending against invasions from various countries taking advantage of the chaos, and dealing with rogue ninjas wandering in the ninja world with painstaking effort.
But Fugaku still guarded against her like an outsider, not telling her what he was hiding.
"Mikoto, I have my difficulties."
Fugaku looked at Mikoto with a wry smile. It wasn't that he didn't want to tell Mikoto. It was just that this matter was too important.
Since obtaining that new power, Fugaku had never used it again.
That power was undoubtedly a powerful force completely different from the past.
The extent of his dōjutsu made Fugaku's heart palpitate. But he also discovered the side effects.
That was that Susanoo placed an enormous burden on the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Fugaku had only used it once for a short time but he still felt his vision decline.
The Uchiha are a cursed clan. The Uchiha clan was originally a family burdened with a curse.
The more they used this power, the more they would be backlashed by it, until eventually, their eyes would gradually go blind in consumption, as if sealed up.
"I understand, Fugaku."
Mikoto forced a knowing smile.
She and Fugaku were only separated by the last thin layer.
But this thin layer had unknowingly become increasingly thick.
If it weren't for the sudden war, perhaps she and Fugaku would have already been together.
"Mikoto..."
Fugaku's lips parted, wanting to say something, but ultimately he didn't say anything.
Recently, the higher-ups in Konoha had been pressuring him, trying to find out something.
As for the secret of the Mangekyō, he decided to remain silent forever, until the Uchiha have enough power to confront the village.
Otherwise, once this is exposed, it will surely invite the animosity of Konoha.
After the war, the Uchiha will definitely be the first to be targeted.
Until the end, Fugaku could only watch Mikoto's departing figure.
"This is for the Uchiha." Fugaku sighed deeply.
He only hoped that when the time was right, he could properly explain things to Mikoto.
"If you play the pig to eat the tiger for too long, you'll really become a pig."
Kiyoshi, returning to the base from outside, saw this scene from afar, his eyes flickering slightly.
He clearly saw Mikoto and Fugaku's lip movements and their expressions.
Honestly, Kiyoshi hadn't expected Fugaku to be so patient.
The Mangekyō Sharingan was seen in the anime, but Fugaku never used it.
He only showed it when he was about to be killed by Itachi, and the Mangekyō Sharingan went to eternal sleep with Fugaku.
As for the whereabouts of these eyes, whether they were taken by Itachi or obtained by Danzo, the plot did not provide an answer.
This pair of Mangekyō Sharingan had not been used much at all.
After thinking about it, Kiyoshi quickly walked towards his tent. Before long, he took out a box of pastries.
He had bought this a month ago when he had gone to a small town near the border with the clansmen to purchase supplies.
To maintain the expenses of so many people, a large amount of food is needed.
"Mikoto-nee, are you busy?"
Kiyoshi asked, standing outside Mikoto's tent.
"No, come in, Kiyoshi."
Mikoto inside the tent, hearing Kiyoshi's voice, rubbed her somewhat reddened eyes and let Kiyoshi in.
"What is this?"
Mikoto noticed that Kiyoshi was carrying a box of pastries.
"Mikoto-nee has always taken such good care of me, how can I not bring something out?"
Kiyoshi's lips curved up, and his handsome face was filled with a sunny smile. He shook the dessert in his hand.
Sasuke and Itachi both liked to eat desserts, more or less inheriting Mikoto's characteristics.
"You child, why did you spend money?"
A hint of a smile appeared on Mikoto's pretty face.
Kiyoshi had actually figured out her preferences.
She took the dessert from Kiyoshi, which contained dango.
Mikoto split it in half and handed it to Kiyoshi.
She said gently, "I can't finish this much, let's share."
"Okay."
Kiyoshi nodded.
He couldn't wait to stay here a little longer.
"By the way, is there a girl in the clan that you like? Kiyoshi is old enough to get engaged too." Mikoto said.
In the Sengoku era, people of this age could already have children.
It had only been a few decades since the Uchiha had merged into Konoha, and many traditional customs had still not changed.
The larger the ninja clan, the harder it is to change.
Afte all, their traditions are deeply ingrained, while those of smaller ninja clans change very quickly.
"No."
Kiyoshi shook his head.
"Really?"
A rare hint of playfulness appeared on Mikoto's gentle expression.
"I... I think Mikoto-nee is quite good, others... I always feel a bit distant from me."
Kiyoshi lowered his head, the dango in his hand swaying, like a shy teenager.
Mikoto was stunned.
Then, on second thought, Kiyoshi's parents were both dead, and he lacked love since he was a child.
It was normal for him to have such thoughts when meeting a caring older sister.
"That's not okay, actually, I already have..."
Mikoto wanted to say she already had a boyfriend. But she and Fugaku hadn't settled down at all, separated by a thin layer.
Her eyes suddenly dimmed again.