The restructuring of the Konoha Police Force took time, but fortunately, Uchiha Kai had already prepared for this. He not only formulated a detailed plan, but had also identified the right people to rebuild the organization.
He had also secured a reliable team. As a result, despite the security department being effectively dismantled and restructured from the ground up, the transition wasn't as traumatic as it could have been.
Still, not everyone came out unscathed. The person bearing the heaviest burden was likely Kenta Imai. With two of the original patrol teams rendered ineffective and needing full reorganization, the pressure on his own squad was immense.
Fortunately, Kai had offered substantial compensation. The high pay and the prestige of being named a model team by Kai himself boosted morale among Kenta's subordinates.
Being used as an example for the new squads brought them a strong sense of pride and purpose. Though physically drained, their pride in their work kept them energized.
Kenta, however, could only sigh. Deep down, he felt like he was being exploited by this damn Uchiha. He had plenty of complaints about Kai—so many, in fact, that he no longer knew where to begin.
Still, on the surface, he maintained his usual disarming smile. Friendly to most, but those who truly knew him found the smile artificial—almost unsettling.
Kai sometimes wondered if that grin was the last thing someone would see if Kenta ever decided to stab them in the back.
Regardless, Kai had more pressing matters to attend to.
Uchiha Osamu, a relative Kai and Fugaku had experimented on in secret, had long since been rendered unconscious following the forced awakening of his Sharingan. It had been some time now, and Kai had never stopped keeping tabs on the subject, though his follow-up efforts had waned under the weight of political and organizational responsibilities.
Now, with the Police Force stabilization complete, Kai could once again focus on Osamu's condition.
"It's been long enough," Kai muttered to himself. "The analysis report should be finalized by now."
He made his way down to the hidden laboratory beneath the compound, where Hyuga Aya was already waiting for him.
Aya had been personally requested for this task. Ever since her unofficial meeting with Hyuga Hinata, the restrictions placed on her by the clan elders had been loosened. Without recent field assignments, Aya had poured herself into her medical and anatomical studies—so much so that Kai privately believed she'd be welcomed into Konoha's Medical Corps with ease.
"You're here?" Aya looked up, sensing Kai's approach. She held out a folder. "This is the full diagnostic report you asked for."
"Thanks. You've done well," Kai replied, accepting the document and skimming through it.
Unlike the earlier physiological assessments provided by Fugaku's team—focused mainly on ocular chakra output—Aya's report focused on muscular systems, nerve activity, and chakra circulation.
Surprisingly, Osamu's chakra capacity hadn't increased significantly. But Kai had asked Aya to go deeper—to focus on physical enhancements like muscle reactivity, coordination, and internal balance.
Given her Byakugan, Aya had no difficulty collecting the necessary internal data. The results were illuminating.
"It's fascinating," she commented while Kai read. "Even though he's comatose and has no conscious movement, his muscle fibers are hyperactive and show signs of rapid development."
"If he were still awake," she added, "he'd probably be difficult to restrain."
Kai nodded. "It's not just muscle control. Coordination like that typically relies on the nervous system, not the muscles themselves. If my guess is correct, his neural pathways have been enhanced too. He's adapting at the subconscious level."
Aya blinked. "So his mental acuity—his brain's control over his body—is also evolving?"
"Exactly. Even if we can't measure his cognition, we can infer it from what the nervous system is doing."
She narrowed her eyes, suddenly suspicious. "How do you know all this? Are you saying Osamu's change is the same as yours?"
"Oh? That's a quick deduction," Kai chuckled.
"I haven't read Yu's full report," she admitted, "but I've examined his chakra firsthand. His reserves have grown, even without full consciousness. And his chakra quality has improved—not just the quantity."
Kai sighed, closing the report. "An increase in chakra quality usually means an evolution of technique—or 'jutsu power'—and in the case of the Sharingan, it means his eyes are still progressing."
He hadn't planned to reveal so much, but it was inevitable. After all, Aya's Byakugan could observe almost everything. If she chose to analyze her findings, she'd eventually piece it together.
It was better to tell her directly—to imply trust, even if it was tactical.
Aya spoke slowly. "Muscle adaptation… chakra refinement… nervous system evolution… All of this, tied to ocular changes?"
She raised her gaze. "You're trying to evolve the Sharingan further. Are you after the Eternal Mangekyō?"
"Exactly." Kai sat down. "Why do you think I targeted the Uchiha brothers? The Mangekyō Sharingan alone isn't enough. I need something more—something complete."
His voice turned resolute. "I want eyes that won't fade."
There was silence. Aya didn't respond immediately.
"You didn't try to take Yu's eyes. Why?"
Kai gave a small sigh. "The Mangekyō can only be transplanted between close blood relatives. Siblings are ideal. Even if I share distant ancestry with Osamu and Yu, it's not enough. Compatibility would fail."
Then, his eyes slowly shifted—three tomoe spun before merging into the elegant shape of his Mangekyō Sharingan.
Aya instinctively stepped back. Despite her composure, the sheer pressure from Kai's eyes made her heart race. There was no anger in his gaze, but something about them felt deadly—sharp and calculating.
"I have no intention of taking someone else's eyes," he said evenly. "But I have another method. One that relies on… genetic manipulation."
Aya looked wary, but intrigued.
"Using advanced cellular analysis, we can examine how the Sharingan evolves during early development," Kai explained. "If we can isolate the active gene expressions responsible for ocular growth and adaptation, maybe we can replicate or even enhance them."
Aya frowned. "You want to create a template—use newly developing eyes as a medium to extract their gene sequences and insert them into yourself?"
"That's the idea."
He deactivated his eyes and leaned back slightly.
"I need your help with the biology and implementation. In return, I'll help you reach your own goals. After all… you and I, we're not so different."
Aya was silent for a long while.
Then she nodded. "Fine. I'll help you. But remember your promise. I'm not just helping you—I'm investing in myself."
Kai smiled. "Good. And once you finish the next stage of your research, I'll offer something even more valuable."
"Such as?"
Kai's smile deepened.
"How about… some data on Hyuga Hiashi?"