Even Uchiha Fugaku was utterly stunned. Ryosuke had actually defeated Itachi in a direct contest of Sharingan genjutsu.
This proved one thing clearly: Ryosuke's Three Tomoe Sharingan was easily among the top three in the entire clan.
The top two were undoubtedly himself and Uchiha Shisui, each holding a position.
As for who ranked higher between Ryosuke and either of them, that was still up in the air—there hadn't yet been a direct comparison. But the eerie crimson glow in Ryosuke's eyes made it obvious that his visual prowess was nothing short of ominous—and powerful.
Even Fugaku, the clan leader, wouldn't dare to underestimate it.
The appearance of a powerhouse like Ryosuke within the clan genuinely pleased him. He had long been the only one shouldering the pressure from the Konoha leadership, and it was getting heavy.
Having another formidable ally—especially one aligned with the radical faction—was undoubtedly a good thing. At the very least, Ryosuke would not act against the clan.
And if Ryosuke could awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, then the Uchiha clan would truly have nothing to fear. Even if the higher-ups in Konoha moved against them, it would only end in mutual destruction.
Fugaku hesitated. Should he tell Ryosuke the secret method to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan? It was a power worth obtaining—but the cost of awakening it was not easy to accept.
On the sidelines, Uchiha Izumi stood watching, lips slightly parted in shock.
Ryosuke-nii is really that strong?
Even Itachi couldn't defeat him. Though she was surprised, she found herself surprisingly okay with the outcome. She didn't feel regret or disappointment at Itachi's loss.
Meanwhile, the Uchiha Grand Elder was beaming.
His grandson was too impressive—not only had he awakened the Three Tomoe Sharingan, but he had even defeated Itachi in a genjutsu duel. He had watched both boys grow up and knew exactly how much of a genius Itachi was.
The fact that Ryosuke had bested him said it all.
At that moment, Fugaku turned to his son. Not wanting him to be further embarrassed, he announced:
"Alright, Ryosuke—enough. The match has been decided."
After all, the Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes was a powerful interrogation technique used by the Uchiha. Prolonged exposure would cause severe mental torment.
Ryosuke heard the clan head's words and promptly stopped channeling chakra into his eyes, ending the genjutsu and ceasing his interference with Itachi's chakra flow.
He had already secured a total victory. There was no need to press further—he wasn't going to kill Itachi on the spot, after all.
Itachi felt his senses whirling as the world spun around him. When he finally returned to consciousness, his vision blurred and his head was spinning.
After a moment of recovery, he sighed inwardly. Looks like I'll have to wait for Shisui to return. Maybe then we can put Ryosuke in his place.
What stung even more was that his own father—the clan leader—had no intention of punishing Ryosuke. On the contrary, he seemed pleased. That, more than anything, deeply disappointed him.
Shortly afterward, Fugaku officially dismissed the clan meeting.
There was no longer any reason to accuse Ryosuke of wrongdoing—he had proven himself. In fact, the clan head seemed delighted with him. Punishment? That was off the table.
The clan members dispersed joyfully to their homes, no longer harboring any resentment toward Ryosuke.
On the contrary, many now admired and supported him. What he had said made perfect sense.
Whether radical or moderate, every member of the Uchiha clan viewed Konoha as their home. Naturally, they hoped the village would thrive and not be bullied by outsiders.
The only person left dissatisfied was Uchiha Itachi.
His title of genius had been completely crushed. Worse, Ryosuke's influence was growing, and the radical faction's confidence had surged.
If the radicals gained too much power, their conflict with Konoha's leadership would only intensify—and full-scale civil war was no longer impossible.
The next morning, Ryosuke followed his usual routine, heading into the small grove for training. He continued to strengthen his physical attributes.
After a while, a small figure approached, watching his movements from a distance.
It was Uchiha Izumi.
Ryosuke was a little surprised to see her.
"What brings you here?"
Izumi smiled, clearly curious.
"I wanted to see how you train. You've gotten so strong—maybe it's because of the way you train?"
She was close to graduating from the Academy and aspired to be just as strong as Ryosuke. Being a ninja was dangerous. She wanted to protect her mother and support her household. She needed strength.
Ryosuke immediately thought of a rather comical future—Izumi turning into a muscle-bound brawler girl from overtraining. Looking at her now, with her petite and adorable figure, he waved off the idea with a chuckle.
"Izumi, my training methods aren't really suited for girls. You'd be better off learning another style. Maybe even from Itachi."
Back then, before the Uchiha massacre, Itachi actually treated Izumi kindly.
But Izumi sighed, looking a little dejected.
"Lately, it feels… hard to be around him."
She felt a bit helpless inside. She and Itachi didn't seem to click anymore. Their ideologies were completely different, and it made her feel tense and constrained whenever they were together.
Ryosuke nodded, equally helpless. It really did seem impossible to change Itachi's beliefs now.
Izumi, on the other hand, clearly stood with the Uchiha clan.
When people with conflicting ideologies interact, things naturally get strained. And Izumi didn't seem to have many other people in the clan she was close with.
She hadn't grown up in the Uchiha compound, after all—she had spent her childhood among the Senju clan, and her father was a Senju clansman. It was only natural that she didn't have many friends among the Uchiha.
Ryosuke smiled gently.
"Then I'll teach you the basics of taijutsu."
Basic taijutsu training wouldn't turn her into a bodybuilder, so long as she didn't overdo it like he had.
Hearing that, Izumi broke into a bright smile. Ryosuke was still the one who treated her the best. Their interactions were easy and relaxed. Maybe it was because Ryosuke always looked out for her. There were no clashes between them.
As for the fact that he had once liked her romantically… it didn't bother her. In fact, she didn't feel awkward around him at all.
And so Ryosuke temporarily paused his own training to pass on a few techniques he'd learned from Might Guy, the taijutsu master.
Naturally, this involved a bit of physical contact—correcting her posture, guiding her movements.
Despite her petite build, Izumi's arms, legs, and waist had a pleasant softness and smoothness that was undeniably alluring. She even carried a sweet fragrance on her skin.
Ryosuke found himself unable to resist. His hands playfully squeezed her arms and sides.
Izumi's face flushed. Ryosuke's touch felt surprisingly cool, which made her shiver.
Does Ryosuke-nii really find me that cute? she thought, heart fluttering.
Maybe that's why he just… couldn't get enough of her.
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