"I can still see for now, but I won't be able to use them many more times."
Fugaku's tone carried a hint of desolation. To have finally awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, only to find that such immense power couldn't last…
Would Itachi one day go blind too?
Would Natsuki eventually lose his sight as well?
Natsuki saw Fugaku's frustration and gave a soft chuckle. "Clan Head, you don't need to worry. There are two methods by which the Mangekyō Sharingan can restore its sight."
"Oh!?" Fugaku's spirit stirred, his eyes brimming with anticipation as he looked at Natsuki.
After a moment of thought, Natsuki said, "Clan Head, you know the five major chakra natures of the shinobi world—Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, and Lightning."
"And our Sharingan is awakened through something apart from those five—Yin Release."
"Yin Release!?" Fugaku chewed on the words. This was the first time he had ever heard of such a thing.
"Yes, Yin Release. It won't be officially recognized until more than ten years from now. Yin Release is tied to spiritual energy. For example, our Sharingan, or the Yamanaka clan's Mind Transfer techniques—those are all powers of Yin Release."
"When our Sharingan evolves, Yin chakra increases. It makes a person darker, more brooding."
"And that bumpkin Tobirama, because he didn't recognize Yin chakra, concluded that our Uchiha were an 'evil' clan. What a joke."
Natsuki's tone was full of scorn toward Senju Tobirama. Though Tobirama had invented many jutsu, his mind was bound by his era and clan hatred. His prejudice against the Uchiha blinded him.
Had he truly studied Yin Release with his scientific mind, Konoha would never have turned out the way it did.
Looking at the shinobi world as a whole, only Orochimaru truly counted as a pure researcher. Tobirama, at best, was merely a genius shinobi.
"Is that really so!?" Fugaku was shaken to his core. He had always believed Tobirama's hostility came from the death of his brother. But now, he saw there was a deeper layer to it.
"Of course," Natsuki continued. "Where there's Yin Release, there's also Yang Release. Those who carry Yang chakra are the Uzumaki clan and the Senju clan."
"The Uzumaki's vast chakra and vitality."
"The Senju's powerful constitution and regenerative ability."
"Even the Akimichi clan's secret techniques of size expansion are tied to Yang chakra."
"You've heard the stories about Hashirama, haven't you, Clan Head?"
Fugaku nodded. His generation grew up with the tales of Hashirama, the God of Shinobi. His family had even kept written records of his feats.
"Self-healing without hand signs!?" Fugaku's insight struck him, and he blurted out.
Natsuki nodded. "Hashirama possessed the rare Sage Body. His body brimmed with vitality—he didn't even need seals to recover from wounds."
"So, Clan Head, the first method is the injection of Hashirama's cells."
"Once injected, Yin and Yang merge, producing the power of creation itself."
"Hashirama's cells?" Fugaku frowned.
"He's been dead for so many years. Where would we even get such cells?"
Natsuki chuckled. "Why do you think Orochimaru defected?"
"Hm?" Fugaku knew of Orochimaru's human experiments.
"Ever since Hashirama's death, Konoha has been trying to replicate Wood Release shinobi—experimenting on Hashirama's cells. During the wars, there were plenty of enemy prisoners for such tests. After the wars ended, they turned on their own villagers."
"Did Orochimaru succeed?" Fugaku asked.
Natsuki shook his head. "Both yes and no. Hashirama's cells are too powerful. They experimented on sixty infants—fifty-nine turned into trees. Only one survived."
"Turned into trees…" Fugaku fell silent. He didn't think himself any more exceptional than anyone else.
"Then what's the second method?"
"The second is to evolve the Mangekyō Sharingan into the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. But the price is steep."
Natsuki's voice grew somber. "Do you know why the Sharingan is called the 'cursed eyes'?"
"It's because the second method requires transplanting the Mangekyō of your own kin. When two Mangekyō fuse, the Eternal Mangekyō awakens."
"That's how Uchiha Madara transplanted his brother Izuna's eyes. That's how he became strong enough to rival Hashirama."
"Hahaha! Good! Good! Wonderful! If that's so, then Itachi can preserve his eyes. He can achieve the Eternal Mangekyō!" Fugaku burst into exhilarated laughter.
Rather than sorrow, his first instinct was to give his own eyes to Itachi—so that Itachi could become an unparalleled powerhouse.
Natsuki was amused by Fugaku's reaction. With malicious humor, he said, "Clan Head, you're celebrating too early. Sasuke's talent far surpasses most. His awakening of the Mangekyō is only a matter of time."
Fugaku froze. If Natsuki said Sasuke would awaken it, then it was certain. Between Natsuki's foresight and Sasuke's own potential, there was no doubt.
But that meant—between his two sons—at least one would go blind.
No matter how he thought of it, it was unbearable.
Suddenly, a thought flashed in his eyes.
But Natsuki cut him off, "Don't even think about splitting one eye for each. Only a complete pair can evolve into the Eternal Mangekyō."
Fugaku's brief hope crumbled.
When he turned, he caught Natsuki covering his mouth, laughing.
"Natsuki… you have another way, don't you."
"Of course. Why do you think I've pushed so hard for the Uchiha to become independent? Why did I insist on rooting out all the ANBU spies?"
Fugaku's gaze burned into him.
Natsuki clenched his fists. "Because I want the Uchiha to stand at the summit of the world! I want our clan to be the strongest power alive!"
Taking a deep breath, he declared:
"I want every single Uchiha to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan!"
"Every one of them!?" Fugaku's eyes gleamed. The entire clan, wielding godlike power—the vision of Susanoo stomping across nations, conquering all who opposed them—blazed in his mind.
"Whether it's Itachi or Sasuke who inherits your eyes doesn't matter. Lady Mikoto still has a pair of Sharingan, doesn't she?" Natsuki said casually, pulling Fugaku back to reality.
Fugaku frowned. "Even if Mikoto awakened the Mangekyō, if she handed over her eyes, she'd be blind too."
So, Fugaku wasn't indifferent after all. He could accept his own blindness, but not his wife's.
Natsuki rolled his eyes. "Why so narrow-minded? All those Uchiha who died in the wars—didn't we recover their Sharingan? Just transplant a pair back in. They won't have Mangekyō powers, but at least they'll see."
Fugaku was struck as if a new world had opened before him.
Right! Of course—he could transplant another set! He'd still be able to see, even if not with the Mangekyō's might.
During the Third War, many Uchiha had fallen. Their eyes were collected, sealed away for research. Since no one had the talent to make use of them, they had simply been left to gather dust.
"Natsuki… you even know how to awaken the Mangekyō, don't you?" Fugaku's gaze pierced him.
Natsuki tapped his own eyes. "Naturally. The method exists. Success, however, depends on whether the individual possesses the necessary talent and conditions."
"That's enough! That's already more than enough." Fugaku's voice trembled with emotion.
For countless years, the Mangekyō Sharingan had existed only in the clan's secret records. In modern times, he had been the only one to awaken it. And that, purely by accident.
But now—things were different.
"Now that we've moved the clan compound and removed the ANBU spies, the Uchiha Clan Head can finally issue the proper command."
"Command? What command?" Fugaku asked.
"Make children," Natsuki said seriously.
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