Sasuke was breathing heavily, his eyes wild. The Sharingan started spinning, the three-tomoe flashing, and then, something shifted inside him. Pain, rage, and grief surged all at once as his chakra flared violently.
His eyes morphed, the tomoe blending together into a sharp, curved pinwheel. The Mangekyō Sharingan had awakened.
Sasuke didn't even notice. His mind was spiraling as he stood above the corpses of the enemies who had dared to come to him and wanted to give his body to Orochimaru.
He clenched his fists tightly, trembling with emotion. "Danzo… and the others… I swear I'll kill them all." His voice cracked as the black flames of Amaterasu flickered from his palm without his command, scorching the nearby trees.
"Sasuke," Kakashi said quietly, appearing beside him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down."
"Don't stop me Sensei! Those bastards-" Sasuke's eyes snapped to him.
"I already killed two of the elders," Kakashi said simply, his tone even. Upon hearing that Sasuke's heart froze.
"What…?" Sasuke stared at him in disbelief.
"Homura and Koharu," Kakashi said. "They were both part of the council that approved of the Uchiha massacre, right alongside Danzo. I thought from a long time ago that they needed to be removed."
"You… really did that?" Sasuke couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"You're not alone in this. I planned their deaths long ago. Danzo is the only one left. But I won't move without your consent. This part… this is about you and your family." Kakashi nodded.
"My father… my mother… they didn't deserve to die like that," Sasuke spoke, tears threatening to come out again.
"They didn't," Kakashi agreed, in a low voice. "But these elders made a choice to keep secrets and bloodshed buried so it's time we dig them out."
"Then let's kill Danzo." Sasuke stared at the ground. After a moment, he looked up with eyes full of determination.
"I'm glad you've made your choice." Kakashi's Sharingan eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of approval in his gaze.
"But Itachi…He's still out there. He did it with his own hands." Sasuke hesitated. No matter what the reasons, Itachi had killed their clan and their own parents. Sasuke couldn't easily forgive him for this.
"What will you do about him?" Kakashi was silent for a moment.
Sasuke took a deep breath, remembering the sight of his mother's gentle smile his father's calm but stern gaze, and the horror of seeing their lifeless bodies.
"I'll end it with my own hands," he said coldly. "His life… his sins… everything."
"Then I won't stop you." Kakashi nodded.
"You activated it, you know. The Mangekyō. Sharingan." A pause settled between them before Kakashi added.
Sasuke blinked, and only then realized the change in his vision. The spinning pattern in his eye was now different, sharper, deeper.
He activated it again deliberately and felt the pupil's power sink into his mind. In that instant, his abilities came to him like instinct, Amaterasu, the black flames that burned anything; and Kagutsuchi, the control of those flames.
He told Kakashi everything.
"Those powers are unique to you. But be careful. The Mangekyō comes with a price. Overuse will cause blindness." Kakashi nodded.
"Then I'll master it quickly," Sasuke said as he looked into his own reflection in the still pond nearby.
"Good. I'll teach you how to use it properly. But one step at a time." Kakashi smirked faintly.
"Well then, let's not waste these," Kakashi, said as he sealed all the corpses into a scroll.
Then they walked back toward the house, and the sunset cast long shadows over the village. Inside the house, Kurenai, Anko, and Tsunade were waiting, having sensed the fierce chakra earlier. When they saw Sasuke enter with Kakashi, their tense expressions eased.
"I knew he'd be okay." Kurenai gave a small nod.
"Still almost broke the barrier," Anko grinned. "That brat's getting strong."
Tsunade walked forward and looked into Sasuke's eyes, immediately sensing the change.
"So… you awakened it," she murmured. "The Mangekyō Sharingan.
Sasuke looked away for a moment, then nodded.
"You'll need medical support if you're planning to use that often," she warned. "But… I'm proud of you. You're stronger than most of the fools I've met in Konoha."
That night, as the house settled, Kakashi went down to his basement lab. The blackmail scrolls he had obtained from the elders sat in one corner, along with all of Kabuto's stolen genetic notes and Orochimaru's experimental documents.
He had organized them by subject: cellular regeneration, kekkei genkai mutation, and biological compatibility. Kabuto had already solved part of the puzzle, how to adapt traits using enzymes and chakra.
The Genesis Seal was done but he still studied to make it even better than it is, as it still could evolve.
While arranging the scrolls, he remembered something.
'Orochimaru's remnant soul!' He remembered that he still had that from the last time. However, he didn't know if he could extract his knowledge directly through the soul with the Yamanaka clan's jutsu.
….
Upstairs, the women gathered near the balcony, watching the stars. Tsunade looked down and smiled faintly. "He's working late again."
"It means he's doing something special." Kurenai chuckled.
"I hope he's resting a little. Last time he worked for days, and he passed out in the lab." Anko crossed her arms.
"I'll go check," Tsunade said softly, already heading down the stairs.
When she reached the lab, she found Kakashi sitting at the work table, still writing. He looked up as she entered and gave her a tired but gentle smile.
"Don't overdo it, Kakashi." She said as she leaned forward and kissed him gently.
"I won't," Kakashi responded as he pulled her onto his lap.