Chapter 5: The Sharingan Eye
The moment Ji Lin left, silence lingered at the dormitory entrance for a brief moment.
Mu En stood where he was, his aged eyes following the direction in which that boy had disappeared.
He did not move immediately.
And he did not speak.
He simply remained standing there, as though the scene were still suspended before him.
Then his eyelids lowered slightly.
That imposed loyalty left no room inside him for hesitation.
But even so…
he was not incapable of recognizing how strange what had just happened was.
A disciple.
All of a sudden.
Out of nowhere.
And stranger than all of that…
he had accepted it as though it were an unshakable truth.
A truth that allowed no doubt.
And tolerated no reconsideration.
He turned slowly.
His gray robe stirred lightly with the passing breeze.
Then his steps began to move forward.
They were not fast.
Nor were they slow.
Only steady.
Measured.
As though everything had already settled deep within him.
A short while later, he entered the place where Yan Shaozhe was.
The latter was seated behind his desk, occupied with a few papers.
His fingers turned the pages quietly.
And his eyes moved across the lines with focus.
But the moment he sensed someone standing before him, he raised his head.
And in the next instant, his eyes narrowed slightly.
Mu En's appearance in this manner was not something ordinary.
He rarely moved personally for a minor matter.
And he rarely came to someone without a clear reason.
That fact alone made the atmosphere heavier.
Mu En stopped in front of him.
No visible disturbance appeared on his aged face.
But something deep and heavy lay still in the depths of his gaze.
I am here to tell you something.
Yan Shaozhe's hand stopped moving.
Then he slowly set aside what he was holding.
Something?
A short silence fell.
It was not long.
But it was enough to gather all attention into that moment.
Then Mu En's lips moved slowly.
From today onward, I have a new disciple.
The expression on Yan Shaozhe's face froze for a full second.
As though the words had not reached his ears properly.
Or as though his mind had refused to accept them the first time.
Then his brows slowly drew together.
A new… disciple?
The word left his mouth slowly.
Heavy.
And filled with clear disbelief.
Mu En…
You?
At this age?
It was not only the change in his tone that stood out.
Even the way he sat straightened at once.
That relaxed calm disappeared from his bearing.
And in its place came a sharp attentiveness.
Alert.
Heavy.
He knew very well what these words meant.
Mu En was not a man who opened his mouth about such matters carelessly.
And he was not someone who would grant the title of my disciple to just anyone.
Not so easily.
Not so simply.
And not for any passing reason.
Never.
Mu En fixed his gaze on him.
His name is Ji Lin.
Yan Shaozhe repeated the name to himself once.
Ji Lin…
A name he had never come across before.
It did not belong to any familiar family in his memory.
Nor to any name he had placed within his prior calculations.
A name that had appeared suddenly.
Without prelude.
Without clear roots.
Where did this person come from?
Mu En's expression did not change much.
He appeared today.
The sharpness in Yan Shaozhe's gaze rose slightly.
He appeared only today?
Yes.
And do you know his background?
I know enough.
Yan Shaozhe's eyes narrowed further.
And did you test him?
If I had not tested him, I would not be standing before you now.
Silence fell again.
But this time, it was not the silence of surprise.
It was the silence of thought.
Then…
what made you decide so quickly?
Mu En remained standing calmly.
His hands behind his back.
His posture straight despite the weight of years on his body.
This boy is not simple.
His talent is not ordinary.
But that is not all.
There is a steadiness in him that those his age do not possess.
In his gaze.
In the way he speaks.
In his presence.
He was not afraid.
And he was not flattering.
And he did not stand before me like a child who did not know where to place his feet.
He knew.
And he was calmer than he should have been.
Yan Shaozhe's voice lowered, as though its weight had grown heavier:
And that is enough?
Mu En did not hesitate.
It is enough for me to understand that he is not someone who can be ignored.
And enough for me to place him directly under my watch.
That is why I made him my disciple.
Yan Shaozhe did not respond immediately.
He simply stared at him for a long while.
A straight gaze.
Piercing.
As though his eyes were trying to see through the words themselves.
Then he exhaled slowly.
That alone makes this even stranger.
Because you are not a man who acts on a whim.
Nor a man who picks someone up from the road and makes him his disciple.
Unless there is something…
Something that made you decide so quickly.
Silence fell once more.
But this time, it was deeper.
Heavier.
Clearer.
Yan Shaozhe rose from where he was.
Then took two steps forward.
His gaze was sharper now.
And more focused.
Even his brows lowered slightly, while all his features drew tightly toward Mu En.
Is he an exceptional talent?
Does he carry a special background?
Does he belong to a great power?
Is there something I should know?
Mu En's face remained still.
His expression did not waver.
And his tone did not change.
But his aged eyes remained so steady that his next words felt heavier.
All you need to know for now…
is that he is my disciple.
The words settled into the room.
Then silence fell immediately after them.
Complete silence.
That sentence was not merely a definition of the relationship between master and disciple.
And it was not merely a brief answer meant to end the conversation.
It was a clear boundary.
A direct declaration.
And the marking of a new position within Shrek.
Because the meaning of Ji Lin becoming Mu En's disciple…
was not something simple.
And it was not a title that could be passed over lightly.
It meant that Shrek's attention would turn toward him.
That its resources would begin moving in his direction.
And that Sea God Pavilion itself would place him beneath its shadow.
From this moment onward…
Ji Lin was no longer just a new student who had entered the academy.
He had become a name that could not be ignored.
And someone for whom many calculations would be rewritten.
And from that moment on, many things began to change in secret.
As for Ji Lin himself, he still did not yet know what those words truly meant.
Meanwhile…
Ji Lin entered the dormitory slowly, his thoughts still tangled in his mind.
The previous events had not yet left him, so he did not notice his surroundings immediately.
But when he finally raised his eyes, he saw dust everywhere.
His steps paused for a moment.
His brows lowered slightly.
Then a faint sigh left his chest.
He raised his hand.
Then used the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.
Three copies of him appeared.
They spread throughout the room and began cleaning.
Hands moved quickly.
Dust rose into the air.
And the appearance of the place gradually began to change.
After finishing the cleaning, Ji Lin headed to the cafeteria for a quick light meal.
Each class had its own cafeteria, located behind the dormitory area.
And when he arrived at the first-year students' cafeteria, he found it almost empty.
There was not even a single table or chair…
The place was completely bare, except for a washing basin on one side for washing hands and dishes.
Inside, he saw food-ordering windows, each with its own price.
There were eight windows.
And each window offered a different menu.
The prices also rose gradually from right to left.
His eyes stopped at the emptiness once again.
Then his gaze swept across the entire place.
Could it be that they were actually supposed to eat in the cafeteria without there being any place to sit?
There was even a sign at the entrance clearly warning against taking food out.
He could not hide his surprise at Shrek Academy's strange ways.
It seemed that Flender's spiritual legacy had remained unchanged for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
After taking it in, he headed toward the most expensive order window.
And bought two plates of spirit beast meat with vegetables.
He ate quickly.
Then left the cafeteria.
And when he returned to the dormitory, he found someone waiting for him inside.
Wang Dong'er was standing there.
Her arms were crossed over her chest.
Her back was straight.
And her chin was slightly raised.
Her gaze was cold.
And her tone was even colder.
So you are in this room too.
And since you look relatively clean, I have reluctantly allowed you to live with me.
But there are rules you must follow exactly.
First, you are not allowed to bring anyone into the room whenever you please.
Second, you are not allowed to walk around naked and disturb others.
Third, snoring at night is forbidden.
Fourth, do not disturb me.
Fifth, cleaning the room is your responsibility, but do not touch my bed.
Understood?
Ji Lin remained where he was.
He raised his eyes to her calmly.
His gaze was steady.
And free of any haste.
As for Wang Dong'er, her features remained tense, but that stiffness eased slightly when her eyes fell on his carefully arranged clothes.
His clothes were clean.
Orderly.
And disciplined, just like his personality.
He lifted his head a little more.
Then his voice came out calm, direct, without hesitation:
I am sorry, I cannot accept your demands…
And I do not like your attitude to begin with.
Deep inside, there were complicated feelings toward her.
But that was not enough to make him bow.
And it was not enough to turn him into a tame dog like Huo Yuhao.
His status did not allow him to submit.
Nor did his pride.
Wang Dong'er fixed her gaze on him.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Then her face flared with anger.
Hah? How dare you refuse me?
Then your disappearance from Shrek Academy is probably only a matter of time.
It seems you are dissatisfied with me.
And if you do not submit willingly…
then I will force you to!
She charged toward him.
And shoved him outside.
Then she raised her hand and pointed toward the open courtyard in front of the dormitory.
She was determined to subdue him by force.
As for Ji Lin, he stood where he was without retreating.
His feet settled firmly.
And his shoulders relaxed.
But his eyes remained sharp.
Then a cold smile formed on his lips.
Make your move first.
Otherwise, you will not get any chance at all.
He was calm in a striking way.
Calmer than he should have been before a direct confrontation.
But that calm was not emptiness.
It was confidence.
Confidence built from experience, and from the skills and techniques he had gained from Kenshiro, Rei, and Itachi Uchiha…
In his current state, Wang Dong'er was no match for him.
In fact, no one below the level of Spirit Elder was capable of touching him.
Wang Dong'er
was remarkably beautiful.
And yet, there was something that spoiled the scene slightly in his eyes.
Wang Dong'er was still wearing men's clothes.
If not for that, the overwhelming presence carried by the spirit would have felt more complete.
Even so, Ji Lin could not ignore what was clearly before him.
Wang Dong'er's chest seemed slightly fuller than that of any other boy.
And his face also seemed more attractive.
Even while wearing men's clothes, the youthful lines of his body were still clear before Ji Lin's eyes.
Wang Dong'er's gaze slid toward Ji Lin with obvious confidence.
His chin lifted slightly.
And his tone settled sharply and coldly in the air:
What is your spirit? You should have surrendered earlier. The Butterfly of Light is the highest among light spirits… admit your defeat, and I will spare you. That is why I will not use it against you.
Despite his pride, it was not hard to notice another side of him.
He had not yet fully controlled his power.
And because of that, he feared he might hurt Ji Lin in the fight if he used his spirit directly.
Ji Lin, meanwhile, remained calm.
His expression did not waver.
And he raised his brow slightly.
Then fixed his gaze on him with complete steadiness.
And what if my spirit is stronger than yours?
Disdain quickly appeared on Wang Dong'er's face.
Hah… are you still pretending? There is no spirit in this world stronger than the Butterfly of Light.
Ji Lin remained calm.
Then his voice came out steady, without haste:
Then let us make a bet.
If I am weaker than you, I will be your younger brother from now on.
And if you lose, then you will be my younger brother, and you will have to follow my orders.
The words left him with complete confidence.
His voice was not loud.
But that same calm made his confidence even clearer.
And deep inside, he knew very well what he wanted from this bet.
As long as Wang Dong'er agreed to this condition, he would be able to carry out his good deeds without any problem.
And Wang Dong'er did not hesitate even for a moment.
The challenge was clear in his eyes.
And it was equally clear that he was eager to see Ji Lin admit defeat with his own mouth.
Of course! If I lose, I will do whatever you want.
And the moment Ji Lin was certain of his agreement, he released his spirit.
For a brief moment, his pupils remained normal, as though nothing in them had changed yet.
But in the very next instant, that strange transformation began.
Very slowly, and under a suffocating inner pressure, his pupils widened.
And the dark black gradually began to recede from the iris.
As it withdrew, a glowing crimson-red color was revealed from the depths of his eye.
That color spread slowly.
Then settled firmly within the iris.
Until his eye looked as though it had lit up from within with a cold and frightening gleam.
Then a single black tomoe appeared around the pupil.
It was not a circle.
Nor a straight line.
But a curved black mark, sharp, and unmoving.
And with the appearance of that single black tomoe, his eye became a complete Sharingan.
His eye became a clear crimson.
Cold.
And unnaturally sharp.
And that single tomoe was enough to grant it a mysterious dread and a hidden weight.
As though it no longer belonged to an ordinary human.
Anyone who looked directly into that eye would feel deep inside that every movement they made had become exposed.
And that even the slightest change in their body was no longer capable of hiding.
It was no longer merely a human eye…
It had become an eye that observed the finest details without mercy.
And caught the smallest disturbances.
And followed the opponent's movements moment by moment.
As though every slight change had become completely visible before it.
Sharingan…
But it was not the Sharingan alone.
Deep within that crimson color, the traits of the Spirit Eyes merged with it in a quietly terrifying way.
And granted that gaze a sharp visual perception.
Precise vision.
And a piercing spiritual awareness.
Until it seemed as though it did not merely see the outer appearance.
But observed the change in breathing.
The tremor of muscles.
And the shifting flow of power within the body.
In that moment, Wang Dong'er froze in place.
His confident smile disappeared.
And that lightness that had filled his features only moments ago faded away.
In its place came taut silence.
And hidden shock.
That eye was not reading his thoughts…
But it saw enough to move ahead of his actions.
It saw the disturbance in his muscles before he moved.
And it saw the change in his breathing before the rhythm of his attack shifted.
And it saw the deviation of power in his body before it turned into a real action.
A heavy silence filled the place.
Until even the air itself seemed frozen between them.
And his calm smile alone was enough to send dread into the heart.
In that moment, the balance of power between them suddenly overturned.
And the challenge Wang Dong'er had accepted turned into a real confrontation.
A confrontation before a hybrid eye.
A crimson Sharingan eye with a single cold tomoe, while deep within it the traits of the Spirit Eyes had blended in a quietly terrifying way.
It had become a glowing crimson mirror.
The eye of demons and geniuses.
And the eternal curse of the Uchiha clan.
Sharingan…