"Absurdly strong."
Standing upon Susanoo's brow, Senya savored the rush of overwhelming power.
The Totsuka Blade amplified the avatar's attack beyond anything he had imagined.
After a few motions of the golden giant, he dismissed Susanoo.
When he landed, he calmed the racing flow of ocular power and chakra.
That last stroke had been too great.
Further testing might draw clan shinobi or even ANBU.
He had no wish to expose himself.
Once his chakra steadied, he used Earth Release to smooth the torn terrain.
Then he triggered Summon Flash and left the grounds.
...
Meanwhile, in the Uchiha compound, the Great Elder abruptly set his papers down as his scarlet three tomoe spun to life.
He had felt a terrifying surge of pressure.
His Sharingan had not opened by choice.
It had flared to resist that presence.
In the next beat he flickered away.
The guards around him, eyes red as well, traded shocked looks and followed.
On a rooftop, the Great Elder stared toward the training grounds.
He was almost certain the pressure had blasted from that direction.
Yet once he reached open air, it was gone.
"Strange. Why did my Sharingan send me a feeling of fear?"
"And that feeling has only ever come from that man."
A domineering silhouette rose in his mind.
That man.
A taboo none wished to name.
He shook his head and forced the fear down.
Behind him, the guards appeared and stood facing the same way.
"Anyone training inside the grounds?"
He glanced over the open-eyed sentries and asked.
"Apparently not. We have already sent a team to scout."
The leftmost guard, likely the captain, stepped forward at once.
"Curious. And tonight's moon seems unusually bright."
After a moment's thought he shook his head and dropped from the roof.
In time, word came back that the grounds were empty.
With no clue to follow, he set the matter aside.
He would not assign further investigation.
He was already overburdened with securing the position of young clan head for Fugaku.
After this war, Fugaku led the field by a wide margin.
The seat was as good as his.
But at such times there could be no relaxation.
He would not invite extra trouble. Finish the important task first.
...
Root.
Shimura Danzo sat upon the central seat.
As he listened to the report from the watcher assigned to the Uchiha quarter, his brows drew hard together.
"You are saying an extremely powerful chakra rose from the direction of the training grounds and briefly broke your sensing?"
He fixed the kneeling sensor ninja with a dead-eyed stare.
"Yes, Lord Danzo. By the time I recovered, the chakra had vanished. I could not locate it."
Unmoved by that gaze, the Root shinobi answered like a machine.
Root's inhuman training had long since pared away the softness of ordinary feeling.
"I understand. You may leave."
Danzo flicked a hand, dismissing the room.
When they were gone, a strange ripple stirred from behind him.
Soon a willowy figure glided into view.
"What do you make of it?"
Danzo clearly knew the visitor and did not react.
"Fufufu. You mean someone in the Uchiha has grasped that kind of power again."
The figure swayed forward.
Under the lamp, a pale and eerie face came clear.
It was one of the Sannin, Orochimaru.
"I do not care about that. You are the one asking favors. If you cannot obtain Sharingan, that is not my concern. What you promised me still stands."
A crooked smile crept over the sharp features.
Orochimaru had not yet begun soul transference, nor tasted fear under a Mangekyo's heel.
His obsession was not eyes but life without end.
It had burned in him since his parents died.
"I know."
Danzo gave no change of expression at Orochimaru's mordant tone.
With a glance he signaled and began walking toward the hidden laboratory behind.
In moments their figures faded from sight.
...