For all his years, Uchiha Madara had met his share of arrogant upstarts.
But this brat took the trophy.
"Give me a minute—gonna awaken a Mangekyō."
Who even says that? If the Mangekyō were that easy, the Uchiha would've ruled the continent ages ago.
"I get your eagerness," Madara said through a throb in his temple, forcing calm, "but awakening the Mangekyō isn't trivial. Even I paid a price."
"And yet," Uchiha Sogetsu slid fingers into his fringe, eyes cool with mockery, "you're still a loser. Don't lump me in with you."
Madara's gaze went cold. "Watch your tongue, whelp. I lost to Hashirama—but I'm not yours to mock."
"Am I wrong?" Sogetsu's insolence didn't waver. He was playing the role he wanted them to see—a monster in velvet gloves, hungry for power.
"Fine," Madara rasped, composure snapping back into place. "Show me how you'll awaken it."
"Like this."
Sogetsu went still. His eyes lost focus—blank, depthless.
What trick is this? Black Zetsu frowned. It had seen many Mangekyō births in a thousand years; it had never seen this.
Minutes bled away. Convinced the boy couldn't hear them, Black Zetsu whispered, "Are you sure about bringing him into your plan, Madara-dono?"
"I don't have time," Madara coughed, fatigue shadowing his eyes. "I need an heir. He's the best option. Arrogance makes him easier to control."
"And if he reneges?"
"He won't." A thin smile. "He'll carry out the Moon's Eye Plan after I die—and resurrect me."
He tapped his eyes; the three tomoe blossomed, turning—Mangekyō flared for an instant.
Black Zetsu relaxed at last. "Heh. As expected of you, Madara-dono."
Candleflame crackled. Wax hissed.
A pressure rolled off Sogetsu—chakra pulsing, invisible but heavy.
"Failed," Madara began, staff scraping stone. "Mere genjutsu can't—"
He choked on the last word.
"So this is the Mangekyō?" Sogetsu opened his eyes. The three tomoe were gone. In their place: a four-spoked windmill spun blood-red in both pupils.
"—?!"
Even Madara and Black Zetsu stood struck like lightning.
He'd… just closed his eyes… and came back with Mangekyō Sharingan?
"Hm. Interesting." Sogetsu tasted the weight of it, a smile tugging. "Two eyes, two different ocular jutsu. I can feel them."
"What did you do?" For once, Madara's composure cracked.
"I told you." Sogetsu's tone was airy. "Give me a minute to awaken a Mangekyō."
"I heard that!" Madara barked. "I'm asking how you awakened it in an instant!"
Sogetsu pushed his glasses. The windmill gleamed. "Genjutsu: Wish-Fulfillment. I hard-hypnotized myself and lived the grief you described—inside a crafted dream. The mind broke; the eyes opened."
Silence. Staring. A little soul death.
Madara's cheek twitched. At last, he harrumphed, salvaging pride by force. "Hmph. Not bad. A little of my style."
Shameless, Black Zetsu thought—then squinted. Indra's reincarnation? It felt plausible.
If not Indra's soul, then this was born talent beyond reason—
A Mangekyō Saint Physique if ever there was one.
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