The faces of everyone present turned grim. Knowing the truth was one thing, but having it exposed so brazenly was another matter entirely.
Yugito dropped her act, her expression turning dark. "What did you miscalculate?"
Kawasaki stepped closer, his fists clenched. "I killed that guy with a single punch. It has nothing to do with the Hyuga clan."
"You!"
Yugito was both shocked and enraged.
"Heh! Don't ask. I just didn't like the look of him, so I killed him," Kawasaki said, his tone dripping with provocation. "If you've got a problem with it, come and kill me."
"Killer B!" Yugito roared.
"Lariat!"
Clad in a Tailed Beast Cloak, Killer B had been waiting for this moment. Surging with Lightning Release chakra, he charged forward at blinding speed. The ground cracked beneath his feet, shattering the fine stone tiles as he closed the distance.
"Kawasaki!" Hizashi cried out in alarm, stunned by the sudden turn of events.
Fugaku, however, simply crossed his arms, his face a mask of confidence in Kawasaki.
It all happened in an instant.
BOOM! BANG!
A deafening explosion sent dust and debris flying everywhere. From within the cloud, a colossal golden giant erupted into existence.
This was no rudimentary, skeletal Susanoo. It was a complete form, covered in ethereal flesh and sinew, and wrapped in an outer layer of armor-like chakra. The sheer power radiating from it was like a tangible storm, staggering everyone present.
Killer B was swatted down like an insect, pinned to the ground.
"Susanoo!!!" a collective gasp of shock echoed across the plaza.
The Third Hokage's face grew even darker. He never imagined that Kawasaki also possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Yugito's heart hammered against her ribs. Was this the divine power of the Uchiha?
"Damn it! Raaagh!" Killer B bellowed, refusing to accept defeat despite being completely suppressed. He struggled against the immense pressure, his body undergoing a significant transformation. Vile, dark-red Tailed Beast chakra erupted from him, forming a swirling tail.
Partial Tailed Beast Transformation!
Just as Kawasaki's Susanoo was about to raise its hand to strike, another massive figure appeared. BOOM! A second Susanoo, this one a deep, dark purple, materialized and slammed its hand down on top of the first.
It was Fugaku, who had also unleashed his Susanoo!
With two of the divine constructs standing side-by-side, the surrounding ninja lost their footing, thrown off balance by the overwhelming aura. Under the combined divine might, Killer B was instantly crushed.
The sickening sound of bones shattering filled the air, followed by Killer B's agonized scream. He fell unconscious, the Tailed Beast Cloak around him slowly dissipating.
Yugito was frozen in terror. The Susanoo was this powerful? It had completely overwhelmed the Eight-Tails' partial transformation?
Kawasaki's Susanoo reached down and picked up the unconscious Killer B.
"You want a war? I can crush Killer B right now. The choice is yours, Yugito."
With Killer B's life hanging by a thread, Yugito's hands were tied. "Wait! What do you want, Kawasaki!"
Kawasaki stood at the center of the plaza, encased in his invincible Susanoo. "Nothing much. This whole incident was a trap you set, wasn't it? What's the matter? Can't handle it now that you've fallen into it yourself?"
His face was a mask of mockery, but Yugito had no retort. Not only was Killer B his hostage, but she had never anticipated that the Uchiha clan would have two Mangekyo Sharingan users.
By comparison, the Hokage's faction looked like cowards, perfectly aware of the Hidden Cloud's scheme yet choosing to sacrifice the Hyuga to resolve it.
The commotion caused by the two Susanoo drew more and more ninja to the scene.
Yugito's expression was bleak. They had been utterly defeated. She gritted her teeth. "The Hidden Cloud has lost this time. Please, spare Killer B."
Kawasaki nodded to Fugaku, and they both dispelled their Susanoo. He then tossed the heavily injured Killer B directly to the Konoha shinobi.
"This peace treaty is unsatisfactory. The terms must be renegotiated." Kawasaki made it up on the spot. He knew nothing about the treaty's contents, but it was a perfect opportunity to do Konoha a favor at no cost to himself.
As for why he was doing Konoha a favor...
"Third Hokage," Kawasaki said, turning to Hiruzen. "Our clan's new compound is quite secure. We won't be needing your protection anymore. I'd hate to accidentally injure any of our 'fellow villagers'."
Kawasaki intentionally emphasized the words "fellow villagers."
The Third Hokage finally stepped forward. "During the construction of the Uchiha compound, we stationed a number of Anbu guards to prevent any troublemakers from interfering." He paused, glancing at the injured Killer B. "Now that the compound is complete, we will naturally withdraw them."
Kawasaki nodded, then turned to Hiashi. "Lord Hiashi, you are welcome to visit our new compound anytime."
Hiashi first shot a cold glare at the Third Hokage before replying to Kawasaki with genuine sincerity. "Once I have settled my clan's affairs, I will certainly pay a visit."
"Let's go!" Kawasaki called out to Fugaku and the other Uchiha, and they turned to leave.
Seeing the look the Hyuga were giving him, the Third Hokage knew he had been outmaneuvered by the Uchiha once again. But the Hidden Cloud had indeed sent him a bribe. Steeling himself, he met the Hyuga's gazes and turned to Yugito. "Yugito, it seems there have been some complications with our peace agreement. I believe we need to discuss this further."
After Kawasaki and Fugaku returned to the Uchiha compound, Fugaku swayed unsteadily on his feet. Kawasaki quickly moved to support him.
"Clan Head, you didn't have to intervene. I could have handled the Cloud ninja on my own."
Fugaku pressed a hand to his eye and slowly sat down. "You were too impulsive. If Yugito had also made a move, you wouldn't have been able to handle two Jinchuriki alone. I had to step in to help you bring Killer B under control quickly."
Fugaku was breathing heavily, a dull ache throbbing in his eyes. His vision had blurred a little more.
Seeing how much Fugaku had worried for him, Kawasaki felt a pang of guilt. The reason he had been so bold in provoking the Cloud was that his own Mangekyo Sharingan was a fusion of several different powers, making his ocular prowess far superior to a standard Mangekyo. Achieving the Eternal Mangekyo was only a matter of time. His second-stage Susanoo alone had been enough to put Killer B at a disadvantage. If necessary, he could have activated the third stage on the spot. No one there would have been able to stand against him. At this point, he was already the strongest in Konoha. The Uchiha no longer needed to bend to the will of the village.
"Clan Head, is your vision getting blurry?"
"I can still see for now, but I can't use it many more times." Fugaku's voice was tinged with sorrow. To have finally awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, only to find that such incredible power was fleeting.
Would Itachi also lose his sight in the future?
Would Kawasaki face the same fate?
Sensing the bitterness in Fugaku's heart, Kawasaki offered a faint smile. "Don't worry, Clan Head. There are two ways to restore the sight of the Mangekyo Sharingan."
"Oh!?" Fugaku's spirits lifted, his eyes filled with hopeful anticipation.
Kawasaki paused for a moment in thought before continuing. "Clan Head, you know of the major chakra natures in the shinobi world, right? Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Lightning, Yin, and Yang."
"And our Sharingan is awakened through the power of Yin Release."
"Yin Release?" Fugaku mulled over the term. He was, of course, familiar with it, but he didn't quite understand its connection to the Sharingan. Madara Uchiha's departure had resulted in the loss of many of the clan's secret texts, leaving gaps in their knowledge.
"It is known that Yin Release chakra is formed from spiritual energy. When we Uchiha experience extreme emotional trauma, our spiritual energy skyrockets," Kawasaki explained. "This stimulates the brain to release a special kind of chakra, which in turn stimulates the eyes and causes them to mutate. This process is the same for every stage, from the single tomoe to the Mangekyo."
"However, the growth of Yin Release chakra also tends to make a person more somber and brooding. This temperament is what makes the Uchiha seem unapproachable."
"Based on this evolutionary path, Tobirama concluded that our Uchiha clan was a clan of evil. It's truly laughable." Kawasaki's voice was laced with sarcasm for Tobirama Senju. Despite Tobirama's genius in creating ninjutsu, he was a product of his era and his clan's feud. His prejudice against the Uchiha ran deep.
In truth, if a man with his scientific mind had properly researched the Uchiha's Yin Release, Konoha would be a very different place today. Looking across the entire world of Naruto, the only true scientific mind belonged to Orochimaru.
As for Tobirama, he was nothing more than a genius ninja.