Sasuke woke up the next day.
The first thing he did upon opening his eyes was clutch his head — the searing pain of forcibly awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan was still fresh in his mind.
"So… these are the eyes Itachi once possessed?"
He pulled out a small mirror he always carried with him, activated his new dojutsu, and stared at his reflection.
Don't ask why Sasuke carried such a thing. When you're an edgy teenager, vanity is just part of the package — anyone who's been there knows.
"Excellent… I can feel this power surging through me!"
Sasuke clenched his fists, fully immersed in his dramatic phase once again.
Shinji, watching from the side, couldn't help but speak up.
"That power has its limits. If you keep wasting it like this, you'll likely go blind within a year."
"Huh?" Sasuke looked up, shocked. "Why would that happen?"
Shinji cleared his throat, glancing subtly at Tobi before launching into a lecture with an air of wisdom.
"True power of the Uchiha lies only in the Mangekyō Sharingan. But awakening it is incredibly difficult. Those who succeed are geniuses among geniuses, and they must first endure the agony of losing someone dear to them. Only then is there a chance it will manifest."
Tobi's body trembled slightly, as if recalling some painful memory.
Hearing this, Sasuke gritted his teeth. Did Itachi massacre the clan just to obtain those eyes?!
Shinji read his thoughts instantly.
"It's not what you think. Itachi awakened his Mangekyō long before that night. The trigger was witnessing the death of his closest friend — Shisui Uchiha."
He paused, seeming reluctant to dwell on the subject, then continued. "But that's beside the point. Originally, if you wanted this power, you would have had to walk that same path. You might even have had to sever the bond that matters most to you."
Sasuke fell silent as he thought it through. If he truly believed that was the only way to get stronger, he wouldn't hesitate to do it.
And when he thought about his most important bond… for some reason, Naruto's goofy, grinning face popped into his head.
Kill Naruto?
Could he really bring himself to do that?
Shinji continued, "But you don't need to worry about that anymore. Using the power granted to me by Lord Jashin, I helped you bypass that hardest step entirely. You've awakened it without the cost. Though it cost me thirty years of my own lifespan… since you call me brother, I couldn't just let you fail."
"Brother Shinji…"
Sasuke was deeply moved. He sacrificed so much for me.
And this wasn't the first time. Last time, when he awakened the Three‑Tomoe Sharingan… how many years of life had Shinji given up then?
"Once I have my revenge, I will spend the rest of my life repaying your trust and kindness!" Sasuke vowed silently.
Tobi's eyes widened. He can sacrifice his own life force to awaken a Kekkei Genkai in someone else?
He had never heard of such an ability before. It made him wonder… did this Lord Jashin truly exist? He was starting to have his doubts.
Only Deidara found it odd. If you're already immortal, subtract thirty years… how much does that even matter?
Seeing the emotional peak had been reached, Shinji said, "Don't look so miserable. Helping you is also helping myself. But listen closely and remember what I'm about to tell you."
Sasuke instantly straightened up, his expression serious.
"As far as I know, the Mangekyō Sharingan is not the final form of the Uchiha's bloodline limit. It can evolve further."
"Brother Shinji… is that really true?!" Sasuke was stunned.
Even Tobi looked surprised, not expecting Shinji to know so much about the Sharingan — secrets that deep.
"It is. The Mangekyō is only the beginning. Your left and right eyes each hold a unique power waiting for you to discover and master. And as you grow accustomed to it, you will gain access to a mighty ability called Susanoo."
Sasuke's eyes went wide, completely captivated.
"But!" Shinji raised a finger. "These powers come with a heavy price. The more you use them, the faster your vision fades. Eventually, you will be totally blind and unable to use them ever again. Itachi is already at that stage. If you don't surpass him within the next year or two, the next time you meet, he may not be able to see you at all."
Sasuke felt a jolt in his chest. He never imagined there was so much hidden behind those eyes.
The thought that Itachi would soon lose his sight filled him with conflicting emotions.
Then he remembered something and asked urgently, "Brother Shinji… you must know a way to stop it, right?"
Pleased by how well Sasuke played the role of the attentive apprentice, Shinji nodded. "There is a solution. Before you lose your sight completely, you must transplant another pair of Mangekyō Sharingan into your own eye sockets. Then they will evolve into the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. After that, you will never fear blindness again, and your power will increase drastically."
"…Transplant eyes?!"
Sasuke never expected the answer to be so straightforward and brutal.
"Do you remember why Itachi always said you lacked capacity? Because back then, you didn't possess eyes like these. You weren't qualified to stand before him."
Shinji spoke with deep meaning.
Cold sweat suddenly broke out on Sasuke's back. "I see… So all this time, what Itachi truly wanted… was my Mangekyō Sharingan?"
It was a logical conclusion. Although Sasuke knew there was more to the clan massacre than he understood, the misunderstanding between him and Itachi had not yet been resolved.
Shinji didn't correct him. Instead, he said vaguely, "The answers we believe to be certain are often hiding a twist behind them. I hope that when that day truly comes, you won't regret the choice you make."
Master of riddles…
Sasuke half‑understood, half‑guessed, but didn't press further. A heavy sense of urgency pressed down on his chest.
Then Shinji added, "This is the limit of what I can do for you. To attain the Eternal Mangekyō… and whatever lies beyond that… you must walk the rest of the way alone."
Curious as he was about what could exist above the Eternal Mangekyō, Sasuke didn't ask. Shinji had said no more, and reaching too high too soon was foolish.
"I will never forget what you have done for me, Brother Shinji," Sasuke said with utmost sincerity.
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