Orochimaru's Laboratory.
"Brother, what did master have us come here to do?"
Sasuke had been about to sleep after finishing his training when Senyo summoned him with an order.
Itachi looked at Sasuke's eyes and sighed. "Your wish is about to come true."
Sasuke froze for a moment, then asked in wild joy, "Is Master going to help me awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan?!"
Itachi nodded.
"Between Father and us, only one person could originally become an Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan user."
In truth, besides swapping eyes, the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan also required the fusion of ocular power to come into being.
Of the two people, only one could become an Eternal Mangekyō.
But who told Senyo to hold the reward from the Star of Bonds in his hand?
Sasuke looked at Itachi in surprise. This was the first time Itachi had told him any of this.
"But you're already an Eternal Mangekyō user, Brother."
Though he did not ask the rest aloud, Itachi naturally understood what Sasuke meant.
His gaze deepened. "This was all Senior Senyo's doing."
"Without Senior Senyo, you would never have had any chance of obtaining the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan in this life."
Sasuke opened his mouth, not understanding why Itachi was being so serious today.
"I understand, Nii-san."
Though he was still somewhat confused, he nodded earnestly.
Itachi's reaction was not strange. Jade could not become useful without carving.
In the past, Itachi had always shielded Sasuke from the wind and rain, but Otsutsuki Toneri's appearance—
It had made true what Senyo said years ago, meaning the dangers ahead would increase geometrically.
Itachi also remembered how Sarutobi Hiruzen had fooled him into becoming an idiot back then.
He needed Sasuke to understand Senyo's kindness too.
Itachi was not being needlessly cautious. Sasuke had never known that