After a few days of rest, Sasuke had fully recovered.
As he stretched in his hospital room, he asked Kakashi, who was engrossed in a novel, "Kakashi, when can I be discharged?"
Kakashi didn't look up. "Your body has indeed recovered, but I'd recommend staying in the hospital for a few more days. The Mangekyō Sharingan puts a heavy strain on your body. At your age, it must be difficult to bear."
"I'm fine!"
Sasuke sounded completely confident.
Kakashi glanced at him. "If you want to leave the hospital just so you can challenge Yakumo again, I won't allow it!"
"Why?"
Knowing what mattered most to Sasuke, Kakashi coaxed him. "Don't you still want revenge? What's the point of challenging Yakumo again? You'll only expose more of your abilities!"
Sasuke was indeed conflicted.
Of course, he knew that overusing the Mangekyō Sharingan would expose his abilities, but his crushing defeat still weighed on him. He couldn't accept that, after awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, he had lost to Yakumo—and so miserably, too.
Whenever he thought about it, he felt almost too ashamed to face his classmates at the Ninja Academy.
Seeing Sasuke hesitate, Kakashi continued, "You rushed into your last challenge."
"Yeah!"
Sasuke nodded.
He'd spent the past few days reflecting, and realized that challenging Yakumo right after awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan—and after the leader had drained his Chakra all night—had been far too reckless.
Kakashi lifted his forehead protector. "When I first got this Sharingan transplanted, it took me a long time just to get used to it. The Mangekyō Sharingan is far more powerful than the Tomoe Sharingan, so it must be even harder to adapt to."
Sasuke stubbornly insisted, "I've already adapted!"
Kakashi smiled. "Wasn't Yakumo defeated by Shinji right after her surgery? The more powerful the ability,