"..."
Qingyi Lang froze. His alcohol-clouded eyes first flashed with disbelief, then the tiny spark that had just kindled quickly dimmed.
As if he'd heard the biggest joke in the world, his shoulders slumped. He grabbed the bottle and roughly poured himself a full cup of sake.
The clear liquor spilled over the rim and ran all over the table.
"Glug..."
He tipped his head back and downed the fiery liquor in one gulp, then slammed the cup onto the table with a sharp clink.
"Stop messing with me, Sou."
Qingyi Lang smiled bitterly and shook his head. He reached out and fussed with the beef, already slightly charred, on the sizzling grill, but never picked any up.
"What do you need to join the Police Force?
You have to awaken the Sharingan or complete an A-Rank Mission."
He pointed at his eyes and said self-mockingly, "Do you think I'm more likely to complete an A-Rank Mission, or awaken my eyes?
Forget the Sharingan. I can barely even control my chakra well enough to pass.
Can you help me? Can you turn these useless eyes into those red freaky things?"
"..."
Sou watched him, lightly rubbing the edge of his rough teacup with his fingers. He didn't answer right away.
In truth, he really could.
Whether by using genjutsu to simulate the ultimate grief or by stimulating him through special chakra pathways, Sou was confident he could make Tomoe flare to life in Qingyi Lang's ordinary eyes.
But the thought only crossed his mind before Sou snuffed it out.
A common man is not guilty of a crime, but possessing a treasure invites trouble.
Though he'd managed to force his way into the clan's notice through his battle accomplishments, he still wasn't strong enough.
If his friend suddenly awakened the Sharingan too, and even showed abnormal speed of evolution, then not only would the old fogies in the clan descend on him like sharks smelling blood—the Second Generation would as well.
Then Qingyi Lang's whole family would suffer, not just him.
"Awakening the Sharingan depends on fate. You can't rush it."
Sou looked away and brushed the subject aside in a flat tone. He reached inside his robe and felt the hard object, still warm from his body, then flicked his wrist.
"Clack."
A scroll smeared with dark-brown blood and worn around the edges landed on the table, sliding neatly to a stop in front of Qingyi Lang.
"What's this?"
Qingyi Lang blinked, peering blearily at the scroll. "If it's an IOU, I'm not accepting it."
"I took it off a Cloud Village shinobi."
Sou picked up his chopsticks and put a piece of grilled beef tongue in his mouth, speaking casually. "A simplified training method for Lightning Release Armor."
At the words "Lightning Release Armor," Qingyi Lang's unfocused pupils suddenly contracted.
As a Uchiha Clan member who often dealt with the Land of Lightning, of course he knew how valuable this technique was.
It was a simplified version of Kumogakure's closely guarded secret. Though it couldn't match the complete form known as the Strongest Shield, wielded by the Raikage, it gave a terrifying boost to physical vitality and Body Flicker speed.
Most importantly, although Uchiha Qingyi Lang was terrible at genjutsu and Fire Release, he had a decent talent for transforming the nature of Lightning Release Chakra.
"I remember you're pretty decent with Lightning Release."
Sou glanced at him, his tone still mild. "This thing doesn't require the Sharingan. You just need a body tough enough to withstand it.
"Once you've mastered it, even if you can't awaken your eyes, you can complete a few A-Rank Missions and earn yourself a spot in the Police Force."
Qingyi Lang picked up the scroll with trembling hands.
The dried blood on it seemed to tell of the danger behind its origins.
He knew all too well that a trophy of this caliber could fetch a huge bounty on the black market.
And Sou had tossed it to him as casually as if it were some trinket.
"Sou..."
Qingyi Lang clutched the scroll tightly, his eyes instantly reddening.
Alcohol had left him especially vulnerable. He sniffled, then looked up at Sou, his gaze full of gratitude—and an indescribable... fear.
"You... why are you suddenly being so nice to me?"
His voice trembled slightly. He instinctively shrank back, crossed his arms protectively over his chest, and stared warily at Sou.
"Y-you didn't get some kind of shock in the Land of Lightning and change your preferences, did you? Are you after my pure, innocent body, buddy?"
"Go to hell!"
A vein twitched at Sou's temple. He made as if to snatch back the scroll. "If you don't want it, give it back! I can sell it and buy ninja tools."
"Hey, hey! You can't take back a gift once you've given it. That's not how it works."
Qingyi Lang reacted at lightning speed, stuffing the scroll into the innermost part of his robe and patting it solemnly. "Once it's in my hands, it's mine. Want it back? You'll have to step over my dead body!"
"Pathetic."
Sou snorted and lifted his cup for a sip.
Though he cursed him, his eyes were gentle.
In this world full of schemes, having someone you could joke around with without a care was a rare kind of rest.
The two chatted over the grilled meat for a while longer, moving from dark-skinned brutes in the Land of Lightning to the unreasonable recent price hikes at Konoha's public baths.
After eating and drinking their fill, the coals began to die down.
Sou put down his chopsticks, his expression growing a little more serious.
"By the way, Qingyi Lang, I wanted to ask you something."
"Go ahead. As long as you're not asking to borrow money or have my ass, anything goes." Qingyi Lang rubbed the scroll in his robe, now in a state of fervor that could be summed up as "I'd take a couple of blades for my brother."
"You know that although I made it back alive this time, I'm lacking in combat experience."
Sou said it half in earnest and half in jest.
He'd managed to escape Kinkaku during this reconnaissance mission, but running away wasn't the same as fighting. He still needed to get more real combat experience.
"I want to ask an expert in actual combat from the clan for some pointers."
Sou tapped the tabletop lightly with his fingers. "Preferably someone who's low-key, but definitely has the skills to back it up."
At that, Qingyi Lang dropped his joking expression and stroked his chin, deep in thought.
"Good at fighting... and low-key..."
He furrowed his brow and thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up and he snapped his fingers. "I've got it! If you mean that person, he's absolutely perfect for what you want."
"Who?"
"Uchiha Akane."
Qingyi Lang gave him a mysterious smile as he said the name. "You've heard of her, right?
"She never joined the Police Force and rarely shows her face in the clan, but I heard from some old hands in the Police Force that she often takes on B-Rank—and even near A-Rank—combat missions alone.
"She's a famous battle maniac!"
"Uchiha Akane..."
Sou searched his memories for the name. The original owner's recollections didn't seem to contain any details about her, but the Shinobi World was full of hidden talents. If the Uchiha Clan had only the strong ones everyone knew about, it would probably have been finished long ago.
"Right, her fighting style is really unusual. She doesn't rely on the kind of overwhelming, brute-force suppression that hits you head-on. She's more like... like a spiderweb. By the time you realize what's happening, you're already caught fast."
As he spoke, Qingyi Lang suddenly leaned closer, his lecherous streak returning. He waggled his eyebrows and said:
"And the most important thing—she's a gorgeous beauty!"
Qingyi Lang held out both hands and traced an exaggerated S-curve in the air, lowering his voice to a chuckle. "She's only in her early twenties, the perfect age for a mature kunoichi to be at her most charming.
"That figure, that aura... tsk, tsk, tsk.
"So, what do you think? Interested? You're already a little famous in the clan, so maybe you could have one of those heartwarming tales of a beast and a beauty!"
Watching his friend act like an overenthusiastic matchmaker, Sou's expression darkened further.
He wanted someone to help improve his combat skills, not a date.
Still, if Uchiha Akane really could complete high-difficulty missions on her own without relying on the Police Force's resources, then her methods were definitely worth learning.
Sou glanced at Qingyi Lang, who was still lost in self-indulgent chatter about Uchiha Akane's beauty. The corner of his mouth suddenly lifted in a mischievous smile.
He leaned forward and spoke with utmost sincerity:
"Compared to Uchiha Akane..."
"Hm? What about her?" Qingyi Lang looked at him expectantly.
"Actually..."
"!!!"
Before he could finish, the smile on Qingyi Lang's face froze.
It wasn't because of what Sou had said. It was because he suddenly felt something pressing against his back.
"Don't look back! It's me, your big brother!" a voice said.
Before you continue