The Gift of Pot Kage

"Kakashi, when do you think the war will end?"

The green-clad boy with the bowl cut was wrapped in bandages from head to toe like a giant white mummy, doing one-handed handstand push-ups.

His thick eyebrows twitched as he curiously questioned his best friend, who lay on the hospital bed, weakened from the excessive use of the Sharingan.

Hatake Kakashi did not respond, merely staring quietly at the snow-white ceiling, his eyes filled with exhaustion.

"I think it'll end soon, because the Third Hokage has gone to the battlefield himself!"

Might Guy panted heavily, growling with excitement.

"Ever since the Third arrived at the front lines a few days ago, those arrogant guys from Iwagakure have been suppressed instantly!"

"That is the majesty of the Professor of Ninjutsu! That is the youth we must follow!"

"..."

Hatake Kakashi stroked the long, narrow scar over his left eye, feeling the rhythmic, stinging pain emanating from the eye that did not belong to him.

Obito... thank you for your eye.

He whispered silently in his heart.

The situation on the front lines was actually not as simple as Might Guy described.

Food supplies were burned, logistics were intercepted, and even small squads on secret marches were falling into ambushes.

Minato and Jiraiya had privately suspected more than once that there was a spy among the high-ranking officials at the front.

But no matter how the Anbu investigated, the leaker was like a stone dropped into the deep sea, leaving no trace.

Obito...

If it were you, you would surely be able to use these eyes to catch that spy faster than I could, right?

The exhaustion brought on by overdrawing the Sharingan made it nearly impossible for Kakashi to get up.

He pulled back his thoughts, his gaze inadvertently sweeping toward the other side of the ward.

There, another boy sat quietly, his eyes wrapped in thick medical bandages, staring blankly at the sunlight streaming in from outside the window.

Hyuga Qinglan.

It was said that a few days ago, he was a genius of the Branch Family who had suffered eye damage due to "overdrawing his ocular power" to protect the Main Branch.

"Kakashi?"

Hyuga Qinglan spoke suddenly, his voice exceptionally calm.

Although his eyes were covered, he seemed to be able to accurately capture Kakashi's gaze.

"Why have you been staring at me?"

"It's nothing..."

Kakashi withdrew his gaze, his voice cold with a hint of inquiry.

"I was just curious about how strong that guy who broke into the Hyuga Clan compound really was..."

"To actually force the Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan into such a state of depletion."

"Heh... we're two of a kind. Aren't you the same?"

Hyuga Qinglan smiled faintly, unbothered by the other's probing.

He casually recounted the rumors circulating in the village over the past few days about how the Third Hokage had "repelled" a mysterious figure, sharing the story with the two wounded men who had just returned from the front.

"I see! So the Hokage actually went through a fierce battle within the village as well?"

Might Guy sprang up, his eyes gleaming as he threw a powerful punch into the air.

"No wonder the morale in the village was so high when the Third arrived at the battlefield!"

"It seems I cannot slack off either! Today's goal is one thousand push-ups, one thousand squats, and one thousand laps around Konoha Hospital!"

"This is the rehabilitation training of youth!"

Hyuga Qinglan smiled slightly, seemingly infected by Might Guy's enthusiasm.

However, at that very instant, he suddenly paused.

Danzo wants to summon me...

Hyuga Qinglan's figure stiffened slightly; although it lasted only for a brief moment, this subtle anomaly was noticed by Kakashi, who had been observing him the entire time.

"Where are you going?"

Kakashi watched the boy, who had already rolled off the bed and was moving normally, and asked.

"Me?"

Hyuga Qinglan walked to the door, his movements elegant and composed.

"I'm planning to be discharged. Although my Byakugan cannot handle high-intensity combat for the time being, my body has mostly recovered."

"At a time like this... I have no interest in lying in a hospital bed, passing the days listening to war reports from the front."

After saying this, Hyuga Qinglan pushed the door open and walked out, his retreating figure looking just like a soldier preoccupied with frontline battle reports.

"..."

Kakashi stared at the closed door, remaining silent for three seconds.

He then ripped the monitoring device off his body and stood up, much to Guy's astonishment.

"Kakashi, where are you going?"

"I'm checking out of the hospital too."

"Wait for me! Kakashi! I'm coming too!"

Walking along the streets of Konoha.

The once-bustling streets were now chillingly deserted.

Most grocery stores had their doors tightly shut, and the children who used to play everywhere had been locked indoors by their terrified parents.

The dark clouds of war had completely enveloped this village hidden in the leaves.

Hyuga Qinglan walked slowly, casually pulling the bandage off his eyes.

He opened his eyes, and that pair of pristine, flawless Byakugan seemed to shimmer with a light as deep as a sea of stars under the glow of the setting sun.

"The Main Branch's Byakugan really is... purer."

He silently felt the waves of warmth emanating from his eye sockets.

Just as in his memories, the process of evolving from a pure Byakugan to a Tenseigan required a "fetal movement" phase.

During his few days in the hospital, he could feel his own Otsutsuki chakra resonating wildly with these pure eyes.

Although this fetal movement was not as intense as that of Otsutsuki Toneri, it was enough to cause a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering qualitative change in his current abilities.

His current Tenseigan was different from the one he had initially activated...

Because...

Purple chakra gathered in his eyes.

Immediately after, deep within those flawless white pupils, the white began to recede like a tide.

A crystalline, translucent azure blue gradually bloomed.

Until those circular, wing-like star patterns were completely formed.

"I didn't expect to be able to switch at will..."

Hyuga Qinglan looked around the remote, deserted training ground, feeling the surging ocular power within him.

In his understanding, the only ones capable of controlling the Rinnegan so perfectly and switching between the Rinnegan and their own bloodline limits were those who truly stood at the pinnacle of the Otsutsuki Clan.

For example, Otsutsuki Urashiki.

He was able to switch between the Rinnegan and his own Byakugan at will.

Although he did not know whether the true origin of the Tenseigan lay with the Otsutsuki Clan or Otsutsuki Hamura.

But ultimately, the power of the Tenseigan was enough to rival the Rinnegan.

And to reach a height that truly rivaled the real Otsutsuki, or even surpass it...

It would ultimately require the blessing of that "Giant Tenseigan" on the moon.

Hyuga Qinglan looked up at the sky, and on the pale moon, almost invisible as it was eroded by the sunlight, a faint call seemed to resonate with him.

But for now...

The gift from the Pot Kage was his greatest gain so far.

Hyuga Qinglan's gaze flickered as he looked toward Mukai Hyuga, who had arrived via body flicker.

Danzo, oh Danzo...

I really don't know what to praise you for.