What We Both Wanted

"What do you think of the Uchiha Clan Compound? I can give you all of it... No, that won't do. I can give you half."

Whose name would go on the property deed?

Naruto gave him a strange look. "No thanks. I don't want your compound. Give me two hundred thousand ryo and help me with an experiment, and then I might consider helping you train."

The Uchiha Clan Compound.

Sasuke's home.

In the living room, Sasuke rested both hands on Naruto's shoulders and steadily poured Chakra into him.

A few minutes later, Sasuke ran out of Chakra. He lowered his hands and looked at Naruto, who was sitting with his eyes closed, lost in thought.

This guy... he's getting weirder and weirder.

He'd asked Sasuke out of nowhere to transfer Chakra to him, and Sasuke had no idea what it was for.

This doesn't make sense. My ocular power hasn't changed at all. Weren't Indra and Asura supposed to equal the Rinnegan...?

Even after all of Sasuke's Chakra had dissipated, Naruto's Rinnegan hadn't changed in the slightest.

He opened his eyes, frowned in thought for a long while, then looked up at Sasuke.

"This time, I'll transfer Chakra to you."

Ten minutes later.

"Why... can your Chakra increase my ocular power?!"

Sasuke touched his eyes, his face full of confusion.

That wasn't how ocular power increased. Didn't it usually grow gradually through training or naturally over time? Why could receiving someone else's Chakra increase it?

This was so unfair!

Naruto didn't explain. Instead, he said, "Let's go to the kitchen."

It took Naruto half an hour to persuade his parents to at least begrudgingly tolerate his strange experiment.

Under Sasuke's somewhat horrified gaze, Naruto pinched his nose and drank half a bowl of blood that Sasuke had drawn from his wrist.

After waiting for a long while, Naruto finally felt his ocular power change.

"My ocular power... increased a tiny bit."

It was so slight it was almost negligible, but that didn't matter. It was significant.

It meant Naruto's theory was right. He could upgrade his Rinnegan by collecting Indra's Chakra or using other methods.

Three Tomoe, six Tomoe, even Nine Tomoe... They were no longer just a dream.

"You drink a bowl of my blood too."

Naruto reluctantly cut his wrist, filled half a bowl, then handed it to Sasuke.

"I'm not drinking that. I'm not some kind of pervert. Why would I drink someone's blood?"

Sasuke shook his head repeatedly and backed away, clearly unwilling.

"I'm not a pervert either!"

Naruto scowled and shoved the bowl into Sasuke's hands. "If you want to get stronger and take revenge, drink it... Of course, if you don't, just forget I said anything."

Sasuke certainly wanted revenge. It was just that drinking blood...

Sasuke hesitated. "Will it increase my ocular power, like when you transferred Chakra to me?"

"It might even help you awaken the Two Tomoe."

Naruto didn't believe that himself. Sasuke had only awakened the Single Tomoe recently. How could—

Holy shit!!! That can't be right!!!

"You really awakened it!!!"

Naruto's eyes widened as he stared at the Two Tomoe in Sasuke's right eye. The effect was far more dramatic than he'd expected—nothing like what had happened to him.

He became even more certain of his theory—

Some of his Asura Chakra had been activated, so both his Chakra and his blood could affect Sasuke.

But Sasuke's Indra Chakra was still dormant inside him, so Sasuke's Chakra had no effect on Naruto. Only Sasuke's blood worked.

Do I have to drink Sasuke's blood every day?

No!

That was too disgusting. He'd rather not upgrade his Rinnegan.

"I'll have to find another way. Ask the Sage of Six Paths for a power-up, get Chakra from the Tailed Beasts, or help Sasuke improve his Sharingan and develop more of his Indra Chakra..."

Looking at himself in the mirror, with a Single Tomoe in his left eye and Two Tomoe in his right, Sasuke finally smiled with relief for the first time since his clan had been wiped out. He'd been under constant strain ever since.

He could clearly feel that his dream could come true.

It wasn't just the last bit of stubborn hope he clung to in despair.

"Uchiha Itachi, I'll soon gain power equal to yours... No, power that surpasses yours, and then... I'll kill you!!!"

Suppressing the murderous rage boiling inside him, Sasuke turned to Naruto with a request.

Blood, Chakra, Soul Energy...

Sasuke wanted all the things that could increase his strength.

But Naruto only gave him Chakra and Soul Energy. He refused to give him blood, saying it was too disgusting.

They kept at it until evening, but Sasuke didn't manage to awaken a complete Two Tomoe Sharingan.

The two agreed to continue later.

Over the next few days, Naruto gave Sasuke whatever he asked for. He even went back on his word and gave him several bowls of blood, all so Sasuke could awaken Indra's power as soon as possible and help Naruto in turn.

Unfortunately, you couldn't rush growth.

The Sharingan needed intense emotional stimulation to evolve. Naruto's blood, Chakra, and Soul Energy could only act as catalysts and make the process easier; they couldn't replace it entirely.

Should I deliberately provoke Sasuke?

After Kushina grabbed him by the ear and lectured him, Naruto abandoned the idea.

Then Naruto said to Sasuke, "Let's suspend the experiment. From now on, I won't give you my blood. I'll give you Chakra once a day, and Soul Energy and Life Energy once a week... In exchange, you'll transfer Chakra to me once a day too. Any objections?"

"None!"

Sasuke nodded in agreement. He knew perfectly well that he was the one getting the better deal.

It was a dark and windy night, perfect for murder and arson.

Night shrouded Konoha.

A space-time vortex twisted open, and Obito stepped out, appearing outside an ordinary apartment building.

"Tell me what the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki has been doing lately."

A White Zetsu emerged from the ground and replied, "Same as usual. Outside of school, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki trains with Sasuke Uchiha."

"The Jinchuriki is training with an Uchiha? It seems Itachi's efforts weren't in vain. His younger brother has earned Konoha's acceptance..."

Obito chuckled mockingly. "Have you noticed anything unusual? Strange behavior or anyone out of the ordinary?"

White Zetsu answered without hesitation. "No!"

"Useless!"

Obito waved for White Zetsu to get lost, then looked up at the apartment building. A red gleam flashed in his eyes, and he vanished.

In the dim bedroom, a little boy lay on the bed, fast asleep. He looked like he was sleeping deeply and wouldn't wake easily.

A space-time vortex twisted open, and Obito appeared beside the bed. He looked at Naruto without a trace of emotion and drew the katana at his waist.

Whoosh!

A flash of cold steel, and he cruelly slashed through Naruto's neck.

"Something's wrong!!"

The moment his blade struck Naruto's neck, Obito knew it felt wrong. He immediately tried to use Kamui to phase through.

But he was too slow!

A Rasengan slammed into Obito's back.

Boom!

The attack tore through his body and shattered the floor. The tremendous crash echoed in every direction, breaking the stillness of the night.

"Enemy attack!!!"