Deep Blue, Deep Blue, Grant My Wish

The next morning, at the Forest Training Ground.

In the open training field, four Uchiha Kazuhikos were sparring in pairs, practicing taijutsu.

Their movements were crisp and precise. Fists and feet collided with dull thuds.

With the same thoughts and the same techniques, their sparring session had become little more than a drill.

It looked lively enough, but not a single "Kazuhiko" was getting hurt.

An hour later, the Shadow Clones vanished.

Kazuhiko collapsed on the spot, sprawled on the ground without a shred of dignity, his limbs spread out in a sprawling X as he gasped for breath.

The exhaustion of three Shadow Clones hitting him all at once nearly drove him over the edge.

He was drained in body and mind, and even his spirit sagged, leaving him with an urge to die.

"That familiar feeling..."

Kazuhiko lay sprawled on the ground, his gaze unfocused.

"It's just like those days when I worked overtime until three in the morning for half a month straight..."

He'd rediscovered what it felt like to be a corporate workhorse.

But the results were striking, too.

[Taijutsu: Uchiha-Konoha Style Mastery (Deep Green)]

[Permanent Progress: 80%]

At a normal training pace, with one session a day, it would take a week to permanently lock in this trait.

Now that three Shadow Clones were training alongside the original, it would take only two days.

"Worth it..."

Kazuhiko gritted his teeth and forced himself up, muscles aching. He still had an important morning meeting to attend.

"Worth it, my ass!"

After that morning workout, Kazuhiko's conservative estimate was that his frail little body would need at least three days to recover.

And that didn't even account for the psychological trauma and stress disorder the training had inflicted on him.

"Training with Shadow Clones... It really isn't something normal people can do."

It might actually get someone killed!

Kazuhiko had learned one thing firsthand—

Not everyone had Might Guy's talent, and not everyone had a body as tough as Rock Lee's.

If you really thought Guy and Lee were ordinary people and tried training like them, even ending up half-paralyzed would mean you had an exceptionally strong constitution.

Kazuhiko looked toward the rising sun and offered his most heartfelt greeting to whoever had invented the Shadow Clone training method:

"Newborn dawn, late-day sun—may your light fade before the day is done!"

He limped toward the Uchiha Clan Compound.

"If only I had a few more equipment slots. Then I wouldn't have to push myself so hard or fall for the nonsense about training with Shadow Clones."

The trait fusion last night had gone exceptionally well, and he'd gained a ton of high-quality traits. He wanted to equip every one of them as soon as possible.

But he only had two pitiful equipment slots, so he had to train as soon as possible and permanently lock in the taijutsu trait, freeing up a slot for the traits he couldn't lock in yet.

That was why he'd gotten up at five that morning and equipped [Shadow Clone] to train in taijutsu.

"I wonder how I can get more equipment slots. Deep Blue, Deep Blue, grant my wish—come on, answer my call!"

At the Clan Clinic, in the conference room.

Kazuhiko arrived just in time and took a seat in an inconspicuous corner.

Once all the medical ninja and physicians had arrived, Eri cleared her throat at the head of the table.

"This medical conference..."

Her expression was calm as her eyes swept over every physician present, as if scrutinizing them all.

"Is now officially in session."

The hubbub in the conference room faded away.

"Tomorrow, the newly established Psychology Clinic will perform its first psychological treatment procedure."

"The patient is Uchiha Shota, fifteen years old, who is considered to have no potential to awaken his Sharingan..."

After explaining Shota's circumstances, Eri turned to Uchiha Kosuke, seated to her right.

"The main purpose of this procedure is to help Shota awaken his Sharingan. Kosuke will be responsible for evaluating the treatment."

Kazuhiko's heart stirred.

He immediately understood his mother's intentions.

In a sense, this medical evaluation would determine whether his Psychology Clinic could continue operating.

Uchiha Kosuke was Eri's trusted aide.

By putting Kosuke in charge of the evaluation, Eri had ensured that, whether Kazuhiko succeeded in helping Shota awaken his Sharingan or not, tomorrow's "procedure" would be deemed a success.

A successful procedure meant the Psychology Clinic would stay open.

His mother was making sure his psychological treatment was protected.

Kazuhiko felt warm inside.

Love you, Mom!

"Who's for it, and who's against it?"

What an overwhelming presence!

The way she doted on her son was so cool!

"An evaluation shouldn't be conducted solely by our own people," a deep voice said.

"Others will say we're imposing our will on everyone. I propose that, in addition to an internal evaluation, we also conduct an external one and invite ninja from Konoha Medical Headquarters to participate."

The speaker was Uchiha Kenichi, deputy director of the Clan Clinic and Eri's strongest rival.

He looked at Kazuhiko with undisguised contempt.

"Kazuhiko came up with the idea of psychological medicine. It's an interesting idea for someone so young, but the enemy on the battlefield won't sit down and talk things through with you. This is a hospital, a place for healing the sick and injured. I truly don't understand what purpose a Psychology Clinic serves. If this medical evaluation fails, then the Psychology Clinic should be shut down outright."

Kenichi rose to his feet and braced both hands on the table.

"Everyone, treating injuries, restoring ninja to health, and helping them return to the battlefield so they can win the war for Konoha—that..."

Kenichi surveyed the room.

"Is our duty as medical ninja."

The deputy director was using the matter as a pretext to openly challenge Eri. The entire conference room fell silent.

Quite a few physicians glanced toward Kazuhiko, seated in the corner, and began whispering among themselves.

Kazuhiko leaned back in his chair, his expression calm.

In a setting like this, only the physicians seated at the table had the right to speak.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

Eri tapped the table, restoring order to the room.

"This is an Uchiha matter. There's no need for ninja from Medical Headquarters to get involved."

Eri looked at Kenichi, her expression blank.

"One of the clan elders will be there to witness the psychological treatment procedure."

Then Eri ignored Kenichi, announced the end of the meeting, and adjourned.

As the others filed out, Kenichi narrowed his eyes and walked past Kazuhiko.

Nothing happened.

[Worldline unfolding...]

[Uchiha Kenichi: Eri's gone completely mad for her son! Let's see if she can keep her position as medical director after tomorrow's farce is over!]

[Worldline unfolded—]

[Worldline 1: In front of everyone, successfully resolve Uchiha Shota's psychological issues and eliminate the suspicion that you established the Psychology Clinic through improper connections. (Reward: Jonin trait draw chance +1; Eri's favorability greatly increases. An upright person has nothing to fear from a crooked shadow—you prove that you aren't a nepotism hire.)]

[Worldline 2: You have a feeling that tomorrow's psychological treatment is bound to fail. In front of everyone, shout, "My mother is Uchiha Eri!" (Reward: The Psychology Clinic is shut down; you become everyone's laughingstock; Eri's favorability greatly decreases. A crooked person has nothing to fear from an upright shadow—you prove that you're nothing but a useless failure.)]

[Worldline 3: In front of everyone, successfully resolve Shota's psychological issues and help him awaken his Sharingan. (Reward: Equipment Slot mission unlocked; Jonin trait draw chance +1; Eri's favorability greatly increases; Hideki's recognition. You prove yourself and become a major figure of consequence among the Uchiha.)]