Sarutobi Hiruzen let out a puff of smoke, a faint smile on his face.
"Those words prove there are still Uchiha who understand what's right!"
"That Kazuhiko knows how to see the big picture and mind his limits. He understands what the Will of Fire truly means."
He leaned back in his chair, feeling at ease.
"We should give our full support to an Uchiha who cares about Konoha. The Konoha Medical Headquarters should also establish a Psychology Clinic, with Kazuhiko overseeing it. If he needs anything, he can report directly to me."
The Anbu Ninja accepted the order and left.
But the Third Hokage's smile gradually faded, and his brow furrowed again.
He walked to the window and looked toward the Uchiha Clan Compound, his gaze complicated.
"If Kazuhiko's technique can really help large numbers of Uchiha ninja awaken the Three-Tomoe Sharingan..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen tapped the windowsill lightly, his voice low.
"How should Konoha deal with the Uchiha then?"
He recalled the last words of Second Hokage Tobirama Senju—
"The Uchiha are a hidden danger to Konoha, a double-edged sword that must be kept in our grasp. Wield it well, and it will be unstoppable; wield it poorly, and it will turn against us."
The Uchiha were already Konoha's most powerful clan.
If they grew even stronger...
The Third Hokage closed his eyes. Through the swirling smoke, his expression was unreadable.
"Uchiha Kazuhiko..."
"Let me see your mettle for myself."
Night had fallen over Eri's little courtyard, and the moon stood high in the sky.
Kazuhiko lay on his bed, his consciousness immersed in his mind as he tallied the day's gains.
[Uchiha Yuta's favorability toward you has greatly increased to: Trust]
[Jonin Trait Draws +2]
[Uchiha Mako's favorability toward you has greatly increased to: Trust]
[Jonin Trait Draws +1]
[Uchiha Yutaro's favorability toward you has greatly increased to: Trust]
[Uchiha Yutaro's exclusive trait pool has been unlocked]
[Jonin Trait Draws +1]
[Uchiha Shio...]
[Uchiha Kosuke...]
[...]
[Uchiha Fugaku's favorability toward you has greatly increased to: Friendly]
[Uchiha Fugaku's exclusive trait pool has been unlocked]
[Kage Level Trait Draws +1]
"So Fugaku really has awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan..."
Kazuhiko stretched, then lay in a comfortable starfish pose, lost in thought.
"For my next ten Jonin draws, I'll try for the Mangekyo Sharingan from Fugaku!"
Ten Jonin draws had a chance of yielding a gold trait.
The main reason Kazuhiko had been fixated on Shisui's traits was his reputation as the "greatest prodigy."
Besides, Shisui's pool was the most overpowered of the ones he'd unlocked.
Of course, Kazuhiko wanted Hashirama's and Madara's traits too, but he couldn't meet the requirements.
How could you raise the favorability of someone who was dead?
By burning paper offerings at their grave?
Actually, that might work!
Hashirama loved gambling. Maybe he was losing to the Shinigami in the afterlife and waiting for money to recoup his losses!
Kazuhiko's imagination ran wild. He decided to find a chance to burn some offerings for Hashirama and pour him a little sake.
He'd throw in paper money, a mansion, a casino, and beautiful croupiers, too.
He was putting his faith in the wisdom of his ancestors.
"If Fugaku awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, that proves he has the talent for it."
"I just don't know what his Mangekyo can do, or how much of a toll it takes on his eyes..."
"Should I try a single Kage Level draw and see if I get lucky?"
No gambler lost every day!
Kazuhiko stared at his available trait draws, sorely tempted. He imagined getting a gold trait on a single pull and drawing Fugaku's Mangekyo Sharingan right away.
[Kage Level Trait Draws: 1]
[Jonin Trait Draws: 5]
[Chunin Trait Draws: 11]
[Genin Trait Draws: 5]
The daydream ended, and Kazuhiko managed to rein in his gambler's instincts.
His painful experience with single Jonin trait draws had taught him:
Gamblers never came to a good end.
"Getting out there and earning favorability really is faster. I got enough for ten Chunin draws in a single day, and I'm almost at ten Jonin draws, too."
The news that Shota had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan had yet to spread among the Uchiha elite.
Once the Uchiha higher-ups who needed to know heard what had happened, he'd have enough for another ten Jonin draws in a day or two.
[Worldline mission completed. Rewards granted]
[Jonin Trait Draws +1]
[Eri's favorability toward you has greatly increased]
[Hideki's approval and favorability have greatly increased]
[Equipment slot mission unlocked—]
[You now meet all the requirements for promotion to the next ninja rank. You have enough chakra and have mastered a powerful Sharingan Genjutsu. Now it's time to advance further. Upon promotion to Chunin, your trait equipment slots will increase by 1.]
[Available Route 1: Genjutsu-Type Uchiha Chunin]
[Description: Take and pass the Chunin Ninja Exams, using only genjutsu throughout.]
[Reward: As a genjutsu-type ninja, your Sharingan will further enhance your genjutsu, and the Genjutsu Mastery trait will be upgraded. Continue advancing, and your Mangekyo will awaken a genjutsu-based ocular technique.]
[Available Route 2: Ninjutsu-Type Uchiha Chunin]
[Description: Take and pass the Chunin Ninja Exams, using only ninjutsu throughout.]
[Reward: As a ninjutsu-type ninja, your Sharingan's copying ability will further improve, and you will gain the Ninjutsu Genius trait. Continue advancing, and your Mangekyo will awaken a ninjutsu-based ocular technique.]
[Available Route 3: Taijutsu-Type Uchiha Chunin]
[Description: Take and pass the Chunin Ninja Exams, using only taijutsu throughout.]
[Reward: As a taijutsu-type ninja, your Sharingan's perception will further improve, and you will gain the Taijutsu Genius trait. Continue advancing, and your Mangekyo will awaken a taijutsu-based ocular technique.]
[Available Route 4: Sensor-Type Uchiha Chunin]
[Description: Take and pass the Chunin Ninja Exams, using sensory abilities throughout.]
[Reward: As a sensor-type ninja, your Sharingan's sensory abilities will further improve, and you will gain the Sensor Genius trait. Continue advancing, and your Mangekyo will awaken a space-time ocular technique.]
[Available Route 5: Summoning-Type Uchiha Chunin]
[...]
[Reward: As a summoning-type Uchiha ninja, your Sharingan's hypnotic control ability will further improve, and you will gain the Summoning Genius trait. Continue advancing, and your Mangekyo will awaken an auxiliary-enhancement ocular technique.]
[Available Route 6: Sealing-Type Uchiha Chunin]
[...]
[Reward: As a sealing-type Uchiha ninja, your Sharingan's ocular power will further improve, and you will gain the Sealing Genius trait. Continue advancing, and your Mangekyo will awaken a rule-based ocular technique.]
[Choose your mission carefully. You may select one, or freely combine two.]
Kazuhiko stared at the six missions, uncertain which to choose.
The promotion mission meant that he could awaken Mangekyo abilities in his own Sharingan, too.
So choosing only one mission was out of the question.
The rewards made it obvious:
He had to combine two missions to make sure he came out ahead.
But Kazuhiko, a chronic indecisive type, wanted all six.
Why couldn't he pick them all?
Who said the Uchiha could only have one pair of Mangekyo Sharingan?
Just imagine—what if Danzo showed up with eleven eyes? What then?
Before you continue