Scheming

Facing the murderous, suspicious glares of the two Uchiha elders and the lethal strike that the weapon-girl named Hikari could unleash at any moment, Yue Uchiha did not draw his blade or deliver a righteous speech like a typical transmigrator.

His brain raced, operating with the cold precision of a sophisticated computer.

"Yagokoro Omoikane" was absolute in its effect.

Since the technique defined his transmigration as "100% luck," it meant that encountering these people at this specific time and place contained the key to solving his greatest dilemma.

That key was the clue to curing his "blind left eye and exhausted ocular power."

Although he pitied Uchiha Hikari, killing these two old fools now to take her away would not only invite the pursuit of the entire Uchiha Clan but also force him to wander the chaotic Warring States period with an unstable "bomb" that could go berserk at any moment.

Furthermore, he had no knowledge of how to treat Mangekyō side effects in this era.

Conversely, if he used his status as a "clansman" to infiltrate them...

The Uchiha Clan was one of the two strongest families in the Warring States, possessing the deepest foundations.

Since they dared to use Uchiha Hikari as a weapon so frequently, it meant they must possess some secret technique or medicine capable of delaying or even restoring Mangekyō ocular power.

Otherwise, given how Hikari was being used, she would be completely blind within half a year, even with the Mangekyō.

So that's it... is this the guidance of "luck"?

The scales in Yue's heart tipped instantly.

He retracted the fangs he had bared for a split second, skillfully transforming his predatory killing intent into the cold, weary indifference of one who had seen too much of the world.

"Do not misunderstand."

Yue Uchiha slowly loosened his grip on Hikari's wrist, even taking a half-step back and sheathing his drawn blade with a sharp clack.

This action caused the tense, sword-drawn atmosphere to loosen subtly.

"I am not an enemy, nor do I have any intention of challenging the elders' authority."

Yue's voice was hoarse, carrying just the right amount of frailty.

"I am merely a lone wolf who has lost his home. My branch tribe was wiped out after a surprise attack by the Senju Clan, and I am the only survivor."

"A branch tribe?" One of the elders eyed Yue suspiciously. "There are indeed many Uchiha branches in the south, and I did hear that several outposts were wiped out by the Senju recently... but this..."

Before he could finish, he saw the three-tomoe in Yue's right eye suddenly freeze, followed by the pitch-black tomoe stretching and intertwining frantically.

"Mangekyō... Sharingan?!"

The elder's voice spiked an octave, his suspicion instantly replaced by extreme shock and greed.

The kunai in his hand clattered into the mud; he looked as if he had witnessed a miracle, or perhaps his most terrifying nightmare.

In the Warring States period, although the Uchiha Clan was full of strong fighters, those who awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns—you could count them on one hand.

And now, another pair had appeared before him.

The air seemed to solidify.

In Yue's remaining right eye, the complex star pattern rotated slowly.

Although he deliberately suppressed his ocular power, avoiding the suffocating gravitational pressure, the mere status of these eyes was enough to make the surrounding ordinary Sharingan tremble instinctively.

Even Uchiha Hikari, who had been in a state of numbness, suddenly looked up.

Her eyes, which also held the Mangekyō pattern, focused on Yue's face for the first time. It was a resonance between kin, two lonely beasts sniffing each other out in a dark forest.

"What? Does Elder think this is not enough?"

Yue's voice remained hoarse, but he slowly raised a hand to cover his blinded left eye, revealing just the right amount of pain and madness.

"To awaken these eyes, I watched my clansmen, my parents, my lover... all die under the blades of the Senju Clan!"

Yue stepped forward abruptly, no longer hiding his killing intent, roaring like a wounded lone wolf.

"I am a cripple now, a blind man, a wandering ghost without a home! I don't care if you are the main branch or a side branch, and I don't care about the authority of any elders! I only want revenge! As long as I can kill the Senju, as long as I can kill the Senju... I am willing to offer everything!"

Every word dripped with blood, perfectly fitting the image of an Uchiha consumed by hatred.

The two elders exchanged a glance; the vigilance in their eyes dissipated, replaced by undisguised ecstasy.

They might have been wary of a rational powerhouse.

But a madman blinded by hatred, obsessed only with revenge?

He was the perfect consumable gift from the heavens!

Another ultimate weapon comparable to Hikari—the merit of this discovery made their hearts pound violently.

Heaven bless the Uchiha!

"Good! What a burning fire of revenge!"

The lead elder laughed and stepped forward, even hypocritically patting Yue's rain-soaked shoulder.

"Since you have such resolve, the clan will naturally accept you. From today on, you are no longer a stray dog, but the sharpest blade of the Uchiha Clan!"

He turned to look at Hikari. "Hikari, from now on, he belongs to your squad. Both of you possess those cursed eyes; you shall form the 'Twin Demons.' Doesn't the Senju Clan pride itself on the favor of the forest? Then we shall use this pair of Asura to burn their forest to ash!"

Uchiha Hikari looked at Yue, the ripples in her eyes gradually settling, returning to that same dead, hollow state.

She nodded mechanically, seemingly indifferent to the presence of another of her kind beside her.

"My name is Yue Uchiha. What is yours? I am glad to be working with you to take revenge on the Senju Clan."

Yue's voice sounded somewhat muffled amidst the curtain of rain. He extended his hand, attempting to probe this so-called "weapon" before him through such a basic gesture of etiquette.

"Yue Uchiha... is it?"

Hikari did not take the offered hand.

Her black eyes, devoid of focus, merely swept mechanically over Yue's palm, as if confirming whether he was concealing explosive tags or poison-tipped senbon.

Having confirmed there was no threat, she withdrew her gaze, her small, pale face remaining a mask of dead, numb silence.

"A name is merely a code for the elders to issue orders more conveniently."

Hikari's lips moved slightly, her voice as light and brittle as a withered branch. "As long as I can kill the Senju, it doesn't matter what I am called. Happiness... that kind of emotion is a superfluous burden for a weapon like me."

With that, she did not spare Yue another glance. She turned and dragged the chakra shortsword—far too heavy for her slight frame—walking with an uneven, stumbling gait toward the depths of the camp.

The rain soaked her oversized, ill-fitting combat uniform, plastering it against her gaunt back and making her appear exceptionally desolate.

Yue withdrew his hand, which had been left hanging in mid-air, his gaze deepening.

Concepts like names and handshakes... have they been completely erased from her?