The Shinobi World's Most Tragic Figure: Orochimaru

Keigo Uchiha's gaze was resolute.

Yet, a flicker of crimson light danced within his pupils; he certainly could not say that while Kage-level powerhouses were currently the pinnacle of strength, there existed even more terrifying forces within the Shinobi World!

Powerful beings from the Otsutsuki Clan were lurking, watching the Shinobi World!

Though these matters were distant, they could not be ignored. As long as Keigo Uchiha wished to survive, the Otsutsuki Clan was a grave threat!

He would inevitably cross paths with the Otsutsuki Clan sooner or later, and he absolutely did not want his fate to be held in the hands of others.

Just like Six Paths Madara.

Once one mastered the power of the Six Paths level, only Sage Art and Taijutsu could inflict damage upon them.

Therefore, whether it was Nintaijutsu or Sage Art, both were essential to learn!

Only Sage Art could contend with Sage Art.

Only the Six Paths could defeat the Six Paths!

"Very well, I can help you, but this matter is not so simple."

Orochimaru licked the corner of his lips, growing excited!

As a teacher, he naturally should have offered some dissuasion, but Keigo Uchiha's determination filled him with... excitement. If Keigo could possess Sage Mode, it meant that... he, too, might gain access to Sage Mode!

This was his stroke of luck!

"Ryūchi Cave is different from Mount Myoboku. Those who choose to cultivate Sage Art in Ryūchi Cave are selected more like elites; only those with the most talent can pass the trials and cultivate Sage Art."

"Therefore, even if I speak for you, it counts for nothing. You must... pass the trials of Ryūchi Cave!"

Orochimaru's gaze turned somber. "I often use the Reverse Summoning Technique, but every time, I am rejected. I have never been able to understand why."

He naturally desired to master the power of Sage Art.

Yet, he was rejected every single time.

It was as if... Ryūchi Cave did not want him to learn Sage Mode. What... on earth was going on?

If Keigo could not succeed in the Reverse Summoning either, then he... would have no choice but to search step by step!

"Perhaps I can help you find the reason."

Keigo Uchiha was lost in thought, as if he had realized something. "Then let us start tomorrow. I need to return home today."

"Very well."

Neither of them were people who wasted words.

After speaking, they departed one after the other.

The chilling crescent moon hung high in the sky, and the air... had grown much colder. The surrounding vegetation was covered in frost; it was now... deep autumn.

A dark shadow gradually emerged from the darkness.

Like a phantom in the night, its eyes held a piercing, icy light!

"Are you prepared?"

Shimura Danzō gave a cold, sinister laugh. "Heh, a genius of the Uchiha Clan? To be valued by Orochimaru to this extent—Sage Art, Ryūchi Cave? It seems I have... learned of something extraordinary!"

"Is it because of you... that Orochimaru has delayed our cooperation? It seems that now that Orochimaru... has the support of the Uchiha Clan... he no longer needs me!"

He curled his lips.

His eyes were filled with greed and malice.

Ever since Orochimaru became Keigo Uchiha's teacher, he had not produced a single research result!

This was not the outcome he wanted. He had originally thought Orochimaru had hit a bottleneck, but he never expected... it was because he had found the great tree that was the Uchiha Clan!

His voice was icy, as if squeezed through his teeth. "The Uchiha Clan... truly is a clan born of evil. They must not be left alive!"

As he spoke, he cast a glance toward his side.

"Yes, Lord Danzō!"

Beside him stood three Root ninja with icy gazes and not a shred of emotion. Their cold eyes were like pools of stagnant water, chilling one to the bone!

"According to our investigation, Orochimaru's favorite disciple at present is Keigo Uchiha. Whether it is Hyuga Ruri or Inuzuka Mi, Orochimaru has provided them with no instruction whatsoever."

He spoke word by word, reporting the intelligence without emotion. "Only Keigo Uchiha is being taught by Orochimaru, and he is being taught alone."

"Based on the feedback from our intelligence, Orochimaru is treating Keigo Uchiha as his personal successor."

His voice carried an absolute, mechanical calmness.

He was like a cold machine transmitting data.

"What?"

Shimura Danzō's pupils constricted as if he had misheard. His face twitched, filled with disbelief. "Orochimaru, the Cold Lord, has actually taken on a personal successor?"

"If I recall correctly, he didn't even treat Anko Mitarashi like this when he took her on, did he?!"

"This... is somewhat unexpected."

The situation... seemed to be slipping out of his control. Shimura Danzō frowned deeply, though this matter did not have a significant impact on him yet.

However, Orochimaru's changes and this unexpected development left him with an uncomfortable feeling.

"I understand. Then let things proceed according to the plan!"

His eyes turned cold, carrying a chilling edge. "The most decisive figure in the Uchiha Clan right now... is undoubtedly the Great Elder, Kyo Uchiha, is it not? With him there..."

Inside the Uchiha Clan shrine.

The Great Elder's aged figure had grown increasingly gaunt, yet a light flickered within his eyes—a glimmer of clarity amidst the turbidity, as if he had seen through everything in this world.

"You've come?"

"I have, Grandfather. The reason I didn't come to see you the moment I returned was because I wanted to give you a surprise at this very moment."

"Oh?"

Kyo Uchiha's eyes brightened, and he looked at the handsome, peerless youth before him with a hint of anticipation and... excitement.

His eyes widened significantly, though the light in them dimmed slightly when he recalled Keigo Uchiha's age; nevertheless, he remained hopeful.

Even if he hadn't reached that legendary realm.

Keigo must have become stronger; perhaps... he had already become a Quasi-Kage level powerhouse!

A twelve-year-old Quasi-Kage level powerhouse.

Konoha had no such record in its entire history!

"Could it be... could it be that you have already become a Quasi-Kage level powerhouse!"

"That's right, Grandfather. I already possess these eyes!"

The two spoke in unison!

Keigo Uchiha's black eyes instantly transformed into scarlet pentagrams, emitting an eerie glow that seemed to possess an endless gravitational pull, making it impossible for anyone to resist.

These were the legendary eyes of the Uchiha Clan.

The Mangekyou Sharingan!

Kyo Uchiha: "Keigo, you possess Quasi-Kage level strength now. Once you awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan, you will become a Kage-level powerhouse... What!? You have already awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan!"

He suddenly realized what this meant.

His breathing grew rapid.

He stared at Keigo Uchiha's scarlet eyes in disbelief!

His entire body stood up abruptly!

Keigo Uchiha: "???"

You only just realized it now?

For a moment, both of them fell into a long silence.

Kyo Uchiha had thought that reaching Quasi-Kage level strength was already outrageous enough, but he never expected that Keigo Uchiha had actually awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan—those legendary eyes that reflect the heart!

"You... to awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan at twelve years old... what kind of loss must you have endured?"

Kyo Uchiha's eyes were filled with heartache.

Keigo Uchiha's heart trembled.

Keigo Uchiha was stunned, his eyes flickering slightly; only he knew that his method of awakening was different.

Yet, when Kyo Uchiha learned that he had awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan.

His first reaction was not excitement.

But... pity.

"Grandfather, it is merely a small matter. My eyes are different from others; it seems I did not need to go through that painful process of loss."

He explained with a smile, "Although I do not know the reason, I already possess these eyes!"

"While I had hoped for it, I did not expect that you, Keigo, would truly awaken these eyes so quickly."

Kyo Uchiha sighed, his gaze solemn!

"Keigo, from now on, you may use the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, but unless you are facing a life-or-death situation, you must never use the Mangekyou Sharingan, because... it will cost you your eyesight!"

He warned him earnestly.

This was a secret of the Uchiha Clan, and he was naturally aware of it.

Every awakener of the Mangekyou Sharingan eventually went blind and lost their sight, falling into endless darkness, and only one person had ever escaped this fate.

That was Uchiha Madara!

But Uchiha Madara had faced an even more painful loss.

"Keigo, you... have no siblings."

He sighed, his voice filled with regret.

Awakening the Mangekyou Sharingan meant power, but it also meant... that one day, it would eventually be lost.

"Grandfather, my eyes... possess the ability to absorb the spiritual energy of others and convert it into ocular power. Therefore, anyone who dies in my presence will become nourishment for these eyes. There is no need to worry about that issue."

Keigo Uchiha explained with a smile.

"Furthermore, there is something I must do. Please, do not resist."

As he spoke.

The pentagram in his pupils spun instantly!

Scarlet blood flowed from the corners of his left eye, chilling to the bone; the dark, viscous blood seemed like the blood of a demon!

"Kotoamatsukami: Guardian Eye!"

Kyo Uchiha felt his entire body tremble, his mind turning blank, but the next moment, calm returned. He looked at Keigo Uchiha's scarlet Sharingan in disbelief.

In that very moment, he had found himself completely unable to resist!

"Is this... the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan? Even I, with my Three-Tomoe Sharingan, could not resist it!"

"This is... the true glorious eye of the Uchiha Clan."

His eyes were filled with shock.

If even he, the strongest master of the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, could not resist, then who else in this world could withstand Keigo Uchiha's ocular power? And... these were eyes that would never go blind!

This was the fortune of the entire Uchiha Clan!

As for what Keigo Uchiha had just done.

He did not need to ask.

Because Keigo would absolutely never harm him!

"Keigo, you are destined to be the leader who will bring about the rise of the Uchiha Clan!"

Kyo Uchiha's clouded eyes flashed with brilliance. His body trembled slightly as he turned, trembling, to retrieve a seal from a hidden compartment in his desk drawer!

He slowly handed it to Keigo Uchiha.

"Keigo, this is something you should possess. No one in the entire Uchiha Clan is more capable of wielding it than you!"

As he spoke.

He forcefully pressed it into Keigo Uchiha's palm. Engraved on the seal were six majestic black characters.

Uchiha Clan Head Seal!

"Go back and rest, Keigo. The night is beautiful tonight."

Kyo Uchiha smiled kindly.

Keigo Uchiha nodded, bowed, and withdrew.

Just as he stepped out of the courtyard gate, his figure suddenly dodged to the side. A fragrant, graceful shadow lunged at empty air, stumbling and falling onto Keigo Uchiha.

"Keigo, how did you notice me? I clearly concealed my presence!"

Momoko Uchiha pouted, her pretty face full of disbelief.

Her eyes shone brightly in the dark night.

"I thought that after training for so long, I would be able to catch you. From childhood until now, I have never managed to catch you in our 'tag' games."

As she spoke, she sighed in frustration, her expression full of cuteness.

"You're still a hundred years away from catching me."

Keigo Uchiha smiled and tapped her head.

"How has your training been lately? I heard that you are now the second-best medical master in Konoha, right after Tsunade."

"Many people behind your back call you the 'Shrine Maiden of the Gods'. It seems... like a pretty good title."

He looked at the graceful young girl before him with a playful smile.

Perhaps because of the Yang Release.

Momoko's growth rate was exceptionally fast, and her entire being radiated a healthy aura. She always wore a brilliant smile, like a goddess growing under the sun, making one feel refreshed and happy.

She now stood at 164 centimeters.

Even standing next to the 173-centimeter Keigo Uchiha, she did not look small at all; the two of them looked more like a golden boy and jade girl.

"It's nothing, just praise from friends. I feel like there is still so much for me to learn. Right now, I really like Lady Tsunade's 'Yin Seal'. If I have the chance, I will definitely try to learn the 'Yin Seal'!"

Momoko Uchiha smiled generously: "Training is going fine, but there is something that has been puzzling me lately."

Her delicate brows furrowed, and her lips pouted slightly, "I don't know why, but I keep having the same dream lately. In the dream, there is a giant, white insect that feels very gentle and sunny."

"A dream?"

Keigo Uchiha paused. As they walked side by side, he turned to look at Momoko Uchiha's fair profile, "Perhaps it is just because you are too tired during the day."

Momoko's work was not easy.

She is now the head nurse at the hospital, a position she earned through her own ability and strength, having helped countless ninjas and civilians alike from eight in the morning until six in the evening.

By constantly helping others heal their wounds, combined with her radiant smile and personality, she has won the affection of countless people.

"Right."

Keigo Uchiha paused in his tracks and said with a smile, "I have a gift for you."

As he spoke, he pulled out a bamboo dragonfly.

He had purchased it while passing through the Land of Iron; since he had never seen such a thing in Konoha, it could be considered a rare trinket.

"How beautiful! It looks just like a real dragonfly."

Momoko Uchiha took the dragonfly with delight, but suddenly, as if thinking of something, her pretty face flushed crimson. Under the moonlight, she looked like a maiden from the heavens. "Then I shall give Keigo a gift as well. Close your eyes!"

"Alright."

Keigo Uchiha closed his eyes with a helpless smile.

The next moment, a warm, soft sensation brushed against his cheek, but before he could even register it, the warmth vanished.

He opened his eyes to see Momoko Uchiha pulling her head back, her face burning with shyness. "Hehe, I'm off!"

"That is my gift to Keigo."

With that said.

She turned and ran away, the crimson on her face resembling the evening glow, carrying the scorching heat of the sun.

"This girl."

Keigo Uchiha shook his head.

Early the next morning.

Keigo Uchiha arrived at Orochimaru's laboratory. Upon opening the door, he saw Orochimaru in the middle of an experiment, a trace of exhaustion in his eyes—the result of prolonged mental exertion.

Even a Quasi-Kage level powerhouse could not stay up all night for long periods.

"You stayed up all night again?"

Keigo Uchiha handed over a bag of breakfast buns, unable to stop himself from shaking his head; he knew Orochimaru would inevitably pull an all-nighter.

"The work today is very dangerous. Are you sure you're in the right state, Teacher?"

"Staying up like this all the time is something even a Quasi-Kage level powerhouse cannot endure."

As he spoke, he suddenly curled his lips and said indifferently, "However, I heard that the First Hokage of the past only needed one or two hours of sleep a day. Perhaps those who have integrated Hashirama Cells can also possess such a trait."

Orochimaru stopped his work, looked at Keigo Uchiha, and curled his lips into a smile, his voice raspy. "Are you trying to use this method to get me to integrate Hashirama Cells?"

"Now is not the time."

He licked the corner of his lips.

He formed a hand seal with one hand.

"Release!"

With a poof, the exhaustion in his eyes vanished, and he was refreshed once more.

"Using a Shadow Clone to sleep, to dispel physical fatigue?"

Keigo Uchiha raised an eyebrow. "While it can relieve some physical fatigue, it cannot reduce the toll on the spirit."

This method was the same principle as Uzumaki Naruto using Shadow Clones to gather natural energy in the original story, only one was for power, while the other was to obtain the rest of sleep.

There were similarities.

And there were differences.

"Teacher, have you ever considered that to master Sage Mode, one needs not only talent but also powerful mental strength?"

Keigo Uchiha frowned, suddenly realizing that perhaps it wasn't that the White Snake Sage didn't want to teach Orochimaru Sage Mode, and that Orochimaru's spirit and soul hadn't only begun to deteriorate after his Living Corpse Reincarnation.

Long-term sleep deprivation.

Using Shadow Clones to bypass the need for sleep.

Orochimaru's spirit... was already incomparably exhausted!

"What?"

Orochimaru was stunned, suddenly realizing something. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. "Mastering Sage Mode requires a powerful physique to withstand natural energy, but it also requires an absolutely healthy spirit to allow the mind to merge with that natural energy."

When did I start staying up all night?

When did I stop sleeping entirely?

Eighteen!

From the moment he became an Elite Jonin and realized that sleep was merely a waste of life, he had never had a good night's rest again!

And as of now... that had been many years!

"The reason I cannot master Sage Mode... was it me all along?"

Orochimaru's voice was raspy, his eyes filled with a trace of shock and disbelief.

He craved proximity to eternal life and even greater power.

Yet, because of his own choices.

He was drifting further and further away!

"Teacher, you need to rest as soon as possible and begin integrating the Hashirama Cells."

Keigo Uchiha furrowed his brows and said earnestly, "Start now; mental strength is even more important than the physical body."

"No."

Orochimaru gradually regained his composure, his voice raspy, "You are right, I should rest, but not now. I will rest after visiting Ryūchi Cave; a little while longer won't make a difference."

"More than rest, I want to know what true Sage Mode is actually... like."

"You must know... even Jiraiya has not fully mastered Sage Mode yet, and he has been learning it for about ten years, hasn't he?"

His eyes held a trace of reminiscence.

Ten years and still not fully mastered Sage Mode.

It was enough to show just how difficult Sage Mode was!

Although Jiraiya was a fool.

He was also a genius of hard work!

"Ten years?"

Keigo Uchiha raised an eyebrow. In the original story, Jiraiya never truly mastered Sage Mode even at the end, requiring the help of Fukasaku and Shima to enter it.

"Let's go! Remember, once the Reverse Summoning Technique succeeds, you must be extremely careful. Even with me by your side, I cannot fully guarantee your safety."

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, "That is... the White Snake Sage, extremely dangerous!"

Thinking of the contents recorded in the scrolls, a chill ran through his heart.

That was a creature that had lived for thousands of years.

It was absolutely not something he could fathom!

"Reverse Summoning Technique!"

Orochimaru let out a cold shout, then leaned down, and a massive summoning seal instantly appeared on the ground beneath them!

A cloud of smoke rose violently!

Orochimaru was stunned, "Success? Could it be because of you, Keigo?"

He knew he had never succeeded in performing it before.

But the next moment, he froze.

The smoke dissipated.

The surrounding space had not changed at all; he was still in the laboratory.

"What is going on... wait, Keigo... how did he disappear?"

His pale face went blank.

In other words... he had performed the Reverse Summoning Technique, but he himself had not been summoned to Ryūchi Cave; instead, Keigo Uchiha, who was supposed to be the "passenger," had been summoned!

"What kind of nonsense is this?"

Orochimaru's mouth twitched.

He had never seen anything so absurd!

"Forget it, I should consider sleeping. Keigo was right; perhaps it is because I stay up late all year round that my spirit and soul are weak, preventing me from being chosen."

Orochimaru's amber eyes shifted.

He wore a look of helplessness.

He turned and walked out of the laboratory, lying down on a bed he hadn't used in a long time.

"Keigo, I hope you are safe, even if you cannot learn Sage Mode..."

As he spoke, Orochimaru's face gradually relaxed, showing a sense of peace.

Ryūchi Cave.

This was a cavern, incredibly vast. To call it a cave was an understatement; it was more like a world within a mountain—huge and expansive!

The cave carried a hint of chill, and the strangely shaped rocks added to its eerie atmosphere.

But this coldness and strangeness did not frighten Keigo Uchiha; instead, he felt a sense of comfort.

"Is this... Ryūchi Cave?"

Keigo Uchiha looked at the scenery around him and raised an eyebrow, "But... where did Teacher go?"

He glanced around. Where was there any sign of Orochimaru?

"So, that means only I was brought over by the Reverse Summoning Technique, while Orochimaru, the one who cast it, was left behind. Isn't this... just targeted?"

He couldn't help but laugh.

Orochimaru must be absolutely miserable right now.

After finally succeeding just once, the Reverse Summoning Technique ended up having nothing to do with him at all!

The most miserable person in the Shinobi World: Orochimaru!