Something Good

(Eighteenth chapter: Something Good)

Uchiha Fugaku turned around and walked into the house. Mirai and Uchiha Itachi exchanged a glance, then followed him inside.

Once inside, Uchiha Fugaku took the seat of honor and said to Mirai and Uchiha Itachi, "Itachi, Mirai, you can sit down too."

Mirai and Uchiha Itachi sat down. Uchiha Fugaku said, "Now that Mirai has awakened his Sharingan, as the Uchiha clan's head, I should tell you about the Sharingan's origins and help you understand exactly what kind of eyes you have. I'd planned to explain it to Itachi after he awakened his eyes, but since you're both here, you can listen together."

"Yes! Thank you, Father!" Uchiha Itachi replied.

"In the Shinobi World, there are all kinds of special techniques. Only a small number of people with special physiques can use some of them. Their unusual physiques allow them to become far stronger than ordinary ninja. When these abilities are passed down through the bloodline, their descendants inherit the same power. Such abilities are called Kekkei Genkai."

"The Kekkei Genkai possessed by the Uchiha clan is the Sharingan. It ranks among the very best Kekkei Genkai, yet only a small number of Uchiha clan members awaken it. Our ancestors earned great renown throughout the Shinobi World with the Sharingan, which is why the Uchiha clan holds such a prestigious position in Konoha."

"The Sharingan is one of the three great dojutsu in the Shinobi World. The other two are the Byakugan and the Rinnegan. Apart from the Rinnegan of the legendary Sage of Six Paths, which no one has ever seen, the Byakugan belongs to the Hyuga Clan here in Konoha. It can see the chakra pathways inside the body and observe things from a great distance, with a 360-degree field of vision. It's suited to reconnaissance, but its combat abilities can't compare to our Sharingan."

"The Sharingan has One-Tomoe, Two-Tomoe, and Three-Tomoe forms. The more tomoe it has, the stronger its abilities. The One-Tomoe form grants the power of insight. You saw Itachi's next move just now, so you reacted ahead of time, right?"

Uchiha Fugaku looked at Mirai. Mirai nodded. "Yes. I saw Itachi's movements, so I acted a split second ahead of him."

Uchiha Fugaku nodded, then continued, "That's the Sharingan's most basic ability. It lets you see through certain Taijutsu moves. With Two-Tomoe or Three-Tomoe, you can observe more clearly, see your opponent's chakra pathways, use genjutsu to hypnotize enemies, and copy some ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and genjutsu that aren't Kekkei Genkai. Do you both understand?"

Mirai and Uchiha Itachi nodded. Uchiha Fugaku had explained it clearly. Mirai had watched Naruto countless times, so he knew exactly what level of Kekkei Genkai the Sharingan was. It was the so-called Sage Eye, the strongest eyes. Mirai knew even more about the Sharingan than Uchiha Fugaku did.

Uchiha Fugaku turned and took a scroll from a drawer, placing it in front of Mirai. Mirai blinked in surprise and asked, "Clan Head, what's this?"

"This scroll records how some members of the Uchiha clan awakened Two-Tomoe and Three-Tomoe, along with techniques for using the Sharingan from One-Tomoe to Three-Tomoe, and a few basic Fire Release Ninjutsu."

Mirai's expression brightened when he heard that. Everything Uchiha Fugaku had said before was common knowledge to him, but this scroll was quite valuable.

The process of awakening Two-Tomoe and Three-Tomoe didn't matter much, but the techniques for using the Sharingan from One-Tomoe to Three-Tomoe were important to Mirai. Although he had the Sharingan, he was still clumsy when using it. There was much more to the Sharingan than that; mastering it could make him ten or even a hundred times stronger.

And there were Fire Release Ninjutsu, too. Mirai had the System Shop, where he could buy all sorts of techniques, but they cost Points. Why pay when he could get them for free? This scroll was a real treasure.

"Clan Head, this is far too valuable." Mirai wanted it, but still made a show of protesting first.

"Take it. We have plenty of things like this in the clan. It's only right for a member of the Uchiha clan to have one. Have you considered moving into the Uchiha residential district? I can find you the best teacher. With your talent, you'll soon become one of the Uchiha clan's strongest members," Uchiha Fugaku continued. He didn't want a talent like Mirai to go to waste.

But Mirai thought differently. If he really moved in here, he'd become entangled with the Uchiha clan. For the sake of his future safety, it was better to keep his distance.

"Thank you, Clan Head, but I'll stick to my decision. Besides, I'm still young, and powerful ninjutsu are a long way off. I need to keep building a solid foundation. Even the tallest tower starts from the ground. First, I have to make sure my foundation is firm. Compared to my cousin Itachi, my fundamentals are still far behind. If not for the Sharingan's advantage and the element of surprise, ten of me together wouldn't stand a chance against my cousin Itachi."

As Mirai spoke, he had already slipped the scroll into his clothes without even realizing it. He continued to praise Itachi. What he said was true, but Mirai didn't usually talk like this. Now that he'd accepted their gift, he felt obliged to return the favor with some praise. Once he'd started working, he'd learned the most valuable lesson of his life: be tactful. He'd lost count of the times he'd gone drinking with his bosses, and flattering people was one of his specialties.

As expected, Uchiha Fugaku nodded at Mirai's words. He seemed to think Mirai understood what he needed to do. Mirai knew there was a gap between his strength and Itachi's, and he wasn't letting victory go to his head or defeat discourage him. He had good talent, and those who understood their own abilities could improve. Besides, as Mirai had said, at his age, he needed to build a solid foundation. Real combat would come after graduation. By then, the school would assign a ninja as his mentor, so there was still plenty of time. Perhaps Mirai would change his mind later.