Rikusei's Chakra

I've been had.

Rikusei walked toward the clan grounds, his expression shifting between gloom and clarity as he recalled the scene from earlier. That red-eyed man had played the fool to stall until school ended, successfully pulling off a "white wolf with empty hands" trick on him.

Truly, the hearts of men are not what they once were; the world is going to the dogs.

Is it really appropriate for an old comrade of Konoha to deceive a young comrade like him at school? It is not.

Forget it, I won't even bother lecturing him; I can't beat him anyway.

Having learned his lesson, Rikusei decided to be more cautious with his words next time. If he really had to offer advice, he'd make sure to suggest something so flashy and impractical that it would make the man lose confidence in himself.

The sun had not yet fully set. In the peaceful village bathed in the afterglow, wisps of smoke rose from chimneys, and the mouth-watering aroma of dinner permeated every corner.

Crossing the gate outside the clan grounds and stepping fully into the Uchiha territory, familiar scenery came into view. Rikusei silently observed the girl beside him.

Her purple hair, like fluffy seaweed, draped over her shoulders, shimmering with the luster of silk under the golden sunset. Her fair neck, hidden by the high collar of her robe, was enough to make one want to take a closer look, and a relaxed smile played upon her serene face.

His overly focused gaze filled the girl's small face with confusion. She brushed her slender fingers against her cheek, asking tentatively, "Is there something on my face?"

Rikusei, walking side-by-side with her under the shade of the trees, blinked and shook his head innocently to indicate there was nothing.

"Hmph!" Naori turned toward him, puffing out her cheeks and squinting as she teased, "Rikusei is so mean!"

Rikusei, having been wronged, was just about to explain when he noticed the girl gradually closing the distance. Girls at this age developed a bit faster than boys.

Weak as he was, he could only take small steps backward until he hit a wall. He looked up at the smiling girl, his gaze drifting uneasily toward the clouds in the sky, which were dyed red by the sunset.

Using her height advantage, Naori stretched her arms out to brace against the wall. The purple hair on her chest swayed slightly with the movement, pinning the somewhat uneasy boy before her. Her tone was filled with playfulness: "Look at my eyes."

Rikusei held his breath, taking in the fresh, faint scent of the girl, and as her soft voice reached him, he looked into her eyes in surprise.

It was the Sharingan.

Black tomoe rotated quietly within her red pupils. As if his own body resonated with hers, two pairs of single-tomoe eyes stared at each other silently in the shade of the trees.

The twilight tried to cast its glow upon them, but the spot was too secluded; it could only illuminate their bandaged calves and the ninja sandals revealing their youthful toes.

With a faint blush on her cheeks, Naori pulled her hands away from the wall, leaned forward, and said excitedly, "Just like you, both are single tomoe."

"How does it feel after activating it?" Rikusei asked, his face equally filled with joy.

"It feels very strange, in short." Naori began to count on her fingers, explaining in all seriousness without the slightest sign of discomfort.

According to her description, when she trained alone, her body could keep up with her eyes' observations, allowing her to react accordingly at any moment.

"How did you activate it?"

After finishing their discussion about the Sharingan, Rikusei asked as he leaned against the wall.

Rikusei pondered in his heart. Given her usual lively demeanor, he could rule out the trauma of losing a loved one.

But the specific circumstances were something he had to hear from the girl herself.

Also leaning against the wall to avoid the setting sun, Naori deactivated her Sharingan and looked at the mottled shadows of the branches, whispering, "It happened last night."

Yesterday.

Rikusei recalled the excited crowd; everyone around them had been filled with intense emotional fluctuations.

But could that have triggered her awakening? He was skeptical and asked for details, "What exactly happened?"

The shadow of the setting sun gradually disappeared over the horizon, and the elongated afterglow climbed up the walls, bringing heat with it. With a tacit understanding, the two walked shoulder-to-shoulder deeper into the clan grounds.

Naori brushed her hair in front of her chest, feeling a bit uneasy as she earnestly recalled the overly lively scene: "At the time, I just felt a throbbing pain in my eyes, but I didn't think much of it. As things quieted down with everyone else, the feeling disappeared. It wasn't until I got home that the throbbing returned, and then I discovered I had activated the Sharingan."

In that brightly lit setting, people filled with passion were all looking up at the Hokage building; no one would have noticed the situation of a girl hidden in the crowd, so her activation of the Sharingan had naturally been overlooked.

"That's a good thing!" Rikusei comforted her, facing the sunlight, "Now you can become even stronger."

"But, I've never heard of anyone awakening it like this." Naori's small face remained full of confusion.

Rikusei signaled for Naori to lean in closer, then whispered words of reassurance into her ear.

The slow, warm breath blew against her delicate ear as he spoke, making her heart flutter. Her face flushed red, and she nodded silently.

Standing outside the gate, Rikusei waved goodbye, watching Naori walk toward her home.

Dinner was a simple meal made by his grandmother. Before he had even finished eating, she hurried out, but not before cheerfully reminding him, "Good grandson, remember to clean up the dishes."

Holding his rice bowl, Rikusei knew exactly where she was going—either to play cards or to dance. The lives of the elderly were truly rich.

After wolfing down the meal, he summoned a Shadow Clone to help clean up, then went to his room to study his own chakra.

Madara was right.

His eyes were special.

If his eyes were special, then perhaps the chakra in his eyes was also special. With his current ocular power, he could try to push for the double tomoe.

As a man of action, he did it without hesitation; even if he failed, it was no big deal.

The clean, new mirror clearly reflected the face of the somewhat youthful boy. His handsome face held a serious expression, his dark eyes staring intently at his own eye sockets.

As his chakra merged, the Sharingan activated. The tomoe, one above and one below, sat quietly in his scarlet pupils. No matter how many times he saw it, Rikusei felt a sense of bewitching beauty.

He formed hand seals to mobilize his chakra, staring intently at the tomoe in his eyes.

On the surface, Rikusei appeared calm, but his pounding heart sent the turbulent chakra from his limbs surging toward his brain and eyes.

I see it.

Black tomoe successfully manifested within his pupils. Facing the Double Tomoe, Rikusei wiped the fine beads of sweat from his forehead, watching them in silence.

The process had not been as difficult as he had imagined; it could be said that it happened as naturally as water flowing into a channel.

If Naori had not successfully awakened her Sharingan and reminded him, the awakening of his own Double Tomoe might have been delayed for some time. After all, Konoha, with Hashirama and Madara present, was simply too safe, making one feel somewhat slack.

He ceased the flow of chakra, and the black tomoe vanished from his pupils. His crimson eyes returned to their normal state. In the mirror, his clear, black-and-white eyes gazed steadily at his own reflection, dressed in casual clothes with his chest open to reveal his refined collarbones.

Now, he could confirm the reason why Naori was able to awaken her eyes.

But how had his chakra been transmitted to Naori? The scissors on the tabletop in the mirror reminded him.

It was the blade.

If his guess was correct, it had to be the short sword at Naori's waist.

When the girl maintained her weapons, it was inevitable that she would come into contact with the hilt and blade, which had been stained with Rikusei's chakra during their sword training.

That's right. Rikusei suddenly recalled that after the clan tournament ended, Naori's right hand had seemed to rest constantly on that short sword at her waist. Could it be that his chakra had already begun to spread from person to person at that very moment?