After returning to the village, they went to the mission office and turned in the mission, earning a payment for their work.
The reward for this C-rank mission was ten thousand ryō. It wasn't much, since the four of them had to split it.
That came to two thousand five hundred ryō each. It was enough to live on for a month, but for a ninja, restocking their tools would use up most of it.
After turning in the mission and collecting their reward, Shin and the others headed home.
When they got back to Tsunade's house, Mikoto came along with them.
Tsunade and the others looked at Shin expectantly.
Shin cleared his throat, then said, "I know you're curious about why I have the Sharingan. There's nothing I can't tell you. I have some Uchiha blood in me, too."
Then Shin told Tsunade and the others about his background. He explained that his mother was from the Uzumaki Clan, while his father was from the Uchiha Clan.
"I see. Your father was an Uchiha. Do you know his name?" Tsunade asked curiously.
Shin glanced at Tsunade and said, "Don't be so nosy. I don't know who he was, and I have no interest in finding out. Besides, he's already dead."
If Shin still had feelings for his mother in this life, he felt nothing for the so-called father he had never even met. How could he feel anything for him?
"Mikoto, you can stay here for now," Tsunade told her.
Seeing the confusion in Mikoto's eyes, Tsunade explained, "If you stay here, I can train you. It'll also help keep Danzo in check."
Tsunade knew Danzo well. He was ruthless, and after losing so much this time, who knew what he might try next?
"Tsunade's right, Mikoto. Stay here for now," Shin said with a nod.
He'd planned to suggest it even if Tsunade hadn't.
Shin knew Shimura Danzo even better than Tsunade did. If Mikoto wasn't with them, she really could be in danger.
Even though they were in Konoha, Danzo would still dare to make a move. He knew that even if Sarutobi Hiruzen caught wind of what he was doing, he'd get nothing more than a token verbal reprimand.
"Tsunade, you should be careful too," Shin said.
Tsunade was strong, but she hadn't yet reached Kage Level. If Danzo wanted to take her out, he'd only need to send a few more Elite Jonin to finish the job.
If Shin hadn't been there this time, Tsunade would have been done for.
"That man Danzo wouldn't dare touch me inside Konoha," Tsunade said confidently.
That was true. Danzo might attack Tsunade outside the village, but he wouldn't dare go after her inside it.
He couldn't take down an Elite Jonin quickly. Not everyone was Shin, and even if Danzo went himself, he couldn't finish Tsunade off fast.
If he couldn't take her down quickly, Konoha's ninja would arrive. Even the Third Hokage wouldn't be able to protect Danzo then. What did he think he was doing, attacking a princess of the Senju Clan?
The Senju Clan had fallen on hard times, but it hadn't been wiped out. It still carried considerable influence in Konoha, and the other great clans had to show it respect.
"Shin, how did you awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan? As far as I know, Uchiha Madara is the only person who has one," Tsunade asked curiously.
"Uchiha Madara's eyes weren't an ordinary Mangekyō Sharingan. He had the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. And besides, awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan is easy."
Tsunade's mouth twitched. Awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan was easy? Then why couldn't so many members of the Uchiha Clan do it?
Mikoto looked at Shin with curiosity. As a member of the Uchiha Clan, she'd heard of the Mangekyō Sharingan, but no one in the clan knew how to awaken it.
"An intense emotional upheaval. If your emotions are strong enough, your Sharingan can evolve."
The most important thing for awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan was an intense emotional upheaval. The original story made it clear: every person who awakened it had suffered some sort of emotional shock.
Uchiha Itachi had awakened his Mangekyō after being shocked by Uchiha Shisui's suicide. Uchiha Obito had seen his beloved Nohara Rin die and, under the shock, leapt straight from the Two-Tomoe Sharingan to the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Although Shin hadn't suffered any mental shock when he awakened his Mangekyō, the evolution had still been connected to his mental strength.
"If you see the person you love die right in front of you, awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan shouldn't be a problem."
"That's so cruel." Tsunade frowned.
"Then how did you awaken yours?"
"Ahem. I had a special method. It's not something ordinary people can imitate."
The system's help with copying had played a major role in Shin's awakening. Otherwise, even if he could have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, it would have taken another two years.
"If you don't want to say, fine. Do you have a way to help Mikoto's Sharingan evolve?" Tsunade asked.
Mikoto looked at Shin expectantly, too. The Sharingan gave Uchiha ninja a tremendous boost in combat ability.
When the Sharingan evolved, it also increased the user's chakra, transforming their strength in an instant.
"I can. It just won't be... pleasant."
Shin considered it for a moment as he looked at Mikoto, then answered.
Hearing that, Mikoto had a bad feeling. But for the sake of getting stronger and not holding the others back in the future, she gritted her teeth.
"Shin, please."
"Mikoto, are you sure? Don't hit me afterward," Shin said.
Mikoto nodded firmly. She'd already made up her mind.
"Then come outside," Shin said. Tsunade and Kushina followed them out, curious to see what would happen.
"Yomotsu Hirasaka."
Shin activated his Mangekyō Sharingan and used Yomotsu Hirasaka, opening a pitch-black portal in front of them.
"Go on in, Mikoto."
Mikoto didn't hesitate. She trusted Shin completely and stepped right through.
Mikoto disappeared inside the portal. When Tsunade and Kushina looked at Shin in confusion, he pointed up at the sky.
Tsunade and Kushina looked up and saw Mikoto falling from above.
After passing through the portal, Mikoto had emerged hundreds of meters in the air and was now plummeting toward the ground.
Mikoto was terrified. Even a Kage-level Ninja would panic if they fell from that height, let alone a Genin who had just graduated.
Her One-Tomoe Sharingan activated on its own. As the ground rushed closer, terror overwhelmed her. Her One-Tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly, and another tomoe appeared in her eye. It had evolved into the Two-Tomoe Sharingan.
Mikoto had no time to sense the evolution of her Sharingan. She thought she was about to die.
Just before Mikoto hit the ground, another portal appeared, and she fell into it.
Then a portal opened in front of Shin, and Mikoto came tumbling out. She stumbled, nearly falling, but Shin caught her in his arms.
"Mikoto, are you all right?" Shin asked.
Mikoto was dazed and still hadn't recovered. She'd been absolutely terrified just moments ago.
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