When Uchiha Fugaku's voice reached him,
Yatsuhashi's wavering heart made up its mind in an instant.
But just as he was about to make a tactical retreat,
Uchiha Fugaku's voice came through again.
"How's your study of the ocular-technique scroll I gave you going? Did you bring it with you?"
When he realized Fugaku was asking about the Uchiha Clan's ocular-technique scroll he'd given him last time,
Yatsuhashi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The scroll merely recorded the training process for the Sharingan, from the single Tomoe to the Two Tomoe and finally the Three Tomoe.
It also covered some of the Sharingan's standard techniques for perception, copying, and genjutsu.
Although it filled in some of the gaps in Yatsuhashi's knowledge,
it didn't contain anything about the more advanced ocular techniques unlocked after awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan.
It didn't even mention Susanoo.
Back then, Yatsuhashi had gotten his hopes up for nothing.
Although he still wasn't very proficient,
Yatsuhashi could now just about manage the Sharingan's basic perception, copying, and genjutsu techniques.
So he took out the scroll he'd brought with him and set it beside the gate.
"I'll leave the scroll here. If there's nothing else, I'll be heading back."
After saying that, Yatsuhashi turned and walked away.
"Hahahaha..."
Uchiha Fugaku's deep laughter came from inside the gate.
"You really are impossible to persuade, kid!"
With a creak,
the heavy gate slowly swung open.
Uchiha Fugaku stepped barefoot to the entrance.
Noticing that Yatsuhashi had already retreated quite a distance,
he couldn't help asking curiously, "Are you really that afraid of me?"
Only then did Yatsuhashi get a clear look at Uchiha Fugaku.
For some reason, Fugaku's eyes were wrapped in thick white bandages.
As if he'd noticed Yatsuhashi's confusion,
Uchiha Fugaku sat barefoot on the cold threshold.
"This is a side effect of the Mangekyō Sharingan."
Uchiha Fugaku gave a self-mocking chuckle. "Heh. How's your eyesight these days?"
Yatsuhashi knew the answer to that all too well.
Ever since awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, he'd taken great care of his eyes.
No matter how busy he was, he'd even set aside a little time at midday to do eye exercises.
The only time he'd ever overused his eyes was during his fight against Karatachi Yagura in the Land of Water.
For the most part, Yatsuhashi only ever activated and deactivated them in an instant.
He never kept them active for a second longer than necessary.
As a result, his eyes hadn't bled even once since.
It even made Yatsuhashi feel like he was the one using the Mangekyō Sharingan the way it was truly meant to be used.
"Pretty good."
Yatsuhashi made another tactical retreat, putting even more distance between them.
Because he'd just thought of something.
The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan required merging with another pair of Mangekyō Sharingan.
Although all the successful cases had involved direct blood relatives—
their own brothers—
what if Uchiha Fugaku wanted to try using his eyes?
"Hm?"
Uchiha Fugaku tilted his head at the gate. "You even know about that?"
"That's something only the heads of the Uchiha Clan have ever been permitted to know.
Yatsuhashi, you have quite a few secrets."
At that, Yatsuhashi's heart gave a sudden jolt.
Could Uchiha Fugaku actually see what he was thinking?
Was that one of his ocular techniques?
The head of the Uchiha Clan really was terrifying!
"Heh! Take another step back and I won't be able to sense you anymore."
Uchiha Fugaku called out to Yatsuhashi, who was nearly out of sight at the end of the path.
His tone suddenly turned serious. "I called you here because I want to make a deal."
Worried that Yatsuhashi might disappear the very next second, Uchiha Fugaku pulled out a scroll.
"This is Susanoo. Do you want it?"
At the words "Susanoo," Yatsuhashi's breathing quickened.
It was the Uchiha Clan's ultimate power!
He asked cautiously, "What's the price?"
Uchiha Fugaku replied slowly, "Get Uchiha Itachi into Anbu."
"Hm?"
Yatsuhashi froze. "Wasn't Uchiha Itachi going to join Anbu sooner or later anyway?"
A prodigy of the Uchiha Clan,
Uchiha Itachi had only just graduated from the Academy.
Yet he was already fairly well known in the village.
Yatsuhashi had once asked Kakashi why he'd never seen Uchiha Itachi in Anbu.
After all, if the Hokage had invited Yatsuhashi to join Anbu, there was no reason not to invite Uchiha Itachi.
Kakashi had said Uchiha Itachi was still young,
but the Hokage had indeed considered inviting him to join Anbu.
It was only a matter of time.
"No. I want him to join Anbu Team 6, the team you're in."
Uchiha Fugaku continued, "I want Itachi working with Kakashi—with you. Not with Shisui, watching our Uchiha Clan."
As he listened to Uchiha Fugaku, Yatsuhashi furrowed his brow and began to ponder.
He still wasn't sure what kind of hidden trap this might involve.
But keeping Uchiha Itachi away from Uchiha Shisui was certainly a good thing.
After hesitating, Yatsuhashi asked cautiously,
"Does he absolutely have to join Anbu? I think our clan's Military Police Force is pretty good."
"No. He has to join Anbu."
Uchiha Fugaku's answer was unexpectedly firm.
"Why?"
Yatsuhashi asked curiously.
Seated on the threshold, Uchiha Fugaku explained, "Because it's the only way to let Itachi live a little longer..."
"?!"
Yatsuhashi couldn't make sense of it. What did he mean, live a little longer?
Uchiha Fugaku's voice sank.
A faint trace of blood began to seep through the bandages around his eyes.
"My eyes let me see glimpses of the future."
"Out of countless possible futures, Itachi lives the longest in the ones where he joins Anbu..."
"But I don't know exactly why."
Yatsuhashi was shaken to his core. Live longer...
He quickly thought of Sasuke, who hadn't been born yet,
and of the catastrophe that would wipe out the Uchiha Clan.
If Uchiha Itachi joined Anbu and served on the same team as him,
the two of them would spend more time together.
Yatsuhashi even thought that if he ultimately couldn't stop Uchiha Itachi from going down a dark path,
perhaps, while carrying out a mission...
With that thought, Yatsuhashi spoke up. "Deal!"
Uchiha Fugaku forcefully tossed the scroll in his hand toward Yatsuhashi.
After catching it, Yatsuhashi immediately checked whether it was genuine.
Once he confirmed it really was Susanoo,
he quickly tucked it into his clothes.
Just as Yatsuhashi thought the deal was done
and was about to take his leave,
Uchiha Fugaku, who had been sitting quietly on the threshold,
suddenly unleashed a suffocating wave of bloodlust!
He slowly rose to his feet. "Hey, Yatsuhashi."
"What were you just thinking about...?"
Before you continue