The Next Plan

After placing Qiancao on the ground, Ayako said to him, "Massage your eyes for a moment."

Wuming saw Qiancao sitting on the ground rubbing his eyes and couldn't help but walk over to gently massage them for him.

When it came to experience with the Mangekyo Sharingan, Wuming was far more knowledgeable than Qiancao, and her massage techniques for relieving fatigue were much more professional.

Whether it was psychological or due to her skillful touch, Qiancao quickly recovered from the soreness in his eyes.

Always feeling dizzy like this isn't a long-term solution, Qiancao thought to himself. Once I have the strength, I'll have to find a way to upgrade to the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.

While Wuming was massaging his eyes, Senju Arashi was discussing something with Ayako nearby.

"That was truly exaggerated just now," Senju Arashi said, gesturing wildly as she described her experience to Ayako. "It felt like I was fighting a smaller version of myself."

Ayako stood in place, pondering for a moment before asking Senju Arashi, "Based on your description, it sounds like Qiancao's Mangekyo Sharingan is an enhanced version of the standard Sharingan's copying ability. Can you feel the difference?"

Senju Arashi recalled the event carefully, then clapped her hands as if something had clicked. "It's just that feeling—it felt like Qiancao wasn't Qiancao, but rather myself."

Seeing Ayako looking at her with a puzzled expression, Senju Arashi continued to explain, "Ordinary Uchiha ninjas copy my ninjutsu, but they execute them using their own will."

"But Qiancao was very different. Looking back, every move he made was something I had imagined in my own mind, the perfect counter to my own techniques."

Ayako said slowly, "Hearing you say that reminds me of a legendary, miraculous technique called 'Spirit Possession,' which allows one to borrow the power of others to fight."

Senju Arashi quickly agreed, "Yes, yes, that's exactly the feeling! As a beginner, there's no way he could have spotted the flaws in my movements, yet he was able to respond with ease just now."

"Moreover, later on, I intentionally used moves I don't usually employ, and he was able to successfully determine that those moves weren't worth copying, still choosing the most logical way to strike. It was truly eerie."

Wuming had finished massaging Qiancao's eyes, and the two women walked over to his side, watching him open his eyes.

Qiancao asked his master, "How was it, Master? How did I perform?"

Ayako smiled and nodded in approval. "For a beginner, you were already excellent, Qiancao. However, I still have a few questions for you, if you are willing to answer."

Since his master had put it that way, Qiancao understood she was likely going to ask about the secrets of his Sharingan.

"Whatever you want to ask, Master, just ask. I have nothing to hide," Qiancao replied.

"Does the Mangekyo Sharingan you used just now have any special effects?" Ayako asked him. "Arashi said it was like fighting an opponent who was exactly like herself."

Qiancao explained the abilities of his Mangekyo to his master, finally summarizing, "It must have been that deep down, I wanted to become a master, and the Mangekyo helped me copy all of Miss Arashi's abilities."

"By the end, I didn't even need to control my body; the Sharingan was automatically helping me spar."

Ayako bit her finger and continued to ask, "Then, can you still 'possess' Miss Arashi now?"

Qiancao closed his eyes to sense it, and his whole being seemed to drift into a space resembling the cosmos.

Looking around, Qiancao discovered two translucent phantoms of Uchiha Keisuke and Senju Arashi floating nearby.

Upon approaching these phantoms, Qiancao even felt that he could read all of their memories and combat experience.

Returning from his out-of-body state, Qiancao shared his discovery with the group, causing Senju Arashi to shout from the side, "Don't you go looking through people's memories whenever you want!"

Ayako pondered for a while longer, then finally said to Qiancao, "I know how to train you now."

As she spoke, she pulled out a piece of paper from somewhere and wrote down a teaching plan for Qiancao:

1. Train his fundamental ninja skills, such as taijutsu and the use of various ninja tools, supervised by Wuming;

2. Teach him various ninjutsu, personally overseen by Uzumaki Ayako;

3. Engage in combat with various experts to copy their combat experience using the Sharingan.

After writing down these plans, Ayako explained to Qiancao, "Although you used the power of the Mangekyo to gain the strength to fight Arashi for a short time, you still lack flexibility."

"If you don't integrate these copied powers, you will never reach the pinnacle of skill."

"It's like an ordinary person with a powerful ninja tool; while the tool itself provides great strength, it is ultimately inferior to a ninja who can use it proficiently."

Qiancao agreed with this logic and nodded repeatedly.

"As for basic taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu..." Ayako continued, "Although you Uchiha clansmen rely heavily on the Sharingan for combat, the Sharingan is ultimately a burden on the body."

"So, it is naturally best not to rely on it." This statement made Wuming nod repeatedly; she had absolutely no affection for her own Sharingan.

Qiancao felt there was no issue with this plan, so the group finalized his training regimen and began supervising his execution of it.

Meanwhile, at the Naka Shrine in the Uchiha territory, Uchiha Eiki was reporting the situation regarding the interception of Qiancao to the clan head, Uchiha Gaku, and Uchiha Naoto.

"No one told me that guy Seiichiro would be escorting Qiancao," Eiki complained in front of the two men. "I was annoyed to death by that guy; he insisted on pestering me for a fight."

"Then, halfway through, I ran into that crazy woman, Uzumaki Ayako. I had no choice but to use Amaterasu just to hold off that madman Seiichiro." Uchiha Eiki frantically recounted his hardships to them.

Uchiha Gaku frowned as he listened, then looked at Naoto on the side, his meaning clear: tell us what to do.

Naoto remained as confident as ever. This time, under his instruction, only three people had been sent to retrieve Qiancao, which was intended to let them go.

He had even deliberately sent Ryuji and Sawa, aiming to let Qiancao temporarily set aside the feud regarding his parents so that everyone could mind their own business.

However, Uchiha Gaku remained uneasy and confirmed repeatedly, "Are you sure their Sharingan will self-destruct once they leave their bodies?"

Naoto said, "Rest assured. Since I let them go, I have naturally made full preparations. Qiancao and Wuming possess infinite potential; only by growing freely outside can they bear the most bountiful fruit."

Uchiha Gaku said nothing on the surface, but in his heart, he thought, The Land of Whirlpools... is it? I heard that a group in the Land of Water has long had grievances against it. Are there any flaws there that can be exploited?