Mangekyo Dojutsu

As the chime signaling a successful fusion rang out, Sasuke closed his eyes and opened them again, his irises turning a deep, scarlet red as the Mangekyo Dojutsu abilities became clear to him.

"Izanagi?!"

"Replacing blindness with ocular power?"

Izanagi. This technique was originally a forbidden jutsu of the Uchiha clan. It recorded the user's state via the Sharingan, allowing them to revert any damage—even death—back to that recorded state within the technique's duration (though chakra and ocular power consumed could not be restored). The price was the permanent loss of light in the eye used to cast it.

Yet, Elder Nobuhiko's Mangekyo Dojutsu, Izanagi, exacted a cost of ocular power instead! The left eye could record the user's own state. Once the technique's duration ended, a ten-minute interval was required before it could be activated again. The right eye, meanwhile, could record the state of others. Activating it twice on the same person required the same ten-minute cooldown as the left eye. As for simple recording, there was no time limit on activating the Dojutsu. This meant that as long as one had sufficient ocular power, they possessed a state of invincibility every ten minutes!

"Elder Nobuhiko, this Mangekyo Dojutsu is simply heaven-defying!"

Hearing this, Elder Nobuhiko stroked his beard with a grin, never expecting Sasuke to add, "No wonder you've managed to live from the Warring States period all the way to today."

Elder Nobuhiko's expression stiffened instantly, and he huffed, glaring at him, "You brat, do you know how to talk!? If you don't, then shut your mouth!"

Sasuke gave a subtle smile. "Did I hit the nail on the head?"

"That's enough!" Elder Nobuhiko snapped irritably. "Don't you dare push your luck, Sasuke!"

Clearly, he had hit the nail on the head.

Taking a deep breath to steady his emotions, he realized Sasuke had deduced it through his failing eyesight and spoke up. "Mangekyo Dojutsu have severe side effects; every time they are used, one's vision deteriorates significantly. From the moment I awakened these eyes until now, I have only used the left eye's technique three times, and the right eye only once. I have a feeling that if I use them one or two more times, these eyes will go completely blind. Coupled with my age and declining physical functions, I had to replace them with ordinary eyes with the help of the clan doctor."

So, it can only be used five, maybe six times? Sasuke probed, "Susanoo..."

"You certainly know a lot about the Mangekyo!" Elder Nobuhiko raised an eyebrow. "Of course, I used Susanoo quite a bit as well. In fact, the ocular power consumed by using Susanoo once doesn't even compare to the consumption of using the Dojutsu once. That is why, Sasuke, you must use these eyes with caution."

Sasuke's heart stirred. For such a heaven-defying Dojutsu, high consumption is only natural. Besides, I don't even know what stage of Susanoo Elder Nobuhiko was using for comparison. Furthermore... Sasuke smiled, gesturing toward the bottle in his hand. "Don't I still have a pair right here?"

!!! Could it be...! Realizing what he meant, Elder Nobuhiko's pupils constricted, and he asked in a hurried tone, "You mean..."

"Exactly!" Sasuke nodded. "With these eyes, my vision for the future is even more complete. It's just not the right time yet."

As he spoke, he cast his gaze toward Uchiha Izumi, who was still in the Soul Space practicing the Great Fireball Technique. "There are some things I'm not sure will happen, so I'll keep these eyes for now and let her get familiar with them in a few years."

Elder Nobuhiko glanced at Uchiha Izumi following Sasuke's gaze and asked, "You believe she can awaken the Mangekyo?"

"Yes." Sasuke nodded. "I have faith in her. But until then, I must trouble you to guide her."

"It is my duty." Elder Nobuhiko bowed his head, then said gravely, "But Sasuke, who is the enemy you foresee appearing...?"

"I don't know." Sasuke shook his head, then added, "But I do know that someone who betrayed our clan will definitely appear in the future."

Someone actually betrayed the clan? Elder Nobuhiko instinctively narrowed his eyes. "Who?"

"The mastermind who orchestrated the Nine-Tails' night!"

Night fell.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

A massive fireball, over ten meters in diameter, erupted from Uchiha Izumi's mouth, illuminating the night as brightly as day.

Clap, clap, clap.

Sasuke, who had been chatting with Elder Nobuhiko nearby, clapped his hands. "Not bad, you've improved quite quickly."

After an afternoon of practice, she had gone from only being able to release two Great Fireballs a few meters in diameter to now being able to release three Great Fireballs over ten meters in diameter at full chakra capacity; her control over chakra and understanding of the technique had clearly made significant progress.

Of course, she still couldn't compare to Itachi Uchiha.

After all, he had started training early and had laid a solid foundation.

Uchiha Izumi, on the other hand, had only begun receiving systematic training upon entering the Ninja Academy; her foundation wasn't very firm, and this was her first time learning ninjutsu.

To be able to successfully release the ninjutsu and make such great progress in just one afternoon was already quite remarkable.

Receiving the praise, Uchiha Izumi's eyes curved into crescents, and she felt that the afternoon's hard work had been worth it.

Then, she noticed the sky. "Eh? Is it already this late?"

"Yes." Sasuke nodded with a smile. "It's almost dinner time, let's take a break."

"It's already dinner time?" Izumi was stunned, then bowed slightly to Elder Nobuhiko. "Thank you for your guidance, Elder, but it is very late now, so I should head back."

Elder Nobuhiko nodded. "Very well, go back and rest."

"Yes! Goodbye, Elder!" Izumi said her farewells, then looked at Sasuke.

Sasuke shifted his focus.

Their consciousnesses left the Soul Space.

Immediately...

"Hiss~"

As her consciousness returned to her physical body, Uchiha Izumi felt muscle soreness all over, causing her to gasp sharply. Her legs went weak, and she lost her balance. "Whoa, whoa, whoa~"

"Careful." Sasuke quickly stepped forward to support her and helped her sit down to the side.

"Phew~" Uchiha Izumi let out a sigh of relief. Feeling weak and sore all over, she panted heavily, wrapped her arms around Sasuke's neck, and leaned into his embrace. "Sasuke, let me lean on you for a moment to rest; I can't really stand up right now."

"Alright, rest for a bit first."

Because most of Uchiha Izumi's consciousness had been in the Soul Space, the small portion remaining in her body could only control it to perform training, unable to process the fatigue feedback from her muscles. That was why she couldn't adapt when her full consciousness returned to her body.

Of course, there was an advantage to this.

When the brain cannot receive the sense of fatigue fed back by the body, human inertia cannot take hold, making it easy to break through physical limits.

After all, what hinders human progress is a lack of willpower.

Naturally, this assumes the training is scientific.

Watching the sweat-drenched, panting Uchiha Izumi, Sasuke reached out to wipe the sweat from her forehead.

Feeling his movement, Uchiha Izumi lowered her voice, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Sasuke, do I smell like sweat?"

"Sweat? I don't smell anything..." As he spoke, Sasuke subconsciously leaned in, but Uchiha Izumi immediately pinched his nose, saying indignantly, "You can't sniff!"

"If I don't sniff, how would I know if there's a smell?"

"You just can't!"

Looking at Uchiha Izumi, who was glaring at him with a fierce, adorable expression, Sasuke rolled his eyes and retorted, "You've changed. Where did my gentle Izumi-chan go?"

Hearing "my Izumi-chan"... Uchiha Izumi's cheeks flushed, and she shot Sasuke a fierce look. "Who told you to be such a brat!"

"What does being a brat have to do with it?"

"It just does!"

"..." Sasuke was speechless.

At this moment, Uchiha Izumi suddenly cupped his face in her hands and whispered, "Sasuke, could you grow up a little faster?"

Sasuke was stunned. He finally realized something, and feeling touched, he smiled slightly and nodded. "Alright."

Hearing this, Uchiha Izumi beamed.

She shifted her body to get comfortable, wrapped her arms around Sasuke's neck once more, rested her head on his shoulder, and closed her eyes with a smile on her lips.