Probing

Hokage Building.

An Anbu knelt on one knee before the Third Hokage.

"Lord Hokage."

"Uchiha Shingetsu awakened his Two-Tomoe Sharingan at the Uchiha clan's training ground today."

The hand holding the Third Hokage's pipe paused slightly.

"Two-Tomoe?"

"Yes."

The Anbu said in a low voice, "Multiple Uchiha clansmen witnessed it on the scene."

"He first suppressed Uchiha Washiyama during a spar, and then his Sharingan evolved."

The Third Hokage fell silent.

The atmosphere in the office grew somewhat heavy.

A Two-Tomoe at nine years old.

The Third Hokage knew all too well what this meant.

Ordinary Uchiha clansmen might remain at the One-Tomoe or Two-Tomoe stage for their entire lives.

Those who can awaken the Three-Tomoe are essentially elites.

As for the Mangekyo, that is already a power of legendary proportions.

If Shingetsu truly possesses this speed of eye awakening, then his future is limitless.

The problem lies in his stance.

This child has just experienced an attack by Root and naturally distrusts the upper echelons of Konoha.

And now, he is receiving attention from the radical faction within the Uchiha clan.

If not guided properly, he could very likely become a new, hardline banner for the Uchiha.

The Third Hokage exhaled a puff of smoke and asked slowly, "What did he say at the training ground?"

The Anbu reported truthfully.

This included the spar with Washiyama, the appearance of Kakashi, and the brief conversation between Shingetsu and Kakashi.

After listening, the Third Hokage's brow furrowed even deeper.

"Kakashi said he was too weak?"

The Anbu nodded.

"Yes."

The Third Hokage was silent for a moment, then sighed softly.

"Kakashi has always been accurate in his judgment of people."

The Anbu did not respond.

The Third Hokage stood up and walked to the window.

He looked toward the direction of the Uchiha clan compound in the distance.

"A wounded child, forcing himself to go to the training ground the very next day."

"It is not because he is not in pain."

"It is because he knows he is not safe enough."

Speaking to this point, a trace of weariness appeared on the Third Hokage's face.

"If this matter is not handled well, the Uchiha will only drift further away."

The Anbu asked in a low voice, "Lord Hokage, should we make contact with him?"

The Third Hokage shook his head.

"Not for the time being."

"He is currently very guarded against the village's upper echelons."

"Rash contact will only make him think the village wants to control him."

The Anbu asked, "Then, continue to observe?"

"Continue to observe."

The Third Hokage paused, then added, "Have Kakashi find opportunities to keep an eye on him."

"Do not approach him by way of orders."

"Just like today."

The Anbu bowed his head.

"Yes."

After the Anbu left, the office fell silent once again.

The Third Hokage had just sat back down in his chair when the sound of a cane tapping against the floor echoed from the shadows in the corner of the room.

Danzo stepped out from the darkness.

"Hiruzen, you heard it."

The Third Hokage's expression darkened.

"Danzo, you've entered my office without permission again."

Danzo let out a cold snort.

"Now is not the time to be concerned with such things."

"A nine-year-old with a Two-Tomoe Sharingan."

"The danger this Uchiha brat poses is far greater than we estimated."

The Third Hokage looked at him.

"And so?"

Danzo's tone was icy.

"Control him before he has the chance to grow."

The Third Hokage frowned.

"Control?"

Danzo spoke slowly: "Take him out of the Uchiha compound."

"Place him under the sole tutelage of the Anbu, or Root."

The Third Hokage refused outright.

"Impossible."

A chill flashed through Danzo's single eye.

"Hiruzen, do you still not see it clearly?"

"He is no ordinary child."

"He pushed the Uchiha to pressure the Hokage Building during the clan meeting."

"Today, he established his authority at the Training Ground and awakened his Two-Tomoe Sharingan."

"The Uchiha will raise him as their new prodigy."

"What will he become in a few years?"

"A second Uchiha Shisui?"

"A second Itachi?"

"No."

Danzo's voice grew colder.

"He will be more dangerous than them."

The Third Hokage said in a deep voice, "Danger is no justification for you to lay hands on a child."

Danzo sneered.

"You are still as naive as ever."

"Was the lesson of the Nine-Tails Incident not enough?"

"If the power of the Uchiha remains unchecked, it will eventually threaten the village."

"The stronger the Sharingan, the more unstable it becomes."

The Third Hokage glared at Danzo.

"Enough."

"I have yet to get to the bottom of what happened last night."

Danzo remained unfazed.

"I have already said, it was not Root."

The Third Hokage stared at him.

"Then why are you in such a rush to target Shin-getsu?"

Danzo said coldly, "Because I see further than you do."

"By the time he grows up, it will be too late."

The Third Hokage did not speak.

The two stared at each other for a long time.

Finally, the Third Hokage spoke slowly.

"Danzo, I will say this one more time."

"You are not to touch him right now."

"And you are not to provoke the Uchiha any further."

Danzo narrowed his single eye.

"And what if he becomes a threat to the village on his own?"

The Third Hokage said in a deep voice, "That is for the Hokage to handle."

Danzo let out a cold snort and turned to leave.

"Hiruzen, you will regret this."

The door clicked shut.

The Third Hokage sat in his chair, his brow furrowed tightly.

He had heard Danzo say those words many times before.

Yet this time, for some reason, he felt a sense of unease.

Deep within the Root base.

After Danzo returned to his stone chamber, his expression turned completely grim.

A Root ninja knelt on one knee.

"Lord Danzo."

"Shall we continue the surveillance mission?"

Danzo said coldly, "Surveillance is not enough."

"The interior of the Uchiha compound has begun to protect him."

"It is difficult to get close using normal means."

The Root ninja looked up.

"What do you mean, sir?"

Danzo tapped his cane.

"A test."

"Do not strike directly."

"Create an attack that appears to be an accident."

"The goal is not to kill him."

"It is to force out his true abilities."

The Root ninja said in a low voice, "The location?"

Danzo said indifferently, "The outskirts of the Uchiha compound."

"His injuries haven't healed yet, so he won't go too far."

"But he will eventually leave."

"Send someone with a clean identity."

"Root must not be exposed."

The Root ninja bowed his head.

"Understood."

Danzo added, "If there is an opportunity, obtain a blood sample."

"The awakening speed of his Two-Tomoe is so abnormal that his body may have research value."

The Root ninja showed no emotional fluctuation.

"Understood."

Greed and killing intent intertwined in Danzo's single eye.

Uchiha Shingetsu.

The growth rate of this brat reminded him of one name.

Uchiha Madara.

Although Shingetsu was currently nowhere near comparable to Madara.

But all disasters begin as mere seedlings.

Since the Third Hokage refused to act.

Then Root would simply have to do what the Hokage was unwilling to do.

Uchiha Compound.

After returning to his residence, Shin-getsu did not remain in the infirmary.

Fugaku had already arranged a new place for him.

It was a detached house located in the inner circle of the compound, not particularly large but very clean.

Members of the Police Force patrolled the surroundings, and it was not far from the Training Ground or the Police Force headquarters.

This was clearly protection.

It was also observation.

Shin-getsu did not reject this.

He needed the Uchiha's protection right now.

He also needed the convenience that this location provided.

Inside the house.

Shin-getsu sat cross-legged on the tatami mat with three scrolls placed before him.

The first was Fire Style Basic Theory.

The second was Uchiha Shurikenjutsu Introduction.

The third was Sharingan Basic Usage Notes.

These were all things Tekka had conveniently brought him from the Training Ground just a moment ago.

Although they were not high-level ninjutsu, they were of immense value to the current Shin-getsu.

Especially the Sharingan Basic Usage Notes.

It contained detailed records on how to train dynamic vision during the One-Tomoe and Two-Tomoe stages, how to maintain ocular power using chakra, and how to avoid mental exhaustion caused by overuse.

Shin-getsu opened the scroll and read it carefully, word by word.

The more he read, the more he felt that the Uchiha clan truly possessed a deep foundation.

In the original story, viewers often saw the Uchiha suddenly become stronger after awakening their eyes.

But when it came to actual cultivation, the use of the Sharingan was a systematic discipline.

For example, during the Two-Tomoe stage, it was best not to keep it activated continuously for long periods.

Otherwise, it would easily place an excessive burden on the ocular meridians.

Another example: when using the Sharingan to observe an enemy, one should not just stare at their limb movements.

One must also combine the observation of shoulders, hips, ankles, and chakra flow to predict the next move.

This complemented his [Causality Perception] perfectly.

The Sharingan observed movements.

Causality Perception observed the dangerous outcome.

Combined, his predictive ability would far exceed that of an ordinary Two-Tomoe user.