Not Every Sharingan Has Value

"Overusing the Sharingan—if this continues, these minor ailments will soon become incurable wounds. I'm certain now. This kid really doesn't want to live."

After Orochimaru brought Itachi Uchiha back to the base, he had first been busy treating Kimimaro. Only after confirming that his own child was fine did he remember to conduct the necessary physical examinations on the man who had killed him once before.

The results were not too terrible, but the problem lay with the man himself. He did not want to live, and his Mangekyō Sharingan was constantly draining his health. These were not medical issues.

"He already didn't want to live. Back then, his consciousness and train of thought were controlled, but the memories and convictions buried in his soul were resisting. If his own will had not been strong enough, he would not have suffered this much..."

A Luo sat in a chair nearby, taking the examination results from Orochimaru. When he looked at Itachi Uchiha again, his gaze was somewhat complicated.

The Uchiha Clan's genius, Shisui Uchiha, had been extraordinarily powerful in every respect.

But Itachi Uchiha was not weak either. He had merely been born a few years later, so the age gap had left him somewhat weaker in terms of spiritual power.

That gap had allowed him to be controlled back then without realizing it, but once his younger brother was involved, the memories and emotions of the past began to resist.

The Uchiha clan produced plenty of brothers obsessed with their younger brothers, and younger brothers obsessed with their older brothers.

The strength of affection between brothers could surpass that between parents and children. At least in the Uchiha clan, many were like that.

So, after hurting his younger brother, he would suffer, torment himself, and use even greater pain to maintain a strange balance in his sense of self.

"Kotoamatsukami is that powerful?"

Orochimaru had never witnessed Kotoamatsukami, but he knew that one of Danzo's eyes had belonged to Shisui Uchiha.

If it was that powerful, wouldn't all trouble have been resolved if Danzo had used that ocular technique on the Third Hokage?

"Every eye has different abilities and limitations. Besides... if it isn't an Uchiha, some abilities cannot be fully brought out."

A Luo tilted his head at Orochimaru. He knew who Orochimaru was thinking of.

The kind of person who had an entire arm full of Sharingan, only to use them all as resurrection charms...

Seriously, how pathetic!

"You absorbed that Sharingan as energy again?"

Orochimaru suddenly remembered that A Luo could convert Sharingan into energy and absorb it. If that was the case, could he also gain the ability to alter someone's thoughts and consciousness?

"No. That eye did not contain much energy. The power to forcibly alter someone's thought patterns came at a great cost. Since there wasn't enough energy to activate it properly, it could only be triggered through self-destruction. Once the control was released, the eye naturally disappeared as well..."

A Luo shook his head and briefly explained why he had been able to control Shisui's eye.

It was not just for Orochimaru's understanding. It was also to let Itachi Uchiha, lying on the bed with his consciousness already awake but still unwilling to wake up, properly learn some information.

"If they were other Sharingan, could you absorb them?"

Orochimaru thought of the Sharingan in his possession. They were going to be used for research anyway. If A Luo could absorb them, he could give him a few, and the absorption process could be observed as well.

"If they are Sharingan taken from the dead on the night of the clan massacre, they are useless to me. Eyes removed after death have already lost their greatest value. Even if they are transplanted into certain people, or some method is found to activate them by absorbing energy, it still won't work..."

A Luo knew very clearly that aside from a few specific pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan, all the others truly held no value for him at all.

In other words, the system did not accept trash.

"The greatest value?"

Orochimaru was very curious about A Luo's wording.

"Yes. Speaking ideally, when an Uchiha awakens the Sharingan, it is called a manifestation of their emotions. The more intense and pure their emotions, the stronger the ocular techniques they awaken. But in more scientific terms, it is the combination of spiritual power and a cycle of energy consumption and supply..."

A Luo and Orochimaru began discussing the issue of the Uchiha clan's eyes.

Emotions were important, but if one's physical constitution could not keep up, they were useless too.

The adult and child discussed these topics for a long time. Only when Kimimaro came over to remind them that it was time to eat did they leave together and head for the dining hall.

After they left, Itachi Uchiha, who had been sleeping on the hospital bed, opened his eyes. He stared motionlessly at the medical equipment around him for a long time.

Kotoamatsukami had been undone, but it had only made his memories and emotions toward his family clearer, while causing him to begin doubting and questioning Konoha. He noticed no changes in any other aspect.

He calmly analyzed his current situation, the changes in his emotions, and the differences in his way of thinking...

Then he fell asleep again.

"Big brother, get up and eat. Even if you have nutritional supplements, people should still eat when it's time to eat and drink when it's time to drink. What has already happened should be dealt with when it needs to be dealt with!"

After eating, A Luo brought over a bowl of medicinal soup specially prepared to soothe the mind and brighten the eyes, waking Itachi Uchiha just as he had fallen asleep.

"A Luo, are you happy here?"

Itachi Uchiha opened his eyes and sat up. His gaze was somewhat lost as he looked at A Luo.

Everything from the past was gone, destroyed by his own hands. Yet he and A Luo seemed to still be stuck in that time.

Only their positions had changed. Now, A Luo was the one bringing him food and urging him to eat...

"It's all right, I guess. I'm just busy every day. Teacher Orochimaru assigned me so many tasks. In the morning, I study; in the afternoon, I train; at night, I have to go home and see Sasuke. I also have to discuss lots of cultivation matters with our young ancestor. Sometimes I need to check on Naruto and the Nine-Tails too. I don't know if I'll get so tired that I stop growing taller..."

A Luo complained casually as he listed everything he had to do each day.

Though he spoke of being busy and tired, his expression was relaxed. Every name he mentioned came with a smile.

"You are in very good physical condition now. You need to work even harder in your studies from now on. When you go home to see Sasuke, pay close attention to your safety. Konoha has some research concerning souls too. If there is danger, run quickly..."

Itachi Uchiha looked at the lively, spirited A Luo. The corners of his mouth twitched a few times, forming an unpracticed smile.

He still had not decided what to do next, or what he should be doing now...

But there was one thing he would never forget again: he wanted to protect his younger brothers' smiles and watch them grow up healthy and safe.