Waiting

Caesar Clown froze for a moment, then instantly became so excited he soared to the heavens, his eyes shining, and his tone became incredibly impassioned as he rattled off a string of praises. "Lord Natsu Yin! You are absolutely the most considerate and best leader in the world!"

Natsu didn't turn around, casually waved her hand, Earth Flow of the laboratory with a composed gait.

Madara followed closely behind, his cool voice echoing softly in the empty corridor. "This Caesar Clown is even noisier than Tobirama."

"He's feeling guilty and afraid of you, so he can only embolden himself by talking more," Natsu explained casually.

Madara paused for a moment, then commented fairly, "That's better than Tobirama. Tobirama is never afraid of me, and he argues with such self-righteousness that he's even more of a headache."

Two figures, one tall and one short, slowly disappeared into the light and shadow at the end of the corridor, one after the other.

The noise completely subsided in the empty laboratory.

Vallen, already holding blood collection equipment and monitoring instruments, was carefully gesturing and deducing in the direction the two had left, his heart filled with anticipation for the upcoming research, his eyes only filled with the fervor and focus brought by the top-quality samples.

As I left the research institute, Dusk had already enveloped the entire Origin Island.

The evening breeze swept across the entire Training Ground, seeping in through the gaps in the corridors, carrying a faint scent of sea salt, mixed with the crisp, clear sounds of students practicing Shuriken in the distance, layer upon layer falling upon the ears.

Natsu her hands tucked into her sleeves, her steps relaxed, walking at a leisurely pace.

Ban walked alongside, still with his arms crossed in a cool and aloof posture, his aloofness undiminished.

Natsu keenly noticed that his breathing was slower and more sustained than usual.

This is not the exhaustion from physical depletion, but rather a subtle, continuous, and irreversible transformation taking place within the body's deep-seated power system.

"How are you feeling?" Natsu glanced at him sideways.

The question was about the subtle reactions after Light of Susanoo entered the body, but it was actually asking about the evolution progress of the two Mangekyo Sharingan.

For the Uchiha clan, the transformation of their eye power is never a simple increase in strength, but rather the ultimate answer to their own talent and the limits of their future potential.

Ban did not answer immediately.

He raised his right hand, his five fingers slowly stretching and closing in the warm Dusk, repeating this several times, as if he were carefully capturing the flow of power within his body that no one else could perceive.

After a long silence, he slowly spoke, his voice low and steady.

"The flow of Chakra is much smoother now."

Every time I activated the Mangekyo Sharingan Eye Power in the past, there was always a faint, persistent feeling of stagnation deep within my meridians.

That is the natural barrier at the intersection of eye power and Chakra, subtle yet stubborn, stuck deep within the bloodline for countless years, difficult to break through.

But at this moment, that constraint completely disappeared.

Instead, a continuous, gentle, and steady force slowly arises from the depths of the bone marrow and blood, steadily supporting the body's strength.

"A conservative estimate is two to three years."

Ban gave a precise time, his tone resolute, clearly having mentally rehearsed it countless times. "Enough time for these eyes to complete their final transformation."

Natsu hearing this, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes before returning to calm.

"It's a little slower than I expected."

"How long did you originally estimate?" Madara asked, glancing sideways.

"One and a half to two years," Natsu said slowly, her tone relaxed, yet revealing meticulous consideration.

"However, my calculations are based on the premise that your adaptation efficiency is the same as that of ordinary people."

"The purity of your Indra Factor and the profound knowledge accumulated through your Mangekyo Sharingan have long since transcended conventional calculation methods."

The higher one's foundation, the greater the energy required to break through to the next level.

The Light of Susanoo could steadily propel his transformation without any rejection or backlash was already a result far exceeding expectations.

Ban nodded slightly, acknowledging this assessment.

"I can clearly sense the direction of the medicine's effects. It didn't dissipate, nor did it suddenly erupt; instead, it was completely absorbed and assimilated by my Chakra system."

The medicinal effects transform into the purest Origin energy, gradually nourishing the meridians and acupoints from the depths of the bone marrow.

This kind of gradual, subtle refinement process cannot be rushed.

"This is a conservative estimate," Madara added. "The premise is that I will try my best not to activate the Complete Body Susanoo in the next two or three years. If I frequently overdraw my eye power, the transformation cycle will only continue to be prolonged."

Natsu immediately drew a conclusion.

"Then let's slow down and refine it steadily."

Today's Uchiha are no longer a vulnerable group wandering the Four Blues, struggling to survive.

With West Blue foundation firmly established, the new generation has ventured out of Origin Island to gain experience, and its territory and influence have steadily expanded.

In the next two or three years, the tribe will not need to charge into battle or fight bloody battles.

He was willing to give the foot spots time to settle and heal.

Not for the sake of tribal supremacy, not for the sake of increased combat power, but for the simplest yet most profound wish— Izuna Uchiha is still waiting.

We wait for him to recover his eyesight, and for his elder brother to Teuchi the shackles of this Impure World Reincarnation and bring him back to a complete and vibrant life.

This unique bond and connection between brothers is irreplaceable.

Ban remained silent for a long time, the evening breeze ruffling his dark hair, a faint trace of tenderness and melancholy flashing in his eyes.

"The last time someone told me not to rush and to take my time was when Izuna Uchiha was still alive."

A single whisper encapsulates the regrets of a thousand years of ups and downs.

Natsu didn't reply, but silently stayed by his side, walking slowly down the corridor side by side.

The setting sun cast long shadows of the two figures, overlapping on the bluestone slabs, creating a scene of quiet tranquility.

A crisp sound came from the Training Ground in the distance Shuriken steadily embedded itself in a wooden target, followed by several low, playful laughs from the boys, lively and enthusiastic.

Two or three years is but a fleeting moment in the long history of the Ninja World.

The Uchiha can wait, and so can Madara.

Ban remained calm and showed no surprise at the two- to three-year transformation period.

Natsu's reaction was calmer than he had expected.

There was no disappointment, no urging, just quiet listening, a slight nod, as if they had foreseen this outcome and calmly accepted all the variables.

"You originally estimated the time to be even shorter than this?" Ban asked.

Natsu leaned against a stone pillar in the corridor, her hands still tucked into her sleeves. The evening breeze gently lifted the hem of her clothes, and her tone was languid and composed.

"Two or three years is already an excellent result."

He looked up at the setting sun in the distance and slowly recounted that cruel past that no one knew, a destiny trajectory belonging to the original world line that Madara had never seen.

"Senior Madara probably doesn't know that in the original timeline, when you awakened the Rinnegan, it didn't take you just a few years, but a long period of dormancy spanning decades."