Rasengan Shining in the Darkness

Fireworks shot into the sky, bursting into dazzling blooms.

Konoha welcomed the New Year as well.

Konoha had been extremely turbulent this year. Because of the Kazekage's disappearance, Sunagakure launched a large-scale search.

The neighboring Land of Fire and Land of Earth were also affected, as both were too close to the Land of Wind.

And for some reason, the Land of Wind's higher-ups believed that the Kazekage's disappearance was likely the work of Hiruzen Sarutobi and Ōnoki of Konoha.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was speechless about this. Rather than suspecting him, they might as well suspect Shimura Danzō.

Ōnoki was also deeply dissatisfied at the time and dispatched the Jinchuriki Han to guard the border against Hidden Sand Village.

For a time, the situation in the Shinobi World was in constant turmoil!

Of course, none of this had fully affected Obito Uchiha yet.

After the new year, Obito Uchiha was already ten years old. He had now applied to Minato to become a Jonin.

Over the past few years, he had completed countless missions of all sizes and killed no fewer than a hundred people.

At the same time, Obito Uchiha had formally become Minato's disciple, becoming Minato's only direct apprentice!

Yet his Sharingan had still not awakened.

Obito was on the verge of breaking down. The reason he had remained so steady all this time was largely due to the maturity brought by his transmigration.

That powerful state of mind was precisely what had allowed Obito's cultivation to proceed so smoothly.

Yet it was also because his mental state was too strong that Obito could not awaken his eyes over certain events.

Obito had tried many things during this time. He had deliberately placed himself on the brink of death, testing whether he could awaken his Sharingan in the moment between life and death.

That was why, during missions these past few years, Obito Uchiha had always charged forward recklessly, as though he did not value his life.

But his eyes remained utterly unchanged.

Obito Uchiha had even tried to awaken his Sharingan through self-harm!

While everyone else was admiring the fireworks,

Obito came alone to the edge of the Death Forest.

Pfft!

Obito suddenly drove the Kunai in his hand into his palm!

Pain struck instantly, yet Obito endured it and continued pushing it deeper!

"Damn it... damn it... why hasn't my Sharingan awakened yet?!"

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

Obito's expression was agitated and crazed, and he kept muttering under his breath.

The Obito of this moment was completely different from the Obito of before!

All reason had faded from Obito's eyes! There was only yearning and craving for power!

Madness! Obsession! Extremity!

The Uchiha Clan's innate traits were fully revealed at this moment!

Behind a large tree, Minato looked at Obito, who was mutilating himself, with an expression of pain.

He did not like seeing his disciple hurt himself over his eyes!

Obito raised the Kunai in his hand once more, aiming it at an artery!

When Minato Namikaze saw this, he was both furious and heartbroken! He hurriedly used the Body Flicker Technique to appear beside Obito Uchiha!

"Enough! Obito!"

Minato Namikaze grabbed Obito Uchiha's hand.

"Minato-sensei..."

Obito Uchiha was greatly startled! He looked at Minato in panic.

"Obito, how could you hurt yourself like this?!"

Minato glared at Obito, his eyes filled with distress.

Obito lowered his head, tears welling in his eyes.

"Sensei, I just want to become stronger... What kind of Uchiha is an Uchiha Clan member without the Sharingan they take such pride in..."

Obito said through gritted teeth.

"Sigh, Obito, you're still too young..."

Minato sighed and slowly crouched down, meeting Obito's eyes with a gentle gaze.

"Obito, the Uchiha Clan has always gained its power through love. If power could be gained through self-harm, then every member of the Uchiha Clan would have the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. What you're doing is not only hurting yourself, but also letting me down—and letting your grandmother down."

"I don't want to see you get hurt, and your grandmother surely wouldn't want you to hurt yourself for power either!"

After hearing this, Obito felt a wave of guilt.

He came to his senses somewhat and could not help feeling afraid afterward.

As a transmigrator, he had actually believed that nearing death would allow him to awaken the Sharingan.

There was some chance of it, but if he made even the slightest mistake, he would die.

It wasn't as though he was awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan. Was he really going to risk his life just to awaken one or two tomoe?

"Sensei, I know I was wrong... But I truly don't know what I need to do to awaken the Sharingan."

Obito Uchiha lowered his eyes.

Minato patted Obito's shoulder and comforted him. "Don't rush, Obito. What belongs to you will eventually be yours. Leave it to time!"

Minato slowly crouched down and gently bandaged Obito Uchiha's wound to stop the bleeding.

"Besides, even without the Sharingan, you're still outstanding, aren't you?"

"Over these years, we've gone through many missions together. You and I alone have completed three S-rank missions! We've completed dozens of A-rank Missions as well!"

"You've proven to the entire village that the Uchiha Clan can still produce exceptional ninja even without the Sharingan!"

Obito nodded slightly.

"So promise me, Obito. Don't hurt yourself. Don't hurt yourself for power."

"Don't hurt yourself. Your teacher will be heartbroken."

Minato looked at Obito Uchiha with gentle eyes.

Minato's gaze was gentle, like the warmest sunlight in spring, able to pierce through all haze and darkness!

Obito wiped away his tears. He admitted that Minato, this little sun, had moved him a little.

"Do you understand, Obito?"

Minato asked earnestly.

Obito Uchiha nodded vigorously.

Hearing that, Minato smiled brightly. "Obito, I'll teach you two Ninjutsu today."

Obito's expression shifted.

Over these years, Minato had taught him many Ninjutsu, mostly elemental-release techniques.

What he was best at were Wind Release, Fire Release, and Earth Release.

Minato slowly raised his slender arm, his movement gentle.

At that moment, a low buzzing sound rang out!

A spiraling sphere of light radiating an incomparably dazzling glow suddenly appeared in Minato's palm, like the brightest star in the night sky!

The light emitted by that spiraling sphere was so intense that it instantly dispersed all the darkness around them.

Minato Namikaze wore a faint smile, his eyes revealing confidence and calm.

Minato Namikaze gazed at the spiraling sphere of light rotating rapidly in his hand.

"This Ninjutsu... is the Rasengan!"

Minato raised the Rasengan high in his hand!

Obito's pupils widened, his eyes filled with excitement.

It was beyond his expectations!

"Want to learn it? I'll teach you!"

Minato smiled faintly as he looked at the dumbstruck Obito.

"Minato-sensei! I want to learn that!"

Obito Uchiha's eyes shone brightly.

"Ever since you easily mastered water-walking and tree-climbing, I felt that your Chakra control was quite good, Obito. Back then, I thought you should be suited to the Rasengan."

"But your Chakra was too limited then, so I set that thought aside. Now, though, your Chakra is quite good. I've decided to pass it on to you!"

Minato Namikaze said.

Obito Uchiha immediately listened with rapt attention!

Minato began explaining swiftly as well.

"Slowly gather the Chakra within your body in your hand. Then make it flow continuously in irregular directions, causing it to rotate, compress it, and finally form a sphere of energy about the size of your palm."