Master Minato seals the Mangekyō

In Year 50 of Konoha, the turmoil on the battlefields of the shinobi world finally settled.

Under Minato Namikaze's threat, Kirigakure ultimately chose to bow its head and surrender.

The Third Shinobi World War officially came to an end, and Konohagakure retained its position as the foremost of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.

When word of victory spread, the once-somber village burst into celebration.

Ribbons were strung between pillars along the streets, and cheers and celebratory cannon fire replaced the heavy atmosphere of days past.

Under the bright sunshine, all of Konoha brimmed with flourishing life and vitality.

Asami Ri strolled through the bustling commercial district, savoring this long-absent peace. As he walked, he observed the changes around him.

The dividends of victory had arrived even faster than expected.

In just a few hundred meters, he had already spotted over a dozen new shops being renovated at a feverish pace, preparing to open their doors.

The scent of fresh timber mingled with the aromas drifting from roadside stalls.

Quite a few potbellied wealthy merchants, surrounded by attendants, were pointing at storefronts along the street. Their keen business instincts drove them to snap up the most commercially valuable locations.

To manage this extraordinary influx of people, the Uchiha's Konoha Military Police Force had visibly increased its patrols.

Shinobi bearing the clan's fan crest on their backs passed in squads, their stern expressions softened by a little more tolerance.

And in rooftop shadows beyond ordinary people's sight, or at the mouths of deep alleyways, masked Anbu figures occasionally flashed past.

Like falcons in a forest, they scrutinized every unfamiliar face on the streets.

Standing amid the noisy, bustling crowd, Asami Ri narrowed his eyes slightly. As he watched those faces glowing with happiness and security, the chessboard of the shinobi world took shape in his mind.

This is war at its most naked... he reflected.

The victor's reward.

In the eyes of the world, Konoha was not merely the victor, but the most valuable "military organization" in the shinobi world at that moment.

Those fabulously wealthy daimyō, nobles, and international merchants understood better than anyone how to pursue profit and avoid danger.

They would pour their money and commissions into Konoha without hesitation, because it offered the strongest military protection and the best reputation.

Clearly, over the next few years, Konoha's economy would undergo explosive growth and enter an era of unprecedented prosperity.

But the other villages won't be so lucky.

His gaze swept over the newly opened shops in the distance. Kirigakure, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure had suffered devastating losses. Only Kumogakure had preserved most of its fighting strength, thanks to the Third Raikage.

But with Konoha taking the missions that once belonged to them, this mounting hardship would push them toward collapse. The prosperity before him was merely the calm before the next storm.

Once Konoha grew powerful enough to upset the delicate balance between the five great nations and truly take on all four others at once, those four nations, squeezed to the limits of survival, would inevitably strike back to stay alive.

The brighter the flame of the Will of Fire burns, the deeper the surrounding shadows grow.

Asami Ri let out a long breath, adjusted his forehead protector, threaded through the cheering crowd, and knocked on Minato Namikaze's door.

The members of Team Minato had already gathered in the living room.

Kakashi sat alone in a corner, slouched against the wall. His dead-fish eyes held their usual lazy look, as though the commotion outside had nothing to do with him.

The scene by the sofa was quite different. Rin Nohara held Kushina Uzumaki's hand as the two chatted quietly, Kushina's red hair swaying slightly with her laughter.

"Ri, you're here." Kakashi was the first to react.

Hearing him, Rin Nohara turned around. Her face was still pale.

Asami Ri's gaze lingered on Rin for a moment. "Rin, how are you feeling?"

"Thanks to you, I'm pretty much fine now."

Rin Nohara unconsciously brushed a hand over her chest, her face filled with the gratitude of someone who had narrowly escaped death.

"If you hadn't been there... I really don't dare imagine what would have happened."

"That's good." Asami Ri smiled.

Just then, the kitchen curtain lifted, and Minato Namikaze emerged wearing an apron and carrying several steaming cups of tea.

"Ri, come sit."

Minato smiled at him and motioned for everyone to gather around. "I invited you all over today not just for a little get-together. There's also something important I need to tell you, something that concerns both the village and our future."

At that, even Kakashi, who had been lounging the whole time, sat upright. The atmosphere shifted from casual warmth to solemnity.

Minato walked over to Kakashi, his gaze lingering briefly on the forehead protector covering the Sharingan.

"First, about Kakashi's left eye."

Minato spoke slowly. "Recently, I made a special trip to Konoha's archives to consult some unpublished notes left by the Second Hokage. I found records of this eye in them."

At the mention of the Second Hokage, Kakashi's gaze sharpened slightly.

"In the Uchiha Clan's secret history, that form is called the 'Mangekyō Sharingan,'" Minato explained gravely. "It is the final stage of the Sharingan's evolution. Even throughout the Uchiha's long history, only a handful of people have awakened these eyes. Their Eye Power surpasses that of the ordinary three-tomoe form in every respect, and can even give rise to certain extraordinary abilities. But..."

Minato paused. "The Second Hokage specifically noted its side effects: it is a 'cursed power.' It places an enormous burden on the user's body. Not only does it consume vast amounts of Chakra, but with repeated use, eyesight deteriorates irreversibly, eventually resulting in complete blindness."

As his words fell, everyone in the room looked at Kakashi.

Kakashi instinctively raised his left hand, his fingertips gently touching the jagged scar through his mask.

Whenever he used this eye, he felt a needle-like stabbing pain, and his vision had been declining little by little.

He had always assumed it was simply a rejection response because he lacked Uchiha blood. He had never imagined that the eye itself carried such a heavy price.

"I've already felt its cost, Sensei." Kakashi lowered his eyes, his voice slightly hoarse.

"Don't worry, Kakashi."

Minato stepped forward and patted Kakashi's shoulder. "After studying it these past few days, combining the Second Hokage's ideas with my understanding of sealing jutsu, I've found a way to ease the burden temporarily. It isn't a permanent solution, but at least it will allow you to gradually master this power without putting yourself at risk."

"Uncover your eye, Kakashi."

Minato's voice was gentle.

After a brief silence, Kakashi slowly raised his hand and pushed his forehead protector up onto his forehead, exposing his left eye to the soft lamplight.

At a slight shift of his will, the three tomoe spun and rearranged themselves into a Pinwheel pattern. The deep, chilling Mangekyō Sharingan appeared clearly.

Minato's gaze focused, and his hands rapidly formed hand seals, his fingers leaving trails of afterimages.

The next instant, he pressed his right hand firmly over Kakashi's left eye.

"Evil Sealing Method!"

As his low shout fell, black markings as fine as a spiderweb spread from his palm, traveling along Kakashi's neural pathways into the depths of his brain.

In Kakashi's perception, several jet-black chains wound layer upon layer around the cold, powerful Eye Power.

The Mangekyō pattern shuddered violently, then broke apart and reverted.

The three tomoe returned to their positions, rotating slowly.

Kakashi instinctively blinked. There was no stabbing pain or dizziness, and even his vision seemed a little clearer than before.

Minato slowly withdrew his hand. Fine beads of sweat dotted his temples, making it clear how much concentration the procedure had demanded.

"I've temporarily sealed the Mangekyō Eye Power in your left eye, leaving only the basic three-tomoe form. This will greatly reduce the strain on your body, so overuse will no longer put you in danger."

After a pause, his tone grew solemn:

"I'll teach you the formula for temporarily releasing the seal. In a crisis, you can undo it yourself and briefly awaken the Mangekyō's power. But remember, every time you use it, the seal will loosen further."

He looked at Kakashi's still-youthful profile, his voice soft.

"Once your body has matured and your chakra pathways have stabilized... I'll remove this seal completely."