"Heh... hehehe..."
The low laughter began like muffled thunder buried deep underground, leaking intermittently through the gaps between the fingers Sasuke Uchiha held over his face.
His shoulders began to shake uncontrollably, not from sorrow or fear, but from the violent tremors of an immense power suddenly pouring into him, threatening to spiral out of control.
His laughter grew louder, wilder, and increasingly... unrestrained.
"Haha... hahaha... hahahahahaha!"
At last, the laughter burst free of his throat, becoming a long, deranged howl.
His mad laughter rang above the courtyard, which seemed especially empty now that the barrier had shattered. It drowned out the wind and briefly even overwhelmed the crushing pressure of Susanoo.
Sasuke abruptly lowered the hand covering his eyes and tilted his head back, exposing his eerily beautiful Mangekyō to everyone's astonished gaze.
His body was still trembling uncontrollably.
But this was not weakness. It was excitement and frenzy born of overflowing power that seemed ready to burst out of his body!
So this was... the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan?
Compared to the Mangekyō, the Three-Tomoe Sharingan was nothing more than a firefly before the bright moon, a stream before the ocean!
Even if it wasn't his own...
The thought flashed through his mind, but brought little disappointment or hesitation.
The temptation of power was so direct and fierce that it instantly washed away every doubt about its source.
All that filled him now was intoxication with this overwhelming power, and an intense desire to unleash it, use it, and put it to the test!
It was just... so powerful!
Sasuke's lips spread into an almost savage grin. Paired with his eerie red eyes, it lent his otherwise handsome face a sinister, crazed edge.
He slowly clenched his fists.
He no longer looked at Kakashi and the others.