Turning

The gears of fate were quietly turning.

Toru Kujyo gazed at Sasuke lying on the ground, his emotions churning.

[Sage Eye (Red)]-the significance of this trait left him stunned. Red quality, second only to the legendary gold. He knew exactly what that meant.

"The pure yin power of the Sage of Six Paths..." Suppressing his elation, Toru Kujyo began using Medical Ninjutsu on Sasuke. Gentle green chakra light flowed through his palms, gradually healing Sasuke's injuries.

Watching Sasuke's tightly furrowed brow and hearing his occasional groans of pain, Toru Kujyo felt a flicker of conflicting emotions. This boy's fate was far too tragic-betrayed by the older brother he trusted most, his clan wiped out overnight, and then left to walk a lonely path of revenge.

Should I... A thought flashed through Toru Kujyo's mind. Help him change this tragic fate?

But he quickly shook his head. Sasuke's growth was inseparable from his painful experiences, and a rash intervention might trigger an even greater butterfly effect. Besides, with his current strength, it was still far too early to face people like Orochimaru and Uchiha Itachi.

As countless thoughts ran through Toru Kujyo's mind, Sasuke slowly opened his eyes.

"You're awake." Toru Kujyo withdrew his hands. "How do you feel?"

Sasuke pushed himself upright and moved his arms, surprise flickering in his eyes. "My injuries are completely healed? You know Medical Ninjutsu too?"

"A little." Toru Kujyo stood and brushed the dirt from his hands. "You're not in great shape right now. Go home and get some proper rest for a few days. Come find me once you've fully recovered."

Sasuke nodded silently, then began going over their fight.

In Taijutsu, Toru Kujyo's speed and strength were no less than his own, and he was even better at certain techniques. As for Ninjutsu, that went without saying-the variety of attacks his opponent had displayed left him struggling to keep up. Most importantly, Toru Kujyo had even mastered a skill as difficult as Medical Ninjutsu.

"I lost." Sasuke looked up at Toru Kujyo. "Completely."

"Don't say that. You're already pretty strong." Toru Kujyo waved a hand. "I was just a little luckier. Your Fire Release is powerful, and your Taijutsu fundamentals are solid. Given time, you're sure to become an excellent ninja."

A flicker of surprise passed through Sasuke's eyes. He had expected Toru Kujyo to treat a defeated opponent with the same condescension as everyone else. He had never imagined that Toru would actually praise him first.

"How about another match next time?" Toru Kujyo held out his hand. "I'm looking forward to seeing how strong you become."

Looking into Toru Kujyo's sincere eyes, Sasuke felt the resentment born of his defeat inexplicably fade away. He reached out and shook Toru Kujyo's hand, and a smile appeared on his lips for the first time in ages.

"All right. Next time, I definitely won't lose."

The two exchanged smiles and formed the Seal of Reconciliation.

In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi quietly watched the scene through his crystal ball, a pleased smile appearing on his face.

"To think he could make Sasuke smile. This Toru Kujyo really is a special child." Hiruzen Sarutobi set down his pipe. "It seems my worries were unnecessary."

An Anbu ninja beside him spoke. "Lord Hokage, should we continue monitoring Sasuke Uchiha?"

"Continue, but don't be too obvious." Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. "He's just been through a tremendous upheaval, after all. He needs time to adjust."

The Anbu ninja acknowledged the order and left. Hiruzen Sarutobi turned his gaze back to Toru Kujyo in the crystal ball.

"This child's talent is truly remarkable. He's mastered so many Ninjutsu at only eight years old." Appreciation flashed in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes. "It seems placing him on the priority training list was the right decision."

As Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi kept an eye on every talented child in the village. A ninja like Toru Kujyo, who possessed outstanding talent despite his civilian background, received particular attention. After all, Konoha needed more than the strength of clans with kekkei genkai. Civilian-born ninja were an important part of the village too.

After saying goodbye to Sasuke at the Training Ground, Toru Kujyo stood alone.

At last, I can take a proper look at this trait, Toru Kujyo thought as his consciousness sank into the system space.

A screen of light appeared. The original "Super Kage Aptitude (Gold)" had vanished from the trait column, replaced by a brand-new trait glowing red.

[Sage Eye (Red)]: Pure yin power inherited from the Sage of Six Paths, representing yin power at its pinnacle. The bearer's spiritual energy and yin release chakra will receive an immense boost, and the bearer will gain unique powers of perception.

Toru Kujyo studied the trait description carefully, growing more astonished with every word.

Pure yin power... Isn't that power on the same level as Otsutsuki Indra's? he couldn't help thinking. Does that mean I'm essentially a second Otsutsuki Indra now?

From what he knew of the Naruto world, Otsutsuki Indra, the eldest son of the Sage of Six Paths, had inherited precisely this pure yin power. It had given him powerful spiritual energy and the Sharingan, making him the progenitor of the Uchiha Clan.

By that logic, Indra should also have a red-quality Otsutsuki bloodline trait, Toru Kujyo reasoned. That bloodline gave him a constitution with limitless ocular power without needing to replace his eyes. It also allowed his Sharingan to evolve into the Mangekyō and even beyond.

At that thought, Toru Kujyo couldn't help growing excited. If he truly had obtained yin power on the same level as Indra's, his future potential would be limitless.

"Let's test these eyes first." Toru Kujyo closed his eyes, feeling the warmth spreading through them.

When he opened them again, the entire world had changed.

His vision was clearer than ever before, the contours of the distant mountains as distinct as if they had been carved. He could even see the texture of birds' feathers several kilometers away. This ability to see at a distance was beyond imagination.

Even more miraculous was his ability to see through things. Toru Kujyo tried looking at a nearby tree, and his gaze actually penetrated its trunk, revealing the growth rings within.

This ability... Toru Kujyo was ecstatic. Its powers of perception are even greater than the Byakugan's!

But what astonished him most was his ability to perceive chakra. When he turned his gaze toward Sasuke, who was walking away in the distance, he could clearly see the paths of chakra flowing inside his body.

The chakra flowed slowly through Sasuke's chakra pathways like blue rivers, while a mass of dark red energy slowly rotated near his heart.

That's the source of the Sharingan's power. Toru Kujyo immediately understood the nature of that red energy. It really is completely different from ordinary chakra.