Following Uchiha Kazama inside were the squad leaders from before.
Uchiha Ryunen, Rimoku Uchiha, Uchiha Roy, and Uchiha Natsume!
The four now served as Uchiha Kazama's personal Shinobi guards.
Simply put, their positions were comparable to that of the former Anbu Captain.
"Liunian, Rinboku, Roy, Natsume."
"There's something I'd like to ask your opinions on."
"Do you want to become stronger?"
Uchiha Kazama spoke calmly.
At his words, all four froze.
Stronger?
That question should never have needed asking within the Uchiha Clan.
After all, none of them would ever refuse a chance to grow stronger.
Was the Patriarch planning to teach them some special forbidden technique?!
Something like Izanagi or Izanami?
"Yes!"
After only a moment's hesitation, all four answered firmly.
"I've thought of a special method that could awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan in all four of you."
"If you're willing to accept the risks, I..."
"We are!"
Without even waiting for Uchiha Kazama to finish, the four gave him a firm answer.
What was he offering?!
The Mangekyō Sharingan!
Within the Uchiha Clan, it was an object of absolute reverence.
All four of them had already reached a bottleneck in their chakra reserves, physiques, and ninjutsu.
To improve further, they needed to pursue other avenues.
Such as...
Sage Mode!
Summoning beasts!
Secret techniques!
Forbidden techniques!
But for an Uchiha, the best method was to awaken his own Mangekyō Sharingan!
Because of the special conditions required to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, aside from a few clan members who had awakened it by accident over the generations,
the precise method had always remained in the Patriarch's hands.
After all, a method that required losing those one loved most could not be made public.
Otherwise, it might lead to clan members slaughtering one another.
Those consequences had forced their predecessors to conceal the method.
Thus, to most clan members, the Mangekyō Sharingan remained deeply mysterious.
There was simply nothing to hesitate over.
If they missed this opportunity, they might never get another in their entire lives...
"Good..."
"Patriarch!"
Before Uchiha Kazama could continue, Uchiha Fugaku appeared.
[Ding! Uchiha Fugaku thinks you've gone mad. The secret of the Mangekyō Sharingan must never be revealed! Reward: 500 pupillary power. Reward: Dōjutsu-Beyond.]
Hearing the system notification in his ears, Uchiha Kazama paused.
Shouldn't Fugaku be getting some proper rest right now?
He no longer held any specific position, either...
The Inuzuka Clan and the Aburame Clan were responsible for defenses outside the village.
Besides, shouldn't he be paying more attention to Sasuke's development now?
"Patriarch, are you really going to..."
Uchiha Fugaku stopped short and glanced at the four men standing nearby.
His actions would clearly displease them.
Still, for the sake of the clan's continued prosperity, Uchiha Fugaku had to step forward.
Uchiha Kazama was already showing signs of being controlled by his own power.
Fugaku felt he had a responsibility of his own to fulfill.
"Former Patriarch Fugaku."
"What you see as a problem is really just a lack of resolve in your own heart."
"And... have you been in contact with someone lately?"
Uchiha Kazama studied the aura surrounding Uchiha Fugaku, puzzled.
That aura felt somewhat familiar.
But for the moment, he couldn't place it...
"I..."
Uchiha Fugaku faltered, a trace of panic crossing his face.
But he quickly hid the panic in his eyes.
"No."
"I still believe the matter of the Mangekyō Sharingan should not be spread throughout the clan."
"I don't think I need to explain the specific dangers."
Uchiha Fugaku began laying out his position with reasoned arguments.
"Mm, understood."
"So, if there's nothing else, you should head back."
Uchiha Kazama spoke evenly.
At his words, the fervor in Liunian's and the others' eyes flared again.
As core members of the clan, they knew something of this rule concerning the Mangekyō Sharingan.
So, under the circumstances, they had almost thought their chance was gone.
But Uchiha Kazama's attitude...
How could they not love him for it?!
"Patriarch..."
"Since you call me Patriarch, leave."
Uchiha Kazama cut Uchiha Fugaku off.
By now, Kazama had remembered that aura.
But there was no need to deal with it just yet.
He had his own arrangements. He would finish handling matters here first.
"I... all right."
Uchiha Fugaku wanted to say more, but then changed his mind and vanished.
"All right, let's begin!"
With that, Uchiha Kazama immediately activated his Mangekyō Sharingan!
The space around them transformed.
Five moons appeared in the sky.
Every one bore the pattern of Uchiha Kazama's Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Five?"
Seeing that the four men had already fallen into the illusion, Uchiha Kazama felt puzzled.
Why was there an extra person?!
With a shift of his consciousness, Uchiha Kazama saw the fifth person standing within the illusion of [Tenshō]-Konan!
Uh...
Was this girl an idiot?!
He hadn't intended to draw her into the illusion, yet she had delivered herself right to him.
"Let's take a look."
Uchiha Kazama walked up to Konan and placed a hand on her forehead.
Soon, their surroundings changed.
"This is..."
"The Hokage's Office?"
Uchiha Kazama froze at the scene around him.
Why would the Hokage's Office appear in Konan's illusion?
"This..."
As Uchiha Kazama wondered, a sultry sound reached his ears.
Following the sound, Kazama froze.
What... was going on with this rather uncensored scene?
And why were Tsunade and Kurenai here too?
After taking a deep breath, Uchiha Kazama slowly closed his eyes.
Then the fifth moon vanished.
Uchiha Kazama looked at the Paper Person behind him... Good grief, Konan's reconnaissance methods...
At that thought, Uchiha Kazama disappeared.
A moment later, he brought the somewhat dazed Konan back to the courtyard.
"Tell me, what do you want to know?"
"We can exchange information."
Looking at Konan before him, Uchiha Kazama recalled how she had seemed a little wild in the illusion just now.
Time flowed differently within Tenshō than it did outside.
By the time Uchiha Kazama dispelled the illusion, half a day had already passed for Konan...
So...