Fugaku nodded, not quite understanding.
Even Fugaku himself did not really know how effective his Heart-Questioning Genjutsu was.
But as a restraining genjutsu, he found it extremely useful.
The most strong-willed person he had encountered so far had been Kirigakure's Mizukage's Aide, back when he had first awakened his eyes.
Yet even against someone so strong-willed, the Heart-Questioning Genjutsu had immobilized the Mizukage's Aide for thirty seconds. With his own head, the man had set a new record for the highest-ranking person Fugaku had killed.
"By the way, Father. Lately, the clan has been having everyone send Shadow Clones to work while their real bodies train." Seeing that the atmosphere had grown a little stiff, Seiichi tried to change the subject.
"Yes, Mai and the others told me. You were the one who gave that order, weren't you?" Fugaku said with a smile.
"Hehe, what do you think? Pretty good idea, right?" Seiichi looked pleased with himself.
"It certainly is a good way to improve our strength," Fugaku praised. "But be mindful of how far you go. Don't provoke Hiruzen Sarutobi's side too much."
"Don't worry, Father. I know what I'm doing." Seiichi patted his chest in assurance.
"Good." Fugaku nodded. "By the way, how is the training for your right eye coming along?"
"Pretty smoothly. My control over space is getting better and better." A gleam flashed through Seiichi's eyes.
"Very good. Space-Time Ninjutsu can play a major role in battle," Fugaku reminded him.
"I know, Father. I'll keep training hard," Seiichi said earnestly.
While the two chatted happily, the other three beside them woke up one after another.
Noticing their somewhat pale faces, Seiichi immediately created three Shadow Clones to hand them nutrient solutions.
Only after quite a while did the three finally recover.
"I've never felt so hungry before." That was Shisui.
"I've never felt so powerful before." That was Itachi.
"I... I think I've awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan?" That was Mikoto.
Mikoto's words drew everyone's attention.
"Mikoto, are you sure?!"
Mikoto nodded a little hesitantly.
"Mother, why not try it and see?"
Itachi's eyes first lit up, then dimmed.
Of their family of four, three had the Mangekyō Sharingan, and one of those even had the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
Somehow, he was starting to feel quite a lot of pressure.
In fact, Seiichi and Fugaku had both sensed the immense Eye Power coming from Mikoto, far surpassing that of the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
They simply wanted to see Mikoto's Mangekyō Sharingan.
The three tomoe in Mikoto's eyes began spinning rapidly.
Soon, they transformed into a pattern.
The pattern of Mikoto's Mangekyō Sharingan was very simple.
It looked like three tomoe joined together to form a black ring.
On the outside of the black ring were three curved hooks resembling tomoe tails, while on the inside, three curved black lines connected the ring to the black pupil at the very center.
"It really is the Mangekyō Sharingan." That was the delighted Fugaku.
"Hooked curves too!" That was Seiichi, raising an eyebrow.
"So cool! Ah, I'm under so much pressure!" That was Itachi, buckling under the pressure.
"Not as pretty as Seiichi's." That was the honest Shisui.
Mikoto closed her eyes to sense her Mangekyō Sharingan's abilities.
Then she opened them with a look of delighted surprise.
"My Mangekyō ability is called the Two-Faced Shield. The left eye has the Front Shield, which provides absolute defense against all ninjutsu and can reflect some of their power.
The right eye has the Reverse Shield, which heals by rejecting all negative states affecting the person being protected."
Mikoto's wish was simple: to protect her family and her clanspeople.
And so, in accordance with her deepest desire, her Mangekyō Sharingan had awakened an ability that combined healing and defense.
"Healing? Nothing special. Absolute defense that can reflect attacks, though-that's pretty good."
Fugaku had not noticed the part about rejecting all negative states.
But Seiichi had not missed it.
"Mother, sorry for the trouble, but could you describe your right eye's ability again?"
"Oh, the right eye's ninjutsu is called the Reverse Shield. It's mainly for healing.
It covers the area that needs treatment and heals the person by rejecting all negative states."
"Does it reject all negative states, or does it reject all states of injury? This is extremely important, Mother."
Seiichi's unusually serious expression made Mikoto realize that she seemed to have overlooked something.
So she closed her eyes and examined it carefully.
Although Fugaku and the others did not understand, they had no trouble keeping quiet.
They trusted that Seiichi would explain everything clearly afterward.
They quietly waited for Mikoto.
After a long while, Mikoto opened her eyes again.
"It does indeed reject all negative states."
"Hahaha, it's actually Shun Shun Rikka... Now it'll be hard to lose even if we try!!!"
Of all the scenes in Bleach that Seiichi had watched in his previous life, the one that had left the deepest impression on him was Sōsuke Aizen slicking back his hair with his hand, then declaring that he would stand above the heavens.
As for the ability that had left the deepest impression on Seiichi, it was Shun Shun Rikka. Its concept-level "power of rejection," with its support capabilities maxed out, really left him speechless.
Seiichi's sudden laughter left everyone baffled.
But judging by Seiichi's reaction, the healing ability of Mikoto's Mangekyō Sharingan, which they had initially overlooked, was extremely, extremely important.
Once Seiichi recovered, he explained with a smile, "Don't just focus on the healing. Rejecting all negative states has uses that go far beyond something so simple."
"Does disability from losing a limb count as a negative state?"
"Does the Sharingan going blind after using an Uchiha Forbidden Jutsu count as a negative state?"
"Does aging count as a negative state?"
"Does even... death count as a negative state?"
"Of course, that last one is a little far-fetched.
And even if she could bring the dead back, Mother would definitely have to pay an enormous price. We can leave that out of consideration for now."
Fugaku and the others were no fools.
Shisui's and Itachi's minds worked especially quickly.
After Seiichi's series of pointers, they finally recognized the importance of Mikoto's "healing" ninjutsu and its strategic significance to the Uchiha Clan.
It really was just as Seiichi had said: with Mikoto around, it would be hard to lose even if they tried!
"Ah, I want the Mangekyō Sharingan too!!!" Both Shisui and Itachi had been thoroughly spurred on.
"Don't worry. You'll both have your chance."
Shisui and Itachi both possessed the Three-Tomoe Sharingan now.
Itachi still had a little way to go. He had only barely surpassed the upper limit of the Three-Tomoe Sharingan's Eye Power and was still some distance from awakening his Mangekyō Sharingan.
But Shisui was different. His current Eye Power far exceeded Seiichi's after his first injection of the "Key."
Using the previous case as a benchmark, Shisui already had the baseline Eye Power required for the Mangekyō Sharingan. All he needed to do now was quietly wait for his Sharingan to complete its evolution on its own.
Seiichi expected that it would not take very long, and it might very well give that old monkey Hiruzen Sarutobi an enormous "surprise"!
Before you continue