The Problem Was Found-How to Solve It?

Although the Sharingan had many stages of evolution, those stages also made it easier for members of the Uchiha Clan to evolve their eyes.

Looking at it this way, the conclusion was clear.

The hidden flaw in the Uchiha Clan's bloodline was most likely the Sage of Six Paths' doing.

The Sage of Six Paths' two sons had inherited his Sage Body and Sage Eye, respectively.

The Sage Body was fine; it simply strengthened one's constitution.

But the Sage Eye posed a much bigger problem.

Without a Sage Body, an ordinary person's body could not wield the Sage Eye at all.

Forcing its use meant burning one's lifespan as fuel.

For a specific example, there was Nagato, who had nearly used himself into a human specimen.

If even someone with an incomplete Sage Body ended up like that, there was no need to mention those without one.

So, to keep his son alive, the Sage of Six Paths...

Could only personally weaken his son's Sage Eye.

He weakened it over and over, all the way back to its initial one-tomoe state, allowing the Sage Eye to grow alongside its owner's strength.

This preserved its power without placing too great a burden on its owner.

But the Sage of Six Paths probably had not expected that weakening it would come at a price.

The portion he stripped away left flaws in what had originally been a complete bloodline.

As a result, later generations of the Uchiha Clan generally struggled to awaken their eyes, and even after finally awakening them, overuse had side effects: they would go blind.

As for whether this conclusion was correct, there was another way to verify it.

Namely, the Mangekyō Sharingan of two brothers could merge into a pair of Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.

This was a process of completing the bloodline.

Ordinary clan members' blood would not work because their bloodline was not concentrated enough.

But awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan would certainly elevate that clan member's bloodline.

Only two clan members whose bloodlines had been elevated this way were needed to repair the Uchiha Clan's bloodline flaw.

As for why the fusion could only happen between brothers...

That was probably because of their blood relationship.

Since the method of fusion was a direct eye transplant, that also meant the closer the blood relationship, the greater the chance of success.

Among such relationships, fathers and sons, and brothers, were the closest and most likely to succeed.

But the original story had not explained this point.

He would leave a question mark beside it for now and test it if an opportunity arose later.

After this series of analyses...

Seiichi felt this was most likely the truth.

He took another careful look at the densely covered sheet of paper.

Then he spat out a tiny, tiny, tiny fireball and burned the paper to ashes.

"Who's there?"

Seeing the Three-Tomoe Sharingan appear in Seiichi's eyes, the newcomer's gaze filled with fervor.

"Young master, the clan head and the elders request your presence!"

Seiichi deactivated his Sharingan and followed the newcomer to the Elder's home.

"Seiichi is here!"

Ever since Seiichi's birth, the infighting between the Uchiha Clan's various factions had diminished considerably.

Seiichi had been born with awakened eyes, reached two tomoe at three, and three tomoe at four and a half.

Now five years old, his eye power was already infinitely close to Jonin level.

Of course, this was also because his age limited him. His chakra reserves could not keep up, leaving his eye power somewhat lacking as well.

Otherwise, every member of the Uchiha Clan with the Three-Tomoe Sharingan possessed Jonin-level strength.

"Greetings, Father, elders. May I ask why you summoned me?"

After entering, Seiichi offered a simple bow, looked around, and chose a lower seat.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi sent someone to ask whether you wanted to attend the Ninja Academy. You're old enough now. What do you think?"

The Elder had always looked down on Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third, and referred to him directly by name.

"Seiichi, I think you could go. The children of the other ninja clans' senior members have all gone too."

Fugaku's words did not surprise Seiichi.

That was because Fugaku currently had little say within the clan.

So, for now, Fugaku was taking the middle road.

He sided with neither the village nor the clan.

As a result, he had offended both sides.

But it did not matter. With Seiichi around, the Uchiha would not be able to turn everything upside down!

"I'm not going! Attending the Ninja Academy would waste my time. They can't teach me anything there."

"You could also make a few friends."

"Strength reigns supreme in the Shinobi World. Friends from the Ninja Academy wouldn't be much use. They aren't worth wasting a year or more of my time."

Seiichi's words brought delighted smiles to the Hawk Faction, led by the Elder.

Fugaku and several elders from the Dove Faction could not help frowning.

But they said nothing. After all, Seiichi had spoken the truth.

"In that case, it's settled. The next time Hiruzen Sarutobi asks, just refuse him outright."

While the Uchiha Clan was all smiles...

Somewhere else was bound to be full of frowns.

Konoha, the Hokage's Office.

"Hiruzen, you can't hesitate any longer. That brat is far too talented. Once that evil brat grows up, which of us will be able to stop him? We must eliminate him early. The sooner, the better."

There was no need to look. The words alone made it clear that the only person in the Hokage's Office who would target the Uchiha Clan like this was that one-eyed cripple, Shimura Danzō.

"No! And you are not to stir up trouble behind my back. Absolutely not."

How could Hiruzen Sarutobi not know the consequences of allowing Seiichi to grow?

But they truly could not touch him now.

In the past, the Uchiha Clan's Hawk Faction and Dove Faction had fought bitterly, with Fugaku caught in the middle, pulling back and forth.

Even an Uchiha Clan like that had been worrying enough.

Now, Seiichi was the nerve running through the entire Uchiha Clan.

If they touched him, the entire Uchiha Clan would rise in revolt-a revolt with no internal strife, united against an outside enemy.

The consequences would be far too grave.

So grave that even though Hiruzen Sarutobi knew waiting for Seiichi to grow meant a slow death, he still dared not act.

After all, a slow death still gave them time.

If they touched him, they would have to prepare to die right now.

"Hiruzen!"

"Enough, Danzo. I will not allow you to pull any tricks right now. Do you understand? Remember, I am the Hokage!"

Seeing the serious expression on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face...

Danzo knew he truly had no opportunity this time, not even to act in secret.

He stared straight at Hiruzen Sarutobi for several seconds.

Then Danzo turned and left.

"You'll regret this!"

Watching Danzo slam the door...

Hiruzen Sarutobi raised a hand and rubbed between his brows.

"Do either of you have any suggestions?"

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi's troubled expression, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu had no good solutions either.

But there really were no good solutions right now.

Neither option was good, and waiting was simply waiting to die.

What were they supposed to do?!

The price of having no ideas was two grown men smoking nonstop.

"Cough, cough, cough! Cough, cough, cough... That's about enough from you two."

Utatane Koharu finally could not stand it anymore and got up to push open the window.

From a distance, thick smoke could be seen billowing out of the Hokage's Office window.

"Someone! The Hokage's Office is on fire! Come put it out..."

"Coming, coming..."

"I'll do it, I'll do it! I'm a Water Release ninja! Water Release: Great Dam..."

"All right, all right, everything's fine here. Please disperse."

Standing at the window, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke gently to the villagers below.

He had no choice. If he did not show himself now, that "Great Dam Who's Gonna Build It" would be pouring straight into their mouths.