The Sharingan? Like Anyone Else Doesn't Have One

After the assessment, Uchiha Yu left first.

Time was tight. He had no time to chat nonsense with a bunch of little brats.

Feeling the last bit of living expenses he had earned from the restaurant in his pocket, he headed for the Uchiha Ninja Tool Shop.

Speaking of the most profitable shops in Konoha—

Shueido, which sold manga and novels, ranked second.

Ichiraku Ramen came in third.

The top spot had long been occupied by ninja tool shops.

Ninjas consumed huge quantities of ninja tools. A single Chunin used at least hundreds of shuriken a year.

Such a hugely profitable business should have drawn countless people into it.

Strangely enough, there were not many ninja tool shops in the village.

Among them, the cheapest was the Uchiha Clan's exclusive ninja tool shop.

Previously, Uchiha Yu had spent an entire year's living expenses on shuriken in order to practice Shuriken Throwing.

He was familiar with the shop owner and had even bought on credit twice.

"Yo, Yu. What are you buying today?" The shop owner was named Uchiha Awa, a big fat man. The moment he saw Uchiha Yu, he greeted him warmly.

He knew Uchiha Yu had no parents, so he looked after him quite a bit.

"Boss, I don't really have enough money. I promise I'll pay you back once I earn it. I want that."

Following Uchiha Yu's finger, Uchiha Awa turned to look at the Giant Shuriken hanging on the wall, the corners of his mouth twitching twice.

"You want that? That thing's taller than you. What do you want it for? It's a ninja tool for Dojutsu Users in the clan to use with the Great Sword of Three. It's useless to you."

Just then, several more customers entered the shop.

There were six of them, each wearing a Headband.

The six first glanced at the owner, then began selecting ninja tools.

As for Uchiha Yu, no one paid any attention to a little brat like him.

"Boss, I want that. Is that okay?"

"Stop making trouble. Can't you see there are so many customers?"

"I'm not making trouble. I want this. Can I buy it on credit?"

Uchiha Awa frowned. "Look at you, kid. I told you already, that's a ninja tool for clan members who have awakened their eyes, used alongside the Sharingan ninjutsu Great Sword of Three. What do you need it for? Even if you weren't asking for credit, I still couldn't sell it to you!"

Uchiha Yu had clearly made him a little anxious, and the six ninjas all turned their heads toward them.

"S-sorry!" Uchiha Awa hurriedly bowed at a ninety-degree angle.

Uchiha Yu thought it over carefully. "So the reason you won't give it to me is because it's meant to be used with the Sharingan ninjutsu Great Sword of Three, not because I'm asking to buy it on credit, right?"

The owner sighed. "Kid, once you awaken your eyes someday, I could even give you one for free."

Uchiha Yu slapped all the money he had left onto the counter. "No need to give it to me. I'll buy it."

At that moment, a short-haired Uchiha with no eyebrows walked up to the counter. "Brat, you're being loud, you know that? Get lost!"

Of course, Uchiha Yu would not leave just like that. He looked at the man, then at the owner, and held out his hand. "This is all the money I have right now. I'll pay you the full amount in ten months."

"Why can't you understand when people talk to you?" The eyebrowless Uchiha grew slightly angry. He pointed at the oversized shuriken on the wall. "You need to awaken your eyes to use that thing, understand? Get out!"

Uchiha Yu's personality made it difficult for him to go looking for trouble.

But after thinking it over carefully, if he wanted to learn ninjutsu that could counter the Uchiha Clan, he seemed to need some kind of excuse.

For example, a conflict with a clansman?

Seeing that the brat had not moved, the eyebrowless Uchiha became furious!

"Damn brat! Do you have eyes like these?!" A pair of red eyes glared fiercely at Uchiha Yu!

"Ah! He's just a stubborn child!" Uchiha Awa hurriedly stepped between them, afraid something might really happen.

"Eyes like these are something you might not have even when you're fifty years old! So put away that ridiculous idea of yours, brat!"

"Don't let brats like this into the shop again. They're ruining my mood!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Right, right! Understood, understood!"

He turned to Uchiha Yu again. "Don't force me to teach you a lesson in place of your parents. Why aren't you getting out already?!"

At that moment, an incongruous voice drifted over.

"Oh? Are the eyes you said I wouldn't have even at fifty these ones?" Amid everyone's dumbfounded expressions, he pointed at his own eyes.

In Queens' Black neighborhood after the rain, the air was thick with dampness and decay.

The puddles on the streets had not fully receded, reflecting the dim yellow streetlights like shattered mirrors, mirroring the neighborhood's weariness and helplessness.

The standing water was mixed with fallen leaves, trash, and some indescribable filth. Washed by the rain, it gave off a nauseating stench.

Those odors mingled with wet soil, moldy walls, and old building materials, forming a unique and unpleasant atmosphere.

Many of the buildings lining the streets had long fallen into disrepair. Paint peeled from their walls, exposing the brick beneath like scars left on their faces by time.

Some buildings had broken windows hastily boarded up with planks. Through the cracks, dark rooms could be seen within, as if hiding secrets no one knew.

In the corners of the neighborhood, some homeless people curled up among rain-soaked cardboard boxes and rags, their eyes hollow and lost, as though they had long grown used to being forgotten by the world.

Children played in the puddles. Their laughter echoed through the empty streets, yet it could not conceal the neighborhood's desolation and decline.

Stephen Fang walked along with a bottle of iced cola in hand. Looking at the Black thugs loafing around, he clicked his tongue disdainfully.

Who said the moon was rounder here?

Wasn't it just the same?

He passed a gun shop and headed into the Chinese Supermarket beside it.

The moment he entered, Auntie Li, the shop owner, greeted him.

"Little Fang, you found a job, right?"

"Don't even mention it! The burger place's kitchen doesn't want me anymore. A new 'immigrant' came in. He only wants food and lodging, no wages. How am I supposed to compete with that?"

"Sigh, that's how we Chinese are." Auntie Li smiled helplessly. "How about this? Once my niece leaves in a couple of days, you can stay upstairs for a while."

"That won't do." Stephen Fang immediately shook his head. "I've already stayed there for quite a long time. Don't worry about me. I'll survive~"

"Alright, then. See what you want to eat. Auntie's treating you."

"Then I'll go grab some Maotai!"

"You brat."

As the two chatted, three young Black men pushed open the door and walked in.

The three looked around the shop after entering, especially at the security camera, and deliberately pulled their caps lower.

Anyone with eyes could tell what they were about to do.

No one who could open a supermarket in a Black neighborhood had poor eyesight.

Auntie Li immediately reached for the alarm button.

"Don't move!"

A pitch-black gun barrel pointed at Auntie Li behind the counter. "If you dare move—"

Before the man could finish speaking—

"Ah! F-f-fuck!"

The pistol fell to the floor as pain shot through his wrist. His two companions stared at him in confusion.

At some point, a dusty compass had been stabbed into his wrist.

3$

The price tag on the compass had not even been torn off yet!