Uchiha Yu woke to the sound of children making a racket!
His eyes snapped open! His body instinctively tried to sit up, only to be stopped by a sudden burst of pain.
He stared around with two red eyes. The crimson flashed past in an instant, seeming somewhat unstable.
"Shh, keep it down. There's an injured person in the room." A gentle female voice came from outside. There was a hint of sternness in it, but more than that, maternal tenderness and concern.
Hearing that, Uchiha Yu paused, then shook his head and muttered inwardly:
Kabuto turning evil really was only natural.
He personally killed Yakushi Nonō, the orphanage director who had treated and healed him. Who wouldn't lose it after that?
Outside, a group of children were playing. The one who had used Medical Ninjutsu on Uchiha Yu last night was the female ninja who had once taught Kabuto—Yakushi Nonō.
As a former elite spy of Root, Yakushi Nonō glanced toward the room from the corner of her eye and reminded the children, "You have morning lessons later!"
"Got it, Director!" the children answered obediently.
She smiled warmly at them and headed straight for Uchiha Yu's room.
Gently pushing open the door, she pretended to have only just discovered that Uchiha Yu was awake. Covering her mouth, she said, "You're awake? You're highly compatible with Medical Ninjutsu, so you recovered very quickly."
Although Uchiha Yu had a few schemes of his own, he had no intention of hiding anything from an ace spy like Yakushi Nonō. He said directly:
"Thank you, Director. I can't tell you why I was injured."
"That's fine." Yakushi Nonō answered without hesitation. "It's enough that you're all right."
"Then can I leave?" Uchiha Yu forced a smile.
"Of course. Oh, right!" As she spoke, she ran outside and brought back a bundle. "These are medicines. Your injuries aren't light, so don't do any strenuous activity for the next few days. Wait until you're healed."
Uchiha Yu bowed at a forty-five-degree angle. "Thank you for treating me!"
"I couldn't possibly stand by and watch a child of Konoha die. Go home now!"
After returning home, Uchiha Yu first checked whether anything in the house had been touched.
Then he opened the bundle of medicine.
He boiled water and took the medicine.
He let out a long breath.
"Looks like someone as insignificant as me wouldn't be noticed even if I stayed out all night."
A voice from the void interrupted his thoughts.
Stephen Fang from the Marvel World said, "Brother, aren't you afraid that orphanage director will report you?"
Before Uchiha Yu could answer, Pirate World Fang Yu jumped in. "That's still better than heading straight for Konoha Gate. Believe it or not, if he returned to Konoha without getting treated, he'd be sent to Root before he even reached Konoha Hospital."
Uchiha Yu shrugged. "As a joke, even a dog passing through Konoha Gate would be noticed by Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo."
"As for the director, as long as the orphanage's interests aren't harmed, she won't meddle in such matters. Besides, she and Danzo fell out long ago."
Uchiha Yu's expression darkened. "Once the Third Hokage and Danzo hear that Itachi Uchiha injured me—"
"Then I'll most likely be treated as a little stone blocking Konoha's path to peace—"
"One kick into the sewers, and no one would notice even when my corpse started to rot."
Stephen Fang, who was drinking cola, choked on it. "Cough! Sorry, maybe because of how I grew up, I don't understand danger as well as you two."
"It's fine. The Battle of New York is probably coming soon. You'll understand sooner or later."
"O-okay."
Marvel Fang Yu went silent, while Pirate World Fang Yu said gravely, "The urgent matter is figuring out how to increase our strength."
"Yeah. After what happened yesterday, I could really feel how much the Gene Lock helped me!"
Uchiha Yu walked over to the mirror. "When I first woke up, I really did feel that my eyes were different, but they're still unstable..."
Pirate World Fang Yu raised a brow. "Thinking about it that way, the Gene Lock stimulates one's hidden potential when a Reincarnator is near death, while the Sharingan is an ability awakened when the Uchiha Clan experiences intense emotional upheaval."
He paused, then continued, "If we want to keep unlocking the Gene Lock until we master it, and awaken the eye as well, then—"
The two spoke in unison: "Near death!"
Far away, Stephen Fang was in the back kitchen of a burger joint, stuffing pickle slices into burgers. Hearing the insane idea from his two seniors, he immediately swallowed hard.
Then he stuffed two extra pickle slices into some unlucky customer's burger.
For an entire week.
Every evening after classes at the Ninja Academy.
Uchiha Yu left the village and went to a forest not far from Konoha Orphanage.
The forest floor was covered in bloodstains and traces of battle.
The blood naturally belonged to Uchiha Yu.
But if the children from the orphanage saw what the "culprit" looked like, their worldview would surely collapse.
Standing across from Uchiha Yu was the gentle big sister Yakushi Nonō, who had cast aside her usual demeanor and removed her glasses.
Yakushi Nonō stood in an open clearing in the forest, a trace of severity in her eyes completely unlike the gentle director she usually was.
Uchiha Yu gripped the kunai in his hand tightly. He knew he was about to face a difficult battle.
Sweat had already seeped from his forehead, but his gaze was firm. He had to use this battle to awaken his potential.
"Come." Yakushi Nonō's voice was calm, but Chakra had already begun flowing through her body.
Uchiha Yu did not answer. He took a deep breath, then charged at Yakushi Nonō, his kunai aimed straight at her vital point!
Yakushi Nonō easily sidestepped, then kicked Uchiha Yu's wrist. The kunai fell to the ground with a clang.
Uchiha Yu quickly retreated, drew shuriken from his waist, and launched another attack!
With astonishing speed and agility, Yakushi Nonō evaded every one of Uchiha Yu's attacks. Each of her counterattacks made him feel immense pressure.
On one side was an elite ninja of Root.
On the other was an Uchiha newbie who had not even graduated from the Ninja Academy and had yet to awaken his eye.
The gap between them was like an uncrossable chasm.
Uchiha Yu's body was already covered in wounds, but he persisted. Every time he fell, he quickly got back up and continued fighting.
As the battle dragged on, Uchiha Yu began to feel powerless. Every attack became clumsier and weaker.
Although Yakushi Nonō held the upper hand throughout the fight, she always controlled her strength, ensuring that Uchiha Yu would not suffer fatal injuries.
But Uchiha Yu did not merely want a sparring partner.
What he wanted was near death!
He reached forward and, with no regard for propriety, groped Yakushi Nonō in front of her chest.
Yakushi Nonō's calm expression was replaced by fury! She grabbed Uchiha Yu by the throat!
The intense suffocation sent blood rushing to Uchiha Yu's brain. Veins bulged on his forehead, and the nascent Sharingan in his eyes rolled upward into Byakugan.
Seeing that Uchiha Yu still insisted on continuing even in this state, Yakushi Nonō felt some reluctance, but she did not loosen her grip.
Uchiha Yu was just one step away. He raised his hand again, his fingertips brushing across her breasts.
Her grip tightened again, and Uchiha Yu could no longer lift his arm.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Just as Uchiha Yu gradually felt that he was about to die!
A powerful desire to live erupted from within him!
His pupils constricted! A surge of power welled up from the depths of his body!
Using the last of his strength, he violently shoved Yakushi Nonō away, then staggered backward!
Yakushi Nonō looked at Uchiha Yu, and a flash of surprise passed through her eyes.
It seems this child has secrets I don't know about.
She took a deep breath and tried to calm her emotions.
"That's enough for today!" Yakushi Nonō said coldly as she released green life energy to treat Uchiha Yu.
It lasted for a little over twenty minutes.
Once Uchiha Yu no longer had any major injuries, Yakushi Nonō turned and left the forest without looking back.
Leaving Uchiha Yu alone, gasping where he stood.
Thud!
He collapsed to the ground, his chest heaving violently, but his heart was filled with joy!
The entire world seemed to move in slow motion. The trajectory of falling leaves was crystal clear!
The Sharingan had awakened!
Before you continue