The moment Sasuke asked, Shinji knew he had seized his cousin's mindset. For Sasuke, consumed by his thirst for vengeance, nothing was more enticing than the promise of greater power.
Thus, he said calmly, "It's because you don't have the Mangekyō Sharingan! If you had eyes like mine, how could you possibly lose?"
Sasuke's expression grew strained.
He knew 'A' spoke the truth. Take Yakumo, whom he couldn't hope to defeat now—she had once been bested by 'B,' who also wielded the Mangekyō Sharingan.
If awakening the Sharingan was a leap in strength for an Uchiha, then awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan was what truly propelled one onto the pinnacle stage of the shinobi world.
Shinji casually remarked, "Uchiha Itachi must have told you the method to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, right?"
Sasuke's face darkened, his teeth clenched: "He said only enough hatred could awaken eyes like his!"
Shinji wagged a finger: "Correct, but not entirely."
Sasuke frowned: "What do you mean?"
"He killed your parents, slaughtered your entire clan. Wasn't that hatred enough?" Shinji paused, then continued, "And yet, have you awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Sasuke asked, "So… his method was wrong? Was he lying to me?"
"No," Shinji shook his head, then said, "His method just isn't the most effective. My method, however, can guarantee your success!"
Sasuke replied, "Your method? It's not something like killing your closest friend, is it?"
Shinji laughed: "So you know?"
Sasuke said coldly, "I don't need your messed-up shortcuts! I'll awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan my own way!"
Shinji gave Sasuke a deep look: "Ambitious, but a pity."
With that, Shinji turned to leave.
Sasuke hurriedly called out, "What do you mean?"
Without stopping, Shinji said, "Heh, why do you think the Uchiha are called a cursed clan? The Mangekyō Sharingan isn't something you can awaken just by having enough talent. Even your brother, Uchiha Itachi, only awakened those eyes after witnessing Uchiha Shisui's death."
"W-What!?"
Sasuke stood frozen.
Until this moment, he hadn't known that Itachi's awakening was triggered by Shisui's death.
"Without extreme love, where does extreme hatred come from?" Shinji's figure gradually melted into the shadows, a mocking laugh echoing: "How can you obtain those cursed eyes without blood on your hands and sin staining your soul? Kid, you're no avenger. Just live on as a mediocre nobody!"
"Stop! Get back here!"
Sasuke roared hysterically toward the direction Shinji had vanished.
He seemed to be trying to stop Shinji from leaving, but in truth, he was desperately clinging to the chance to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan slipping through his fingers.
After Shinji's figure completely disappeared, Sasuke collapsed to the ground, murmuring, "Do I really have to taint myself with sin to gain those eyes?"
In that moment, countless faces flashed through his mind.
Among them were Shinji's, Naruto's, Kakashi's, and many of his peers he'd grown close to.
It was these faces that had pulled him out of the depths of his despair.
"No! I can't keep being weak. The Uchiha clan's blood feud must be avenged! Even if I become a demon, I'll kill that bastard Uchiha Itachi!"
After a long while.
Sasuke, still sitting on the ground, slowly stood, his gaze piercingly cold!
In the forest.
Shinji, watching this unfold, sighed softly.
The words he'd just spoken were, of course, a lie to manipulate Sasuke. The Mangekyō Sharingan was called 'cursed eyes' because awakening them set one on a path to darkness, with blindness only a matter of time.
Killing a loved one was indeed an effective way to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, but it wasn't the only way.
Uchiha Fugaku, Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Obito, and Uchiha Itachi—none of these Mangekyō Uchiha had used that method!
Shinji had deliberately misled Sasuke, making him believe Itachi awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan after killing Shisui. In reality, Itachi had awakened his eyes by witnessing Shisui's suicide.
Sensing the sharp killing intent radiating from Sasuke in the distance, Shinji mused, "Who will he choose? Naruto? Kakashi? Or… me?"
In truth, he wasn't certain of his own place in Sasuke's heart.
From now on, he'd have to closely monitor Sasuke to prevent him from targeting someone unexpected and harming an innocent.
At the Kurama clan's main estate.
Yakumo, having just finished washing up and preparing for bed, suddenly heard a voice in her ear.
She listened intently for a moment, then respectfully replied, "Yes!"
Moments later, Yakumo, clad in an Akatsuki red-cloud robe and wearing a ghostly mask, appeared before Shinji, similarly dressed in Akatsuki attire: "My lord, why have you summoned me?"
Shinji said, "I may need your cooperation later."
"I understand!"
Yakumo didn't ask further, suppressing her curiosity and following her leader.
Under the cover of night, the two moved through Hidden Leaf's streets, cloaked in shadows.
Only then did Yakumo realize her leader was secretly tailing Sasuke.
But Sasuke seemed off. Though he was usually aloof and distant, the aura he exuded now was one of utter unapproachability, making Yakumo feel as though he were a stranger.
Soon, Yakumo's confusion deepened, and she couldn't help but say to Shinji ahead, "My lord, is Sasuke your target?"
Shinji waved a hand: "Be patient!"
"But…"
Shinji turned back: "But what?"
Yakumo said with concern, "The direction Sasuke's heading… it seems like it's toward Shinji's apartment!"
Shinji smiled: "Yes, he's going to kill Uchiha Shinji!"
Realizing Sasuke was coming for him, Shinji breathed a sigh of relief.
Sasuke's current killing intent was entirely instigated by him, so in his view, it was best if Sasuke targeted him. Otherwise, collateral damage to others would be unfortunate.
Yakumo was shocked: "What!? He's going to kill Shinji? Why? Aren't they clanmates and friends?"
Shinji said, "Don't ask too much. When the time comes, do exactly as I say! Remember, this time, use your full strength!"
Yakumo nodded, her face fraught with conflict.
At that moment, Sasuke arrived at the base of Shinji's apartment building. He looked up at Shinji's room, seeing the lights still on, took a deep breath, and strode into the stairwell.