The strongest in the shinobi world?
This claim certainly took the former heads of the Uchiha clan by surprise. For someone to bear the title of the strongest shinobi... well, that wasn't a simple matter, nor was it something declared lightly. Yet, Sasuke's youthful appearance made it difficult for them to fathom he possessed such strength.
The elders exchanged glances, uncertain whether to believe the words spoken by Shikamaru moments before. Suddenly, a pained expression crossed Fugaku's face as he looked at Sasuke with concern.
"Sasuke!"
"Have you... awakened it too?"
Sasuke simply nodded in response. "Ah."
Awakened it?
As the son of the Uchiha clan head, his bloodline and talent were naturally unquestionable. It would be almost ironic if someone of his standing couldn't awaken the Sharingan.
Just as the other Uchiha clan members wondered why their former leader would ask such a question, realization dawned on some of them. Fugaku wasn't asking about the basic Sharingan; he was asking if Sasuke had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
While awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan wasn't unheard of within the Uchiha clan, nearly every pair signified immense power. And Sasuke, having awakened the Mangekyō at such a young age? The clan heads understood the implications all too well.
"It seems you must have endured immense suffering over the years!"
Hearing this, Sasuke understood. Fugaku knew the conditions required to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan and assumed Sasuke had experienced similar agony.
However, Sasuke offered a slight smile. "I didn't go through anything particularly special!"
"The reason I awakened the Mangekyō is that I discovered a unique training method for the Sharingan!"
"Through dedicated training, I elevated my Sharingan to the level of the Mangekyō!"
A training method for the Sharingan!
Sasuke spoke casually, but to the Uchiha clansmen present, his words struck like a sudden clap of thunder, jolting their very core. Every eye was fixed on him, a burning desire to know if what he claimed was true.
A training method for the Sharingan... was that truly possible?
In the past, hadn't clan members always relied on relentlessly increasing their own strength? Hadn't they pushed the limits of their Sharingan through countless battles, forcing it to unleash greater power and thereby achieve evolution? Yet, today, Sasuke claimed the Sharingan could be trained?
What kind of joke was this? The Sharingan was a Kekkei Genkai! How could a Kekkei Genkai be trained? It wasn't some chakra-nature based Kekkei Genkai; it was a dōjutsu!
Noticing Fugaku's skepticism, Sasuke slowly closed his eyes. This familiar gesture made all the clan heads hold their breath. As Uchiha, they knew the customary action of activating their eyes all too well. They understood what Sasuke intended to do next.
When Sasuke opened his eyes again, revealing nine tomoe swirling within each pupil, the Uchiha members were still stunned, even though they had anticipated the activation of his Sharingan.
Nine tomoe?
How could such a Sharingan even exist? Was this man truly an Uchiha?
"Nine tomoe...?"
"A Nine-Tomoe Sharingan?"
"What kind of eyes are these? I've never seen or heard of such a thing!"
Even Fugaku was profoundly shocked. As a former clan head, his knowledge was extensive, yet he had never encountered any mention of a Nine-Tomoe Sharingan. Seeing Sasuke's eyes now, Fugaku's mind reeled.
"Who ever said the Sharingan could only reach three tomoe?" Sasuke countered. "In fact, the reason the standard three-tomoe Sharingan leads to blindness the more the Mangekyō is used is fundamentally because the user's dōjutsu power is insufficient to sustain it."
"If the dōjutsu power is sufficient, the Sharingan itself can continue to strengthen!"
"And when a Mangekyō is awakened with sufficient dōjutsu power, there are absolutely no negative side effects."
As Sasuke spoke, his eyes transformed once more, activating his Mangekyō Sharingan. Unlike the simple activation of the Sharingan, the moment Sasuke unleashed his Mangekyō, the sheer potency of his dōjutsu seemed to physically distort the air around him. Visible ripples of intense power pulsed outwards from his eyes, creating an atmospheric shockwave that forcefully pushed back the Uchiha elders standing closest to him.
Naruto, observing nearby, offered a slight smile. Sasuke was using this opportunity to assert his dominance and intimidate them somewhat. Otherwise, controlling such a large group of proud, defiant Uchiha ancestors would likely prove difficult.
Gazing at Sasuke's Mangekyō, its intricate pattern radiated overwhelming power. Even without performing a specific technique, the elders could sense the terrifying potential of Sasuke's dōjutsu emanating from him.
"Excellent! Truly my son!" Fugaku declared, filled with pride. Sasuke, unsure how to respond, simply gave a slight nod.
"Itachi awakened the Mangekyō too," Sasuke added.
Fugaku nodded solemnly, knowing this already. "I know!" After all, Fugaku had practically witnessed Itachi's Mangekyō awakening.
"Itachi has a daughter now," Sasuke continued. "Her name is Sarada!"
Hmm?
Itachi has a daughter?
He had a granddaughter?
Fugaku was suddenly overwhelmed, caught between joy and the poignant feeling of how much time had passed and how things had changed. He froze, momentarily lost for words.
"Want to see her?" Sasuke asked.
Fugaku nodded eagerly. Despite the complex swirl of emotions, he desperately wanted to see what Itachi's child looked like.
Sasuke smirked faintly. A dark light flickered in his eye, and in the next instant, his Amenotejikara activated.
Amidst the startled cries of the Uchiha clan heads, Sarada, who had just received a notice at home about a major situation in Konoha and was about to head out, suddenly found her surroundings warp violently. The next moment, she was standing directly in front of Sasuke.
"Uncle Sasuke?" Sarada exclaimed, bewildered. "Did you bring me here?"
Sasuke remained silent, merely gesturing for Sarada to turn around.
At that moment, Fugaku had no time to marvel at Sasuke's ability to instantly teleport someone. His gaze was locked onto the small figure before him, his eyes trembling uncontrollably. He couldn't calm the storm in his heart.
The instant Sarada turned, Fugaku froze.
The resemblance!
It was uncanny!
Not to Itachi, but strikingly similar to Sasuke! Though, that was understandable; Itachi and Sasuke were brothers, so it wasn't unusual for Itachi's daughter to resemble her uncle.
Seeing Sarada for the first time, Fugaku opened his arms, but hesitated, unsure what to say.
"This is your grandfather," Sasuke explained softly. "Mine and Itachi's father."
Grandfather!
The sudden appearance of a grandfather captured Sarada's attention. She looked at Fugaku, noticing a subtle resemblance to her own father. But Sarada was more puzzled by the large gathering of unfamiliar Uchiha clansmen surrounding them.
"Sarada, could you come here?" Fugaku crouched down, speaking gently. "Let me have a look at you."
Sarada glanced back at Sasuke, who gave her an encouraging nod. Only then did she cautiously walk towards Fugaku.
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