In the village of Kirigakure, inside the Mizukage's office.
The Third Mizukage lounged leisurely on a sofa, his head wrapped in a bandage that conveniently covered his eyes. From the slight smirk on his lips and the rhythmic bobbing of his legs, it was clear that the Mizukage was in a very good mood.
Today was the day he would finally remove the bandages.
Beneath those bandages lay the latest achievement of the village's research team—advanced biotechnology imported from the Land of Fire.
The Sharingan and the Byakugan.
To inflate the Third Mizukage's ego and make him more useful, Rinjin had gone to great lengths. Not only did he manage to steal a corpse from the Hyuga clan's main family on the battlefield, but he also secretly attacked Konoha and acquired a pair of Sharingan.
As for the Sharingan, Rinjin insisted that he simply "found them on the street" and absolutely did not take them from that brat Ryōta Uchiha! Of course, Rinjin claimed he wasn't the type to hold grudges or keep a notebook listing his enemies.
As the Third Mizukage fantasized about dramatically opening his perpetually squinting eyes to dominate the battlefield, the office door suddenly knocked.
"Come in," he responded.
The door opened, and two ANBU operatives entered. Leading them was the head of the research team, Inagimaru, while the other ANBU carried a mirror.
Disguised as Inagimaru, Rinjin carried a tray with a pair of scissors. He approached the Third Mizukage cautiously and said respectfully, "Lord Mizukage, it's time to remove the bandages."
Hearing this, the Mizukage, his eyes still covered, suppressed his excitement and nodded with feigned composure, sitting upright.
Seeing this, Rinjin stepped forward, picked up the scissors, and asked again, "Shall I cut them off for you, my lord?"
It was only natural for him to confirm twice. After all, no matter who you were, approaching the Third Mizukage with scissors required utmost caution. Who knew how many hidden eyes were watching his every move?
The Mizukage impatiently nodded. If he didn't need someone to assess the condition of his newly transplanted eyes, he would have torn off the bandages himself long ago.
After all, he usually kept his eyes squinted shut anyway.
As the Mizukage lowered his head, Rinjin carefully pointed the scissors away from the Mizukage and delicately snipped the end of the bandages. He then gently placed the scissors back on the tray and began unwinding the bandages, layer by layer.
Before long, the bandages were completely removed. The Mizukage's eyelids twitched slightly as if adjusting to the light outside the bandages.
From the outside, there was almost no noticeable change in the Mizukage's appearance. Then again, that was likely because he was always squinting.
After a moment of adjustment, the Mizukage slowly opened his eyes just a sliver.
Seeing this, Rinjin took a step back and gestured to the ANBU beside him. The ANBU, wearing a white fox mask, stepped forward and held up the mirror, positioning it in front of the Mizukage.
The Mizukage nodded in satisfaction.
"Not bad," he thought. "This Inagimaru fellow has a knack for understanding what I need."
With that thought, the Mizukage turned his attention to the mirror and slowly opened his eyes.
In the next moment, a Byakugan and a three-tomoe Sharingan appeared in the reflection.
The ANBU holding the mirror visibly trembled.
But the Mizukage was too captivated to notice the subtle reaction.
It was stunning. A masterpiece. This pair of eyes was simply too beautiful.
Even Rinjin, standing nearby, couldn't help but marvel at the sight. "To witness both the Byakugan and Sharingan on one face in my lifetime—what a rare spectacle," he thought.
The Byakugan, the Hyuga clan's legendary eyes that could perceive everything! Tracing its origins back, the Byakugan's abilities could be linked to Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, who herself possessed a pair of Byakugan. Both Hamura Ōtsutsuki and Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki were born with Byakugan as well. However, Hagoromo later underwent significant transformations, evolving his Byakugan into the Sharingan and eventually the Rinnegan.
That said, the Hyuga clan was never destined to produce Hokage. Despite their mastery of telescopic and x-ray vision, their lack of ambition left them falling short of greatness.
As for the Mizukage's right eye, it featured the renowned three-tomoe Sharingan. Initially, Rinjin had intended to acquire a Mangekyō Sharingan for the Mizukage, but unfortunately, only two pairs existed within the Uchiha clan. One belonged to his disciple, and the other to the ill-fated companion of Kagami Uchiha.
While Rinjin wasn't exactly a man of principle, he drew the line at betraying close allies. Thus, he settled for the three-tomoe Sharingan.
Though Rinjin wasn't entirely satisfied, the Mizukage, who lacked in-depth knowledge of the Sharingan, was more than content. A Byakugan paired with what he believed to be the highest form of Sharingan—what more could he ask for?
As he admired his new eyes with delight, something unexpected happened.
In the mirror, a pair of crimson eyes suddenly appeared, spinning rapidly like a four-bladed windmill.
For a brief moment, the Mizukage froze, then shuddered as if startled awake.
When he looked again, the mirror reflected only his own face—no crimson eyes in sight.
Frowning slightly, the Mizukage squinted once more, concealing the Byakugan and Sharingan.
At that moment, Rinjin's voice broke the silence.
"My lord, do your new eyes feel comfortable?"
"They're fine. No discomfort," the Mizukage replied. "You may leave now. If I need you, I'll call for you."
With a respectful bow, Rinjin excused himself, leading the ANBU out of the Mizukage's office.
Left alone, the Mizukage paced slowly to the window, squinting as he gazed outside.
Byakugan!
With a mental command, veins bulged around the Mizukage's left temple. His vision extended outward, penetrating his own body, the office door, the stairs, and even the rooftop, reaching the underground laboratory where white-coated researchers were preparing to leave for the day.
Shifting his focus, the Mizukage's gaze returned to the office and ventured into the adjacent room, where a figure sat meditating.
Not daring to linger, the Mizukage quickly retracted his vision.
For the first time, this man—who had never dared to meet Madara Uchiha's gaze—had taken the first step, secretly observing him from afar.
This was precisely why Rinjin had given him the Byakugan: to encourage him to peel back the layers of mystery surrounding his adversaries. After all, if one couldn't even muster the courage to look, how could they ever hope to resist?
...
In the underground laboratory of the Mizukage building, Rinjin clapped his hands to gather everyone's attention.
"Everyone, I have some great news! Lord Mizukage is extremely pleased with our work and has asked me to convey his heartfelt gratitude to all of you.
"You've all worked tirelessly these past few weeks. To show his appreciation, I'm treating everyone to dinner tonight. And here's another piece of good news: you all get a week off starting tomorrow! Come see me later to collect your overtime pay!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the researchers in white coats erupted in cheers, their faces beaming with joy.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
Welcome to visit my Patreon, read the early chapters, and enjoy your reading!
patreon.com/DarkGolds