It didn't take long for Uchiha Yue's command to be fulfilled. Just ten minutes later, under the guidance of Uchiha Flint, three Uchiha clansmen—two men and one woman, all appearing around twenty years old—arrived swiftly and stood in front of Uchiha Yue, the newly acknowledged clan patriarch.
"We greet the patriarch!"
Without hesitation, all three dropped to one knee, their voices unified and ringing with fervent respect.
"Mm, no need to be so formal. Stand up."
Uchiha Yue's tone was calm, accustomed now to the reverence he received. His gaze lingered on the trio. With a single glance, and comparing them with the intelligence Uchiha Flint had compiled, Yue recognized them easily.
The two young men, Uchiha Qingtian and Uchiha Heiro, were twenty and twenty-one years old respectively. Both had attained a level of strength nearing that of elite jōnin, a rare feat in any clan. The girl, Uchiha Tianyin, though only nineteen, had awakened her Three Tomoe Sharingan at sixteen and was now widely regarded as one of the most promising kunoichi in the Uchiha clan. Her combat ability was on par with the two men, if not slightly superior due to her heightened perception and genjutsu finesse.
These three could be considered standard prodigies by Uchiha standards—gifted in both potential and performance. While Qingtian and Heiro's futures remained uncertain, Tianyin possessed all the signs of being able to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan if placed under the right psychological and emotional pressure.
"Do you know why I summoned you?"
As the three stood, Uchiha Yue's voice rang out again, causing a flicker of uncertainty in their expressions. The trio exchanged a brief glance before Uchiha Heiro, the oldest and steadiest of the group, stepped forward to speak.
"Reporting to the patriarch, before your arrival, we heard from Senior Flint that you intended to personally train us to elevate our strength."
"Correct," Yue replied with a nod. "I intend to guide your training myself. And the objective is singular—awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, and elevate you into true Kage-level shinobi."
The moment Yue finished speaking, a ripple of shock passed through the three. Their eyes widened. Their breathing grew heavier, and their hearts raced.
The Mangekyō Sharingan. The legendary evolution of their bloodline dōjutsu—its name alone carried weight and reverence. Uchiha Yue, the ten-year-old prodigy who awakened it before the eyes of the entire clan, had used its power to prevent the annihilation of their family during the near-disaster of the coup. That moment had changed everything.
And now, they stood before the very same patriarch, being offered the chance to follow that path.
But Yue's voice turned sharp.
"Don't be too eager. Awakening the Mangekyō is not guaranteed. It depends on the depth of your potential… and the strength of your will. If your aptitude is lacking or your resolve crumbles, you won't gain enlightenment—you'll lose yourself."
The warning struck like cold water. Yue's tone was no longer warm, but serious, almost severe.
The Mangekyō was not a gift granted freely. It demanded loss, grief, collapse—and rebirth through willpower. Yue himself had experienced it: a breakdown so severe that his Sharingan had jumped straight to Three Tomoe, and then, after stabilizing his foundations, he had ascended to the Mangekyō stage through a second emotional upheaval. His transmigrated soul gave him the perspective to guide others—but even he had nearly been consumed.
Had he not possessed the rare combination of a steeled psyche, an obsession with survival, and the rational detachment of a former outsider to this world, he too might have fallen into madness. Most would. The risk was real.
"We are not afraid of danger, Patriarch. Please give us your full instruction!"
Rather than falter, all three responded in unison, voices filled with firm resolve. Their eyes shone—not with recklessness, but with the pride unique to the Uchiha: a desire to perfect the Sharingan, to prove their legacy through power.
Yue raised an eyebrow, but a smile slowly curved his lips.
"I underestimated you."
His approval was clear.
"Very well. Let's not waste time. We begin now."
His sudden declaration took them off guard. Their expressions shifted—confusion mixed with anticipation.
"Relax. Don't resist."
Without waiting for a reply, Yue raised his right arm. His Illusory Domain technique activated in an instant, unseen by the naked eye. Within that overlapping layer of consciousness and chakra, three small spores, shimmering with ethereal chakra, drifted through the air and quietly entered the trio's bodies.
"Ninjutsu: Parasitic Binding Clone – Variant."
With a swift hand seal, the spores took root—not as threats, but as chakra-linked anchors. They spread across the inner chakra network, stabilizing and subtly syncing their nervous systems with Yue's guidance technique. The process caused no pain, nor did it impair their motor control.
The trio stiffened slightly, but there was no resistance. Their training kept them still.
"This is…?"
Though there was no discomfort, all three felt the invasion. But sensing it was harmless—or at least not aggressive—they didn't react beyond mild surprise.
"Brace yourselves. It begins now."
Uchiha Yue's voice rang again, and his hand seal changed.
"Ninjutsu: Emotional Resonance Guidance."
A refined technique based on the ancient Uchiha doctrine—that emotion was the fuel of power. With it, Yue's chakra flowed through the spores, activating deep emotional centers in the brain. In mere seconds, a tide of anger—unprovoked, irrational—rose within the three shinobi like a storm.
Their Sharingan eyes spun, instantly activating into full Three Tomoe form as their emotions surged.
"Good. The effect is working. But remember: resist the flood. If you're consumed entirely, the path to the Mangekyō ends in ruin."
Uchiha Yue's expression grew somber again as he offered the final warning. Rage surged in the trio's hearts—boiling like lava beneath the surface. Their breathing quickened. Their muscles tensed. Their faces twisted.
But they did not move.
The willpower Yue had sensed in them—the reason he chose them—held strong. Even in the storm of synthetic fury, they stood rooted, conscious of their goal, and clinging to themselves.
Though the trial had just begun, Uchiha Yue could already see the spark of potential. Mangekyō was still far away, but the door was now ajar.
JOIN MY PATREON TO READ ADVANCE 30+ CHAPTERS
Patreon.com/Kora_1