Uchiha Fugaku was utterly numb.
He couldn't kill them all—there were simply too many!
He couldn't win—just couldn't!
His combat skills and experience were improving rapidly, and his individual strength had long since surpassed the Red Menace.
But…
The Red Menace had no honor, using every dirty trick under the sun against the 28-year-old Uchiha clan heir.
Eye pokes, groin kicks, throat locks, sneak attacks from behind, from underground, head-on ambushes—it was like he had trained under Chen Hehao. Results over rules, deception over honor. It gave the never-before-battle-tested Fugaku a brutal education in just how low the shinobi of the Great Ninja Wars could sink.
As he was repeatedly taken down in absurd ways, his frustration grew to explosive levels. His Sharingan spun wildly, the three tomoe rotating like a fan, seemingly about to tear apart their limits and ascend to a higher form.
When Uchiha Kei noticed, he nearly shouted "What the hell?!" out loud—because it looked like Fugaku was about to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan!
Could it be that an anime-original Mangekyō awakening scene was about to be realized by him today?
Hiss\~\~
Just thinking about it gave him a little thrill.
Though canon Fugaku was a passive do-nothing who sat back and waited to die, he definitely had power, and genuinely wanted the best for the clan—his problem was that his brain just didn't work right. A fine example of the common Uchiha trait: emotional instability.
But if Fugaku really awakened his Mangekyō thanks to Kei, that would make Kei a benefactor of not only Fugaku, but the entire clan—a massive merit!
It would deepen their relationship and ensure Kei reaped enormous benefits for the foreseeable future.
So if Fugaku *did* awaken the Mangekyō, it would be a huge win for Kei.
Sadly, Kei's hopes were dashed.
Maybe because deep down, Fugaku knew everything in the illusion game was fake, he couldn't cross that final threshold. Despite reaching a boiling point, his Sharingan only spun faster—it didn't evolve.
It was like expecting a glorious finale… only to get a painfully constipated mess.
Kei was speechless.
By the time his chakra and ocular power were drained, Fugaku still hadn't broken through the red domain. He failed the challenge—his performance paled in comparison to Minato's.
There was simply no good way to roast this.
When the illusion game ended, Fugaku was dazed at first. Then, recalling his repeated failures, he couldn't help feeling embarrassed.
But he was good at keeping a straight face.
Nodding calmly, he said sincerely, "Kei-kun, I've experienced the illusion game. Without a doubt, it's an incredibly useful secret technique. Especially for our Uchiha clan—it could change everything."
"I clearly felt some changes in my Sharingan. It's just that I lacked a critical opportunity, so the evolution didn't succeed."
"But with this experience, I believe my Sharingan will reach new heights."
He paused, deliberately avoiding any mention of Mangekyō. After all, saying such things before it was certain served no purpose—and could even attract the suspicion of the village elders.
So Fugaku chose to keep it quiet.
But he already understood the potential of the illusion game. His gaze toward Kei now shone with sincere warmth.
"Kei-kun, don't worry. If you want more people to experience the illusion game, I will help you. Tonight, I'll report this to my father and call a clan meeting. Your invention will be classified as a clan secret."
"If all goes well, you'll be notified tomorrow."
Kei knew then—his plan to promote the game had succeeded. He smiled and thanked Fugaku.
Fugaku returned the gesture courteously, then, thinking about the experience, frowned slightly.
"Kei-kun, that illusion game consumes quite a bit of chakra and ocular power. With your current condition, you can only use it on two people a day—that's not very efficient."
"Tomorrow, if nothing unexpected happens, many people will want to try it for themselves. So… could you possibly reduce the chakra and ocular burden, so more people can experience it?"
"Please don't misunderstand, Kei-kun. I'm not trying to pressure you. It's just… if more people can try it personally, the effect of spreading it within the clan will be far better."
That suggestion made Kei's eyes light up. He had just been considering a 'low-cost demo' business strategy—Fugaku had practically handed him the excuse on a silver platter.
He'd been wondering how to get Fugaku and the other Uchihas to accept a 'lite version' experience. This was perfect.
Kei immediately agreed, promising to modify the technique and make it accessible to more users by tomorrow.
Satisfied, Fugaku continued chatting amiably with Kei. They talked for quite some time, until Kei eventually took his leave, citing other tasks.
Fugaku politely offered to see him off—and did so personally.
As the heir of the Uchiha clan, Fugaku's every move was watched. By walking Kei out in such a friendly way, he was publicly showing that Kei now deserved special treatment.
Other Uchiha who witnessed the scene also changed their view. Sure, Kei had always been on speaking terms with Fugaku, but today Fugaku was being unusually warm—almost out of place.
What had Kei done to earn such favor?
They didn't know, but they remembered. And the news spread quickly.
Before nightfall, the entire Uchiha compound would know.
At the gate, Fugaku finally ended his symbolic send-off.
But then, something occurred to him.
"Kei-kun, is there someone you fancy in the clan?" he asked.
The previously smooth conversation screeched to a halt. Kei was caught completely off guard. How was he even supposed to respond to that?
But Fugaku didn't seem to notice his awkwardness. With a serious face, he continued:
"If there's someone you like in the clan, tell me. Trust me—after tomorrow, your status within the Uchiha will be unparalleled. Any suitable young woman in the clan will be eager to marry you."
Kei immediately understood—this was about arranged marriage.
In the Uchiha clan, this was standard. While intermarriage with outsiders wasn't unheard of, the best bloodlines were kept in-house.
It strengthened unity and preserved bloodline purity.
Maybe it was due to their Ōtsutsuki heritage, but Uchihas didn't have issues with inbreeding. Maintaining purity was just logical.
From Fugaku's perspective, Kei might not be a top-tier shinobi or pureblood Uchiha, but his talent was unmatched. Just this illusion game was more valuable than a dozen three-tomoe Sharingan users.
Someone like that should pass on his noble bloodline and grow more attached to the clan. The best way to do that? Marry a talented clanwoman.
Fugaku was confident: once the girls learned what Kei could do, they'd be lining up—some might even make the first move.
And if Kei kept proving his worth, the clan elders might even host a full-on bridal selection just for him.
Because…
This is Uchiha!
Outstanding clansmen had the right to the best spouses.
And no one questioned it—man or woman, it was considered completely normal.
Of course, most Uchihas didn't actually invoke this right. They either picked their own partners or accepted clan arrangements.
Like Fugaku himself—his wife, Mikoto, had been his fiancée since childhood, arranged by the clan.
But Kei was special. He grew up without much affection from the clan. The elders would now want to make up for that by giving him these privileges.
And if he proved even more valuable, it wouldn't be out of the question to assign a few talented Sharingan-wielding kunoichi to serve as his personal squad.