"Tell me! What do you want to talk to me about this time?" Uchiha Chizuru snorted, clearly impatient, as if every second spent with Senmei Asahi was a waste of time. His sharp gaze carried a mixture of irritation and caution, a reminder of how strained their interactions often were.
Asahi leaned back slightly, his tone calm yet probing. "Chizuru-senpai, I wonder if your eyes have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
The words landed like a hammer on stone. Chizuru's expression darkened immediately. His lips pressed into a tight line, and silence stretched between them. Finally, after a long pause, he replied in a low voice, each syllable heavy with bitterness. "I didn't awaken my eyes… but someone else awakened the Mangekyō according to the method you said."
Asahi's eyes widened. 'Another person?'
Shock surged through him. He hadn't expected anyone else to succeed so soon. In his memory of this era, only Obito, Shisui, and Itachi were destined to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan. But Obito had already fallen into the clutches of Uchiha Madara, while Shisui and Itachi were still far too young. Even if Shisui was precocious, it was questionable whether he had even fully awakened the Sharingan yet, let alone the Mangekyō.
(T.L Note: Fugaku's Mangekyō is an anime original)
'If not them… then who?'
Asahi's curiosity flared, but he quickly suppressed the urge to pry. He could see the storm gathering in Chizuru's eyes, a warning that probing into this matter could cross a dangerous line. The evolution of the Sharingan was always tied to tragedy. To awaken the Mangekyō meant walking the razor's edge between life and death, enduring grief that could shatter the heart. It was not a topic to approach carelessly.
Asahi adjusted his tone, feigning nonchalance. "See, I didn't lie to you."
Chizuru exhaled sharply through his nose, folding his arms. "Enough of these games. What do you want to talk to me about this time? You want to cooperate again, don't you?"
A thin smile curled across Asahi's lips. "That's right. Of course I'm here for cooperation. But before that, I wanted to confirm just how strong you are now."
"Oh?" Chizuru sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Do you want to fight me to find out?"
Asahi shook his head quickly, his smile easy but respectful. "Of course not. I have no intention of competing with the Sharingan."
Just then, the waiter arrived with the sizzling plates of barbecue. The savory aroma filled the air, briefly softening the tense atmosphere. Chizuru's eyes flickered toward the food but remained wary of Asahi's true purpose.
Once the waiter left, Asahi leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice. "I want you to help me deal with Orochimaru."
The words were like a kunai thrown straight into Chizuru's chest. His eyes widened in shock before he forced himself to lower his voice. "You're insane!" he hissed. "Do you even know what you're saying?"
Who was Orochimaru?
A legendary figure, a war hero whose reputation echoed from the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars. Though he had lost the battle to become the Fourth Hokage, his prestige within Konoha remained unmatched. He was a man both admired and feared—admired by those who idolized his genius, feared by those who sensed the darkness that clung to him like a second skin.
Moreover, Orochimaru was the beloved disciple of the Third Hokage himself. To plot against him was akin to inviting death.
"Why do you want to deal with Orochimaru?" Chizuru whispered, his suspicion plain.
Asahi raised his hand slightly, gesturing for calm. "Don't panic. Orochimaru will defect soon. What I'm proposing is simple—we intercept him after he leaves Konoha. We don't even need to kill him, unless absolutely necessary. All we need to do is defeat him."
"You and I… join forces." Asahi added, his eyes sharp with conviction.
Chizuru frowned deeply, skeptical. "Just the two of us?"
Asahi smirked. "Of course not. By the time we move, Orochimaru will have already fought Anbu, Jiraiya, perhaps even the Third Hokage himself. He will be weakened. All we need to do is strike at the end, when he is most vulnerable."
Chizuru's eyes narrowed. The logic was sound, but the risk was still enormous.
"Don't worry," Asahi reassured him, his voice steady. "If things go south, I'll use the Flying Thunder God Technique to extract us instantly. You should know I've never gone back on my word."
At this, Chizuru finally relaxed a fraction. Still, disbelief lingered in his tone. "You're saying Orochimaru will defect? Is that true?"
"Of course." Asahi answered with confidence. "If I weren't sure, would I risk approaching you with this plan?"
Inwardly, Asahi's thoughts were already racing. He had been preparing for this moment for a long time. With the resources of Konoha Hospital backing him, the cytotoxic immune vaccine had already been perfected. This meant he could attempt transplantation of the First Hokage's cells at any time.
Yet he hesitated. The risk was too great. If the cells destabilized his chakra, it could cripple him instead of granting power. This was not a gamble he could afford. Success had to be absolute—failure was not an option. And to reach the peak, he required the summoning scroll of Ryūchi Cave. Only with that power in hand could he take the next step.
Until then, he had to ensure his strength remained intact. Hence, his plan to temporarily suspend the transplant and focus on seizing the scroll first.
But cooperation in Konoha was scarce. Most shinobi were either too loyal to the village or too weak to be useful. Shimura Danzo was powerful, yes, but utterly unreliable. He was the last man Asahi would entrust with a plan of this scale.
That left Uchiha Chizuru. For all his prickly arrogance, his loyalty to the Uchiha clan outweighed his loyalty to the village. That alone made him a safer bet than most. At worst, he might reveal Asahi's moves to the clan, but he wouldn't betray him outright.
Chizuru's voice cut through his thoughts. "If I help you, what benefits do I get?"
Asahi's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Of course there are benefits. This is cooperation, after all."
Chizuru's eyes glinted, sharp and eager. "What kind of benefits?"
Asahi leaned forward, lowering his tone like a conspirator sharing a dangerous secret. "You can ask the one who awakened the Mangekyō how much their eyesight has deteriorated." His smile was sly, almost predatory.
Chizuru stiffened. A chill ran through him as sweat prickled at his temples. "Deteriorating eyesight…?"
Asahi's expression turned serious. "Yes. The Mangekyō grants incredible power, but every use erodes the sight of its wielder. Eventually, the eyes loses its sight forever, sealing the Sharingan away."
The revelation struck like thunder. Chizuru shot to his feet, his chair scraping against the floor with a sharp skrrrk. His eyes burned into Asahi's with raw intensity. "What else do you know?!"
Unfazed, Asahi met his gaze calmly. "I also know that even Uchiha Madara suffered the same fate. But…" He paused, letting the tension build, before continuing softly, "…he found a way to overcome it."
Chizuru's breath hitched, his fists clenching tightly. "Do you know the solution?" His voice was low, strained, yet desperate.
Asahi studied him for a moment, then asked pointedly, "You seem… very invested. The one who awakened the eyes—are they important to you?"
Chizuru's silence spoke louder than words. His expression betrayed everything. Whoever it was, they held a place of deep significance in his heart.
"I don't know the solution myself." Asahi admitted, his voice now calm, almost reassuring. "But I can help you research it."
In truth, he had originally planned to dangle the secret of the Eternal Mangekyō as a bargaining chip. But with this new, unexpected development, that became too dangerous. A second Madara was not something the world, or Asahi's plans, could withstand.
Still, there were other avenues. The cells of the First Hokage might slow the Mangekyō's side effects. With enough experimentation, perhaps even a medicine could be devised. And if that failed, transplantation itself was always an option.
Asahi hid his thoughts behind a mask of calm confidence. For now, all Chizuru needed was hope. And hope was more than enough to bind him into cooperation.
What mattered most was seizing the Ryūchi Cave scroll from Orochimaru. With it, Asahi would secure the next piece of power he needed, and nothing, not Orochimaru, not Konoha, not even the Uchiha clan, would stand in his way.
*****
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