After learning the secrets of the Mangekyo Sharingan from the leader, Karin's mouth hung open, her face full of disbelief.
What shocked her even more was that the effects of a dojutsu Bloodline Limit could vary drastically depending on the wielder.
"So only the original owner can unleash the full power of a dojutsu Bloodline Limit," she murmured softly.
It was only at this moment that she realized how extraordinary her unique constitution truly was!
It was precisely this special constitution that allowed her to revive a completely damaged pair of Mangekyo Sharingan and, in a way, hijack the original owner's authority.
Shinji said calmly, "That's why only you can fuse the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan!"
Karin nodded. "My lord, as long as I can help you, I'll do my absolute best!"
"No need to doubt yourself—you've been helping me all along!"
Shinji acknowledged Karin's efforts but stopped short, choosing not to mention anything about the Rinnegan.
After all, only by crossing the hurdle of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan could one even dream of pursuing the Rinnegan. There was no need to put undue pressure on Karin when the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan wasn't even complete yet.
Encouraged by Shinji's words, Karin's face lit up with joy.
She had always felt inferior compared to others, especially with Yakumo's recent meteoric rise at the Shinobi Academy, which made her feel even more inadequate. She feared the leader might abandon her.
Shinji continued, "Fusing the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan will be a lengthy process. Even with your unique constitution and chakra reserves, the entire fusion could take a week—or even longer."
Karin quickly asked, "During the fusion, can I still attend the academy normally?"
"I'm afraid not," Shinji shook his head.
If they used the "Susanoo Tomoshibi" to facilitate the fusion, Shinji could complete it in a single night. But with conventional methods, it would require not only a significant amount of time but also the host remaining bedridden for an extended period. So once Karin began the fusion, attending the academy would be impossible.
Karin expressed concern, "I could request a leave from the academy, but I'm worried it might raise suspicions in the village…"
Shinji shook his head. "You can't just request a leave directly."
Karin asked, "Then what should we do?"
"I've already thought this through for you," Shinji paused before continuing. "When the fusion begins, I'll have Haku stage a scene with you, pretending you injured your eyes during a sparring session. Then you'll go to Hidden Leaf Hospital for treatment, and with the hospital's official documentation, you can request a leave from the academy."
Karin thought it over and nodded. "Yes, that should work without any issues."
The corners of Shinji's mouth curled upward beneath his mask. "Don't worry. Right now, hardly anyone at the Shinobi Academy is paying attention to you. The next one or two months will be the perfect window for you to fuse the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan!"
As Shinji predicted, the Shinobi Academy was currently buzzing with talk about Yakumo.
At a training field.
Naruto and Sakura gathered around Sasuke, listening as he recounted Yakumo's battle with Orochimaru.
At the most thrilling parts, Naruto shouted in excitement, "Man, I'm so jealous of Yakumo! If only I could fight those top-tier shinobi too!"
Sakura, exasperated, smacked Naruto on the head. "You idiot! If it was you, you'd already be dead!"
Sasuke, his face grim, nodded. "Right now, at the academy, aside from Yakumo, no one could stand up to an enemy on Orochimaru's level—not even me or Shinji!"
Naruto, curious, asked, "Is that Orochimaru guy really that strong?"
Sasuke explained, "Orochimaru is someone on par with Lady Tsunade and Jiraiya-sensei. He defected from the village for certain reasons. I asked Kakashi, and even he's no match for Orochimaru!"
Sakura's face was filled with worry. "Yakumo's already that strong? What are we supposed to do for the academy exams in the future?"
Hearing Sakura's concerns, Sasuke's expression grew even darker.
First Shinji, then Neji, Kimimaro, and Naruto—and now Yakumo. He couldn't understand why his path to dominating the academy was so fraught with obstacles.
Especially Yakumo—he couldn't find a single way to defeat her.
Naruto muttered, "Yeah, I heard the academy's holding another team sparring test soon. I thought we had a shot at first place, but now we're in trouble!"
Sasuke's brows furrowed tightly.
A few days later, the academy indeed announced a new round of team sparring tests.
This pushed the academy's prodigies back into the spotlight.
Yakumo, with her meteoric rise, became the focal point of discussion across the entire academy.
Previously, Yakumo had been ambushed outside the village. Though she faced a crisis, Sasuke had witnessed her entire battle with Orochimaru. From Kakashi, he also learned that before facing Orochimaru, Yakumo had clashed with Sasori of the Red Sand, a high-ranking Akatsuki member.
Thus, the tales of Yakumo facing both an Akatsuki member and Orochimaru spread like wildfire over the past few days.
What was even more shocking was that, when facing such formidable enemies, Yakumo not only held her own but fought impressively.
Both the Akatsuki and the rogue Orochimaru were S-rank wanted criminals—beings even Jonin wouldn't dare provoke lightly.
Yet an eight-year-old girl from the Shinobi Academy could stand her ground against such opponents. It was clear just how terrifying Yakumo's potential was!
The "catfish effect" sparked by Yakumo stirred the academy once again, igniting yet another wave of fervent training among the students.
One morning.
Shinji, as usual, arrived at the academy to oversee Shion's training.
Perhaps spurred by Yakumo's influence, Shion had been working much harder lately, her taijutsu improving at a visible pace.
Just then, a wave of exclamations erupted across the training field.
"Everyone, look!"
"Y-Yakumo's back at school?"
"Does a monster like her even need to attend? My dad says her strength is already close to Jonin level!"
"Oh no, she's not here for the team sparring test, is she?"
All eyes turned toward the school gate, toward the figure slowly approaching.
Undoubtedly, Yakumo, who hadn't shown up in a while, had finally returned to the academy.
Shion bounced over excitedly. "Yakumo! You're finally back! I haven't seen you in forever—I missed you!"
Yakumo smiled. "Well, I'm here now, aren't I?"
Then, spotting Shinji behind Shion, she proactively said, "I'm not here to challenge you!"
Shion asked, "Yakumo, what are you doing back at the academy? Are you going to keep coming? You're not abandoning me as a teammate, right?"
Yakumo reassured her, "Don't worry, you'll always be my teammate. I came back to the academy to participate in this team sparring test!"
Shinji gave a faint smile, thinking to himself, The window for fusing the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan has arrived…