An Anbu member gave Sarutobi Hiruzen a complete and detailed account of the conflict between Sarutobi Asuma and Uchiha Kouki.
Hiruzen frowned after hearing the report. He was taken aback. "You're saying Kouki defeated Asuma using only taijutsu, no ninjutsu? And… in a single move?"
Hiruzen had recently questioned Asuma himself, but the incident was so humiliating for Asuma that he refused to discuss it, storming out after a heated argument with Hiruzen. Hiruzen had no choice but to send someone to investigate.
Fortunately, many witnesses made the investigation straightforward. However, onlookers only saw Kouki send Asuma flying with one punch; they couldn't have known about the Almighty Push.
"Hokage-sama, that's precisely what happened. All witnesses confirm it," the Anbu member stated confidently.
"Uchiha Kouki trains taijutsu daily. Could he have actually mastered something significant?" Hiruzen mused, then dismissed the idea. "Impossible. Taijutsu couldn't be that powerful. Unless…"
Suddenly, a thought struck Hiruzen. "Uchiha Kouki… has he awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
If he'd used the Sharingan to put Asuma under a genjutsu, everything would make sense. Standard Sharingan aren't uncommon among the Uchiha, so the need for concealment suggests a Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Hokage-sama, Kouki started wearing sunglasses six months ago. Perhaps to conceal his Sharingan?"
The Anbu member offered this insightful speculation. —While slightly inaccurate, it was close to the truth; Kouki was hiding not his Sharingan, but his Rinnegan.
Even if his Sharingan was revealed, Uchiha Kouki wouldn't mind much; it would simply attract attention and cause some inconvenience. But he desperately wanted to keep the Rinnegan hidden.
The Sharingan would cause a stir in Konoha, but the Rinnegan would attract the attention of Black Zetsu and Nagato. The Rinnegan was crucial to Madara's resurrection; only Nagato possessed another pair. Exposure would bring endless trouble.
"Could he use genjutsu with his Sharingan even while wearing sunglasses?" Hiruzen pondered.
Being unfamiliar with the Uchiha's abilities, he couldn't confirm or deny this. However, considering all the evidence, Hiruzen believed the possibility of Uchiha Kouki awakening the Sharingan was high.
"I need to find a way to test this," Hiruzen said, his unease growing. As a veteran of the Second Great Ninja War, he knew the Sharingan's terrifying potential.
"You may leave," Hiruzen dismissed the Anbu, lost in thought. Given the strained relationship between the village and the Uchiha, this matter required a careful, measured approach.
Creak!
The office door opened, and Danzo entered with his cane.
"Danzo, what do you want?" Hiruzen asked impassively.
"You must suspect it's about Uchiha Kouki. We both suspect he's awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan," Danzo stated, seating himself unceremoniously.
"What do you intend to do?" Hiruzen asked seriously, without denying the possibility.
"Leave this to me," Danzo said calmly. "As Hokage, some things are inconvenient for you."
Hiruzen was silent; Danzo was right. Root was created for such unsavory tasks.
"Danzo, tread carefully," Hiruzen finally cautioned.
"I understand," Danzo replied, leaving with his cane.
Uchiha Fugaku, true to his word, contacted the Konoha Military Police, arranging for Uchiha Kouki to take a few days off from his duties.
Uchiha Kouki readily accepted this unexpected break; it allowed him to focus entirely on taijutsu training. While he wasn't afraid of the consequences, he didn't want to disregard the clan head's concern, and the situation was still causing a considerable stir; he preferred to avoid unnecessary attention.
He remained discreetly within the Uchiha compound for a week before returning to the training grounds. The Uchiha clan didn't prioritize taijutsu; they lacked a dedicated training ground for it.
"Kouki, you're finally out!" Might Guy stopped his vigorous training, excited to see Uchiha Kouki.
"Watch your words; it's not like I was in prison," Uchiha Kouki said, rolling his eyes.
"Haha, good to see you! But you're incredibly brave, taking on Asuma. I worried about you for days," Might Guy said admiringly, tinged with self-deprecation and sadness.
He was constantly mocked and bullied in Konoha, unable to retaliate. Even his father, Might Duy, was a known weakling shinobi, suffering the same treatment. Their lives were incredibly difficult.
Might Guy couldn't even fight back against ordinary ninjas, let alone the Hokage's son. Uchiha Kouki's actions were quite inspiring to him.
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