Chapter 396: Uchiha Fugaku
"You... you're too kind..." Naruto responded somewhat stiffly.
"..."
The air fell into unsettling silence again. Though Uchiha Fugaku showed no angry expression, the complex gaze flowing from his eyes—mixing helplessness with faint sourness—clearly indicated his current mood was far from pleasant.
Naruto could completely understand. Thinking from his perspective, if in the future he had a daughter, painstakingly raised to eighteen, and on her very first night of adulthood she was taken by some boy... even if that boy was himself, even if the daughter was the proactive party, as a father, his heart would absolutely feel blocked.
Unable to find appropriate topics to break this awkwardness, Naruto felt perhaps directly cutting to the point and demonstrating his attitude would be most effective.
He took a deep breath, straightening his posture, preparing to solemnly speak those promises he'd repeated countless times in his heart—I will definitely love Satsuki with my life, respect her, protect her, make her happy...
"Sigh... forget it."
However, before Naruto organized his language, Fugaku again beat him to it, releasing a sigh.
He leaned back slightly, gaze shifting from Naruto toward the bamboo shadows swaying gently in the wind outside the courtyard window.
"You young people's matters—you understand them yourselves. Us elders... saying too much serves no purpose."
The meaning in these words couldn't be clearer—he chose to yield, chose to accept. What else could he do? Slam the table and rise, sternly oppose, even come to blows? Uchiha Fugaku was a person who understood reason, knew priorities and distinctions.
This guy before him was the Fourth Hokage's only son, the Fifth Hokage's personal disciple. His strength had long reached heights worthy of admiration. His feelings for Satsuki were devoted enough for all to see... The halos and merits stacked on him were nearly flawless.
Taking ten thousand steps back, everyone could see that in this relationship, the one proactively pursuing, even "leading" the process, was clearly his seemingly cool yet actually stubborn daughter.
If he truly adopted the father-in-law's airs now and obstructed them, flying into rage... probably the first ones who wouldn't forgive him would be his wife Mikoto and daughter Satsuki herself.
Having thought this through, Fugaku finally turned his gaze back to Naruto's face, tone becoming serious and solemn.
"From now on, you must treat Satsuki well. This point—I needn't say much, you must accomplish it." He paused, a hint of discomfort flashing in his eyes.
"However... you two are still too young. Some matters cannot be rushed, and you must pay attention to propriety. Protective measures... must be done properly. Understand? This isn't just for now, but taking responsibility for your, her, and the child's future."
"Mm! You're right! I understand!"
Naruto's heart relaxed. He immediately nodded like pecking chicken, solemnly promising.
But immediately after, he remembered something more important and more urgent. The shyness and nervousness on his face were replaced by serious, probing expression.
"Uncle Fugaku... or rather... should I call..." Naruto tested tentatively, somewhat embarrassed as he changed address. "...Father-in-law?"
"...As you wish."
"Alright, Father-in-law." Naruto steadied himself, organizing his language before throwing out a key question. "Regarding the Uchiha clan's Sharingan... according to clan records or legends, besides experiencing immense pain or extreme negative emotional stimulation, are there... any other possible evolution paths?"
"Sharingan evolution?"
Fugaku's brow furrowed slightly, seeming not to expect Naruto would suddenly ask this. He pondered a moment. As Uchiha clan head, he naturally knew these clan secrets like the back of his hand.
"According to generations of records and my personal understanding, every evolution of the Uchiha clan's Sharingan accompanies intense emotional impact."
"Usually experiencing immense loss, piercing pain, or ultimate rage, hatred, and other negative emotional fluctuations can stimulate hidden power, completing ocular power's leap."
"Of course, some have proposed another more theoretical explanation, believing the Sharingan is the 'Pupil Reflecting the Heart.' Its power's essence is directly bound to the user's emotional 'depth' and 'intensity.' Any violent emotional fluctuation—whether ultimate sorrow or ultimate joy—as long as sufficiently profound, might stimulate the brain to release some special chakra acting on ocular nerves, thus triggering mutation."
"This is a viewpoint mentioned in teaching materials left by the Second Hokage—he believed the Sharingan only needed powerful emotional fluctuation as the 'key.' It's just that painful emotions most easily reach that heart-impacting intensity."
"However, throughout Uchiha history, to date, all recorded Sharingan awakenings and evolution instances without exception accompanied loss and pain... at least, public records are thus... why are you suddenly asking this?"
Which meant... theoretically, besides ultimate pain, other equally intense positive emotions strong enough to "reflect the heart" might also become keys?
Naruto's mind rapidly recalled last night's startling glimpse in Satsuki's eyes—those intricate, magnificent, slowly rotating crimson patterns...
"Because... Satsuki's eyes underwent some changes last night."
---
"So this is what you've been hiding. No wonder you wouldn't let Mom enter your room casually."
In Satsuki's room, Mikoto with helpless yet amused expression carefully folded that life-sized pillowcase, placing it in the open suitcase—printed on it was precisely Uzumaki Naruto's brilliant smile.
"Hehe... really cute... but now, he's entirely yours. You shouldn't need this kind of 'substitute' anymore, right?"
Kushina stood to the side, tone carrying good-natured teasing.
"...Mm."
Satsuki's cheeks still bore faint blush. She imperceptibly pushed several metal boxes with combination locks into the suitcase as well, pretending they were merely ordinary storage boxes.
"However, Fugaku's conversation with Naruto still hasn't ended? He won't have any objections to Naruto, will he?" Kushina seemed to suddenly remember something, tone revealing slight worry.
"Don't worry. He won't have objections."
"Eh? But Fugaku doesn't know about Satsuki proactively going to celebrate Naruto's birthday last night..."
"—He has no other choice."
Mikoto still smiled with curved eyes, yet her words carried undeniable forcefulness.
The three were organizing items in Satsuki's room, preparing to move—because Satsuki had clearly stated she wanted to begin living with Naruto starting today.
"Satsuki, can you come out for a moment?"
The room door was gently pushed open a crack. Naruto poked his head in, speaking to Satsuki inside. "Uncle Fugaku... no, Father-in-law has something he wants to discuss with you."
"Eh? Dad? He didn't make things difficult for you, did he?"
Satsuki immediately stood, asking with concern. Mikoto and Kushina simultaneously stopped their actions, looking over.
"It's fine, just discussing some matters." Naruto responded with a reassuring smile, indicating everything went smoothly. Satsuki nodded, walking from the room to see Uchiha Fugaku in the hallway, seemingly somewhat emotionally agitated, waiting.
Mikoto and Kushina quietly poked half their heads from the door to observe. Watching Mikoto's ready posture, if Fugaku said any opposing words, she'd immediately step forward to mediate.
"Dad... what did you discuss with Naruto?"
"Satsuki..." Fugaku's gaze fell complexly on his daughter's face. After pondering a moment, he slowly spoke. "Do you... really like that boy so much?"
"...Mm." Satsuki's answer held no hesitation. She raised her head, directly meeting her father's eyes. "Though concealing things from you was my decision, I won't apologize for it. I like Naruto."
Like him to the point where... merely through the emotion of "love," she opened those eyes?
Fugaku's heart still roiled with waves of disbelief. He'd witnessed too many Uchiha clan members' Sharingan awakening moments—without exception, all accompanied by extreme negative emotions like loss, pain, hatred impacting them. Some even had their temperaments drastically changed because of it.
Yet his own daughter... had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan symbolizing supreme ocular power simply through affection for that blonde boy?
That Naruto brat... couldn't be lying to me, could he?
"Then, Naruto told me," Fugaku steadied himself, tone becoming serious. "Last night, your Sharingan seemingly underwent some changes... let me see."
My eyes...
Satsuki remembered. Those eyes she'd witnessed on "another self," containing powerful strength—the Mangekyo Sharingan. She finally possessed them too!
From now on, she could truly stand shoulder to shoulder with Naruto, facing any battle!
As for the awakening method... honestly, recalling it still heated her ears. Could Mangekyo Sharingan evolution just require sufficiently intense emotional fluctuation?
"Mm." She took a deep breath, suppressing inner shyness, concentrating to sense that brand new, powerful force within.
When she opened her eyes again, upon the crimson base, an intricate, magnificent black pattern like a blooming kaleidoscope slowly surfaced, quietly branded in her pupil's center, emanating unique, profound ocular power fluctuations.
Mikoto immediately realized something, quickly stepping forward. After clearly seeing the pattern in Satsuki's eyes, she covered her mouth in disbelief.
"...It's actually true... my daughter awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan..." Fugaku clearly sensed that ocular power far surpassing three tomoe—deep and powerful—finally believing the fact before him.
After brief silence, emotions mixing shock, pride, and relief surged to his heart. He suddenly released a low laugh, then his laughter became hearty. "...Hahaha! Truly worthy of being my daughter!"
A proud smile bloomed on his face. Suddenly, that sourness in his heart of "my cabbage being stolen" seemed diluted considerably.
From a certain angle, Naruto had truly sent Satsuki—and himself—an unexpected "great gift."
"Mm, looks like it's time to begin teaching you how to use this eye's power." Fugaku restrained his laughter, expression recovering the composure of a family head. "Starting tomorrow. Today... you young people spend time together properly first. Eat dinner here tonight. I'll have Mikoto prepare more dishes... what are you doing?"
His gaze passed Satsuki, falling on her room—his wife and Kushina seemed to be busily packing luggage.
"...Dad, sorry for not telling you in advance." Satsuki somewhat embarrassedly pressed her lips together. "Aunt Kushina has already agreed to my request..."
"I'm moving there to live together with Naruto."
The smile that had just surfaced on Uchiha Fugaku's face—carrying pride and relief—instantly froze at the corner of his mouth.