Time seemed to stretch. Every second felt as long as a century.
It was unclear how much time had passed—perhaps just a few breaths, perhaps much longer.
The Blood Dragon Eye in Sho U's palm, which he had used for contact, lost all its color at a rate visible to the naked eye. It became grayish-white, shriveled, and brittle. Finally, with a soft 'poof,' it turned into a small pile of lifeless ash, trickling down through the gaps between Sho U's fingers.
The sharp pain and chaos in Sho U's left eye also slowly receded like a tide.
He kept his eyes tightly shut, his body trembling slightly, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
But when he slowly opened his eyes once more...
His Mangekyo Sharingan still had that deep crimson base and the slowly flowing, strange bands of light; its appearance didn't seem to have changed significantly.
However, a brand-new, unprecedented sensation was clearly imprinted into the core of his ocular power.
It was an extremely subtle yet powerful perception and control over blood.
It felt as if with just a thought, any blood within his range of vision would become an extension of his limbs, a puppet of his will.
Uchiha Sho U slowly raised his right hand, his mind shifting slightly.
"Crimson Blood Manipulation Technique."
"Oh boy, the Big Three Families are all gathered now."
Following his silent intent, the blood that had not yet fully coagulated at the wound of a nearby Chinoike Clan corpse suddenly seemed to gain life, floating up in defiance of gravity.
It quickly condensed and stretched in the air, transforming into a three-foot-long, dark red blade of blood with an incredibly sharp edge.
The blade vibrated slightly, emitting a cold and sinister aura, completely controlled by Sho U's will.
He lightly hooked his finger.
The blood blade sliced silently through the air, easily cutting a piece of hard volcanic rock nearby in half, the cross-section as smooth as a mirror.
Then, the blood blade dispersed with a splash, turning back into flowing blood. Under the guidance of Sho U's will, it meandered through the air like a spirit snake before accurately falling back into the original wound, as if it had never left.
Control from the heart, moving like an extension of his own arm.
It was a success.
However, this was dead matter, which was relatively easy to control. If it were a living being, Sho U wouldn't be able to manipulate it so easily.
It was still easier to control his own blood, though it was a bit 'blood-consuming.'
If he could learn the Reverse Cursed Technique in the future, he could heal himself while letting blood, achieving 'blood freedom.'
But for now, it was better to use this Crimson Blood Manipulation Technique sparingly.
Now, it was time to head back.
The harvest from this trip could be said to be very bountiful. Not only did he obtain a new technique, but he was also bringing back three pairs of Blood Dragon Eyes.
These three pairs of Blood Dragon Eyes were of no use to Sho U, and the few members of the Uchiha Clan didn't need them either.
Sho U decided to hand these three pairs of Blood Dragon Eyes over to the Third Raikage, Ay, as a way to wrap up the mission... Leaving the Valley of Hell, which was filled with the scent of death and sulfur, Uchiha Sho U traveled swiftly back to the Hidden Cloud Village.
He did not return to the Uchiha Clan Compound immediately, but went straight to the Raikage Building.
Unexpectedly, he was much faster than those thirteen people.
The mission was complete, and he needed to report to the person in charge.
When he stepped into the Raikage's office, Third Raikage Ay was processing documents. Hearing the movement, he looked up, and seeing Sho U's return, a sharp light flashed in his single eye.
"Oh? Elder Sho U is back? So soon?"
The Raikage put down his pen and looked at Sho U with interest.
Although he had given Sho U the power of disposal, he hadn't expected the other party's efficiency to be so high.
"Yes, Raikage-sama."
Sho U nodded slightly.
"The thirteen members of the Valley of Hell guard unit have all been recalled. They are expected to arrive at the Village to report before this evening. As for the Chinoike Clan..."
He paused for a moment and continued.
"Upon investigation, that clan's minds have been completely twisted by resentment and despair due to long-term imprisonment. They were impossible to communicate with and held extreme hostility toward the Village. To eliminate any future trouble, I have wiped them all out. This is the mission report."
As he spoke, he presented a concise report scroll. It only stated that the Chinoike Clan had resisted communication, initiated an attack, and had been dealt with.
The Third Raikage took the scroll, scanned it quickly, and showed no surprise or pity on his face. Instead, he nodded and praised.
"Clean and decisive. Well done, Elder Sho U. Keeping those Chinoike fellows was just a waste of food and manpower. Since they didn't know what was good for them, dealing with them was the simplest solution. It's good that you could handle it decisively without unnecessary sentimentality."
In his view, completely eliminating enemies who could not be tamed and posed a potential threat was the choice that best served Kumogakure's interests. Sho U's approach was very much to his liking.
"With those elite combat forces returning, the Village can accomplish much more. Elder Sho U, you've earned a great merit this time!"
The Raikage was in a quite good mood.
"It was just my duty," Sho U replied, not taking credit.
"Also..."
"What is it?" the Sandaime Raikage asked with some confusion.
"Yes, Raikage-sama."
Sho U took out a specially made small black box from his robe and placed it on the Raikage's desk.
"These are the spoils obtained from the Chinoike Clan: three pairs of Blood Dragon Eyes."
"Blood Dragon Eyes?"
The Third Raikage's thick eyebrows shot up as he opened the box. Inside, laid on soft padding, were three pairs of dark red eyeballs that now appeared dull and lifeless, like dusty gems.
Even having lost their vitality, a faint, sinister aura could still be felt.
"So this is the Chinoike Clan's Bloodline Limit? It does seem to have something to it."
The Raikage picked up one of them, examined it closely, and then put it back.
"You should keep them for research. Why give them to me?"
"These items are of little use to me."
Sho U said frankly.
"Although these eyes have lost their core ocular power, their organizational structure may still have research value."
"The Village may have relevant departments or personnel who can analyze them for information on ocular Bloodline Limits, Chakra meridian mutations, or even methods to counter similar abilities. Giving them to the Village might serve a greater purpose."
He paused and added.
"Moreover, the smooth completion of this mission was also thanks to Raikage-sama's trust and authorization. These spoils of war should rightfully belong to the Village."
As expected, a look of satisfaction flashed in the Sandaime Raikage's single eye after hearing this.
He appreciated Sho U's strength and decisiveness, and even more so, he appreciated this attitude of considering the big picture and knowing one's place.
"Hahahaha! Good! Elder Sho U, you truly haven't disappointed me."
The Raikage laughed as he closed the box and put it away.
"Not greedy for credit, not clinging to spoils, and always thinking of the Village—I accept this sentiment."
He patted Sho U on the shoulder.
"I will hand these things over to the departments responsible for Ninjutsu development and biological research. We'll see if those fellows who spend all day tinkering with bottles and jars can make something out of these eyeballs. Even if they can't, keeping them in the Village's secret vault will serve as a record and a collection."
"As for your mission this time," the Raikage said seriously.
"It was completed excellently. You've not only brought back valuable combat power but also completely eliminated a potential hidden threat. I will record a merit for you. For now, take a good rest. You can also give Ay more guidance; he truly admires you."
"Yes, thank you, Raikage-sama." Sho U bowed slightly.
"Mhm, go on. If the Clan Compound needs anything else, you can go directly to the logistics department or tell me."
The Raikage waved his hand, his mood clearly very good.
Sho U took his leave and turned to walk out of the Raikage's office.
Sure enough, as soon as he stepped out of the building, he saw the tall, burly figure of Young Ai, with his white hair pointing skyward and lightning patterns on his face, leaning against a nearby stone pillar, boredly kicking small stones on the ground.
As soon as he saw Sho U come out, his eyes lit up, and he immediately strode over.
"Elder Sho U, you're finally back."
Young Ai had a bright smile on his face, clearly in a great mood.
"The old man didn't make things hard for you, did he? Is everything settled over at the Valley of Hell?"
"Yes, it's been handled."
Sho U nodded.
"That's good. A hellhole like that, the sooner it's dealt with, the sooner we can relax."
Young Ai looked like he deeply agreed, then he leaned in mysteriously and lowered his voice.
"Elder Sho U, come, I'll take you to meet someone—a new partner I found recently, a super interesting guy."
Advance chapter available on pãtrêon Got1808