"Master Yong has always been diligent. He trains even after finishing his patrols," Asahi said with a hint of admiration.
"Is that so? No wonder he's earned such a reputation. I suppose it's not undeserved," Uchiha Kai replied calmly.
"Master Kai… please be cautious."
Uchiha Asahi glanced around nervously, eyes scanning the empty training ground. Thankfully, no one else was nearby—he let out a quiet breath of relief.
Kai had sought him out early that morning, asking for any information he had about Uchiha Yong's habits. Asahi knew that relations between Yong and Kai were strained, and while he didn't want to get involved in clan politics, he found himself unwilling to lie to a promising young Uchiha with such potential.
Still, Asahi couldn't help but worry. Was this the arrogance of a prodigy? It was common for gifted shinobi to brim with confidence—but unchecked pride was dangerous.
Everyone in the clan knew about the tension between Kai and Yong. Despite their rivalry, direct conflict was rare—likely due to the clan head's silent pressure keeping them in check. And yet, here Kai was, asking pointed questions. Was he planning something?
"Relax, Asahi. Do you really think I'd pick a fight with him right now?" Kai said with a slight smirk. "I just want to be prepared. That's all."
"Of course, Master Kai." Asahi lowered his gaze. Whether Kai's words were genuine or not, he had little choice but to trust them. "But I would urge caution in the future… rumors spread easily."
"I understand." Kai waved his hand dismissively. "Even if I questioned him directly, it wouldn't be a big deal. Still, thanks for the intel. Now I know how hard he trains—and what I need to surpass."
"I see..." Asahi managed a smile. "Then I'll look forward to the day you surpass Lord Yong and become the strongest in the clan."
The strongest in the clan? Kai offered a polite smile, but didn't respond.
"What's so special about being the strongest in the Uchiha clan?" he thought. "In the future, even an outsider Uchiha could obliterate us."
After all, the true "strongest" Uchiha had long since died—only to be resurrected over a decade later and reveal the full might of their bloodline to the world.
Kai turned and walked off, having gotten what he needed. Asahi's testimony had confirmed the findings of his shadow clone from the night before. Everything lined up, presenting Kai with a perfect opportunity.
Yong had left behind obvious signs of intense training. Burned ground, charred dummies, and residual chakra: all consistent with Fire Release ninjutsu.
"If he's used to creating this much noise during training," Kai mused, "then a real fight might not attract attention—at least not immediately."
Still, Kai knew there was a crucial difference between training and real combat: rhythm and variation. In practice, one could repeat jutsu endlessly. In battle, chakra reserves, unpredictability, and decision-making came into play.
If a fight broke out, it wouldn't stay hidden for long. He estimated they'd have ten minutes at most before someone noticed. Unless…
Unless he used his Mangekyō Sharingan.
A single activation of his eye's unique ability could end the fight swiftly—before anyone intervened. But that was a dangerous gamble. He had studied his dōjutsu well, and knew its limits.
His Mangekyō wasn't just about chakra output—it was about dominance. It enacted a contest of chakra and ocular strength between him and his target. The greater the opponent's chakra, the more energy he had to spend to maintain control.
This was true for almost all Mangekyō techniques. Unless one had Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, even gifted users burned through their chakra and eyesight quickly.
Just look at Uchiha Itachi. After his return to the village and his confrontation with Kakashi, he used Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi only a handful of times before his chakra waned significantly.
And Sasuke? His downward spiral was even faster.
Sasuke had awakened his Mangekyō only weeks before the Five Kage Summit, yet in that short time, he pushed himself to the brink. He clashed with the Kage, fought Danzo to the death, and then battled Kakashi and Naruto. Without Karin's healing and Obito's aid, he'd have gone blind before ever reaching the battlefield again.
"I won't end up like that," Kai thought grimly. "Especially not when my abilities are built around speed. I can't afford to burn out through overuse."
If his chakra failed mid-battle—or worse, if he misjudged the opponent's strength—he'd be overwhelmed.
"Wait… if chakra strength determines how my pupil technique performs, how do the Uchiha even control tailed beasts?"
Then it clicked.
He wasn't a Senju, who overpowered tailed beasts with sheer chakra volume. He was a Uchiha—and the Sharingan, especially the Mangekyō, could impose genjutsu so powerful even a Bijū could be subjugated.
"Maybe that's it. Our chakra may not be greater, but our illusions are potent enough to overwhelm even a tailed beast's will."
A cold breeze drifted past him as he turned his gaze toward the horizon.
"The tailed beasts… how tragic," Kai muttered. "Their minds crushed by Uchiha genjutsu, their bodies enslaved by Senju chakra. Born into freedom, only to be shackled by two cursed bloodlines. No wonder they hate us all."