That afternoon, Ichiro was still focused on plans to reform the Uchiha clan when Goro suddenly arrived with a report.
"What did you say? The Elder is dead?"
Ichiro stood up, frowning as he looked at Goro.
Crash!
Mikoto, who was just bringing in tea, dropped the cup. It shattered instantly on the floor.
Seeing her frozen in grief, Ichiro reached out and caught her by the waist before she collapsed.
He turned to Goro and asked, "Tell me exactly what happened."
The Elder had just visited him that morning—how could he suddenly be dead?
"How did my grandfather die?" Mikoto asked, her eyes red and brimming with tears.
"He was killed by Rin. The Elder went to see him, and no one knows why, but an argument broke out. In the end, Rin killed him," Goro explained. "Rin is now in a standoff with Kai."
Kai, a high-ranking jōnin in the Uchiha clan, had previously stayed neutral during Ichiro's conflict with Fugaku.
Mikoto struggled out of Ichiro's arms and quickly ran off. Ichiro followed behind her.
When they arrived at Rin's residence, blood stained the ground—and the Elder's lifeless, beheaded body lay there.
The sight made Mikoto completely break down.
"Grandpa…"
She had just seen him that morning. Who would have thought that would be the last time?
Grief, pain, and hatred overwhelmed her. Her Sharingan, already at three tomoe, locked onto Rin.
"You killed him!"
"I didn't mean to… He came looking for me and suddenly asked if I'd submit to Ichiro. I told him to leave. He lost his temper and attacked. I fought back. When I swung my blade, he stopped defending himself and let it happen…" Rin's voice was filled with frustration.
"It's like… he wanted to die."
After hearing Rin's explanation, Mikoto snapped. Her three tomoe began spinning rapidly, then suddenly merged into a new shape—her eyes had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Grief, rage, and hatred had reached their peak, triggering the evolution.
Ichiro, watching from behind, instantly understood.
"So that's what the Elder was planning…"
No wonder Ichiro had felt something was off during their earlier conversation. The Elder had been preparing for this. He'd intentionally provoked Rin, even sacrificed himself, all to help Mikoto unlock the Mangekyō.
Rin had simply been the unlucky pawn.
The Elder knew that Mikoto needed strength—only with true power would she have a place at Ichiro's side. A woman without strength, no matter how loyal, was just decoration.
Now, with her Mangekyō awakened, she could become Ichiro's right hand.
And in doing this, the Elder also gave Ichiro a perfect excuse to deal with Rin.
"No wonder you told me this morning she wouldn't disappoint me…"
Ichiro wasn't a good man, but even he couldn't help but feel some admiration. The Elder had used his own death to give Mikoto a brighter future.
Clearly, he had known the secret of how to awaken the Mangekyō. It wasn't rare knowledge among Uchiha elders—but very few succeeded. Because awakening it wasn't just about witnessing loss… it also required the right potential.
So many Uchiha had watched loved ones die in war—yet how many had awakened the Mangekyō? If it were so simple, the Uchiha would've ruled the shinobi world long ago.
Mikoto's eyes stunned everyone around her.
Her strength, originally that of a jōnin, soared to near-Kage level. It wasn't just her visual prowess that improved—her chakra surged as well.
"Tsukuyomi."
Mikoto said the name of the jutsu in an icy voice.
The moment she met Rin's gaze, she dragged his spirit into a genjutsu realm. Inside, she let out all her rage—torturing him relentlessly.
Though only a moment passed in the real world, within the illusion, time bent to her will. Rin collapsed, his mind shattered. The next second, a massive blood-red chakra arm smashed him into pulp.
He was dead—completely, utterly dead.
The surrounding clan members looked at Mikoto in awe and fear.
She had truly awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Among the Uchiha, this eye meant everything. Her status now stood just beneath Ichiro, the clan head.
"Put away the Susanoo," Ichiro said calmly.
His voice snapped Mikoto out of her trance. She dismissed the chakra avatar and felt a sharp sting in her eyes.
That was the price of the Mangekyō. This was only her first use, but the pain would grow with time. Eventually, it would become unbearable—bleeding eyes and all.
Mikoto suddenly fell into Ichiro's arms, sobbing.
"Grandpa's gone… my grandpa is really gone…"
Her last family was gone, and in that moment, she clung to Ichiro for support.
Even the strongest people have their breaking points. Not even Ichiro's threats had made her cry this hard.
But now, she had no one else to turn to.