Chapter 17: The Reason for Not Awakening the Eye
"Spiritual issues?" Yusuke frowned slightly. He didn't think Uchiha Fugaku was calling him mentally unstable—he understood it to mean that there was some kind of problem with his mental energy.
In the world of Naruto, "mental energy" is a commonly used term, and once one reaches a certain level of understanding, it evolves into what's known as Yin Release.
"That's right. I'm afraid I'll have to personally verify this," Fugaku said, his tone growing serious. "You should know, the power of the Uchiha clan is not limited to the Sharingan. Above the Sharingan… lies something even more powerful."
Yusuke raised an eyebrow, understanding immediately that Fugaku was referring to the Mangekyō Sharingan. He also knew that Fugaku had awakened it—though he had never revealed it, nor had anyone learned what abilities his Mangekyō possessed.
"You must be talking about the Mangekyō Sharingan, Clan Leader," Yusuke replied.
Fugaku nodded. He wasn't surprised that Yusuke knew about the Mangekyō—he assumed Yusuke had found some information about it within the clan's archives.
"Correct. The Mangekyō Sharingan holds power far beyond that of the ordinary Sharingan. And each Uchiha who awakens it gains unique abilities," Fugaku explained.
"This means that a battle using the Mangekyō and one without it are two entirely different concepts. And I… have already awakened mine!" As he said this, a trace of pride flickered behind his otherwise stern expression.
Though Yusuke remained outwardly expressionless, inwardly, he was amused. He knew the Clan Leader still brooded over losing a sleeve in their last sparring match—and now he was subtly hinting that he hadn't used his full strength back then.
"But no one else in the clan knows I've awakened the Mangekyō, so you must keep this a secret," Fugaku added.
"I understand. So, Clan Leader, how do you plan to verify the issue within my spiritual world?" Yusuke asked.
Suddenly, Fugaku's eyes shifted. A deep crimson pattern emerged—not the typical three-tomoe, but something far more intricate. His Mangekyō Sharingan had been activated.
"I'll use my unique Mangekyō ability to observe your spiritual world and uncover the true reason you've been unable to awaken your Sharingan," Fugaku said solemnly.
Yusuke hesitated. After all, everyone has secrets. He wasn't sure how much this ability would reveal once Fugaku entered his spiritual world.
Seeing the hesitation in Yusuke's eyes, Fugaku continued, "Don't worry—you'll be fully aware during the entire process. I won't intrude on any personal secrets."
Yusuke considered for a moment and ultimately decided to take the risk. Not because he fully trusted Fugaku, but because he believed that if anything went wrong, the Zanpakutō—Ryūjin Jakka—within his spiritual world could protect him and repel the intrusion.
Indeed, the Sharingan is known as the eye that reflects the soul. Perhaps Fugaku's Mangekyō ability had manifested due to his constant oppression by the Konoha leadership, creating a deep subconscious desire for a power that could peer into the hearts of others.
"I accept your method. But Clan Leader, you should be careful. There's something in my spiritual world—something that can destroy any illusion or force that poses a threat to me," Yusuke warned. A reminder about his Zanpakutō, and also a subtle threat not to overstep.
"Something?" Fugaku frowned, clearly puzzled.
Yusuke smiled faintly. "You'll understand once you see it. It's the reason I'm called 'The Blazing Blade.'"
Since Fugaku was going to enter his spiritual world, Yusuke knew he couldn't hide the presence of his Zanpakutō, Ryūjin Jakka. But as for its abilities or origin, that would remain secret.
Fugaku nodded. "Very well, let us begin. I'll use my ocular technique to enter your spiritual world. Don't resist."
As his words fell, Yusuke saw the Mangekyō pattern in Fugaku's eyes begin to spin rapidly. The world before him blurred—his perspective shifted to that of a god, overlooking a vast spiritual landscape.
Amid a boundless, mist-shrouded expanse stood an enormous, flame-wreathed sword, vertically embedded in the earth. It was impossibly large—its blade pierced the ground, and the hilt vanished into the clouds above.
All around floated countless dreamlike bubbles. Yusuke could sense that each of these held fragments of his thoughts, memories, or knowledge.
"So this is my spiritual world… What a strange sensation. That sword must be Ryūjin Jakka, my Zanpakutō," Yusuke mused.
At that moment, Fugaku's figure materialized, his face filled with shock as he gazed upon the colossal sword, utterly stunned by the presence of such a divine weapon.
Now that there was a person for scale, the sheer magnitude of the sword became apparent—Fugaku, standing before it, looked like a mere ant next to a skyscraper hundreds of stories tall.
"What… what is this sword?" Fugaku asked, swallowing hard, his voice dry with awe.
"This sword has existed within my mind since birth. Its name is Ryūjin Jakka," Yusuke's voice echoed across the misty land.
"No wonder you could break through my genjutsu so easily. To think such a divine weapon resides in your spiritual world… You truly are someone favored by fate," Fugaku sighed. In his heart, a realization had settled—Yusuke might one day surpass even Uchiha Madara himself.
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Staring at the massive longsword engulfed in blazing flames before him, Uchiha Fugaku said slowly,
"The reason your Sharingan hasn't awakened... is because of this sword, Ryūjin Jakka!"
Hearing this, Yusuke didn't appear surprised. His voice echoed in the spiritual realm,
"I suspected that before. But I've never felt any negative impact from Ryūjin Jakka on my mental state, so I ruled it out."
"That's because it was born within your spiritual world. You're so used to its presence, you can't even sense its influence—just like a normal person can't feel the blood circulating through their body," Fugaku explained.
"Besides, this sword doesn't harm your spiritual world at all. It's protecting it."
"Because of its presence, your spiritual realm is incredibly stable—so stable that it can't produce any emotional fluctuations."
"And the awakening of the Sharingan," Fugaku continued, "requires intense emotional and mental stimulus."
At that moment, Fugaku felt like he had gained new insight. He had just shown off his Mangekyō Sharingan to Yusuke, only for Yusuke to respond by revealing a weapon unlike anything he'd ever seen.
"Could Yusuke be the reincarnation of the fire god Kagutsuchi? Otherwise, how could such a divine, flame-wreathed sword exist within his spiritual world?" Fugaku couldn't help but wonder.
The Uchiha clan had always held a deep reverence for fire. Even their fan-shaped clan crest featured red to symbolize flames. They had once even been called "the clan of fire."
After hearing Fugaku's explanation, Yusuke fell into deep thought.
"So what you're saying is," Yusuke asked, "if a powerful enough mental force is injected into my spiritual world—strong enough to break through Ryūjin Jakka's suppression—it could trigger my Sharingan to awaken?"
"Exactly. That's my understanding. But I don't know how one could gain such powerful spiritual energy, let alone direct it into your soul," Fugaku sighed, shaking his head.
In his view, Yusuke's chances of awakening the Sharingan were nearly nonexistent. Still, he found solace in the fact that with a divine weapon like this, Yusuke's power might rival—or even surpass—that of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Now that the cause was clear, Fugaku didn't linger in Yusuke's spiritual world any longer. He deactivated his Mangekyō Sharingan, and in an instant, both of their visions snapped back to reality. Everything that had just occurred in Yusuke's inner world had happened in the blink of an eye.
Looking at Fugaku—whose left eye was now bloodshot and leaking tears of blood—Yusuke felt deeply grateful. The clan head had truly gone above and beyond for him.
"Clan head, are you alright?" Yusuke asked, showing concern, even though he already knew the side effects of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Fugaku waved his hand dismissively.
"It's nothing. Just chakra exhaustion. I'll need to rest for a while. If there's nothing else, you're free to go."
Now that he had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, Fugaku was able to read deeper into the Uchiha Clan's stone tablet. He was aware of the side effects and also had some knowledge about the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Thank you, clan head. Then I'll take my leave."
After leaving Fugaku's estate, Yusuke couldn't suppress the excitement bubbling within him.
Not only had he discovered a potential solution for awakening his Sharingan, but he also formed a new theory—perhaps the reason Ryūjin Jakka never unleashed its full destructive power like in Bleach was also tied to this.
"Spiritual power... mental energy... Yin Release chakra. Looks like I'll need to discuss this with Orochimaru."
"Although his Living Corpse Reincarnation technique hasn't been perfected, he should've discovered some of its weaknesses by now. If I suggest co-developing a method to enhance spiritual energy, he surely won't refuse."
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At the Hokage's Office, inside the Hokage Tower:
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was seated calmly in his chair. Before him, Shisui knelt respectfully on one knee.
Taking a slow puff from his pipe, Hiruzen asked,
"Well? What did he say?"
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