Chapter 122

Chapter 122

**Chapter 121: Uchiha Mikoto’s Mangekyo Sharingan**

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**Konoha**

“Danzo! What is the meaning of this?”

Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed his desk, his furious gaze fixed on Danzo. This time, Danzo had gone too far.

Danzo, holding the report, looked both incensed and aggrieved. “Hiruzen! You know me. Root only intended to use the Cloud ninja to deal with the Uzumaki outsider. Tsunade and the others had nothing to do with this…”

Before he could finish, Hiruzen furiously flung a report at him.

“Danzo! I am revoking your authority over Root!”

Hearing this, Danzo’s face darkened in disbelief and fury. His eyes widened as he retorted, “Hiruzen, everything I’ve done has been for Konoha! This was an accident! Mark my words—you’ll regret this!”

“Danzo! I am the Hokage!”

Hiruzen’s voice boomed with authority. Danzo, his face stormy, turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

*Hiruzen, you’re ruthless.*

Danzo seethed. *You turned a blind eye when Root acted on your unspoken consent. Now that something went wrong, you pin all the blame on me! How is this my fault? No ninja mission is ever 100% guaranteed.*

---

**A Dimly Lit Cave**

“You’re telling me there was an accident, and the brat almost died?”

Uchiha Madara’s voice was icy as he listened to White Zetsu’s report.

“Yes, Lord Madara. At the time, your chosen successor’s chest was blown apart—his internal organs shattered, and blood and bone scattered everywhere…”

White Zetsu’s overly vivid recounting made Madara’s face twitch with irritation.

“Idiot! Risking his life for a woman? Is his dream of bringing peace to the ninja world less important than a woman?”

Though his words were harsh, Madara’s eyes betrayed a glimmer of envy and nostalgia. *Bonds…* He, too, had once known such things—Izuna and Hashirama.

“Fool!” Madara spat. As his thoughts wandered to Hashirama and their final battle at the Valley of the End, his rage flared anew.

“Such a waste of my carefully laid plans! If he missed this opportunity, I’ll have to see how long it takes for him to open his eyes to reality!”

Despite his anger, Madara’s expression softened with a trace of pride. To him, an Uchiha who risked everything for their bonds was a true Uchiha. The ones who feared or fled from such ties were beneath contempt.

“Lord Madara,” White Zetsu interjected, “the red-haired girl also awakened…”

Madara fell silent, lost in thought. Since the Valley of the End, he had known nothing but loneliness, haunted by memories of bonds he had once held dear.

“That boy is luckier than I ever was,” he murmured softly.

Madara had once had family, comrades, and a clan, but he lost them all. His parents, his brothers, and finally, even his clan had turned away from him. The bitterness of losing everything left him silent.

“Lord Madara, should we continue targeting the red-haired girl?”

White Zetsu’s straightforward question pulled Madara from his thoughts. With a composed demeanor, Madara replied, “No need. I’ve intervened enough. While there were setbacks, the seeds of doubt have been planted.”

For Madara, whether Uchiha Yosuke awakened his Mangekyo or not was secondary. Without family, Yosuke’s potential would always be limited.

“The wheel is already in motion. Now, let’s see what kind of storm it stirs in the ninja world.”

Madara’s calm voice held an undercurrent of anticipation. His plans were layered, and this encounter with the Cloud ninja was merely a piece of a larger scheme.

---

**A Small Town in the Land of Rain**

Inside a modest room, Tsunade’s gaze was cold as she stared down at Uchiha Yosuke, who sat on the bed with his head lowered like a child awaiting punishment.

“Uchiha Yosuke! Have your wings grown so strong that you thought you could pull a stunt like this? If it weren’t for Kushina, you’d already be fertilizer by now!”

Yosuke kept his head bowed, silent and obedient, but Tsunade’s anger only grew. Eventually, she pulled out a Senju-kept scroll and placed it on the table.

“And you, Kushina! What do you think about all this?”

Having finished scolding Yosuke, Tsunade turned her sharp gaze to Uzumaki Kushina, though her tone softened.

“Tsunade-nee…”

Kushina’s eyes flicked to the scroll, her expression conflicted. Finally, she handed the scroll back to Tsunade with a bright smile.

“I’ll listen to whatever you and Yosuke decide.”

Kushina’s usual fiery personality was gone, replaced with a gentle sincerity directed toward Yosuke.

Tsunade took the scroll but before she could react, Yosuke rose from the bed and gently stopped her.

Smiling, Yosuke slowly pried the scroll from her fingers. Sparks of lightning danced in his palm as the scroll disintegrated into ash.

“You brat! Do you even know what you’re doing?”

Tsunade’s fury flared, but a part of her felt an inexplicable relief.

Yosuke nodded calmly. “Tsunade-nee, I know exactly what I’m doing. But so do you. As long as this information exists, it poses a risk to the village.”

He continued, his voice firm, “The war in the Land of Rain ended just six months ago. The major nations are restless. If the village becomes unstable now, it could ignite another war.”

Yosuke knew the scroll alone wouldn’t topple Konoha’s leadership. For now, he chose to delay the inevitable, giving everyone time for their anger to simmer into something more potent.

---

“Kushina, I’m sorry,” Yosuke said, turning to her with a small smile. “But I promise I’ll protect you like last time. Please forgive my selfishness.”

His clear eyes reflected nothing but sincerity.

For Yosuke, the village came first. Yet to Kushina, the fact that he valued her life over his own meant everything.

“I believe in you, Yosuke. And the village is my home too.”

---

Tsunade handed Yosuke another scroll, nonchalantly explaining, “We identified the Cloud ninja who attacked you. He was the cousin of the Third Raikage. This scroll contains some information extracted from his brain—it might help you.”

When Yosuke unrolled it, his eyes widened in shock.

“Lightning Release Chakra Mode and Hell Stab?”

“These two B-rank jutsu are incomplete,” Tsunade explained. “But the techniques’ basics, including the required medicinal baths and key tips, are intact. If the elders want to claim them, they can dream on.”

Yosuke recognized Madara’s hand in this. The jutsu were too conveniently obtained, yet incomplete enough to avoid suspicion. Madara was clearly pushing him toward further growth.

---

When Kushina left the room, Tsunade’s sharp gaze turned to Yosuke.

“So, what’s the deal with Mikoto’s eyes?”

Before Yosuke could reply, the window slid open. Uchiha Mikoto entered the room gracefully, her calm demeanor unwavering.

“Tsunade-sama, are you talking about these?”

As she spoke, her Sharingan spun into the Mangekyo pattern—a windmill with three long spokes.

“Just as I thought…” Tsunade muttered, astonished.

Mikoto’s gaze softened as she turned to Yosuke.

“At first, I was content. But when I saw Yosuke hurt, I realized how powerless I was. I’ll pursue the strongest Uchiha power to protect him. I won’t let that happen again!”

Her voice carried conviction and a touch of obsession.

Yosuke reached out and gently clasped her hand, steadying her. Mikoto’s Mangekyo pattern faded, returning to its original three tomoe.

“Tsunade-nee,” Yosuke said, “Mikoto awakened her Mangekyo for me. Her ability is Izanagi—the power to alter reality.”

Tsunade’s eyes widened. *This power rivals the most legendary Uchiha techniques.*

“This technique wasn’t used on me,” Yosuke explained. “Kushina saved me before it could activate. However, it requires three years to recharge.”

Mikoto added, “This power is for Yosuke alone. It’s the strongest illusion.”

Tsunade sighed heavily. “Don’t overuse those eyes. Let me help you recover their strength so they’ll last.”

She turned to Yosuke, her voice firm. “Stay by Mikoto’s side. Help her stabilize emotionally. The Mangekyo takes a toll on the mind.”

---

With these words, Tsunade left. Yosuke and Mikoto exchanged a quiet look.

'Mikoto’s awakening changes everything. Now, we’re ready for the future.'

*(Chapter End)*