Chapter 22: Awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan
---
Sasuke refrained from any inappropriate public behavior, understanding that there was a time and place for everything. Although he was close to Hinata, he knew to keep his actions respectful, especially in public. He didn't want to be seen as a pervert by others.
Sasuke didn't return to class that day. For him, the Ninja Academy was merely a formality, not a necessity. The Academy was designed to instill loyalty to the Hokage, Konoha, and one's clan from a young age, but Sasuke already knew where his loyalties lay.
That evening, after escorting Hinata back to the Hyuga clan, Sasuke said his goodbyes. "Goodbye, Uncle Hiashi. Goodbye, Hinata."
"Goodbye, Sasuke," Hiashi replied warmly. Both he and Hinata were very fond of Sasuke. After all, geniuses like Sasuke were always admired, especially when they stood out so remarkably.
As Sasuke passed by the Ninja Academy on his way home, he noticed Rock Lee still running.
"How many laps have you run?" Sasuke asked.
Rock Lee, exhausted and on the verge of tears, replied, "I've run 300 laps so far... but my legs are giving out. I don't think I can finish the remaining laps before sunset."
Lee's voice cracked with determination. "But I want to try my best! I want to join the Ninja Academy, no matter what!"
Sasuke, impressed by Lee's resolve, said, "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I admire your perseverance. If you're unable to join the Academy, I'll have my father vouch for you."
But Rock Lee shook his head, determination blazing in his eyes. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun, but I want to earn my place at the Academy through my own efforts! My name is Rock Lee, and I'll keep running!"
Above them, Might Guy, who had been watching from the rooftop, couldn't help but smile. Rock Lee was so much like his younger self—lacking natural talent but compensating with unwavering hard work.
Even when the task seemed impossible, Lee's determination to complete it filled Guy with pride.
A figure wearing a fox mask appeared beside Guy, noting, "Kai, you've been standing here all day."
Guy replied, "I see my younger self in this little guy!"
With that, Might Guy jumped down from the roof, executing a flawless 720-degree backflip before landing gracefully in front of Rock Lee.
Lee didn't stop running. He merely adjusted his path to go around Guy and continued his laps.
Guy started running alongside Lee and gave him a thumbs-up, saying, "Little guy, your perseverance has earned my respect! Starting tomorrow, you'll join the second year of the Ninja Academy!"
Rock Lee halted in disbelief, gasping for breath. "Are you serious?"
Guy nodded. "Yes, I am!"
"But I haven't even been to the first grade," Lee protested.
Guy smiled warmly. "It doesn't matter. I'll be your guarantor, and you'll go straight to the second grade!"
Overwhelmed with gratitude, Lee hugged Guy's leg, tears streaming down his face. "Thank you! You're such a good person!"
But Guy, ever the motivator, said, "Don't cry—keep training! Without natural talent, hard work is our only way to catch up with the geniuses! Come on, let's keep exercising together! Hard work never lies! Youth is in the sweat of effort!!"
---
Later that evening, Sasuke returned home, only to find a masked figure standing in the middle of the yard. The figure was Obito Uchiha, though only Sasuke, Itachi, and Fugaku knew his true identity.
The Uchiha clan members who saw Obito were confused but dared not approach him.
As Sasuke approached, Obito spoke, "I've killed Danzo."
Obito then pulled Danzo's severed head out of the Kamui Space. "Danzo was weak, but he was cunning. He used his position to steal many Sharingan from the Uchiha during the Third Shinobi War. It took me eleven attempts to finally kill him, thanks to his use of Izanagi."
Obito tossed Danzo's head to the ground with disdain, as if disgusted by even touching it.
Sasuke stared at Danzo's lifeless head, noting the wide-open mouth and the hollow eye socket. A wave of satisfaction washed over him—Danzo truly deserved this fate.
They say there are no absolute heroes or villains in the world of shinobi, but Danzo was undoubtedly one of the most detestable figures. Now, he was finally gone.
Sasuke suddenly felt a surge of emotion, a mixture of relief and justice served. His eyes felt unusually warm.
And then, it happened.
The three tomoe in Sasuke's Sharingan began to spin and transform. Without any conscious effort, his eyes evolved into the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Extreme emotional experiences often trigger the awakening of the Sharingan, but for most Uchiha, it was hatred and anger that drove this transformation. For Sasuke, however, it was the satisfaction of seeing justice done to Danzo that led to the awakening of his Mangekyō.
This was a way of awakening that had never been seen before and would likely never be seen again.
'Ding!' A system notification echoed in Sasuke's mind:
[Host's emotions have fluctuated greatly. Bloodline limit is evolving.]
[Sharingan has evolved into Mangekyō Sharingan!]
The surrounding Uchiha clan members gasped in shock as they witnessed Sasuke's eyes transform.
"Sasuke has awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan!"
"Hahaha, our Uchiha clan truly has a genius among us!"
"I knew Sasuke was exceptional from the start!"
"Awakening the Mangekyō at just six years old—even Uchiha Madara couldn't do that back in his day."
"What an incredible talent!"
Sasuke touched his eyes, feeling both warmth and a powerful new energy coursing through them, ready to be unleashed.
'Host: Uchiha Sasuke'
'Age: 6 years old'
'Special Physique: Reincarnation of Indra, Chakra Affinity'
'Bloodline Limit: Sharingan (Mangekyō Sharingan)'
'Chakra Attributes: Lightning, Fire'
Sasuke was taken aback. If he had already awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan due to this "accident," wouldn't he automatically evolve to the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan by the time he turned ten?
This was beyond his wildest expectations!
---