CHAPTER 163

"I didn't expect you to actually succeed."

By the koi pond behind the Uchiha compound, Fugaku Uchiha sat across from Kai Uchiha in a rare moment of silence. Between them, sealed in a chakra-preserving solution, lay a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan—Uchiha Yū's.

Fugaku's gaze lingered on the eyes. "It's almost unbelievable," he muttered. "That you managed to awaken them in someone else. And with such… cruel methods."

Kai didn't flinch at the words, but Fugaku could see it in his eyes—he wasn't proud of what he'd done.

"It worked," Kai said, his tone quiet. "But it's not a method anyone should use. Yū was already barely functioning when I began. If he'd been in his right mind... I might not be sitting here."

Fugaku exhaled heavily. "I understand. Still, the result is undeniable. The basement tells the story. I heard from Secton—Yū's Susanoo nearly brought the place down."

Kai nodded. "He had nothing left to lose. And once the eyes were awakened, his chakra responded in full force. That kind of power, emerging from someone discarded by the clan… it's terrifying."

"And now?" Fugaku asked. "What comes next?"

"I'll have Uchiha Secton suppress Yū's remaining consciousness. Then, I'll reimplant his Mangekyō and monitor his condition closely. After that… Osamu Uchiha is next."

Fugaku narrowed his eyes. "You're planning to do this again?"

"Not immediately," Kai replied. "I need time to recover. That kind of psychological pressure isn't something you just walk away from. Torturing someone—even a broken man—takes a toll. I'm still… human."

Fugaku gave a slow nod. "Good. You haven't lost that. People like Danzō forget what it means."

Kai stood, carefully pocketing the vial containing the preserved eyes. "I've said all I needed to. I'll report once Yū stabilizes."

As Kai left, his thoughts shifted from Yū to the state of the Uchiha Police Force. His actions—disbanding a rogue unit and imprisoning its members—had left the department shorthanded. Captains like Uchiha Chiya and Uchiha Tsubasa were scrambling to fill the void, but few dared challenge Kai now.

Meanwhile, he waited on recruitment reports from Uchiha Asahi and his son Chuan. They were methodical, selecting candidates based on mission records and shinobi guides' evaluations. Progress was slow but careful.

Then there was Fujiu Hangtai. Backed by his brother Hangpei, Fujiu had rallied support by promoting Kai's reform slogans: "Modernize the Force," and "Bring the Police to the People." It worked—recruits flooded in. But Kai found most of them lacking. Too idealistic. No field experience.

He didn't care. "I just need their names on the roster," Kai thought. "The rest is theater."

Only one recruit remained on his mind: Kenta Imai.

Kai frowned. Kenta was strong—unnaturally so for a so-called civilian. And secretive. Kai didn't like unknown variables on his chessboard.

"He's either with me… or disposable," Kai muttered.

At the underground training compound, heavily guarded since the Yū incident, Kai was greeted by nods from his loyal sentries. Inside, the facility had been rebuilt overnight. Yū, now in life-support stasis, looked vacant—his consciousness likely erased.

Kai retrieved the preserved Mangekyō and reinserted them. The clan's eye-transplant technique made it seamless. Designed for those whose eyes had gone blind from overuse, the procedure was simple—reversible.

With Yū stabilized, Kai sat in meditation. This basement, once his private hideout, now served both him and Fugaku. His personal journals—especially the one containing copied excerpts from Madara Uchiha's secret writings—were now always on his person.

Kai turned to his own progress. He had seen Yū's first-stage Susanoo during the incident. Now, it was his turn to attempt manifestation.

He breathed deeply. The Sharingan activated, its three tomoe spinning slowly. Chakra surged, but refused to solidify into form. "The frequency isn't aligning," Kai observed. "Yin chakra from my eyes… it's not syncing with my own."

But then, he pushed further. The tomoe fused—the Mangekyō awakened.

Power flared within him. The chakra turned thick and heavy, clashing violently with his own life force. This time, however, he tuned into it—matching the rhythm. Slowly, they merged.

"Now."

With a roar of chakra, a black aura ignited around Kai—a skeletal ribcage took form.

His Susanoo.