“Especially Rin,” Makoto said with a grave expression.
“Girls can’t keep secrets.
If she lets it slip by accident, the whole class will know.” Obito pictured Rin’s gentle face and felt Makoto was completely right.
Rin was so kindhearted that she definitely wouldn’t be able to keep a secret.
“Then I won’t tell a soul,” Obito clenched his fist.
“Not even in my dreams!” “Good brother.” Makoto patted him, deeply moved.
Over the next few days, Makoto continued his “uncomfortable eyes” performance.
Now and then he rubbed his eyes, complained about them feeling swollen, or spent a long time staring into a mirror.
Obito saw it all and grew increasingly anxious.
Holding it in was agonizing—truly agonizing.
It was like knowing an earth-shattering secret but being unable to share it with anyone.
He held it in while eating, held it in while training, and even held it in while sleeping.
Finally, on the third night, he couldn’t take it anymore.
“Grandma,” Obito picked at the rice in his bowl, hesitating.
“I…” “What is it?” Obito’s grandmother was a kindly old woman with silver hair and a perpetual smile on her face.
“You’ve seemed weighed down by worries lately.
Did someone pick on you at school?” “No,” Obito shook his head.
“It’s…
it’s about a friend.” “A friend?” Grandma put down her chopsticks.
“What about your friend?” “It’s just…” Obito opened his mouth, then closed it.
“I can’t say.” Grandma smiled.
“If you can’t say it, then don’t.” She patted Obito’s head.
“A ninja must learn to keep secrets, especially those of a friend.” Obito looked up at her.
“But Grandma, holding it in feels so painful.” “Even if it’s painful, you must hold it in,” Grandma said.
“Once you make a promise to a friend, you must keep it.
That is the rule of a shinobi, and the way of a proper human being.” Obito fell silent.
Looking into his grandmother’s cloudy yet gentle eyes, he suddenly understood.
“Mm.” He nodded vigorously.
“I got it.” “Good boy.” Grandma smiled.
“Eat your dinner.” Obito raised his bowl and took big gulps of rice.
He made up his mind.
Makoto’s secret would rot in his belly even if it killed him.
He wouldn’t tell anyone—not even Rin.
*** A week later, at the training ground.
Makoto looked at Obito, calculating the timing in his mind.
It was about time.
Obito was thoroughly convinced that Makoto might awaken his Sharingan at any moment.
And after holding it in for a week, his emotions were fully primed.
The time had come.
“Obito,” Makoto spoke, his voice serious.
“Huh?” Obito was doing push-ups and looked up when he heard his name.
“Do you think…” Makoto pointed at his own eyes.
“…that I’ve already awakened my eyes?” Obito froze for a moment, then leaped up abruptly.
“Of course!” he said excitedly.
“Makoto-niisan, your eyes have been itching for a whole week!
It’s definitely the Sharingan coming out!” “If you say you’ve awakened them, I 100% believe you can do it!” Makoto looked at him, reciting silently in his heart: [Lie Made Real activated.] [Target: Obito Uchiha] [Lie: I have awakened my eyes.] [Trust Level: 100%] [Materialization Progress: 80%] [Materialization starting.] The next second, Makoto felt a surge of heat in his eyes.
It wasn’t the heat of an inflammation, but…
a burning heat like something igniting within them.
Knowing what was happening, Makoto immediately pretended to tidy his ninja tool pouch, lowering his head.
Obito suspected nothing and went back to his own business.
Chakra.
A massive surge of Chakra flooded into his eyes, swirling inside his eyeballs before slowly settling, condensing, and finally— *Buzz—* The world before Makoto’s eyes transformed.
Not daring to lift his head, he stared down at the grass on the ground.
The colors were far more vibrant.
The details were infinitely sharper.
Is this…
the One-Tomoe Sharingan?
Makoto blinked.
The world returned to normal.
But he knew those eyes were no longer the same.
“Makoto-niisan?” Obito asked cautiously.
“What’s wrong?” Makoto snapped back to reality and hurriedly rubbed his eyes.
“Nothing,” he said.
“Felt like my vision blurred for a second.” “Vision blurred?” Obito leaned closer.
“Did you really awaken them?” “Awaken what,” Makoto pushed Obito’s face away.
“I’m just tired from training.
By the way, I’ve been working on a new technique lately.
Want to hear about it?” “A new technique?” Obito’s eyes lit up.
“What technique?” “A technique that lets you walk on air.” “Walk on air?” Obito was baffled.
“How do you walk on air?” “Listen closely.” “It’s…” Makoto thought for a second.
“You gather Chakra at the soles of your feet and release it in explosive bursts to create a reactive force.
In theory, as long as you have enough Chakra and kick fast enough, you can walk in midair.” Makoto laid out the entire principle of the Geppo.
“Walk…
in midair?” Obito imagined the scene, his eyes shining even brighter.
“Isn’t that basically flying?” “Pretty much,” Makoto said.
“Though I can’t pull it off yet.
The technique is still in its development phase.” With the precedent of Iron Body, Obito felt that as long as Makoto was given enough time, he would definitely succeed in developing it.
“That’s still amazing!” Obito excitedly circled around Makoto.
“Makoto-niisan, you really are a genius!
First Iron Body, now this!
How do you come up with these things?” “Just…
came to me all of a sudden,” Makoto answered vaguely.
As the evening training session ended, Makoto watched Obito walk away.
Perfect.
Makoto was thrilled inside.
One-Tomoe Sharingan: acquired.
The groundwork for Geppo: laid.
Next up was slowly “mastering” Geppo, and then moving on to the next lie.
Leaving the training ground, Makoto parted ways with Obito and strolled casually toward home.
Halfway there, his steps faltered slightly.
That sensation was back—someone was watching him.
Not openly, but hiding in the shadows, staring at him like a venomous snake.
Makoto didn’t look back and kept walking, but in his mind, he was already cursing.
*Danzo, you old schemer, you actually sent someone to stalk me.* He had anticipated this.
After all, his current persona was an Uchiha genius.
Even though he kept hiding his strength, he knew the Konoha higher-ups would react.
He just hadn’t expected them to act so quickly and keep such a tight watch.
Makoto quickened his pace and turned into the Uchiha compound.
The moment he entered the clan compound, the feeling of surveillance vanished.
As expected.
On Uchiha turf, even Danzo wouldn’t dare recklessly send agents inside.
At least not out in the open.
Makoto breathed a sigh of relief, but his mind remained sharp.
He knew he was officially under “high priority observation.” *I deliberately kept my head down when I awakened my eyes just now, so they shouldn’t have seen anything!* *When I get the chance in the future, I must kill Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Otherwise, an Uchiha will never have a peaceful life.* Makoto shook his head.
*For now, I must keep a low profile.
Low profile is king.*