“Tōru, is there anything you want to ask about what I just explained?” Ten minutes later, Uchiha Itachi stopped writing and drawing on the earthen wall with his ninja blade.
Unlike when he had explained these things to Sasuke, when he had needed to use all kinds of vivid and adorable analogies, Tōru’s comprehension was exceptionally strong.
As a result, Itachi had directly introduced a number of specialized terms and thoroughly explained the four stages involved in extracting chakra and converting it into ocular power.
First, the spiritual energy and physical energy within the body had to be evenly combined into physical energy.
Second, that physical energy had to be converted into chakra.
Third, the chakra produced in the abdomen had to be transferred through the chakra network to the internal organs, where it would be stored.
Fourth, the stored chakra would then be distributed to the chakra points around the eyes, serving as the reserve necessary to maintain the Sharingan.
Sounded simple?
In reality, being able to complete the third step proficiently and store enough chakra to release two rounds of the Clone Technique was already the graduation requirement for ninjutsu at the Ninja Academy.
Most civilian graduates only reached this level by the age of twelve, while students from shinobi clans generally mastered it at around ten.
Even a prodigy like Sasuke, who had been extracting chakra for more than half a year, had only just crossed the threshold of the third step and could barely store any chakra.
Otherwise, the Fireball Jutsu he breathed out would have been more than enough to do something besides light candles.
I wonder how long it will take Tōru to use the Sharingan reliably…
Perhaps a year or so?
“I don’t have any questions for now.” Tōru nodded seriously.
Even without Itachi’s explanation, he had already been able to observe most of it through the Transparent World.
Now, whenever he activated the Transparent World, he could see not only bones, muscles, and blood vessels, but also an entire network of chakra pathways and chakra points.
He could precisely observe the routes and directions of chakra flow, as well as the entire process of its formation and conversion.
What Itachi didn’t know was that even without activating his Kekkei Genkai, Tōru could already use his innate Transparent World to achieve the basic functions of both the Sharingan and the Byakugan—perception and penetration.
Itachi nodded approvingly.
“Tōru really is smart.
I’ll teach Sasuke shurikenjutsu first.
You can sit here quietly for a while and see if you can complete the first and second steps in one go.” Hearing that training was about to begin, Sasuke wiped his mouth and looked as though he intended to put on a good performance today.
Tōru tilted his head.
“Are you going far away to train?” I need to stay within two meters of them.
He had no idea how adorable that puzzled expression made him look.
It’s rare to see Tōru looking this cute.
Should I go buy a camera later?
Itachi narrowed his eyes, concealing the little stars sparkling within them.
“We’ll train nearby.
Otherwise, we’ll disturb you.
It’s better to sit somewhere quiet when extracting chakra for the first time.” “I’ll go with you.” Tōru didn’t explain.
He simply covered the food with the lids and said calmly, “Let’s go.” Itachi and Sasuke exchanged a glance.
Itachi: Tōru is acting a little strange today.
Sasuke: Is something wrong with him?
Although they were puzzled, neither wanted to go against Tōru’s wishes, so they brought him to a clearing deeper in the forest, surrounded by several enormous trees.
Red-and-white targets hung from the trunks, branches, and leaves of the trees, covered with dents of various sizes.
This was the place where Itachi and Sasuke specifically practiced throwing shuriken and kunai.
Tōru said nothing.
He quietly watched his two brothers find their positions and then— Plopped himself down cross-legged directly between them.
Itachi & Sasuke: “?” “Tōru, do you really have to sit there?” Sasuke scratched his head with the handle of a kunai.
“You could get hit by accident.” As usual, he couldn’t understand why Tōru was doing something like this.
“You can’t hit me.” Tōru answered with complete certainty.
“Itachi won’t hit me.” Sasuke’s cheeks puffed up, turning visibly red with embarrassment.
Did you learn this just to light candles?
The humiliation surged through his mind again.
Fortunately, Tōru immediately continued.
“I want to stay closer to you.” After saying that, he looked left and right in confusion, studying their expressions.
“Is that not allowed?” Sasuke felt as though the red cloud hanging over his head had suddenly been pierced by sunlight.
He wants to stay closer to us?
Compared with Tōru’s usual iceberg-like attitude, Sasuke almost wanted to cry.
This was the pleasant surprise brought about by such a stark contrast.
At this point, Itachi—who firmly believed that whatever his little brother wanted to do was fine—spoke up.
“If that’s what you want, then stay here, Tōru.
With me here, Sasuke won’t be able to hit you either.” “Okay.” Tōru nodded gratefully.
“Don’t go more than two meters away from me.” As he spoke, he stared at Itachi for emphasis.
“Especially you, Itachi.” Uchiha Itachi possessed Fire and Wind chakra natures, and his chakra contained Yin Release, allowing him to increase Tōru’s Moon Breathing analysis progress.
Sasuke did not yet have the same advantage.
Moreover, every time Itachi provided analysis progress, it was twice as much as Sasuke.
“Sure.
No problem.” Itachi felt himself being relied upon by his little brother.
A warm smile appeared on his face.
He assumed that the birthday present he’d given Tōru yesterday must have brought the two of them closer.
Although he hadn’t yet figured out all the details, a sense of accomplishment was already taking root in his heart.
Itachi’s expression formed a sharp contrast with Sasuke’s stiff face.
What do you mean?
When did you two become this close?
Sasuke’s eyes darted back and forth between them, his mouth slowly falling open as his face paled.
Could it be that Tōru suddenly figured things out and wants to steal Big Brother from me?
No!
No!
No!
Why is Itachi so happy?
Could it be that he’s the one trying to steal Tōru from me?
Tōru and I are twins who even sleep in the same futon!
No!
Big Brother is mine!
My little brother is mine too!
Nobody can take either of them from me.
I was here first…
For a moment, Sasuke didn’t even know whom he was supposed to be jealous of.
“All right, Sasuke.
Let’s begin.” Itachi hadn’t noticed anything strange about him.
He smiled and asked, “Do you remember the technique I taught you yesterday for throwing three shuriken simultaneously?” “Don’t underestimate me!” Sasuke angrily shouted.
He drew three shuriken from his pouch with his left hand and threw them forward.
But he had put too much force into the throw.
Only one hit the target.
The other two flew over it and disappeared into the forest.
“Your performance has gotten worse, Sasuke.” “That’s all your fault!” “Why did you suddenly become unhappy?” “I’m not unhappy!” “Why are you talking like Tōru?” And so, amid the training-related banter between Sasuke and Itachi, Tōru entered a state of meditation, completely ignoring the noise around him.
Being able to maintain concentration and continue his Breathing Style even under extremely dangerous conditions was one of the fundamental requirements for becoming an excellent swordsman.
Tōru had long since grown accustomed to it.
At this moment, he was using the bodily micro-control provided by the Transparent World to guide the physical energy extracted from every cell in his body, along with the spiritual energy accumulated through his “training experience,” toward his abdomen.
The two energies gradually formed a slowly rotating vortex.
Its scale was far beyond anything Sasuke could produce.
Ever since Tōru had mastered Constant Total Concentration through Water Breathing half a year ago, his body had continuously been strengthened by natural energy.
As a result, the amount of energy he could extract from his body was considerable.
If Kakashi’s former teacher, Kushina Uzumaki, had still been alive, she would have discovered that Tōru possessed a peculiar Sage Mode—one that had been acquired through training yet was still growing.
It wasn’t nearly as exaggerated as the vitality of the Uzumaki Clan, but its essence was remarkably similar.
As for the spiritual energy combined equally with his physical energy, that came from the seven years of battle experience Tōru had accumulated in his previous life fighting demons.
That too was anything but insignificant.
Consequently, the amount of energy Tōru extracted was far greater than Sasuke’s.
Next, I just need to accelerate the vortex, and chakra will form…
But then— An abrupt change occurred.
A third force surged into Tōru’s abdomen alongside his Water Breathing, charging in like a wild beast!
This is…
Tōru opened his eyes.
The power obtained from the outside world through Breathing?
At the center of Konoha, inside a bizarre insect-snack shop operated by the Aburame Clan, two toads holding grilled cricket skewers stopped moving and exchanged glances.
“Jiraiya’s back, ribbit?” The toad on the left looked puzzled.
“Didn’t they say he was gathering material in the Hot Springs Village, ribbit?” “Someone is practicing senjutsu.
Who else in Konoha would be practicing senjutsu besides him, ribbit?” The toad on the right wasn’t nearly as surprised.
“But he actually dares to do this outside Mount Myōboku.
That’s some nerve.
He might turn into a stone toad, ribbit…” The toads of Mount Myōboku who practiced senjutsu all knew that natural energy was fundamentally different from the chakra extracted from a shinobi’s body.
It was an extremely violent force.
Natural energy posed little danger to the toads that had lived in this world for countless generations.
But humans had only begun wielding chakra roughly a thousand years ago.
When humans practiced senjutsu, if they couldn’t maintain a 1:1:1 ratio between physical energy, spiritual energy, and natural energy, their bodies would be eroded by the natural energy.
Take Jiraiya, for example.
He couldn’t maintain the ratio perfectly, so every time he used Sage Mode, toad-like features appeared on his face.
And that was merely the consequence of a slight imbalance.
If the natural energy absorbed vastly exceeded the other two energies, he would turn into a stone toad and never be able to return to normal.
And that was exactly the danger Tōru was facing now.
One serious mistake, and he would become part of nature itself.
Previously, Tōru had never practiced chakra, so the natural energy drawn in through Water Breathing merely flowed through his body like water, subtly altering and strengthening his physique.
But now that he had begun extracting chakra, the two different sources of energy had collided.
“Hiss—” Tōru remained completely still and frowned as he looked at his little finger.
When the external force had surged into his abdomen, it had disrupted the balance between the three energies.
The chakra vortex failed to take shape.
At the same time, the muscles and skin of his little finger immediately became translucent, icy blue, resembling a jellyfish.
Through his own skin, Tōru could clearly see the bones of his finger.
The intermittent stabbing pain told him that he had probably made a mistake.
Judging from the mutation, if he continued like this, he might turn into an ice sculpture shaped like a jellyfish.
He wanted to ask Uchiha Itachi what was happening, but he couldn’t afford to divide his attention right now.
Otherwise, the three forces within his body would only become even more chaotic.
Balance.
Balance.
Balance…
Tōru closed his eyes.
Using the Transparent World, he carefully manipulated his breathing, deliberately reducing the efficiency of Water Breathing and slowing the rate at which the external energy entered his body.
What he didn’t realize was that he had just solved, through his innate abilities, a problem that had plagued senjutsu practitioners for countless years.
After roughly five breaths—about five minutes—another, larger vortex finally appeared within Tōru’s abdomen.
As its rotation gradually accelerated, a new form of energy was created.
Tōru immediately felt a sense of fullness in his stomach.
Is this the chakra of shinobi?
No.
Tōru didn’t know that through this accidental process, he had created what was known as Sage Chakra.
From that point onward, things became relatively simple for someone who could see chakra pathways.
He guided the Sage Chakra produced in his abdomen along the network of chakra pathways toward his internal organs, concentrating it within the area around his heart.
After an unknown amount of time, he finally felt a faint sensation of fullness.
With that, Itachi’s third step was complete.
Finally, he needed to distribute the stored chakra to the chakra points controlling the Sharingan— Outside, Uchiha Itachi was teaching Sasuke how to throw kunai in a curved trajectory when he instinctively turned around.
His eyes met a pair of One-Tomoe Sharingan.
“?” He blinked hard.
His first reaction was that he must have seen it wrong.
How could it be this fast?
It hasn’t even been a day!
It was Sasuke’s startled cry that finally pulled him out of his mental shock.
“Tōru, is this your Sharingan?” Sasuke wiped his hands on his clothes before crouching down curiously.
He held Tōru’s face between his hands and stared into his eyes.
“Do you feel anything unusual?” “Hmm…” Tōru’s “chakra” was already full, so he stopped the internal vortex and seriously considered Sasuke’s question.
“I can see more colors.” For example, Sasuke’s face had previously appeared to him as a healthy pale pink.
Now, he could distinguish five different shades across it.
Then he activated the Transparent World, layering its enhanced perception over the Sharingan’s dynamic vision.
Sasuke’s blood flow seems to have slowed down even more…
“Your movements are slower.” “Big Brother?” Sasuke turned toward Itachi with an envious expression.
“This is the power of the Sharingan?” “Yes.” Itachi slowly explained, “The Sharingan possesses a perceptive ability somewhat similar to a microscope and magnifying glass.
Movements appear as slow as a movie played in slow motion.
It can also cast genjutsu without hand seals and reflect genjutsu back at the caster…” “Of course, the exact effects depend on the user’s ocular power.
With a Three-Tomoe Sharingan, the shuriken you just threw would appear as slowly drifting leaves in the opponent’s eyes.” “S-so amazing!” Sasuke became even more envious.
“When will I be able to awaken my own Sharingan like Tōru?” “…” When something unfortunate happens.
Itachi had originally intended to say, You’ll naturally awaken it when you grow older.
But with Tōru’s example right in front of him, that answer clearly wouldn’t work.
So he remained silent for a moment before crouching down to Sasuke’s eye level and speaking with extraordinary gentleness.
“When you need to become stronger, the Sharingan will awaken.
But right now, you have me…
and Tōru to take care of you.
So you don’t need to awaken it yet.” “…” This time, it was Sasuke’s turn to fall silent.
He vaguely sensed that his brother’s expectations for him seemed completely different from his father’s.
His brother didn’t want him to awaken the Sharingan.
Although Sasuke didn’t know why, he firmly believed that Itachi would never hurt him.
A faint sense of tearing appeared in his chest.
He wanted his father’s recognition, yet he didn’t want to go against his brother’s wishes.
So he turned toward Tōru, hoping to find an answer from the third person.
But when he looked over, he seemed to notice something strange.
“Why does Tōru’s Sharingan look a little different from the one Dad showed me this morning?” He raised the question, his entire face almost pressed against Tōru’s nose.
“It seems lighter…” “Is that so?” Tōru blinked and looked toward Itachi questioningly.
“Is it caused by ocular power?” “No.
Ocular power only affects the strength of the Sharingan’s effects, represented by the number of tomoe in the eye.” Itachi leaned closer as well.
He first had Tōru stand with his back to the light, then had him face the light.
Only then did he confirm that Tōru’s eye color really was different from both his own and their father’s.
It wasn’t merely an illusion.
Tōru’s Sharingan wasn’t blood-red, filled with the ferocity and violence normally associated with the Uchiha’s eyes.
Instead, its color resembled the orange-purple glow of evening clouds reflected upon the surface of water.
It was cool yet warm at the same time, as though a faint blue mist had been layered over the ordinary crimson of the Sharingan.
Only then did Itachi remember that Tōru’s natural eye color was different from the pure black of the other clan members.
His eyes were a deep, secluded blue.
Perhaps that was precisely why his Sharingan looked so…
Gentle?
“Your normal eyes actually look scarier.” Sasuke said what Itachi had been thinking.
“Dad’s are different.” “Can you deactivate the Sharingan at will?” Itachi asked.
“Yes.” Tōru manipulated the chakra around his eyes, guiding it back through his chakra network and restoring his normal eyes.
Though it might be strange to put it this way…
After staring at Tōru for a while, Uchiha Itachi thought to himself, Tōru may be the only child in the Uchiha Clan who looks more reassuring after awakening the Sharingan than before.
“As long as you can activate and deactivate it freely, there isn’t much of a problem.” Itachi paused.
“If you want to increase your ocular power, just use the Sharingan’s abilities more often.
Generally speaking, clan members can train their Sharingan to the Three-Tomoe stage within four or five years after awakening it.
If they experience sufficiently strong emotional stimulation, they may progress even faster, but that method isn’t very stable.” Of course, reaching the Three-Tomoe stage also requires their chakra reserves to approach jōnin level.
Otherwise, their personality could undergo unpredictable changes.
“As for the genjutsu performed through the Sharingan…” Itachi activated his Sharingan.
Three tomoe slowly rotated around his pupils.
In Tōru’s eyes, Itachi immediately transformed into a gigantic crow before returning to his normal appearance in the blink of an eye.
Creating an image directly within another person’s mind was a basic application of Sharingan genjutsu.
It was also one of the easiest forms of genjutsu to break.
Itachi was merely demonstrating it for Tōru.
“If you’re interested, you can learn it.
The details are recorded on several stone tablets in the clan’s shrine.
Once you’ve awakened the Sharingan, you’ll be able to read them.” The instant Itachi’s genjutsu ended, a notification sounded in Tōru’s mind.
[Uchiha Itachi used a Sharingan dōjutsu in your presence.
Moon Breathing analysis progress +0.003%.
Current progress: 10.003%.] Tōru was initially delighted.
But then he realized that the increase in Moon Breathing analysis was not the same as Flame Breathing’s three ten-thousandths.
It was only three hundred-thousandths.
In other words, fully analyzing Moon Breathing was ten times more difficult than analyzing Flame Breathing.
The 10% I already possess should be because I have awakened the One-Tomoe Sharingan.
Just as the initial 20% of Flame Breathing analysis exists because I’m an Uchiha and naturally possess Fire Nature.
If my ocular power increases and the Sharingan reaches Two-Tomoe and Three-Tomoe, will the progress increase by another 10% and 20% respectively?
But if that’s the case, I’ll need to use the Sharingan frequently.
That genjutsu Itachi mentioned just now…
“No need.” Tōru shook his head.
“I don’t want to learn the Uchiha Clan’s techniques.” He felt that since he had no intention of serving the Uchiha Clan by becoming a shinobi, he had neither the reason nor the right to learn their hereditary techniques.
It was much like how someone who did not kill demons had neither the reason nor the qualifications to learn the sword forms of a Breathing Style.
As for increasing my ocular power, I can just leave the Sharingan activated while cooking.
Just as Tōru was about to ask what time it was, another notification sounded in his mind.
[After spending four hours in close proximity to Uchiha Itachi: Flame Breathing analysis +0.04%, Wind Breathing analysis +0.02%, Moon Breathing analysis +0.03%.] [After spending four hours in close proximity to Uchiha Sasuke: Flame Breathing analysis +0.03%, Thunder Breathing analysis +0.01%.] Four hours already.
Tōru was slightly stunned.
He looked directly at Itachi and asked, “You have Wind Release chakra?” “Hm?” Uchiha Itachi looked at Tōru strangely.
“How did you know?” Tōru lowered his head without answering.
He now knew that besides Fire Nature chakra, Sasuke and Itachi each possessed another elemental affinity—Lightning for Sasuke and Wind for Itachi.
Seeing that Tōru didn’t want to answer, Itachi simply assumed he must have seen Itachi use a Wind Release technique at some point and didn’t pursue the matter.
“It’s already noon.
Morning training is basically over, Sasuke.” Itachi ruffled both their heads, one hand on each, and smiled with satisfaction.
“Since Tōru has successfully extracted chakra, we can test both of your chakra natures while we’re at it.” Sasuke’s face lit up with anticipation again.
“How do we do that?” “There are special chakra nature test papers.
Most shinobi don’t use these until they become Chūnin, so you two are getting a head start.” Itachi pulled two palm-sized strips of paper from his pocket and handed one each to Tōru and Sasuke.
“Concentrate your chakra in your hand, and the paper will react automatically.
“If you have Fire Nature, the paper will burn.
“Lightning Nature makes it crumple.
“Water Nature makes it become wet.
“Wind Release tears it apart.
“And Earth Release causes it to crumble.” “What if I have more than one?” Sasuke looked worried that he might possess only a single chakra nature.
“Try it and you’ll find out.” Itachi smiled.
“Don’t worry.
There’s nothing wrong with having only one.” Dad won’t be the one saying that later.
Sasuke wrinkled his nose in dissatisfaction before slowly guiding his chakra through his chakra network toward his hand.
This was where the biggest difference between Sasuke and Tōru became apparent.
Tōru could clearly see the location of every chakra pathway, saving him considerable time.
Fifteen seconds later, the paper in Sasuke’s hand changed.
Flames ignited across the right half of the paper, while the left half suddenly crumpled inward like a strip of peeled candy wrapper.
The boundary was perfectly clear, with each half occupying exactly fifty percent.
“You can relax now.” Itachi looked just as happy as Sasuke.
“You have Fire and Lightning.
Fire Release and Lightning Release are both extremely powerful forms of ninjutsu.” “Really?
That’s great!” Sasuke immediately snuffed out the weak flames with his hand and carefully preserved the used test paper as a keepsake.
“Now it’s Tōru’s turn—” Before Uchiha Itachi could finish speaking, Tōru’s chakra instantly reached his hand, as though he had practiced the process ten thousand times already.
As expected, the test paper began burning from one side.
But the next moment— The paper bent and melted like dripping wax.
It was as though it had been soaked in water for three days and three nights.
The affected area gradually expanded from a tiny corner until it spread across the entire sheet.
Even the section that had just caught fire was gradually extinguished beneath the dampness representing Water Nature.
Itachi’s eyes widened.
Th-this is…
It meant that Tōru’s chakra possessed, in addition to the Fire Nature traditionally inherited by the Uchiha, the exact opposite elemental affinity— The most extreme Water Nature!
This level of affinity could probably only be matched by the likes of the Second Hokage and the Demigod of the Shinobi World, Hanzo of the Salamander.
Had the Uchiha Clan actually produced a Water Release prodigy?