"So that's how it is..."
This was the first time Mikoto had heard such a secret. In the Uchiha clan, the [Mangekyo Sharingan] was a symbol of profound mystery. Few knew the crucial details behind it. She never imagined that using it would come at the cost of one's sight!
If that were the case, even if they had a showdown with Leaf and the village didn't move against the Uchiha, they would simply transfer Fugaku to a front line where elites gathered.
With the terrifying frequency of combat during wartime, Fugaku's eyes wouldn't last long before going completely blind. Even his Three-Tomoe Sharingan wouldn't be preserved. His strength would decrease rather than increase!
For a ninja, their eyes are second only to their hands. A ninja without eyes is essentially crippled; a sensory mode can never truly replace the insight of physical sight. The more Mikoto thought about it, the more worried she became.
"Don't worry, we just need to weather the storm for a while," Fugaku said.
There were definitely people in the high-ups who harbored a particular prejudice against the Uchiha, especially with these sudden, baseless rumors.
But as long as he insisted he knew nothing, the high-ups would eventually give up after a few investigations. After all, the Uchiha were known as an emotional clan whose ocular power could surge due to intense stimulation during battle.
As long as he got through this wave, he could keep his [Mangekyo Sharingan] hidden until the time was right to use it. It would also give him time to privately master his Mangekyo techniques, as there was currently no suitable opportunity.
"I see." Mikoto pursed her lips. She had already made up her mind to visit Kiyoshi one more time.
...
"The power of Moryo has a catalytic effect on you as well."
Kiyoshi was making his first attempts to use Moryo's power to improve the white snake's body. He had performed numerous clinical trials on other snakes in the laboratory previously.
Now, he had suddenly mastered the [[Beast Tamer (Green)]] Trait. The requirement was to help a summoned beast pass through its infancy. The effect was simple: it allowed Kiyoshi to increase the physical size of the beasts he had tamed.
"I should find time to visit the Inuzuka clan soon."
Kiyoshi looked down at the white snake. Its body had grown a size larger, and it was surrounded by wisps of purple-black energy as it affectionately nudged Kiyoshi's hand.
"Mm, I need to hurry up with the IQ department too."
Kiyoshi noticed the white snake was only growing in size, not in intelligence. Gamakichi could already talk at this age, yet the white snake was still clueless.
"Get in."
Kiyoshi suddenly sensed something and opened his sleeve. The white snake's body immediately shrank, and it zipped into his left sleeve, coiling around his arm. Kiyoshi felt a cold sensation, as if he were wearing a smooth ring.
"Sister Mikoto, did you forget something?"
The sliding paper door to Kiyoshi's inner room was open, allowing him to see across the courtyard to the half-ajar front gate.
"Kiyoshi."
Mikoto grit her teeth and entered. For some reason, the gate hadn't been closed. Unfortunately, Mikoto, consumed by worry for Fugaku, didn't pay it any mind.
She walked quickly to Kiyoshi and once again pleaded with him to put in a good word with the Third Hokage. She begged him to tell them that Fugaku really wasn't hiding anything. Her voice was somber, carrying a hint of desperation.
"Sit first." Kiyoshi pointed to the opposite side of the low table.
Mikoto had no choice but to sit down, her moist eyes fixed intently on Kiyoshi. This had all happened so suddenly. Kiyoshi had unexpectedly become the bridge between the Uchiha and the village, earning the Third's trust.
Originally, Mikoto thought this was good news for the Uchiha, as they could gather intelligence on the village. She never expected she would be the one begging him.
It made Mikoto feel uncomfortable. It was a matter of hierarchy. In her previous conversations with Kiyoshi, she had always maintained the identity of an older sister, placing her in the position of an elder.
Kiyoshi, naturally, was the junior. Now, the roles were reversed; she was the one pleading. And it was such a difficult request. She knew it put Kiyoshi in a tough spot and felt guilty about it. But when she thought of Fugaku, she had to push forward. Her heart was a storm of contradictions.
"Sister Mikoto, it's not that I don't want to help you, but this matter is of great consequence. You must realize that our clan definitely has village moles; they are in the dark while we are in the light."
Kiyoshi shook his head with a troubled look, indicating it wasn't a lack of will, but a lack of ease.
"Besides, wouldn't that be abandoning our comrades still fighting on the front lines? What does Lord Fugaku's hidden strength mean to those clansmen who died? Outsiders will wonder if the Uchiha are plotting something, which will once again make us a target for everyone."
Kiyoshi spoke calmly, this time framing his argument from the Uchiha perspective.
"So it's still no good?" Hearing this, Mikoto felt a wave of disappointment. She had asked him an hour ago, and the answer had been no. Now that she knew Fugaku's specific situation, she was frantic, acting on a desperate hope.
"In principle, it's no good." Kiyoshi waited until Mikoto's eyes dimmed and her body seemed to lose all its strength before he spoke again.
"What... do you mean?" Mikoto perked up, lifting her gaze to look at him. "In principle" usually meant there was still room for negotiation.
"I could choose to ignore the cost, betray the clansmen, and betray the village, all just to help you, Sister Mikoto." Kiyoshi's voice suddenly turned low and heavy.
Hearing this, Mikoto didn't quite dare to meet his eyes. Was she being too exploitative of this boy? Guilt washed over her.
"Because as I've said, you are the kindest person in the clan, and you were the one who reached out to me the most back then."
As he spoke, Kiyoshi's gaze grew increasingly intense, making Mikoto's skin feel almost prickly. She was stunned; perhaps Kiyoshi could no longer be viewed as a child.
He had simply been acting gentle in front of her. Kiyoshi... was a man. And the thing adolescent men thought about most was...
"But you are always 'Lord Fugaku' this and 'Lord Fugaku' that. I feel quite jealous."
"Fugaku is my..." Mikoto's throat tightened, but she couldn't finish the sentence. The two of them hadn't officially established a relationship; there was no formal title.
Seeing Mikoto's flustered state, a trace of an atypical, dark smile touched the corners of Kiyoshi's mouth. Fugaku's weakness was his indecisiveness.
And Mikoto's weakness was her gentleness. This sense of guilt would stifle her heart. People with high moral standards are the easiest to trap in internal conflict.
"So, I want you to help me fulfill a wish," Kiyoshi said, his tone sounding very sincere. "Just a hug. Can you give me a hug, Sister Mikoto?"
Kiyoshi opened his arms. Mikoto's eyelashes fluttered as she hesitated. Her fingers curled slightly, and her palms grew damp with cold sweat; even her breathing slowed.
Her instinct was to refuse, but the words wouldn't come out. She knew Kiyoshi's position, she knew his importance, and she knew his special feelings for her. Because of all that, she didn't know how to face him.
"What? Is Sister Mikoto unwilling?"