'But I still show no signs of awakening the Mangekyō.'
Sasuke's gaze darkened slightly.
After four years of meditative training and sculpting practice, he could indeed sense a significant increase in his mental strength—if he chose to focus on it.
He could now maintain the Three-Tomoe Sharingan for extended periods in daily life, and even use Sharingan Genjutsu to enter the Nine-Tailed Beast's prison within Naruto's body.
This was something the original Sasuke had only achieved after three years of serving Orochimaru, under his meticulous guidance, training in various secret techniques, and undergoing extensive bodily modifications.
Yet Sasuke still felt no indication of awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan.
And the Mangekyō Sharingan was undoubtedly the best weapon against Orochimaru!
Kakashi had assessed Sasuke's current strength as Jonin-level.
Sasuke himself estimated that with the Sharingan active, he should be considered Elite Jonin-level.
The current Sasuke and the Sasuke from three years later in the original timeline were theoretically at the same level—Elite Jonin.
However, in a real fight, the future Sasuke would likely prevail. After all, that Sasuke possessed far greater mastery of secret techniques and combat experience than his present self.
Despite this, Sasuke wouldn't underestimate Orochimaru just because his original self in the previous timeline—an Elite Jonin armed with the Three-Tomoe Sharingan—had defeated him.
This Orochimaru was at his peak, with his body intact and soul whole.
In contrast, the Orochimaru Sasuke had defeated in the original timeline was severely weakened: his soul fragmented, his hands sealed, and his body on the verge of collapse.
Even in that weakened state, the original Sasuke had nearly lost when "killing" Orochimaru.
Furthermore, many Naruto fans in his past life believed Orochimaru had a "weak" resistance to Genjutsu.
But Sasuke considered that "weak" should be put in quotation marks.
The argument stemmed from Orochimaru's instantaneous defeat by Uchiha Itachi's Genjutsu.
The reasoning went that Orochimaru's relentless reincarnation over the years in pursuit of immortality had severely weakened his soul, making it his greatest vulnerability and thus proving reincarnation techniques inevitably weakened the soul, leaving Orochimaru susceptible to Genjutsu.
However, while it was true that Orochimaru was instantly defeated by Uchiha Itachi's Genjutsu, no official sources ever stated that Orochimaru was inherently weak against Genjutsu.
Nor was there any canonical basis for the fan theory that Orochimaru's soul had been weakened by prolonged reincarnation—a baseless speculation detached from the original narrative.
All that existed were the cold, hard numbers from official guides: Orochimaru's Genjutsu stat was listed as 10.
Orochimaru's instant defeat by Uchiha Itachi's Genjutsu only proved the latter's exceptional Genjutsu prowess, not Orochimaru's weakness in Genjutsu resistance.
This point was further illustrated by another Genjutsu Jonin with a Genjutsu stat of 10, Kurenai Yuhi.
As Konoha's foremost Genjutsu expert among the Jonin, Kurenai was instantly defeated in a single exchange against Uchiha Itachi's Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
Orochimaru, on the other hand, had recklessly met Uchiha Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan gaze without any preparation—a Mangekyō Sharingan wielded by a true Genjutsu master.
Uchiha Itachi's Genjutsu prowess needs no further elaboration.
In short, even Uchiha Madara's application of Genjutsu might not have surpassed Itachi's.
Over the years, Sasuke himself had diligently trained in Genjutsu.
His Three-Tomoe Sharingan granted him remarkable progress, marking him as a Genjutsu prodigy.
However, this prodigy status paled in comparison to true Genjutsu geniuses. Sasuke realized this by comparing his own memories from his previous life with Uchiha Itachi's abilities.
Perhaps due to his innate talent and the Straight Tomoe Sharingan, Sasuke found that his progress in taijutsu and ninjutsu far outstripped his progress in Genjutsu.
If an average ninja's aptitude in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu is rated as 1, Sasuke's would be genjutsu 5, taijutsu 8, and ninjutsu 10.
Over time, Sasuke dedicated more effort and time to taijutsu and ninjutsu, while in genjutsu, he didn't aim to excel, but merely to avoid it becoming his weakness.
'It seems emotional stimulation is essential to accelerate the Mangekyō's awakening.'
Despite practicing meditation and yoga for over four years, Sasuke showed no signs of awakening the Mangekyō. Yet, he was already quite satisfied.
After all, the yoga he practiced wasn't some divine secret art or esoteric religious practice, but merely a modern exercise routine for mental and physical well-being found in ordinary yoga studios.
The fact that it boosted his spiritual energy and strengthened his body was already an unexpected and welcome bonus.
Sasuke set his sights on the upcoming Land of Waves mission. Zabuza was a formidable opponent, a litmus test, and an enemy capable of posing a mortal threat.
He wanted to test if the pressure of a life-or-death crisis could awaken his Mangekyō Sharingan.
Perhaps, with a few more years of cultivation, Sasuke's spiritual energy would overflow like water reaching its brim, and the Mangekyō would awaken naturally. But time was running out; he had little time left.
Regardless of any hidden agendas or complications surrounding the Land of Waves mission, he was determined to proceed!
Of course, in the month leading up to the Land of Waves mission, Sasuke had no intention of wasting his time on trivial tasks like catching cats, farming, or collecting trash, as he had in the original timeline.
Instead, he sought missions that would draw blood, fearing that a lack of real combat experience would prevent his Mangekyō Sharingan from awakening during the mission.
It would be a cruel irony if he failed to awaken it and ended up capsizing his own plans.
If the Land of Waves mission failed to awaken his Mangekyō, and it remained dormant until the Chūnin Exams, Sasuke would have to resort to his final contingency:
Fusing with Ido Sasuke within his heart!
Only by awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan could he possess the trump card needed to confront Orochimaru during the Chūnin Exams and ensure he wouldn't be marked with the Cursed Seal.
Orochimaru, in turn, was the linchpin of Sasuke's plan after awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan!
Lost in thought, Sasuke reached the staircase on the first floor of the ninja academy.
As he passed the teachers' office, he saw Mizuki, his expression unusually gentle, whispering sweet nothings to his fiancée, Tsubaki.
Judging by the radiant blush on her face, something... intimate... must have occurred between them the previous night.
Mizuki noticed Sasuke passing by but remained silent, offering only a warm smile. Sasuke returned a composed nod, acknowledging the greeting.
'I guess I've done a good deed after all,' Sasuke thought to himself.
Emerging from the ninja academy, Sasuke let out a self-deprecating chuckle.
Returning to the clan compound, he dispatched one Shadow Clone to prepare lunch while he and the remaining nine clones resumed their grueling training regimen as usual.
The path to mastery lay in unwavering persistence. True strength was built upon arduous training that most people could scarcely imagine.
After transmigrating, Sasuke didn't gain any system or cheat codes, despite becoming one of the world's chosen ones.
His growth still required relentless training, each step painstakingly earned through sweat and determination.
___
This Sasuke Is Strange 150 advanced chapters: (5 ch updates everyday)
Patreon.com/rashta
Be a member so you can also read:
1. 345 adv ch of Talent System In Naruto (Completed)
2. 487 adv ch of This Danzo Is Weird
3. 270 adv ch of Uchiha Madara's Cousin
4. 163 adv ch of WDQK: Divorcing Ling Qingzhu (Completed)
5. 560 adv ch of Qian Renxue's Younger Brother
6. 274 adv ch of I'm Huo Yuhao's System
7. Adv chapters of Naruto: Galgame System (Upcoming)