Both Uchiha Itachi and Sasuke were fully alert, eyes sharp and focused.
They both possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Of course, there were drawbacks.
Those side effects weren't just physical. They carried emotional weight—a burden born of sacrifice.
Now that their Kazekage said he had a way to fix it? That was huge.
Mufasa stood tall, his coat swaying slightly as if caught in an invisible breeze. "This time, I'll solve it once and for all with both of you. No more lingering side effects."
His voice was calm, but confident. Assured.
Itachi and Sasuke both felt something stir inside them.
Sasuke stepped forward, curious. "Then what do you plan to do, my lord?"
Mufasa smiled slightly. "Actually, it's not complicated. You just need to upgrade your Mangekyō Sharingan to the Eternal Mangekyō. Once you do, your ocular powers will not only strengthen, but the side effects will vanish."
"Sounds pretty amazing, right?"
Sasuke's younger self would've leapt with joy. Now, he simply nodded. "Yeah... it really is."
Itachi, more cautious, narrowed his eyes. "My lord, how do you know so much about the Sharingan?"
Mufasa chuckled in his head.
'Know about it? I've got more Sharingan than a collector has rare trading cards.' But he kept that thought buried.
Out loud, he answered, "You know I'm a science nerd."
Both brothers nodded. That part checked out.
"To understand chakra, ninjutsu, and everything in between, I've been diving deep into all the kekkei genkai in the ninja world. The Sharingan just happens to be one of the most fascinating."
"When I studied ancient texts and war records, I found the key."
And he wasn't lying.
Mufasa had been gearing up for a full-on Bloodline Awakening Project.
He just hadn't found the right hands to start the work yet. Once Orochimaru was fully recovered, he'd be the first.
Sasuke showed no doubt. "Then I trust you."
Even Itachi gave a slight nod. "So, what exactly do we have to do?"
Mufasa's eyes twinkled.
"It's simple. You both have two eyes. You each give one."
"One of your Mangekyō Sharingan will evolve when it's combined with your sibling's. Since you're blood brothers, the compatibility is perfect."
"Once it takes hold, you both get Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. No more eye pain, no more blindness."
The two brothers exchanged glances, a flicker of something unspoken passing between them.
Itachi tilted his head. "When you said 'a healthy, bright eye'... you meant literally one."
Mufasa nodded. "Exactly."
Itachi blinked, clearly having misunderstood. He thought it was a figure of speech.
Mufasa laughed. "Don't worry. You're not going to walk around like one-eyed pirates. Our tech is way ahead of the game. We've got mechanical prosthetics that look better than real eyes. Nobody will even know."
"You can even upgrade them—night vision, scanning, thermal detection. Want them to shoot lasers? Done."
"Or, if you're not into tech, I can make you some biological replacements once our clone growth system is ready. Maybe even slap a Tenseigan or something in there, just for fun."
A Rinnegan and a Tenseigan? Why not.
The two brothers looked at each other again.
No words needed.
"Alright," they said in sync. "We'll do it."
Mufasa clapped his hands. "Great. Follow me."
In the sterile medical lab, Itachi and Sasuke were now unconscious, prepped and under anesthesia.
Two Mangekyō Sharingan were carefully extracted and placed on a sterilized tray.
Orochimaru stood nearby, tongue twitching, practically drooling.
His eyes shimmered, obsessed with the artful pattern of the Sharingan under the cold lighting.
Mufasa noticed. "Orochimaru, your drool is gonna short-circuit something. Calm down."
Orochimaru chuckled, but didn't deny it. "My lord... you really plan to give those away?"
Mufasa frowned. "You think small, Orochimaru. Getting jealous over an Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan? If you can't think bigger, why are you even with me?"
The words hit hard. Orochimaru lowered his head.
"You're right. I lost focus."
"Then help me finish the surgery."
The operation went smoothly. The new Sharingan were implanted. The brothers were moved to a treatment pod.
It didn't take days.
Just a few hours later, both opened their eyes.
Their Eternal Mangekyō glowed with power, their aura subtly transformed.
Sasuke blinked. "I don't feel any pain anymore."
Itachi flexed his fingers, eyes sharp. The shadows of his past strain were gone.
Mufasa handed each of them a prosthetic eye. Sleek, stylish.
"Pop these in. They can record, scan, even do a little zoom-in action. More importantly, they'll keep you looking good. I'm not sending two emo cyborgs into the field."
After installation, both looked like themselves again.
Maybe even cooler.
Itachi stepped forward. "You're heading out to face Pain, right? Want me to go in as a mole?"
A gesture of loyalty. Mufasa had earned it.
He wasn't like the old leaders who made promises but never delivered.
Mufasa got things done.
But he waved a hand. "No need. I'm not infiltrating. I'm going to teach him something. A little one-on-one pain exchange."
Itachi sighed, confused. (?Д｀)y――
He'd never understand how Mufasa's brain worked.
"In front of this village today last year," Mufasa said, standing atop a hill overlooking Amegakure.
"The rain and lightning danced together." He took a deep breath. "The rain vanished without a trace, but the lightning... it still laughs with the spring wind."
He stood exactly where he had one year ago. The barracks remained perched on the same hill outside the village.
But the distant mountains, once swallowed by a black hole during their pseudo-war against Iwagakure, now bloomed with wildflowers and trees.
Even gloomy, ironclad Amegakure had changed. Sunshine pierced its skies more often now.
Mufasa, overwhelmed by nostalgia and inspiration, suddenly slipped into a poetic mood. As he prepared to meet Pain and Konan, he recited aloud, chest puffed with pride.
Nagato sat nearby, thinking dryly, "It's still lightning and rain, huh? Don't tell me he's planning to 'shock' us again..."
Amegakure wasn't what it used to be. Ever since the Sand-Ame trade agreement was signed, a bustling trade station had popped up.
With more visitors and foreigners roaming the streets, the old Rain Tiger at Will Technique had become useless.
Nagato had quietly canceled it. Now, the village basked in sunlight, for better or worse.
Mufasa finished his poem and looked at them expectantly. "Well? Thoughts on my composition?"
Pain and Konan exchanged a look.
Konan mumbled, "Uh... poetry's not really our thing..."
Pain cut in, "My lord, if you've got something to say, just say it."
Mufasa gave a long, theatrical sigh. "Where in this world can a poet find a true friend?"
He waved his hand. "Alright, alright. Let's change the subject. This one's got your name written all over it."
Pain mumbled again, "Why would we have anything in common...?"
Suddenly, Mufasa clutched his chest, gasping dramatically. "Ah... the pain... I've been in so much pain lately..."
Now Pain was interested. His eyes lit up. "My lord, what kind of pain?"
Mufasa turned his face to the sky, his voice low and full of emotion. "I make too much money. Hundreds of millions... every day. The sheer weight of it all... it hurts. Life feels... meaningless. I'm literally suffering from success.."
Pain blinked. Hard. (っ`-´)マ
Konan facepalmed. ("-";) ノ)`-";)
Mufasa turned dramatically to them. His eyes glistened with false sorrow. "Nagato... I knew you'd understand this pain."
Nagato stared, expressionless. "I... don't understand yours."
He'd known battle, loss, loneliness... but this?
Mufasa frowned at his answer. "Tsk. You're giving up on life just because of a little wealth?"
Nagato twitched. "I'm not giving up. I'm running an organization. I'm literally paralyzed. I'm working nonstop."
Mufasa wasn't fazed. "Well, I can't allow anyone under my care to be poor in pain. Especially the leader of Amegakure. You should lead by example."
He threw his arms wide. "A bag of rice can withstand several floors! A bag of rice can resist the second floor! So much for one bag of rice! Let me wash the bag of rice!"
He launched into another dramatic, gospel-style chant.
Nagato groaned. It felt like his ears were bleeding.
He didn't want to hear the word 'pain' ever again.
Mufasa stepped closer, grabbing Nagato's hand with deep sincerity. "Feel the pain of wealth with me, Nagato."
Nagato yanked his hand back. "I don't want to feel that pain!"
Mufasa shook his head solemnly. "You must."
"Why?"
"Because you're in the Amegakure. You're in the middle of every major trade route. You could do nothing and still get rich just from your location. Unlike, say, the Land of Demons out in the boonies."
Nagato was speechless.
This guy was relentless. Like a rich man trying to hand out pain like free samples.
Mufasa leaned in, speaking softer now. "You know, I'm disappointed in your village."
"I've funded you for over a year through trade. My merchants pay taxes, build roads, feed your economy. I even brought dryers, considering your weather. Not one sold."
"That hurts, Nagato. It hurts."
Nagato rolled his eyes. "You really suffer, huh."
Mufasa nodded. "I feel like an A.T.M."
Konan blinked. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Mufasa waved his hand. "No, worse than that. An ATM at least takes a card. I didn't even get that. I just beeped and my money disappeared."
Nagato inwardly thought, 'Tsk, this capitalist scum, and what the hell is an ATM?'
Nagato leaned back, arms crossed. "Enough with your nonsense, Kazekage... what exactly do you want?"