Chapter 435 — The Potential Plan
"A… potential plan?"
"A Mangekyō potential plan?"
The moment Uchiha Fugaku heard those words, his pupils shrank sharply—yet just as quickly, his expression darkened.
This kind of plan…
left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Because in the history of the Uchiha clan—
something like this had existed before.
Or more accurately—
an experiment.
A period deliberately erased from the clan's records.
During that time, many elite Uchiha had mysteriously disappeared or died in "accidents."
Yet no one spoke of it.
Even mentioning it felt suffocating.
The cruelty—
the bloodshed—
the sheer wrongness of it all.
Even recalling it was enough to instill fear.
The drug Kei once used to force Uchiha Yuu to awaken his Sharingan—
had originated from that very era.
Fugaku couldn't understand why Kei would want to revive something like that.
Was it because something had gone wrong with his eyes?
Or…
was his ambition beginning to spiral out of control?
"Why?" Fugaku asked, his voice heavy. "You're already this strong. Why would you still want to do something like this?"
"…Huh?" Kei blinked, then quickly grasped what Fugaku was implying.
"You think I'm planning to force Mangekyō awakenings like those idiots did back then?"
Fugaku hesitated. "…Aren't you?"
"Uchiha Shuu. Uchiha Yuu. I forced both of them to awaken their eyes myself," Kei said with a faint chuckle. "And I've already told you—that method doesn't work."
"So why would I walk that same path again?"
Fugaku fell silent.
Clearly, he had misunderstood.
But Kei had no intention of repeating those mistakes.
He didn't possess something like Kotoamatsukami to control unstable minds—
and forcibly awakened Mangekyō users were, more often than not, on the verge of mental collapse.
Unpredictable. Dangerous.
Even with his near-eternal eyes, Kei wouldn't gamble against unknown ocular abilities.
He had no desire to die from his own arrogance.
Mangekyō abilities—
without proper intel—
were far too dangerous.
The only reason he handled Fugaku so easily before was because he knew exactly what those transplanted eyes could do—
and because they weren't originally Fugaku's.
If Fugaku had been using his own awakened eyes—
things might have gone very differently.
"…Then what exactly is your plan?" Fugaku asked quietly.
He couldn't deny it—
he was tempted.
The Mangekyō Sharingan was the foundation of everything the Uchiha truly stood for.
If more clan members could awaken it—
it would be an enormous boost.
If Kei's method worked—
and didn't involve the madness of the past—
then perhaps…
it was worth considering.
"It's simple," Kei said, sitting back down and lightly swirling his tea.
"It starts with emotional cultivation."
Fugaku frowned slightly.
"Emotion…?"
"The Mangekyō is born from extreme emotional states," Kei continued calmly. "Despair. Rage. Loss."
"But in my opinion—"
"Despair works best."
"…You want to cultivate bonds… and then create despair?" Fugaku's expression turned strange. "That's cruel. And emotions aren't easy to control. You'd also need talent…"
He paused.
Then his eyes widened.
"…Wait. You're targeting children?"
"Don't phrase it like that," Kei sighed. "Call it… a guided process."
"And my targets?"
"No issue with talent."
As he spoke, Kei looked directly at Fugaku—with a knowing smile.
Fugaku's face darkened instantly.
"…Itachi?"
"…Or Sasuke?"
"Both," Kei answered without hesitation.
"I have a complete plan. It's built on lies, manipulation, and time."
"But if executed properly…"
"The Uchiha will gain three Mangekyō users."
"And possibly—"
"another wielder of the Eternal Mangekyō."
Fugaku's breathing grew heavier.
He didn't lash out.
Instead, he asked:
"…Explain."
That alone told Kei everything he needed to know.
There was room to negotiate.
After all—
this plan involved his sons.
And Fugaku knew better than anyone—
what it meant to awaken the Mangekyō.
The pain.
The cost.
It wasn't something he wanted his children to endure.
But from Kei's perspective—
this was inevitable.
According to everything he knew—
these three were the most promising of their generation.
Especially Sasuke.
His talent might not seem extraordinary—
but that was only because he hadn't been properly guided.
More importantly—
he was Indra's reincarnation.
Kei didn't know exactly when that power would awaken.
But to be safe—
Sasuke had to reach the Mangekyō stage.
Because only then—
would true transformation begin.
---
Outside the Uchiha Clan Head's house, Uchiha Shisui stood hesitating before the gate.
He had been here many times before—
usually to visit Itachi.
Even after studying under the Third Hokage, he would return when he had time, helping guide the younger boy.
To him, Itachi was different.
Exceptional.
Someone who might one day earn Kei's recognition.
Someone who wouldn't repeat his own mistakes.
Taking a deep breath, Shisui knocked.
He had already made up his mind.
He wasn't here for Itachi.
Nor for Fugaku.
He was here—
for Kei.
That morning, when Fugaku returned—
Shisui had realized something.
He had made his choice.
And with it—
his disappointment.
In the Third Hokage.
In the clans aligned with him.
He knew earning Kei's trust wouldn't be easy.
But he also knew his own value.
He was inside the Third Hokage's faction.
And almost no one knew.
Even if he was just a pawn—
he had access to information.
Not the most secret—
but enough.
Enough to be useful.
Enough to act.
Shisui had let go of his hesitation.
For so long, he had been torn between village and clan—
trapped in indecision.
Now he understood.
His ideals had been naïve.
Just as Kei once told him—
his vision had limited him.
He had never been more than a pawn.
"…I'm no savior," Shisui thought bitterly. "Just a fool."
"So I'll do what a fool can do."
Just then—
the door opened.
A gentle, elegant woman stood there.
Shisui immediately bowed.
Uchiha Mikoto.
Itachi's mother.
The wife of the clan head.
---
Back by the pond, Fugaku sat frozen, staring at Kei.
"…Your plan…"
"…it's far too big…"
Even his words came out disjointed.
Because what Kei had just laid out—
was staggering.
It involved his two sons.
Shisui.
Even the Third Hokage.
A long-term design—
with unimaginable returns.
If the previous plan had been about saving the Uchiha—
then this one…
was something else entirely.
In that sense, this plan wasn't just about strengthening the clan—
it was also, undeniably, about expanding Kei's own influence and authority.
The Uchiha would benefit—that much was certain.
Fugaku's two sons might even awaken the Mangekyō.
And yet, the one who stood to lose almost nothing—
was Kei.
Because his true objective lay elsewhere:
to weaken the remaining power held by the Third Hokage's faction.
Especially…
the Medical Division, which he had clearly set his sights on.
But there was still one critical variable in all of this—
Uchiha Shisui.
Whether Shisui could "handle" the role assigned to him wasn't the real issue.
After all, in this plan—
he was simply being himself.
What truly mattered was—
which side he stood on.
"…What about Shisui?" Fugaku asked after a long silence. "His position… his choice…"
Kei smiled faintly.
"In truth, he's already leaning toward me."
"Of course, there are uncertainties. For example—there's still that curse seal on his tongue."
"I'll need to evaluate him properly. I should meet him in person."
"And you, Fugaku… should start preparing as well."
"…Preparing?" Fugaku frowned. "I don't recall agreeing to any of this."
Kei's gaze turned calm—almost indifferent.
"Even if it's painful… do you really want your children to grow up sheltered under your protection forever?"
"We're building this environment—what, so that when we're gone, nothing remains?"
"A clan head isn't just a title. It carries the weight of inheritance."
"If the next generation never experiences hardship… never learns what they must—"
"Will they be worthy?"
"Will they be able to judge correctly when the time comes?"
"When everything changes—will they be able to protect the clan? The village?"
Fugaku fell silent.
He wanted to argue—
to say he could simply pass down his own eyes.
But deep down, he knew—
Kei was right.
Eyes taken from another would never truly be one's own.
Even their power—
would never fully belong.
He himself was proof of that.
Despite possessing immense strength, he could never completely control those abilities.
Because they weren't his.
"…I understand," Fugaku sighed. "You want me to use my own eyes—to control him with genjutsu?"
"Something along those lines," Kei nodded. "But it depends on you—and what you're capable of."
"Yes, the younger generation has the right to choose."
"But a clan head… doesn't."
"Unless you intend to spare them entirely."
"And if that's the case…"
"That would be selfish."
Fugaku closed his eyes.
After a long moment—
he gave a quiet nod.
But just as he was about to speak—
the door slid open.
Uchiha Mikoto walked in—
with someone behind her.