"Mangekyo Sharingan?"
Upon hearing the elder's regretful sigh, Ruri frowned.
"What does it have to do with that?"
She couldn't understand the necessary connection between assassinating Hakushi and the Mangekyo Sharingan.
The elder's expression was calm, saying nothing, just hunching over and walking aside.
He made a seal towards a stone slab, which floated up to reveal a dark passage leading underground.
"Follow me, I'll tell you the ultimate secret of our Uchiha clan."
The elder took the lead going down, and after hesitating for a moment, Ruri followed him down the underground passage.
The basement connected by this passage wasn't very deep, but Ruri could feel that the stone slabs enclosing this space were made of special materials with very strong resistance.
On the wall opposite this basement were imprinted the fan symbol of the Uchiha clan, and in the center stood an ancient stone tablet, half the height of a person.
The inscriptions on the tablet were bizarre and old, completely unlike any readable script.
"Do you know this place?"
The elder asked.
"I've heard of it, but it's my first time here. Is there something special about it?"
Ruri observed the surroundings carefully with her Sharingan, but detected nothing.
Except for the stone tablet, everything else seemed normal here.
"This tablet records the secrets passed down from our Uchiha ancestors. With the Sharingan and Mangekyo Sharingan, one can decipher its contents in sequence, obtaining forbidden power."
The elder used his Sharingan to view the contents on the tablet, explaining to Ruri.
"Forbidden power? Mangekyo Sharingan?"
"That's right, because the Sharingan can only see part of the contents. The rest requires the more advanced Mangekyo Sharingan to decipher... and the method to activate the Mangekyo Sharingan is to kill... a loved one!"
In that instant, the elder's benevolent expression vanished, replaced by a sinister, evil look in his eyes.
The revelation of how to acquire a Mangekyo Sharingan left Ruri stunned, her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the elder, her expression frozen, her body seemingly petrified, unable to move.
"Kill... a loved one?"
Perhaps to confirm this absurd notion, Ruri paused before asking.
"Yes, Ruri, that's the way to activate the Mangekyo Sharingan. But actually, killing a loved one isn't exactly accurate. For example, a friend as dear as family can also work. That's how Lord Madara and Lord Izuna awakened theirs."
Seemingly reminiscing about some past event, the elder recounted in a melancholy tone.
Hearing this, Ruri clenched her fists, standing there frowning, her eyes filled with revulsion and anger.
"You say they activated their Mangekyo Sharingan that way... did they..."
The name of Uchiha Madara is self-explanatory, but his brother Uchiha Izuna is also a prominent ninja in the Uchiha clan, ranking just below Madara in power during his lifetime.
Both were renowned for their Mangekyo Sharingan, dominating as ninjas in the Warring States Era.
The elder stared directly into Ruri's eyes, a sinister smile stretching across his lips, speaking each word slowly: "That's right. Lord Madara and Lord Izuna, in their quest for greater power to lead the Uchiha clan, killed their closest friends within the clan to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan."
Ruri glared coldly at the elder, and for some reason, she suddenly felt a sense of disappointment towards the clan.
Her disappointment extended to the legendary power of the Mangekyo Sharingan as well.
"But not everyone can awaken the eye using this method. With the passing of Senju Tobirama and that brat Hiruzen Sarutobi taking power, I realized the Uchiha clan's time had come. I wanted to see the Mangekyo Sharingan reborn in the clan to dominate Konoha, but… I failed."
The elder spoke of these past events with deep regret.
Ruri clenched her fists tighter, realizing for the first time what kind of person the elder truly was, despite his usual amiable demeanor.
Ruri understood what his 'failure' meant.
As a member of this clan, all Ruri felt was disgust, a cold sweat running down her back.
This old man must have in the past used coercive means to force clan members to open their eyes, making them kill their friends and family.
But under his leadership, not a single coerced clan member managed to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan.
It failed for various reasons.
"Their potential wasn't enough. Though they experienced emotional trauma from losing something important, their abilities were lacking. After all, before awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan, Lord Madara and Lord Izuna were already renowned ninjas. It was when I was in despair that you appeared, Ruri."
Speaking to this point, the elder fixed his fanatical gaze on Ruri, or rather, on her vibrant, brilliant-red Sharingan.
As if convinced that her eyes would ultimately transform into Mangekyo Sharingan.
"I know that with your personality, it's hard for you to make that decision. So I thought, having someone else kill that man in front of you would be no different from you doing it yourself. But Rika's mission failed, which was unexpected to me."