Sasuke flipped to the final section of the book.
Arata, Naruto, and Sakura instinctively leaned in. All of them wanted to see what the Mangekyō Sharingan truly was.
In the past, Sasuke would have hated anyone crowding his space.
But now, instead of irritation, he felt something unfamiliar.
Warmth.
For the first time in years, the cold hollow in his chest felt faintly lit.
Even Arata—who already knew how terrifying the Mangekyō Sharingan could be—felt a chill crawl up his spine as he read the descriptions.
"So it really is…" he murmured. "Like the eyes of a god."
Sasuke swallowed hard.
"Susanoo… power on the level of a deity."
Naruto and Sakura were stunned into silence.
Naruto stared at the page, voice shaky. "Does power like this… really exist?"
Arata nodded, calm as ever.
"It has to. The Uchiha didn't write these records to impress anyone—these were family secrets." He tapped the book lightly. "And if something like the Nine-Tails exists, then power capable of controlling it must exist too."
Naruto stiffened. "You mean… these eyes can control the Nine-Tails?"
Arata glanced at him. "Don't worry. If you gain the Nine-Tails' acknowledgment, even the Mangekyō will have trouble controlling you."
"And even if you were caught in genjutsu, the Nine-Tails would break you out. You're its jinchūriki—if you fall, it falls with you."
Naruto finally released a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
Sasuke, however, had gone completely still.
His fists tightened until his knuckles whitened.
"If I awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan…" His voice was low. "Then I can kill him."
Arata looked at him steadily.
"You'll have to work for it. Itachi also has the Mangekyō." He paused, then added, "But I believe you can surpass him."
Sasuke frowned. "Why are you so sure?"
Arata's smile was faint.
"Because you're willing to give everything for your goal. People like that always go further than they think."
The words landed harder than Sasuke expected.
Arata spoke again, more casually this time.
"But first—finish reading. You're skipping the basics."
Sasuke's ears tinted red. "I… got carried away."
Naruto scratched his cheek. "I don't get half of this."
Sakura, on the other hand, had been fully absorbed. The Uchiha's depth in genjutsu left her stunned in a way she couldn't describe.
After a long while, Sasuke closed the book and stood.
"I'll become strong. Strong enough to surpass even Uchiha Madara."
Arata nodded once. "That's the right mindset."
Naruto sprang up too, eyes blazing.
"Then I'll become even stronger than the First Hokage!"
Arata laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.
"You actually have that potential. Uzumaki vitality, absurd chakra, the Nine-Tails… If you earn its trust, you might surpass him."
Naruto's grin stretched wide, motivation burning bright.
Sakura watched them—and for the first time, she didn't feel left behind.
Arata turned to her.
"You have incredible chakra control. Learn medical ninjutsu and genjutsu. And your taijutsu talent is real." His tone stayed even. "Ask Kakashi to teach you properly. You'll go far."
Sakura froze for a heartbeat, then nodded hard.
"I will."
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