The journey back to Sound Village took two days. Sasuke pushed them hard, wanting to reach medical facilities quickly.
His eyes were deteriorating.
Not failing—but the stress from absorbing Tokuma's main family Byakugan was significant. Both eyes throbbed constantly. Blood leaked from them in thin streams. His vision wavered between clarity and blur.
"You look worse than usual," Suigetsu observed on the second day. "The main family absorption hit you harder."
"It was more potent." Sasuke didn't stop moving, even as he wiped blood from his face. "Higher quality genetics means more intense integration."
"How long until you can use your eyes again?"
"Unknown. Days. Possibly weeks." Sasuke's jaw clenched. "But it was worth it. Tokuma's Byakugan was easily three times stronger than branch family. One main family absorption equals multiple branch family in terms of effectiveness gained."
Karin moved closer, her sensory abilities scanning his chakra. "Your ocular chakra network is severely inflamed. Both eyes. The Byakugan patterns are fighting with your Uchiha genetics harder than before."
"They'll adapt."
"You're risking permanent damage, Sasuke-kun. If you push too hard—"
"I know the risks." Sasuke's tone was sharp. "I've calculated them. The Hashirama cells will facilitate adaptation. My body is designed for genetic integration now."
"Designed?" Jugo's voice was uncertain. "You're talking about yourself like an experiment."
"That's what I am." Sasuke didn't slow down. "Uchiha genetics. Senju cells. Absorbed Byakugan. I'm an experiment in dojutsu collection. And so far, the experiment is succeeding."
They arrived at Sound Village at dusk. Kabuto was waiting at the entrance, clearly alerted by advance scouts.
"Medical wing," Kabuto said immediately, seeing Sasuke's condition. "Now."
Sasuke didn't argue. His eyes were barely functional—the world was a blur of shapes and colors. His Sharingan couldn't even activate properly.
In the medical wing, Kabuto ran comprehensive diagnostics.
"Your ocular chakra network is severely stressed," Kabuto reported, studying the scans. "Both eyes absorbed Tokuma's main family genetics simultaneously. The potency is causing significant inflammation throughout your entire visual system."
"How long for recovery?"
"Based on cellular analysis... ten days minimum. Possibly two weeks." Kabuto prepared medical supplies. "The Hashirama cells are already working to facilitate adaptation, but main family Byakugan genetics are exceptionally strong. Your body needs time to process them properly."
"And the effectiveness gain?"
Kabuto pulled up comparative scans. "Remarkable. The single main family absorption increased your overall Byakugan integration by approximately fifteen percent. You're now at roughly ninety percent effectiveness compared to natural Byakugan users."
Sasuke absorbed that information. "One more main family absorption should push me to full effectiveness. Maybe exceed it."
"Theoretically, yes. But Sasuke..." Kabuto's expression was serious. "Your eyes are reaching their limit for rapid absorptions. You need to let them fully stabilize before attempting another main family target."
"How long?"
"Three weeks. Possibly a month." Kabuto administered pain medication through IV. "Any sooner and you risk permanent damage. Even with Hashirama cells, there's only so much stress your ocular system can handle."
Sasuke leaned back on the medical bed. "Fine. Three weeks. I'll use the time to plan the next target."
"You're not listening," Kabuto said sharply. "Three weeks of complete rest. No Sharingan activation. No Mangekyo usage. No combat. Your eyes need to fully recover and stabilize."
"Three weeks of doing nothing?"
"Three weeks of recovery. There's a difference." Kabuto injected something else—a sedative. "I'm putting you under for the first seventy-two hours. Your body needs deep rest to facilitate the initial integration phase."
"Wait—"
Darkness took him.
Sasuke woke three days later in the same medical bed. His eyes still throbbed, but the pain had dulled to a manageable ache.
He blinked. Vision was clearer. Not perfect, but functional.
Kabuto entered, checking monitors. "You're awake. Good. How do you feel?"
"Like someone tried to tear my eyes out from the inside."
"That's essentially what happened. Your body is processing incredibly potent foreign genetics." Kabuto ran diagnostic jutsu. "The initial integration phase is complete. Your Uchiha and Hyuga bloodlines are stabilizing. But you're not cleared for activity yet."
"How much longer?"
"At least ten more days. Possibly two weeks depending on how quickly adaptation progresses." Kabuto made notes. "Use this time productively. Study. Plan. But no physical training, no chakra exertion, and absolutely no dojutsu activation."
"What about reviewing intelligence?"
"That's fine. Mental work won't stress your eyes." Kabuto gestured to a stack of folders on a nearby table. "Orochimaru-sama left those for you. Mission reports. Intelligence updates. Potential targets."
Sasuke reached for the folders. His hands were steady despite the eye pain.
The first folder contained reports on Konoha's reaction to Tokuma's death. The Hyuga clan was in uproar. A main family member killed. No body recovered. No evidence except ash and scorched earth.
"They're escalating their response," Sasuke observed, reading through the reports. "Hiashi has personally taken command of the investigation. They're forming dedicated hunter teams."
"They know you're targeting them specifically now," Kabuto said. "The pattern is too obvious. Multiple Hyuga dead over months, all with the same methodology."
"Do they know about the absorption?"
"No direct evidence. But Tokuma's teammate—if any had survived—could have reported it. The fact that all three died suggests Hiashi suspects something unusual is happening to the Byakugan."
Sasuke pulled out another folder. This one contained intelligence on remaining Hyuga deployments. Updated security protocols. New team compositions.
"They've pulled back all isolated members," Sasuke noted. "Minimum four-person teams now. At least one main family member per team. Increased patrols in high-risk areas."
"Making your job significantly harder."
"Making it more challenging." Sasuke's eyes gleamed despite the pain. "Not impossible. Just requires better planning."
He opened a third folder. This one made him pause.
Uchiha survivors.
Orochimaru had compiled a comprehensive list. Scattered reports from across the nations. Unconfirmed sightings. Rumors. Intelligence from various sources.
"Twelve possible Uchiha survivors," Sasuke read aloud. "Spread across four nations. Most are branch family. Low-level shinobi. But two are marked as 'potentially significant.'"
Kabuto leaned over to see. "Uchiha Shin. Former ROOT operative, possibly survived the massacre. Last seen in the Land of Sound, ironically. And Uchiha Izumi—rumored to have escaped before the massacre began."
"Izumi died that night," Sasuke said with certainty from his transmigrator knowledge. "Itachi killed her first. This report is incorrect."
"How can you be sure?"
"I have sources." Sasuke closed that section. "But Shin is interesting. Former ROOT means he'd have combat training. Possibly two-tomoe Sharingan at minimum. Maybe three."
"You want to target Uchiha next?"
"After I complete Byakugan collection. Two more main family targets should bring me to full effectiveness. Then I switch focus to Sharingan." Sasuke's expression was calculating. "I need to strengthen my base Mangekyo before confronting Itachi. Absorbing lesser Sharingan will help with that."
"Lesser Sharingan won't give you Eternal Mangekyo."
"No. But they'll strengthen my current Mangekyo. Refine the pattern. Make the absorption technique more efficient." Sasuke looked at Kabuto. "Every dojutsu I absorb makes the technique stronger. Faster. More precise. By the time I face Itachi, my Takama-ga-hara will be perfected."
Kabuto adjusted his glasses. "You're planning years ahead."
"I'm planning for every contingency." Sasuke pulled out his personal journal—filled with notes, diagrams, calculations. "Byakugan collection: two more main family targets. Sharingan collection: hunt down remaining Uchiha survivors, absorb their eyes. Then Itachi: defeat him, take his eyes, achieve Eternal Mangekyo."
"And after that?"
"Rinnegan." Sasuke's voice was certain. "I have Uchiha blood and Senju cells. The path is already open. I just need time for the natural evolution to occur."
"That could take years. Decades, even."
"I know. Which is why I'm building power in the meantime. Every dojutsu absorbed is another tool in my arsenal. By the time my Rinnegan awakens, I'll already be unstoppable."
Kabuto was quiet for a moment. "Orochimaru-sama is concerned about your obsession."
"Concern or fascination?"
"Both." Kabuto met his gaze. "You're becoming something unprecedented. A dojutsu collector. Every bloodline limit integrated into one body. He's never seen anything like it."
"Good. That means I'm succeeding." Sasuke returned to his notes. "Is there anything else I should know?"
"Team Taka has been asking about you. They want to know when you'll be cleared for operations."
"Tell them two weeks. That should give my eyes enough time to stabilize." Sasuke paused. "How are they handling the escalation? The increase in kills?"
"Suigetsu is unbothered—he's a former assassin, death doesn't phase him. Jugo is conflicted but loyal. And Karin..." Kabuto hesitated. "She's concerned about you. About what you're becoming."
"What I'm becoming is necessary."
"Is it? Or is this obsession driving you beyond necessity into something else?"
Sasuke looked up. His eyes—still bloodshot, still painful—were completely cold.
"I know exactly what I'm doing, Kabuto. Every step is calculated. Every decision is deliberate. I'm not losing myself to obsession. I'm becoming what I need to be to achieve ultimate power."
"And what's that?"
"A collector. A hunter. Someone who takes the divine sight of gods and makes it his own." Sasuke's smile was sharp. "Something this world has never seen before."
Kabuto held his gaze for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I'll inform the others. Two weeks until you're cleared."
He left.
Sasuke returned to his folders. Planning. Calculating. His eyes throbbed with every page turn, but he ignored the pain.