Sasuke traveled alone to the Land of Rivers.
He'd given Team Taka the option to come, but decided a solo operation was better for the first Sharingan absorption test. Too many unknowns. If something went wrong, he didn't want witnesses—even loyal ones.
The journey took three days. He moved fast, using his enhanced stamina from Hashirama cells to maintain a pace that would exhaust normal shinobi.
His mind worked constantly during travel. Planning. Calculating.
Byakugan absorption required physical contact and 8-20 seconds depending on the target's strength. Cross-family genetics made it painful, difficult.
Sharingan should be different. Same bloodline family. Uchiha to Uchiha. The genetics should be compatible, not fighting each other.
But will that make absorption easier? Or will same-family genetics resist differently?
Only one way to find out.
He found Ryo's bandit camp on the evening of the third day.
Small operation. Maybe fifteen bandits total. They'd taken over an abandoned mining facility, using it as a base for raids on merchant caravans.
Sasuke observed from the treeline for two hours. Mapping patrol patterns. Identifying Ryo.
There—the Uchiha was easy to spot. Mid-twenties. Dark hair. Clan features still recognizable. He moved with basic shinobi training, but nothing exceptional. His Sharingan wasn't even active.
One tomoe. Barely developed. This is going to be pathetically easy.
Sasuke waited until midnight. The camp settled into sleep patterns. Guards posted at the perimeter, but sloppy. Tired. Not expecting threats.
He moved.
Silent. Fast. His hybrid Sharingan-Byakugan vision let him see everything—the guards' positions, their chakra networks, blind spots in their awareness.
Through the perimeter without being detected. Into the main building where Ryo slept.
The Uchiha was alone in a small room. Asleep. Vulnerable.
Sasuke stood over him for a moment. This was a member of his clan. Technically. Someone who'd survived the massacre. Who'd chosen banditry over returning to Konoha or seeking justice.
Does that make him better or worse than me? He steals from merchants. I steal divine sight itself.
We're both thieves. Just different scales.
Sasuke's hand moved. Covered Ryo's mouth before he could scream. The Uchiha's eyes snapped open—Sharingan activating instinctively. One tomoe spinning.
But Sasuke's Mangekyo was already active. The spiral pattern blazed, lavender and red swirling together.
Ryo's eyes widened in terror and recognition. Another Uchiha. With Mangekyo. And those patterns—what ARE those—
Takama-ga-hara activated.
The connection formed instantly. But completely different from Byakugan absorption. This felt... natural. Effortless. Like his Mangekyo was recognizing family. Welcoming it home.
Ryo's one-tomoe Sharingan began to transfer. The ocular chakra structure flowing smoothly from his eyes to Sasuke's.
No resistance. No fighting. No pain. Just... acceptance.
It's like the technique was designed specifically for this. Absorbing Sharingan feels RIGHT in a way Byakugan never did.
Three seconds. The absorption completed.
Ryo's Sharingan faded. His eyes returned to normal black. Empty. Powerless.
Sasuke released his mouth. The former Uchiha gasped, hands flying to his face.
"My... my Sharingan..." Ryo's voice was broken. "You took... how did you..."
"Easily." Sasuke's Mangekyo gleamed in the darkness. "Same bloodline. Compatible genetics. Your eyes practically wanted to merge with mine."
"What ARE you?" Ryo tried to scramble backward, but Sasuke's hand caught his shoulder. Held him in place.
"A collector." Sasuke's tone was matter-of-fact. "Every Sharingan in existence will eventually belong to me. Yours was just the first."
"Please—" Ryo's voice cracked. "I have information. About other survivors. I can help you find—"
"I already know where they are. I've been tracking every Uchiha survivor for months." Sasuke's grip tightened. "You have nothing to offer me except what I've already taken."
Lightning blade formed in his free hand.
"Wait! We're the same clan! Brothers! You can't just—"
"We're not brothers. We're not even the same species anymore." Sasuke's eyes—hybrid Sharingan-Byakugan with that newly absorbed tomoe already integrating—were completely cold. "You're human. I'm something else."
The lightning blade pierced Ryo's heart. Death was instant. Quiet.
Sasuke stood, forming hand seals. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu."
The massive fireball engulfed Ryo's body and most of the room. Flames spread quickly—old wood, dry materials, perfect fuel.
Shouts erupted outside. The bandits realized something was wrong.
Sasuke was already moving. Through the window. Into the darkness. His Byakugan tracked every bandit in the compound—fifteen signatures, all converging on the fire.
Witnesses. All of them saw me enter. Some might have seen my face.
Can't leave them alive.
His hands moved through seals. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Multiple massive fireballs erupted in sequence. The entire mining facility became an inferno within seconds. Bandits screamed. Some tried to flee. Most burned.
Sasuke eliminated the runners with precise Chidori strikes. Clean. Efficient. No survivors.
Within ten minutes, the entire compound was ash and flames.
He stood at the treeline, watching the fire consume everything. His left eye throbbed slightly—the absorbed Sharingan integrating with his existing pattern.
One tomoe Sharingan. Weak. But the absorption was effortless. Three seconds. No pain. No resistance.
Byakugan takes 8-20 seconds and hurts like hell. Sharingan took three seconds and felt natural.
My technique IS designed for Sharingan absorption specifically. Everything else is secondary.
He activated his Mangekyo. Studied the pattern in his reflection in a nearby puddle.
The spiral design had changed subtly. One of the hollow nodes in the pattern's inner circle had filled in—a tiny red dot representing the absorbed one-tomoe Sharingan. Barely visible, but there.
The pattern evolves with each absorption. Shows what I've collected. When it's complete, every node will be filled. Every dojutsu represented.
Eleven Byakugan—ten nodes filled with lavender. One Sharingan—one node filled with red.
How many nodes total? Hard to count. Maybe... thirty? Forty?
That's how many dojutsu I need to collect before the pattern is complete. Before I've achieved my ultimate form.
He deactivated his Mangekyo and turned away from the burning compound.
Seventeen more Uchiha survivors on the target list. Most with one or two-tomoe Sharingan. A few with three.
If I absorb them all, that's eighteen Sharingan total. Plus Itachi's Mangekyo makes twenty.
Still not enough to fill all the nodes. I'll need more. Preserved Sharingan from the Uchiha compound. Implanted eyes from Danzo if I can get to him before canon events.
Every single Sharingan in existence. All of them mine.
The journey back to Sound Village took three days. Sasuke spent the time analyzing the absorption.
Three seconds for one-tomoe. How long for two-tomoe? Three-tomoe? Mangekyo?
The stronger the Sharingan, the more potent the ocular chakra. Logic suggests stronger eyes take longer to absorb.
But same-family genetics mean no resistance. Even three-tomoe should take maybe five to seven seconds. Manageable in combat.
Mangekyo though... that could be different. Those eyes have individuality. Unique abilities. Stronger identity.
Itachi's Mangekyo might resist the absorption. Might take ten, fifteen, even twenty seconds.
Which means I need to completely incapacitate him before attempting it. Can't have him conscious and fighting during the process.
He arrived at Sound Village on the fourth day.
Kabuto was waiting. "I sensed your chakra signature. Successful test?"
"Completely." Sasuke walked with him toward the medical wing. "Sharingan absorption is significantly easier than Byakugan. Three seconds for one-tomoe. No pain. No resistance."
"Same bloodline advantage." Kabuto prepared examination equipment. "Your technique recognizes Uchiha genetics as compatible rather than foreign. Fascinating."
"How long do you estimate for stronger Sharingan?"
"Two-tomoe? Maybe four to five seconds. Three-tomoe? Six to eight seconds." Kabuto ran diagnostic jutsu. "Mangekyo could be significantly longer—those eyes have developed unique abilities, stronger individual identity. They might resist absorption more actively."
"Estimated time for Mangekyo?"
"Ten to twenty seconds, possibly longer depending on the specific abilities manifested." Kabuto studied the scans. "You'll need to completely neutralize your target before attempting Mangekyo absorption. They can't be conscious or actively resisting."
"Noted." Sasuke sat still while Kabuto worked. "What about integration time? Recovery needed?"
"One-tomoe Sharingan?" Kabuto smiled slightly. "You don't need recovery. Your body barely registered it as foreign. Maybe six hours of minor discomfort, then complete integration."
"So I can absorb multiple weak Sharingan in rapid succession."
"Theoretically, yes. Your technique and body can handle it." Kabuto made notes. "But I'd still recommend spacing them out. Maybe one per day for two-tomoe or higher. Just to be cautious."
"Acceptable." Sasuke stood. "Where's Team Taka?"
"Training grounds. They've been waiting for your return."
Sasuke found them running combat drills. They stopped when he approached.
"Well?" Suigetsu asked immediately. "How'd it go?"
"Successful. One Sharingan absorbed. Three-second absorption time. No complications." Sasuke activated his Mangekyo briefly, showing them the subtle change in pattern—one new red node among the lavender ones. "Sharingan absorption is significantly easier than Byakugan."
"Because it's your own bloodline," Karin observed.
"Exactly. The technique recognizes Uchiha genetics as compatible." Sasuke deactivated his Mangekyo. "Which means we can accelerate the collection phase. Multiple targets per week instead of waiting for long recovery periods."
"How many Uchiha are on the target list?" Jugo asked.
"Seventeen more confirmed survivors. Most are weak—one or two-tomoe Sharingan. Easy targets." Sasuke pulled out updated profiles. "We'll hit them systematically. Start with the weakest, work our way up to stronger opponents."
"What about Itachi?" Suigetsu's grin was eager. "When do we go after him?"
"After I've absorbed at least ten more Sharingan. I need to strengthen my base Mangekyo first, refine the absorption technique on weaker targets." Sasuke's expression was calculating. "Itachi is the endgame for this phase. I can't afford mistakes when facing him."
"Because you need his eyes," Karin said quietly.
"Because I need Eternal Mangekyo. His eyes are the key to that." Sasuke's tone was matter-of-fact. "Everything I'm doing now is preparation for that confrontation. Every Sharingan absorbed makes me stronger, makes the technique more refined, increases my chances of success."
"When do we start?" Jugo asked.
"Tomorrow. Team operation this time." Sasuke spread out a map. "Target: Uchiha Kaito. Two-tomoe Sharingan. Operating as a bounty hunter in the Land of Hot Water. He works alone, takes high-value contracts, stays mobile."
"What's the approach?" Suigetsu studied the map.
"Standard pattern. You three engage and distract. I isolate the target, perform absorption, execute, and we burn the evidence." Sasuke pointed to likely locations. "Kaito is skilled—jonin level combat ability. But he's used to fighting normal opponents. He won't be prepared for what I am."
"None of them are," Karin said softly.
"Exactly. That's our advantage." Sasuke's Mangekyo activated briefly. "They'll see an Uchiha with Sharingan and think they understand what they're facing. They won't realize until it's too late that I'm not just another clan member. I'm something that consumes Sharingan. That steals their very identity."
"That's disturbing when you phrase it like that," Suigetsu observed. But his grin suggested he found it fascinating rather than horrifying.
"It's accurate." Sasuke deactivated his Mangekyo. "We leave at dawn. Pack for a five-day mission. Standard combat loadout. Expect jonin-level resistance."
"And the target afterward?" Jugo asked.
"Uchiha Yuki. Three-tomoe Sharingan. Former ANBU. Extremely dangerous." Sasuke's expression was cold. "But that's next week. One target at a time. Build the collection systematically."
They dispersed to prepare. Sasuke remained in the training ground, studying the target profiles.
Eighteen Sharingan on the immediate list. Three to five weeks to collect them all if I maintain pace.
Then what? Search for preserved Sharingan in the Uchiha compound? Hunt Danzo for his arm full of stolen eyes?
Or move directly to Itachi once I have enough absorbed Sharingan to feel confident?
His Mangekyo activated unconsciously. The spiral pattern with its mixed lavender and red. Eleven nodes filled—ten Byakugan, one Sharingan. So many more still empty.
The collection is accelerating. Byakugan took six months. At this pace, Sharingan collection will take two months maximum.
Which means I'm ahead of schedule. The Otsutsuki won't arrive for years, possibly decades. But every dojutsu I collect now is one more tool when they finally come.
If they come. If that's even my real motivation.
Am I collecting power to save the world? Or am I saving the world as an excuse to collect power?
Does it matter? Either way, I become strong enough to face gods. Either way, I achieve my goal.
He deactivated his Mangekyo and headed to his quarters.
Tomorrow, the Sharingan hunt would begin in earnest.
Tomorrow, he would hunt his own clan systematically.
And by the time he was done, every Uchiha eye in existence would belong to him.