Chapter 12: Drink a Glass of Milk Every Day
"Kakashi…"
Sasuke clenched his fists.
During his battle with a powerful ninja like Zabuza, Kakashi had been showered with praise.
"Sharingan Kakashi," "Copy Ninja," "Famous throughout the ninja world."
Even the other two had chimed in, one of them calling Kakashi a "ninja world internet celebrity," "Kakashi the 50/50."
Although Sasuke didn't understand what that meant, it was clearly praise.
And yet, this Hatake Kakashi had been instantly defeated by his brother.
The stark disparity made Sasuke grit his teeth.
Even if he trained hard under someone who was so easily defeated by his brother, what would be the point?
Thinking back to yesterday, being smug about climbing trees and splashing across water, gloating after beating Naruto, then feeling frustrated and resentful after losing to Sakura, it all seemed unbearably childish now.
"Uchiha Sasuke."
"Huh?!"
Lost in thought, Sasuke was startled when Shiromo suddenly appeared in front of him and called his name.
His body tensed instantly.
"Don't be nervous. I just came to ask you something," Shiromo said calmly. "Do you want to know how to improve your strength?"
"…Tell me."
Sasuke glanced toward Itachi in the distance.
Itachi hadn't moved at all; Sasuke assumed he was using genjutsu to restrain Kakashi.
In reality, everything was already over.
No matter how much time passed inside the Tsukuyomi space, only a single moment elapsed outside.
Itachi was deliberately standing still, quietly listening to what Shiromo intended to say to Sasuke.
"I am an archaeologist. Your Uchiha clan possesses a stone tablet that records methods for advancing the power of the Sharingan. Each time the Sharingan evolves, it can perceive more information. Of course, there are errors in the inscription. I also know the correct information."
"Tell me!"
Sasuke grew visibly excited upon hearing this.
The other party actually knew the secret methods of enhancing the Uchiha clan's power, and from his tone, it sounded like he had researched them thoroughly.
Nearby, after hearing Shiromo's words, Itachi also fell into deep thought.
He had naturally seen the Uchiha stone tablet himself.
He knew there was still a vast amount of information on it that he couldn't read.
However, while he had never fully trusted the tablet's contents, he hadn't expected Shiromo to bring it up now.
"Don't rush. We have plenty of time to explain."
"First, the most basic stages of the Sharingan, from awakening to advancement, are all related to emotional fluctuations."
Shiromo sat down on the ground and began his explanation.
"Emotional fluctuations?"
Sasuke immediately recalled the night of his clan's massacre, his face turning pale.
"That's right. You've actually already awakened the Sharingan, but due to insufficient foundational ability, you can't control it yet."
"The awakening and evolution of the Sharingan are unrelated to physical strength. However, mastering it, maintaining it for long periods, and using it frequently, these all require a solid foundation."
"What? I've already awakened the Sharingan?"
Sasuke was first shocked, then overjoyed.
"What are you happy about?" Shiromo said coldly. "Is awakening a tomoe in rage after your entire clan was wiped out really something to celebrate?"
"…."
The words were like a splash of ice water, leaving Sasuke flushed with embarrassment.
"But don't blame yourself too much. As I said, the key lies in 'emotional fluctuation,' not the event itself. In other words, a 'fragile Uchiha' is actually more likely to awaken and advance the Sharingan than a 'strong-willed Uchiha.'"
"A classic example is Uchiha Madara from the Warring States period. Back then, death was an everyday occurrence, so Madara's threshold for loss was extremely high. He was older than you are now when he truly awakened his Sharingan."
"Likewise, someone raised in a peaceful, sheltered environment might awaken their Sharingan simply by discovering their father's possible infidelity. They wouldn't need hatred, strong feelings about protecting their comrades alone could awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"…Uchiha Madara?"
The name was legendary within the Uchiha clan.
Everyone knew it, but very few knew the actual story behind it.
Sasuke listened intently, committing every word to memory, far more focused than he ever was during lessons at the Ninja Academy.
"I could stop here," Shiromo continued, "but since I've already started, I might as well explain everything at once."
"The ultimate evolution of the Sharingan."
"Ultimate evolution?"
Sasuke's expression turned solemn. He stepped forward twice, eyes locked onto Shiromo.
He completely ignored Naruto and Sakura, who had been calling out to him for some time after settling Kakashi behind him.
"The ultimate evolution is also recorded on the Uchiha stone tablet, but even your brother can't see it yet."
"However, I can tell you this:The Sage of Six Paths had two sons, Ashura and Indra, who each inherited part of his power. Indra became the ancestor of the Uchiha clan, while Ashura became the ancestor of the Senju and Uzumaki clans."
"Because of their struggles and obsessions, the chakra of these two brothers continuously reincarnates. The stone tablet states: 'By combining the power of the Uchiha and the Senju, one can obtain the power of all things in the universe.'"
"But that statement is wrong."
"Only by combining the chakra of Indra and Ashura can one obtain the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths. Simply mixing Uchiha and Senju chakra is meaningless."
"The future ninja world will face invasions beyond imagination, and I need to gather enough fighting power. So, Uchiha Sasuke, do you understand? Why did I choose to tell you all this, to help you, even though I am your brother's comrade?"
"Because I… I possess Indra's reincarnated chakra, making me qualified to advance to the ultimate eye?"
Sasuke instantly grasped the only possible answer and froze.
"That's right. You only need to obtain the chakra of Ashura's reincarnation during the stage before the final evolution."
"Ashura's reincarnation is…"
"The blond guy behind you."
"I knew it…"
Sasuke took a deep breath. "Then how do I obtain Ashura's chakra?"
"There are two methods. One harms him, the other does not."
"The former is unstable and requires gambling. Uchiha Madara used this method for decades and only succeeded shortly before his death."
"The latter is far more stable and allows continuous acquisition, so the probability is much higher, but there are no precedents for how long it will take."
Shiromo laid out the two options.
"Why didn't Uchiha Madara choose the latter method?"
Instead of choosing immediately, Sasuke asked this question.
"Perhaps he never considered it," Shiromo replied. "Or perhaps the latter method would attract strange looks from the world, and Uchiha Madara cared about his reputation…"
"Reputation is meaningless," Sasuke said firmly. "Tell me the latter method."
At this point, Sasuke trusted Shiromo completely.
If Shiromo wasn't Itachi's comrade, Sasuke would have already betrayed Konoha and followed him without hesitation.
Kakashi? He is just a roadside stall.
On Itachi's side, hearing that Sasuke chose the method that didn't harm his comrades, he secretly smiled in relief.
"The method," Shiromo said, "is that you drink a cup of his 'milk' every day."
Shiromo pointed directly at Uzumaki Naruto.
(End of this chapter)