Menma had originally intended to leave immediately after finishing his explanation.
However, upon hearing Sasuke's question, he paused.
Turning slightly, he looked back at Sasuke Uchiha, who had just finished wrapping a bandage around his injured right hand. A faint smile curved on Menma's lips as he spoke in a calm tone.
"It took you quite a few days to ask that. I thought you weren't interested at all, Sasuke."
After all, the matter had been carried out openly.
If it had been anyone else, they would have questioned it immediately.
But Sasuke had waited.
As for Orochimaru, his lack of inquiry was understandable. He already possessed a vast collection of Sharingan. Prior to the annihilation of the Uchiha clan, there had been many awakened members among them, numerous users of the three-tomoe Sharingan, including individuals with jōnin-level combat ability.
That very fact had been one of the core reasons why figures like Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura had feared the clan.
Dozens of jōnin-level shinobi within a single clan
That was far beyond the norm.
In a world where military strength defined survival, such a force could not be ignored.
And so, the Uchiha clan had been eliminated.
In the aftermath, individuals like Danzo and Orochimaru had each taken their share. Numerous Sharingan became their personal assets tools for experimentation and power.
Danzo had even gone so far as to implant multiple Sharingan into his arm, a grotesque yet effective extension of Orochimaru's research methodologies.
Because of that
Orochimaru had no reason to care about Menma acquiring a single three-tomoe Sharingan.
But Sasuke was different.
"That's the Sharingan," Sasuke said coldly, his voice low.
Menma nodded slightly.
"Exactly because it's the Sharingan, it interests me. But like I told Orochimaru before, I'm not interested in the eye itself I'm interested in what it represents."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"The Uchiha clan's power… the Yin Release chakra manifested through the Sharingan. That's what I'm studying. It's a shortcut an efficient path to understanding a much deeper system of power."
His words were only partially revealing the truth.
The nature of Yin Release chakra was essential to Menma's long-term ambitions.
If he intended to reach the highest tiers of power those associated with the Ōtsutsuki lineage he would need to approach the level of a Kekkei Mōra, the fusion of all chakra natures.
That required not only physical development but also spiritual evolution.
In simpler terms
Mastery over Yin Release.
While Menma's physical foundation, bolstered by his Uzumaki heritage and the Nine-Tails, was already exceptional, his progress in spiritual domains remained limited.
The Sharingan provided the most direct avenue to bridge that gap.
From the Mangekyō Sharingan to the Rinnegan
These were not merely evolutions of the eye, but transformations tied to the very essence of chakra itself.
Menma intended to explore that path.
"…Yin Release chakra?"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly as he processed the explanation.
After a moment, he gave a faint nod.
Menma continued, his tone steady.
"You should also consider researching it yourself. It might help temper your eyes and push them toward a higher stage. The methods of your predecessors aren't wrong but they aren't necessarily the only path forward."
He paused briefly.
"What do you think, Sasuke?"
There was a subtle implication in his words.
Sasuke's expression shifted.
For a brief instant, something dark flickered in his gaze.
A memory.
That night
Five or six years ago.
A whisper in the darkness.
The image of Itachi Uchiha resurfaced in his mind.
"…Menma," Sasuke said suddenly, his voice low and probing. "Are you really who you say you are?"
Menma smiled faintly.
Instead of answering directly, he responded with a question of his own.
"Does that really matter?"
His gaze remained calm, unwavering.
"Right now, aren't there more important things to focus on?"
Sasuke was momentarily taken aback.
Then, slowly, he nodded.
"…You're right. It doesn't matter."
Menma's true nature.
His secrets.
His motives.
None of it mattered.
What mattered was the path ahead.
As long as Menma did not stand in his way and could even help him grow stronger then their alignment was sufficient.
Whether Menma had ulterior motives was irrelevant.
"Let's leave it here for today," Menma said with a light smile, turning away. "We'll have plenty of opportunities in the future. Whether it's your goals… or Konoha, I'm sure we'll have more to discuss."
With a casual wave, he departed.
There were still many things he could not yet tell Sasuke.
Not because he was unwilling
But because the timing was not right.
More importantly, Menma himself had yet to fully define Sasuke's role in his future plans.
Sasuke was important.
Crucial, even.
Every decision Menma made had to account for that.
Especially when it came to Itachi
That subject remained Sasuke's greatest vulnerability.
It was not something to be handled recklessly.
Step by step.
That was the only viable approach.
Watching Menma's retreating figure, Sasuke let out a slow breath.
"…Mangekyō Sharingan… Itachi…"
His hands clenched slightly.
"I'll obtain that power… no matter what it takes."
His voice was low, filled with restrained fury.
"And then… I'll make you pay."
With that, he turned and left the training ground.
Time continued to move forward.
The upheaval caused by the Konoha Crush the joint operation between the Hidden Sand and the Hidden Sound gradually began to settle.
This was due not only to Konoha's swift and effective response, but also to the inaction of other major powers such as Iwagakure and Kumogakure.
Historically, the great shinobi wars had always escalated through chain reactions.
One conflict would ignite another.
Like falling dominoes, the entire shinobi world would be dragged into chaos.
This time had been no different at first.
But under the leadership of Tsunade, Konoha moved decisively. An alliance treaty was quickly established with Sunagakure, cutting off the momentum of further escalation.
In just a few short months, the political climate shifted dramatically.
For the smaller nations and hidden villages, it had been a period of extreme instability uncertainty rising and falling like a violent tide.
Now, at last
There was a fragile sense of relief.
This could be seen most clearly in the gradual reduction of military forces along the borders of the Five Great Nations.
Maintaining large-scale deployments was an enormous strain.
Even for a wealthy village like Konoha, the cost was significant.
For others, it was unsustainable.
Thus, withdrawal became inevitable.
Even the famously aggressive Fourth Raikage chose pragmatism, ordering the majority of Kumogakure's border forces to stand down.
Deep within the Land of Fire
In the Hidden Leaf Village
Tsunade allowed herself a quiet breath of relief upon receiving the reports.
Whether through prolonged standoff or outright war
Either outcome would have been disastrous.
For now
The crisis had been contained.