"Is this... the power bestowed by the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Feeling the power rushing through his body, an unprecedented energy was continuously emerging through his double eyes, making Takuno unable to help but express amazement in his heart bottom.
The core of this power was Yin Release.
Clearly his own understanding and mastery of Yin Release were still situated within a shallow realm, yet at this moment this pair of Mangekyō was like a conversion apparatus possessing alarming efficiency, converting his mental energy into a powerful and manipulable Yin Release power.
It was like a bridge, easily leaping across the massive chasm within his own Yin Release mastery.
However, this convenient power reliant upon specific organs was by no means the end point pursued by Takuno.
The figure standing erect at the peak of the ninja world surfaced within his mind—Madara.
That legendary figure, even under the state of breaking away from the Edo Tensei and losing the Rinnegan, could still rely upon his own great power to once more condense the form of Susanoo!
Even if it were merely the most initial stage of framework, that was absolutely not relying upon the Mangekyō, but was rather ironclad proof that Madara had truly mastered the essence of Yin Release.
"This is the road I want to walk..." Takuno secretly set down determination within his heart.
He wanted to emulate Madara, his goal being that even under the situation of not opening the Mangekyō Sharingan, he could also freely utilize the Yin Release power.
And "condensing Susanoo" was undoubtedly the best touchstone, the ultimate ninjutsu to inspect the results of his own Yin Release mastery.
Indulging apart from Yin Release, he was also finely experiencing the unique pupil power contained within the Mangekyō Sharingan itself.
This was a profound, powerful, and furthermore unique power carrying some kind of forbidden breath, thoroughly distinct from the ordinary Sharingan.
Not knowing how much time passed past, Takuno slowly deactivated Susanoo.
Precisely within the flash when the energy dissipated, a bout of intense dizziness fiercely assaulted.
Before his eyes instantly turned black, his vision becoming a patch of blurry unclearness, as if separated by a layer of thick ground-glass.
He shook his head, attempting to disperse this causing-discomfort feeling, subsequently closing his double eyes in fatigue.
This was precisely the unavoidable price of utilizing the Mangekyō power: eyesight loss and mental load.
Within the subsequent several days, Takuno still persisted in attempting to mobilize this forbidden power every day.
Perhaps benefiting from his massive mental energy far exceeding ordinary people, as well as that body recovery power capable of being praised as terrifying, the negative effects displayed by the Mangekyō Sharingan upon his body seemed to conversely be relaxed by a lot compared to others.
Although his eyesight indeed unavoidably declined once more, comparing together with the price after Shisui used it, his current situation was clearly much better.
Faring down several days of repeated experimentation, Takuno understood that continuing this kind of simple power experience had already yielded minimal results.
The Mangekyō's capabilities he roughly familiarized with; only that ultimate genjutsu named "Kotoamatsukami," due to its long cooling time, lacked the ability to be attempted, which let a sliver of regret wind and linger within his heart.
Takuno secretly pondered within his thoughts; if the usage opportunity for Kotoamatsukami were still present, he originally possessed a daring conception.
Casting this genjutsu capable of quietly and soundlessly rewriting the will toward himself, letting himself fall "deeply in love" with a certain specific object.
Waiting for future days when he changed back to his own Sharingan, then deliberately manufacturing a tragic scene of "losing what is loved"; this perhaps was a "shortcut" to artificially trigger the Mangekyō eye-opening.
However, this piece of conception ultimately could only be bubbles and shadows.
Kotoamatsukami had long since been used by Shisui at an unknown moment toward an unknown target.
Desiring to once more use Kotoamatsukami would then need to wait for a period of ten-odd years, and this time he could not afford to wait.
What Takuno could do was solely rely upon his own self to continue exploring the opening of the Mangekyō.
...
Konohagakure, Anbu underground base.
The flavor of disinfectant medicine water diffused in the air; within the special care ward, Shisui upon the sickbed was still currently in a coma.
Itachi silently stood erect at the bedside, looking at that face of the other party which was already no longer pale like before, yet the other party lacked any intent of waking into clarity.
Finally, he turned toward Takuno at the side who had just concluded the inspection, unable to help but inquire:
"Adult, Shisui's situation... right now exactly how is it?"
Takuno let out a sigh, his gaze also landing upon Shisui's body.
"The trauma upon his body—whether it is broken bones or torn internal organs—has already basically healed up.
What is most troublesome is the severe aftereffect triggered by him forcing himself to excessively use that legendary Mangekyō Sharingan."
He paused, as if weighing his words and phrases,
"This exceeds the category of conventional medical ninjutsu. My understanding toward the Mangekyō is also truly limited.
Based on current observation, his coma is more like a kind of... self-protection.
The powerful power backlash impacted his mental core; his body activated the deepest protection mechanism, thoroughly closing up his consciousness.
This is by no means an ordinary coma, but is more like a kind of deep hibernation of the spirit."
Takuno's gaze shifted from Shisui toward Itachi, continuing to say:
"What I can do is mainly maintain his body's basic functions and nutritional supply.
As for when he can wake up, the key lies within his own spirit's recovery degree.
Only when his mental energy accumulates enough to break through this layer of protection barrier can his consciousness possibly return."
"In this process, external stimulation can perhaps become a sliver of faint guidance.
Itachi, when you have free time, come more to speak words with him.
Chat about your common memories, the matters of the Uchiha clan ground, or your recent observations...
Perhaps the deep part of his consciousness is by no means a patch of deathly silence, and can still capture a sliver of sound coming from the outside world."
After Takuno finished speaking, he once more cast a glance at Shisui who lacked any reaction upon the sickbed.
He had already returned the Mangekyō Sharingan back to its original position; therefore he did not worry about the accident brought by the other party suddenly waking into clarity.
He patted Itachi's shoulder, turning his body to walk toward the doorway, his tone carrying comfort.
"There is no need to be excessively pessimistic. He is after all Shisui, Konoha's one in a million genius.
This kind of existence will absolutely not be forever knocked down by a single trauma; he will definitely wake into clarity."
The door of the ward gently closed together, isolating the faint light of the corridor.
Within the room only remained Itachi's silent figure.
He slowly sat down upon the chair at the bedside, his gaze relanding back upon Shisui's face, his low murmur like a promise:
"I understand, adult... thank you. I will come frequently, Shisui."
The afternoon sunlight shot through the Hokage office's tall glass window, casting long light-shadows upon the floor boards.
Takuno lightly knocked the door leaf a few times before pushing the door and entering within.
Clearly, Hokage-sama once more encountered some matters needing his assistance to handle, but it seemed to also not count as urgent.
"Hokage-sama." Takuno greeted.
Behind the office desk was empty and lacking a single person; only the Fourth Hokage Minato was seen currently standing erect at the window side, his back straight and tall, his golden hair tips shining brilliantly under the sunlight.
His gaze penetrated the glass, distantly casting toward a certain direction of the village.
Takuno understood within his heart; that was precisely the location of the Uchiha clan ground which was not yet completely restored.
Then it should once more be a question regarding the Uchiha.
As if detecting the incomer's thoughts, Minato slowly turned his body.
"Senpai," his voice was peaceful yet carried deep thought, "surely you also possess some understanding toward the Uchiha clan's recent situation, right?"
Takuno made a slight pondering, rapidly combing through the intelligence reported by the Anbu within his brain.
"Yes. The Uchiha's clan ground is still currently within reconstruction; their ninjas are also accepting the village's missions in large quantities, actively restoring element vitality. Up to the present, no other news disrupting order has been spread out."
"Yes, reconstruction is advancing steadily." Minato minutely nodded his head, subsequently throwing out his conception, "However, I plan to let the ordinary civilian masses within the village also participate into the Uchiha clan ground's reconstruction work."
Hearing this, an un-detectable surprise flashed past Takuno's eyes, but this piece of surprise was gone in a transition flash, replaced by understanding.
He instantly insighted the young Hokage's deep meaning; getting along is the first step to eliminating estrangement.
For a long time past, the Uchiha clan due to the pride of bloodline and historical reasons—their clan ground formed an independent system, akin to a village within a village; ordinary villagers near-entirely never stepped foot within it.
The Uchiha that villagers daily contacted were often entirely those elite ninjas shouldering clan honor, possessing sharp looks, and holding proud postures.
This kind of limited and one-sided contact naturally let the villagers form a rigid impression: the Uchiha clan are all proud, cold, detached, and difficult-to-approach people.
However, the fact was by no means entirely like this.
Within the Uchiha clan lived many ordinary clansmen who had not yet opened the Sharingan and possessed relatively gentle temperaments.
Their lives possessed no too great essential distinction from common villagers, merely being shrouded by the clan's halo and estrangement.
If capable of borrowing the reconstruction opportunity to let the villagers deeply contact these ordinary Uchiha clansmen, laboring together and getting along morning and evening, it would boundingly be capable of generating a outstanding "disenchantment" effect, stripping away the mystery and misunderstanding shrouding upon the Uchiha's body.
When villagers possessed personal experience, between mouth-to-ear transmission, the invisible barrier athwart between the Uchiha and the village could perhaps then be step-by-step dissolved.
After all, within Minato's view, the core of the relationship between the village and the Uchiha ultimately lay within the mutual understanding between ordinary villagers and ordinary clansmen; the guidance of high-level policies was granted important, but the approach of people's hearts was the foundation.
At least, during the period when Minato executed administration it was like this.
"I understand." Takuno said.
"To guarantee the reconstruction process is smooth and avoid triggering unnecessary conflict due to misunderstanding or individual friction, I will arrange Anbu personnel to closely pay attention to the reconstruction scene, maintain order, and timely intervene in sudden situations that might appear."
He made a slight pause, supplementing a crucial link.
"If a conflict between villagers and Uchiha clansmen truly happens, the most fitting mediation candidate I think is Uchiha Itachi.
With his honorable status as the Uchiha clan leader's son, as well as his consistently held gentle and open-minded standpoint toward the village, having him come forward to handle can both represent the Uchiha's sincerity and effectively appease both sides' emotions, dissolving the conflict within the budding state."
Of course, if it were not that Shisui was still currently in a coma, this deeply-trusted "Shisui of the Body Flicker" would similarly be an excellent candidate.
The corner of Minato's mouth finally raised up a smear of smile; as expected, the experience-rich senior could always precisely capture his intent.
"Senpai considers very thoroughly." He nodded to confirm.
"I have beforehand communicated with Clan Head Uchiha Fugaku regarding this matter. He also agreed that among the Uchiha clansmen participating in the reconstruction, he will prioritarily filter out those members possessing relatively gentle personalities, doing his best to avoid letting those excessively radical or stubborn members appear at the first-line contact points."
Of course, he also knew that even with this kind of filtering, it was also unable to guarantee being completely foolproof.
Those with distinct individualities within the Uchiha clan were not few in number, while within the village there similarly lacked no thorns who easily manufactured matters.
Necessary defense measures were always indispensable.
After speaking out this matter, Minato paused and also inquired, "How is Shisui's situation?"
Takuno also did not conceal, reporting Shisui's situation according to facts.
"Is it like this?" Minato let out a sigh, conversely also not saying anything more; he also believed the other party would wake into clarity.
"There is still one more matter." Minato handed an intelligence report that had just been sent up over toward Takuno.
Takuno was a bit puzzled, and then after finishing watching, his pupils also shrank.
...
Within an old residence of Konoha, two old wooden chairs were placed opposite each other; sitting upon them were two old men whose hair and beards were entirely white.
It was precisely Danzo who was softly imprisoned right here, as well as the Third Hokage Hiruzen who guarded him.
The remaining twilight of the setting sun outside the window barely penetrated within, casting long, lonely shadows upon the dust-covered floor board ground.
Hiruzen had just concluded his narration regarding the Uchiha clan's current state; the room fell into a brief silence.
"What did you say?!" Danzo fiercely lifted his head, his eyes abruptly staring round, fury exploding within his turbid pupils, his voice sharp and ear-piercing due to agitation.
"The Uchiha's problem... was solved by that yellow-haired brat?! Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Hiruzen, you are lying to me! You must be lying!"
Hiruzen peacefully met his old friend's gaze filled with fierce and malicious aura, the wrinkles upon his face appearing even deeper within the shadow.
He opened his mouth carrying fatigue: "Danzo, matters reaching today, what necessary reason do I still have to deceive you?"
This sentence was like a basin of ice water, instantly quenching a portion of Danzo's fury; his body stiffened, subsequently violently trembling once.
Yes... deceive?
He, Danzo, right now was merely a waste person permanently imprisoned right here, unable to even stride out the threshold of this broken old residence.
Day after day, year after year, waiting for him was only this boundless isolation and decay.
A prisoner long since abandoned by the era and thoroughly lacking value—deceiving him, what meaning did it possess after all?
However, this cruel reality brought not submission, but was conversely a more intense resistance!
If admitting Minato successfully dissolved the Uchiha's crisis, then would that not nail all the efforts he poured his entire first half of life into—on the endless suspicion, suppression, and scheming toward the Uchiha clan—onto the pillar of shame?
Proving those cruel methods and dark calculations of his were merely sourced from his personal prejudice and error?
No! He absolutely did not admit it! He, Danzo, absolutely did not admit his road was wrong!
"Im... Impossible!" Danzo's voice abruptly pulled high, carrying a kind of near-frenzied stubbornness, "Just a few days ago! Did the Uchiha not still launch a rebellion?!
Even if that yellow-haired brat treats them any better, the blood of betrayal within their bones is still currently boiling! Does this not yet suffice to prove my correctness? The Uchiha clan... they are born evil, and just should not be trusted!"
He roared in annoyance.