Chapter 548: The First Quickening
On the Moon, inside the artificial sun, Ishiro stood speechless beside the bodies of Ōtsutsuki Mion and Ōtsutsuki Toneri.
At the last moment, Mion had pulled Toneri into a joint suicide.
With their deaths, the Tenseigan immediately fell into a complete slumber. The small puppets and the giant stone golem all lost power.
Mion's choice had surprised Ishiro.
This trip to the Moon had been far smoother than he could have ever imagined. Although Mion's existence had been unexpected, most of Ishiro's extensive preparations had gone unused.
For example, Ōnoki, Rōshi, Akino Atsumi, and Yuran Kawasoe, who were guarding the other end of the passage, had served no purpose.
Furthermore, Ishiro hadn't even gone all-out, and the battle was already over.
His group had only fumbled slightly at the very beginning against the puppet army. The Ōtsutsuki clan on the Moon possessed the Tenseigan, but their combat experience was far too low.
If Shikaku Nara had been in Mion's position, Ishiro didn't think he could have conquered the Moon. Even a regular Jonin from the shinobi world wouldn't have made it this easy.
And the one thing Ishiro had been most worried about—the thing he had Sōkai and Izumi on standby to stop with genjutsu—never happened.
Mion had never even considered a mutual destruction scenario, like self-destructing the Tenseigan or destroying the Moon.
Looking at Mion, whose upper half was still cradling his son, Ishiro guessed that in his final moments, the only thing on his mind was Toneri.
"Chiga, are they both dead?" Ishiro asked.
Chiga nodded. "Yes, Ishiro-sensei. Both of them have disappeared from my blood-sense."
"He was a good man," Ishiro sighed. "He should have just talked to me properly from the start. If he had threatened me with the Tenseigan, forcing me to swear I'd spare his son, I would have agreed."
"If I could have changed his son's mind, it wouldn't have been hard to get him a Byakugan. We have a Hyūga in a vegetative state back in the village. If that didn't work, I could have just gone to Konoha and dug one out of the main family for him."
After his lament, Ishiro turned around and found that everyone, except Sōkai, was staring at him strangely.
He rolled his eyes. "What? Am I wrong?"
Chiga took a tiny step behind Uchiha Izumi and whispered, "Ishiro-sensei, from the very beginning, you ordered us to kill any living person on sight. We used a Tailed Beast Ball to open the door. Who would possibly believe you wanted to negotiate?"
Han, Uchiha Izumi, and Neji all nodded in agreement.
Ishiro looked at the timid Chiga, but he didn't get angry or tease her.
He said seriously, "Chiga, you must understand. In the shinobi world, all negotiation is built on a foundation of equal force."
"We won, so now you think he should have negotiated, that it would have been better for him, and that I didn't give him the chance."
"But have you considered this: if we hadn't beaten him, would he have been willing to negotiate with us? Or would he have seen our offer as begging for his forgiveness?"
"Perhaps he had so much faith in that Tenseigan that he was certain we couldn't defeat him."
Chiga's mouth opened slightly, beginning to understand. "So, Ishiro-sensei... you mean, he had to fight us first? After both sides showed their strength, then they could sit down and talk?"
Ishiro nodded. "Of course. That is the law of survival in the shinobi world."
"Just a few days ago, I had a 'fight' with Orochimaru. He reanimated six Kage-level shinobi, thinking he could overpower me. But even then, he didn't just attack. He challenged me under the pretext of a 'spar' to test me."
"Afterward, although we spoke politely, neither of us held back in our attacks. If he had died, he would have died. If I had died, I would have died."
"The upper hand in our previous dealings was always mine, because I was always the victor. In that fight, if he had won but failed to kill me, I would have had to bow my head the next time we met. Whether in cooperation or in conflict, he would have held the initiative."
The group nodded, seeming to half-understand.
After a moment, Chiga asked curiously, "So, Ishiro-sensei, who won?"
Ishiro said, "I won!"
Chiga smiled, then asked, "Ishiro-sensei, if you had lost, would you really have conceded the advantage?"
She had her doubts about Ishiro's character.
Ishiro walked past Izumi, went right up to Chiga, and gave her a bop on the head. "How dare you doubt your teacher's integrity? Of course, I would have kept my word."
"I would just bring the village's other ten Kage with me next time, and we'd fight him again."
Hearing the first part, Chiga, rubbing her head, had actually wondered if her teacher had turned over a new leaf. But the second half made her nearly bite her tongue.
Nope. Ishiro-sensei is still Ishiro-sensei. The Fox of Iwa hasn't changed a bit. I'm still too young.
Ishiro calmly collected the bodies of Mion and Toneri, then said to the group, "Let's go find the Tenseigan."
He stepped onto his porcelain platform first, then looked at the group, who were still processing his words. "What are you standing around for? Get on."
Han, Chiga, Izumi, and Neji, all thoroughly embarrassed, avoided his gaze, lowered their heads, and stepped onto the platform.
Only Sōkai, who hadn't understood a single thing, looked back and forth between them, making everyone feel even more awkward. He only stopped when Izumi pinched him, hard.
Ishiro stood with his hands in his pockets, controlling the platform as it flew toward the Tenseigan's celestial body, looking as calm as if he were above such worldly matters.
As long as I'm not the one who's embarrassed, they are.
Soon, they arrived at the small "sun" and entered a long, dark passage. After passing through several obstacles, they finally stood before the giant Tenseigan.
It looked exactly as it had in the vision—like a giant stone orb. However, it was currently emanating no chakra. It was completely dormant.
Looking at the massive eye, Neji said, "Ishiro-sensei, this Tenseigan is much larger than the one in the vision."
Ishiro nodded. "The giant Tenseigan is made of your ancestors' Byakugan. The vision we saw was from a long time ago. Since then, it has likely absorbed many, many more Byakugan."
Neji was horrified. He stammered, "B-Byakugan? It's... it's made of countless Byakugan fused together?"
He unconsciously took a step back.
In the vision, he had received the method to awaken the Tenseigan from Hamura. He had come here full of excitement and anticipation, thinking it was a sacred relic. But hearing it was an "evil eye" created from innumerable Byakugan, he hesitated.
Ishiro said flatly, "This is the price of power, I suppose. Your Ōtsutsuki relatives were born with the Byakugan, but they also paid for it. Don't be so surprised. If you can't wrap your head around it, ask Sōkai and Izumi."
Neji instinctively looked at the two Uchiha.
Sōkai just scratched his head, not understanding.
But Uchiha Izumi said with a serious expression, "The village is currently storing countless three-tomoe Sharingan. In terms of numbers, it's less than this, but when you consider how difficult it is for us to awaken our eyes, let alone evolve them to three-tomoe... the Uchiha clan is not much better off than these Ōtsutsuki."
Neji still couldn't believe it. "Does the village... really have that many?"
Izumi nodded. She turned her gaze to the giant Tenseigan and fell silent.
Unlike the simple-minded Sōkai, Izumi had grown up in the Uchiha clan. She had experienced the power of the Sharingan, and also its pain. The shock of learning the Tenseigan's origin hit her just as hard as it hit Neji.
Ishiro said, "I'm just curious how their ancestors managed to fuse so many eyes together. If I could, I'd like to make a Sharingan version."
He turned to look at Neji, Sōkai, and Izumi. "Neji learned the method to evolve his Byakugan from the Sage's brother, Hamura. If you two were to use a similar method, I wonder if your Mangekyō Sharingan could evolve again?"
Izumi's brow furrowed, then relaxed, then furrowed again.
Finally, she took a deep breath. "Lord Tsuchikage, let's search those ruins. Perhaps we can find the data on how they fused the Tenseigan."
Ishiro nodded. This was exactly what he'd been thinking, but the suggestion couldn't come from him.
He turned to Neji. "Alright, Neji, enough with the unearned emotions. Don't forget, you still have a Caged Bird seal on your forehead!"
Neji flinched. He had been recoiling. But how could he? He wasn't even free. What right did he have to talk about morals?
Pity, mercy, forgiveness... those were things the victor grants to the vanquished.
He, Neji Hyūga, had not yet earned that right.
Neji bowed to Ishiro. "Lord Tsuchikage, I've disappointed you. Please rest assured, I will not hesitate again."
Ishiro nodded. "Go."
"Yes!" Neji affirmed. He leaped onto the giant Tenseigan. He took out a kunai, slit his palm, and dripped his blood onto its surface.
Then he closed his eyes and began to communicate with it, just as Hamura had taught him.
Ishiro nodded, then turned to Izumi. "Izumi, are you sure?"
Izumi nodded. "Lord Tsuchikage, I will restore the Uchiha clan. I have seen the Tenseigan's power. Once Neji Hyūga awakens it, our Uchiha clan may be forced to bow our heads to the Hyūga. The Uchiha are the number one clan of the shinobi world. We cannot lose to them. Even if we don't need to fight for power in the village, we must still fight for our honor."
Ishiro smiled. "Izumi, why don't you be the Uchiha clan head? This guy is clearly not suited for it." He pointed at the bewildered Sōkai.
Izumi let out a small laugh, then said seriously, "Lord Tsuchikage, I am grateful that you don't hold my Konoha origins against me. But the others in the village are closer to Sōkai. He has far more bonds in this village than I do. He is more suitable to be the clan head."
"You are building a new era. This new era doesn't need an Uchiha leader with profound political skill. Sōkai... he is the Uchiha leader who suits this new era."
Ishiro turned back to Neji and the Tenseigan, his back to her. "Izumi, your eyes see very far."
Beside them, Chiga and Han had thoughtful expressions.
Sōkai just scratched his head. He could tell they were talking about him, but he couldn't understand a single word. It was agonizing!
After a moment, Ishiro said, "Go, then."
"Yes," Izumi replied. She grabbed Sōkai's hand and began walking out.
Chiga looked at Ishiro, then at the departing Uchiha. "Ishiro-sensei, should I go help them?"
Ishiro nodded silently.
Chiga ran after them. "Izumi-san, Sōkai, wait for me!"
After they left, Han stepped closer to Ishiro. "Lord Tsuchikage, Kokuō tells me that the Sage of Six Paths' mother is sealed inside this moon. Is it safe for us to be here? Should we take the Tenseigan back to the shinobi world for Neji to experiment on?"
Ishiro shook his head. "Don't worry, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki can't get out. Even if she did, the real danger isn't on the Moon; it's back in the shinobi world."
Han didn't understand, but he nodded firmly.
Hamura had only told Neji the method to awaken the Tenseigan. Ishiro didn't know how long the process would take.
He said to Han, "Han, I need you to go back. Tell Lord Third everything that happened here. Put his mind at ease. But do not mention anything about the Sage of Six Paths' brother. That is not something for people at our level to discuss."
Han nodded. "Yes." He turned and left.
Ishiro didn't leave. He had no idea if Neji's awakening would have complications, especially with the Caged Bird seal.
He sat cross-legged in the passage, closed his eyes, and while waiting, he returned to contemplating the Yin Release principles Hamura had shown him.
This time, his review was even more engrossing. He unconsciously began to emulate Hamura, making small attempts with Yin Release. He tried to create an object from nothing. It failed, but the process was incredibly insightful.
Ishiro remained in a half-awake state. It wasn't until he heard a thump-thump, thump-thump that he was pulled from his trance.
He looked at Neji. He's succeeded. This was the "quickening" (胎动), the first fetal movement, an essential part of the Tenseigan's awakening.
He closed his eyes again, focusing his Mind's Eye on the heartbeat-like pulse.
Although Ishiro was just an observer, he could vaguely sense the change this process was having on Neji.
"Hm? What a curious feeling," Ishiro muttered.
The Tenseigan is truly a bloodline above a Kekkai Tōta. Even when I fully fused my Light Release, I didn't experience a change like this.
With his Mind's Eye, Ishiro carefully observed the minute changes happening inside Neji's body.
But the perception was hazy, as if through a veil.
Instinctively, Ishiro applied the Yin Release principles Hamura had taught him.
Puchi! As if piercing a paper window, the hazy image became crystal clear.
Ishiro could now see the changes in Neji's body at a microscopic level.
On impulse, Ishiro used the Spirit Infiltration Jutsu, and his soul entered Neji's body.
After a long time, Neji's first "quickening" ended. Ishiro, jolted awake, quickly returned to his own body.
Neji opened his eyes. He had been unconscious for the entire process. He looked at Ishiro, who was observing him thoughtfully. "Lord Tsuchikage, did I succeed?"
His eyes were still Byakugan, but to Ishiro, they looked... purer.
Ishiro said, "Neji, you have succeeded. You just experienced the first quickening. You are on the path of evolution. It will take time to fully awaken the Tenseigan; you'll likely need several more quickenings."
He paused. "Feel it. Has the Caged Bird seal changed?"
Neji immediately focused inward. His Yin Release had improved from his time with Katsumata and Natsuki. Using Orochimaru's data, he could already observe the Caged Bird seal to some extent.
After a moment, he shot up from the Tenseigan, his voice trembling with excitement. "Lord Tsuchikage! It's... it's loose! I can feel it! The Caged Bird seal is loose!"
After saying this, Neji suddenly burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.
He cried louder and louder, as if releasing all the years of humiliation and suffering he had kept locked inside.
Ishiro didn't stop him, just waited quietly. After a long time, he smiled slightly. "Good."
Neji, regaining his composure, quickly wiped his tears and bowed. "Lord Tsuchikage, I have disappointed you again."
Ishiro shook his head, smiling. "No, you haven't. I'm not disappointed. I'm proud of you. Congratulations, Neji. As of today, you are a provisional Jonin. After this first quickening, your entire body has been enhanced. It won't be long before you have the strength of a full Jonin."
Neji was stunned. Me? A Jonin?
Ishiro didn't give him time to think. "Awaken the Tenseigan. You have completed your connection. Keep it in a half-awake state. It should help you fight the Caged Bird seal."
Neji's eyes lit up. He sat down and began to communicate with the giant eye again.
Ishiro stood by, smiling. He was even happier than Neji. The Caged Bird seal crisis was, for all intents and purposes, resolved.
Even if the seal was still present, after one or two more quickenings, Neji would be able to ignore it completely. His awakening of the Tenseigan was now inevitable. With time, Iwa would have another Kage-level shinobi.
But that wasn't what made Ishiro happiest.
When Neji's "quickening" occurred, Ishiro's soul had hitched a ride. The quickening was elevating Neji's life-level in every way... including his soul.
And Ishiro... he had hitched a ride. He could feel that his own soul was much more refined, more condensed. It was still in the third stage, but it had taken a solid step forward within that stage.
I wonder how many more quickenings Neji will have? If I can hitch a ride on every single one... my Yin Release, which has been stagnant for so long, could it finally make a qualitative leap?
Getting stuff for free feels so good!
The descendants of the Sage of Six Paths and his brother are truly my lucky stars.
My Mind's Eye was upgraded by hitching a ride on Obito, Shisui, Sōkai, Izumi, and Itachi... one leap after another, turning an S-rank jutsu into a super S-rank.
And now I can leech off Neji!
This means... I really need to get started on that 'Sharingan fusion' thing for Sōkai and Izumi. If they have a 'quickening' too... I can leech off them as well!
(End of Chapter)
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