Li Shang sighed. 'I knew something like this was going to happen.'
In the clearing half-destroyed by their previous training, Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, Hinata, Rock Lee, and Tenten formed a semicircle before him, all with their expressions turned to the center. There was no formality, only anticipation.
"So?" Li Shang asked, his voice neutral.
"Neji-san, it's been a long time since we trained together, so..." Rock Lee spoke excitedly, already moving as if his legs couldn't stop.
"Yes, Neji, let's take advantage of the rest and train hard," Naruto completed, with that smile that seemed like combustion.
Li Shang calmly assessed the group. 'Well, it's not bad. Apparently, this world has hidden dangers; training a larger group can be helpful in the future.' He was pragmatic. He didn't trust blindly, but he wasn't foolish enough to refuse aid when synergy was needed.
He clearly remembered what he had done upon entering the sea of knowledge of Naruto, Lee, and Sasuke: he had implanted a soul stigma. Not out of immediate malice, but for security. 'If they ever become enemies, I won't need to worry. One thought and they would have a miserable death.' The thought was cold, utilitarian.
"Alright..." Li Shang slowly formed hand seals, like someone preparing a delicate piece. Two brief sounds echoed — "Puff! Puff!" — and, in a flash, two clones appeared beside him. They were perfect images, but they carried something more: he placed a fragment of his soul in each.
The clones wasted no time. They advanced with surgical precision and pushed Naruto and Lee away, testing reflexes, resistance, and fighting spirit. The surprise was brief; both laughed in the air and regained position, ready to replicate.
Li Shang smiled slightly, observing their movements. "Don't go easy on them, but don't kill them." He uttered the phrase almost ironically, that line that delineated the boundary between teaching and destroying.
"Now you, come and sit in front of me and relax." The order was simple, firm. Everyone obeyed, because a lesson without discipline was a waste.
He implanted a specific technique for each one, aimed at amplifying their potential. For example, for Sasuke, he passed on a cultivation technique that improves soul and physical power. Different from the technique passed to Naruto, which is focused on the soul.
Sakura frowned. "What exactly does it do, Neji?"
"It's a way to train the soul aligned with working the body," Li Shang replied. "Meditate using the technique whenever you are idle. It's not just about controlling chakra; it's about understanding what's inside you."
Hinata listened and adjusted her posture, deeply interested.
Tenten tilted her head, evaluating its practical utility.
Sasuke intently observed the flow of energy within his own body. Each time he breathed, his chakra seemed to circulate differently — denser, more controlled, as if obeying a new natural law.
'So that's what Naruto learned...' he thought, impressed. 'Now everything makes sense. His rapid progress... but where did Neji learn something like this?'
The question still echoed in his mind when he heard Li Shang's firm voice.
"Sasuke, accompany me."
He didn't even have time to respond. Li Shang turned and disappeared into the forest, leaving only a subtle trace of chakra in the air.
Sasuke rose, and before he could leave, a voice stopped him.
"Sasuke-kun, are you alright?"
Sakura watched him with sincere concern, her face partially covered by the soft glow of light filtered through the trees.
"Don't worry."
The answer came calm, dry. And in a blink of an eye, he disappeared.
The forest swallowed both, leaving the rest of the group in silence.
"I think this is good."
Li Shang stopped in the middle of a silent clearing, where the wind barely dared to blow. He extended his Tenseigan to its maximum, scanning every possible direction — no presence, no shinobi beyond them.
Satisfied, he crossed his arms and waited.
Sasuke arrived shortly after, his Sharingan active, eyes analyzing every detail, as if trying to understand why they were there.
"Have you better understood the new power of your eyes?" Li Shang asked bluntly.
Sasuke took a deep breath before answering. "More or less. I can create a chakra defense called Susanoo. One of my eyes generates inextinguishable black flames, Amaterasu. The other... controls these flames, molds them as I wish."
Li Shang stared at him intently. "Did this information appear in your mind as soon as you concentrated?"
"Yes. It was as if it had always been there, waiting to be remembered."
Li Shang remained silent for a few seconds. Those words reminded him of his own experience. When he activated his Explosive Golden Wheel Reincarnation technique, the golden sword had come to him in the same way — as if it were ancestral knowledge engraved in his soul.
'When I concentrated on practicing kenjutsu, this information simply appeared...' he thought. 'But that was it. I didn't feel the same divine connection that the stone described. Perhaps I haven't fully awakened the power of these eyes yet.'
He took a deep breath, trying to contain the slight frustration that was taking over him.
Sasuke, on the other hand, watched with curiosity. Even without saying anything.
"These eyes..." Li Shang finally spoke, in a low voice, almost as if talking to himself. "The Mangekyō Sharingan... and the Tenseigan. Both follow similar principles. Powers that reveal themselves according to the strength of the body and soul."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, assimilating every word and thought, 'Tenseigan…'
Li Shang continued, walking slowly through the clearing. "The difference is the purpose. Your eye is born from emotional shock. Mine, from balance and spiritual refinement. They are opposite paths to the same destiny."
Sasuke crossed his arms, curious. "Destiny? You mean... that both eyes come from the same power?"
Li Shang nodded. "The ancestor of the Hyuuga clan was Hamura Ōtsutsuki, brother of Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki."
The idea made him reflect deeply. The cold wind passed through the trees, carrying leaves that rose around them.
'If I continue to advance in my cultivation, my eyes will also evolve...' Li Shang thought. 'And if the same applies to Sasuke... then it's possible. The Rinnegan could be the next natural step.'
He looked at the young Uchiha, who now stood, his chakra slightly oscillating around his body.
"Focus on training with the technique I gave you, Sasuke. Refine your body and soul. The deeper your mastery, the more your eyes will reveal."
Sasuke nodded without hesitation. "If it brings me closer to the truth, I will do whatever it takes."
Li Shang gave a slight, almost imperceptible smile. "Then your loyalty will be worth something to me."
The bluish glow of the Tenseigan shimmered in his gaze, reflecting the flaming red of Sasuke's Mangekyō.