"Actually, these kekkei genkai are quite fascinating too, aren't they?" Orochimaru said calmly. "At the very least, studying them has helped me better understand their direct relationship with chakra."
Uchiha Ran didn't bother responding.
Instead, he focused intently on flipping through Orochimaru's research records, his eyes scanning line after line with growing concentration.
Orochimaru, matching him in unspoken understanding, didn't interrupt either. He simply stood to the side, quietly observing Ran as he read.
After finishing the records, Ran finally spoke.
"Orochimaru-sensei, you've been studying Ice Release, Boil Release, and similar kekkei genkai for a long time—but why haven't you turned your attention to the true power that ended the Warring States Era?"
He looked up, eyes sharp.
"Only Wood Release and the Sharingan are truly worth deep, focused research."
From the notes alone, it was clear that Orochimaru's research had largely centered on Lava Release, Ice Release, Steel Release, Boil Release, and similar bloodlines. Among them, Ice and Boil Release seemed to be his particular interests.
He had even proposed a theoretical kekkei genkai—Crystal Release.
But Ran fundamentally disagreed with this direction.
The power that pacified the Warring States Era wasn't these side paths.
It was Wood Release and the Sharingan.
Why research anything else?
In Ran's view, Wood Release—an advanced kekkei genkai infused with strong Yang Release—was a manifestation of life energy itself, brimming with limitless potential.
A Wood Release user could create trees, plants, entire forests, and turn them into weapons.
It could attack, restrain, suppress, seal.
If it could produce poisonous pollen, then logically, it should also be able to generate healing spores.
The adaptability and plasticity of Wood Release were terrifying.
And the Sharingan—exclusive to the Uchiha—was even more so.
It was widely regarded as a symbol of infinite possibility.
Even a normal Sharingan was already among the most powerful dōjutsu in the shinobi world.
The Sharingan granted extraordinary perception and learning ability.
With it, an Uchiha could see through enemy movements and intent, react in advance, and dominate high-speed combat through superior dynamic vision.
Beyond that, the Sharingan possessed the ability to copy techniques—learning and reproducing the jutsu of other shinobi.
Most critically, its genjutsu capabilities far surpassed ordinary illusion techniques, especially those used by shinobi without dōjutsu.
And above the normal Sharingan—
There were records of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Ran pulled up a chair and began explaining, speaking continuously as Orochimaru listened.
"The Mangekyō Sharingan—I know of it," Orochimaru said, clearly intrigued, dragging a chair over to sit beside Ran. "Hiruzen-sensei only mentioned it once. According to legend, Uchiha Madara possessed it. It's a shame I've never seen it myself. Can you explain it in more detail, Ran-kun?"
The Mangekyō Sharingan was an evolved form of the normal Sharingan.
Only exceptionally gifted members of the Uchiha could awaken it—often through rare and extreme circumstances.
It retained all the abilities of the standard Sharingan while granting entirely new powers.
Some Mangekyō wielders possessed the strongest attacks in existence.
Some could unfold entire illusionary worlds.
Some commanded unparalleled genjutsu.
Others could amplify ninjutsu and taijutsu beyond limits.
There were even Mangekyō said to predict the future… or warp space itself.
As Ran spoke, Orochimaru's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
"However," Ran continued, "the clan records also state that the Mangekyō's power comes at a severe cost. It places a heavy burden on the user's body and must be used with caution. According to legend, only Uchiha Madara truly overcame this drawback."
Orochimaru fell silent.
Even the normal Sharingan was already considered top-tier among dōjutsu.
He could hardly imagine how terrifying the Mangekyō—beyond three tomoe—must be.
"Ran-kun," Orochimaru suddenly asked, his tone sharp, "are you volunteering to become my test subject?"
Orochimaru had begun to reassess him.
Ran smiled faintly.
"Orochimaru-sensei, you misunderstand. I prefer being the one holding the scalpel—not lying on the operating table. I only want to enjoy the results once the research bears fruit."
Seeing Orochimaru's interest intensify, Ran added fuel to the fire.
"Actually, sensei, there is a known method to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan… but it doesn't suit me."
"Oh?" Orochimaru leaned forward instantly. "The Uchiha have a known method for advancing to the Mangekyō?"
There were many three-tomoe Uchiha—but not a single Mangekyō wielder alive.
If a method truly existed, it made no sense that none had emerged.
"This method was something my parents told me before they died," Ran said calmly. "Its accuracy can't be fully confirmed."
Orochimaru listened intently.
"The Uchiha," Ran continued, "are a cursed clan—and a clan of love."
"Only an Uchiha who loves deeply, who experiences extreme emotion, can awaken the Mangekyō. Most commonly, it occurs at the moment one loses that love—often by personally killing the one they cherish most."
"At that instant, love transforms into hatred. That overwhelming surge of emotion crashes into the three-tomoe Sharingan, forcing it to evolve into the Mangekyō."
Orochimaru's gaze grew increasingly dangerous.
Ran noticed—and didn't care in the slightest.
"However," Ran went on, "most Uchiha never experience love that intense. Naturally, they can't awaken the Mangekyō through this method."
He looked directly at Orochimaru.
"And as for me—I knew from the moment I learned this method that I could never awaken the Mangekyō through such conventional means."
"Yet by coincidence," Ran smiled, "the Third Hokage assigned you, Orochimaru-sensei, as my mentor."
"With your research capabilities… I think I can finally see the moment when I awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"Coincidence?" Orochimaru murmured, giving Ran a long, meaningful look. "Perhaps."
He then smiled thinly.
"Ran-kun, regardless of the reason—you are now my disciple. But remember this: to gain something, one must always lose something else. That is the nature of fate."
Ran laughed softly.
"What you said applies to you as well, Orochimaru-sensei."
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
patreon.com/MythArcStudio