Uchiha Madara has lived a long life, and he's seen his share of arrogance.
But no one, no one, even came close to the sheer audacity of the young man standing before him.
What does "just wait a moment for me to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan" mean?
The Mangekyo Sharingan, known for its ultimate power, isn't something you can just awaken on a whim. If it were that easy, the Uchiha clan would have conquered the entire ninja world by now. The Senju clan wouldn't even be in the picture.
"I understand how you feel, but awakening the Mangekyo isn't simple. Even for me, it took considerable effort." Uchiha Madara took a deep breath.
The veins on his forehead were pulsating with frustration. He tried to remind himself that there's no point in getting into it with a young upstart.
The thing is, Madara was older now, and his body wasn't as agile as it used to be.
Otherwise, he'd show this kid exactly what the Mangekyo Sharingan was all about.
"Although you're Uchiha Madara," Uchiha Sogetsu said, raking his fingers through his hair with a smirk, "at the end of the day, you're just a loser. Don't compare yourself to me."
"Kid, you're getting out of line. That arrogance is going to get you in trouble."
Madara's expression turned grim. Anger flared in his eyes as he spoke with a threatening edge: "Sure, I lost to Senju Hashirama, but that's not something you can use against me."
It was a deep-seated wound, a source of endless torment. Mentioning it so casually hit a nerve.
"Oh, did I touch a sensitive spot?" Uchiha Sogetsu replied with a smug grin. His attitude was flippant, as if he couldn't care less.
He hadn't forgotten that the "role" he was playing was that of someone hiding his true strength, filled with ambition, and craving power.
To Madara and Black Zetsu, he had to appear arrogant; it was the only way to keep their suspicions at bay.
"So, let's see what you've got."
Uchiha Madara suddenly regained his composure, as if the outburst never happened, and said calmly, "How do you awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan?"
Uchiha Sogetsu froze in place, his eyes losing focus, turning blank and lifeless.
What is this guy doing? Black Zetsu thought, utterly confused. He had lived for thousands of years and witnessed many instances of Mangekyo Sharingan, but he had never seen anyone "awaken" like this.
Madara Uchiha and Black Zetsu watched him with suspicion, as time ticked by.
Once they were sure Uchiha Sogetsu could no longer hear them, Black Zetsu whispered, a hint of concern in his voice, "Madara-sama, do you really want this guy involved in your plan?"
"I'm running out of time, Black Zetsu," Madara said, his voice heavy with age and his body weakened by years of hiding. He leaned on his cane, coughing heavily.
"We need to find a successor quickly. Right now, he's our only option. Sure, he's arrogant, but that just makes him easier to manipulate."
"But what if he has a change of heart?" Black Zetsu asked, still worried.
"Haha, he won't," Madara replied confidently, a slight smirk curling his lips. "He'll follow my will and carry out the 'Eye of the Moon' plan after I'm gone, bringing me back from the dead!"
"But this guy has big ambitions. What if he doesn't follow the 'Eye of the Moon' plan after you die?" Black Zetsu questioned.
"Don't worry," Madara replied, his voice dripping with disdain. "How could I meet him without being fully prepared?"
With that, the three tomoe in Madara's eyes shifted and transformed into the Mangekyo Sharingan.
"Is this the legendary eye technique?" Black Zetsu exclaimed, realizing what Madara had in store. "Hehehe, you truly are Madara. With that eye technique, he'll be bound to your will and carry out the 'Eye of the Moon' plan!"
The candle on the cave wall burned quietly, the crackling sound fading as it slowly burned out.
Suddenly, a ripple of invisible chakra spread through the air, accompanied by a surge of inexplicable pressure that drew the attention of Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu.
Uchiha Sogetsu, who moments ago seemed dazed and lost in thought, now had a renewed focus in his eyes.
"Did you fail?"
Uchiha Madara, leaning on his cane, said confidently, "It's impossible to awaken a Mangekyo Sharingan with just an illusion."
But before he could finish his sentence, he froze mid-thought.
"Is this... the Mangekyo Sharingan?"
The scarlet eyes of Uchiha Sogetsu, which previously held the traditional three tomoe pattern, now displayed a unique, four-pointed pinwheel design.
"???"
Both Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu felt as if they had been struck by lightning. What had they just witnessed? Did Sogetsu really awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan just by closing his eyes for a moment?
"Interesting," Sogetsu said with a subtle grin, feeling the newfound power coursing through him. "So this is what it's like. It seems I have two distinct eye techniques now."
"What did you do?!" Madara demanded. Despite all his knowledge and experience, this was a shock even to him—like getting a surprise hit when least expected.
Uchiha Sogetsu replied in a calm tone, "Didn't I already say? Just wait until I awaken my Mangekyo Sharingan."
Uchiha Madara seemed frustrated and raised his voice, "I'm asking you, what exactly did you do? How did you suddenly awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan out of nowhere?"
Madara felt off-balance seeing how easily Uchiha Sogetsu awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan. He remembered the intense pain he endured to unlock his Mangekyo, and the same was true for his brother, Izuna.
It had always required intense suffering for every other Uchiha to awaken Mangekyo. But now, compared to Sogetsu, Madara felt like all his suffering might have been pointless.
"Oh, you mean this?" Sogetsu adjusted his glasses, and his Mangekyo Sharingan shimmered, with patterns resembling a four-bladed windmill.
"I used genjutsu to forcefully hypnotize myself, making me experience all the pain you've gone through, but within a dream. It was excruciating, but that's how I unlocked my Mangekyo Sharingan."
Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu fell silent, caught off guard by how easily Sogetsu had awakened his Mangekyo.
The feeling was akin to having a long-time crush, someone cold and unreachable, only to find them suddenly embracing someone tall, wealthy, and charming.
"You..." Madara's face twitched, struggling to find words. He finally said, "Not bad, that's very good. You have my style."
Madara was merely trying to save face with that statement. Otherwise, it would have been a blow to his pride.
Black Zetsu looked at Uchiha Sogetsu with a hint of disdain, secretly rolling his eyes. He couldn't help but wonder if Sogetsu could be the reincarnation of Indra.
It's possible, thought Black Zetsu. Otherwise, how else could one explain this guy's insane talent?
Could he really just be the natural talent of the Uchiha?
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