Her body responded instinctively to the warmth of his touch. Her hands, initially hesitant, found their way to Hiro's shoulders, gripping them with a mixture of desperation and need.
Her fingers pressed into the solid reality of him, feeling the strength of his muscles beneath his clothes.
Hiro's hands continued their journey, moving to her waist and pulling her closer.
His touch was firm and possessive, his fingers tracing the curves of her body with a careful, deliberate exploration.
He pressed her against him, his body heat blending with hers in an intoxicating fusion.
Mikoto's breath came in ragged gasps as Hiro's kiss grew more fervent.
His lips moved with a rhythmic intensity, his tongue tracing the contours of her lips and teasing them open.
He tilted his head, deepening the kiss with a passionate, insistent hunger that left her breathless.
Her hands roamed over his back, her fingers exploring the breadth of his shoulders and the tautness of his muscles.
Hiro's hands remained on her face, his thumbs gently stroking her cheeks.
"We don't have to rush," he whispered, his voice filled with reassurance. "We have time. We can take this one step at a time."
Mikoto nodded, her lips curling into a small, tender smile.
"Is this really okay?" she whispered, her voice trembling slightly as she searched his eyes for reassurance.
Hiro's hands remained firmly at her waist, his thumbs tracing soothing circles on her back.
"It's more than okay," he replied softly, his voice filled with a tenderness that matched the intensity of their kiss. "It's what I've wanted for so long."
Mikoto's lips curved into a small, shy smile, her heart still racing from their kiss. She nodded slowly.
The kiss had been a revelation, an affirmation of their feelings, and as they stood there, entwined in each other's embrace.
Hiro noticed the flush on Mikoto's cheeks, the way her eyes sparkled with a mix of embarrassment and newfound clarity.
The sight made his heart swell with affection. He gently pulled back, his gaze never leaving hers, as he caressed her flushed face with the backs of his fingers.
It was already morning when Mikoto finally left Hiro's side and walked toward the kitchen. She knew it was time to start her daily tasks. A soft smile graced her lips.
This life felt peaceful and quiet—the kind of life she had always wanted.
The only thing that weighed on her mind now was Sasuke's safety. She hoped he was doing well and wouldn't hate her for leaving him all alone.
Meanwhile, Hiro silently sat down on a cushion, his mind occupied with a different concern. He was thinking about how to activate the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Currently, he had unlocked the three-tomoe Sharingan, but he wasn't sure how to reach the next level.
He knew that awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan usually required the loss of someone close, but that path seemed too difficult to contemplate.
Hmm, that's not so easy…
But if there was one thing Hiro had learned from his time in the Naruto world, it was that the established rules weren't always absolute.
There were loopholes, workarounds, and hidden paths for those willing to think outside the box.
The Conceptual Approach
Hiro knew the Mangekyō Sharingan was awakened by a powerful emotional trauma, usually caused by the death of a loved one.
But what if the key wasn't in the actual loss, but in the mind's perception of that loss? Could it be possible to trick the brain into believing such a trauma had occurred without it actually happening?
His thoughts raced. The Sharingan, and by extension, the Mangekyō, was a dojutsu—a power rooted deeply in the mind and the flow of chakra.
If emotions and perceptions were the triggers, then altering those perceptions could be the answer.
The theory he was forming hinged on a few key ideas:
Emotional Intensity: The Mangekyō Sharingan was tied to overwhelming emotional pain.
But if the mind could be pushed to experience that level of intensity through other means, it might be possible to unlock the Mangekyō without an actual loss.
Genjutsu as a Catalyst: Genjutsu was the art of illusion, manipulating the mind and senses of the target.
But what if he used genjutsu on himself? A powerful enough genjutsu might be able to create an illusion so real, so vivid, that his mind would believe it had experienced a traumatic event.
Hiro decided to proceed cautiously.
He would first test his theory with a mild genjutsu to see if the emotional intensity alone could trigger a reaction.
He would start small, increasing the intensity gradually, ensuring he maintained control over the process.
If his hypothesis was correct, he might just be able to unlock the Mangekyō Sharingan on his own terms.
He knew the risks—genjutsu on oneself could lead to mental instability if not handled correctly. But the potential reward, the Mangekyō Sharingan, was too valuable to pass up.
As Mikoto busied herself in the kitchen, unaware of the storm brewing in Hiro's mind.
Mikoto returned from the kitchen with a tray in her hands, balancing a teapot, two cups, and a small assortment of food.
The aroma of freshly brewed tea filled the room, mingling with the warm, homey scent of the meal she had prepared.
She set the tray down gently on the table and poured a cup for Hiro, her movements graceful and practiced.
Hiro watched her, his mind still turning over the theories he had been considering. As she handed him the cup, he caught her hand, his fingers wrapping around hers gently.
Mikoto looked up, surprised by the intensity in his gaze.
"Mikoto," he began, his voice quiet but firm. "I've been thinking a lot about the Sharingan, specifically the Mangekyō.
I know it's something tied to deep emotional trauma, but... I need to understand more about it. What do you know?"
Mikoto's expression shifted, a mixture of concern and curiosity crossing her features. She set down her own cup and took a seat beside him, her hand still in his.
"The Mangekyō Sharingan," she repeated softly, her eyes flickering with a hint of sadness. "It's not something to take lightly, Hiro. It's a power that comes at a great cost."
She paused, gathering her thoughts before continuing.
"In the Uchiha clan, it's said that the Mangekyō can only be awakened through the experience of an intense, personal loss—usually the death of someone very dear to the user.
The pain of that loss is what triggers the transformation of the Sharingan into the Mangekyō."
Hiro nodded, encouraging her to go on.
"But," he interjected, "what if there's a way to awaken it without that kind of loss? What if there's a way to trick the mind into believing it's experienced such a trauma, without anyone actually dying?"