Sasuke returned from the academy, still clutching his schoolbag, only to sense that something was off the moment he stepped into the Uchiha district. The commoners—those who hadn't walked the shinobi path—acted like everything was perfectly normal, chatting, buying vegetables, or cleaning the front yards.
But the trained eyes of a shinobi, those who were part of the Uchiha military police force or combat-trained members of the clan, all carried an ominous tension on their faces. No one said anything outright, but the air was thick with anxiety. It was the kind of silence before a storm.
Sasuke, being sharp despite his age, immediately picked up on it. His heart began to pound. Something had gone terribly wrong. The normally stern but composed looks of his clan members were replaced by heavy expressions, and some even refused to meet his gaze. With growing panic, Sasuke ran home.
As he rounded the corner to his house, he froze.
A crowd had formed outside a room in his house—his brother Itachi's room. His father, Fugaku, stood tall in the crowd, his face unreadable. His mother, Mikoto, had red-rimmed eyes and was silently wiping tears from her cheeks.
"Duosan… What's going on? Why are you all standing here like this? Did Nissan come back already?" Sasuke asked, his voice small and trembling, though his wide eyes betrayed the storm inside his heart.
Andrew turned to look at him, his voice steady but unusually heavy. "Sasuke, you're back. That's good. Come stand with us. We're waiting too."
"Why…why is everyone waiting here?! What happened to Nissan?!"
Just then, one of the Uchiha elders, the Fifth Elder, sighed deeply, intentionally just loud enough for Sasuke to hear. "Ahh… Itachi, he's still so young. Why did this have to happen to him? The clan needed him..."
Sasuke's face went pale.
He turned to his father. His mother. His friend, Uchiha Inabi, who stood silently by the door with a grim expression. Every face seemed to confirm his worst fears.
**Was Itachi in danger? Was he—**No! That couldn't be!
Nissan was so strong!
But he couldn't lie to himself. Everything about this situation screamed that something was wrong.
Andrew watched Sasuke with conflicted emotions. So this is the boy who, in the other timeline, awakened the Mangekyō after witnessing the massacre of his entire clan. Even now, with just the fear of losing his brother, the intensity of his eyes…
At that moment, the door creaked open.
Out stepped Tsunade, looking completely drained. Her face was pale, her breathing ragged.
"I'm afraid... it doesn't look good," she said between gasps. "His body… there are serious internal injuries. I've done what I can, but... even I can't guarantee he'll survive the night."
Her voice carried a weight that made the entire crowd hold their breath.
Sasuke stood there in shock.
Even Tsunade-sama—the legendary medical ninja—couldn't do anything?
His heart dropped.
He didn't notice the faint flicker of irritation in Tsunade's eyes aimed at Andrew. This whole act had taken a toll on her—not just emotionally, but physically. Her hemophobia hadn't fully healed, and Itachi's fake injuries had still involved a lot of realistic bloodwork.
"Thank you, Tsunade-sama," Fugaku said solemnly. "May we go in to see him?"
"You may," she nodded, collecting herself like a true performer. "Just be quiet… he needs rest."
Sasuke didn't wait another second. He dashed inside and froze at the sight.
His beloved brother Itachi lay in bed, face pale, wrapped in bloodied bandages. The sight was horrifying to the young boy, who only a few hours ago had been laughing with friends at school.
"Nissan!" he cried and tried to run toward the bed.
But Fugaku held him back.
"Sasuke! Don't disturb your brother. Let him rest. He's exhausted."
"Dosan! Nissan… he'll be okay, right?"
Fugaku didn't respond immediately.
Andrew placed a hand on Sasuke's head, his tone deep and steady. "He used the Mangekyō Sharingan for too long, Sasuke. The burden was too much for his body to bear. If things don't change, he may not survive the night."
At that moment, Mikoto broke down completely beside them.
Sasuke's world came crashing down.
His knees buckled.
His eyes, filled with tears, began to spin faintly. A soft crimson light flickered.
Sharingan.
It appeared for a brief moment, a single tomoe swirling—and then Sasuke collapsed.
Andrew: "…"
Fugaku: "…"
Itachi (still pretending to be unconscious): "…"
"Was that… the Sharingan's pupil power?" Fugaku asked cautiously, glancing at Andrew.
"Do you really have to ask?" Andrew muttered. "We were all watching. There was definitely pupil power. But the kid passed out instantly. His endurance is terrible!"
He sighed. "Still, even if it's weak, it's the beginning. A single tomoe is the first step."
So the Sage of Six Paths' plan couldn't be skipped. The second-born son really has to grind his way up from scratch? Can't we speed things up for once?
"Well, he is only seven," Fugaku said awkwardly. "It's good enough for now."
"Anyway, I'll check with Tsunade again about Itachi's... condition."
Andrew left the room and found Tsunade seated on a bench, pale and still recovering.
"How is it?" he asked, trying not to sound guilty.
Tsunade glared at him. "I'm charging extra for this. My hemophobia still acts up, and you people made me pretend to be covered in blood!"
"I'll pay. But how's the situation really?"
She rubbed her forehead. "The issue with Itachi is complicated. His chakra pathways are damaged—likely due to his own Mangekyō overuse. Regular healing won't work."
"And?" Andrew pressed.
"There's one thing," Tsunade said reluctantly. "Hashirama's cells. The only thing that can truly restore the damage."
Andrew frowned. "We'd need Orochimaru's help for that."
Tsunade nodded. "Your teammate's got the expertise. I read Danzo's notes. Hashirama's cells are monstrous. They regenerate aggressively—sometimes too much. A body without proper suppression gets consumed."
"Even Uchiha's Sharingan isn't enough to fully suppress it?"
"Maybe with senjutsu chakra. But it's risky."
Andrew thought silently. Looks like I'll need Shisui. One Kotoamatsukami for one Orochimaru. That's fair.
He spoke up. "We'll handle it. Orochimaru's not in the village, but I'll make sure we get him on board. A monitored Orochimaru isn't the same as a rogue one."
"Do what you must. I'm leaving. I've had enough of fake blood for one day," Tsunade muttered and walked off, still trembling slightly.
Back in the house, Andrew reported the situation to Fugaku and Mikoto. "It's not solved, but there's a way. We need to be patient until Shisui returns."
The mood lightened. Relief swept through the room.
Then—
"Ugh…"
A low groan came from Itachi's bed.
Sasuke stirred awake and slowly sat up.
His eyes—this time clearly showed two tomoe spinning gently in each eye.
"Dosan...? Nissan… you're awake?"
He turned his head, only to see a room filled with awkward smiles and forced calm.
And then—it happened.
Itachi stood up casually, perfectly healthy, flashing a peaceful smile.
"Stupid little brother. Nissan's acting was perfect, right?"
Sasuke stared at him.
Then at the others.
Then back at Itachi.
Everyone... had lied to him?
Fugaku, Mikoto, Inabi, Andrew…
"Y-You... you all tricked me?"
His heart twisted in fury.
His chakra surged on its own.
"WHY DID YOU LIE TO ME?!"
With that scream, his Sharingan spun violently—and evolved. The second tomoe burst into existence.
The room fell silent.
Andrew whistled in awe.
"Well, well… you got your twin tomoe now. Congratulations, Erzhuzhu."
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