It had taken significant effort to bring Danzo into alignment, and the Third Hokage's abdication was set to proceed smoothly.
Any interference from the hardliners at this point could undo the fragile balance they had achieved and plunge everything back into instability and chaos.
That couldn't be allowed.
Patting his chest in reassurance, Yan stood up and left the room.
He didn't need Fuyue's reminder. He was already making preparations—those hardliners could no longer be permitted to persist.
Their faction had to be dismantled completely.
Reorganizing the Police Department would be the first step.
What followed, however, would be the real battle.
If things went according to plan, once Tsunade took up the mantle as the Fifth Hokage—and provided the Uchiha didn't act out again—
even if the misunderstandings between the two sides weren't fully resolved, the hostility would not continue escalating to the point of absolute collapse.
The relationship would eventually thaw.
Slowly, but surely.
"I'm back."
Just as Yan reached the entrance to his residence, a cheerful voice rang out.
A small figure sprinted toward him and collided into him with a surprised cry, falling backward onto the ground.
"Ugh…"
Hiko, whose thoughts had been wandering, was caught off guard.
He hadn't expected someone to be dashing around recklessly inside the clan compound—so he ended up colliding with Sasuke.
"Hiss—That hurt…"
Sitting on the ground, Sasuke brushed the dust off his clothes, wincing.
His handsome little face twisted in pain as he looked up to see who'd bumped into him.
"Senior…"
Upon seeing Yan clearly, Sasuke quickly stood up, ignoring the sting in his backside, and bowed respectfully.
Both Fugaku and Itachi had repeatedly instructed Sasuke:
Hiko was different from other Uchiha.
Whenever he encountered Hiko, he was to show proper respect, maintain a polite demeanor, and never act presumptuously.
"Mm. Be more careful next time. Don't rush around blindly."
Was I distracted? Impossible. It was obviously Sasuke who had been too excited to get home and ran too fast. Well… maybe it was partially my fault. Let's call it even.
"Yes…"
Though Sasuke was somewhat unwilling to accept that assessment, he didn't dare argue.
He just puffed out his cheeks in silent protest.
Truth be told, Sasuke was adorable when he was younger.
Yan couldn't help himself—he reached out and pinched Sasuke's chubby cheeks, stretching them with a grin.
"Ow—oww!"
Hearing Sasuke's cry of pain, Yan chuckled, and while he was at it, used today's copy ability on him.
"Copy successful. Partial Indra Chakra obtained. Fuse now?"
"Fuse."
Without hesitation, Yan confirmed in his mind. His mood lightened even further.
These two—Naruto and Sasuke—were true goldmines.
Every interaction seemed to trigger critical rewards.
"Senior is too much, pinching my face like that…"
Sasuke flinched away, glaring at Yan in embarrassment, though he remained wary, in case Yan decided to pinch him again.
Boom!!
The moment the fusion completed, Yan's mind felt like it exploded.
It was as if something burst forth from the depths of his brain, blanketing his vision.
His consciousness was struck violently—like a hammer to the skull.
"S-Senior…?"
Suddenly, Yan let out a muffled grunt, bending over, clutching his eye.
Blood seeped through the gaps in his fingers, trickling down his face.
Sasuke was stunned, his earlier caution forgotten.
His wide eyes filled with fear.
Yan's chakra surged wildly, his mental power escalating rapidly, becoming uncontrollably intense.
His consciousness was dragged into a pitch-black void.
And in that void… a towering, flaming golden figure stood proudly.
"Senior…? Are you okay? Don't scare me! I'll be careful from now on—I promise!"
Sasuke's voice trembled.
He watched helplessly as blood continued pouring from Yan's hands and face.
The veins on Yan's neck and hands bulged, making him appear terrifying.
The commotion outside quickly drew attention.
Fugaku stepped out of the house, frowning.
He immediately saw his younger son panicking, while Yan leaned against the doorframe in visible pain, blood dripping from his face and hand.
"Patriarch!"
The guards at the entrance hurried over, startled by the sight of Yan and frozen in place, unsure of what to do.
"Is that… Susanoo? Golden… and engulfed in flames?"
The Sharingan reflected the soul. Every Uchiha's Susanoo had its own color and form.
Yan's vision of the blazing golden figure meant only one thing.
"A golden Susanoo… Could it be…"
It all made sense.
He had teased Sasuke, used the copy ability, received the Indra Chakra, and immediately fused it.
That discomfort—followed by the strange dark space and the golden giant—it all pointed to one conclusion.
Finally, after long preparation and buildup, his Sharingan had evolved.
Yan's eyes, hidden beneath his hand, rotated intensely—the three tomoe spinning faster and faster, converging inward.
The tomoe straightened and stretched, merging into a brand-new shape.
The chakra storm around Yan was intense.
Fugaku couldn't determine whether it was the result of awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan—or a resurgence of the so-called blood-stained disease.
"Yan, stay calm. I'll get you to the hospital."
Fugaku's calm words brought Yan back from the void. His consciousness returned to his body.
"No need. It's just my eyes acting up again. An old issue. I'll rest a bit."
Yan stood upright, waved his left hand reassuringly, and strode off.
"Hm…"
Fugaku frowned, watching Yan leave.
After a moment's pause, he ordered the guards:
"Follow him. Make sure he gets home safely. Also, inform Izumi Uchiha—have her look after him."
"Yes, Patriarch!"
The two guards snapped to attention and hurried after Yan.
Honestly, they'd wanted to do so already—Yan's condition looked serious, and they were worried.
"Father… Will Senior be alright? Is the blood-stained disease really that frightening…?"
Sasuke's eyes were wide, still shaken.
He remembered whispers around the village and the clan—about Yan suffering from a rare, terrifying condition.
The blood-stained disease.
"Yes. It is frightening."
Fugaku placed a comforting hand on his son's shoulder.
But deep inside, he was already considering new moves.
With Yan's current state… could something be orchestrated to turn it to their advantage?
After seeing Yan safely home, the two guards returned to the clan compound and went to notify Izumi at the Police Department.
"You two—spread the word. Tell the clan that Yan's condition has worsened. Ask everyone to avoid disturbing his training."
"Eh?"
The guards were stunned.
Was the Patriarch… intentionally spreading the news?
Still, orders were orders. Even if they didn't understand the reasoning, they obeyed without question.
And so, under Fugaku's direction, rumors began to circulate through the clan:
Yan's condition had worsened. No one was to interfere with his rest or training.
"Hahaha…"
Back at home, Yan let out a genuine laugh. His emotions spilled over.
In the mirror, he stared at his reflection—and the anxiety that had weighed on his heart for so long began to fade.
He had once worried that the village would target him, that even the Uchiha might scheme against him, or that Shisui might unwittingly deal him a fatal blow under the guise of loyalty.
Now, those fears had dissipated.
With the downfall of Danzo and the resignation of Hiruzen, the Uchiha were no longer on the brink of annihilation.
And with the awakening of the Mangekyō Sharingan, his power had taken a monumental leap forward.
He no longer had to worry about conspiracies or assassination attempts.
With the Mangekyō, he had finally shattered his chains.
After composing himself, Yan examined his eyes again in the mirror.
Tilting his head, he muttered:
"Good thing the pattern isn't twisted like Itachi's. That would've been awkward."
His kaleidoscope design was quite similar to Itachi's, but with a clear distinction:
While Itachi's tomoe curved as they neared the center, Yan's were sharp and angular—
Three equilateral triangles extending outward from a central point, resembling the central motif in Sasuke's eternal Mangekyō.
"Three sharp angles… Not too bad."
He wasn't overly concerned with aesthetics.
What mattered was the power his Mangekyō offered.
Still, one thing puzzled him:
Despite having absorbed so much of Indra and Asura's chakra, his eyes remained ordinary Mangekyō.
He hadn't jumped straight to the Eternal Mangekyō like Indra had.
So… where had all that chakra gone? What had changed?
He would have to investigate further.
Bang!!
Before he could ponder further, the front door slammed open.
Izumi burst in, her Police Department uniform still on. She hadn't even stopped to remove her shoes.
She had heard from the guards that Yan's condition had worsened, that blood had been streaming from his face—and in a panic, she had rushed to his home at top speed.
"Captain!!"
Her voice rang with anxiety as she ran in.
Just then, Yan stepped out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel…
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