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"Seiji, there's nothing wrong with you."
Nonō Yakushi let the faint green glow around her hands fade as she drew her chakra back.
Hearing that, Seiji frowned. "But… I heard everyone's Sharingan awakens in both eyes at the same time."
"Not always. There are exceptions."
"…I see."
He lowered his head, unsurprised by her answer.
This had happened in the original story too—Sasuke's Sharingan had once evolved unevenly. After his fight with Haku, one eye advanced to two tomoe while the other remained at one. A rare case, but not unheard of.
Nonō carefully sealed away her instruments into a storage scroll. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Seiji's slight frame watching her with those deep, jet-black eyes.
He didn't know her like this. He remembered her other image more clearly: the white hood, the black nun's robes, her every casual gesture carrying a maternal, saintly weight.
Still, Seiji's mind was busy organizing what he knew of Nonō Yakushi.
Captain of the Medical Corps. An exceptional spy in Root's network. So skilled, in fact, that even after retirement Danzo had personally coerced her into returning to serve.
That was why Seiji never tried to outplay her. She asked, he answered.
As for the question of whether he was a spy—well, that was just Cloud's one-sided attempt to reel him in. He, Uchiha Seiji, hadn't agreed to anything. He hadn't actually done any "spy work."
Would he someday? That was a problem for the future.
"By the way, Lady Nonō… that green chakra you were just using, is that the same as what Lady Tsunade uses?"
Seiji lifted his head suddenly, genuine curiosity in his voice.
"That's right. Medical chakra. Among Konoha's medics, it manifests in that pale green color."
She nodded, a loose strand of blonde hair falling across her face as she spoke. Most medical techniques turned chakra green, the Mystical Palm Technique being the best-known.
She noticed Seiji's eyes lingering on the scroll she'd just sealed.
"You're interested in this sort of thing?" she asked.
Nonō knew Tsunade had already examined his eyes, likely leaving Seiji curious about medical ninjutsu.
His gaze still fixed on the scroll, Seiji asked softly, "These medical techniques… could I learn them?"
Nonō blinked, caught off guard. She studied him more closely. The boy looked fragile, but she could tell from his frame he was built to grow tall and strong. With training, he could easily become a capable taijutsu user.
"Seiji, your talents might be better suited for taijutsu."
"Taijutsu?"
Mikoto glanced at the boy. She'd heard he bore traces of the Yotsuki bloodline, though she'd never seen exactly where. Perhaps in some talent or hidden trait waiting to reveal itself.
But Seiji just shook his head. "Even so… what if another clan member has the same problem as me someday? If I knew medical ninjutsu, I could help, like you or Lady Tsunade."
He scratched at his hair, speaking in a low, sheepish tone as though embarrassed by his own disappointment. "So it's impossible after all…"
The corners of his mouth tugged downward ever so slightly.
Of course he was disappointed. If Nonō turned him down too, he'd have to come up with a new plan. But his voice carried a note of sincerity that softened his words.
Nonō felt something stir in her chest.
She had always loved children—especially those with no one to rely on.
"Don't be discouraged," she said gently, her voice warm. "Once you graduate from the Academy, if you pass the aptitude test for medical trainees, come find me."
It was more than she would have said to an adult. Normally she'd just tell someone to take the exam and leave it at that. But the Root files had told her Seiji had been an orphan since he was two.
For years now, Nonō had harbored the thought of opening an orphanage once she left Root. Meeting Seiji only made that desire stronger.
"Really?"
Seiji's eyes lit up, his face breaking into a bright, unguarded smile. The gloomy look he usually carried seemed to vanish in an instant.
Nonō returned the smile. "Why would I lie?"
From her side, Mikoto found herself watching the boy more carefully. He truly wasn't like the other Uchiha children. Tsunade had shown no interest in him as a disciple, but Nonō… she seemed tempted to take him under her wing.
And if what Nonō said was true, he had talent in taijutsu as well.
The Uchiha clan had no medics. No taijutsu specialists either. Every graduate went straight into the Police Force or mission work. Mikoto herself had followed that path.
"All right then, Seiji. That's enough for today."
Nonō rose, tightening the strap on her scroll. Before leaving, her eyes flicked over the small stack of books on his chair. A studious child, she thought.
"Thank you, Lady Nonō," Seiji said, standing quickly to walk her out.
He and Mikoto accompanied her to the edge of the Uchiha district, marked by the old wooden archway that separated it from Konoha's main streets.
"Focus on your training," Mikoto said before hurrying off.
Seiji headed home alone beneath a sky dotted with stars. He let out a quiet breath, relief easing from his shoulders.
That had gone better than expected.
It made sense, really—Nonō had taught medical ninjutsu even to orphans outside the village. Of course she'd be willing to guide him. And now that she was leaning toward retirement, she had fewer reasons to refuse.
For now, she had no real weaknesses. Only in the future, when she ran an orphanage, would Danzo exploit her soft spot, using the children as hostages to force her back into espionage.
"Next step is to sharpen my chakra control. I need to reach the standard as soon as possible."
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The next day, at the Academy training field—
"Today's class is a short test. You'll be running fifty laps!"
Instructor Iruka Umino blew his whistle sharply, signaling the students to start.
A chorus of groans followed.
"Again? More running?" "Wait, fifty?!"
"....."