[Side Quest: Destroy the Iwagakure Supply Depot and Incite Chaos — Completed]
[Calculating rewards…]
The next day, inside a barren mountain cave.
Haori was using medical ninjutsu to heal the wounds on his body when the system's voice echoed in his mind.
Hearing it, the dust-covered, deeply frustrated look on his face finally eased a little.
Yesterday's raid had almost turned into a suicide attack.
He had guessed that the warehouse probably stored explosive tags and similar supplies, which was why he'd bolted the moment he released his Fire Release.
But as the saying went—walk by the river long enough, and sooner or later you'll fall in.
He truly hadn't expected there to be that many explosives inside!
Even though he'd run early, the massive blast still caught him in the shockwave, nearly taking him out together with the Iwa ninja in the camp.
If not for the many rewards he'd accumulated over the years—allowing him to protect himself in the explosion—
And if not for Guy and Aoba, both dazed themselves, coming back to find him and dragging him away—
If the pursuing forces had arrived just a bit sooner, he would've become a walking gift package—Sharingan included—delivering warmth straight to the enemy.
"Still, the situation isn't exactly good…"
Under his command, the three of them were now fleeing toward Kannabi Bridge.
Thanks to Guy's sturdy body and Aoba's guidance, they'd only gone through a few skirmishes before reaching this place to rest.
But the pursuers behind them were numerous. One could easily imagine what would happen if they were caught.
At this point, Iwagakure's attitude toward them wasn't just hostile—it was downright irreconcilable.
If captured, there'd be no chance to imitate the French and surrender gracefully.
They could even skip the memory-restoration techniques altogether.
Straight to the final step—used as sacrificial banners.
"But at least we made it out… and I really am pretty well-rounded."
Watching his wounds steadily heal, Haori nodded inwardly.
After spending so many years in the Land of Whirlpools, he'd gained an impressive range of abilities.
Shiranui Genma's senbon techniques.
Yūhi Kurenai's genjutsu talent.
Qingcheng Shanye's Yin Release training.
Add to that medical ninjutsu, Lightning Release aptitude—
Taken together, they'd practically turned him into a jack-of-all-trades ninja.
"Still, I wonder what this mission reward will be. Though compared to that, my greatest gain this time…"
Haori was interested in the reward, but he knew full well that it wasn't his biggest harvest.
That honor belonged to—
His eyes.
His two-tomoe Sharingan had already been nearing its limit. Even without yesterday's battle, it wouldn't have taken much longer.
But the fight had accelerated the process.
He could clearly feel that something had changed in his eyes—and the system had confirmed it.
[The current Sharingan has pushed the host's strength to its peak]
[Activate passive skill '(Outstanding)' to enhance further?]
This message was exactly what Haori had been hoping for—what he desperately wanted.
After all these years of grinding and struggling, the payoff had finally arrived.
"The evolution of the Sharingan really isn't as simple as people imagine…"
He understood how the Sharingan evolved—but knowing and being able to do it were two very different things.
Take the Mangekyō, for example. The higher-ups in the Uchiha clan probably all knew the method.
But people's psychological thresholds differed.
Killing one's closest friend or family might be the most effective trigger—
Yet once you knew the secret and steeled yourself for it…
If you already knew the outcome and convinced yourself beforehand, would it still work?
Obviously not.
Only when completely unaware could one experience that ultimate shock and pain.
"But that also makes it easy to produce people like Obito."
Thinking of Obito, Haori shook his head.
Despite the official attempts at redemption, Haori felt no fondness for him—no more than for Uchiha Itachi.
Rin's death was tragic, yes.
But after her death, Obito's mind held only one thought: a world with Rin—discarding everyone who had ever cared for him.
How was that any different from Itachi's ingratitude?
Minato Namikaze was firmly aligned with the Hokage faction; there was no way he didn't understand the delicate relationship between the village and the Uchiha.
Yet he still accepted Obito—an Uchiha and a dead-last—likely hoping to mend that relationship.
As for Minato being late that day?
He was an elite jōnin, busy with countless responsibilities.
Beyond being a teacher, he was Obito's superior—how could he always protect every subordinate?
And Kushina Uzumaki had treated Obito exceptionally well.
Encouraging him when he was down.
Making him rice balls during training.
Reminding him to be careful before missions.
If that wasn't family-level care, what was?
And yet—
His first sword stroke after "going dark," aimed straight at his loved ones.
"So yeah… upgrading the Sharingan isn't easy. Forcing a Mangekyō is risky—it breeds ingrates and lunatics."
Haori glanced at his arm; the injuries had mostly healed. He dispelled the medical ninjutsu.
"Luckily, I don't need to worry about that. I just need to steadily build strength.
Activate 'Outstanding.' Upgrade the Sharingan."
In an instant, power surged through his body.
His blood seemed to boil as the force rushed into his eyes.
At that moment, both his body and vision felt like they were being refined.
He could sense his speed increasing, his chakra control growing more precise.
His eyes turned fully crimson as the two tomoe began to spin rapidly.
Mid-rotation, a third tomoe split off—
Forming a perfect triangular pattern.
Clarity flooded his vision.
His power surged once more.
"So this is the power of the three-tomoe Sharingan…"
Haori reveled in the sensation, excitement bubbling up inside him.
Many abilities that had been difficult—or outright impossible—with two tomoe now felt effortless.
[Calculation complete]
[Reward obtained: Might Guy's Physical Constitution Talent]
Guy's physical constitution?
Haori's eyes lit up.
He'd always believed that Guy's greatest strength was his body.
Without absurd durability, how could anyone endure that self-abusive training regimen?
How else could one push the Eight Gates to such extremes—Evening Elephant, Night Guy?
Haori didn't plan on becoming a musclehead, and he had his own path to walk—
But having that kind of physique as a transitional boost?
How could he not be happy?
"Haori, feeling better?"
Guy stepped into the cave.
He still looked a bit disheveled, but his energy was high—Haori had treated his injuries earlier.
His expression, however, was serious.
"I'm fine. Have the Iwa ninja arrived?"
Haori immediately understood. Aoba, who had been resting with his eyes closed against the wall, opened them as well.
"Yeah. They've probably found traces of us, but they haven't pinpointed our position yet,"
Guy said quietly, guilt on his face.
"I'm sorry. I was careless."
"It's not your fault. Without you, we might not have made it here at all."
Haori shook his head, then looked to Aoba.
Aoba didn't speak—he simply nodded to indicate he was fine.
"Then let's move out first, and look for another chance—"
Mid-sentence, Haori froze, staring into the distance.
Guy and Aoba followed his gaze.
Deep in the forest, a signal flare slowly rose into the sky.
And at that very moment—
The system's voice echoed once more in his mind.
~~--------------------------------
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