300-Fifth Tomoe

The warm light spilled into the room, illuminating a tall man standing at the threshold. His jet-black hair fell in loose waves to his shoulders, framing a sharp, angular face.

His dark eyes carried a weight of authority, a quiet intensity that demanded attention even without a word. Dressed in a high-collared cloak, the man exuded an air of mystery and control, his posture upright and his arms relaxed at his sides.

Renjiro froze for a moment, his eyes scanning the figure before him. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he turned slightly to glance back at Miwa, who stood behind him.

His expression was a mix of mischief and knowing, a silent message that spoke volumes. Without saying a word, Renjiro's body flickered, and he vanished in an instant, leaving behind only a faint rustle of displaced air.

The man at the door raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by the abrupt exit. He leaned forward slightly, resting one hand on the doorframe. "What was that about?" he asked, his voice calm but laced with curiosity.

Miwa sighed, crossing her arms as she stepped closer to the door. "Nothing important," she replied dismissively, though her tone lacked conviction.

The man tilted his head, his lips curving into a faint smile. "I don't think Renjiro being here is nothing."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "You know Renjiro?"

"Who doesn't know Renjiro?" the man replied with a casual shrug. "Besides his red hair being a beacon of attention in the clan, he's the youngest Uchiha to ever become a jōnin."

Miwa blinked, caught off guard by the remark. A sense of pride flickered in her chest as she glanced at the now-empty doorway. Though she had always been aware of Renjiro's potential, hearing his reputation acknowledged so casually by someone else was unexpected.

"He's my nephew," she said after a moment, her voice soft but firm.

The man's expression shifted slightly, surprise flashing across his features. "Your nephew?" he echoed, his brow furrowing.

"It's a long story," Miwa added quickly, waving a hand as if to dismiss further questions. She stepped aside, gesturing for the man to enter.

Meanwhile, Renjiro reappeared in his own home, the familiar surroundings offering little comfort as his thoughts churned.

His Sharingan activated instinctively as he scanned the room, ensuring all was secure. Satisfied, he strode to a corner shelf where a small, reinforced cabinet rested, covered in intricate seals. Layer upon layer of protection surrounded it, each one a testament to his meticulousness.

"Well that was a waste of time," Renjiro muttered under his breath as he deactivated the seals one by one.

Each seal dissipated with a soft pop, their faint glow fading into the dimly lit room. Finally, he reached the jar hidden inside, its surface fogged with condensation. Inside, two Sharingan floated in a viscous blue liquid, preserved with painstaking care.

Renjiro held the jar in both hands, his reflection distorted by the glass. He had long known the mechanics of the Mangekyō Sharingan and the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, piecing together fragments of information gleaned from the anime's lore and his own conclusions.

Yet, the exact process of combining pairs of Mangekyō eyes remained elusive. He had hoped Miwa might provide some insight, but she had vaguely answered his questions. Now, he was left with no choice but to proceed with his own risky plan.

"Well," Renjiro said, placing the jar on the wooden table before him. "Looks like I'm just going to wing it."

Outwardly, Renjiro appeared calm, his movements deliberate and measured. Inside, however, a storm raged. Doubt clawed at the edges of his resolve, whispering of the risks: the potential destruction of the Sharingan he had so carefully preserved, permanent damage to his own eyes, or even death.

He clenched his fists, forcing the thoughts away. Hesitation would only lead to failure, and failure was not an option.

After a moment, Renjiro exhaled sharply and activated his Sharingan. The familiar red glow illuminated his features as he unscrewed the jar's lid. The pungent scent of the preservation liquid filled the air as he dipped his hand into the jar, his fingers brushing against one of the floating eyes. He grasped it carefully, his Sharingan spinning as he examined the delicate organ.

"Here goes nothing," he murmured, pulling the eye free of the liquid. It glistened in the dim light, its surface smooth and unnervingly lifelike. Renjiro quickly identified it as a left eye and brought it closer to his own left Sharingan, his breath steady but his heartbeat quickening.

Without hesitation, Renjiro pressed the eye against his socket, reversing the motion he had used when he first removed it. A sharp resistance met his efforts, accompanied by a mild but persistent pain.

His Sharingan seemed to fight against the intrusion, digging into the walls of his eye socket as if to hold its ground. He gritted his teeth, his determination unwavering.

Suddenly, with a soft pop, the resistance vanished. Renjiro flinched as his left Sharingan disappeared, replaced by a faint sensation of something foreign settling into place. He blinked rapidly, his vision adjusting to the change.

"It worked!" he exclaimed, his voice breaking with uncharacteristic excitement. He almost leapt to his feet, a grin spreading across his face. "It really worked!"

Taking a deep breath, Renjiro steadied himself, forcing his emotions back under control. There was still the right eye to deal with. He repeated the process, his hands moving with practiced precision.

This time, the sensation was less jarring, though no less strange. Once the second eye was in place, he stepped away from the table and walked to a nearby mirror.

Angling his face, Renjiro studied his reflection. His Sharingan stared back at him, unchanged. No additional tomoe, no new patterns—just the same crimson gaze he had always known. He frowned, a mix of frustration and acceptance settling over him.

'So did it work or not?' he wondered, tilting his head for a better view.

'Good news is that we now know I can combine my sets of Sharingan,' he thought bitterly. 'Bad news is that I should have stocked up more eyes before testing this.'

Renjiro sighed, his shoulders slumping as he returned to the table. He had hoped this experiment would awaken his Mangekyō Sharingan, a shortcut to the power he sought. Instead, it seemed Fate had other plans. Yet, a flicker of curiosity lingered in his mind.

'I wonder if whatever I just did will give me a fifth tomoe when I open the gate,' he mused. The thought was a small consolation, though it did little to quell his disappointment.

As he prepared to focus his chakra and test his theory, a sudden, sharp pain shot through his chest. Renjiro staggered, clutching at his ribs as the pain travelled downward, searing through his abdomen before settling in his spine. His left arm and leg went numb, and he collapsed against the wall, his right limbs struggling to support his weight.

'Am I having a heart attack or stroke?' Renjiro thought frantically, his breathing shallow and laboured.

The pain intensified, radiating outward until it consumed him entirely. Blood began to seep from his nose, ears, and mouth, dripping onto the floor in a gruesome tableau. His body convulsed, every nerve screaming in agony.

Renjiro's mind raced as his vision blurred. Memories flashed before him— the day he first awakened his Sharingan, the countless battles he had fought. Each image was tinged with regret, a haunting reminder of choices made and paths not taken.

As the pain reached its zenith, Renjiro felt a strange shift within him. His chakra, usually a steady flow under his control, began to act of its own accord. It surged toward his eyes, gathering with a force that left him breathless. His Sharingan spun wildly, each heartbeat sending a pulse of energy through the orbs.

And then, slowly, the pain began to subside. The bleeding stopped, and Renjiro's convulsions stilled. He lay on the floor, gasping for breath, as the spinning in his eyes began to slow. With each rotation, his Sharingan shifted, its shape changing imperceptibly at first, then with deliberate finality.

[Author: Sike!!! Thought, I would misdirect you with the Title. Also I want to say thank you to you guys for helping me reach another chapter. 300 Chapters!!! Honestly, I didn't think that I would go past 100 chapters, especially after the break I took at the beginning of the Year, but here we are. That being said, here is another link for another promotion: https://www.patreon.com/SideCharacter/redeem/07EFC

Only accepts the first ten to claim it.

Hurry!

Once again, thanks for your continuous support.]

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