Chapter 21: Mangekyou Abilities - Winning Over

"You are Uchiha Izumi?"

Hearing Uzuki Yugao's exclamation, Uchiha Izumi didn't respond.

Instead, her eyes slowly revealed the three-tomoe Sharingan, proving her Uchiha clan identity.

As a Uchiha prodigy who awakened her three-tomoe Sharingan at the age of thirteen, Izumi naturally drew Shishou's special attention.

During the clan massacre, Shishou had injured her with the Phosphorescent Worms he had planted on her beforehand, and then used Healing Worms to put her in a state of suspended animation, allowing her to evade Tobi's threat.

"Why is someone who should be dead here?"

"And why do you have the three-tomoe Sharingan!"

Seeing the Sharingan in Izumi's eyes, Uzuki Yugao didn't dare take her lightly. She took out a kunai, keeping her full attention on Izumi's hands and feet.

This was a method circulated within the ANBU for dealing with those who possessed the three-tomoe Sharingan.

"Izumi, continue your training. I'll handle the explanation."

Uchiha Mikoto approached the gate and, seeing the tense situation, spoke up quickly.

"Yes."

Izumi nodded and used the Body Flicker Technique to leave.

"You are..."

Uzuki Yugao finally realized who had been with Shishou earlier. Recognizing the face before her, she was momentarily stunned before speaking in shock,

"You are Uchiha Mikoto, the clan leader's wife!"

As the clan leader's wife and a Uchiha jonin with the three-tomoe Sharingan, Uchiha Mikoto was a key subject of observation by the ANBU, and Yugao had naturally seen her photo.

Recognizing Uchiha Izumi was because they had been classmates at the ninja academy.

"It seems he didn't tell you everything."

"Miss Yugao, please come with me."

Uchiha Mikoto smiled and gestured for Yugao to follow her into a nearby courtyard.

Facing a Uchiha jonin like Mikoto, Yugao, merely a civilian chunin, had no chance of winning.

Moreover, Yugao knew.

After discovering the secret of 'other Uchiha survivors,' it was impossible for her to return to Konoha.

From now on, she would be bound to that Flying Thunder God jerk.

Otherwise, the Uchiha survivors alone wouldn't let her leave alive.

"No wonder that guy said those things."

"Does he think he has me cornered?"

Following Mikoto, Yugao thought sullenly.

...

Shishou was unaware of the events unfolding at the estate in Fire Source City and didn't plan to inquire. He trusted Mikoto to handle it.

At this moment, he was looking at the system interface, preparing for the next evolution of the Phosphorescent Worms.

[Phosphorescent Worm, epic insect species, evolved four times, currently able to evolve]

[...]

[Please choose the evolution direction]

[Evolution Option One: Increased Toxicity]

[...]

[Evolution Option Seven: Increased Vitality]

Seeing no special evolution option, Shishou was slightly disappointed.

He directly chose Evolution Option Seven to continue enhancing the vitality of the Phosphorescent Worms, extending their survival time in the air.

[Selection successful, Phosphorescent Worm evolved successfully]

[Placed in insect breeding space for continued cultivation, can evolve further after reaching a certain quantity]

"It has evolved five times already."

"One more evolution and I can open a new insect breeding space."

"And I can draw a prize."

"I wonder what I'll get."

Looking at the Phosphorescent Worms sleeping in the insect breeding space, Shishou felt a surge of anticipation.

Then, Shishou placed the caterpillar that was about to undergo its ninth evolution on the table in front of him.

Mangekyou Sharingan · Accelerate Growth!

Shishou's Mangekyou Sharingan appeared, his left eye spinning rapidly.

Three seconds later.

The caterpillar on the table rapidly grew, quickly reaching the adult stage.

After more than a week, Shishou's body finally adapted to the Mangekyou Sharingan and he successfully obtained his own Mangekyou abilities.

Shishou's Mangekyou abilities were called: Takami Musubi

The name derived from 'Takami Musubi no Kami,' a powerful deity in the ninja world whose divine rank was second only to the Primordial Kami, and held the authority of overseeing all growth!

Mangekyou Sharingan Left Eye · Takami Musubi · Accelerate Growth: Can accelerate or pause the growth state of a target organism.

Mangekyou Sharingan Right Eye · Takami Musubi · Enlarge Body: Can enlarge or shrink a target organism's size up to three times, with larger differences resulting in shorter maintenance time.

Doubling in size can last for about ten hours, while tripling in size can only be maintained for ten minutes.

These two skills weren't particularly powerful, being more of support abilities.

But Shishou loved them!

Because support skills consumed far less visual power than offensive skills, and these two abilities perfectly complemented Shishou's insect swarm.

Not only could they accelerate the growth of insects, but they could also gigantify his summoned beasts, making them as powerful as the creatures from Mount Myoboku. If his summoned beast was already the size of the Toad Trio, tripling its size... what a beautiful sight!

Moreover, Takami Musubi no Kami oversaw all growth. If he fully harnessed the potential of these eyes, Shishou might also control all growth.

For instance, accelerating Hanabi's growth to her age and size in Boruto...

Or accelerating the currently young Hinata's growth to her adult size...

Or locking his own growth state at eighteen, achieving eternal youth...

Thinking about these possibilities made Shishou incredibly excited!

This ability was akin to that of a creator...

The only downside was that his eyes were not Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, so overuse could lead to blindness.

Unless he implanted Hashirama cells like Obito to significantly reduce the side effects of the Mangekyou.

[Caterpillar, common insect species, evolved nine times, currently able to advance]

[Advancement cannot be undone, please choose carefully]

Hmm?

Able to advance?

Seeing the prompt, Shishou was delighted.

The system could advance insects?

Without hesitation, Shishou chose to advance.

[Please choose the advancement direction]

[Direction One: Golden Caterpillar, rare species, all-around attribute enhancement for the caterpillar]

[Direction Two: Green Spiny Moth, rare species, can emit mildly toxic phosphorescent powder]

What is a Golden Caterpillar?

Driven by curiosity, Shishou chose Direction One.

[Selection successful, caterpillar advancing, advancement time: 30 days]

[During advancement, it cannot be summoned or used]

Seeing the caterpillar begin to form a cocoon, Shishou turned his attention to the Healing Worm.

Activating the Mangekyou again, Shishou successfully evolved the Healing Worm, which then fell into a deep sleep.

Unfortunately, there was no special evolution.

Shishou shook his head, turned off the light, and went to bed.

...

Elsewhere.

Fire Source City, living room.

"Are you sure all of this is for me?"

Uzuki Yugao looked at the passbook in her hand in disbelief, then at Uchiha Mikoto.

"Of course."

Uchiha Mikoto took a sip of tea and quietly observed Yugao.

With only Izumi by her side, she was in dire need of more hands.

Naturally, she didn't want to miss the opportunity to recruit Uzuki Yugao.

Moreover, that brat Shishou probably didn't want to let go of the beautiful Uzuki Yugao either.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have brought her here.

While thinking this, Mikoto subtly sized up Yugao, comparing her to herself.

"Ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, million... It's five million..."

After confirming the numbers on the passbook again, Yugao still felt like she was dreaming.

A highly dangerous S-rank mission only paid one million, which was split among several people.

After deducting mission expenses, it would take more than a dozen missions to save up five million.

Just recently, she had been struggling in Konoha, taking missions and being chased.

Now, she had suddenly become a millionaire?

Anyone would be stunned by such a contrast.

Seeing Yugao's reaction, Mikoto added fuel to the fire by taking out a pile of ninjutsu scrolls from a nearby cabinet.

"If money doesn't interest you,"

"We also have many ninjutsu scrolls here. You can choose two to study."

What?

Ninjutsu scrolls for free?

Do you think you can buy me with this?

What a big mistake!

Uzuki Yugao suddenly stood up, walking to Mikoto, and solemnly said:

"Madam, please rest assured, if you need anything in the future, just give the word."

"From now on, I belong to the Uchiha clan."

With that, Yugao put the passbook in her pocket and started searching the scrolls for ones that interested her.

Lord Third Hokage, I'm really sorry.

It's not that I'm disloyal to Konoha.

It's just that they're offering too much.

Mikoto: "..."