Chapter 38

"It appears that you possess a much greater understanding of the Sharingan than I do," Uchiha remarked emotionally. "A few simple Genjutsu techniques have already bested me."

Fugaku shook his head and responded, "The focus of the Sharingan varies among individuals. Some concentrate on Taijutsu, others on Ninjutsu, and some excel in Genjutsu. It cannot be generalized."

The Uchiha Clan lacked this concept, perhaps due to missing information or a lack of serious study. When Uchiha Madara left the Clan, he took with him some top-secret information that recorded the secrets of the Uchiha Clan and Forbidden Jutsu.

In the future, Fugaku's two sons, Itachi and Sasuke, would serve as the best evidence of this. Itachi had nearly perfected his mastery of Genjutsu, rendering opponents defenseless. He had pushed the boundaries of Sharingan's Genjutsu abilities to the extreme, while Sasuke rarely utilized Genjutsu, focusing primarily on Taijutsu and Ninjutsu.

Jin scratched his head and commented, "Maybe so, but your Genjutsu is truly powerful."

Fugaku understood that at the current stage of 3-Tomoe, there wasn't much difference in Ninjutsu performance. However, once the Mangekyō Sharingan was awakened, the focus would shift to enhancing the body, leading to significant disparities.

Kim didn't discourage Fugaku from further studying Fūinjutsu. In a world where strength is revered, battle prowess and eloquence go hand in hand.

Aside from Jin, Fugaku spent several more days experimenting with Fūinjutsu, using a wild boar and a giant centipede.

The stronger the Chakra, the greater the destructive power of Fūinjutsu. Simple Fūinjutsu could only temporarily seal creatures in the physical realm, unable to enlarge or shrink them.

Profound Fūinjutsu, on the other hand, could create its own seal space based on the technique's style, but mastering it was exceptionally challenging.

For instance, the Ura Shishō Fūin, used by the Yondaime Hokage, created a seal space between the physical and the virtual on Naruto's abdomen, sealing the Kyūbi within.

Danzō's Ura Shishō Fūin also opened up a space in his chest, allowing him to pull everything within a certain range into his body for sealing.

The Uchiha Clan's expertise in Fūinjutsu wasn't particularly extensive. They possessed enough foundational knowledge, and there would be time to explore deeper aspects later.

As for rare Fūinjutsu techniques, Fugaku wasn't too concerned. He would assess their demand and opportunities in the future.

That evening, when Fugaku returned home and entered the house, he found his father sitting quietly on his knees in the living room, wearing a somber expression. Fugaku could sense his father's sorrow and could tell that he wasn't in a good mood.

It reminded Fugaku of the time when his mother had passed away, and Uchiha Tenjō had worn a similar expression of sadness.

"I'm back, Father," Fugaku said. "Uchiha Ueno has been killed in the Land of Rain, and I will make preparations for the funeral tomorrow morning."

Fugaku was taken aback. Uchiha Ueno, one of his father's subordinates or students, explained why his father appeared so melancholic.

Outside, his father was a formidable Uchiha patriarch who always maintained the dignity of the Clan. Only at home would he shed his disguise and become an ordinary shinobi. For former students, students, and even friends, he mourned in silence.

Fugaku recalled chatting with Uchiha Ueno during their time together at the Vanguard Camp. Ueno had left a lasting impression on him. He possessed a broad vision and extraordinary knowledge that extended beyond individual limitations. Fugaku held great optimism for his clansman.

He hadn't expected that Ueno would be buried in the Land of Rain. Fugaku still remembered Ueno's words from their conversation. "Fighting for the honor of the Clan is the greatest reward for me."

"Father, I will make the necessary preparations for the funeral," Fugaku assured him.

The conflict in the Land of Rain continued, resulting in corpses arriving from the frontlines every few days. Each fallen individual could be regarded as having sacrificed their lives for Konoha.

During the war, funerals became more frequent, with Clan members and loved ones being informed of the deceased. There were fewer requests involving civilians or other shinobi.

In the morning, after washing up, Uchiha Tenjō and his son, both dressed in funeral attire and carrying white flowers, departed together.

Many members of the Uchiha Clan silently followed suit, stepping out of their homes. As the crowd assembled, they exited the gates of the clan and headed straight for the cemetery in Konoha.

Numerous people had already gathered in front of the memorial tablet, including civilians and shinobi. Fugaku looked ahead, but a figure to the side caught his attention.

Upon scanning the area, it seemed that the other person had noticed Fugaku's gaze and also turned their eyes in his direction.

With black long hair, golden pupils, fair skin, and Tomoe-shaped earrings, it was Orochimaru, one of the future Sannin.

The two nodded at each other, a subtle gesture that conveyed a sense of acknowledgement and mutual respect. Their gazes briefly met before shifting away.

Fugaku hadn't expected Orochimaru to be present at the funeral.

At this point in time, Orochimaru hadn't delved into Forbidden Jutsu yet. He was merely a composed and cold-blooded shinobi, displaying a strong sense of camaraderie and teacher-student relationships.

Likewise, Orochimaru might have started preliminary cooperation with Danzō, but he hadn't embarked on the extensive research into Forbidden Jutsu or Konoha's Wood Release project. Their collaboration wouldn't deepen for a while.

Various thoughts flooded Fugaku's mind. The research project on Konoha's Wood Release hadn't begun until the end of the Third Ninja War drew near.

Advancing the Wood Release research plan might be feasible. Fugaku believed that it wouldn't be long before he awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan. However, using it frequently posed risks of blindness. Even if Fugaku could absorb Pupil Strength, precautions needed to be taken.

To harness the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan reliably, the cells of the First Hokage would play a crucial role. Obito served as a prime example. Uchiha Madara used numerous special White Zetsu bodies created from Hashirama's cells to restore Obito's body, granting him the freedom to use the Kamui space-time ability without fear of eye blindness.

Moreover, future awakened Uchiha clan members could utilize this method to counteract the risk of vision loss and strengthen the Uchiha Clan's heritage.

If a few Uchiha Clan members awakened their Mangekyō Sharingan, it would serve as a significant deterrent to the entire ninja world, even without Fugaku's direct involvement.

Expediting this process wouldn't be difficult. Once rumors about the Wood Release began circulating in the village, Fugaku believed that ambitious individuals would take action. Even if the village didn't initiate the experiment due to internal pressure, private individuals would pursue their own studies.

Fugaku was well-acquainted with the character of Konoha's high-ranking officials, including the Third Hokage. Although he occasionally turned a blind eye to obvious problems, Fugaku knew that regardless of who led the Wood Release research, the extraction of the First Hokage's cells would be indispensable. This presented Fugaku with an opportunity that he would seize given the chance.