### **Chapter 7: The Price of Power**

The night was thick with tension. The Hidden Leaf Village, a place Ethan had once considered a mere stepping stone to his true ambitions, now felt like a labyrinth. The more he learned about its inner workings, the more he realized that the village was far more fragile than it appeared. The Hokage's rule was stable only because the villagers didn't yet understand how vulnerable they were. And Ethan, with his knowledge and ambition, had found the cracks in the foundation.

As the moon hung high in the sky, Ethan stood alone in the darkened courtyard of the Uchiha compound. His mind buzzed with thoughts of the future, of the intricate dance of power that he had set into motion. Kabuto had been invaluable, gathering intelligence on the village's many factions, while Anko had started making inroads with the underground, feeding him more information on the unrest brewing within the Hidden Leaf. But there was one more key player Ethan needed to deal with: the Hokage himself.

The third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had served as the village's protector for decades. His wisdom, experience, and strength had kept the Hidden Leaf standing through countless wars. But now, at the edge of his reign, Ethan sensed weakness. Hiruzen's loyalty to the village was admirable, but it also blinded him to the true threats that lurked within it. In his advanced age, he had become too dependent on tradition, unwilling to challenge the status quo. That would be Hiruzen's downfall. The Hokage's refusal to adapt had already set the stage for his replacement—and Ethan intended to be the one to do it.

But that would take time, and patience. For now, Ethan's focus was on something more immediate: Sasuke.

The Uchiha boy had been stubborn, refusing to heed Ethan's words about embracing power and letting go of his obsession with revenge. Ethan had expected this. Sasuke's thirst for vengeance was blinding him to the potential for greater power. Ethan had tried to push Sasuke toward the right path, but the boy was still too emotionally tied to his past, to his hatred for his brother, Itachi.

That was where Ethan's scientific knowledge came into play.

He had already started researching ways to manipulate the Sharingan, to enhance its power in ways that had never been attempted before. If Sasuke could not be convinced through words, then perhaps he could be convinced through force—through showing him what true power looked like. The Sharingan could be enhanced, Ethan was certain of it. But there was one thing he needed: a test subject.

The answer, of course, was Kabuto.

Kabuto had been loyal to Orochimaru for years, but loyalty could always be bought. Ethan knew Kabuto's true ambitions—to surpass Orochimaru, to find his own path to power. It was time to test his theory. If Kabuto was willing to sacrifice his own body, his own humanity, for power, then he would make the perfect subject for Ethan's experiment.

That evening, Ethan made his way to the laboratory deep beneath the Hidden Leaf. The walls were lined with jars containing various specimens, each one a failed experiment from Orochimaru's past. Most of them were little more than grotesque monsters, twisted by the science of the former snake sage. But Ethan had a different approach. He didn't need to create monstrosities; he needed to understand the true potential of chakra and bloodline abilities, to manipulate them in ways never before seen.

Kabuto was already there when Ethan arrived, standing in front of a row of scrolls, his glasses gleaming in the dim light.

"Ethan," Kabuto greeted, his voice as calm and collected as ever. "You're here earlier than expected."

Ethan didn't bother with pleasantries. He walked straight to the table where several experiments lay in wait. "I need your help, Kabuto," he said, his tone flat. "I'm going to enhance the Sharingan. And I want you to be my test subject."

Kabuto raised an eyebrow but didn't react with surprise. After all, he had known from the start that Ethan's ambitions would lead him to places others feared to go. "You want me to undergo a procedure that could… change me permanently?" Kabuto's voice was cautious, but his curiosity was evident.

"Yes," Ethan said, his eyes gleaming with determination. "I need you to be a vessel for my experiment. You will be the first to undergo the transformation."

Kabuto hesitated, but only for a moment. His desire for power was too great to ignore. "What will this experiment do?"

Ethan's lips curled into a slight smile. "I will combine the Sharingan with your chakra, Kabuto. The potential for what we can unlock is limitless. Think of it, Kabuto—enhanced vision, the ability to control not just the mind, but the body itself. The Sharingan's power, merged with your own scientific knowledge and medical expertise."

Kabuto's eyes flickered with something that could have been excitement—or greed. "And the risks?"

"There will be risks," Ethan admitted, his gaze hardening. "But they are necessary. You want to surpass Orochimaru, don't you? You want to be more than just his servant. This will give you the power you need."

Kabuto didn't hesitate this time. "I'll do it," he said, his voice steady. "What do you need me to do?"

Ethan's heart raced. This was the beginning of something monumental. He had the right subject, the right procedure. Now, it was time to see if his theories about the Sharingan could bear fruit.

---

The procedure took hours, the air thick with the scent of chemicals and the quiet hum of machinery. Ethan was meticulous in his work, his mind focused entirely on the task at hand. He didn't just want to enhance the Sharingan; he wanted to change the very nature of chakra itself. The potential for manipulation was immense, and he was eager to see the results.

Finally, as the final seal was placed on Kabuto's body, Ethan stood back, eyes gleaming with satisfaction. The Sharingan had fused with Kabuto's chakra pathways, creating a new, enhanced version of the bloodline. The transformation was not without cost—Kabuto's body trembled, his breathing labored—but Ethan could see the change in him. Kabuto's eyes glowed with a newfound power, and the air around him seemed to crackle with chakra.

"Do you feel it?" Ethan asked, his voice low, almost reverent.

Kabuto's eyes focused on him, his gaze sharper, more intense than ever before. "Yes," he said, his voice rough. "I can feel the chakra flowing through me in ways I've never experienced before. This power… it's unlike anything I've ever known."

Ethan's lips curled into a satisfied smile. "This is just the beginning, Kabuto. Soon, we will enhance the Sharingan to its fullest potential. And with it, we will control not just the village, but the very fabric of reality itself."

But even as he spoke, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The cost of the experiment had been high. Kabuto's body had been altered in ways that might not be fully understood yet. Still, there was no turning back now. Power came with a price—and this was the price of pushing the boundaries of science and jutsu.

As Kabuto recovered, Ethan's thoughts turned to Sasuke. The boy would be the next step in his grand plan, but first, he needed to see what kind of power this new Sharingan could unlock. It was time to test it.

---

Later that evening, Ethan and Kabuto met with Sasuke once again. The boy had been growing more restless, his obsession with revenge pulling him deeper into darkness. Ethan saw the potential for the Sharingan to become a key tool in his manipulation. The boy's thirst for power and vengeance made him an easy target—he just needed the right push.

Sasuke stood before them, his eyes cold and distant. "What is it now?" he asked, his voice tinged with frustration. He was still fixated on his brother, Itachi, still consumed by his anger.

Ethan approached him slowly, his voice low. "You're close, Sasuke. But you're not there yet. You need more. You need to unlock the full potential of your power."

Sasuke's eyes flickered with interest, though he didn't speak.

Ethan gestured toward Kabuto, who stepped forward, his new Sharingan glowing brightly. "This is the next step. Kabuto has unlocked a new level of the Sharingan—one that you can achieve, too. But you must be willing to sacrifice."

Sasuke's gaze shifted between Ethan and Kabuto. "What kind of sacrifice?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan's smile was cold. "The kind that will give you true power. The kind that will make you stronger than anyone, even your brother. Are you ready for that?"

Sasuke hesitated, then nodded slowly. "I'm ready."

Ethan's heart quickened. The pieces were falling into place, one by one. The path to power was paved with sacrifice, and now, Sasuke was ready to walk it.