~ Every 100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter! Your votes keep this climbing. Thanks!
――Amaterasu's Illumination!
Kabuto's right eye—the one lost to Izanagi, its pupil vanished—trembled as it gradually reformed.
"Ah…!!"
Having grown accustomed to the darkness, the retina of this long-blinded eye was suddenly assaulted by intense light. Kabuto snapped his eyes shut, pressing a hand over the right one, tears streaming between his fingers.
Slowly, he lowered his hand. Blurred vision swam before stabilizing, turning sharp and clear.
Joy and wonder filled Kabuto. "It's truly restored… An eye that used Izanagi can regain its sight. Is this the power of Kagami's eyes, Amaterasu's Illumination? Truly incredible."
The eyes of the white snakes within Orochimaru's sleeves reverted to three tomoe and retreated into his sleeves.
Amaterasu's Illumination, due to its unique power, required both eyes to activate and could not be used consecutively.
Itachi asked, "What would happen if that pair of eyes used Izanagi or Izanami?"
Orochimaru answered, "After Izanagi reaches its time limit, or upon Izanami's success, blindness would follow. However, once the power of Amaterasu's Illumination recovered, sight would be restored."
Itachi murmured, "Intermittent blindness, then…"
Orochimaru examined Kabuto closely. "Kabuto… the Sage energy within you surpasses even your former self."
Kabuto smiled. "Yes. I should no longer be a hindrance to Lord Orochimaru."
"Now, with Amaterasu's Illumination as a safeguard, the risk of Mangekyō blindness is mitigated. Kabuto, upon our return, you shall inherit the left eye of Katsu as well."
Kabuto's right eye, which housed Futodama, had been awakened by Obito Uchiha's father, Katsu Uchiha. The left eye was also in Orochimaru's possession.
"I am prepared for that," Kabuto stated.
The three tomoe in his right eye spun, shifting into the Mangekyō pattern.
――Futodama!
WHOOSH!
A swirling vortex carried them all back to Pale Moon Island.
Three days remained until the Seventh Battle.
Kabuto completed the transplant of his left eye. Orochimaru implanted a small amount of Hashirama cells into Itachi. The potent physique enhanced by the Sage pills allowed Itachi to easily bear the burden.
The Hashirama cells weren't for using Mokuton, but to prepare his body to receive Shisui's eyes.
The next day, guided by Itachi, Kabuto retrieved Shisui's coffin and brought it to the island.
Unable to bear the thought of Shisui's body decaying to bones, Itachi had preserved it. Shisui's appearance was unchanged from the moment he leapt from the cliff, save for his hands resting peacefully across his chest.
Even Sasuke, cutting his own preparation for the Seventh Battle short, came to witness the opening of the coffin. To him, Shisui had been like a second older brother.
Under their solemn gazes, Orochimaru closed the coffin lid. Around it, a complex ritual circle was etched. His long hair stirred as if by an unfelt wind, his hands weaving a rapid series of seals.
――Forbidden Art: Bloodline Transference!
RUMBLE…
The coffin slowly sank into the ritual circle. Threads of light, crimson as blood, flowed from its center onto Itachi's body.
A surge, a boiling within his veins.
In a daze… Itachi saw a phantom of Shisui appear before him, smiling gently in farewell.
"Shisui…!"
"Itachi. Live on with my eyes. Live for both of us."
"I will."
So… Shisui's soul had never truly departed.
"Shisui, if you see my father, mother, and our clansmen… please tell them I have found a new path. For the things I have done… once all is settled, I will personally atone before them."
Shisui's soul closed his eyes, his form dissolving into ethereal light, returning to the Pure Land.
――"Farewell, Itachi."
――"Goodbye, Shisui."
As the boiling blood calmed, Itachi had become, in blood and lineage, Shisui's 'brother'.
Thereafter, Kabuto transplanted Shisui's eyes into Itachi.
The fusion of Mangekyō required time. Until completion, Itachi would rest with his eyes bound in silk.
Placing the replaced eyes in a porcelain jar, Kabuto stepped out of Itachi's recovery room. Orochimaru was waiting outside, and Kabuto finally voiced a long-held question.
"Lord Orochimaru… there is something I've always wondered."
Orochimaru smiled. "Whether a replaced Mangekyō can be transplanted again?"
"Exactly."
"The essence of Mangekyō blindness is a seal. Once sealed, where does that power go? Have you considered that?"
Kabuto's eyes widened. "Ah…! Could it be…?!"
"Indeed. The ocular power remains within the original owner's body, waiting. When the host's eyes are restored to eternal sight, that power awakens, residing in the world once more."
"Then… for the donor who gave their eyes, the sealed power remains in their body too, correct? How, then, is that sealed power inherited by the host?"
"Therefore," Orochimaru explained, "the awakening of the Eternal Mangekyō requires another hidden condition: the death of the donor. Only then is the sealed power released and inherited by the host."
Realization dawned. "I see. So, if two brothers simply exchanged eyes, it would be just that—an exchange. Neither would awaken the Eternal Mangekyō."
"What if," Kabuto asked, "we used Amaterasu's Illumination to restore sight to these replaced eyes of Itachi's?"
"Any power already sealed within Itachi would return to the eyes. In simple terms, it would be as if Itachi merely transplanted Shisui's eyes and nothing more."
"Understood. The essence of Amaterasu's Illumination is to restore ocular power, not copy it. That is the correct interpretation."
Orochimaru's gaze deepened, fixed on the eyes Kabuto had inherited from Katsu.
Those eyes will one day merge with Obito's Kamui Mangekyō, birthing a new power. Sasuke-kun earnestly hopes to win Obito to our side once more. Given the current situation, that seems… considerably difficult.
If Obito truly cannot be swayed, Kabuto… the one to inherit those eyes will be you.
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, his expression serious. "On another matter, Lord Orochimaru. Regarding Sasuke-kun's opponent in the Seventh Battle, three days from now…"
"The Five Kage Summit, convened by the Raikage to discuss the extermination of Akatsuki, is imminent. The Eight-Tails is still at large, the Nine-Tails' whereabouts unknown. Obito likely believes both have been hidden away. He may, as in the previous timeline, use the Summit to declare war on the Five Great Nations…"
Kabuto's expression turned grave. "What is to be done?"
A faint smile played on Orochimaru's lips. "An all-out war now is hardly ideal. Therefore… we must act on 'two fronts'. The Seventh Battle will be split into two halves. Sasuke-kun will face both the 'Five Kage' and 'Obito'. The order… will depend on whether Obito can locate Killer B's trail in these final two days."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
Read up to (180+ ) advanced chapters on Patre\on
Visit us here: patreon.com/BingeInk
Happy reading, everyone!