Unlike the original Uchiha Itachi, who had only awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan and never evolved it into the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, Ryūjin's eyes were a different story. Itachi could not freely wield Amaterasu or Tsukuyomi; each use inflicted intense strain on his eyes, often causing bleeding. Ryūjin, however, possessed the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan granted by the system. He could unleash Amaterasu or Tsukuyomi at will, without hesitation or consequence.
Over his six months of signing in, Ryūjin hadn't limited himself to only these two Dōjutsu. There were others, though far less powerful, which he could also activate at will. He mostly ignored them, letting them sit in the system space until he found a need.
"I wonder when I'll get the reward for Shisui's Kotoamatsukami, or Obito's Kamui," Ryūjin muttered, walking toward Ichiraku Ramen after finishing his patrol.
"Ryūjin, you're here! The usual?" Teuchi greeted warmly. Over the past six months, Ryūjin had become a near-daily visitor, and the shop owner treated him like a regular.
"One bowl of ramen, as always," Ryūjin replied, waving casually.
Soon a steaming bowl arrived. Ryūjin ate with relish, paid, and rose. "Brother Teuchi, I'm off!"
"Training again, Taijutsu?" Teuchi asked.
"Of course!" Ryūjin replied.
"Haha, you really are an unconventional Uchiha," Teuchi joked. Over time, he had noticed Ryūjin was different from other Uchiha—humble, approachable, and even willing to joke around.
Ryūjin spent nearly all his free time training Taijutsu at the village grounds, a habit that earned him the nickname "the unconventional Uchiha." Many in the Uchiha Clan disapproved, seeing it as a waste of potential, but Ryūjin ignored the criticism. His chakra and combat ability grew steadily, fueled by relentless practice rather than reliance on Ninjutsu.
"Ryūjin, hurry over here and sweat it out with me!" Might Guy's boisterous voice rang as soon as Ryūjin arrived. The two had spent countless hours training together over the past six months, forming a close friendship. Guy, normally insecure around others, was energetic and confident in Ryūjin's presence.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Bang! Bang!
The training was intense, full of rapid strikes and dodges.
"Ryūjin, I knew you'd show up!"
Not long after, Kurenai Yuhi arrived, visibly excited. Over the past months, she too had taken to training at the grounds, alternating between Taijutsu, Genjutsu, and Ninjutsu. She and Ryūjin had become well-acquainted, exchanging insights and refining their techniques together.
"Kurenai, do you need something?" Ryūjin asked, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Look at you, can't I come find you without a reason?" she replied, rolling her eyes.
"Of course, but you look like you've been practicing… Have you mastered your Triple Sakura?" Ryūjin teased.
"No fun, you guessed it right away," Kurenai pouted, her cheeks puffed. Her youthful energy was still evident, even if somewhat tempered with age.
"My goodness, your smile is almost reaching your ears—it's written all over your face!" Ryūjin laughed.
"How about it, Ryūjin? Want to try my move?" Kurenai asked, eager.
"I knew it, I'm your guinea pig again," Ryūjin sighed, removing his sunglasses. Despite having awakened the Rinnegan, he approached her Genjutsu with playful caution.
"Humph, this move is powerful! You'd better be careful," Kurenai warned.
"I'm calm on the outside; inside, I'm terrified," Ryūjin replied slyly.
"You rogue, take this!"
Cherry blossoms suddenly rained down around him. Ryūjin, with a flick of his Sharingan, nullified the illusion, though he allowed Kurenai to move and test him, pretending to fall for the Genjutsu.
"Haha, Ryūjin, you finally fell! Even an Uchiha fell for my Genjutsu, what an accomplishment!" Kurenai laughed, unaware Ryūjin subtly teased Might Guy while she was distracted.
"Sigh, she really never learns," Guy muttered, shaking his head.
"After so many attempts, one succeeded. I must show off when I release it…" Kurenai mused aloud.
"You can show off to me right now," Ryūjin said calmly.
"But I haven't released it yet… Huh? Ryūjin, you bastard!" Her voice carried a mix of shock and frustration.
"Haha, don't worry, I won't tell anyone," Guy said with an exaggerated laugh, trying to ease the tension.
Kurenai shot him a murderous glare. "You'd better not have seen anything. My Genjutsu may be useless against Ryūjin, but as for you…"
"Uchiha… Ryūjin!" she yelled, her anger barely restrained.
Outside the training ground, Asuma watched Ryūjin playing around with Kurenai, fists clenched in a mix of frustration and admiration.