"Ryūjin, you were still a bit too impulsive. The villagers already harbor prejudices against us Uchiha, and you're only adding fuel to the fire," Uchiha Fugaku said, frowning. His personality was relatively easygoing, and though he was clearly frustrated, he didn't severely reprimand Ryūjin. He simply tried to reason with him.
"If the Village uses this as an excuse to continue suppressing our clan…" A trace of worry crossed Fugaku's face.
"Patriarch, rest assured. I left no loose ends. Asuma attacked first; I merely defended myself. All the villagers saw it." Ryūjin's tone was calm, precise, leaving no room for dispute.
"How could Ryūjin not have prepared for this? Asuma attacked a Military Police member without cause while on duty. Even if we report this to the Hokage, the blame would be on him. By Military Police regulations, we could even arrest Asuma ourselves."
Fugaku's expression softened. Ryūjin's meticulousness left little room for accusation. Even if Hiruzen Sarutobi wished to suppress the Uchiha Clan, he would have no valid excuse. Yet, the rift between the Uchiha and the Village continued to widen.
Ryūjin didn't care. In a few years, the Uchiha would face the Massacre; a minor conflict with Asuma mattered little. This reasoning justified his actions.
"Ryūjin, avoid further conflicts with Asuma. Also, refrain from Military Police duty for a while; stay within the Clan compound and focus on your training," Fugaku continued, his tone calmer now.
"Understood, Patriarch," Ryūjin replied nonchalantly. With his current strength, he had every right to be confident. Keeping a low profile was his principle, not born of fear.
While father and son spoke, inside the Hokage Office…
"Hokage-sama, that's how it happened." An Anbu recounted the clash between Asuma Sarutobi and Ryūjin in full detail.
Hiruzen Sarutobi furrowed his brow, surprised. "You're saying he didn't use any Ninjutsu and defeated Asuma with Taijutsu alone? In a single move?"
Hiruzen had questioned Asuma personally, but the incident humiliated him, leaving him unwilling to recount it. Hiruzen sent someone to investigate, and with multiple witnesses, the truth was clear.
Yet outsiders had only seen Ryūjin send Asuma flying with one punch; the hidden power of Shinra Tensei went unnoticed.
"Hokage-sama, it's accurate. All witnesses confirmed the account," the Anbu said, voice steady.
"Ryūjin trains in Taijutsu daily. Could he have achieved such strength?" Hiruzen muttered, incredulous. The thought seemed impossible, yet it lingered.
Then realization struck. "Unless… has Uchiha Ryūjin already awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan?"
If he had used the Sharingan to trap Asuma in a Genjutsu first, it would explain everything. Otherwise, how could a Genin defeat a Special Jonin instantly?
Since ordinary Sharingan were common in the Uchiha, suspicion of the Mangekyo was more reasonable.
"Hokage-sama, Ryūjin has been wearing sunglasses for six months. Could he be hiding his Sharingan?" the Anbu added.
Though slightly off, the guess was close. Ryūjin's true secret was the Rinnegan. Sharingan exposure would cause a stir in Konoha, but revealing the Rinnegan would attract Black Zetsu, Nagato, and others—an entirely different level of danger.
"Can the Sharingan still use Genjutsu even while wearing sunglasses?" Hiruzen pondered. Though not an Uchiha, he knew enough to be cautious. Based on the clues, the possibility that Ryūjin had awakened the Mangekyo was high.
"I must find a way to test him," Hiruzen murmured, visibly unsettled. As a veteran from the Second World War era, he understood the terror the Mangekyo could unleash.
"You may leave now," he said, dismissing the Anbu. Handling this matter required subtlety; there could be no misstep.
Creak!
The office door opened, and Danzo leaned in, cane in hand.
"Danzo, what brings you here?" Hiruzen asked, expression neutral.
"You guessed correctly. I've come regarding Uchiha Ryūjin. I believe we share the same suspicion: has he awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan?" Danzo said, taking a seat without ceremony.
"What do you intend to do?" Hiruzen asked, serious.
"Leave it to me. Some matters are not convenient for the Hokage to handle directly," Danzo said slowly.
Hiruzen fell silent. Danzo was right; it was more suitable for Root to handle sensitive investigations.
"Danzo, mind your boundaries," Hiruzen finally said, giving a measured word of caution.
"I know what I'm doing," Danzo replied, leaving with his men, leaning on his cane.
At this point, Hiruzen, Danzo, and the Anbu all considered the possibility of Ryūjin possessing the Mangekyo Sharingan. Although Sharingan were common, the Mangekyo was rare and dangerous, especially in the hands of a seemingly ordinary Genin. The game had only just begun.
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