𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐘 | Kawaki Uzumaki ✓

023

-flashback-

I quietly open the door to the Uzumaki house, planning to sneak in and surprise Kawaki, but instead, I hear heated voices coming from the dining room. Lady Hinata, Lord Hokage, and Kawaki are in the middle of a tense conversation.

"Kawaki, you don't want to do this," Lord Hokage says, his voice calm but firm, as he stands slightly in front of Hinata, like he's ready to shield her if needed.

"I meant what I said," Kawaki replies, his tone cold and unyielding. He's not backing down.

"Kawaki, please think this through, Boruto—" Hinata starts, but Kawaki cuts her off.

"I will kill and destroy every Ōtsutsuki, vessel or not," Kawaki declares, his voice dripping with determination and anger.

A chill runs down my spine. Kawaki isn't joking. He's dead serious. The words he just spoke send a surge of fear through me. What will happen if he discovers my secret, that I'm also a vessel? His rage seems boundless, and I don't know how far he's willing to go to eliminate the threat he perceives.

I feel like the walls are closing in on me, the weight of my own secret becoming unbearable. If Kawaki discovers the truth, will he see me as an enemy? A target? The boy I care for so deeply is now a threat, and I'm caught in the crossfire between his hatred and the truth I can't hide for much longer.

I take a step back, trying to gather my thoughts. What can I do? How can I keep him from finding out? The fear of losing him is overwhelming, but the fear of him turning on me is even worse. I need to think, to find a way to defuse this situation before it's too late.

I back away slowly, my heart racing as I slip out the door. I can't let him find out—not now, not like this. I need to figure out a way to handle this without losing everything I hold dear. The clock is ticking, and I feel the pressure mounting with every second that passes.

-present time-

I was zoned out for most of the matches, not really caring about who won or lost. But now it was my turn to face Sarada, and I could feel the tension building between us. We'd both avoided eye contact the entire time, but now there was no escaping it.

"Sarada and Y/n, time for you two to take your stand against each other in the middle of the field," Lord Hokage announces, and we both step into the center, keeping about fifty meters between us.

"The match begins now," Lord Hokage continues. "But remember! Treat this match as a real fight—kill or be killed."

Sarada's Sharingan is already activated, the red hue in her eyes reflecting her determination. I could tell she was preparing her Chidori, the familiar crackling of lightning gathering in her hand. But before she could fully charge it, I decided to throw her off her game.

"I really hope my vision doesn't get any blurrier than it is," I say, my voice flat and emotionless. That's how I was taught in the Anbu—to suppress feelings, to act without emotion. It had become second nature to me, and now it was hard to shake off.

"What kind of thing to say is that?" Sarada replies, a hint of confusion in her voice. She still holds her Chidori, but she's distracted by my odd remark. "Because, what I'm seeing right now is you unconscious at my feet."

"You see me basically dead, do you? Well then," I say as I activate my Sharingan. It's like a switch flips in my head, and I'm ready to fight.

"Make it happen," I say, activating my Mangekyo Sharingan. The instant I call upon Kuraokami, Sarada's body goes slack, her eyes still open but her consciousness trapped in my Genjutsu. The gasps from the onlookers are audible, their shock evident as they witness the Mangekyo in action.

Sarada stands still, her mouth slightly open, her red orbs frozen in place. She's in the infinite void of my Genjutsu, and only I can release her from its grip. I place my palm on her back, marking her with my Flying Rajin seal for later use in this fight. It's an advantage I intend to use, especially if things get tricky. I intend to push her to her limits, to see how strong she truly is.

I move back to my original position, fifty meters away, and just stand there, waiting to see how long it takes for her to break free. It could be minutes or hours, depending on her willpower and determination. My Mangekyo still spins, and I notice Dad's expression. He's tense, almost agitated. Is he worried about my safety, knowing that excessive use of the Mangekyo could lead to blindness? Or is he concerned about what I might be doing to Sarada in my Genjutsu?

As I stand there, watching the scene unfold, I feel the weight of my actions. This isn't just a test of strength; it's a battle of wills, and I'm using a power that many fear. I wonder if Dad regrets not teaching me more about controlling this aspect of the Sharingan. But then, how could he prepare me for a power that even he struggles to understand?

I look toward the crowd of onlookers, seeing their reactions. Mom and Hinata seem worried, Lord Naruto appears stern, Boruto looks anxious, and Kawaki, well, he's difficult to read. Orochimaru is observing with interest, perhaps seeing a new subject for his experiments. Mitsuki, as usual, is calm and collected, watching with his usual detached curiosity.

"Y/n," Sasuke says my name quite loudly, and I turn my head toward him with a hint of annoyance.

"Yeah, what, Sasuke?" I reply, trying to sound indifferent.

"I didn't quite get what you meant when you said 'blurry vision' at the start of the match," he says with an edge to his voice. "But I do now. Deactivate your Mangekyo right now."

"Sasuke," Boruto speaks up, curious, "what does 'blurry vision' have to do with Mangekyo?"

"If you use the Mangekyo recklessly, you go blind," Sasuke replies, his eyes fixed on me.

"Then why haven't you gone blind with how much you use it?" Kawaki asks, his voice laced with confusion.

Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto exchange quick glances, as if deciding how much to reveal. It's clear that there's a lot more to the story, and I'm curious about what Dad will say.

"I guess what goes around in the past comes back up in the future," Naruto says, his tone neutral but with an air of encouragement.

"I'm not getting into detail," Sasuke says sternly to Naruto. "Long story short, I wanted revenge on my brother, and I killed him. I found out later that the reason he did what he did was because it was an order from the previous Anbu leader and the Third Hokage."

Boruto leans in, eager to hear more. "Yeah, and then what happened?"

"Mangekyo is the next stage from Sharingan," Sasuke explains, watching me closely. "You get it by witnessing a death of a loved one or by killing them yourself. The Mangekyo gives you multiple abilities, which I'm not going into detail about, but continued use of the eyes eventually makes you go blind. I didn't know that, and after I killed my brother, I gained the Mangekyo."

"'Blurry vision,'" Kawaki reiterates, pointing out that Sasuke hasn't explained how he regained his eyesight.

Dad lets out a sigh, clearly reluctant to explain further, but he understands that the information is necessary to clarify the gravity of the Mangekyo Sharingan.

"Let me put it in basic terms," he says, his voice low but firm. "Y/n has Internal Mangekyo, which means it's 'not long-lasting,' and I have Eternal Mangekyo, which means 'forever.'"

There's a pause, and I can see Dad hesitating before he continues. The next part is something he doesn't want to say, but he does anyway because it's crucial.

"And the only way to receive the Eternal Mangekyo is to take the eyes of a close family member of the Uchiha blood, such as a sibling."

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edited; 04/may/24